tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370851522024-03-18T21:10:35.157-04:00Dreams, Dragons And A Comic Book HeartDreams, Dragons And A Comic Book Heart - The Home of Jeff W. Moore on the WebJeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.comBlogger544125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-30169155523573314852024-03-17T21:08:00.012-04:002024-03-18T11:24:36.260-04:00Golden Sky Stories Review Part Three of Three<p>This is the continuation of my review of Golden Sky Stories. You can read the first part of the review <a href="https://www.dreamsdragons.com/2024/03/golden-sky-stories-review-part-one.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. You can read the second part of the review <a href="https://www.dreamsdragons.com/2024/03/golden-sky-stories-review-part-two-of.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMijXMDRbSf6HsTLGF4YRzpMayFtTekTP6wDYB4k7nGeI_A5FVjLozXWFwf6h5K7kgtfaAm7iMcPRCB2FwrrVqO8kbLq-oAmlDpzpgnKFzsb6T8_BAZS3CwhdanyYO4LqNZ4-Y0o_bnuhCZNqDLriTJwQxVsbYeUJBB0YCSeNVGVyce0BCsCe/s2952/GSS-04.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2952" data-original-width="2078" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMijXMDRbSf6HsTLGF4YRzpMayFtTekTP6wDYB4k7nGeI_A5FVjLozXWFwf6h5K7kgtfaAm7iMcPRCB2FwrrVqO8kbLq-oAmlDpzpgnKFzsb6T8_BAZS3CwhdanyYO4LqNZ4-Y0o_bnuhCZNqDLriTJwQxVsbYeUJBB0YCSeNVGVyce0BCsCe/w281-h400/GSS-04.jpg" width="281" /></a></div><br /><h4 style="text-align: left;">Dreams</h4><p>Once you have established a connection with a character, you’ll want to be able to improve that connection in future scenes. You can’t use an impression check to do that. You only get one chance (per story) to make a first impression. This is where Dreams come in.</p><p>Anytime someone does something, cute, cool or funny during the story, you can give them a Dream. The game text recommends using playing cards to award dreams. Keep a deck of cards in the center of the table, and anyone can grab a card and award it to someone else when they do something cool.</p><p>You can’t award Dreams to yourself, only other players and the narrator can give you dreams. Likewise, you give dreams to the other players and to the narrator. That’s right, you definitely want to give Dreams to the narrator. The narrator has to use dreams to strengthen their connections to you. This is important because, if you’ll remember, these connections are where your character’s Feelings come from.</p><p>Dreams are awarded on the fly from anyone to anyone else besides yourself. These are spent between scenes to strengthen connections to characters, but they can only strengthen the connections to characters who appeared in the scene that was just completed.</p><p>(I like the idea of using playing cards to track: Dreams, Feelings, and Wonder. Just use face up red suited cards to track Wonder, face up black suited cards to track Feelings, and face down cards to track Dreams.)</p><p>While spending Dreams to improve a connection, you can also change a connection’s contents if it seems appropriate to do so. (You can change contents even if you didn’t improve the connection, if you think that’s a good idea.)</p><p>If you ever get both sides of a connection to 5 so that the filled in boxes on your sheet meet at that star in the middle on your character sheet, you get 10 Wonder and 10 Feelings for this connection at the start of a scene instead of just 5 of each! (But both sides of the connection must be maxed out, not just one!) In addition, at the end of the story you earn TWO Threads for this connection instead of the usual one!</p><p>What’s a thread? Glad you asked.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Threads</h4><p>At the end of the story (game session) you lose all of the connections that you made and begin the next story with a clean slate. Why work so hard to build connections if they are just going to fade away? The answer to this is: Threads & Memories.</p><p>For each connection that you have at the end of the game session, you get a thread. You can erase this thread in a later story to increase a connection by +1 with that returning character without spending Dreams. This can be a huge advantage. Especially with higher level connections that cost a lot of Dreams to improve.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf3c87Hb8xaDpRwo6elFBR4KRp8sfSApaD_jQvIpXSjCRT8XcGSyonJdYnR6IlmpAmHd_aEvC2IMNzMFk2JXaUQSfUZFJoch-22-baQ-JK4tdXPVhobQqmRG1Rt3ZtvKi8bb18X1hfiixDYqZ7zJgitjzj7EKD3ftYu6JVUOATdxRzzom-RBQA/s2952/GSS-03.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2952" data-original-width="2078" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf3c87Hb8xaDpRwo6elFBR4KRp8sfSApaD_jQvIpXSjCRT8XcGSyonJdYnR6IlmpAmHd_aEvC2IMNzMFk2JXaUQSfUZFJoch-22-baQ-JK4tdXPVhobQqmRG1Rt3ZtvKi8bb18X1hfiixDYqZ7zJgitjzj7EKD3ftYu6JVUOATdxRzzom-RBQA/w281-h400/GSS-03.jpg" width="281" /></a></div><br /><h4 style="text-align: left;">Memories</h4><p>Finally, at the end of the story, for every point of strength that you have built in your connections to others, (except the one with the town) you get 1 point of Memories. Memories can be spent like Wonder or Feelings, but once they are spent, they are gone.</p><p>Only your connections convert into Memories. Any unused Wonder, Feelings or Dreams are lost at the end of the session. Be sure to spend all the Dreams you can to improve connections at the end of the last scene, so that these will become Memories.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Small Stories</h3><p>The stories in Golden Sky Stories are small. The players aren’t heroes out to defeat a great evil or to save the world. Almost every story is built around the idea that someone the players encounter has some worry, concern, problem or challenge. The players should discover this problem and help the person to resolve it.</p><p>During character creation, the rules have an entire section on how to choose an appropriately Japanese name for your character. My initial reaction to this was that I would ignore it and just let players use whatever name they want, but I get why it's there. </p><p>Golden Sky Stories is a Japanese RPG. It's attitude and approach is very different culturally than anything produced in the US. Picking a Japanese name for their character is going to encourage players to step into Golden Sky Stories' uniquely Japanese mind set. </p><p>These stories are the heart-warming intimate slice of life tales of a Studio Ghibli film. Choosing a Japanese name is going to help players to "get into character" and to play a role that's different from anything they've ever tried before. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Small Groups </h3><p>Golden Sky Stories is about role-playing. A game exclusively about role-playing tends to work best with smaller more intimate sized groups. Golden Sky story recommends two or three henge players plus the narrator. This will provide the best experience.</p><p>In my own experience, some of my fondest game sessions were games played with such small, intimate groups. Some sessions saw us play an entire evening without rolling any dice, because we were simply too busy role-playing. That’s the experience that Golden Sky Stories promises and I can’t wait to try it out!</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Final Thoughts </h3><p>Golden Sky Stories has completely charmed me. I desperately want to get this game to the table. </p><p>I do think that it needs the right kind of group to work. It's written for fans of Ghibli films like My Neighbor Totoro or Kiki's Delivery Service or Ponyo. And it's written for people who just want to enjoy telling a story without all the tactical combat baggage that so often goes with the RPG experience. </p><p>I intend to play Golden Sky Stories as soon as I am able. I will write about that experience as soon as I can make it happen, but for me, for right now, I'm going to bask in the warm fuzzies that this game gives me just by thinking about it. </p><p>If you are interested in Golden Sky Stories you can get it at <a href="https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/118784/Golden-Sky-Stories" target="_blank">Drive Thru RPG</a>. (This is not an affiliate link. If you buy Golden Sky Stories, I receive nothing. I recommend the game because I love it for all the reasons detailed in this review.)</p><h4>Facebook Group</h4><p>Feel free to join my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/fivebyfiverpg" target="_blank">Facebook Group</a> to discuss this post and anything related to RPG's and geekdom! Stay tuned!!</p>Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-68796514279281076092024-03-15T15:44:00.012-04:002024-03-17T21:21:19.955-04:00Golden Sky Stories Review Part Two of Three<p>This is the continuation of my review of Golden Sky Stories. You can read the first part of the review <a href="https://www.dreamsdragons.com/2024/03/golden-sky-stories-review-part-one.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Character Creation</h3><p>The first thing a player should do is consider what kind of animal they want to be. A player’s animal form is their true form. There are six animal types to choose from in Golden Sky Stories. (There are a number of supplementary books available that expand these options.) </p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Pick Your True Form (Animal Form), Powers, and Weaknesses</h4><p>The six base animal true forms are: <b>Fox</b> (Kitsune), <b>Raccoon Dog</b> (Tanuki), <b>Cat</b> (Neko), <b>Dog</b> (Inu), <b>Rabbit</b> (Usagi), and <b>Bird</b> (Tori).</p><p>Each animal comes with its own set of unique magical powers. In addition, players must choose at least one weakness. The sting of this requirement is offset by the fact that every weakness carries along with it a specific bonus power. </p><p>Players can even choose additional weaknesses (up to a maximum of 3 total weaknesses) in order to obtain the associated bonus powers. (Powers cost points to activate, and as mentioned in part one of this review, these are paid for using Wonder.) </p><p>Once you’ve chosen your true form and your henge powers and weaknesses, it’s time to assign some points to your character’s four basic attributes.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGeTkadzncPw_YoA9eFOmT2AGcnxR7VVTtpLUNxghWZCJ8kLcmjzRjnUdh8w7XavXyVacuQwww3rZJF0e9I0urSh5_pL61UnskjsEFeJB2aWTz_nLNHP9vlBKSdQD8_uNFIP1Lu6MY9tpKp4dVY3WIXBJ8f8CBbthyk1MapKv7YmG2pjFwjZK/s2952/GSS-02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2952" data-original-width="2078" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGeTkadzncPw_YoA9eFOmT2AGcnxR7VVTtpLUNxghWZCJ8kLcmjzRjnUdh8w7XavXyVacuQwww3rZJF0e9I0urSh5_pL61UnskjsEFeJB2aWTz_nLNHP9vlBKSdQD8_uNFIP1Lu6MY9tpKp4dVY3WIXBJ8f8CBbthyk1MapKv7YmG2pjFwjZK/w281-h400/GSS-02.jpg" width="281" /></a></div><br /><h4 style="text-align: left;">The Four Basic Attributes</h4><p>Henge have four basic attributes that reflect their ability to perform actions. The four attributes are: Henge, Animal, Adult and Child.</p><p><b>Henge</b> is used to perform actions specifically related to the magical henge, their powers, interactions with the local gods, and for the knowledge about other henge and about magical things, myths and legends.</p><p><b>Animal</b> is used to do animal things, identify a scent, climb a tree, run, jump, hide, or anything else physically tied to strength, agility or constitution that an animal could normally do. This is used for these things even when the henge is in human form.</p><p><b>Adult</b> is used to interact with the world without losing your cool. It’s used when you try to do anything related to technology, or act responsibly, or with composure. Its used to think strategically, considering the consequences of an action rather than acting on impulse … you know, adulting.</p><p><b>Child</b> reflects how well you express emotion. It’s tied to empathy and compassion. You can use child to plead, charm, or otherwise cajole others into letting you have what you want. It’s also used when you’re acting impulsively, or when you’re just trying to goof off and have some fun.</p><p>Players have 8 points to spend on their attributes. Each attribute must be given a value between 1 and 4. The only exception to this is that Adult can have a value of 0 if you want.</p><p>While the math is pretty light, the distribution choice here feels huge to me. These four attributes are really cleverly chosen. They speak not just to what your character can do, but also to how they are likely to behave. The balance between, adult and child, and animal and henge really gives a player a lot of information about how to play their character.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Decide On A Human Form</h4><p>What does your henge look like when they take human form? This is purely an aesthetic choice, but it will inform the way that you play your character, and the way that others react to and behave around them. This brings us back to connections.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Back To Connections</h3><p>The final step of character creation is to decide on your connections with the other players. All connections between player henge will have a strength of 2, but the contents of each connection is up to the players.</p><p>I talked at some length about connections in part one of this review, but one important aspect that I failed to address is the fact that connections go both ways. There’s what your henge thinks about someone, and there’s what someone thinks about your henge. These aren’t always going to be the same thing.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyd03inSC5N2OpuVnwtS1wZVgWnyi9nFIj3maE8k8VOk_noIm6bHKBf1lmU7vCvSoKwxv75vNeSNifHYWl9RlLOdWUCiM9ua0BL2yS5Cq-c8-fGoCNAAabdOYYCUyuNKrvTAfCAZylDzEvflgH5uXpt-g0mBFgTFLEjJd8Jb6I1VfaolEMen2I/s1744/connections.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="1744" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyd03inSC5N2OpuVnwtS1wZVgWnyi9nFIj3maE8k8VOk_noIm6bHKBf1lmU7vCvSoKwxv75vNeSNifHYWl9RlLOdWUCiM9ua0BL2yS5Cq-c8-fGoCNAAabdOYYCUyuNKrvTAfCAZylDzEvflgH5uXpt-g0mBFgTFLEjJd8Jb6I1VfaolEMen2I/w400-h136/connections.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>On your character sheet, every connection has two sides with a star drawn between them, right in the middle. </p><p>When recording your starting connections with the other players you record the strength of the connection by filling in little boxes equal to the connection’s strength (2) and you write that connection’s contents as they relate to your henge’s attitude towards the other character on the left side of the star.</p><p>The other players will tell you what contents they have chosen for their connections to you. You will fill in boxes equal to the strengths of their connections to you (again 2), and record the contents of their connections with you, along with their names on the right side of the star.</p><p>Once you have done this for all the other players’ henge, your character’s creation is complete.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Connections Back To You</h4><p>In part one, I said that you got Wonder and Feelings equal to your connections at the start of each scene. This was a simplification. </p><p>Any time the rules refer to “your connections” they refer to the connections on the left side of the star. Those connections on the right side of the star aren’t yours. They belong to the person or henge that you are connected with. That’s part of THEIR connections.</p><p>Now it’s time to clarify and bring the picture into focus:</p><p>At the start of each new scene you get Wonder equal to the total strengths of YOUR connections. (Those on the left side of the star.) Also, at the start of each scene, you get Feelings equal the total strengths of OTHER peoples’ (and henge) connections to you. (Which is why you need to record them on your character sheet.)