Pixie Rogue |
May your Independence Day be happy and may you enjoy the day after with all of your digits still attached and functional! (The second requirement added due to a friend that insists that he will be testing the functionality of Gorilla Glue to meet the first requirement.)
Be safe, be thankful, have fun!
Aubrey the Malformed |
Had a very good holiday, first half in the Dordogne and the second half by the seaside in Arcachon. Don't know about you guys when you are on holiday, but I had a few moments where I was thinking, "This would be cool in a D&D game".
First off, saw some cave art in Lascaux IV (which is a mock-up) and Rouffignac (which were real, and reached by an underground train about 1km long). This was cool, not just for the art but also for the caves themselves (very old school D&D). We also visited La Roque-Gageac and Rocamadour. Both of these are towns built into valley sides, some with troglodyte dwellings, and Rocamadour is also a site of religious pilgrimage with multiple shrines and a processional way with two hundred steps. All got the imagination going.
Aubrey the Malformed |
I flicked through both. The adventure looks OK. But I'll be honest, I'm a little disappointed with Starfinder. They've made it so it is science-fantasy rather than science fiction, so it still has magic in it. Nothing wrong with that per se, but that is a certain type of game and maybe not so adaptable. Also, since it still has magic, I don't really see why they needed to create a whole new game that is similar, but not the same, to PF. Why not just have it as a version of PF so I don't have to learn a whole new rule set (like Aethera has, apparently - haven't seen it but that is what they say)? Then there would be a lot more room for the setting, which is described in a somewhat throw-away fashion.
On the plus side, I quite like the starship rules. I'm still thinking about this steampunk thing I've had in the back of my mind for years and there's some stuff in there I could adapt.
Aubrey the Malformed |
Guys, you have probably noticed my rate of posting has dwindled a lot lately. It's partly pressure of Real Life, but also mainly (and not unconnectedly) that the wells of inspiration are running dry a bit. For at least two of the games I need to have a serious think about what happens next and I haven't really had the chance to do that, and right now it's a bit like staring at a blank sheet of paper and not knowing what to write.
I am on holiday from this Friday for a week and would be out of connection anyway. However, I intend to take a break from the games I am GMing until early September. I will use this time to try and plan ahead a bit so I can return to the games a bit more refreshed and with a Plan (or Plans). Apologies, as we are in the middle of things in pretty much all the games, but hopefully this will allow me to focus a bit more.
For the games I am not running, I will post as normal (although there is still that holiday).
Mothman |
I flicked through both. The adventure looks OK. But I'll be honest, I'm a little disappointed with Starfinder. They've made it so it is science-fantasy rather than science fiction, so it still has magic in it. Nothing wrong with that per se, but that is a certain type of game and maybe not so adaptable. Also, since it still has magic, I don't really see why they needed to create a whole new game that is similar, but not the same, to PF. Why not just have it as a version of PF so I don't have to learn a whole new rule set (like Aethera has, apparently - haven't seen it but that is what they say)? Then there would be a lot more room for the setting, which is described in a somewhat throw-away fashion.
On the plus side, I quite like the starship rules. I'm still thinking about this steampunk thing I've had in the back of my mind for years and there's some stuff in there I could adapt.
Yeah, I like science-fantasy as a genre, but it is an interesting choice. When they first started talking about Starfinder I pictured it more as a setting-neutral science fiction ruleset that would be released alongside a science-fantasy futuristic Pathfinder setting. It turns out that magic is far more integral to the rules than what I was picturing, which potentially makes them less adaptable to other science fiction genres.
The other way they could have gone, if they wanted to keep it setting specific and science-fantasy rather than science fiction would be, sort of as you have suggested, create some plug-in supplements (starship and space exploration rules; a setting book including races, a couple of new classes, class archetypes; maybe an expanded Technology Guide).
I’ve started reading the rule book, but am starting to get a bit daunted by this whole new rule set which is familiar, but different enough to trip you up with the rule changes … and brand new classes with brand new class abilities … that are probably similar enough in many cases to Pathfinder classes to be done as an archetype or variant class rather than brand new class.
Mothman |
I do like the Pathfinder ‘space’ setting as it was presented in Distant Worlds and would be happy to play in an updated, more futuristic version of the setting, but in the back of my mind I sort of had an idea to use the Starfinder rules to run a campaign set in the TSR Star*Drive setting or a similar sci-fi space opera setting – it looks like that would take a bit more conversion to pull off than I am prepared for.
Mothman |
Guys, you have probably noticed my rate of posting has dwindled a lot lately. It's partly pressure of Real Life, but also mainly (and not unconnectedly) that the wells of inspiration are running dry a bit. For at least two of the games I need to have a serious think about what happens next and I haven't really had the chance to do that, and right now it's a bit like staring at a blank sheet of paper and not knowing what to write.
I am on holiday from this Friday for a week and would be out of connection anyway. However, I intend to take a break from the games I am GMing until early September. I will use this time to try and plan ahead a bit so I can return to the games a bit more refreshed and with a Plan (or Plans). Apologies, as we are in the middle of things in pretty much all the games, but hopefully this will allow me to focus a bit more.
For the games I am not running, I will post as normal (although there is still that holiday).
My posting has dropped off a bit lately too – it’s actually been good timing form my point of view that your games have gone a bit quiet as I wouldn’t have kept up otherwise. Work has been hella busy and there’s been stuff going on at home that has impacted the time I have to post in evenings. Both of those situations are likely to get somewhat better from now / soon, but I may still be a bit slow.
Running a non-canned campaign is hard! Which is why I tend to avoid it … kudos to you Aubrey, we appreciate it and I’m sure we all understand that sometimes life gets in the way and sometimes inspiration (or simply time) is in short supply. Take whatever time you need.
Aubrey the Malformed |
Hi chaps, we are looking for two PCs to replace those lost to attrition in my Rise of the Runelords game. We need a divine type and a melee type primarily. Giving first refusal to existing players in my games, otherwise I'll go to general recruitment. Cheers!
Aubrey the Malformed |
We face a similar potential problem in this game as we do with the RotRL game, albeit not so severe. The current active PCs are Hal, Gil, Ez, LB and Kaz. That's five and not so shabby, but we are used to running with an additional couple of 'PC-types' - Rod and the (now seemingly inactive) Janosz. I was planning on 'retiring' Rod after this section in the Mournland and if Vatters doesn't return soon I would be expecting to do the same with Janosz. Do you want to recruit or continue with five?
Gil |
I am copying this to all my games.
Sorry for late notice, but I am headed down the road to vacation for a week. Connectivity and availability may be an issue, so please bot for me rather than waiting too long. I will peek in if I can and normal posting is expected to resume in nine days.
I don't say this enough to the people in RL, let alone to my virtual friends, but I appreciate you and this game we share. Peace.
Aubrey the Malformed |
Guys, I just dropped a message to Vattnisse to see how he was faring and to let him know the games are here and ready for him whenever he wishes. It turns out he's had a really brutal couple of months, including health problems, a car accident, job loss and bereavement. He's got some interviews lined up so there's a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. If any of you are either friends on Facebook or otherwise in touch with him, it might be nice to send a note of support.