I don't know how many people are interested in Ars Magica, a crunchy system for playing powerful medieval wizards and their associates, but I was reminded of it today and stumbled across this intriguin set of solo play rules. It's fairly system-specific, but seems to generate interesting detail, and might work particularly well paired with an oracle at points. Enjoy :)

I don't know how many people are interested in Ars Magica, a crunchy system for playing powerful medieval wizards and their associates, but I was reminded of it today and stumbled across this intriguin set of solo play rules. It's fairly system-specific, but seems to generate interesting detail, and might work particularly well paired with an oracle at points. Enjoy :)
http://forum.atlas-games.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=30648&p=224634&hilit=solo+adventure#p224634

As the year is about to end Cal Ozan's assignment to retrieve a datacard from a derelict vessel comes to an (successful) end as well.

As the year is about to end Cal Ozan's assignment to retrieve a datacard from a derelict vessel comes to an (successful) end as well.

Read the final session for that assignment here:


https://solospelunking.wordpress.com/2016/12/31/star-wars-eote-session-11-the-rough-streets-of-tamesh-prime/

Just a teaser, reminder, challenge. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve and if you don't have any plans, I'd like to suggest trying your hand at Six Hours to Midnight.

Just a teaser, reminder, challenge. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve and if you don't have any plans, I'd like to suggest trying your hand at Six Hours to Midnight.

https://exposit.github.io/katamoiran/img/posts/2016-12-14/6HoursToMidnight_v1_alpha.pdf

https://exposit.github.io/katamoiran/img/posts/2016-12-14/6HoursToMidnight_v1_alpha.pdf

Scene 13

Scene 13

Still using the "ripples in a pond" idea, but in combination with predictive text for GM output. Still taking me places I would not otherwise go to.

Ran into a bit of an issue with storyboarding a conflict when I had to stop playing in the middle of it. Off game, I could not stop thinking about what Greta would do and the fallout that could potentially follow. Some thoughts on that in the after session wankery.

Session Sypnosis: Greta finally confronts Ingald, but major and unexpected complications ensue.
https://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?793890-Solo-Gaming-Appreciation-Month-2016-Trollbabe-actual-play&p=20702331#post20702331

After my shared sci-fi game is over I am back to Edge of the Empire and Cal Ozan.

After my shared sci-fi game is over I am back to Edge of the Empire and Cal Ozan.

He got the datacard he needed, hitched a ride, got back to his damaged ship and is back in business.

However, on his way to meet his employer and collect his money, he is followed by some thugs...

Handwritten again, but since I am now back from visiting family and have more table space available for a laptop and dice, character sheets, fate chart and scrap paper I think I will go back to digital reports, if only to make it easier on your eyes, dear readers :-)

https://solospelunking.wordpress.com/2016/12/29/edge-of-the-empire-session-10-back-in-business/

An open question - looking for feedback...

An open question - looking for feedback...

Recently there was a post regarding, editing of text breaking up the flow of a gaming experience...

I have a similar problem, when trying to play solo - Drawing maps...

Taking 4AD for example - the break to roll on the table, decided which way round that bit fits best on my map and the time to workout where the doors are etc

It might only take 60 seconds, but sometimes that's my motivation / suspension of disbelief broken - and its a hurdle to get back into my characters heads.

Anyone else have this? am I spoiled by years of computer RPG's?
I have drawn out maps using 4AD system before hand and then rolled for encounters etc while playing...

They aren't great maps / images but will share if any interest in playing them, might be nice to get an exchange going?

Any other thoughts? How else to combat this 'distraction'??

i just happen to know that at least a couple of you are fully-fledged fans of Fighting Fantasy fiction...

i just happen to know that at least a couple of you are fully-fledged fans of Fighting Fantasy fiction...

Getting to the mentioned "free PDF" requires a couple hops, but lands one here:

http://www.rpgnow.com/browse/pub/6992/Melsonian-Arts-Council

and then here:

http://www.rpgnow.com/product/199604/Troika--Free-Artless-Edition

Originally shared by Sophia Brandt

Troika! is Fighting Fantasy old school game of British origin. You can play a Befouler of Ponds, a Poorly Made Dwarf, a Wizard Hunter and more. Free artless PDF http://whatwouldconando.blogspot.com/p/troika.html
#osr

Simple RP system

Simple RP system

So I have been looking around for different RP systems, solo drivers and whatnot. None of them really fit me. To much rules and things to keep track of.

I decided to try and make an own simple system. I took inspiration from some of the parts of other systems which I thought was great. Sometimes I simplified them, sometimes not.

This system revolves around 2d6 which most people have laying around.
It requires some own interpretation and choices in what you want do in given situation. But once you're settled with them it's very few things to keep track of.

Usually I play an ever simpler version and often do opposing rolls as single rolls and add skills on the go without bookkeeping them. Sure, it doesn't become correct and might vary later on. But this system is for fast play and story.

If you have any questions, suggestions, find mistakes or something is downright missing. Please give a comment!

I finished my #sharedscifi game.

I finished my #sharedscifi game.

Read about the final showdown here...


https://solospelunking.wordpress.com/2016/12/28/shared-sci-fi-game-the-grand-finale/

Originally shared by Ryan M. Danks

Originally shared by Ryan M. Danks

Ever tried to play an RPG by yourself?

I have some ideas about it.
http://ryanmdanks.com/?p=2560

I've always converted miniature rules to use my DIY tokens. This works since 90% of my wargaming is done solo. I'm considering switching to actual 6mm minis for Flames of War. In the mean time I'm doing some rough drafting for tokens. Do any of the solo generals have experience with Flames of War? If so, how does it play?

I've always converted miniature rules to use my DIY tokens. This works since 90% of my wargaming is done solo. I'm considering switching to actual 6mm minis for Flames of War. In the mean time I'm doing some rough drafting for tokens. Do any of the solo generals have experience with Flames of War? If so, how does it play?

Help for the Lazy Solo Gamer

Help for the Lazy Solo Gamer

“Write it down or it didn't happen!“ This has always been my motto in playing RPGs solo. I feel I don't have the discipline of mind to enact my sessions in my head, rolling dice as needed. Writing has always been a process for me. And if I do sit and log something, I get trapped in my habits of editing. The slowness and toil have a way of killing momentum in a way that I cannot reconcile if I am perfectly honest with myself.

So, help me find ideas of shorthand or graphic notation that helps to transcribe the essence of a solo game as I play it, or a particular mode of thinking that can transform my game attempts from daydreaming to a concrete game session experience. I'm fine with a method that commits my experience to short-term memory, after which I can journal later for my annals.

For those of you who play outside of the write it down convention, what are your tricks?

#sharedscifi

#sharedscifi

My shared sci-fi game continues over the holidays, again in handwritten form. In this session, Deckart manages to obtain a promising piece of information...
https://solospelunking.wordpress.com/2016/12/26/shared-sci-fi-game-session-5-a-promising-clue/

I'd like to expand on the resolution cards found in Itras By, and create tables for several different yes or no outcomes to roll on. What could be added to the following outcomes to add more flavor or give ideas as to what happens next?

I'd like to expand on the resolution cards found in Itras By, and create tables for several different yes or no outcomes to roll on. What could be added to the following outcomes to add more flavor or give ideas as to what happens next?

Yes, and...
Yes, but...
Perhaps...
No, but...
No, and...

Fo example, some of the Yes, but... responses I have so far are:
...you use up a lot of time, supplies, or some other resource.
...you earn a new enemy, debt or bad reputation in the process.
...your success has dangerous and unintended consequences.

