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Thursday, April 27, 2006
Labels: stranger things
19 Questions: Stranger Things
Sunday, February 05, 2006
These questions are courtesy of Troy Costisick, and his blog.1.) What is your game about?
Supernatural action-adventure featuring bigotry, hatred, understanding and compassion.
2.) What do the characters do?
They have prophetic dreams about people in crisis, seek out those people, and resolve the crisis (for better or worse).
3.) What do the players (including the GM if there is one) do?
Players: Create a half-human, half-demon Stranger and choose the elements of his or her Dream. Confront the elements of the prophetic dream in the world. Judge the situation, and act to create change in the lives of the people in crisis.
Directors: Flesh-out the dream elements into characters and situations. Reveal the dream in play.
Everyone playing may change roles from Player to Director during or between sessions, depending on group preference.
4.) How does your setting (or lack thereof) reinforce what your game is about?
The setting is the sprawling, gothic City of Forgotten Gods. Humans and Demons must live in close proximity in the City, which is the last haven against the Wild. The City creates a pressure-cooker situation in which the two peoples must confront each other -- with hatred and fear, or compassion and understanding. As hybrids of the two peoples, the Strangers are caught in the middle.
5.) How does the Character Creation of your game reinforce what your game is about?
During character creation, all the participants map out (by consensus) which traits are considered "human" and which are considered "demonic." This creates a stereotype for each people, which are then challenged or reinforced through play.
6.) What types of behaviors/styles of play does your game reward?
The game rewards thematic play, with a focus on Color, Character, and Situation. It provides a constant cycle of traded narration, so off-the-cuff creative descriptions are expected. It also rewards good flagging and flag-framing by Players and Directors.
7.) How are behaviors and styles of play rewarded or punished in your game?
The game ties the reward cycle to the resolution of the dream crisis. The Stranger must confront the dream, and in doing so must confront the human/demon crisis in the city. This confrontation and resolution of the crisis results in empathy for the Stranger, who then changes as a result.
PCs are rewarded through Relationships (which grant more effectiveness and additional author power) and through Empathy (which are bonus traits that grant effectiveness). PCs also change and shift along the human/demon spectrum as play goes on.
8.) How are the responsibilities of narration and credibility divided in your game?
Players have ultimate authority over their Stranger and her relationships. They also choose the elements of the prophetic dream that will then make up the Stranger's new crisis situation. Players narrate all failed rolls for their Stranger.
Directors have ultimate authority over the NPCs. They create the crisis situations (and NPCs) using the dream elements chosen by the players. They frame, start, and end scenes. The Director narrates all successful rolls.
9.) What does your game do to command the players' attention, engagement, and participation?
The players choose the elements for the situation that their Strangers will confront. Since they had a hand in its creation, they are engaged in its outcome from the start. All players are always participating, either controlling a Stranger, Directing a scene, or contributing suggestions and Color as audience.
10.) What are the resolution mechanics of your game like?
A conflict can be called by any player. A conflict resolves stakes created and agreed upon by all participants. The player who calls the conflict names a trait of one Stranger that will be tested by the conflict. Then a d10 is rolled and compared to the Stranger's Number (2-9). For human traits, the d10 must roll above the number for success. For demon traits, the d10 must roll below the number for success.
There are additional mechanics for multi-roll conflicts, re-rolls, and injury.
11.) How do the resolution mechanics reinforce what your game is about?
The human/demon split is part of every roll. Assigning traits to human or demon sterotypes during pre-play helps the players create the atmosphere of ignorance and misconceptions that exists in the City when the game starts. Strangers must resolve their prophetic dreams. Dreams don't resolve until the people in crisis have confronted their fears and desires. They can only confront their fears and desires via conflict rolls, and only Strangers can make conflict rolls. So by necessity of the resolution system, all the crisis must funnel through the Strangers.
12.) Do characters in your game advance? If so, how?
Strangers gain effectiveness via Empathy and Relationships. The Number can also shift as a result of play, moving towards human (lower number), demon (higher number) or a midpoint.
13.) How does the character advancement (or lack thereof) reinforce what your game is about?
As the Stranger gains empathy, traits are added to a special re-roll pool that is neither solely human nor demon based, but a blend of the two. Relationships also grant re-rolls. A character with empathy for his fellow people, with connections to those around him, is more effective than a detached loner.
14.) What sort of effect do you want your game to produce for the players?
Creepiness (it's a game of supernatural and occult trappings, after all).
A sense of pride in taking the flags offered by another player and creating something they really enjoy.
The thrill of important stakes riding on the bounce of a die and the resources spent to win it.