</p><p>Again, I feel this has a beautiful logic. Feelings are empathetic, they are driven by self-esteem which is strongly influenced by the way others see you. This game mechanism is also a little scary, because it means that you don’t have complete control over the generation of your resources.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Impression Checks</h4><p>With the exception of your connections to the other players, when you meet a character in the story, and you want to form a connection, you have to pass a test. I alluded to this in part one. Tests in Golden Star Stories are called checks. To make a check you compare one of your abilities to a difficulty number. If the ability score equals or exceeds the difficulty, then the check is successful. The thing that makes Golden Sky Stories different is that you don’t add the roll of a die to this. If you need to succeed at a check and your ability score isn’t high enough, then you have to spend your feelings to make the ability score temporarily higher.</p><p>Forming connections requires you to succeed at a check. This is called an Impression Check. The way that your henge is behaving or the action that they are taking at the time that first impression is made will tell you which ability score to apply to the check. The rules also provide some recommendations on what contents to give to the newly formed connection based on which ability was used to make the check.</p><p>One important caveat to this is that you can’t form a connection unless the other person wants to make a connection back.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Narrator Created Connections</h4><p>The stories provided in Golden Sky Stories (the pre-written adventure scenarios) each grant the narrator a pool of Wonder and Feelings that they can use while narrating the story. One big thing the narrator will do with their Feelings is form connections from the characters that they control to the henge controlled by the other characters.</p><p>A connection from a person controlled by the narrator to a henge will grant that henge feelings for use in later scenes. (Players only acquire a fresh influx of Wonder and Feelings between scenes.) Providing these connections is vital to the story’s success, but they are still under the Narrator’s control.</p><p>Players will want to pay close attention to the impressions that they make on the other characters that they meet in the story. Again, this is a mechanical choice that influences the way players will play their characters, and it all lends itself to a grand sense of cooperation and shared story telling that is far removed from the “kill them and take their stuff” mentality that is cultivated by almost every other RPG I’ve played.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Coming Up Next</h3><p>In the next post I’ll talk about the mechanisms in the game for character advancement. These take the form of Dreams, Threads and Memories. (You can read part 3 <a href="https://www.dreamsdragons.com/2024/03/golden-sky-stories-review-part-three-or.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>.)</p><h4>Facebook Group</h4><p>Feel free to join my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/fivebyfiverpg" target="_blank">Facebook Group</a> to discuss this post and anything related to RPG's and geekdom! Stay tuned!!</p>Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-75790296262283935362024-03-14T16:41:00.007-04:002024-03-17T21:18:40.844-04:00Golden Sky Stories Review Part One of Three<h4 style="text-align: left;">I’m tired of D&D. </h4><p>I could say that it’s just too complex for my addled old man brain, or that I can’t abide the politics surrounding Hasbro and their apparent attitude of indifference (or outright hostility) toward the D&D player community. But, the truth is – I’m tired of fighting. D&D and by extension the lion’s share of modern RPGs are designed with a focus on the tactical combat mini-game. They are all, all about fighting.</p><p>In the last dozen or so years, I have discovered board games in a big way. Board games scratch the tactical combat (and other types of tactical game play) itch very well. I want to role-play when I role-play. I don’t want to fight. So, I’ve been looking at some of the modern role playing game alternatives that try and step away from the D&D mold. Many are very niche one-shot experiences, that just don’t appeal to me. But, a few stand outs have caught my attention. One such game is Golden Sky Stories.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Golden Sky Stories</h3><p>Golden Sky Stories is a tabletop role playing game created by Ryo Kamiya & Tsugihagi Honpo. The English language version is translated by Ewen Cluney and is published by Star Line Publishing. The tagline for Golden Sky Stories is, “Heart-Warming Role-Playing.” It’s a game where fighting is discouraged, if not completely forbidden. Players must find peaceful ways to solve problems. Is an RPG without combat sustainable? I’m not sure, but Golden Sky Stories has me intrigued.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipgOv31NgtEditKwhRP15HpoYgoB0Zr2vtywjp-q2v_luhTwAAFK9fQp1sMK3zdXlPirSgmelj86-xADKxln9IK4Kj73EydQ86SHQj3ldjNNrmrcz2YoPM31oqv6YUOgS35ULy2yqcBxlP-O9sngk0yCZGi8_qErXpdhhBVJ6gk7Pf5QrGiyx9/s2952/GSS-01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2952" data-original-width="2078" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipgOv31NgtEditKwhRP15HpoYgoB0Zr2vtywjp-q2v_luhTwAAFK9fQp1sMK3zdXlPirSgmelj86-xADKxln9IK4Kj73EydQ86SHQj3ldjNNrmrcz2YoPM31oqv6YUOgS35ULy2yqcBxlP-O9sngk0yCZGi8_qErXpdhhBVJ6gk7Pf5QrGiyx9/w281-h400/GSS-01.jpg" width="281" /></a></div><br /><h4 style="text-align: left;">The Basic Premise</h4><p>In Golden Sky Stories, players take the roles of beings from Japanese mythology called, “henge” (hen-gay.) Henge are magical animals that can take human form. Note that this isn’t a human who can transform into an animal, but the other way around. This is an important distinction. While magically intelligent and able to communicate through speech like a person, henge are animals. A cat henge wants and thinks cat things, not people things. That alone creates all kinds of interesting role-play handles.</p><p>As magical animals, henge are territorial. They stay within the confines of a small rural town and its immediate surroundings, and from their point of view, everything and everyone within their territory belongs to them. Instinctively, a normal animal that has bonded with its human wants to protect them and make them happy. In this same way, the henge bond with and care for the human residents of their town. This provides the motivation and focus for storytelling.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Adopting a New Attitude</h4><p>If the focus in an RPG is not combat, then all that remains is the role-playing. Players of Golden Sky Stories will need to adjust their thinking to accommodate this new method of play. Role-playing isn’t provided as merely a means to trigger the next combat encounter. Role-playing is the encounter. It’s the only encounter. This requires entering into the game play with a completely new attitude. Golden Sky Stories has rules that support this new attitude. </p><p>Said, “new attitude,” was something of a shock for the old-school D&D nerd in me. I had to read through the rules multiple times to understand what was happening with the game mechanically. The rules aren’t complex or poorly represented, they’re just so … different. </p><p>Your focus in Golden Sky Stories is role-playing. Role-playing in this context involves interacting with the people who populate the world of the game (controlled by a GM, called the narrator) and the other henge (controlled by your fellow players around the table.) This role-play is what the game cares about. So, its mechanisms are built around that activity.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Important Concept #1 – Connections </h3><p>When your character encounters another character, they (and you) form an instant first impression, and this creates a connection. </p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Connections Are Power</h4><p>In the game, as you are creating your story, you will want to make connections with every character you meet (assuming that they are connected to your story in some way.) This means that you’ll want to interact with them. You’ll want to (need to) role-play with them. Connections have a strength from 1 to 5, and this is important, because the higher the number, the more it will help you.</p><p>The sub-header for this section is: Connections Are Power. Look at that again. I can’t overemphasize the importance of making connections. Connections are about interacting socially with other characters, and that’s the main thing that players do during the game. That’s role-playing.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Contents Give Connections Context</h4><p>In addition to its strength, every connection has contents. Contents is a keyword that describes the nature of the connection. This helps in the storytelling part of the role-play to inform the sort of interactions these characters might have with each other. The rules provide a list of contents for the player to choose from when a connection is made. These are: Like, Affection, Protection, Trust, Family, Admiration, Rivalry, Respect and Love. (Notice the complete absence of negative contents like hate or vengeance. I suppose a henge could feel such things, but the game system is not going to reward you for it. You can't create connections with those kinds of contents.) </p><p>When players create their characters, they will select contents for, and form connections with, each of their fellow henge. This is a required part of character creation. Your henge know each other because you all live in this shared territory together. You have connections (each having a strength of 2,) but the nature (the contents) of those connections is up to you.</p><p>At the beginning of the story (game session) your henge only has connections with the other players. Every story begins this way. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Important Concept #2 – Resources </h3><p>I made a point of defining connections as power in the previous section. It’s more correct to say that connections give players the power to generate resources. </p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Resources Make Things Happen</h4><p>At the start of the game your character only has a few resources at their disposal. As you tell the story and meet characters and form connections, your pool of resources grows. This creates a natural escalation arc in the story and the game.</p><p>Players have two pools of resources with which to get things done. These are: Wonder and Feelings.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Wonder Fuels the Fantastic</h4><p>Henge are magical creatures, as such, they possess magical powers. Using a magical power cost points. These points are paid for in Wonder.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Feelings Enhance The Mundane</h4><p>While Wonder is about the magical, doing normal things is enhanced by Feelings. Henge have ability scores that measure their “skills” in the human world, but when these skills are not enough, they can be enhanced by Feelings. Personally I love this notion. It’s the combination of both skill and the passion to succeed that makes someone good at doing something.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Important Concept #3 – Golden Sky Stories Is Diceless</h3><p>Oh, yeah … no dice. Golden Sky Stories is a pure resource management game. This means that it’s really important to role-play in order to make (and strengthen) connections in order to ensure that the resources you need are available when you need them.</p><p>Golden Sky Stories leaves success and failure up to the player. Do you spend your Wonder to activate one of your henge powers now, or do you wait and save the wonder to do something more amazing later? If your skill isn’t quite enough to complete a task, do you invest your feelings to ensure success, or do you allow this action to fail and save your feelings for when it really counts? These things are up to you.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">The Game Play Arc</h4><p>At the beginning of every scene, each henge will get a number of resources equal to the strengths of all their connections with the characters (including other henge) that participated in the previous scene. At the start of the game session, because there was no previous scene, players begin with resources based solely on their connections with the other players and the town. </p><p>Oh, yeah ... I forgot to mention that every henge also has a strength 2 connection to “the town.” In addition, each henge will usually start with a strength 2 connection to each other henge. This means that at the start of a game session with three henge, each player would have 6 Wonder and 6 Feelings. </p><p>Making connections during the current scene will ensure that you gain more Wonder and Feelings for the next scene, thus increasing your character’s options and effectiveness as the story progresses. Any Wonder or Feelings that are not spent during a scene are not lost and will carry over into future scenes.</p><p>This then, forms the basic arc of the game.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8rCWg6Zpx47tQ9TIP-FADhK748th33VCYqk-FgjYUfDzGk3I4X4PkXn-XF2RwC3Ll5ooF8qIklGHeEvIP34LtELN9Z1yI952MPAmW0kb-oOB_FIOTGfaSE8Tn9dS92Ej9QwVCwlM0kMuKHJU9qFm6HsEsqIJ6ZXDF59wEqHbi0hkJFPMj0dw8/s2952/GSS-05.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2952" data-original-width="2078" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8rCWg6Zpx47tQ9TIP-FADhK748th33VCYqk-FgjYUfDzGk3I4X4PkXn-XF2RwC3Ll5ooF8qIklGHeEvIP34LtELN9Z1yI952MPAmW0kb-oOB_FIOTGfaSE8Tn9dS92Ej9QwVCwlM0kMuKHJU9qFm6HsEsqIJ6ZXDF59wEqHbi0hkJFPMj0dw8/w281-h400/GSS-05.jpg" width="281" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">More To Come</h3><p>This concludes Part One of my Golden Sky Stories review. I still need to talk about generating Wonder and Feelings in more detail (they are generated differently.) Part two will cover this and talk a bit about creating a character.</p><p>Stay Tuned! (If you can't wait, you can read Part 2 <a href="https://www.dreamsdragons.com/2024/03/golden-sky-stories-review-part-two-of.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>.)</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Facebook Group</h4><p>Feel free to join my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/fivebyfiverpg" target="_blank">Facebook Group</a> to discuss this post and anything related to RPG's and geekdom! Stay tuned!!</p>Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-5336301270411641452024-02-17T15:10:00.011-05:002024-03-12T11:02:31.802-04:00Bigfoot Epic Fail and Five By Five Back To Basics<p>My last post spoke about the history and evolution of Five By Five. This was in anticipation of a coming play test of the game's newest version called, "Bigfoot." -- That play test flopped. The game crashed and burned. I spent more time trying to explain / justify the game's rules than actually running the game. </p><h4 style="text-align: left;">It was an epic fail.</h4><p>The experience left me bitter and angry. I was going to just give up, but I still wanted to run the game. That game being the 10 part Dragon Town / Darkness Below campaign by <a href="https://www.dreamsdragons.com/2023/05/jp-coovert-is-awesome.html" target="_blank">JP Coovert</a>. Should I just give up and use Dungeons and Dragons? I considered it. However, despite the experience, my players profess to like their characters. Everyone had created anthropomorphic animal characters. These would not have been easily adaptable to Dungeons and Dragons rules.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">I started looking at older versions of Five By Five.