RPG A Day 2020: Day 15--Frame

 RPG A Day 2020: Day 15—Frame

We’re suddenly just about at the half-way point for this year’s RPG A Day experiment. ‘Frame’ is another tough prompt for me to come up with anything of alleged import to say. When I give prompts to students—prompts will usually be more than one word BTW a topic that’s too open and you never know what you’re gonna get, but in most cases it’ll be a lot of blank stares—I usually tell a struggler to use the dictionary or thesaurus to look up other words and meanings that might inspire them to come up with something more than a blank page. I did this for ‘frame’ and found one of the definitions for the word when used as a verb: “to shape or adapt to a particular purpose: to frame a reading list for ninth graders…” I’m going to run with that and frame a short list of RPGs that I think are appropriate for beginners:

1. Pathfinder Beginners Box—I haven’t messed around with 2E if there is a BB for it yet, I don’t know. I really like the 1E one because it essentially offers up all one needs to know in one easy to use box with a map and paper-minis. It is rule light in a sense, but you could play this BB and shift over to just about any other D20 system. It also has those props and visually stimulating character sheets and artwork that really helps you to “sell” the hobby.

2. Index Card Roleplaying Game—mentioned it already this go, but I think it’s good because it’s self-contained and it strips down RPGs—primarily D&D 5E— to it’s most essential and intuitive form. I actually like ICRPG best of all in some ways but the PF:BB gives you props whereas ICRPG has you create your own…which can also be fun, but we don’t want to overwhelm anyone just starting out.

Any of the Runehammer Games are good to go for beginners. If you want some cyberpunk style action try ‘Altered State’ which I haven’t been able to play yet, but which I have read through. It is so much easier than Cyberpunk:2020, but I envision putting the CP:2020 lore—along with upcoming RED and CP:2077—in the background but using these AS mechanics.

3. Faery's Tale Deluxe—another good one, particularly for kids just starting out. The suggested age range begins at 6. The subject matter is more kid friendly fantasy, but I think there are quite a few adults that like it too.

4. Ryuutama—I’m an early Western convert to this Japanese TTRPG and never miss a chance for proselytizing. This game is about traveling and is often described as Myazaki meets The Oregon Trail. The subject matter is definitely kid and beginner friendly and even comes with built-in mechanics for a GM controlled character that sticks with and helps the PCs and some simple town and world building elements that PCs can join in with. The combat system is very much simplified like an old NES JRPG, but the magic system can be deceptively complex for a kid or beginner as magic tends to be in all systems.

5. Dungeons and Dragons 5E Starter/Essential Set—The starter set for 5th isn’t bad at all for beginners, comes with a dice set, and one of the best starting adventures. It’s bare bones when it comes to other swag though. The PF:BB gave more bells and whistles. I understand the essential set is a little better, but also costs a little more. I don’t think you could go wrong with either. I would say one of the better ones for beginner adults. It’s not necessarily little kid friendly and yes, the magic system is out there at times, but kind of fun altering and figuring out. It probably won’t be too long before 6th edition starts being heard of in the distance, but worth leaning the 5E way and lore behind it because it’s most likely what you’ll end up playing.

Honorable mention:

MÖRK BORG a new and highly-stylized—if you can get the print copy—rules light dystopian fantasy setting that purposefully tries to be all the bad things RPGs were accused—framed if you will—of being back in the 80’s. Doesn’t make the cut because it might scare away the ones that don’t realize how tongue-in-cheek it is especially kids and their parents.

My Little Pony: Tails Equestria—I can’t include it because I haven’t been able to play or read through the system. I’d love to do it though. Essentially light D&D set in the MLP:FiM universe. Appealing to kids of all ages.

Meddling Kids—Been around for a while now and is good for kids 7 and up. I have read through this one, but haven’t been able to play. It is simplified and has a mechanic similar to Ryuutama wherein a GM controlled ‘wild card’—think Scooby or Captain Caveman—helps the PCs. For me it seemed a little too easy and not close enough to the kind of play that I’ve encountered at least. I’m also not sure how many kids are into the Hannah-Barbara Saturday morning type shows nowadays.

Alright, that does it for today and the half-way point. We’ll try to do it again tomorrow.

RPG A Day 2019--August 12th--Friendship

So today's word is friendship. I could talk about all the friends I've made through playing RPGs, but I'm sure I've talked about that before, so today I'm going to talk about a favorite show of mine and what should be the next RPG purchase I am likely to make--depending on how quick Cyberpunk: Red gets released--My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

I'm sure you guys don't live under a rock so you kind of know about MLP:FIM and how it became popular with a general audience of all ages instead of the "little girls and their young moms" target they were going for. Hasbro--who also owns Dungeons and Dragons through their subsidiary Wizards of the Coast--didn't exactly expect nor completely embrace this surprise audience, but at the same time, they didn't show us the door either. The "super-fans" of MLP:FIM are called Bronies and among all the fandoms that I am a part of, they take quite the ribbing...until people actually watch the show and find out that it's kind of cool. The fan community itself--I skew older than the typical "Brony" and can also get away with watching no questions asked nowadays because of my four year old daughter--is a fairly large and supportive one. There have been several conventions over the years, although I'm not so sure if the excitement is still there as it once was. I wouldn't call MLP a fad, but this "generation" of the ponies is coming to a close as the ninth--and final--season of Friendship is Magic is airing as of this writing.