Some understanding of fear, ignorance, bigotry, and compassion as it relates to the real world.
15.) What areas of your game receive extra attention and color? Why?
Names and places, particularly in the form of the illustrated map tiles that make up the City. Why? Because these things are used as a menu of Flags for players to choose from when presenting material for the Director to run with.
16.) Which part of your game are you most excited about or interested in? Why?
The map tiles. They are instant, powerful Color for the game, and are a great resource for Flags.
The human/demon split for traits and how they relate to a Stranger's Number. Also, the idea of a changing Number and Empathy traits to reflect the events of play.
The Dream Sheet, which is like a character sheet for the Director to use for creating situations on the fly.
17.) Where does your game take the players that other games can’t, don’t, or won’t?
I think this game addresses bigotry and compassion very directly. Not sure if another game has done that, exactly (though it does share some thematic similarities with Polaris, Dogs, and Trollbabe).
18.) What are your publishing goals for your game?
POD books via Lulu, hopefully sometime in March or April.
19.) Who is your target audience?
The indie gamer scene and people interested in RPGs who are just starting out. Hellboy fans. Andy Kitkowski.
Well... that took way too long. But it's a pretty good questionnaire. I can see some things in a better light now. Also, I can see that my game is pretty much doing what I want it to do now, which is a nice feeling.
What do you think? Anything up there pushing your buttons, one way or the other?
Labels: rpg, stranger things, work in progress
Stranger Things playtest
Monday, January 23, 2006
We played Stranger Things on Sunday. Fun was had. The new stuff was well received, and I got lots of good feeback. I am a proud papa. We got to use that thing to the left there, which is really friggin' cool, if I do say so myself.If I'm feeling really saucy, I'll post an AP report, but I may not get around to it for a little while. If, you know, someone beat me to it, that would okay.
Labels: rpg, stranger things, work in progress
Stranger Things update
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Readers with long memories will notice that the top number has actually gone down. This is because I have been re-writing extensively to make the game design work in a different way. I had to tear out several pieces and they haven't all been put back together again. In short, the game is becoming less of a Trollbabe clone, and even more its own animal.
I had planned to release the game in December 2005, but obviously that didn't happen. The game I would have released was like a first edition of the game (many of you have played it). It was a fun, playable game, but it wasn't entirely the game I wanted. The design I'm writing now is more like "Stranger Things Revised." My new deadline for publication (via Lulu) is March 1st.
Next on the Mighty Atom:
- A fleshed-out game process diagram, with flags and specific details of play
- The full version of Flip
Labels: rpg, stranger things, work in progress
Stranger Things Actual Play Links
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Several groups have played Stranger Things and posted about their games. Here are some links for those of you don't haunt the Forge:Blood and Shadows (Darren's group)
Lock, Stock, and Smoking Dragonhide (Chris's group)
The Judgment of Fish (Wilhelm's group)
Two Nights a Stranger (Mischa's group)
The GenCon Game (Joe's group)
Heartbreak Square (my group)
Demon Dog! (Roger's group)
Playtest at Forge Midwest (Ron, Matt, Andy, Tim)
Stranger Things Bootleg (Bailywolf's group)
Gypsies, Puppets, and the Octopus God (Darren's group)
Thanks, everyone.
Labels: play report, stranger things, work in progress
Stranger Things at GenCon
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Joe Porrett ran a game of Stranger Things over two nights at GenCon Indy last week. He posted about it over on Esoteric Murmurs. I'm thrilled to hear that the game was a success. Thanks to Joe and all the other playtesters for their support and feedback so far. I really appreciate it.Labels: stranger things, work in progress
Stranger Things t-shirts
Friday, August 12, 2005
Stranger Things t-shirts are now available. Check out the store here:http://www.spreadshirt.com/shop.php?sid=4673
Some lucky people (they know who they are) will be sporting them at GenCon. Be one of the cool kids. Order one today. T-shirt revenue goes straight into the printing fund for the game.
UPDATE: I may still use Lulu for the first print version of the game. In which case, t-shirt revenue will pay for more artwork for the print book. In any case, t-shirt money goes back into the game.
Labels: stranger things, work in progress
Stranger Things temp website
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
A temporary website for the game is online now:http://www.onesevendesign.com/strangerthings
There's a sample PDF of the game there, along with the wallpapers. Yes, the links page is blank. I'll get around to it eventually.
Labels: stranger things, work in progress
Playtesting is underway
Playtesting for Stranger Things has begun. I ran a game on Sunday for Tony, Phil, and Wilhelm. It was a success. You can read a bit about it here and here.Clinton, Chris, Ricardo, Joe, Mischa, and Darren are testing too. They each have their own group, so that's a lot of folks. I'm very pleased.