Just in case you can't read the picture in my blogpost good enough, here it is as a seperate file.

Just in case you can't read the picture in my blogpost good enough, here it is as a seperate file.

The forth session of my #sharedscifi game is up.

The forth session of my #sharedscifi game is up.

This time I did something new for a change, but see for yourself...
https://solospelunking.wordpress.com/2016/12/25/shared-sci-fi-game-session-4-an-unedited-look-behind-the-curtain/

Merry Christmas fellow solo gamers.

Merry Christmas fellow solo gamers.

The third session of my #sharedscifi game is up.
https://solospelunking.wordpress.com/2016/12/24/shared-sci-fi-game-session-3/

Hey, wrote a couple more games (well, one game, two flavors). What with the holidays and all it's been hard to find time to do much for myself but hey, there's always that dark, quiet time each night earmarked for "sleeping", haha. No worries, the heaviest machinery I have to operate this week is the wine corkscrew.

Hey, wrote a couple more games (well, one game, two flavors). What with the holidays and all it's been hard to find time to do much for myself but hey, there's always that dark, quiet time each night earmarked for "sleeping", haha. No worries, the heaviest machinery I have to operate this week is the wine corkscrew.

Anyway, hopefully there are no glaring cut and paste errors since I was working on both simultaneously (what an absolutely terrible idea, I discovered). And there's no posted playtest yet, though I did run one for 6 Days To Adventure and it was fun! Kind of went in weird direction though.

Anyway, Merry Christmas!

(Also, if anyone is interested in the LaTex source let me know.)
https://exposit.github.io/katamoiran/game%20design/d6%20games/2016/12/23/6-against-the-dark.html

Playtesting Sword & Sorcery OSR Sharp Swords & Sinister Spells

Playtesting Sword & Sorcery OSR Sharp Swords & Sinister Spells
http://dieheart.net/playtesting-sharp-swords-sinister-spells/

#osr #actualplay #solo
http://dieheart.net/playtesting-sharp-swords-sinister-spells/

Realizing you might be the villain in the story (also, stumbling into a potential character arc)

Realizing you might be the villain in the story (also, stumbling into a potential character arc)

So, I've been playing a solo game of Trollbabe, experimenting with various things in a search to take more of that "writing exercise" edge off it.*

However, what prompted me to write this bite sized AP is that the latest scene I played was probably the most immersive solo experience I've had so far, and probably the only time in my roleplaying career (social or otherwise) where a potential player character arc has manifested itself without any planning or engineering on my part.

I'll try to make it truly bite sized:

Greta, the trollbabe, arrived to a walled city called Kragg Keep (the real Keep is inside the city, so it's like the settlement grew around it). The area has had a bad harvest, and for some reason, it wasn't very welcoming to her. She was almost turned back by the authorities, but was allowed to stay for one night after some convincing. During that night, she had a comical run in with the Lord of Kragg Keep, who had invaded her room in the middle of the night. He is able to practice some sort of magic (glittering eyes, and can disguise himself as a statue).

During the course of that, Greta is accused of stealing from the innkeeper and is put on trial. She also finds out second hand that Lord Ingald is quite the unsavory character due to his wanton nature. Some conflict ensues and it's decided she is to leave the city immediately. She is sure that Lord Ingald had something to do with it, and so begins her quest to both clear her name and put this character in his place. Eventually, things escalate to a point where she is forced to kill and hurt some soldiers, including hurting one that she had some sexual/romantic tension with.

She is very close to achieving her goal of infiltrating the actual Keep and finding Lord Ingald. As the author/player, I want to make some connection between the bad harvest that is in the background, and Lord Ingald as the character responsible for it (in some way). I also want to make that connection in-character, and through the events in play, not by fiat.

In-character, Greta wants to find the same connection in order to justify her actions so far beyond just vengeance...and it is at this point that I begin feel that Greta and I don’t have very good justifications for our decisions; decisions that have led to killing in order to continue her quest, but which could have been avoided if she had just left the city.

So basically, all of a sudden it's dawning on me that she may not be all that noble (actually, 'we', because I made the decisions to keep the adventure going)...all because we were stubborn (me in not wanting a boring story where nothing much happens, and her in wanting to clear her name and get some payback against Lord Ingald).

I don’t know what's going to happen, but if it turns out Lord Ingald is not responsible for the bad harvest (in some supernatural way), she's basically ending up as a tragic anti-hero, or worse, a villain. And, it's also an opportunity for a character arc, because both of us have realized now that she might have a big character flaw.

I never expected that, and it has been one of the coolest moments I've ever had in anything RPG. I doubt that I'll ever luck into this experience again, because I don't think I can ever trick myself this way again.

######

*To that end I have tried enhancing my experience with the help of my own #writingwithdice framework accompanied by technology in the form of iOS apps that use predictive text or cut up techniques. The apps replace your keyboard with actual words (rather than letters) and this tends to make the apps suggest "their" own ideas to me, since available words are limited. You have to play around with the apps to see what I mean.

Creative Writer: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/creative-writer-fun!-easy!/id737521232?mt=8
Word palette: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wordpalette-experimental-creative/id995679850?mt=8

Actual play link here: https://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?793890-Solo-Gaming-Appreciation-Month-2016-Trollbabe-actual-play&p=20689252#post20689252

#SoloPlayWithAlgorithms #SoloActualPlay
https://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?793890-Solo-Gaming-Appreciation-Month-2016-Trollbabe-actual-play&p=20689252#post20689252

Scene 12

Scene 12

I had unnecessarily rolled to open the drain's barrier when the goal to get into the Keep was already won. Had I failed, it would just have meant a change in color (though I'm not sure I would have realized that given my state of mind then.) I'm actually afraid I broke the rules by not describing how the goal was achieved. I tried to rectify that in this scene by describing how they get inside the Keep.

Again, I'm using underscores (_) to mark PC pov stuff, and tilde (~) for the GM responses. I brought back the use of predictive text. It works really well with the new rules I'm testing in addition to #writingwithdice. I'm only writing out the interpretations to the predictive text sentences now, as I just moved along without writing them down when I was playing. They're almost self-explanatory anyway.

Actual play link here: https://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?793890-Solo-Gaming-Appreciation-Month-2016-Trollbabe-actual-play&p=20689252#post20689252


########### Some after play thoughts (spoilers for this scene) ###########


+ OOC, I would like to connect the failed harvest to Lord Ingald for story purposes. Otherwise, it feels kinda like a setup with no pay off. IC, Greta would love to have a new rationalization to justify her course of action, both to herself and everyone who's been affected by the events so far.

Since she can take no action to make that connection a reality, it will never materialize as a "ripple". her only options are to assume those suspicions are true, without ever having objective confirmation.

My only other option is an oracle answer, which is what feels right here, since I want a more objective perspective.

++ Shoot, unexpectedly, I have created an opportunity for a character arc in my own insistence on keeping a story going despite having had the opportunity to just leave when told to, twice.

In my mind, she was justified, though an awareness that she might not be totally on the moral high ground started to creep in when she first used force against Joss (an awareness that was helped by Todd Zircher's comments). This has been sealed, in retrospect, by my decision to go harsh on how she dealt with the guards that surrounded her. That destruction could have been avoided if she had just left town when she had the chance.

Greta's stubborn nature is mine too, except she can probably grow as a character. :)

This is bar none one of the most interesting moments I've had solo roleplaying. Exactly the kind of immersive experience I want, though the character arc potential is a cherry on top. I'm actually not sure if I'll be able to pull this trick on myself again. I can see it being too easy to do it consciously.

