Cosmic Captive PbP Gameday GM Thread

[GM Hmm]

Hey Gang, thanks for your patience with me. I am back from PaizoCon and am ready to get us going again.

PART I

Part 1 begins and ends on June 9th. It will last only one day. Do the mustering portion earlier, so that your characters all check in to your gameplay threads. If you do not have a Gameplay thread, you need to start one now and PM all your players so that they can start interacting and getting in character.

At the start of June 9th, I will post something like the following across all threads:

“Pathfinders—welcome and well timed. Please, make your ways to the designated safe areas quickly and carefully, and please mind the wards. Try to keep the paths clear, as we have some very delicate equipment coming through. I have some amazing discoveries to share in just a few more moments.”

Then you table GMs will:

1) Provide the Spoilered Knowledge Checks

Since they are the same spoilered knowledge checks for everyone, does someone want to make up a google doc for that everyone can cut and paste?

2) Provide Parties with their Caches of Supplies (offer Planetary Adaptation!)

3) Provide your own box text.

PART II

On June 10th, we launch Part II. Finish part A as soon as you can, because it gets you no successes, and then move your players to the fun part -- the choice of routes.

You will have 26 days to go through this part, so whatever route you take, you will need to move as fast as you can. We will have a Cosmic Captive Reporting Form to which you can report successes and clues. I need to update it because we have had some GM changes and additions since we put this form together, and I want to make sure that all tables are listed here.

I am also trying to figure out how to let all of you see the answers as we go, so that everyone can see where we are with success types. I know that it relieves GM anxiety to know how the rest of the house is doing.

I will communicate with all of you the whole way through in this thread, and let you know at the midpoint if there are any elements that seem underrepresented.

PART III

On July 3rd, we start Part III whether you all get the requisite successes or not. We will then be going until the end point, July 21.

Here is my very short Time Line Doc.

I will need to change the calculations because it looks like I am activating 2 more tables based on the waiting list, but it will give you some idea of what I am looking at.

Does this help? Any questions?

Hmm

[Magabeus]

I will make an opening post for everyone, containing:

1) Spoilered knowledge checks
2) Offering of planetary adapation
3) Cache of supplies
4) Box text

Table GM's can then use this as a basis. I will do this on Sunday.

[GM Hmm]

That will be awesome, Magabeus.

I do think that the offering of planetary adaptation is critical. Sell it hard, especially to low level tables.

Hmm

[GM Upaynao]

I think you might have forgotten me on the reporting form.

[Hawkmoon269]

For the card game tables, I'm not quite sure which options I would choose for reporting successes. I will look at it more closely, but I don't think those match what I saw.

[GM Hmm]

We've got some tinkering to do still -- as I said, we've had changes in GMs, and we need to figure out card successes in there. (Particularly since they count differently.)

GMs, if you're not on the list, let us know.
Hmm

[nightdeath]

With the recent site stability, not sure if the rest of you have experienced it. Do we have an extension or plan in place of site being down?

[heavydisking]

@Hmm: woodenman isn't on the reporting list.

[Woran]

Im not GMing but I am curious how you will handle planar adaptation.
You get 1 energy resistance from the spell. But it looks like people will get it cast before they pick a path. Will GMs steer theit choices? Will you let them pick randomly with the chance that they pick something that has no relevance?

[Woodenman]

Tineke Bolleman wrote:

Im not GMing but I am curious how you will handle planar adaptation.

You get 1 energy resistance from the spell. But it looks like people will get it cast before they pick a path. Will GMs steer theit choices? Will you let them pick randomly with the chance that they pick something that has no relevance?

The planar adaptation in this scenario does not grant energy resistance....as per the scenario writeup it grants benefits vs a number of scenario specific hazards instead.

[Magabeus]

I made two opening posts to be posted back to back:

Table GM opening posts

The first contains the knowledge checks and the second contains the planetary adaptation and supplies

In my opinion posting them back to back works better than putting everything into a huge wall of text. Off course this is easy adjusted if you want everything in one post.

Feedback is appreciated, you can react in the document.