So, why might a gamer like MLP:FIM? The writing is very good, there are jokes for adults and the overall fantasy setting. Aside from the talking ponies--earth, pegasus, unicorns, and alicorns--there are also other fantasy creatures such as: dragons and griffins, and this one time Fluttershy--best pony BTW--once stared down a cockatrice and won. I'd say the writing is silly yet clever, it's more likely to get a chuckle from pop culture savvy older folks like a good episode of 'The Flintstones' or 'Rocky and Bullwinkle', than it is to make you laugh out loud like 'The Simpsons' used to. On the other hand, It certainly isn't reveling in adult humor like 'South Park' or 'Family Guy'. At its core it remains a cartoon written with children in mind, but it's an enjoyable one that is worthwhile for more than just selling toys...and hopefully selling RPGs.

I don't know much about My Little Pony: Tales of Equestria other than to say that it is the officially licensed MLP:FIM RPG--that enough letters for you--and that it was apparently released back in 2017. I am very interested in using it as a gateway for my little girl into RPGs. It looks as though Hasbro--in spite of being the parent company of WOTC--licensed the ponies out to a company called River Horse games. They have a lot of other licensed games on their website, but I'm not sure what, if any, connection they have with Hasbro in general and I'm not going to get smart about it tonight. The game does have a starter box-set that I intend to purchase along with a big all encompassing rulebook ala Pathfinder (and others) . It appears that the line has been and is still being supported with modules. I'm sure to be visiting  https://riverhorse.eu/our-games/my-little-pony-tails-of-equestria/ as soon as I'm settled and have established a home address. Maybe you'll consider doing the same.

Tomorrow's word--Mystery!

RPG A Day 2018: Day 26 Gaming ambition for the next 12 months

Today is the first day of my 9th year of teaching at Al Seddique Boys School in the Liwa Western Region of the beautiful desert country of the United Arab Emirates...with any luck I'll make it will be the beginning of my farewell tour. As such getting out of here will be a lot of work on my end and I must focus constantly throughout this year so that I'm not caught with my pants down this Spring when resignation time comes around. Certain set-backs have already happened over the summer that will either mean even more work than I expected to achieve that end or else put my head down and stay where I am for one more year beyond the one that just started. In either case, the RPG year for 2018-2019 will probably be the worse for it.

On the docket:

The Roll*20 Cyberpunk 2020 weekly game should continue. At times my roster of players is like a revolving door, and even I had to take a session off last week thanks to a summer cold. If I get tired of the setting I may persuade my players to take on the 'Journey to Ragnarok: A Norse Mythology Adventure for 5E' that I backed on Kickstarter...this may also become a live table option, but that's really not the plan...

At the weekly live table we should continue a D&D5E campaign hopefully from September onward. I want to run Mutant Crawl Classics with them as a palette cleanser if the group is up for it. This group is also at a crossroads as the regular DM from last year has moved away. I want to step up, but as I have a four year old, I am a bit of  a flake that's liable to call it at the last minute nowadays. There are other teachers in the group who are also planning on making this their last year. Odds are even if I get stuck yet again, they'll be moving on. Could be the end of an era for us.

On the Gulf Roleplaying Community front, there is usually at least a meeting or two in the capital city of Abu Dhabi. Last year we only had the one meeting back in October '17, and I know of at least three group members who've already hit the dusty trail, so who knows if they'll even run one for us this year? The rest of the meetings are in Dubai--the most famous of the Emirates--which I normally don't take due to driving distance. I may make exceptions this year based on how much gaming I'm able to do. It is my farewell tour after all. Also in Dubai is the Middle East Comic and Sci-Fi Convention, our own Comicon, which always has a strong GRC presence. Again, it's not usually my thing but I'll play it by ear this year.

Kickstarter and other online strangeness. I already have a few products that I want to buy. As I mentioned yesterday, R Talsarian Games are offering Cyberpunk books that I want in print with more promised, and an official My Little Pony RPG by Hasbro that I really want with a dice set, dungeon master's screen and everything. These products may in fact be purchased, but I'm holding off because I have too much stuff to move already. Unfortunately, aside from PDFs which I really don't like all that much, I've had to retire from backing Kickstarter projects as in addition to adding to my moving burden, they may not be created and mailed out to me in time. I'm really pushing the idea of GingTFO of here this year if at all possible.

Anyway, that's the year at a glance. If I do get to move, I wonder if I'll have time to participate in RPG a Day 2019?