The Gaming Den

Last year in response to someone actually fulfilling my challenge to review all of Farcast, I agreed to write a complete RPG based around three keywords. Because I'm a fucking idiot. The "winner" was Vigil and the keywords were: atompunk, wands, Mythos.

...it still isn't finished. It is, in fact, on 13.8k words. I'm still working at it, I've just back-burnered it to death, so I am starting this thread as a development diary and, basically, to help encourage me to write and finish the gods-damned thing.

This week's efforts are focused on Mars. We're in the Gazetteer of the Setting sort of section, so: Mars. This is drawing largely off Clark Ashton Smith's material, because he wrote about Mars, but I'm also stealing left-and-right-handedly from other sci-fi settings as needs must.

The system: I haven't written much of any of it yet, but that is because I plan to steal it. I have, in fact, been planning to do this for some time and have some extensive notes about what I'm going to import wholesale and what I'm going to have to change or work up, but trust me, you should recognize it when you see it - and no, it is not in any way, shape, or form related to BRP. Start with something that works and plug it into something that works, that's my motto. Frank's offered repeatedly to help (which I appreciate), but I'm digging this hole on my own and want to keep going until I hit bottom.

[edit] Link to google doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/184P ... sp=sharing

Currently at 185 pages.

I plan to steal it. I have, in fact, been planning to do this for some time and have some extensive notes about what I'm going to import wholesale and what I'm going to have to change or work up, but trust me, you should recognize it when you see it

I hope you're stealing from Outlaw Star then

OgreBattle wrote:

I plan to steal it. I have, in fact, been planning to do this for some time and have some extensive notes about what I'm going to import wholesale and what I'm going to have to change or work up, but trust me, you should recognize it when you see it

I hope you're stealing from Outlaw Star then

Outlaw Star has an RPG system? *skeptical*

Been lollygagging. Finished Mars. Current wordcount 15.9k. Next up: Venus

17.1k Still on Venus. I've been distracted by other things.

Venus finished. 18k

Ancient:

If you need backup, I'm in if you'll pay me a penny per word and autograph one of my old Shadowrun books.

Finished the Belt and a chunk of Jupiter. 20.2k

...Mythos atompunk. I can't wait to see this thing.

Neither can I. This sounds seriously neat.

Jupiter done. 21.2k

Saturn done. 23.2k

Reading Barbarella for inspiration.

Oh god. The movie is the absolute worst.

The original comic, ya dork. And it's not as bad as the pornographic parody of the Barbarella film, which is just jumping the hardcore shark.

I figured, I just wanted to bitch about the move, because it is awful and deserving of scorn.

23,000 words? We have here a man who takes offhand forum bets seriously .

Can't wait for the result, I reckon it'll be the best Mythos Atompunk RPG featuring wands yet!

Projected final wordcount is ~40k once I get the mechanics done. I'm just doing the setting/fluff first.

A review of a 364 post blog isn't a tiny investment of time, either. I think it's fair that the reward for it not just be something half-assed over a weekend.

I still consider it a rather impressive move above and beyond what I was expecting. IMO, publicly stated as incentive for myself, Ancient is fully permitted to ask me for another review or even for me to write/make something for him in turn. Not something as big as an RPG, but up to the scale of an adventure or small module/conversion.

I haven't written a proper adventure since... Zero Sum Gain for Shadowrun 4A, and that was a bit of silliness. I still resemble the last review of it.

It's dark, gritty and of adult content. The 'good guys' aren't particularly nice and the whole adventure is cast in a sea of human social effluent.

Anyway, here's hoping I can make some decent progress on it. I had fully intended to finish this damn thing last year...

I'm not sure if you meant that as a request or an aside. If a request, I'll afford you the same guidelines; three key words and a preferred system.

PS: As a warning, my ability to write an adventure is best summarized by Red Dawn; which I believe Meikle641 posted semi-recently. I should have a number of campaign notes as well on the Trenches.

It was just an aside.

Okay, fluff is done. 24.9k.

Next step: Mechanics!

Basic core mechanic/tests explained with examples. 29.5k

Next step: Character gen part 1

I am immediately intrigued by any game where wands make up one third of the keywords it is based on. I have a thing for wands (no homo).