[GM Red]

Glad I decided to check in here. Thanks for the opening posts, Magabeus, they look great! I'll definitely be using them.

[nightdeath]

Ok I keep having problems getting on to this site. What's wrong here?

[GM Hmm]

Opening Box Text

Thank you, Magabeus! That looks great!

Site Issues

Nightdeath, the site has been having serious issues.

I am going to strongly suggest that GMs set up Google Hangouts for their tables where every player can check in (in case of site outage.)

I am also going to suggest that you ask players for botting protocols, and set up bot policies. If you can get players who are willing to bot others in combat, that can also work.

If we lose too much time, I can also add time on the back end for the special. I just want to avoid this if we can.

Updated Cosmic Captive Reporting Form

Cosmic Captive Reporting Link

Feel free to kick the tires and do a test submission now.

Hmm

[GM Granta]

Everybody should have received an invitation to a Google Hangout, sent to your Paizo-registered email. If you did not get the invite, please send a chat request to me ([e-mail]), and I will add you to the group.

[GM Hmm]

GM Granta wrote:

Everybody should have received an invitation to a Google Hangout, sent to your Paizo-registered email. If you did not get the invite, please send a chat request to me ([e-mail]), and I will add you to the group.

Thank you, Granta, for doing that set-up for me. Most appreciated!

Everyone, Chris Marsh (aka Dungeon Master S) is going to be MY backup for Overseer. If I am sick or at a con, he may leap into action for me.

I wanted to make sure that everyone knows!

Hmm

[GM Iff]

For those still working on prep (especially Tier 3-4), I've made maps and tokens for the first couple of encounters in each branch. With thanks to GM Upaynao for some of the tokens.

Link

(Please note that I haven't paid attention to token placement yet).

[GM Hmm]

There was already a map slide show available... Did I forget to link to it? Counters are good, though!

[GM Iff]

I did used the maps slideshow, but I wanted to combine it with the tokens. Also, I did some resizing of the maps.

[GM Hmm]

So is everyone ready and excited?

Hmm

[Our Mysterious Benefactor]

Getting there! I just got my tokens sorted and I'm readying myself!

[GM Iff]

Excited? Yes. Anxious? A bit. Ready? I hope so...

I do sometimes wonder what I got myself into, but I'm sure that's just a bit of stage fright and it'll all sort itself out once we're underway.

[GM Hmm]

I am excited to help you all launch off in to space!

Hmm

[GM Upaynao]

I'm excited to play, curious to see how the PbP format will handle this Special and concerned because I'm still missing a couple of things in my thread (like that map of the asteroid).

Onward, to Glory!

[GM Granta]

As far as I can tell, everybody except for the following has joined the Emergency Hangout:

• Chadius
  
• Michael Hallet
  
• Kuey
  
• Lithrac
  
• Chie
  
• Woodenman
  
• Terence Lin

If your name is on that list, please either:

• Join the chat.
  
• Let me know that you don't want to join it, so that I stop bugging you.

[Hawkmoon269]

GM Hmm wrote:

PART II

On June 10th, we launch Part II. Finish part A as soon as you can, because it gets you no successes, and then move your players to the fun part -- the choice of routes.

Keeping in mind, I'm running a card guild table:

Do we need to wait for you to make announcement that Part II is beginning before beginning actual play? If so, do you have a guess as to when you would make that announcement? I'd like to post the opening of the card game as close to when you open Part II as possible.

[GM Hmm]

I'll do the announcement, and then you'll be free to move on!

Hmm

[GM Silbeg]

Per discussion today, I've volunteered to be another backup GM for GM Hmm... I ran this at high tier (10-11) at Gen Con last year, so have some experience in the insanity of this one.

Also, as we discussed, I am available to help with high tier tactics, etc... it is a rough one for those GMs, as I can attest to, so if you want to bounce ideas off of me, please do!

(Other tiers are welcome to do so as well...)

--

Silbeg...

[GM Hmm]

Thank you, Jack. It is very nice to have you offer to be a resource here.