Also, got the first piece of art from Adam Black, and damn... it's hot. No one was surprised. You have to wait and see it in the book though. How's that for a tease?
UPDATE: And Roger! Roger and his group are also playtesting.
Labels: stranger things
Ed Heil enters the fray...
Friday, August 05, 2005
Here are two amazing illustrations from the talented Ed Heil:Sometimes humans and demons get along...
... And sometimes they don't.
I get to work with the coolest people. :-)
Labels: stranger things
Sample Character: Esfyazza
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
I got the revised art back from Jake! So cool. He modified the dress and still kept the great line that conveys her twirling movement. I couldn't be happier.Here's a Stranger Things sample character PDF for Esfyazza.
I also got two amazing pieces from Ed Heil, which you will be seeing soon. C'mon... I can't give you all the goods at once, right? Gotta keep you comin' back for more.
Labels: stranger things
Stranger Things: Desktop No. 3
Sunday, July 31, 2005
Can't... stop... making... graphics! Here's my altogether creepy version of Esfyazza, the swirly-haired, floating Stranger that Jake did the drawing of.
And of course a 1024x768 version, too.
Labels: stranger things
Stranger Things: Desktop No. 2
Saturday, July 30, 2005
First, thanks to everyone who responded to the art question. I really appreciate it. I have made up my mind to cover her up by dropping the line of the dress. Feel free to continue discussing the issue, though.Second, I made a new photo-based desktop for Stranger Things. Four stock photos of Prague turned out to be the perfect raw materials to depict the City of Forgotten Gods. I really want to go to Prague now.
That's the 1280x1024 version. There's also a 1024x768 version.
UPDATE: A few people have asked to see the photos I used to make this image.
Labels: stranger things
Stranger Things Art: Need Your Input
Friday, July 29, 2005
I got the first piece of art from Jake tonight. And man, is it amazing. I love it. Except... the ass. One of my rules for the art for this game was "no cheesecake." And here is our hero, with her ass exposed. The thing is, there's just something "right" about this image. It's vulnerable and creepy and powerful all at once. Part of me wants to leave it as is. And part of me wants to put some leggings on her.So, I'm asking for your feedback. What do you think? Is this cheesecake? Is it perpetuating more fantasy-female sex objects? Or is it good the way it is? Something to consider: this will not be the only picture of her in the book. At least one other picture will show her as a fully powerful hero, kicking butt.
Take a look at the drawing here.
I already talked to Jake about this (he's totally cool and understands the issue) and we're both very curious to hear what others have to say.
Labels: stranger things
Stranger Things Update
Thursday, July 28, 2005
First, the temporary website for the game is up:http://www.onesevendesign.com/strangerthings
You can get a sample PDF of the game there, along with the wallpapers.
Ron suggested that Stranger Things be produced as a standalone game "inspired by Trollbabe" rather than a mini-supplement. Of course I jumped at the chance to flesh it out into a complete game. Now, instead of 90% done, it's about 50% done. I'm still writing like gangbusters, though, and plan to have a finished draft (laid out) by August 11.
If you want to playtest, drop me a line in the comments with your email address. Except for Joe. As usual, he already got in as playtester numero uno.
I just calculated that the game has been in development for a total of 14 days so far. I guess I can be productive when I put my mind to it.
Labels: stranger things
Stranger Things Desktop
Sunday, July 24, 2005
I just finished the first piece of art for Stranger Things, conveniently sized for your desktop.
That one is 1280x1024. There's also a 1024x768 version if you need it.
UPDATE: I hired two artists to work on Stranger Things today: the daring Jake Richmond and Mystery Ninja X (known to mortals as Ed Heil). I'm sending out the artist's bible later tonight and I'll be posting the artwork I get back after it's finalized. Both of these artists are awesome and you all should hire them right away.
UPDATE AGAIN: A few people have asked about the contents of the art bible, so I'm posting a link to the PDF so you can see it for yourself. (This is the screen-rez version. The artists got full-rez, plus specific direction for their individual pieces.)
Labels: stranger things
Stranger Things have happened
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
So, I talked to Ron and (if everything goes according to plan) it looks like I will be doing the first-ever Trollbabe mini-supplement, entitled Stranger Things. You might think of it as Hellboy meets Lankhmar. The text is about 80% done now. Tony is doing the cartography, which will rock the house. Phil will be handling the editing. I'll post more about it (and probably a teaser) soon.Labels: stranger things