#ap #actualplay #trollbabe
https://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?793890-Solo-Gaming-Appreciation-Month-2016-Trollbabe-actual-play&p=20689252#post20689252

So, I'm still an idiot when it comes to the Emulators. The Evil Genius online Mythic tool has a thing for "Favor Points"--when I google this, I see folks talking about this as an element of Mythic. But, I don't see it in the rules--I have the Mythic GM Emulator and Mythic Variations. How do Favor Points work?

So, I'm still an idiot when it comes to the Emulators. The Evil Genius online Mythic tool has a thing for "Favor Points"--when I google this, I see folks talking about this as an element of Mythic. But, I don't see it in the rules--I have the Mythic GM Emulator and Mythic Variations. How do Favor Points work?

http://www.evilgenius.org.nz/blackmagic.html
http://www.evilgenius.org.nz/blackmagic.html

Scene 11b of Greta's adventure (Trollbabe)

Scene 11b of Greta's adventure (Trollbabe)

I had the previous scene write up ready for a while, but I was also very stuck about what to do next. Out of character, I did not want a repeat permutation of the prison and court scenes as that would be boring. In character, I did not want to be taken prisoner either.

I wanted to try fighting, with a goal to escape, but was unsure about the Scale being right. But seeing as I'd already tried a social conflict with these soldiers, I decided fighting them would be OK too scale wise. I'm still not sure if the conflicts (fighting or otherwise) against the soldiers were OK at the current scale. Any input on that particular aspect of the Trollbabe rules is welcome.

Since my ultimate goal is to make it to the Keep to try and keep things moving, I decided to end the previous scene where I did, and continue in a new scene. The reason being that I'd already failed that goal, and you can't try for the same goal in the same scene. It felt a bit like cheating, but whatever.

A bit of tally keeping: Thus far I’ve taken Joss, Gunnar and Fergus as relationships. Gunnar and Fergus are allies. I think Joss fits the description of ‘lover’, since it is more complicated with him (not quite an ally so far, yet not an adversary).

https://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?793890-Solo-Gaming-Appreciation-Month-2016-Trollbabe-actual-play&p=20684610#post20684610

https://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?793890-Solo-Gaming-Appreciation-Month-2016-Trollbabe-actual-play&p=20684610#post20684610

Scene 11a of Greta's adventure (Trollbabe)

Scene 11a of Greta's adventure (Trollbabe)

(Edit: I held on to this AP post for a few days because I was stuck on how to continue the scene after this one.)

During session 9a, I accidentally ignored the new relationship harm rules. I also used my relationship with Joss in a re-roll against him. I am not sure if that is allowed in the rules.

I'm also deciding to cheat this time, and uncheck that relationship reroll. I am allowed to do it immediately after a conflict, but I forgot.

On the solo roleplaying front, I also decided to test a new (?) idea where I try to drive events via the actions of the PC. I try to explain it in this post:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/108395059461267285712/posts/4eXHjfnCWXm

My rule is that I allow myself to write out up to three "ripples" after I throw a "rock" (i.e. take an action as a PC, which can be 'fictional positioning' or rpg mechanical action).

For this session, I forwent the use of the predictive text iOS app (http://solorpggamer.blogspot.com/2016/11/this-is-recommendation-of-ios-app.html).


I wanted to see what it felt like to "wear the GM hat" (as solo roleplayers put it), knowing that I was limiting my output with this rule (3 ripple max). I feel like it made it tolerable, as it made me go back to the PC POV more often, and gave the session more of a gaming feel.

One thing I realized mid-session is that in actual play, I can't just focus on ripples moving forward from the latest PC action (i.e. I can't just ignore ripples from past events). Yet, I can't "throw a rock" back in time, so what to do about past ripples that might reverberate into the present? I want to stay in-character pov, as much as possible, so I decided that if I think of a possible chain of events extending into the present, so does my character. In order to keep within the "rock"--> "ripple" framework, I decided that my character needs to take some sort of action related to it.

So, here is the other rule of thumb:

if she wishes to avoid a consequence stemming from past "ripples", she must take action in the present to prevent it; if mechanics cover the action, then it is a test. If there is no possible action she could take in the present, or if the action fails as a test, then the chain of events materializes into the present as she expected it to happen.

If she is neutral to the chain of events, it happens as the PC would have expected it, if the causal logic is sound. (Forgot to credit Tana S. Pigeon's Location Crafter, which inspired some thoughts with its use of "Expected" as a possible result in a random table.)

In the case that she wants some chain of events to materialize, she needs to start that chain of events from the present, since you can't take action in the past (unless somehow time travel is feasible in the game). Otherwise, the desired chain of events never materializes for X or Y unknown reason.

This worked reasonably well for this scene, but will need more play testing.

Of course, an oracle could take care of this in a different way, but this way forces me to be in character.

PC output is bracketed with "_" characters. GM output is bracketed with "~" characters.

https://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?793890-Solo-Gaming-Appreciation-Month-2016-Trollbabe-actual-play&p=20684605#post20684605

#ap #actualplay #trollbabe
https://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?793890-Solo-Gaming-Appreciation-Month-2016-Trollbabe-actual-play&p=20684605#post20684605

Hello! This post details the third stage of my efforts to use Under A Black Sun (a Star Wars: Edge of the Empire Free RPG Day adventure) to run a solo RPG session. In the second stage (found at https://plus.google.com/108400930009696755479/posts/KquVuqwpiaj?sfc=true ), our protagonists found the agent they had been sent to help unconscious in a police vehicle, with three Underworld Police outside. Sin, a Rodian explorer, distracted the policebeings while the other protagonists took cover behind the vehicle. However, one of the Police drew a stun club, beginning combat. Two of the Police have hit Sin with their clubs and it’s now the protagonists’ time to act.

Hello! This post details the third stage of my efforts to use Under A Black Sun (a Star Wars: Edge of the Empire Free RPG Day adventure) to run a solo RPG session. In the second stage (found at https://plus.google.com/108400930009696755479/posts/KquVuqwpiaj?sfc=true ), our protagonists found the agent they had been sent to help unconscious in a police vehicle, with three Underworld Police outside. Sin, a Rodian explorer, distracted the policebeings while the other protagonists took cover behind the vehicle. However, one of the Police drew a stun club, beginning combat. Two of the Police have hit Sin with their clubs and it’s now the protagonists’ time to act.

Sin draws her vibroknife and then uses it to slash at one of the Undercover Police, but she fails to inflict any damage and suffers a point of strain. Matwe draws his blaster pistol as an incidental, then aims and fires at one of the Underworld Police near Sin. The blaster bolt is devastating at short range and it deals five wounds, causing the policebeing to become incapacitated and slightly cooked. An uncancelled Advantage means that the next allied active character gains a boost.

The next allied active character happens to be Tray’Essek, who draws his slughthrower rifle and then fires it at the policebeing who hasn’t yet drawn a stun club. The shot causes four wounds, gives the next active allied character a boost die and imposes a setback die on the wounded policebeing’s next skill check.

Undaunted, the third policebeing shrugs off the hit, draws a club and whacks Sin with it, dealing four strain. A second later, Jovel’s holdout blaster incapacitates the already-wounded policebeing.

It is now the start of round two, and the unharmed policebeing clubs Sin, dealing three strain and generating a Triumph, which is used to impose a setback on attacking characters. However, the policebeing does suffer one strain, no doubt from a defiant Rodian elbow strike.

Matwe lines up a shot at the final policebeing and deals four wounds. Tray’Essek’s slugthrower rifle barks once, after which the only sound is the crackling of the warehouse fire.