Hmm

[GM Hmm]

Ah, heck. I'm not sure we need it, but I just created an Overseer Thread where posts will air first. You can use it to quickly ascertain what conditions have been announced.

I figured that it can also be a place where players can ask questions. We launch shortly.

Hmm

[GM Batpony]

Onwards indeed! Thanks to all the extra hard working GMs who make the rest of our jobs easier!

[GM Hmm]

- ★ - LINKS - ★-

And we're off!

GM Thread:
(Here! Detailed questions, links and other awesomeness)

Cosmic Captive Sign-Up Sheet
(in case you need to pull someone from the wait list)

Cosmic Captive Overseer Thread
(in case you need to look at all Overseer posts in one place)

Cosmic Captive Reporting Form
(Here's where you input your successes!)

Cosmic Captive GM Emergency Hangout
(For notifications during site outages and quick questions)

[GM Batpony]

I'm assuming those with companions would need to pay 1 additional pp for the planetary adaptation if they want it on their companion?

[GM Iff]

I also ran into that question, and figured that it wouldn't. I see no need to penalize characters with a companion as a class feature, and charge them 2 PP for the spell (effectively).

[Magabeus]

GM Iff wrote:

I also ran into that question, and figured that it wouldn't. I see no need to penalize characters with a companion as a class feature, and charge them 2 PP for the spell (effectively).

I made the same judgement and came here to state that. It is a mass planar adaptation that is cast.

[Magabeus]

I added a post that you can use after the first combat

Table GM opening posts

I will continue to add genetic posts that might be of use to all GMs during the special.

[GM Qwerty]

i still have one pax not signed in. I PM'd him with the thread url for my game. When do I pull a replacement for him if he is still absent?

[Hmm]

Now. You replace him now.

Hmm

[GM Granta]

I like Magabeus' argument for including companions/familiars in the 1 PP spell. My player also asked about the air crystals though, and here is how I ruled, in case anybody else runs into the same question:

Similar to a potion, it would take a full-round action instead of a standard to administer to another creature. I'm also going to say it requires a "push", as chewing for 1 minute without swallowing is unnatural for a velociraptor.

[GM Hmm]

Magabeus wrote:

I added a post that you can use after the first combat

Table GM opening posts

I will continue to add genetic posts that might be of use to all GMs during the special.

This is awesome, Magabeus. Thank you!

Overseer ruling: The Planetary Adapatation Spell includes mounts and familiars.

Hmm

[Magabeus]

Lol, i now spot the genetic...

[GM Turmoil]

Don't forget to inform your players about the effects of the lowered gravity!

[GM Z..D..]

I advertised my open slot at core 10-11. I could also use a 9 since that is the only one not covered by tiers.

[GM Granta]

GM Z..D.. wrote:

I advertised my open slot at core 10-11. I could also use a 9 since that is the only one not covered by tiers.

As far as I know, Nefreet is the only other player in Flaxseed with a core character high enough. And he had some RL obligations that kept him from playing this special :-(

[Gayel Nord]

As I Read. The house can't lose right?

And does a Hazard like the lava don't work with the planetary Adaptation?

[GM OfAnything]

I'd say the planetary adaptation is more likely tuned to the cold void of space than to fire.

If you live, you win!

[GM Granta]

pp. 53 wrote:

For the purpose of this adventure, planetary adaptation grants no energy resistance but does protect the recipient from environmental temperature extremes, the vacuum of space, and damage dealt by radioactivity.

[Gayel Nord]

GM Granta wrote:

pp. 53 wrote:

For the purpose of this adventure, planetary adaptation grants no energy resistance but does protect the recipient from environmental temperature extremes, the vacuum of space, and damage dealt by radioactivity.

And lava is an extreme environnemental Hazard right?

[GM Granta]

Lava is a hazard, yes. The spell doesn't protect against hazards though. It protects one from "environmental temperature extremes", that means how hot or cold the air is.

[GM Iff]

Paizo website was not available for me this morning. The problem corrected itself an hour or so later, so my campaign wasn't impacted. Also, one of my players seems to have structural problems getting access. The website stability still seems worrisome.