How long does a risk die last (on average)?
I wanted to know for my ongoing blog post series (http://dieheart.net/lr-mmz-01/).
TBH steps down the die type on a roll of 1-2. MM on a 1-3.
https://codepen.io/sophiabrandt/full/OgzqzL/
Credit goes to Stefan Matthias Aust for the original TBH version: https://codepen.io/eibaan/full/zZxQzY/
Mine is just a simple fork where I changed one line of code and the text.
https://codepen.io/sophiabrandt/full/OgzqzL/
Thursday, June 29, 2017
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
HIT PANTS
HIT PANTS
Best misreading of a spelling error
On p. 7 of the PDF (v1.1):
"If the new roll doesn't improve your hit ponts,"
The nature of the font made me read that as hit pAnts.
ROFL.
Best misreading of a spelling error
On p. 7 of the PDF (v1.1):
"If the new roll doesn't improve your hit ponts,"
The nature of the font made me read that as hit pAnts.
ROFL.
I think I might have cornered that dungeon procedure.
I think I might have cornered that dungeon procedure.
Jerome Larre, let's playtest this!
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
First post of a series! Let's read!
First post of a series! Let's read!
Originally shared by Sophia Brandt
Let's give into Macchiato Monsters ZERO by Eric Nieudan.
http://dieheart.net/lr-mmz-01/
Originally shared by Sophia Brandt
Let's give into Macchiato Monsters ZERO by Eric Nieudan.
http://dieheart.net/lr-mmz-01/
Working on a hack with warbands.
Working on a hack with warbands. How do you play followers? Do you create a quick character sheet or do you use them only with minimal features like dR and traits?
Ok, I wanna run a one-shot MM game (subtype to be determined). It will have to be US-friendly.
Ok, I wanna run a one-shot MM game (subtype to be determined). It will have to be US-friendly.
Do you wanna play, what do you wanna play, and which days are good for you?
Friday, June 23, 2017
And yet another attempt at streamlining dungeon exploration...
And yet another attempt at streamlining dungeon exploration...
Originally shared by Eric Nieudan
Productive insomnia FTW!
The map I shared earlier gave me an idea for dungeon design: using room descriptions as a risk die encounter table. Instead of further spoiling my players, I grabbed a map by Dyson Logos and wrote this little gonzo adventure.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxHKe4JbIMLQdHNNQlhyXzVPb3M/view?usp=sharing
Originally shared by Eric Nieudan
Productive insomnia FTW!
The map I shared earlier gave me an idea for dungeon design: using room descriptions as a risk die encounter table. Instead of further spoiling my players, I grabbed a map by Dyson Logos and wrote this little gonzo adventure.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxHKe4JbIMLQdHNNQlhyXzVPb3M/view?usp=sharing
Monday, June 19, 2017
Shared for safekeeping - comments welcomed here as well.
Shared for safekeeping - comments welcomed here as well.
Originally shared by Eric Nieudan
Listening to Jason Hobbs and friends today, it struck me that I could make wilderness travel in Macchiato Monsters more structured with a simple table of procedures**. This is mostly stuff people will do in these situations, with a few extra consequences.
Any thoughts? Would you have a use for this, whatever the old school-ish game you're running? Am I missing anything that a party of adventurers would do?
*Including the hunting and foraging rules, which I forgot to include in the latest version of *Extra Shots because I'm a big thick.
Saturday, June 17, 2017
Infiltrating the castle
Infiltrating the castle
Testing the corruption die.
Start by rolling 1dC4. (dC step up to next dice size in d4, d6, d8, d10, and d12 on a 4+ roll.)
Roll when the characters cover any significant distance, or every quarter of an hour when they stay put, or when they do something that draws attention.
Cross out any rolled outcome. When rolling an already crossed out outcome, play the next unstroked item.