Victorious, our protagonists break into the police vehicle by way of a handheld control device found on one of the Underworld Police. They free the bound operative within and Matwe drives to a scrap heap. There, our protagonists ditch the conspicuous vehicle and they carry the agent to an automated taxi rank several blocks away. Within the hour, the Sin and the operative are recovering in a Pyke safe house.

Thanks to our protagonists, a failed distraction became a success, drawing police droids and Underworld Police from across the district.

Thanks for reading!

This die-drop map idea seems like it would be useful for Four Against Darkness and similar solo games.

This die-drop map idea seems like it would be useful for Four Against Darkness and similar solo games.

Originally shared by cecil howe

one last free shitty map: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3phX_EjWMd5QnVOaWxjYmRMTjg/view

you can drop dice on this shit.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3phX_EjWMd5QnVOaWxjYmRMTjg/view

Throwing my hat into the ring for #sharedscifi

Throwing my hat into the ring for #sharedscifi
https://solorpgvoyages.wordpress.com/2016/12/20/gurps-in-space/

Greetings! This post recounts the second stage of my efforts to use Under A Black Sun (a Free RPG Day adventure for Star Wars: Edge of the Empire) to run a solo RPG session. In the first stage (found at https://plus.google.com/108400930009696755479/posts/DaVpRmVQEAS?sfc=true ), I introduced our protagonists, a quartet of morally questionable beings working for the Pyke Syndicate. The scenario: another Pyke agent went to distract the police by setting fire to a protected warehouse but is now somehow in trouble. Our protagonists’ goal is to find the operative and aid him or her in any way that they can.

Greetings! This post recounts the second stage of my efforts to use Under A Black Sun (a Free RPG Day adventure for Star Wars: Edge of the Empire) to run a solo RPG session. In the first stage (found at https://plus.google.com/108400930009696755479/posts/DaVpRmVQEAS?sfc=true ), I introduced our protagonists, a quartet of morally questionable beings working for the Pyke Syndicate. The scenario: another Pyke agent went to distract the police by setting fire to a protected warehouse but is now somehow in trouble. Our protagonists’ goal is to find the operative and aid him or her in any way that they can.

Now that our protagonists have arrived, it’s time to see what sort of trouble this operative has gotten themselves into. They might be: captured by the police, in a firefight with the police, trapped inside the warehouse, or fighting with the warehouse’s hired security. My D4 roll gives me a 1: captured by the police.

As this situation suggests conflict, it would be useful for to know how many police there are and what state the operative is in. For the number of police, there could be: four police droids, three Coruscant Underworld Police, eight droids or four droids with three Underworld Police. For the operative’s state: conscious, stunned (loses their free manoeuvre until end of encounter) or unconscious.

My D4 roll for police is a 2: three Coruscant Underworld Police. The D3 roll for the operative’s condition is a 3: unconscious. As the agent is out for the count, I imagine that they have been placed inside the police vehicle, possibly cuffed. The policebeings are at a medium range to our protagonists, with the vehicle in between. I imagine that the imposing policebeings are facing the warehouse, organising the attempts to control the fire.

Now that the scene is set, it’s time for a plan. The agent’s current state suggests that hijacking the police vehicle would be the best. As this involves breaking into the alarmed police vehicle and alerting the nearby policebeings, I think it expedient to take the initiative and have Sin distract them first. This should allow the others to take cover behind the vehicle and prepare for combat.

Sin jogs around to come at the policebeings from the left and begins waving her arms around in an excitable manner, speaking rapidly in Rodian. This will be an Average Deception check to distract the policebeings so they don’t notice the other protagonists moving into position behind the police vehicle.

The roll gives me a net result of two successes and a threat, meaning that the policebeings don’t notice Sin’s colleagues but also that one has drawn a stun club and has begun to wave it menacingly at the Rodian. Sin makes for her weapon and combat has begun.

Firstly, I’ll determine the initiative slots. Our prepared protagonists will be making Cool checks, whilst the Undercover Police will roll Vigilance. The rolls gives me the following slots, from first to last (P for protagonists, N for policebeings): N, N, P, P, P, N, P.

The policebeing with the drawn club goes first and uses the aim manoeuvre to gain a boost die. The club slams into Sin, dealing her three strain and imposing a setback die on her skill checks for two rounds and a further setback die on her next skill check. A second policebeing whips out his club and smacks it into the writhing Rodian, dealing her three strain, adding a boost die to the next allied character’s skill check. An Advantage generated by the roll causes the policebeing to notice the other protagonists hunkered down behind the police vehicle.

Will our protagonists prevail against the instruments of Imperial justice? Find out tomorrow!

Just finished the second quick session of my #sharedscifi game.

Just finished the second quick session of my #sharedscifi game.

https://solospelunking.wordpress.com/2016/12/19/shared-sci-fi-game-session-2/
https://solospelunking.wordpress.com/2016/12/19/shared-sci-fi-game-session-2/

I had a second go at solo Archipelago-inspired story-telling. It's nice to see the unexpected evolution of some of the characters.

I had a second go at solo Archipelago-inspired story-telling. It's nice to see the unexpected evolution of some of the characters.

https://solounmondodicarta.wordpress.com/2016/12/19/solo-grail-ivana-vs-magic/
https://solounmondodicarta.wordpress.com/2016/12/19/solo-grail-ivana-vs-magic/

Greetings! This post recounts the first stage of my efforts to use Under A Black Sun (a Free RPG Day adventure for Star Wars: Edge of the Empire) to run a solo RPG session. If you too want to know what a Discouraging Wound is or how intelligent police droids are, the adventure is available to download for free at https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/star-wars-edge-of-the-empire/ under the ‘Player Resources’ section near the bottom of the page.

Greetings! This post recounts the first stage of my efforts to use Under A Black Sun (a Free RPG Day adventure for Star Wars: Edge of the Empire) to run a solo RPG session. If you too want to know what a Discouraging Wound is or how intelligent police droids are, the adventure is available to download for free at https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/star-wars-edge-of-the-empire/ under the ‘Player Resources’ section near the bottom of the page.

A quick flick through the PDF reveals profiles for police, criminal thugs, a death stick dealer and, interestingly, a duracrete slug. These profiles suggest a crime-related adventure to me, which fits in nicely with the four pre-generated characters (our protagonists), who all are all involved with the Pyke Syndicate in some way.

My first idea is that the characters are backup for another Pyke operative in trouble. My next step is to flesh out that initial idea by thinking about what the operative was doing when they got into trouble. The PDF tells me that the Pykes are spice dealers, so I’ll make a list of smuggling-type activities and randomly pick one. My list is as follows: scouting out a storage location, negotiating with customers, loading/unloading a cargo ship, having a ship modified to smuggle, sabotaging rivals, distracting the police, conducting market research and scouting out a smuggling route.

A digital D8 roll gives me a 6: distracting the police. The next logical step is to determine where this distraction is taking place. I think back to the opening sequence of Episode II – Attack of the Clones for inspiration. A few minutes of pondering gives me the following list: a police station, an airspeeder parking lot, a warehouse, a library, a marketplace, a shopping area and a nightclub. A D7 roll gives me a 3: a warehouse. Now I know that our protagonists are on their way to help a colleague in trouble after trying to distract the police in or around a warehouse.

At this point, I cut to imagining our protagonists on their way to the warehouse. They’ve travelling by air taxi to reach the operative as quickly as possible. Jovel is acquainting herself with some stun grenades and Matwe is lounging around next to her, checking they are headed in the right direction. Sin is reviewing property prices on her datapad and Tray’Essek is ruminating on the design of air taxis.