</h4><p>I wanted to try to figure out what had gone wrong. I have played this game with this same play group in the past and things have gone swimmingly. The last "stable" version of Five By Five that I had run was version 3. I had in my head that we would go back to version 3 and just play the campaign with that. Sadly, version 3 contained a lot of "crunch" that I never actually used. I remembered just dropping a big part of those rules and playing without them because they didn't work. No wonder I've been fiddling with the game ever since. So, what's gone wrong? I think the biggest problem is that I've been changing, shaping and sharpening rules without actually playing them.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Game Design Rule #1: Play The Game.</h4><p>I decided to read every version of Five By Five that I had ever written. (Believe it or not, there are like 6.) What I found is that the game that I wanted to play existed in only one version -- the first one. The original Five By Five is the cleanest, most accessible version. So, I decided to suck it up and run some more play tests, this time using the OG version of Five By Five.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Everything worked.</h4><p>There are some minor tweaks that I wanted to make. There are some changes made to Five By Five that have worked in the 16 years since its inception. But, I didn't have the original Five By Five document anymore. 2008 was a long time ago. So, I decided to recreate the original rules from scratch. They were only 16 pages after all.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">I have now done that.</h4><p>I've recreated the original rules and fitted them to a 5.5 x 8.5 zine format. I've added a few minor tweaks from other versions of the game, but for the most part I stuck to the original. I matched not only the content, but the graphic design, layout, and fonts used (as much as I was able to.) I also changed the copyright on this version, releasing the text content to the Creative Commons Attribution license.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">I'm very happy with the results.</h4><p>The new zine edition of the original Five By Five actually looks quite nice. It's currently in the process of play testing, and it's holding up great.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-HjU6rsREHyxN2r-GBFpJzRbH8zpSQaO/view?usp=sharing" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1650" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6s6VitBrujqTuIak86YJHSg4GqlmdP6HHSp_KkoD9NRZCVp0Z8ZWWcLaPwdvnZgGFeDkukXcc5OfrLYlsHqRlNLH-LkHIb76wdglNpG6vFo2jinRT7Y16rKxfdPERwlrE8Zt0_hxtyMZ4gHN1rVddxdQs8wiiAkURJIU2jl2y9sFbVyrE4ls/w259-h400/5X5-01%20Core%20Rules.jpg" width="259" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-HjU6rsREHyxN2r-GBFpJzRbH8zpSQaO/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Click Image To Open Document</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>Who knew that it would take me 16 years to figure out that I got it right the first time?</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Character Sheet</h4><p>If you want, you can get a form-fillable version of the character sheet: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ByR1KbEwSKuKQ8K3d9a_9bfISf-G-NxX/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">HERE</a>. (You must download and save the PDF locally in order to edit its content.)</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Facebook Group</h4><p>Feel free to join my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/fivebyfiverpg" target="_blank">Facebook Group</a> to discuss this post and anything related to RPG's and geekdom! Stay tuned!!</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-31722320801964989222024-01-04T13:27:00.003-05:002024-01-05T09:25:58.350-05:00What is the Bigfoot RPG<p>This weekend I will be running a game of Bigfoot with some friends. <a href="https://www.dreamsdragons.com/2023/12/bigfoot-players-reference-srd.html" target="_blank">The Bigfoot Players Reference SRD</a> shares all the basic rules for players of the game. I finally decided to simply share the rules as a single blog post because in this form the rules can be quickly and easily edited. Players with the link to the post will always have the most up to date version of the rules. This has proved to be important because I apparently like to fiddle with rules a lot.</p><p>These rules in one form or another have found their way to my gaming table more than any other game design that I have authored. I have tried layering in more complexity. I have tried layering in different themes. Ultimately, what works best seems to be keeping things simple.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEueB_np4clRTI9kg0EhVuXfVKLepOfZX4iP3q8rAKB9ynrevKThKEhsRdYE7vENokBWUF9ujdndSAWKgP4-A8NRtbR28Bv4lgeUJZ6KMHpK_I8pGiGc-_TGsthAfg7G42gm2_V_ywg5LLgxb8Dxg55dsL4YaK70S2KOI0JlCkdd1BgqvVIvq/s1100/Five%20By%20Five%20Version%201%20(2008).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="850" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEueB_np4clRTI9kg0EhVuXfVKLepOfZX4iP3q8rAKB9ynrevKThKEhsRdYE7vENokBWUF9ujdndSAWKgP4-A8NRtbR28Bv4lgeUJZ6KMHpK_I8pGiGc-_TGsthAfg7G42gm2_V_ywg5LLgxb8Dxg55dsL4YaK70S2KOI0JlCkdd1BgqvVIvq/w309-h400/Five%20By%20Five%20Version%201%20(2008).jpg" width="309" /></a></div><br /><p>Bigfoot began life in 2008 as a game called <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxZoQCIaXh2ZLVFpTERqR29VQms/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-wrynDLBm45SQEdgNY77dVA" target="_blank">Five By Five</a>. The appeal of the game for me, was in its dice roll interpretation: Roll 2d6 and multiply them to reach a number. Roll equal to or under an Ability Score to succeed. What makes this work is that players treat dice showing 6 as if they show 0 instead. This brings the roll average way down and makes the "roll under" mechanic work. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirms_3UgpHh-m3Jw6YkF7A6Iy5Z5XnYfMA967pqkG_C2kmVyc31yWFyD1GUDzD5gBLsBH_CLbQSeE8wpZagBtZ3MRKDWyL_N8dzqAmZHgX8sv6XeTA4gxN5DGQRaRN0n9cEbpjoBW78ehOo1rXUYDb0gc3s-exMj9kzNFoznT9j9n6MDdHr83P/s1100/Five%20By%20Five%20Version%202%20(2010).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="850" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirms_3UgpHh-m3Jw6YkF7A6Iy5Z5XnYfMA967pqkG_C2kmVyc31yWFyD1GUDzD5gBLsBH_CLbQSeE8wpZagBtZ3MRKDWyL_N8dzqAmZHgX8sv6XeTA4gxN5DGQRaRN0n9cEbpjoBW78ehOo1rXUYDb0gc3s-exMj9kzNFoznT9j9n6MDdHr83P/w309-h400/Five%20By%20Five%20Version%202%20(2010).jpg" width="309" /></a></div><br /><p>It's a simple enough system and it gives the six sided die a bit more utility. It wasn't perfect, but I liked it. Other d6 systems rely on dice pools which I find to be a bit messy. Then there are 3d6 systems that generate a strong bell curve. At the time, I wanted to avoid the bell curve, but I would probably consider it a design asset these days. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlIBQ0dbrs9jvqiDlYoKhoKhljiucs_qLpl5KhwdWz-XkZ46CvxXa5nmZ10YpEk_8Vp2gwCZJV2OxD1zZtM-d7oZebCb5ysoY-gYE0avDLyagZ-1zEuwRwWSHKJVlSBEIprpPm6XB_SCL_53bY2kDBseU_C7NaQe21FOEC2YcW0Z1dYMiBUTO6/s1100/Five%20By%20Five%20Version%202-5%20(2011).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="850" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlIBQ0dbrs9jvqiDlYoKhoKhljiucs_qLpl5KhwdWz-XkZ46CvxXa5nmZ10YpEk_8Vp2gwCZJV2OxD1zZtM-d7oZebCb5ysoY-gYE0avDLyagZ-1zEuwRwWSHKJVlSBEIprpPm6XB_SCL_53bY2kDBseU_C7NaQe21FOEC2YcW0Z1dYMiBUTO6/w309-h400/Five%20By%20Five%20Version%202-5%20(2011).jpg" width="309" /></a></div><br /><p>A version featuring a lot more polish was released in 2010 as <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxZoQCIaXh2ZaFdBandsRHhqRnM/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-p6ap8TcPGSXxk6nLfofoiQ" target="_blank">Five By Five version 2</a>. In 2011, I released a <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxZoQCIaXh2ZSTZnQktNQUNCc28/view?usp=drivesdk&resourcekey=0-ncHV0xsm2Pw2IbxuosR4ng" target="_blank">version 2.5</a> of the rules that included a rule about treating a 6 on the dice as "trump" in an attempt to eliminate the need to convert the six to a zero. I abandoned this innovation in version 3 of the game, but I have come back around to the idea of eliminating the 6 to 0 conversion with Bigfoot. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFUPcoI7HCHR7piv3K8vgtDVDH5xBuOMkAtX62iHDU5IhUBm5NEHNm13J8a6syh0ypfOa7EIhNjBYcTg4ltVFJicT30TR0q62eFEEb3LAe5uR1yW-rv3RFnhGPxNulaxuPn2qKgN4PPj6lH6VKhsDTetn3i_Af47a6fuosZTra4rs4l9C0awea/s1075/Five%20By%20Five%20Version%203%20(2013).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="825" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFUPcoI7HCHR7piv3K8vgtDVDH5xBuOMkAtX62iHDU5IhUBm5NEHNm13J8a6syh0ypfOa7EIhNjBYcTg4ltVFJicT30TR0q62eFEEb3LAe5uR1yW-rv3RFnhGPxNulaxuPn2qKgN4PPj6lH6VKhsDTetn3i_Af47a6fuosZTra4rs4l9C0awea/w308-h400/Five%20By%20Five%20Version%203%20(2013).jpg" width="308" /></a></div><br /><p><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxZoQCIaXh2ZSTJSdUNVMUpKeXM/view?usp=drivesdk&resourcekey=0-MI1mpT1Pm8EwjqpB7IMTDw" target="_blank">Five By Five version 3 </a>was released in 2013 and included a key change to the die mechanic. I made Doubles a roll exception and removed them from the block of numbers that a player would have to multiply. This was a major change because it cleaned up the possible array of numbers considerably and tightened everything up. </p><p><a href="https://www.dreamsdragons.com/2014/03/super-five-in-dcu.html" target="_blank">In March of 2014 I play-tested a Superhero version of Five By Five</a>. That game session was one of the most enjoyable experiences that I have had at my gaming table. The experience has continued to resonate with me, and is the impetus for all the changes that I have made to transform Five By Five into the game that I now call Bigfoot.</p><p>As mentioned above, I have come back around to eliminating the 6 to 0 conversion in Bigfoot. I have also dropped all the legacy fantasy RPG baggage like weapons and armor and hit points. All that's left are the basics: player defined abilities and the funny 2d6 roll where the dice are multiplied (with a few exceptions.) I won't go into the rules here, the Players Reference SRD covers all that. My purpose here is to speak about the game's evolution.</p><p>Bigfoot is the latest version of a game that has something of a long tail. It's been played and it works. The campaign that I will be starting on Saturday should hopefully allow me to test a few new ideas and to ultimately experience some of the same fun I got from that superhero game session 10 years ago.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3o8fBMusES_osTKuP3cUGB8iZIe74ov_kOl0sDksDst-zGwn__66wgWP1B0dypi7b884-xlVHtLSkqwypQdB2l7QyfKkQaZTwkB6yUH11WSERmt7GK_cONO-7Lj96YLOKjdqQz2T25be3UqmhFyV6wjecv8FbjQeUMeGtgdGPszvKOwNcVKT/s2550/Bigfoot%20Cover.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1650" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3o8fBMusES_osTKuP3cUGB8iZIe74ov_kOl0sDksDst-zGwn__66wgWP1B0dypi7b884-xlVHtLSkqwypQdB2l7QyfKkQaZTwkB6yUH11WSERmt7GK_cONO-7Lj96YLOKjdqQz2T25be3UqmhFyV6wjecv8FbjQeUMeGtgdGPszvKOwNcVKT/w259-h400/Bigfoot%20Cover.png" width="259" /></a></div><br /><p>Why do I call it Bigfoot? Because, I used Bigfoot as an example for character creation and my daughter drew me a wonderful picture. Should I print these rules in a zine format (which I hope to do) I plan to use the picture she drew on my cover. That's why.</p>Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-65606550111831476782023-12-19T12:09:00.051-05:002024-01-31T09:58:33.928-05:00Bigfoot Players Reference SRD<p>This is the Players Reference SRD for the Bigfoot (and anything else that you can imagine) RPG. Bigfoot is a traditional RPG meant to be played by one Game Master and from 2-6 Players.</p><p>This Players Reference SRD contains rules for character creation, basic action resolution, and character advancement. All text is subject to the Creative Commons Attribution License CC-BY-4.0 by Jeff Moore. All art is copyright 2023 by Kaylee Moore, all rights reserved.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDy9T15_to_T79tYc-C8A6D8FdJNUfdAPBnwrjhKvC8hU-A_wGooMQeShIjS6ASzzWBO76Y6iVWncY2S8RpSPxBNHkW7oXiGR3FPxz_Qcj5g7ZwinOC5tUeLpKn_xiHCcILhnq_zCRH4c561pdqWhiOOapD7FC82cssyV_hc8wlFibmYlSQiOA/s1009/Bigfoot_Square.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1009" data-original-width="1009" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDy9T15_to_T79tYc-C8A6D8FdJNUfdAPBnwrjhKvC8hU-A_wGooMQeShIjS6ASzzWBO76Y6iVWncY2S8RpSPxBNHkW7oXiGR3FPxz_Qcj5g7ZwinOC5tUeLpKn_xiHCcILhnq_zCRH4c561pdqWhiOOapD7FC82cssyV_hc8wlFibmYlSQiOA/w400-h400/Bigfoot_Square.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Social Sasquatch © 2023 by Kaylee Moore</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Character Creation</h2><p>All players (except the GM) will need to create a character. Character creation is performed in five steps:</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">[1] Character Concept </h4><p style="text-align: left;">Write a two part character concept composed of a descriptor and a noun.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Examples:</h4><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Descriptor: Dwarf</li><li>Noun: Axe Thrasher</li><li>Descriptor: Social</li><li>Noun: Sasquatch</li></ul><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">[2] Define Strengths </h4><p>For each of the two parts of your concept define two Strengths. Strengths are beneficial qualities that help your character to get things done.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Examples:</h4><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Dwarf: Incredible Eyesight In Darkness And Light</li><li>Dwarf: Tough Hide</li><li>Axe Thrasher: My Lute Is My Axe!<br /> (I'm good at playing the lute.)</li><li>Axe Thrasher: My Battleaxe Is My Axe!<br /> (I'm good at fighting with a battleaxe.)<br /></li><li>Social: Lovable Fuzzball</li><li>Social: Dancing Machine</li><li>Sasquatch: Strong as a Bear</li><li>Sasquatch: Massive Stride</li></ul><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">[3] Define a Struggle </h4><p>Define one "Struggle" -- like a Strength, but more difficult for your character to do than normal.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Examples:</h4><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Dwarf Axe Thrasher: Grace is a Struggle. (They tend to be both physically clumsy as well as socially blunt.) </li><li>Social Sasquatch: Skepticism is a Struggle. (They tend to be gullible.) </li></ul><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">[4] Record Values</h4><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Give each of your four Strengths a value of 5.</li><li>Give your Struggle a value of 1.</li></ul><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">[5] Define a Trick</h4><p>Define one Trick. A trick is something special that you can use once per scene to give yourself an advantage. It can be a piece of equipment, a resource or contact, or an actual supernatural ability or super power. Each Trick is tied to a specific Strength and each Strength can only have one Trick assigned to it.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Examples:</h4><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Weapon: Battleaxe (Tricks Up: My Battleaxe Is My Axe)</li><li>Supernatural Ability: Inhumanly Strong (Tricks Up: Strong as a Bear)</li></ul><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFtrx0Goz2QZH_c3PZH_iH8cT-bWKML869fTxDLtiW4iDhNPVYS9BB1oNeyYYVm1KrFGM8Im_oud11tpmV1obZJomn0elDQJG__ye4DSuEVKMS_y9kHtps7eTGBrFx0587aowlmrMuqnPypHhUzOK8W1TYj9lzjFjHXDH4M2h0xa6ASNtInAx/s1448/dwarf.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1448" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFtrx0Goz2QZH_c3PZH_iH8cT-bWKML869fTxDLtiW4iDhNPVYS9BB1oNeyYYVm1KrFGM8Im_oud11tpmV1obZJomn0elDQJG__ye4DSuEVKMS_y9kHtps7eTGBrFx0587aowlmrMuqnPypHhUzOK8W1TYj9lzjFjHXDH4M2h0xa6ASNtInAx/w400-h398/dwarf.