1. Another intruder (thief, lover, or escaping prisoner)
2. A drunk old person (kitchen staff, room staff, or military)
3. A castle pet (ferret, dog, or talking bird)
4. A lone servant (torch and candle lighter, groom, or maid)
5. A couple caught in the act (aggressive over discovery, wanting discretion over all, or one doesn’t consent)
6. A lone guard doing his round (bored, humming, or eager)
7. A whole patrol (back from the kitchen, on a mission, or in search of trouble)
8. Someone standing guard (hidden, assertive, or corruptible)
9. The Castle’s ghost (friendly, ghastly, or weird)
10. A person of standing (Lady or Lord, priest or counselor, or seneschal) with their suite
11. An armed, alert patrol in chase of the intruders, 1d4+2 (with a magic user, bloody from another fight, or with dogs)
12. The Castle’s Marshal with 1d4+1 guards, armed and alert (with a magic user, reinforcement nearby, or overconfident)
Stepping up a dC12: alarm is sounded for every castle inhabitant, doors are barred, gates are closed and a whole scale hunt for the intruders begins. Prepare for a merciless chase, chaos, bloody fights and confusion.o.
Testing the corruption die.
Start by rolling 1dC4. (dC step up to next dice size in d4, d6, d8, d10, and d12 on a 4+ roll.)
Roll when the characters cover any significant distance, or every quarter of an hour when they stay put, or when they do something that draws attention.
Cross out any rolled outcome. When rolling an already crossed out outcome, play the next unstroked item.
1. Another intruder (thief, lover, or escaping prisoner)
2. A drunk old person (kitchen staff, room staff, or military)
3. A castle pet (ferret, dog, or talking bird)
4. A lone servant (torch and candle lighter, groom, or maid)
5. A couple caught in the act (aggressive over discovery, wanting discretion over all, or one doesn’t consent)
6. A lone guard doing his round (bored, humming, or eager)
7. A whole patrol (back from the kitchen, on a mission, or in search of trouble)
8. Someone standing guard (hidden, assertive, or corruptible)
9. The Castle’s ghost (friendly, ghastly, or weird)
10. A person of standing (Lady or Lord, priest or counselor, or seneschal) with their suite
11. An armed, alert patrol in chase of the intruders, 1d4+2 (with a magic user, bloody from another fight, or with dogs)
12. The Castle’s Marshal with 1d4+1 guards, armed and alert (with a magic user, reinforcement nearby, or overconfident)
Stepping up a dC12: alarm is sounded for every castle inhabitant, doors are barred, gates are closed and a whole scale hunt for the intruders begins. Prepare for a merciless chase, chaos, bloody fights and confusion.o.
Friday, June 16, 2017
Corruption die works like a reversed risk die, for stuff like dark side corruption &al.
Corruption die works like a reversed risk die, for stuff like dark side corruption &al.
Start at dC4, every 4+ result step the dice up, up to dC12+ where something happens.
Might be useful for walk-on table with increasing variety, discovering new areas and explosive deviation.
Start at dC4, every 4+ result step the dice up, up to dC12+ where something happens.
Might be useful for walk-on table with increasing variety, discovering new areas and explosive deviation.
Thursday, June 15, 2017
Session 29 of the Astral Borderlands open campaign last night, which was part two of the rescue-the-caravan scenario.
Session 29 of the Astral Borderlands open campaign last night, which was part two of the rescue-the-caravan scenario. As expected, the road encounter table (https://plus.google.com/+EricNieudan/posts/3eEPnQYrx2U) bothered me and I ended up switching to the region encounter tables most of the time.
The issue is simple: as the dR gets stepped down, the encounters tend to be the same. I suppose that's fine when you start at d12 and play a short journey, but over several days, with three rolls every day, well the Proudface goblins and Robber zombies show up everywhere.
Interestingly enough, the weather table ended up being the star of the show last night. The dR kept stepping down and the rain kept falling on the poor adventurers. Progress was slow even on the road, people got sick, aerial reconnaissance was made difficult, it felt (at least from my point of view) like a real journey. Everyone was happy to make it to the Keep in the end.
Long story short, road encounters are out. I'll have to test this formula again for overland and dungeon crawls.
The issue is simple: as the dR gets stepped down, the encounters tend to be the same. I suppose that's fine when you start at d12 and play a short journey, but over several days, with three rolls every day, well the Proudface goblins and Robber zombies show up everywhere.
Interestingly enough, the weather table ended up being the star of the show last night. The dR kept stepping down and the rain kept falling on the poor adventurers. Progress was slow even on the road, people got sick, aerial reconnaissance was made difficult, it felt (at least from my point of view) like a real journey. Everyone was happy to make it to the Keep in the end.