The taxi’s deceleration signals their arrival. Sin pays the driver and mentally adds the taxi fare to this week’s travel expenses while the rest of the party dismount and check their concealed weapons. Ahead lies the flashing lights of a police vehicle.

At this point, it would be useful to determine what the operative’s plan for distracting the police was. It could’ve been: break into an alarmed warehouse, start a fire at a police-protected warehouse, steal something and then flee into a warehouse, disable a police droid and bring it back to a warehouse or alert the police to something highly illegal being stored in a warehouse by another gang. A quick D5 roll gives me a 2: start a fire at a police-protected warehouse.

So now, our protagonists are standing outside a burning warehouse, wondering where the imperilled operative is and what sort of trouble he or she is in.

What move will our morally questionable protagonists make? Find out tomorrow!

Any pointers of info on how to run myself a D&D 5e solo campaign?

OK the gamebook posts reminded me that I've got a spare Steam key for Joe Dever's Lone Wolf HD Remastered hanging around.

OK the gamebook posts reminded me that I've got a spare Steam key for Joe Dever's Lone Wolf HD Remastered hanging around.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/279440/

Comment if you want it and I'll roll a dice or toss a dwarf or something and choose a winner. :)

Will choose sometime tomorrow as I'm out later.
http://store.steampowered.com/app/279440/

So I'm considering doing a solo D&D 4E campaign in the vein of the newer Fire Emblem games. 4E has a lot of tactic-based combat, not unlike said FE games.

So I'm considering doing a solo D&D 4E campaign in the vein of the newer Fire Emblem games. 4E has a lot of tactic-based combat, not unlike said FE games.

From what I'd imagine, I'd have to stat up a lot of characters, evenly distribute gender ratios, figure out personalities for all of them, then inevitably pair up a couple who have been working together and create their child from the future, being a mishmash of the parents stats.

After a long hiatus I am back at the gaming table and I was immediatly intrigued by the proposed shared sci-fi game. So I present session one of my take on the shared sci-fi experiment which already incorporates elements from another solo game. #sharedscifi

After a long hiatus I am back at the gaming table and I was immediatly intrigued by the proposed shared sci-fi game. So I present session one of my take on the shared sci-fi experiment which already incorporates elements from another solo game. #sharedscifi

https://solospelunking.wordpress.com/2016/12/16/shared-sci-fi-game-microlite-20/
https://solospelunking.wordpress.com/2016/12/16/shared-sci-fi-game-microlite-20/

https://www.reddit.com/r/rpg/comments/5fss5q/rpging_for_one_with_maze_rats_mythic_gm_emulator/

https://www.reddit.com/r/rpg/comments/5fss5q/rpging_for_one_with_maze_rats_mythic_gm_emulator/
Stumbled over Maze Rats and then over this (short) report for using it with the Mythic GME and the 5e DMG.
Looks like an interesting combo.
(Just to make it clear: nope, this is not my play report.)

Originally shared by Omari Brooks

Not sure if you all have seen this yet but a new fantasy sandbox toolkit just released over on DrivethruRPG: Maze Rats.

I haven't played the system yet but the tables look solid (I might end up grafting on Scarlet Heroes combat/damage).

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/197158/Maze-Rats

After reading reading Alto Dizi's fine actual play for Six Hours to Midnight, I'd like to throw out a New Year's challenge. If you don't have plans for New Year's try out 6HtM on New Year's Eve. It's the perfect time for a dance, a ball, a lover, and a rival. :-)

Second session of my #sharedscifi ghost/echo play is up.

Second session of my #sharedscifi ghost/echo play is up.

Not as much action in this one, but good character development and now we have a destination.

Since I'm going to pick up at that destination next session, any suggestions on what that spot of uncharted space actually is?

And I'm still open to any gossip, slander, or interesting trivia about Walker.

Wonder what the girl's name is, too?

https://exposit.github.io/katamoiran/actual%20play/sharedscifi/wraith/2016/12/15/ghost-echo-ap-two.html

I know we have a lot of creative people here who also use those super powers to design games. James Mullen from Story Games just shared a link to a community dedicated to playtesting games that are unpublished:

I know we have a lot of creative people here who also use those super powers to design games. James Mullen from Story Games just shared a link to a community dedicated to playtesting games that are unpublished:

http://story-games.com/forums/discussion/20899/games-on-trial

While you are likely to find playtesters here for the solo stuff, it's probably not a bad idea to put it out there to a different audience who might have fresh ideas too. :)
http://story-games.com/forums/discussion/20899/games-on-trial

Lone Wolf Roleplaying • View topic - Solo Gaming Appreciation Month 2016: Trollbabe actual play

This one is straight #WritingWithDice (with predictive text, but no Oracle). I didn't really need to roll for interacting with the boy, since you can assume there are boys in cities. Meaning that I could have just written freely, but I think it makes for a more fun game to try and use the mechanics when interacting with new fictional characters or elements. Makes it feel more strongly like I'm roleplaying (or rollplaying) that way rather than just writing with constraints.

I left the predictive text as I generated it since I think it is pretty self-explanatory. If they're confusing, let me know (if anyone is reading at all). However, during scene 9b, I left out a line said by Greta in one of the conflicts, which I clarify in the post if anyone cares.

https://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?793890-Solo-Gaming-Appreciation-Month-2016-Trollbabe-actual-play&p=20671052#post20671052

I'm noticing that the use of Oracles has become more optional to me than using the #WritingWithDice + predictive_text combination. Part of the problem is the form factor of playing in mobile where sometimes the browser refreshes and you lose all the stuff you had generated in the Oracle logs.

But it's also true that sometimes I'm in the mood for having that extra layer of unpredictability that the Oracle adds, and sometimes I'm not in the mood for it. The #writingwithdice / predictive_text combo feel like they add enough uncertainty during those times. Maybe I'm just fickle.


#ap #actualplay #trollbabe
http://solorpgs.freeforums.org/solo-gaming-appreciation-month-2016-trollbabe-actual-play-t35-10.html#p79

I always find that making things can be a big part of the solo fun. I've gone back to using my old Advance Squad Leader maps for some fantasy wargaming. This time I decided to try my hand at making old school style chits.

I always find that making things can be a big part of the solo fun. I've gone back to using my old Advance Squad Leader maps for some fantasy wargaming. This time I decided to try my hand at making old school style chits.

Now we'll see if the Hill Goblins can protect there watering hole from the human Frontiersman.

Hey, I wrote a game, just a quick "oracle" style thing. Very 2010. Details on my blog, but think "what if Ghost/Echo had a threesome with S\lay w/Me and Trollbabe in the seventeenth century?"

Hey, I wrote a game, just a quick "oracle" style thing. Very 2010. Details on my blog, but think "what if Ghost/Echo had a threesome with S\lay w/Me and Trollbabe in the seventeenth century?"

On second thought, don't think about that, it's kind of disturbing. And probably way over-promising. But I did make you a very long actual play slash playtest to read!