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dwarf Axe Thrasher © 2023 by Kaylee Moore</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Action Resolution</h2><p>Decide which Strength (or Struggle) applies to the action. If none apply then the Strength is Undefined. Undefined Strengths have a value of 3.</p><p>Roll two (six-sided) dice and check for special rolls.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Special Rolls</h4><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Doubles (both dice are the same) -- Good Outcome</li><li>Single Six (one die is a six, the other is not) -- Fair Outcome</li></ul><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Standard Rolls</h4><p>If no Special Roll, multiply the dice and compare that Result to your Strength (or Struggle) value. </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Result is Equal To or Lesser Than your Strength -- Great Outcome </li><li>Result is Greater Than your Strength -- Troubled Outcome </li></ul><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Outcomes</h4><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Troubled Outcome - you may or may not have achieved what you wanted. This result carries with it some kind of negative consequence or setback. </li><li>Fair Outcome - you achieved what you wanted with minimal results. </li><li>Good Outcome - a solid success. </li><li>Great Outcome - best possible outcome under normal circumstances.</li></ul><h4 style="text-align: left;">Stress</h4><p>If the GM decides that the consequences of a Troubled Outcome is that your character suffers "stress" - you must choose one of your Strengths (not your Struggle) and mark it as Stressed. A Stressed Strength has a value of 1 (Like your Struggle.) </p><p>If all your Strengths are Stressed, then your character is Stressed Out and must drop out of the scene. </p><p>(Following a scene where a character is stressed out, it is suggested that the next scene be a healing scene. A healing scene is a scene that allows the players the opportunity to remove all stress from their characters.) </p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Adjusting Strength Values</h4><p>The GM might adjust Strength values to reflect extremes in difficulty or a dramatic or environmental influence on an action. Strengths range in value from 1 to 15 and are always odd numbers. </p><p> 1 = Your Struggle or a Stressed Strength <br /> 3 = All Undefined Strengths<br /> 5 = Initial Strengths <br /> 7 = An Improved Strength<br /> 9 = A Greatly Improved Strength<br />11 = A Master Strength <br />13 = A Grand Master Strength <br />15 = Your Maximum Strength</p><p>Strengths can be adjusted up or down in increments of 2. The GM should adjust Strengths sparingly. (+2 to make something easier. -2 to make something harder.) No Strength can be adjusted to a value higher than 15 or lower than 1.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Example:</h4><p>Bigfoot has an Enormous Stride with a value of 5. They want to jump across a chasm to the other side, a distance of 100 feet. The GM and the player agree that even for Bigfoot, a 100 foot jump is really far. The GM applies a -2 adjustment to Bigfoot's Enormous Stride, changing its value from 5 to 3 for this action. </p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Tricks</h4><p>Tricks can be used once in a scene after the dice are rolled to improve the outcome by one step.</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Troubled becomes Fair</li><li>Fair becomes Good</li><li>Good becomes Great</li><li>Great becomes Super</li></ul><p></p><p>A Super Outcome is one that exceeds the normal limits of human ability and pushes into the realm of the super human. </p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Example:</h4><p>Bigfoot uses Strength Of A Bear [5] to break down a door and surprise some bad guys on the other side. They roll a [1] and a [4] on the dice. The special roll of Doubles and Single Six don't apply. So, they multiply the dice to get a result of 4. 4 is equal to or lesser than their Strength Of A Bear value of 5. This means that they got a Great Success! The GM declares that not only has Bigfoot busted in the door, but the bad guys on the other side are so surprised that everyone gets a free turn to do something before the bad guys can respond. </p><p>If Bigfoot uses their Inhumanly Strong Trick on this action, the outcome would improve from Great to Super. The player asks the GM what a Super Outcome might look like. The GM says that the door would splinter into a million pieces and the bad guys would be so afraid that they would immediately surrender without a fight. This sounds awesome to Bigfoot who uses their Inhumanly Strong Trick to change this action's Outcome from Great to Super.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Pushing</h4><p>Pushing allows a player to "Trick Up" an Outcome without the use of a Trick. To do so, the Strength being used for the action cannot be Stressed. After the Outcome of the action is resolved using the Trick Up benefit, the Strength used to resolve the action becomes Stressed. </p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Example:</h4><p>Bigfoot's player rolls the dice in an attempt to jump across the 100 foot chasm. They roll a [2] and a [5]. That's not Doubles and neither of the dice is a [6]. So, they multiply the dice to arrive at a result of 10. That's greater than Bigfoot's adjusted Enormous Stride of 3. The Outcome is Troubled. </p><p>Bigfoot has missed the jump and is about to fall into the chasm. Bigfoot's Inhumanly Strong Trick doesn't apply because it Tricks Up: Strength of a Bear, and this action is using Enormous Stride. Bigfoot's player declares that they are "Pushing" Enormous Stride. This Tricks Up the Outcome from Troubled to Fair. </p><p>Bigfoot gets a minimal success, grabbing onto the ledge on the far side of the chasm. They are dangling precariously, but they made it! Bigfoot's player Stresses Bigfoot's Enormous Stride changing it's effective value to 1. (The Stressed status will last until the player participates in a healing scene, restoring Enormous Stride to its original value of 5.)</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Treasures</h4><p>The GM may award special types of Tricks as treasures. Most commonly these are one shot items that are discarded permanently as soon as they are used. </p><p>Some special treasures might be kept as permanent tricks to be used every scene just like any other trick. (The GM should award these kinds of permanent treasures very rarely.) </p><p>Treasures are associated with an action or type of action, not tied to a specific character's Strength. As such, Treasures are not subject to the "One Trick Per Strength" rule. </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Leveling Up</h2><p>After each game session players will have a chance to improve Strengths or even to add new ones. At the end of each game session, answer these questions to find out if your character has Leveled Up!</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Answer each of the following in order:</h4><p></p><p>Did one of your Strengths become Stressed during the session?</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li> Yes. (Continue to the next question.)</li><li> No. (Stop here. You don’t Level Up.)</li></ul><p></p><p>Did you use a Trick during the session?</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li> Yes. (Continue to the next question.)</li><li> No. (Stop here. You don’t Level Up.)</li></ul><p></p><p>Did you roll for an Outcome using your Struggle during the session?</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li> Yes. (Congrats! You Level Up!!)</li><li> No. (Stop here. You don’t Level Up.)</li></ul><p></p><p>Each time your character levels up, you get to make one change on your character sheet.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">When Leveling Up, make one of these changes:
</h4><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Add +2 to the value of any Strength*</li><li>Trade out your Struggle for a different Struggle**</li><li>Gain a new Strength with a value of 5***</li><li>Gain a new Trick****</li></ul><p></p><p>* You cannot increase any Strength to a value greater than 15, and you can only ever have one Strength with a value of 15.</p><p>** This applies to a Struggle that is overcome as you play out the story of your character. If you ever have a Strength, Struggle or Trick that’s just not working out or isn’t fun, talk to the GM about changing it. That sort of thing doesn’t count as Leveling Up.</p><p>*** New Strengths added after character creation do not need to tie directly to your character concept. Try to match the growth of your character to the events experienced during the game.</p><p>**** A Trick must enhance an existing Strength. Each Strength can only have one Trick assigned to it.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Character Sheet</h2><p>Get a <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s0hhyWRKwoL9Je0XSOwQeWVnIgCOflqA/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">form-fillable version of the character sheet here</a>. Note: you will need to save the character sheet locally before you can edit it.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Facebook Group</h2><p>Feel free to join my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/fivebyfiverpg" target="_blank">Facebook Group</a> to discuss this post and anything related to RPG's and geekdom! Stay tuned!!</p><p><br /></p>Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-90917592933366386312023-12-13T14:36:00.003-05:002023-12-17T10:59:13.830-05:00Game Design Part 10 - Zodiac Signs as Dramatic Archetypes<div>My next step is to match the zodiac signs to dramatic character archetypes. This will become the equivalent of a character class. Defining these ideas now will make it easier to create character powers/options/abilities later.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmXvSQMsydaW5R0fXOeCf39qygqq5EMrQM0mO8lFI7Kj39viiDGTWpTUUp64R85XqFQ-7L6lgUO0B2Kd25O75ZNeHjhJ6dnXwGxkdurZ41q2rB_MO7O-V5zyyyYFcySoaja8JCAl7CKikrEKW9-c6g9qzMVw-BTL0TAk_lR8jX23nyv3wzBfZ/s2000/masks.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmXvSQMsydaW5R0fXOeCf39qygqq5EMrQM0mO8lFI7Kj39viiDGTWpTUUp64R85XqFQ-7L6lgUO0B2Kd25O75ZNeHjhJ6dnXwGxkdurZ41q2rB_MO7O-V5zyyyYFcySoaja8JCAl7CKikrEKW9-c6g9qzMVw-BTL0TAk_lR8jX23nyv3wzBfZ/w400-h400/masks.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Zodiac Signs as Dramatic Archetypes</h2><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Aries: The Hero</h4><div>Description: The protagonist who rises to meet a challenge.</div><div>Keywords: Brave, Bold, Passionate</div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Taurus: The Everyman</h4><div>Description: A relatable character, recognizable from daily life.</div><div>Keywords: Dependable, Honest, Vigilant</div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Gemini: The Jester</h4><div>Description: Comedian or trickster who speaks important truth.</div><div>Keywords: Adaptable, Cheerful, Enthusiastic</div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Cancer: The Caregiver</h4><div>Description: They support and make sacrifices for others.</div><div>Keywords: Loyal, Caring, Protective</div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Leo: The Ruler</h4><div>Description: They have legal or emotional power over others.</div><div>Keywords: Confident, Determined, Leader</div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Virgo: The Sage</h4><div>Description: A wise figure with knowledge to share; a mentor.</div><div>Keywords: Attentive, Helpful, Patient</div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Libra: The Lover</h4><div>Description: A romantic who’s guided by their heart.</div><div>Keywords: Fair, Idealistic, Social</div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Scorpio: The Magician</h4><div>Description: Awesome figure harnessing inexplicable powers.</div><div>Keywords: Driven, Intense, Focused</div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Sagittarius: The Explorer</h4><div>Description: A character driven to push past boundaries.</div><div>Keywords: Independent, Optimistic, Adventurous</div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Capricorn: The Creator</h4><div>Description: A motivated visionary who creates or structures.</div><div>Keywords: Practical, Ambitious, Planner</div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Aquarius: The Outlaw</h4><div>Description: The rebel who won’t abide by society’s demands.</div><div>Keywords: Innovative, Intelligent, Original</div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Pisces: The Innocent</h4><div>Description: A morally pure character, of only good intent.</div><div>Keywords: Creative, Intuitive, Generous</div><div><br /></div><div><p>Feel free to join my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/fivebyfiverpg" target="_blank">Facebook Group</a> to discuss this post and anything related to RPG's and geekdom! Stay tuned!!</p><p><br /></p></div>Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-83917529775294401842023-12-12T16:38:00.004-05:002023-12-17T10:59:36.126-05:00Game Design Part 9 - Stressing Out<span id="docs-internal-guid-bc18dc1e-7fff-c46d-fa40-2720ffbbe6a5"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I will have a post soon about character types and associated powers and abilities and everything like that, taking the first steps into firming things up into an actual playable game. For the moment, however, I want to share my thoughts about how characters will take damage in the game and get this written down while it’s fresh in my mind. </span></p></span><span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1UGnMRwEew885zzQHQ87_eCVS6TjgwpGCgdSg-6kXWF9_wm_UG_ycbR1uvp8BRPlmAGXOZBK0jUNmB0bRdQsxjU_Tl7-LCOES756QAho-9xqzXCa2Yp_Taz5Pdx7Gc7dMm09CFtZgawve4NA7RjA7Rs_V93e6CaXA7A4LksGCz0nUfTdyHUdj/s700/stress.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="700" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1UGnMRwEew885zzQHQ87_eCVS6TjgwpGCgdSg-6kXWF9_wm_UG_ycbR1uvp8BRPlmAGXOZBK0jUNmB0bRdQsxjU_Tl7-LCOES756QAho-9xqzXCa2Yp_Taz5Pdx7Gc7dMm09CFtZgawve4NA7RjA7Rs_V93e6CaXA7A4LksGCz0nUfTdyHUdj/w400-h343/stress.