Long story short, road encounters are out. I'll have to test this formula again for overland and dungeon crawls.
ktrey parker is looking for feedback on this city builder.
ktrey parker is looking for feedback on this city builder.
https://plus.google.com/+ktreyparker/posts/QqoushyHzwN
https://plus.google.com/+ktreyparker/posts/QqoushyHzwN
https://plus.google.com/+ktreyparker/posts/QqoushyHzwN
https://plus.google.com/+ktreyparker/posts/QqoushyHzwN
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
Civilians or "stupid followers" dR
Civilians or "stupid followers" dR
Just few words to explain one use of the dR I had few weeks ago.
I ran a Robusta Robots session (it's a Macchiato Monsters retro SF version) and I decided that the characters would be followed by a journalist and her cameraman.
I treated them not like followers but like civilians who needed to be protected and who could make stupid things.
I gave them a dR (d8).
Each time, the characters were in a situation where something could happen (dangerous situation, diplomacy, exploration...), I rolled the dice for the journalist and her cameraman.
If the characters prevented them from danger or stupidity I rolled with an advantage, when they do nothing and the situation was particulary "sensitive" I ran with disadvantage.
If the dR stepped down, something happenned to the civilian team (wounds, lost of material... ) and it could create something in the story. For exemple, one time they had a photography session on a beach (I ran a 2 on the dR) so the cameran was bitten by a dangerous Flying Pirana (wound) and it attired a swarm of Flying Pirana so they had to run and take care to not loose something...
Of course, if at the end of the scenario, the dR was 0 the civilians are dead !
In our game, the journalists survived !
Just few words to explain one use of the dR I had few weeks ago.
I ran a Robusta Robots session (it's a Macchiato Monsters retro SF version) and I decided that the characters would be followed by a journalist and her cameraman.
I treated them not like followers but like civilians who needed to be protected and who could make stupid things.
I gave them a dR (d8).
Each time, the characters were in a situation where something could happen (dangerous situation, diplomacy, exploration...), I rolled the dice for the journalist and her cameraman.
If the characters prevented them from danger or stupidity I rolled with an advantage, when they do nothing and the situation was particulary "sensitive" I ran with disadvantage.
If the dR stepped down, something happenned to the civilian team (wounds, lost of material... ) and it could create something in the story. For exemple, one time they had a photography session on a beach (I ran a 2 on the dR) so the cameran was bitten by a dangerous Flying Pirana (wound) and it attired a swarm of Flying Pirana so they had to run and take care to not loose something...
Of course, if at the end of the scenario, the dR was 0 the civilians are dead !
In our game, the journalists survived !
"Game systems are often abstracted real-world systems, and as a result, are rarely free of politics."
"Game systems are often abstracted real-world systems, and as a result, are rarely free of politics."
I realize we may not want to discuss politics, but it might be fun to think about the existential assumptions in MM.
- What faculties you're born with is random, as is your material wealth.
- Still, you may turn your hand to anything, from gong farming to combat origami.
- You get better with age, unless you die.
I realize we may not want to discuss politics, but it might be fun to think about the existential assumptions in MM.
- What faculties you're born with is random, as is your material wealth.
- Still, you may turn your hand to anything, from gong farming to combat origami.
- You get better with age, unless you die.
Monday, June 12, 2017
Sunday, June 11, 2017
Feedback: Specialist training "abilities" feel too open ended to me.
Feedback: Specialist training "abilities" feel too open ended to me. I feel like my players won't be able to think of creative things beyond mechanics.
Perhaps if abilities were given a phrase format like Fate Stunts or something it might work better?
Anyone struggled with getting their players to make cool abilities?
Perhaps if abilities were given a phrase format like Fate Stunts or something it might work better?
Anyone struggled with getting their players to make cool abilities?
Saturday, June 10, 2017
On the magic system, has there been any issues or problems with the caster character only getting two spells at the...
On the magic system, has there been any issues or problems with the caster character only getting two spells at the start (and for most of the game)? I know the spells are pretty flexible so I could see doing a lot with two.
I was planning on using the following rules for a game I'm planning out:
1-As a 'freebie', characters can do simple 'hedge magic' either for zero or one hp. These are simple tricks like making a book float in the air across a room, lighting a pipe/starting a fire, temporary changing the color of something the size of dinner plate, etc. More for flash and roleplaying then anything else.
2-Characters with Magic Training start with two spells slots and two spells known. Addition spells slots (spells the character can cast from memory) can be gained as the character levels.