Think skycastles over densely populated areas, royal birthdays, treachery, mistaken identity... I know I always say things are extremely fun but this was extremely fun, hahaha.
https://exposit.github.io/katamoiran/actual%20play/6%20hours%20to%20midnight/2016/12/14/6-hours-to-midnight-ap.html

Scene 9b of Trollbabe AP

Scene 9b of Trollbabe AP

Greta gets her healing scene. She briefly encounters another inhabitant of the burned out house before settling down to sleep. Unfortunately, her sleep is interrupted later by unwanted visitors.

https://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?793890-Solo-Gaming-Appreciation-Month-2016-Trollbabe-actual-play&p=20669077#post20669077
https://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?793890-Solo-Gaming-Appreciation-Month-2016-Trollbabe-actual-play&p=20669077#post20669077

CPX Utilities V 1.2.1

CPX Utilities V 1.2.1

CPX Utilities is a web based RPG tool and random generator. Currently it features: a Hex Map generator, Star Sector Generator, OSR Hero Character Editor, OSR monster generator, Fantasy Plot Generator, Perilous Wilds Dungeon Generator, and Dungeon World Monster Generator. The Utility can save all your data to the browser for future use.

https://jteamdevelop.github.io/CPXUtilities/

Major updates in V 1.2.1:
- OSR Hero Editor – Save and edit your heroes for quick reference. A generic OSR template is included along with templates for Swords & Wizardry, White Star, and Godbound.
- Star Sector Generator: generate an entire star sector using either Traveller or Stars Without Number systems.
- Star System Generator: You can now generate systems based on rules from Stars Without Number.
- OSR Monster Generator: You can now generate Dragons, Elementals, Undead, Chimerae, and Bugs
https://jteamdevelop.github.io/CPXUtilities/

I ended up using #WritingWithDice exclusively almost by accident, since the scene was mostly driven by conflicts. Since I failed more than I won, there wasn't much occasion to resort to GM narration (and I forgot to go to the GM tools when it was the GM's turn to narrate). #WritingWithDice worked nicely, though, as a tool to guide me.

I ended up using #WritingWithDice exclusively almost by accident, since the scene was mostly driven by conflicts. Since I failed more than I won, there wasn't much occasion to resort to GM narration (and I forgot to go to the GM tools when it was the GM's turn to narrate). #WritingWithDice worked nicely, though, as a tool to guide me.

http://solorpgs.freeforums.org/solo-gaming-appreciation-month-2016-trollbabe-actual-play-t35-10.html#p77

#ap #actualplay #trollbabe
https://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?793890-Solo-Gaming-Appreciation-Month-2016-Trollbabe-actual-play&p=20665787#post20665787

Chris Stieha suggested I share this with the group. Please feel free to make fun of me for gaming with a chatbot:)

Chris Stieha suggested I share this with the group. Please feel free to make fun of me for gaming with a chatbot:)

Originally shared by Chris Bennett

I asked #Cleverbot to play a Three Musketeers game with me. This is what happened.
http://www.cleverbot.com/conv/201612111734/AYAATO6A3Z_Would-you-like-to-play-a-Three-Musketeers-roleplaying-game

My first take on the Shared World. I tried something different, writing it as a narrative in the first person.

My first take on the Shared World. I tried something different, writing it as a narrative in the first person.

I don't think it worked as well as I had hoped it would. #sharedscifi

Scene 8 of Greta's adventure (Trollbabe)

Scene 8 of Greta's adventure (Trollbabe)

This time due to not being able to use my mobile phone, I decided to use #writingwithdice straight, which in part meant looking at the Principles and writing according to them, but also paying attention to the Principle/Fluff dichotomy.

I didn't have much Fluff to work with, except for purposefully treating Skarr as if he was still in the embryonic idea stage. I interacted with him or the idea of him by trying a Social Conflict. I also have the street market that Joss and Greta passed earlier marked as a Fluff/Embryonic Idea piece that I can’t write about until I interact with the idea mechanically (somehow). Maybe for next session if the flow takes me there.

I have to be honest, though…while #writingwithdice has been more enjoyable to me than using paper and dice oracles, it can’t beat the automated oracles + predictive text combinations I’ve tried lately. At least not by itself. It did in a pinch , however, for this instance I wasn’t able to use the electronic tools.

I also still like that it makes me focus on the setting via the Principles, such that I was able to bring in that aspect of how humans may react to Trollbabes. Also that it forces me to use the RPG mechanics to interact with ideas before I run with them in a freeform manner. I’d like to find a way to reconciled that with letting the predictive text apps lead. Maybe like: embryonic ideas interact with RPG mechanics first, before I can develop them further through the oracles and apps as usual.


https://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?793890-Solo-Gaming-Appreciation-Month-2016-Trollbabe-actual-play&p=20664526#post20664526

Played my first session of Ghost/Echo today as part of the #Sharedscifi game! For the first time like ever I played a system straight and unhacked (other than some solo-concessions).

Played my first session of Ghost/Echo today as part of the #Sharedscifi game! For the first time like ever I played a system straight and unhacked (other than some solo-concessions).

My main "oracle" is a homebrew thing I cobbled up this afternoon to represent my crewmates. Link on the blog if you'd like to take a look.

It was fun but kind of exhausting.

My big question coming out of the initial situation is:

What (or who) is the girl? Anyone should feel free to answer here or on the main thread, whether or not you've read the AP or not, and I will pick randomly from any answers.

Also, the characters (such as they are, they're still very vague) are up for grabs for solo play if you'd like to join in, make reference to them, what have you.

Or just toss out some juicy gossip you've heard about Walker in this thread if you'd like. :)

12/15 Edit for the link since I moved it to its own category:

https://exposit.github.io/katamoiran/actual%20play/sharedscifi/wraith/2016/12/09/ghost-echo-ap.html

I begin my Shared Solo Experiment. First up, making my character! Meet Alan "Lucky" Dogan. #SharedSciFi

I begin my Shared Solo Experiment. First up, making my character! Meet Alan "Lucky" Dogan. #SharedSciFi

Solo Experiment—Shared World

Solo Experiment—Shared World

I’d like to invite everyone to participate in an experiment in Solo Role Playing. The core idea is that each of us will be running our own games, in our own way, but we will be part of a larger world that can overlap with each other. It’s, essentially, an attempt to mix Solo RPing with Play by Post, hopefully to gain the strength of both. We have a shared genre and a shared initial "hook", but from there the game spins out into any direction we desire. Different games might cross over, but do not need to. (we’ll be using the Legend & Truth idea that Alto Dizi came up with for this.)

• The genre is Sci-Fi (thanks again to everyone who voted!)
• Characters can be anything: criminals, psychic knights, mech pilots, rebels, etc.
• The setting is deliberately vague—there’s FTL, and a number of planets. There’s some aliens and some broad government(s?), but the exact situation will vary based on your preferences.
• Use any game system you like, as well as any GM Emulator. It’s your game, after all!
• Post your AP’s where you like. But, please post a link on this thread, so we can all follow along. You don’t have to do an AP, but hopefully it’ll be fun. When you post, please use the following hashtag: #SharedSciFi
• Your story is the only “canon” story—how much, if any, of others stories you choose to add to your game is entirely up to you.

To help get us going, I used a random Cyberpunk adventure generator and got the following: “The main character must [Fight] [Technician], at [Entertainment District], but have to contend with [Trap] while being confronted by [Corporation].” Interpret it, use, and abuse it as you see fit…

The shared element comes from Alto’s concept, called “Legend & Truth.” It’s a fairly simple system for facilitating crossovers. If someone else has a cool character you want to show up in your story, you get to borrow them. If you’re both doing a public AP, then you’re allowing others to steal your characters and mangle them beyond all recognition.

And, yes, mangled they will be. It’s part of the fun :)

If you’re private, just make sure to tell the original creator what, supposedly, happened in your game with the character.