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Characters will have two option blocks on their character sheets with which to activate various powers, abilities and actions. These will look something like this:</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p></span><h4 style="text-align: left;">Guiding Options</h4><span><div align="left" dir="ltr" style="margin-left: 0pt;"><table style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none;"><colgroup><col width="92"></col><col width="91"></col><col width="90"></col><col width="91"></col><col width="91"></col><col width="91"></col><col width="94"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 12.75pt;"><td style="background-color: black; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: snow; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">2</span></p></td><td style="background-color: black; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: snow; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">4</span></p></td><td style="background-color: black; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: snow; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">6</span></p></td><td style="background-color: black; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: snow; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">7</span></p></td><td style="background-color: black; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: snow; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">8</span></p></td><td style="background-color: black; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: snow; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">10</span></p></td><td style="background-color: black; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: snow; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">12</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 12.75pt;"><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><tr style="height: 10.5pt;"><td style="background-color: lawngreen; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">5</span></p></td><td style="background-color: lawngreen; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">3</span></p></td><td style="background-color: lawngreen; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">1</span></p></td><td style="background-color: lawngreen; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">0</span></p></td><td style="background-color: lawngreen; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">1</span></p></td><td style="background-color: lawngreen; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">3</span></p></td><td style="background-color: lawngreen; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">5</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 10.5pt;"><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: yellow; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">2</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><tr style="height: 20.7418pt;"><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: orange; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">4</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><tr style="height: 10.5pt;"><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: tomato; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">6</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p></span><h4 style="text-align: left;">Opposing Options</h4><span><div align="left" dir="ltr" style="margin-left: 0pt;"><table style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none;"><colgroup><col width="125"></col><col width="125"></col><col width="125"></col><col width="126"></col><col width="127"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 12.75pt;"><td style="background-color: black; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: snow; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">3</span></p></td><td style="background-color: black; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: snow; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">5</span></p></td><td style="background-color: black; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: snow; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">7</span></p></td><td style="background-color: black; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: snow; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">9</span></p></td><td style="background-color: black; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: snow; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">11</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 12.75pt;"><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><tr style="height: 10.5pt;"><td style="background-color: lawngreen; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">4</span></p></td><td style="background-color: lawngreen; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">2</span></p></td><td style="background-color: lawngreen; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">0</span></p></td><td style="background-color: lawngreen; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">2</span></p></td><td style="background-color: lawngreen; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">4</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 10.5pt;"><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: yellow; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">1</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><tr style="height: 10.5pt;"><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: orange; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">3</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr><tr style="height: 10.5pt;"><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: tomato; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">5</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Everyplace you see a number on the table, that’s an option the player can take. When a player takes damage they mark any one of these boxes (the one with the numbers) as “stressed.” A stressed option can’t be used.</p></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">If a player is ever “stuck” taking a stressed option because all their dice choices leave them with no other choice (or maybe they choose to do it for some reason) then they become stressed out.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The player still selects and executes the option, but they must include in their role-play an explanation of how using this option has stressed them out and knocked them out of the scene.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">As players advance during play, they will unlock powers and gain numbers in new boxes. When this happens the character will not only become more diverse, but also have more ability to survive being stressed out.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The urgency of the scene can be used to the players advantage when assigning stress. For example: if the scene die is in the red zone, a player could safely stress the green, yellow, and orange options (under the number 7) in their option blocks because those options are being superseded by the “red” level options due to the urgency of the scene.</p><div><br /></div><div><p>Feel free to join my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/fivebyfiverpg" target="_blank">Facebook Group</a> to discuss this post and anything related to RPG's and geekdom! Stay tuned!!</p><p><br /></p></div>Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-2694000952345617662023-12-11T16:42:00.001-05:002023-12-17T11:04:13.131-05:00Game Design Part 8 - Guiding And Opposing Stars<div>My previous (and rather involved) post began with an assumption. I assumed that zodiac associations would wrap around in a big 12 section circle like a clock. The truth is that instead of one big circle, zodiac associations form two smaller circles containing 6 signs each.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnxW1MDNxe0RWNLJqRxa-tLiyLQADo2jJQhrUY-TKyPuBhYF0StKTz4mFhcA3NiNTI19Qupso9kXhxRKDsWZXxrc6IHev38Wlr-lRs-aSndlzqallDUWH5MQeCLpxDfD1U5-MbS8uRwZjkQA-wtNrdihqKFJpxQADa9eSoLJVnx1q1exM0POn2/s2128/Zodiac%20Sign%20Associations%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1055" data-original-width="2128" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnxW1MDNxe0RWNLJqRxa-tLiyLQADo2jJQhrUY-TKyPuBhYF0StKTz4mFhcA3NiNTI19Qupso9kXhxRKDsWZXxrc6IHev38Wlr-lRs-aSndlzqallDUWH5MQeCLpxDfD1U5-MbS8uRwZjkQA-wtNrdihqKFJpxQADa9eSoLJVnx1q1exM0POn2/w400-h199/Zodiac%20Sign%20Associations%203.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>How do I combine these two distinct and opposing zodiac association wheels into a singular entity? How about a multi-class character design?</div><div><br /></div><div>Step One: Choose the Zodiac Sign that most exemplifies the sort of character that you would like to role-play from any of the twelve. This sign is known as your: Guiding Sign. Record your Guiding Sign in position 7 on your Guiding Options Bar.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Guiding Options Bar</b></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-476db1a9-7fff-6329-78c3-b44c0f8b2745"><div align="left" dir="ltr" style="margin-left: 0pt;"><table style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none;"><colgroup><col width="85"></col><col width="85"></col><col width="85"></col><col width="85"></col><col width="85"></col><col width="85"></col><col width="85"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 12.75pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">2</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">4</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">6</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">7</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">8</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">10</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">12</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 10.5pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Cancer</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /></span></div><div>Step Two: The wheel containing your Guiding Sign is your Guiding Wheel. Using your Guiding Wheel fill in the positions on each side of your Guiding Sign and add them to your Guiding Options Bar. (The signs in positions 2 and 12 on the Guiding Options Bar will be the same.)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Guiding Options Bar</b></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-22927f5c-7fff-1b9d-d96e-f9d7c2db5796"><div align="left" dir="ltr" style="margin-left: 0pt;"><table style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none;"><colgroup><col width="85"></col><col width="85"></col><col width="85"></col><col width="85"></col><col width="85"></col><col width="85"></col><col width="85"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 12.75pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">2</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">4</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">6</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">7</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">8</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">10</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">12</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 10.5pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Capricorn</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Scorpio</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Virgo</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Cancer</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Taurus</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Pisces</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Capricorn</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /></span></div><div>Step Three: Choose one of the Zodiac Signs from the association wheel that does not contain your Guiding Sign. This is your Opposing Wheel. (I chose Libra.) Record this sign in position 7 on the Opposing Options Bar.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Opposing Options Bar</b></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-a6a9863e-7fff-19c3-f7ba-98ba8c3050c5"><div align="left" dir="ltr" style="margin-left: 0pt;"><table style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none;"><colgroup><col width="119"></col><col width="119"></col><col width="119"></col><col width="119"></col><col width="119"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 12.75pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">3</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">5</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">7</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">9</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">11</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 10.5pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Libra</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /></span></div><div>Step Four: Using the Opposing Wheel fill in the positions on each side of your Opposing Sign. (Note: one sign will not get used.)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Opposing Options Bar</b></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-0bde9af8-7fff-fec8-c5e6-63730fe514b3"><div align="left" dir="ltr" style="margin-left: 0pt;"><table style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none;"><colgroup><col width="119"></col><col width="119"></col><col width="119"></col><col width="119"></col><col width="119"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 12.75pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">3</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">5</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">7</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">9</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">11</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 10.5pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Aquarius</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Leo</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Libra</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sagittarius</span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Gemini</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Now we are getting somewhere! Two option bars where option 7 overlaps granting both guiding and opposing options.</div><div><br /></div><div><p>Feel free to join my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/fivebyfiverpg" target="_blank">Facebook Group</a> to discuss this post and anything related to RPG's and geekdom! Stay tuned!!</p><p><br /></p></div><div><br /></div>Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-48848180500027383792023-12-11T11:08:00.008-05:002023-12-17T11:04:32.932-05:00Game Design Part 7 - Focusing In On Ideas<div>In playing with the mechanism of rolling 4 dice and then subtracting larger dice from smaller ones (in the various combinations of sets that I was able to make) I discovered that the results were far too limiting. Numbers were frequently repeated leaving very little actual choice. This wasn’t going to work.</div><div><br /></div><div>Meanwhile, I was researching the common character archetypes found in dramatic fiction. Most of the articles that I read shared from twelve to fourteen archetypes. If I tied each archetype to a subset of game play options, this would give players a much larger pool to choose from than I had initially planned (or thought myself capable of constructing.) I could go back to Can’t Stop’s original game mechanic of adding the dice. </div><div><br /></div><div>My new concept was this: a player selects a character archetype based on the sort of character that they would like to portray. This archetype would be assigned to the number 7. On each side of the 7 (at positions numbered 6 and 8) the player would assign the archetype that is most closely related to the archetype that they selected. This would then also be done for the archetype at the 6 and 8 positions and so on. For every archetype I would need to find two similar archetypes.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was speaking with Julie about my ideas, and she noted that the way I was defining complimentary archetypes (and the fact that I was working with a set of 12) reminded her of the astrological signs of the zodiac. This set my mind spinning. The zodiac was perfect for this application. Dramatic archetypes and zodiac signs have a lot in common and the zodiac was already organized and grouped in the sorts of sets that I am thinking of using. My wife is a genius.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Y6FWYV65qqUdB0amkCB6eIYlz7dvC09wAznMzhyphenhyphengskwzVsAvLYLHB_WkmB54ttzyTk5jUzVk4QvoFHDkh_r7sdgx542tcwYwWtEgE5db6s1qkxdQsQ46VcW8yoaYaJIr_6DdsBqfMT9jZlWPcWMbJvIgRq9HfZdYHaF-gtjd9oUQp6SpI_9m/s800/Zodiac-Sign-Stories.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="800" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Y6FWYV65qqUdB0amkCB6eIYlz7dvC09wAznMzhyphenhyphengskwzVsAvLYLHB_WkmB54ttzyTk5jUzVk4QvoFHDkh_r7sdgx542tcwYwWtEgE5db6s1qkxdQsQ46VcW8yoaYaJIr_6DdsBqfMT9jZlWPcWMbJvIgRq9HfZdYHaF-gtjd9oUQp6SpI_9m/w400-h309/Zodiac-Sign-Stories.