Spells that are not in a spell slot have to be cast from a book or scroll and always cast last in a turn (at least, some spells take longer).
Additional spells can be learned, found etc.
I was planning on using the following rules for a game I'm planning out:
1-As a 'freebie', characters can do simple 'hedge magic' either for zero or one hp. These are simple tricks like making a book float in the air across a room, lighting a pipe/starting a fire, temporary changing the color of something the size of dinner plate, etc. More for flash and roleplaying then anything else.
2-Characters with Magic Training start with two spells slots and two spells known. Addition spells slots (spells the character can cast from memory) can be gained as the character levels.
Spells that are not in a spell slot have to be cast from a book or scroll and always cast last in a turn (at least, some spells take longer).
Additional spells can be learned, found etc.
You now have six tables to roll your six dice on when creating a character.
You now have six tables to roll your six dice on when creating a character.
Updated and standalone review of Macchiato Monsters ZERO and Extra Shots now on my blog (for some reason OBS knows I...
Updated and standalone review of Macchiato Monsters ZERO and Extra Shots now on my blog (for some reason OBS knows I own the PDFs and can download them, but I cannot do a review there ...).
Some news from the kids...
Some news from the kids...
I spent some times with them today : I worked from 9h30 A.M. to 6h P.M. outside on one of our project so I was with the kids from 9h35 to 6h !
And I told them that Eric Nieudan prepared 6 magical things for them (I couldn't show us... on monday maybe), they were very happy and proud !
They asked me if Eric Nieudan can come to play one time with them, I said it should be difficult because I live in Ireland (I'm sure they all will show on internet where is Ireland tonight).
So I spent a lot of time with them but we couldn't play to MM : I was here to work and guide people in a photo exposition of one of our project... so I asked them to draw their characters.
You can see the pictures of Torine the strong dwarf, Tigre de Foudre the tiger wizard, Traxtor the bowman/engineer in plate armor, Destroyeur le magique the hypnotic bard, Fier the fire paladin (the leader of the PCs) and they drew too a croccodileman and the 5 headed hydra they fought in the last session.
As I said, I didn't have many time to play with us and they want to so I try a new thing. I try to teach them to play in a kind of narrative way...
I explain that they need a MC (but we call him the storyteller), they each choose a character who is defined by a skill (fighting, missile fighter, engineer, healer...) and a style.
One wanted to be the storyteller (and he was great... I said himhe was ready to be MC at MM and I will give him the french rules I have), one choose to be a very strong fighter, one an engineer who can build things, one a robot with lasers, and one a healer with a lot gold. And they choose a scienc fiction story.
The rules are simple : the storyteller is always right and when a player wants his character do something, the storyteller takes a stone in one of his hand, if the player chooses the good hand it's a success if not it's a failure.
It was incredible, they created a big story with an exploration of a unknown planet, with fighting, traps, diplomacy (viril diplomacy but diplomacy)....
They played 2 hours almost alone ! They just asked me to help them when they are not agree together !
Next time, I try to scan the characters sheets !
Eric Nieudan you want to see the real ones (maybe not readable) or you want to see want characters they made (and I rewrite them) ?
I spent some times with them today : I worked from 9h30 A.M. to 6h P.M. outside on one of our project so I was with the kids from 9h35 to 6h !
And I told them that Eric Nieudan prepared 6 magical things for them (I couldn't show us... on monday maybe), they were very happy and proud !
They asked me if Eric Nieudan can come to play one time with them, I said it should be difficult because I live in Ireland (I'm sure they all will show on internet where is Ireland tonight).
So I spent a lot of time with them but we couldn't play to MM : I was here to work and guide people in a photo exposition of one of our project... so I asked them to draw their characters.
You can see the pictures of Torine the strong dwarf, Tigre de Foudre the tiger wizard, Traxtor the bowman/engineer in plate armor, Destroyeur le magique the hypnotic bard, Fier the fire paladin (the leader of the PCs) and they drew too a croccodileman and the 5 headed hydra they fought in the last session.
As I said, I didn't have many time to play with us and they want to so I try a new thing. I try to teach them to play in a kind of narrative way...
I explain that they need a MC (but we call him the storyteller), they each choose a character who is defined by a skill (fighting, missile fighter, engineer, healer...) and a style.