‘Cause, that’s the thing. Your story is the “Truth.” Their story is merely “Legend”—word on the street, rumors and innuendo whispered in late night bars. Legends are the key—if/when an element of your Legend comes into play, you get a Bonus (“bennie”/”fate point”/whatever your system calls it). Until you use that point, their other story is just Legend. Once you use it though, it takes on elements of the Truth.

Alto’s original explanation can be found here: https://exposit.github.io/katamoiran/img/posts/2016-12-06/LegendTruthQuickstart_v2.pdf


Also, use the community as an Oracle! If you’re sneaking into an abandoned warehouse, and don’t know what’s behind that door—ASK. Let’s see what we can all up with, and how our shared universe takes shape!

As for “how often should I post?” Don’t worry about it—whenever you feel like it. This isn’t a play by post game where you’re waiting for others to respond, even if your sharing characters. You may only update occasionally, while someone else seems to be posting daily. Any way works--this is all meant to be fun!

Game on!
https://exposit.github.io/katamoiran/img/posts/2016-12-06/LegendTruthQuickstart_v2.pdf

I finally got a chance to play some Lady Blackbird, and it is sweet, sweet narrative play that I might just be addicted to now.

I finally got a chance to play some Lady Blackbird, and it is sweet, sweet narrative play that I might just be addicted to now.

Anyway, the further adventures of Declan the half-demon in the Dark Ages; it took me a bit to get into the sword and sorcery vibe but when I did I ran with it.

Interestingly, with the tools in my Lady Blackbird hack, I really didn't need to consult the oracle much. It's got me thinking about some new tools that might work better in a narrative format than a Yes/No thing.

But, anyway, I can't wait to see what's in Blades in the Dark now. :)
https://exposit.github.io/katamoiran/actual%20play/demonblood/2016/12/09/lady-blackbird-hack-ap.html

So, related to the post I linked below, I wanted to run an idea by the group. It's more along the lines of Human Oracle than true shared solo play, but it sounds fun to me. Maybe it will even encourage people to participate in each others' APs, who knows.

So, related to the post I linked below, I wanted to run an idea by the group. It's more along the lines of Human Oracle than true shared solo play, but it sounds fun to me. Maybe it will even encourage people to participate in each others' APs, who knows.

So, in the post linked here I proposed that it could be fun to treat an Oracle like an audience that you're telling a story to. I also think that it can be immersive to ask it questions in-character, such as: "Would you believe me that a whale fell out of the sky and killed my pursuer?"

Well, what if you asked an actual audience to tell you yes or no to that question? Would that be fun for both the person playing the PC and the persons playing the participating audience? Hit me with your thoughts!

https://plus.google.com/108395059461267285712/posts/8YqRs95MWBd

Treating the Oracle as a fake audience, and asking Oracle questions in-character

Treating the Oracle as a fake audience, and asking Oracle questions in-character

I'm not sure if anyone has thought of this before since I haven't seen it in the wild yet, but I like to navel gaze a lot about solo play and how to improve it for myself. I care a lot about character immersion, and it had occurred to me that it would be nice if at least some Principles in #writingwithdice were stated in the 1st person point of view.

I thought it would provide a sort of meta-narrative that was still in-character and thus character-immersive. I felt like I could even set up future events or milestones before I started an adventure without damaging my immersion, because I'm just telling a story in-character.

Long story short, then I thought: "Well, why not use this with Mythic GME?" I can ask a question in-character as if Mythic was the listener, and not violate my sense of immersion. I tried it sparsely for Scene 7 of my latest AP, and I think it worked for me. Just passing the idea along in case you've never tried it and care about character immersion. If anyone uses it, let me know what you think.

Thanks to everyone who voted on the "Shared/Solo" Game poll. Looks like "sci-fi" is the winner with roughly a third of the vote!

Thanks to everyone who voted on the "Shared/Solo" Game poll. Looks like "sci-fi" is the winner with roughly a third of the vote!

So, we're looking at a Sci-Fi setting. Of course, there's a lot of things one can do with Sci-Fi, from operatic High Fantasy to grim and gritty noir, so I think it would help to establish some base lines. Are we thinking of space ships and intergalactic governments (perhaps featuring some sort of evil empire and a band of plucky rebels?), near-future dystopic cyberpunk, rebuilding after the apocalypse, or something else?

I don't want to be TOO specific--adventures set in a generic galactic Empire are one thing, but a specific "Rebels against the Empire" might be a tad limiting for some.

What do you all think?

Scene 7 of Greta's adventure in Kragg Keep

Scene 7 of Greta's adventure in Kragg Keep

I tried yet another different approach this time. While the prompting oracle's prompts were sort of superfluous to have with the iOS app, I still wanted that second level of randomness to keep things as unpredictable as possible. I took the code from http://www.evilgenius.org.nz/blackmagic.html and re-purposed it to have a history log and also an answer stack that will automatically choose a result after two 'No' responses. I let the iOS app write the responses and then I rate how likely I think they are to happen with the normal mythic gme process.

In addition to that, I also decided to try a technique that I thought up when musing to myself on a bus ride (though I'm not sure if someone else has been using it and I just haven't seen it). Basically, I ask questions to an Oracle as usual, except I pretend my PC is telling a story, and the Oracle is the audience. I always ask those questions in character as if the character is breaking the 4th wall. I have to say this sort of helps my immersion a lot and it's easier to use than the iOS app. Still, I want to use it in select places as I'm not sure if too much use would hurt my immersion.

Anyway, for Scene 7, the adventure took a bit of a slow burn romance and court drama direction, with some of the same humor that seemed to imply itself regarding Lord Ingald. It's a bit wacky, but it somehow feels right.

https://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?793890-Solo-Gaming-Appreciation-Month-2016-Trollbabe-actual-play&p=20656754#post20656754


#ap #actualplay #trollbabe
http://solorpgs.freeforums.org/solo-gaming-appreciation-month-2016-trollbabe-actual-play-t35-10.html#p74

Hey guys, gonna wrap up the poll soon, and then hopefully get some brainstorming in for the winning genre.

Scene 6 of Greta's adventure in Kragg Keep

Scene 6 of Greta's adventure in Kragg Keep

Through convoluted and somewhat mysterious circumstances Greta ends up in prison awaiting trial.

http://solorpgs.freeforums.org/solo-gaming-appreciation-month-2016-trollbabe-actual-play-t35-10.html#p72

Stuff in brackets is either reinterpreted iOS app output, or OOC commenting from me.
______________________________

she had been ordered to come to the prison voluntarily to stay until the [Inquisition] magistrates could hear her account.

it had been one day already.​ They came back yesterday afternoon, after they had made inquiries.​ [The man whom all men hated would be the case listen, ] The magistrate who would hear her case was a man named Skarr who, from what she could gather while listening to the guards talk, everyone hated.

it had been arranged that she would be tried without delay. this meant first thing in the morning.​ Joss was once more charged with transporting her as before, except the destination this time would be the magistrate's court.

He had been [waiting] guarding her since yesterday evening [ at my side] just outside her cell.​ [Noel] Joss looked very serious as always.​

[OK, I'm tired of this dude's overly stuck up nature. I'm going to make him laugh and get him to start talking to me about this town's going ons, including what his deal is with Lord Ingald]

Got a 10!]

Greta tells him, "What do you call a troll with a potato in each ear?" Of course, he maintains the same silence he has each time Greta talks to him. Nevertheless she delivers the silly punch line, "Anything you want as he can't hear you!"