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>We also discussed what all of this might actually look like in play. She pointed out that it would be important to give players some kind of incentive to role-play against type or players would always choose the 5, 7, and 8 options when pairing the dice. I had already thought about this, but it was nice to be reminded. My game was starting to take shape. It even got itself a working title: Star Signs: A Game of Improvisational Story Telling. (Sounds good, right!)</div><div><br /></div><div>I now have a loose idea of character design and a thematic direction to move in. To bring this all into sharper focus, I look at the challenge of making the aberrant choices at the far ends of the bell curve as appealing as the more probable options in its center. My solution is to define option levels. The idea is to create a numerical value for how much an option effects a scene. This design must embrace the idea that when a character behaves contrary to what is considered normal for them, it creates more drama and draws more attention than when the character acts as expected.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here’s the idea: options have levels of influence in the scene. These levels are based on two things: the value of the scene die, and how far off center the option appears. The scene die adjusts influence based on the urgency in the scene from green to red (see: <a href="https://www.dreamsdragons.com/2023/12/game-design-part-6-round-die.html" target="_blank">Game Design Part 6</a>.) Green doesn’t affect influence at all, assigning an influence modifier of +0. Yellow assigns an influence modifier of +2. Orange assigns an influence modifier of +4, and red assigns an influence modifier of +6. This is added to the influence modifier based on how far off center your option is from 1 to 5 steps.</div><div><br /></div><div>Characters have access to the green options of all archetypes (except one) but only have access to the yellow, orange, and red options associated with their core archetype. Players will have the ability to choose options of a lesser urgency during a scene. So, if the scene die indicates that the urgency of the scene is orange, a player can choose a green, yellow or orange option, but can not yet choose a red one.</div><div><br /></div><div>This table shows how option choice and scene urgency work together to create influence. Across the top is the value of the dice for the chosen option. Under this is the amount of influence applied based on that choice based on the urgency of the scene.</div><div><br /></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-ee52ba3b-7fff-cb8b-aed2-6e8aba683a03"><div align="left" dir="ltr" style="margin-left: 0pt;"><table style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none;"><colgroup><col width="34"></col><col width="34"></col><col width="34"></col><col width="34"></col><col width="34"></col><col width="34"></col><col width="34"></col><col width="34"></col><col width="34"></col><col width="34"></col><col width="36"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 12.75pt;"><td style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">2</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">3</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">4</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">5</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">6</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">7</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">8</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">9</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">10</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">11</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">12</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 10.5pt;"><td style="background-color: #00a933; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">5</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #00a933; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">4</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #00a933; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">3</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #00a933; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">2</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #00a933; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">1</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #00a933; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">0</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #00a933; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">1</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #00a933; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">2</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #00a933; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">3</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #00a933; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">4</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #00a933; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">5</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 10.5pt;"><td style="background-color: yellow; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: yellow; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: yellow; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: yellow; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: yellow; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: yellow; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">2</span></p></td><td style="background-color: yellow; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: yellow; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: yellow; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: yellow; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: yellow; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 10.5pt;"><td style="background-color: #ff8000; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #ff8000; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #ff8000; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #ff8000; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #ff8000; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #ff8000; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">4</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #ff8000; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #ff8000; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #ff8000; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #ff8000; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #ff8000; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 10.5pt;"><td style="background-color: red; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: red; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: red; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: red; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: red; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: red; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">6</span></p></td><td style="background-color: red; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: red; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: red; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: red; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td><td style="background-color: red; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #020202; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /></span></div><div>This shows that in a situation where there is little or no sense of urgency, if a character behaves in the manner expected of them, they will exert no influence on the scene. This changes if the character behaves in an unexpected way and as urgency increases.</div><div><br /></div><div>This table represent the options available to a brand new character. As the character advances and evolves through many game sessions, the options currently unavailable to them (those represented by a dash) will open up and become available.</div><div><br /></div><div><p>Feel free to join my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/fivebyfiverpg" target="_blank">Facebook Group</a> to discuss this post and anything related to RPG's and geekdom! Stay tuned!!</p><p><br /></p></div>Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-28315161775562455842023-12-08T15:30:00.009-05:002023-12-17T11:05:00.047-05:00Game Design Part 6 - The Round Die (Nope! The Scene Die)<div>To add some more variety to power effects without adding randomness, I am considering the inclusion of a special counter called, “The Round Die.”</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2EhNtjusRsIk9eN1e9TWFCab8NxZ_CCpIrKtMk68bdRS_Y6nMJFn8RoVP9qPEuSG8CR2yd7TrhmSADQy4n_V9Kkvwl5Oy7fqo5uAjtRg5kzoym6xWjYZbY0t_BGGEWeg1aQhzfgazBqoaDqGhwUosgKZVNHu9adMlG-3tadtq9a4XNwSVUvyU/s1100/13th%20Age%20Core.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="850" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2EhNtjusRsIk9eN1e9TWFCab8NxZ_CCpIrKtMk68bdRS_Y6nMJFn8RoVP9qPEuSG8CR2yd7TrhmSADQy4n_V9Kkvwl5Oy7fqo5uAjtRg5kzoym6xWjYZbY0t_BGGEWeg1aQhzfgazBqoaDqGhwUosgKZVNHu9adMlG-3tadtq9a4XNwSVUvyU/w309-h400/13th%20Age%20Core.jpg" width="309" /></a></div><br /><div>I am basing this idea on a rules innovation from what is arguably my favorite fantasy based RPG: 13th Age. 13th Age has this thing called, “The Escalation Die.” The Escalation Die is a D6 that is added to the table starting in the second round of play. The die is placed on the number 1 and all players get to add +1 to their dice rolls. This bonus isn’t for the NPCs. It’s for the players only, making all the players get just a little stronger.</div><div><br /></div><div>In each subsequent round, the die face on the Escalation Die is increased by +1, to a maximum of +6. In this way, the players build momentum every round. It’s a genius idea. In your RPG of choice, if you find that combat takes too long or seems to drag, consider adding the escalation die. It’s an easy addition to almost any game system, and it’s brilliant.</div><div><br /></div><div>I am stealing the Escalation Die for my game design, but making it my own. I am going to call it the Round Die because it’s value will count the number of the current round. It won’t provide a flat bonus because I don’t think the math in my game is going to work this way. Instead, I want to use it as a means to control the build of tension within a scene.</div><div><br /></div><div>In my previous entry, I talked about game flow and I introduced what I think is a really interesting concept for an RPG (stolen from many board games.) The idea that on the active player’s turn that player gets to do something cool, but then every other player also gets to do something too, but that something is a lesser degree of cool. I have the active player controlling the arrangement of the shared dice and taking two actions. Then each other player takes one action.</div><div><br /></div><div>That’s fine, but in a traditional RPG there is no mechanism to control the number of rounds of play. What if game play is over and some players never got the chance to be the active player? They would feel cheated. In traditional games rounds of combat persist until all monsters are defeated. This is controlled by the number of monsters and how many hit points each monster has, and how much damage each player inflicts, yada, yada, yada.</div><div><br /></div><div>My game is not going to be a combat game. My game is not going to track things like hit points and damage. So how will I handle the ebb and flow of a scene? When will the players be victorious or suffer a defeat? This is where the Round Die will come in. I want all players to get the chance to be the active player. What if all players get to be the active player twice before the end of a scene? That sounds good to me. I’m going to do that with the Round Die.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Round Die is always of a die type equal to 2x the number of players. This means that in a two player game, the Round Die is a d4. In a three player game, the Round Die is a d6. In a four player game, the Round Die is a d8. In a five player game, the Round Die is a d10. Finally, in a 6 player game, the Round Die is a 12. (Don’t play with more than 6 players and 1 GM. That’s just too much.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Step 3 in the FLOW of PLAY would become:</div><div>The active player increases the Round Die by +1 (If this is the first turn in the scene, set the Round Die to 1 instead.) The active player then rolls four Action Dice and divides the dice into two sets of two.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have added the term: Action Dice to differentiate the four six sided dice rolled each round to perform actions as distinctive from the Round Die.</div><div><br /></div><div>The round die can act as a limiter controlling the flow and progression of the scene.</div><div><br /></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-bd697919-7fff-81ea-ca0f-629b148c4bfe"><div align="left" dir="ltr" style="margin-left: 0pt;"><table style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none;"><colgroup><col width="119"></col><col width="119"></col><col width="119"></col><col width="119"></col><col width="119"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 15pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Round Die Type</span></p></td><td colspan="4" style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Round Die Value</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 12pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">D4</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #00a933; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #030303;">1</span></span></p></td><td style="background-color: yellow; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #030303;">2</span></span></p></td><td style="background-color: #ff8000; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #030303;">3</span></span></p></td><td style="background-color: red; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #030303;">4</span></span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 12pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">D6</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #00a933; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #030303;">1</span></span></p></td><td style="background-color: yellow; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #030303;">2</span></span></p></td><td style="background-color: #ff8000; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #030303;">3-4</span></span></p></td><td style="background-color: red; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #030303;">5-6</span></span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 12pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">D8</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #00a933; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #030303;">1</span></span></p></td><td style="background-color: yellow; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #030303;">2-3</span></span></p></td><td style="background-color: #ff8000; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #030303;">4-5</span></span></p></td><td style="background-color: red; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #030303;">6-8</span></span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 12pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">D10</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #00a933; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #030303;">1-2</span></span></p></td><td style="background-color: yellow; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #030303;">3-4</span></span></p></td><td style="background-color: #ff8000; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #030303;">5-7</span></span></p></td><td style="background-color: red; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #030303;">8-10</span></span></p></td></tr><tr style="height: 12pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">D12</span></p></td><td style="background-color: #00a933; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #030303;">1-2</span></span></p></td><td style="background-color: yellow; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #030303;">3-5</span></span></p></td><td style="background-color: #ff8000; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #030303;">6-8</span></span></p></td><td style="background-color: red; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-width: 0.75pt; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.0940909; margin-bottom: 7pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #030303;">9-12</span></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /></span></div><div>Green represents the start of the scene. Things are just getting started, and the stakes don’t seem too dire. Yellow represents things heating up. Orange is even higher stakes, and red means the scene has reached critical mass. Certain player powers will only be usable during specific “colors” during the scene, with the best abilities only accessible during the “red” rounds.