One wanted to be the storyteller (and he was great... I said himhe was ready to be MC at MM and I will give him the french rules I have), one choose to be a very strong fighter, one an engineer who can build things, one a robot with lasers, and one a healer with a lot gold. And they choose a scienc fiction story.
The rules are simple : the storyteller is always right and when a player wants his character do something, the storyteller takes a stone in one of his hand, if the player chooses the good hand it's a success if not it's a failure.
It was incredible, they created a big story with an exploration of a unknown planet, with fighting, traps, diplomacy (viril diplomacy but diplomacy)....
They played 2 hours almost alone ! They just asked me to help them when they are not agree together !
Next time, I try to scan the characters sheets !
Eric Nieudan you want to see the real ones (maybe not readable) or you want to see want characters they made (and I rewrite them) ?
Friday, June 9, 2017
In case you missed the public announcement earlier: new and improved version of Extra Shot.
In case you missed the public announcement earlier: new and improved version of Extra Shot. Accessible via the link on page 3 of MMZ.
Originally shared by Eric Nieudan
Extra Shot has risen! Again!
If you follow the link in your PDF of Macchiato Monsters Zero, you'll find the new version of Extra Shots, the compilation of campaign tools and other procedures.
It has all six die drop tables: townspeople, plots, factions, adventure locales, creatures, and treasure (close to 1,400 entries altogether, motherfucker!)
Also, this version includes the latest encounter and events experiments. Feedback on these in particular is very welcome.
Suppose you wanted more equipment tables (I've in an extra one in two of my hacks). Would your reaction be:
Suppose you wanted more equipment tables (I've in an extra one in two of my hacks). Would your reaction be:
1: Give players one more dice for rolling equipment.
2: Those players will just have to learn to make do! Why, in my time we had a sword, a burlap sack, and a kick up the backside if we didn't get into the dungeon fast enough!
3: ANOTHER equipment list? What do you think this is, Shadowrun?
4: Why stop there? I want a list that's strictly vegan.
5: Pfff... I'm not bothered either way.
6: ?????
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
Hello friends !
Hello friends !
Macchiato Monsters is no more a rpg... now is a street education tool !
In the popular district I work in, there are a lot of children who spend all their time to hang out in the street, in the parking... and some time they do stupid things (like throwing stones into the neighbours windows or ring all day long i at the door of old persons...).
Since a couple of years I made some improvised workshops to spend time with them to speak about respect, friendship, responsability as an adult who is concerned/affected by them... not as an educator or a teacher, it's not my job.
And now they trust me and I can see that they are more respectuous with all the adults of the district.
So I try a new thing is to intiate them to rpg.
I want with this kind of game try to teach them that they are better if they play together (rpg is not a competition, you don't have to be the best, you just have to try to play with the qualities of everyone), that is important to follow rules (in game and in the real life) and to develop their imagination and culture.
Of course I use Macchiato Monsters because it's a perfect mix between fun and rules. All the tables help them to create characters (because they really don't know this kind of universe.
And I draw the cover so they really to play with "the game I worked on"... But I always said that it's my friend +Eric Nieudan who create this (I show them your "quenouille page") and said that I would tell you about their characters.
So for now, we play 5 times with 10 differents children of the neighboroud from 8 to 12 years old (8 boys and 2 girls).
They created :
a tribal wizard who is able to change himself in a tiger and cast some lightening bolt, a dwarf warrior very rich and strong with a magic shield in stone who make him capable to speak with rocks, an plate armored bowman engineer, a fire paladin servant of the god of Fire who can inflame weapons and teleport himself through the fire, a barde who can hypnotize and heal, a very very strong gnome warrior with an ice sword, an old wizard with polymorph and ice spell, a plant woman warrior, a ranger elf and a stone golem wizard with a petrification spell and stone throwing spell.
It's a kind of open table, when they hang out, they come to my "office" : "Guillaume can we play to the Game ?".
"Ok! I make a 45 minutes break and we play !".
For now they fought a group a lizardmen, they prevented the coming of an archdevil, they bought some stuff in the big city, save the temple of Fire from a doppleganger infiltration and defeated the Great Hydra of the swamp of death !
It works very good with them and the street educators of the district want to use this "project" to create links with the youngs of the district !
When I was young people said that rpgs made the youngs crazy and now even educators said it's a perfect tool to work with children !
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