[I believe, given my goal, that the "GM" needs to at least give me an inkling of how Joss feels about Kragg Keep's leader and why]

He glanced back at her with astonishment.​ But then he began a low chuckle that erupted into laughter.​ Noel shook his head and smiled at her.​ His gaze lingered on her face and his face flushed.​

: (from stack):
They passed in silence beneath a broken window on a charred home.​ she finally asked him how he felt about Lord Ingald.

He told her couldn't help but notice that Lord Ingald was not a pleasant man.​ He was no stranger to depravity.​

"Are you the only one who feels that way?"

"Come on, all that is irrelevant.​ He gets what he wants because he is [God ] Lord of Kragg Keep. it's something we can't change."

"Why?"

[Noel] Joss said she was off her mind if she thought that (he) Lord Ingald could be [adjusted] changed.

"Overthrow him, then."

[I'm going to pretend that no such things were crawling out of her mouth ]

"I'll pretend no such words came out of your mouth."

Greta decided to drop the matter, at least for the present . It sounded to be like Joss had some sort of sense of duty towards Lord Ingald. She couldn't fathom why, given how Joss personally felt about the man. Maybe it was just blind adherence to some code. Boys could be dumb that way, she thought as she quietly rolled her eyes.

http://solorpgs.freeforums.org/solo-gaming-appreciation-month-2016-trollbabe-actual-play-t35-10.html#p72

There's been some talk about setting a Shared/Solo game, which I'm really excited by. We sort of defaulted to 30's style noir as an example, but I'm not sure if that's the best world. So, a POLL! If you were to participate in a Shared Universe for your solo gaming, what genre would you most prefer?

There's been some talk about setting a Shared/Solo game, which I'm really excited by. We sort of defaulted to 30's style noir as an example, but I'm not sure if that's the best world. So, a POLL!

If you were to participate in a Shared Universe for your solo gaming, what genre would you most prefer?

(UPDATE: THE POLL IS OVER, AND SCI-FI HAS WON. SEE OTHER POSTS IN THE GROUP FOR #SHAREDSCIFI).

Finally got around to posting the first chunk of my vampire & noir adventure.

Finally got around to posting the first chunk of my vampire & noir adventure.

Not really an "Actual Play" of any particular system (unless you count the terrible things I've done to Scarlet Heroes as a "system) but still fun. From October-ish.

As always, pretty much everything is randomly generated in Pythia and I come up with little things like backstory and such off the top of my head while playing.
https://exposit.github.io/katamoiran/actual%20play/noir%20nights/2016/12/06/noir-nights-session-1.html

Lone Wolf Roleplaying • View topic - Solo Gaming Appreciation Month 2016: Trollbabe actual play

Solo Gaming Appreciation Month 2016 is over, but Greta's adventure is still ongoing.

I've continued to use the iOS app CreativeWriter, but as I go along, a few rules for interacting with it seem to have evolved from play:

- allow pronouns, and even proper names suggested in the tool to act as stand ins for NPCs and PCs that come to mind in the current context of the scene. These bring up more contextual word suggestions than names that do not exist in the apps word bank. (e.g. If I think Joss could say or do something next, I'll pick the pronoun 'he' rather than type in 'Joss')

- do the same for some nouns and words. If they are close enough to suggest a meaning related to the adventure, I'll use them and substitute as needed later when prettifying the game log. (E.g. If the word 'king' is available, I'll bend the meaning to mean Lord Ingald).

- don't try to force grammatically correct sentences or try to make the tool describe an idea in an extremely precise manner. If a phrase is grammatically ugly and also vague, I'll take it if it gets the meaning across well enough.

- All that stuff above can be clarified and prettified later [you will see the ugly truth in the History Log].

- I would rather not do it, but it's ok to provide some of my own input to get the tool to spit word suggestions that make sense to me, if the words that are showing in the word bank do not make sense in the adventure context.

This time I tried hard to make the app responses obey the prompts' instructions, but I'm still on the fence on whether it's worth it with a tool like this which seems to provide a direction all on its own.

It seems like I have to fish deeper into the word bank more often when trying to find a string of words that fit a sense of what would be 'best', 'worse' or more 'logical' given a context. It feels more like I'm fighting the app than letting it lead. I think that this means that the Prompts are superfluous, and all I need is a random system to accept or reject the app’s input in order to keep things interesting for myself.

http://solorpgs.freeforums.org/solo-gaming-appreciation-month-2016-trollbabe-actual-play-t35.html#p70

Scene 5

(from stack):
Lord Ingald was not overjoyed. He was not so much surprised as simultaneously confused and vexed. Incredulously, he asked,"What makes you think that you have right to address the lord of Kragg Keep in such manner?"

She was already stepping away from him, in the direction of the city gate. "What makes YOU think that YOU have a right to come into MY room uninvited?" Horse ass, she thought.

Dawn was already breaking and Joss soon appeared from the opposite direction where Greta was heading. Lord Ingald could not be discovered in this compromising position, so he returned to his old statue form before Joss reached them.

: (from stack): Joss saw the bearded face of lord ingald and his eyes immediately looked had a miserable look on them. Pointing at the "statue", Greta said, "You don't like it much, huh?" He didn't answer, however.

Acting the fool, she then asked: "who is it?"

"Lord Ingald," he replied. He also said he did not know how the "monument" got to be here. All the same, he would lead her out of the city astride.

[I attempt another Social conflict to find out why Joss seems to dislike Ingald (my goal), but fail.]

"Why do I sense you're not very fond of this man?"

Joss did not remark on it, however. "I'm not at liberty to talk about such things."

: (from stack):
He did as he had been charged and took her to the city's entrance. Greta took the view that while the visit had been all for naught, at the least she would put the incident with Ingald behind her definitively.

Save that it was not to be so simple. Another guard had come down from the opposite direction to arrest her for having taken possession of innkeeper Hilde's money.

: (from stack):
"Wait, what?? That's a big heap of horse... "

They told her death was the fate of those who commit such crimes.

"Looney town, this one," she thought. She was confident that she could easily hurt these guards and escape to the countryside, but she didn't have a desire to do so. She was almost sure this Ingald character was setting her up. she'd love to teach him a lesson in how to treat a girl.

\End Scene 5\


#SoloActualPlay #SoloPlayWithAlgorithms
http://solorpgs.freeforums.org/solo-gaming-appreciation-month-2016-trollbabe-actual-play-t35.html#p70

Would there be any interest in a "shared" solo game? I'm thinking it would be fun to get a small group together, start from a shared point, and then see which way our individual games go. Like, we would have a genre and an initial prompt, but after that we take it in our own directions. Then, we all post our play throughs and can kind of compare and contrast what happened.

New AP for Trollbabe (well, it ended up being more Stranger Things). I love how breezy and quick things go with this system!

New AP for Trollbabe (well, it ended up being more Stranger Things). I love how breezy and quick things go with this system!

... but I think I need more crunch. So it's on to Lady Blackbird. Ha.

This is also a good proof that if you tweak your truncating settings for headings thinking "I'll never write a title THAT long!" you will, in fact, write a title that long.
https://exposit.github.io/katamoiran/actual%20play/2016/12/04/trollbabe-stranger-things-ap.html

Interesting post. Something to think about...

Interesting post. Something to think about...

Originally shared by Paul Taliesin

A great short article/blog post on how to deal with mysogyny in roleplaying settings (and games).

Incredibly concise yet comprehensive.

https://chariotrpg.blogspot.ca/2016/11/dymphna.html?m=1

Report from playing "Ghost of Lion Castle" from 1984, using Dungeons & Dragons Red Box...

Report from playing "Ghost of Lion Castle" from 1984, using Dungeons & Dragons Red Box...
http://ubiquitousrat.net/?p=3716