</div><div><br /></div><div>Once the Round Die reaches it’s maximum value, the scene ends. This would mean that step 8 in my FLOW of PLAY might read:</div><div><br /></div><div>The GM provides a scene update, based on the options resolved so far. If the Round Die has reached its Maximum Value, then the GM will describe how the scene ends. Did the players achieve their goals, or do they suffer a setback?</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">===== IMPORTANT UPDATE =====</h3><div><br /></div><div><div>So, I realized almost as quickly as I pressed “publish” on this latest post, that it just isn’t going to work. The idea of everyone getting two shots at being the active player during a scene is cool and all, but the variable scene length across player counts just isn’t going to fly.</div><div><br /></div><div>In a two player game (with the GM as the third “player”) a scene would reach a conclusion far too quickly compared to a six player game. Scene pacing would end up feeling radically different between the different player counts … too different. That’s a problem.</div><div><br /></div><div>I am going to use the Escalation Die. My desire to use this mechanism as a pacing mechanic during a scene hasn’t changed. I can still have player options that only trigger when the Escalation Die reaches a certain value. I can still get all the benefits that I want, but I need to retain a more consistent scene length.</div><div><br /></div><div>I may need to update the "starting player" rules so that whoever ended the last scene as the active player is recorded, and the person to their left is guaranteed to be the starting player in the next scene. This will make sure everyone gets a fair shake by the end of a game session.</div><div><br /></div><div>One idea might be to structure game sessions with three scenes each. The first scene uses the d4, the second uses the d6, and the final scene the d8. This makes the scenes feel different, but isn't based on player count, it's based on story escalation. (This is a good idea.) It might make sense in this case to rename the "Round Die" as the "Scene Die."</div><div><br /></div></div><div><p>Feel free to join my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/fivebyfiverpg" target="_blank">Facebook Group</a> to discuss this post and anything related to RPG's and geekdom! Stay tuned!!</p><p><br /></p></div>Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-59604072552479303332023-12-07T16:32:00.001-05:002023-12-17T11:05:49.181-05:00Game Design Part 5 - Flow of Play<div>Now that I have a basic idea of how dice work in the game, let’s try to bring game play into a little more focus. I've decided that I don’t like the idea of the GM rolling the dice for the players. Here’s a new approach.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkUzKlGGB369FmB3jcc1ddRS2YwjZE333KKTDriXUZW8ddmgQDKggmiktCYI2DQvNSC56BIFQZqpZnh728vjcJjVm0yEUSB1WPl5iiry0TNbl1K4RBRb3egs55dEROzGNkrlguWXLH39RaC0Kw6MB6kLIE-jcIaoyLMO5EPI7_JQgihj45Tnjc/s630/flow-chart.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="630" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkUzKlGGB369FmB3jcc1ddRS2YwjZE333KKTDriXUZW8ddmgQDKggmiktCYI2DQvNSC56BIFQZqpZnh728vjcJjVm0yEUSB1WPl5iiry0TNbl1K4RBRb3egs55dEROzGNkrlguWXLH39RaC0Kw6MB6kLIE-jcIaoyLMO5EPI7_JQgihj45Tnjc/w400-h400/flow-chart.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Each round, play moves around the table, with players taking turns. The player, whose turn it is, is the active player. All references to dice, refer to standard cube-shaped dice with six sides.</div><div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>The GM sets the scene.</li><li>Determine the active player through a method of your choosing. (High roll, for example.)</li><li>The active player rolls four dice and divides the dice into two sets of two.</li><li>The dice in the sets defined by the active player are subtracted from each other. The larger die is subtracted from the smaller die in each set. This will produce two numbers in a range from 0 to 5.</li><li>Using the numbers that they created, the active player will trigger two options from their character sheet and work with the GM and the other players to resolve the effects of these options on the scene.</li><li>Play then moves to the active player’s left (clockwise) and that player chooses one of the two numbers defined by the active player to trigger a single option. The GM and the other players work together to resolve the effects of this option on the scene.</li><li>Play continues around the table clockwise, repeating step 6 until all players (except the active player) have triggered one option.</li><li>The GM provides a scene update, based on the options resolved so far. Unless the GM declares the end of the scene, play proceeds to step 9.</li><li>The player to the active player’s left (clockwise) becomes the new active player.</li><li>Return to step 3 and perform steps 3-10 in order. Repeat this sequence until the GM declares the end of the scene (in step 8.)</li></ol><p></p></div><div>(This is the flow of play that I am imaging right now, using the die rolling mechanics discussed in part 4.)</div><div><br /></div><div><p>Feel free to join my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/fivebyfiverpg" target="_blank">Facebook Group</a> to discuss this post and anything related to RPG's and geekdom! Stay tuned!!</p><p><br /></p></div>Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-3032415770665320162023-12-07T14:02:00.009-05:002023-12-17T11:06:09.626-05:00Game Design Part 4 - Seeking Player Agency (Six Key Options)<div>In <a href="https://www.dreamsdragons.com/2023/12/doctors-daleks-and-rpg-design.html" target="_blank">part 1</a> of this series, I stated that I needed to look at the answers to some specific questions when determining the game play for my new RPG. To review, these were the questions:</div><div><br /></div><div> • In what different ways do the dice interact with the game? </div><div> • How much agency does a player have to influence the dice?</div><div> • How tactical are these choices? </div><div> • What makes the choices interesting?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>In what different ways do the dice interact with the game?</b></div><div>Assigning dice to take action is an okay but singular way to interact with the game. Is it enough? I think the interaction between sets of options is interesting enough that for now, that answer is, “Yes.”</div><div><br /></div><div><b>How much agency does a player have to influence the dice?</b></div><div>Currently? None at all. That’s not good. Changing this should be a priority.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>How tactical are these choices?</b></div><div>With no agency to effect the dice, I don’t see tactical options either. I don’t want to simply create player powers that enable players to change the face of a die, because that eliminates the tension of the focused choice array. I need something else. Hopefully, finding an answer to the second question will also help to solve this problem.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>What makes the choices interesting?</b></div><div>As with the first question, I think the interaction between sets of options will be interesting enough to keep these choices engaging.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Conclusion:</b></div><div>My focus, it seems, should be on creating some answers to the question, “How much agency does a player have to influence the dice?” perhaps first refining that question to, “In what ways does the player have agency to influence the dice?”</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnshnw-Bf-sN4eo3ZdmXETQHhhsmF9e5x7tn9YZcMGBWkvEIXfA0JTY2-dWocH1tjOjiOe31YZcT8hlaamiUx877I8N1bjOPKr-KV28ihL_hxMzy-FpCSSG0W2hEf_VkohN_q89iiQCjffsDLeJ2wym0lv4nP932nIJyEj0knzdy5G7A3e5tUf/s750/cant-stop-box.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="750" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnshnw-Bf-sN4eo3ZdmXETQHhhsmF9e5x7tn9YZcMGBWkvEIXfA0JTY2-dWocH1tjOjiOe31YZcT8hlaamiUx877I8N1bjOPKr-KV28ihL_hxMzy-FpCSSG0W2hEf_VkohN_q89iiQCjffsDLeJ2wym0lv4nP932nIJyEj0knzdy5G7A3e5tUf/w400-h400/cant-stop-box.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The first thing to pop into my head is a game called, Can’t Stop. Can’t Stop is a great push your luck style dice game created by Sid Saxon. In the game players roll and match sets of dice in order to race up tracks. The thing I’m interested in is in the agency that the player has to affect their dice roll.</div><div><br /></div><div>Each turn the GM rolls four dice, then the players match these dice into two sets of two. In this way, the players can create a variety of possible totals. Let’s say that you rolled a 1, 3, 4 and 6 on the four dice. You could potentially create 1+3 = 4 and 4+6 = 10, or 1+4 = 5 and 3+6 = 9, or 1+6 = 7 and 3+4 = 7. You end up with three possible sets of two numbers.</div><div><br /></div><div>I like this method of dice agency very much. Now, players have to discuss how to arrange sets of dice before assigning them to action choices on their character sheets. Different combinations could mean different things to the group, assuming that the entire group is locked into a single set of combinations.</div><div><br /></div><div>However, these number sets won’t match the patterns that I found in my previous design. Do I now scrap that design after only having thought it up and written about it? Do I keep it and scrap this idea? Before I choose, I’m going to flesh this idea out a little more fully to see what it might look like compared to the previous design.</div><div><br /></div><div>In this design players will have a sum of two dice to assign to their character sheets. Specifically, they will have two sets of numbers, representing two actions, to assign to their character sheets, and these numbers will be in a range from 2-12.</div><div><br /></div><div>How? What do those assignment choices look like? The sum of two dice create a number that belongs to a mathematical property known as a bell curve. It means that numbers in the middle of the array are far more likely to occur than numbers on the ends of the array. You might think that the array is: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. In reality the array is: 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10, 10, 11, 11, 12. That’s a One in Thirty Six chance to roll a 2 or a 12, but a One in Six (Six in Thirty Six) chance to roll a 7.</div><div><br /></div><div>This makes distributing dice equally between options far more challenging. I don’t think that the four basic options concept, presented in my previous post, will work with these numbers at all. What if instead of addition we used subtraction, always subtracting the larger number from the smaller number, so that negative values were not possible? That array would look like this: 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5.</div><div><br /></div><div>Looking at this distribution of the numbers, I can more easily even the numbers out by grouping certain numbers together. Adding the 4 set to our 0 set gives the same number of options as choosing 1. Adding the 5 to our 3 set gives the same number of options as choosing 2. This puts me back to a base 4 again.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is only using number values, but I have a slightly weaker set of two and a slightly stronger set of two. This could work much like my single dice placement mechanism from the previous post. If I add an Even/Odd option to this, I will get a fifth and sixth choice with 50/50 probability of each.</div><div><br /></div><div> High Options / Most common (50% likelihood of each)</div><div> Option A: You may assign any even value to this option</div><div> Option B: You may assign any odd value to this option</div><div><br /></div><div> Mid Options / Average (28% likelihood of each)</div><div> Option C: You may assign value 0 or 4 to this option</div><div> Option D: You may assign a value 1 to this option</div><div><br /></div><div> Low Options / Least common (22% likelihood of each)</div><div> Option E: You may assign a value 2 to this option</div><div> Option F: You may assign a value 3 or 5 to this option</div><div><br /></div><div>There isn’t much difference, probability wise, between the mid and low options. Only 6 percent, which is fairly negligible. I’ll keep it in mind as I move forward, but I don’t think it’s a feature. On the other hand, the difference between the high option and the others is substantial and should be leveraged in the character design.</div><div><br /></div><div>I also have some Even/Odd pairings in each of the other option sets. Option A pairs with Options C and E. Option B pairs with Options D and F. These groupings can be made to work together. These are interesting design levers that I can manipulate in order to shape the look of the final design.</div><div><br /></div><div>This new action economy assumes that the GM rolls 4 dice and then allows players to arrange them into two sets of two. These are then subtracted (larger from smaller) to reach a number from 0 to 5. This provides 2 numbers that players can then assign to actions on their character sheet. I believe this satisfies the requirements for some player agency with the dice without breaking other requirements already satisfied.</div><div><br /></div><div>(Welcome to the world of “game design maths.” I hope this post wasn’t too boring.)</div><div><br /></div><div><p>Feel free to join my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/fivebyfiverpg" target="_blank">Facebook Group</a> to discuss this post and anything related to RPG's and geekdom! Stay tuned!!</p><p><br /></p></div>Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-57177867431947460792023-12-07T09:54:00.010-05:002023-12-17T11:06:32.157-05:00Game Design Part 3 - Four Key Options<div>Moving forward and working under the assumption that players will use a shared dice pool, the first question that I have is, how? How are the dice used? I don’t want to create a system where higher dice rolls are clearly better than lower ones or vice versa. If the choices are obvious, then they aren’t really choices at all.</div><div><br /></div><div>I’m thinking about a core set of four options. That may seem like a small number, but we are just getting started. To expand on this, perhaps each player character archetype has two or three power groups, and this block of four options exists inside each one.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibO5L1Uy9QQnFpnZVrRAFnHAOAbrDRAmK8oFUdx8oVqZ2_g7gPB_rrcx_dEQt-VbNQ6Bj3pNuxf2PjCwY0V69XnXdJs1xZbE07b-NyRkPNeE2ur2-Q4j-GP2dNjZUhiy2lQR-3nMg9P-Dknf1oXbhC6NNSORwFabgEhqIWmTJR8xyDHtYKxQ8k/s2048/thinking-face-emoji.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1935" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibO5L1Uy9QQnFpnZVrRAFnHAOAbrDRAmK8oFUdx8oVqZ2_g7gPB_rrcx_dEQt-VbNQ6Bj3pNuxf2PjCwY0V69XnXdJs1xZbE07b-NyRkPNeE2ur2-Q4j-GP2dNjZUhiy2lQR-3nMg9P-Dknf1oXbhC6NNSORwFabgEhqIWmTJR8xyDHtYKxQ8k/w378-h400/thinking-face-emoji.png" width="378" /></a></div><br /><div>I have no idea what that looks like yet, but I’m going to begin creating a rough framework and then figure out what dressing fits the best on top of it. Here is how I see the four key options thing looking. These assume the use of six-sided dice.</div><div><br /></div><div> Option A: Assign a die greater than 3 to this option.</div><div> Option B: Assign a die less than 4 to this option.</div><div> Option C: Assign an odd numbered die to this option.</div><div> Option D: Assign an even numbered die to this option.</div><div><br /></div><div>In this setup, I feel like there’s some interesting interactions. Options A&B as well as Options C&D are each mutually exclusive with an equal chance of each occurring, but Option A can potentially share its die with either C or D, and the same is true of Option B. However, these pairings aren’t equal. </div><div><br /></div><div>Option A creates the array 4, 5, 6. In that array, there is only one odd number. This means that Option A is more likely to share a die with Option D than Option C. We can state that Options A and D are complimentary. Likewise, Option B’s array of 1, 2, 3 has only one even number. Option B’s compliment is Option C.</div><div><br /></div><div>I not only have four distinct choices, but they are mathematically paired into two sets of two complimentary choices. I like that. Sets and subsets of things are usually easier to grok when people are learning to play a game. They also provide me with focus as a designer.</div><div><br /></div><div>Perhaps two of the options are based on physical abilities and two on mental abilities. Perhaps two of the options are based on personal values and the other two on personal goals. I don’t know yet, but I have something to think about.</div><div><br /></div><div>(Once again, I find that the first thing I’ve done is fiddle with the dice mechanic. At least this time, I’m not simply trying to find another way to say, “I roll to hit.”)</div><div> </div><div><p>Feel free to join my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/fivebyfiverpg" target="_blank">Facebook Group</a> to discuss this post and anything related to RPG's and geekdom! Stay tuned!!</p><p><br /></p></div>Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-90528571570766649472023-12-04T10:58:00.002-05:002023-12-17T11:06:46.104-05:00Game Design Part 2 - RPG Design Mission Statement<div>The shared dice pool is a common mechanic in many modern board games. One player rolls some dice, and then all players simultaneously use the results to make choices. In order for individual outcomes to vary, players are provided with a wide array of options.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJ8qHmDx9zhumwwoZ__qp4hK9_Xl_5XA9GmaZL2qrzi5Nz_RNByEnGFUYlV5913ydP5CRU9yNAItwfj2tXgzqp9OHbVL0HIu2ans4d0ZJGKjTG1mPKAtjJ4_iSUvkFH4n3hgSzYmKBZCHaG8eg2rjaVGdcSjAbROh4hYzEsLLZN4gWycd8q48/s678/dice.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="381" data-original-width="678" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJ8qHmDx9zhumwwoZ__qp4hK9_Xl_5XA9GmaZL2qrzi5Nz_RNByEnGFUYlV5913ydP5CRU9yNAItwfj2tXgzqp9OHbVL0HIu2ans4d0ZJGKjTG1mPKAtjJ4_iSUvkFH4n3hgSzYmKBZCHaG8eg2rjaVGdcSjAbROh4hYzEsLLZN4gWycd8q48/w400-h225/dice.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Imagine that a tabletop RPG uses a shared dice pool for its conflict resolution. The GM and the players set the scene and establish the conflict. The GM rolls some dice, and then the players consult their character sheets to decide how to assign these dice to their actions. Players discuss their options based on the numbers showing on the dice. The variety of options available are diverse because each player possesses a unique character.</div><div><br /></div><div>In this scenario, the numbers on the dice represent player choice and not probability. In my previous post, I stated that no player’s turn should be wasted. Traditional RPG systems answer the question, “Can I do this?” and then use dice to create suspense. If the answer to that question is “No” then the player’s turn ends and their moment in the spotlight is lost.</div><div><br /></div><div>The shared dice pool answers the question, “What are my options?” For each option, the outcome isn’t in question. Suspense is created not by answering “yes” or “no,” but by answering “what” and “how.” The focus changes from winning and losing (concepts that never belonged in the RPG space to begin with) to creating diversity of action within the context of the shared drama.</div><div><br /></div><div>These are lofty goals. My brain is burning just thinking about this, but this is what I want. This is the RPG that I want to design. This is my mission statement.</div><div><br /></div><div><p>Feel free to join my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/fivebyfiverpg" target="_blank">Facebook Group</a> to discuss this post and anything related to RPG's and geekdom! Stay tuned!!</p><p><br /></p></div>Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-67255095498148322372023-12-02T22:09:00.008-05:002023-12-17T11:07:03.582-05:00Game Design Part 1 - Doctors, Daleks and RPG Design<p>Does it make sense to design yet another Role-Playing Game? </p><p>I like fiddling with RPG rules. Mostly this takes the form of changing dice mechanics. Honestly, I’ve never really pushed the envelope on RPG design. I love the RPG hobby. I love the RPG community. I love how I can – how anyone can – contribute to the hobby, and shape the way that we all play this game.</p><p>I can’t think of any other hobby that works quite like that. I keep plugging away, playing with stats and terms and saying the same thing over a dozen different ways because it’s fun, and I like doing it. That said, I mostly play the games that are designed by others. It doesn’t seem as though I’m designing games to play as much as I am just designing to design.</p><p>That’s okay. Like I said, I enjoy it. However, I think that I’ve “fiddled” along the same path long enough. I want to challenge myself to do things differently.</p><p>This then is part one in an ongoing series dedicated to the design of a new RPG. It's a chance to "peek under the hood" and observe my creation process in action. This is the start. Hopefully, I will remain motivated to carry this process through to a rewarding finish.</p><p>Recently, I have been really excited about Doctor Who. We are two specials in on Disney Plus. I think that Ncuti (pronounced “shooty”) Gatwa is going to make an incredible Doctor, and I just picked up Cubicle 7’s Doctors & Daleks on PDF.</p><p>Almost 14 years ago now, <a href="https://www.dreamsdragons.com/2010/01/i-bought-doctor-who-rpg.html" target="_blank">I picked up Cubicle 7’s Doctor Who: Adventures in Time and Space</a> RPG. Doctors & Daleks is D&D. It’s the Adventures in Time and Space RPG rebuilt to use the Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition Rules and it’s AMAZING. At least it looks amazing on paper. I never did get Adventures in Time and Space to my game table, but with Doctors & Daleks, I know the game’s RPG DNA. I know how the game and its systems should work at the table, and I think its going to be AMAZING. Hopefully, I will get to play Doctors & Daleks at some point and find out.</p><p>I mention this because Dungeons & Dragons is a combat focused game. Doctors & Daleks is not because Doctor Who is not. Doctors & Daleks is a master class in game design fiddling. It’s Fifth Edition, but it’s not, and the ways that “it’s not” are brilliant, and the ways that “it is” are brilliant. It demonstrates how far removed D&D can be from its war gaming roots.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkS5YIDuE5tT0y442N8PxHkInqHbkz0eW0Yty0YbkvK7ZJeBZxoH3V2kdsZ4JuPRmQA53gIli7YPR8dRmA4Ex5sJI0_FSt5hE4vkZ-sbVukee2_GG-aqwtTJgKjIBshyphenhyphenG-1a8Qsb3kbmRR3L91feBu5SONUDJwo-ruU2nfnQlbuJNxR3Mt6JsJ/s1130/doctors&daleks.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1130" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkS5YIDuE5tT0y442N8PxHkInqHbkz0eW0Yty0YbkvK7ZJeBZxoH3V2kdsZ4JuPRmQA53gIli7YPR8dRmA4Ex5sJI0_FSt5hE4vkZ-sbVukee2_GG-aqwtTJgKjIBshyphenhyphenG-1a8Qsb3kbmRR3L91feBu5SONUDJwo-ruU2nfnQlbuJNxR3Mt6JsJ/w319-h400/doctors&daleks.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><br /><p>That’s gotten me thinking. What if role-playing (the hobby as we know it) hadn’t evolved from tactical war games at all? What if role-playing had evolved from a game of Monopoly, or Yahtzee, or Settlers of Catan or Bridge? How would that have shaped the way that we play the game both strategically and theatrically?</p><p>In my Bigfoot RPG I talk about resolution in broad strokes. I try to remove the war game elements from the game play by focusing on a change of game philosophy. This can work with the right group, but for anyone who has played Dungeons & Dragons over these many many years, this philosophy of play, these old habits are difficult, maybe even impossible to change.</p><p>I haven’t played Doctors & Daleks yet, but I believe that it might just succeed because for every combat element they removed from the game, they replaced it with something else. That … I think, is the secret. If you don’t want your players playing a war game, then you need to present your war game players with a tactical alternative.</p><p>So I ask myself, if role-playing had evolved from a different core set of game mechanics, what might those mechanics be? And now my mind is spinning again, and I am back to fiddling.</p><p>There are some core concepts that are central to the RPG experience that I enjoy, and that I plan to retain. Foremost, there is the GM and Players interaction loop. It’s how I have always played, and this interaction persists over countless RPG designs. I know that solo or GM-less RPG designs exist, but I’ve never been able to wrap my head around those. </p><p>I also want dice. Six-sided dice are my preference, but I am not going to force myself to stick with these if other dice seem inherently better in the end.</p><p>One final thing is that I want to end up with a task resolution mechanic that never ends in failure. What I mean is that no player’s turn will ever become “a swing and a miss.” All turns that a player takes should be valuable and fun. This is supposed to be a game after all.</p><p>To begin this process, I’m going to look at a variety of dice games. (I said that I wanted dice.)</p><p>I’m going to be asking questions:</p><p> • In what different ways do the dice interact with the game? </p><p> • How much agency does a player have to influence the dice?</p><p> • How tactical are these choices? </p><p> • What makes the choices interesting?</p><p>I want to start by finding a good core game. I’m sure that I’ve played many before. This time however, I have questions, and an agenda. Once I think that I’ve found the right dice game: a fun dice game that stands on its own. I’ll ask, how could this become a role-playing game?</p><p>My hope is that this exercise might take my mind, and my game design in an entirely new direction. Hopefully, I might even discover something that I want to bring to my table and play with my friends.</p><div><p><br /></p><p>Feel free to join my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/fivebyfiverpg" target="_blank">Facebook Group</a> to discuss this post and anything related to RPG's and geekdom! Stay tuned!!</p><p><br /></p></div>Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-50166541671426024772023-09-13T01:00:00.000-04:002023-09-13T09:47:30.667-04:00Profile: Sue Cook<p>Sue was the lead on the design of the SAGA Game System. This article from Dragon Magazine #259 (May, 1999) features Sue, and I thought it would be cool to share it here. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jQoOx4_AgY4JXNT-ioRF0mmmtgi_Tly_QuYanUmmCB9xaBVfRRPrwzZOGmKN9kgplbOiR3tXF26uUPxs0FxAgvfbXi5FnK9aLQS2h5XRpoTOtLdPkFKrVvLe2FYVkue_Oo1AOQ1pYbxZfomHq3MX9nuYSc_0wc4QAviDiqtIlSFLnaXIBTLH/s3280/DM-259-Profile-Sue-Cook-May-1999.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3280" data-original-width="2310" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jQoOx4_AgY4JXNT-ioRF0mmmtgi_Tly_QuYanUmmCB9xaBVfRRPrwzZOGmKN9kgplbOiR3tXF26uUPxs0FxAgvfbXi5FnK9aLQS2h5XRpoTOtLdPkFKrVvLe2FYVkue_Oo1AOQ1pYbxZfomHq3MX9nuYSc_0wc4QAviDiqtIlSFLnaXIBTLH/w450-h640/DM-259-Profile-Sue-Cook-May-1999.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-38373246324182436322023-09-10T01:00:00.001-04:002023-09-10T01:00:00.140-04:00Fate & Fortune -- Character Abilities<p>The image shared here is a page from Fate & Fortune that talks about the four primary character abilities: Strength, Dexterity, Cognition and Humor. These replace Strength, Agility, Intelligence and Willpower respectively.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwZw6jMs-glPxowqN4JhpBMGerUf__47GnyimL6PLD5jmTJvUqFhHQ6gTARg813SVa9Cgy8jtkY11kUL-_cPqYwHD5OFub5d7wZ9EZ9UOzt9byndwb7Ea9er-AgL_47VugnJPpQBUxUyKrOZmYc4Cdz6HtzeB0CEkuVhtbVayITNHil74_SjC/s2550/F&F%20Abilities.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1650" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwZw6jMs-glPxowqN4JhpBMGerUf__47GnyimL6PLD5jmTJvUqFhHQ6gTARg813SVa9Cgy8jtkY11kUL-_cPqYwHD5OFub5d7wZ9EZ9UOzt9byndwb7Ea9er-AgL_47VugnJPpQBUxUyKrOZmYc4Cdz6HtzeB0CEkuVhtbVayITNHil74_SjC/w414-h640/F&F%20Abilities.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><br /><p>You may notice that I am retaining the Ability Score ranges and modifiers as used in 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons. While Fate & Fortune won't be truly compatible with Dungeons and Dragons, I will be doing my best to incorporate familiar elements where possible to make it easier to adapt existing materials into the Fate & Fortune system.</p>Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-79978222267263873322023-09-06T01:00:00.150-04:002023-09-06T01:00:00.142-04:00Mind Space<p style="text-align: left;">Mind Space is one of the new <a href="https://www.dreamsdragons.com/2023/08/kickstarting-board-games.html" target="_blank">Kickstarter Games that we received recently</a>.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Mind Space belongs to a family of games called "Roll and Writes." While I tend to refer to all games in this category as "Roll and Write" games, it should be noted that the term "Roll" is open to interpretation. In this context "Roll" refers to any form of random value generator. "Roll" specifically refers to the rolling of dice to create a random value.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUiz-RS5JiR6dODa24YLD062bpsnkYK1Cl-zl66rHf1zjEb9rg_TaqQ5pljbvLN_t6zM13kqMgUF7MnWfO3K4QTs9kme_n2aDUOei1K1ps5wPuh5odTcAAI4QtZ3d9JJ3HhZROD7GnpJUt3DjG9UusZ0B_dxl9vnBbPKtcSsWQt9IuCcG8qf2q/s1417/msbox.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1417" data-original-width="1417" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUiz-RS5JiR6dODa24YLD062bpsnkYK1Cl-zl66rHf1zjEb9rg_TaqQ5pljbvLN_t6zM13kqMgUF7MnWfO3K4QTs9kme_n2aDUOei1K1ps5wPuh5odTcAAI4QtZ3d9JJ3HhZROD7GnpJUt3DjG9UusZ0B_dxl9vnBbPKtcSsWQt9IuCcG8qf2q/w400-h400/msbox.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;">A very popular game in this genre, "Welcome To..." calls itself a "Flip and Write" because you flip over cards from a deck and no dice are involved. A new favorite in this category, "Joan of Arc" calls itself a "Draw and Write" because you draw tokens from a bag to produce the required random element. If we keep up with this "truth in advertising" approach to game terminology, Mind Space is a "Roll and Flip and Write because it uses a combination of cards and dice to generate its random results.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Anyway, before I go any further down this particular rabbit hole, just know that "Roll and Write" games are all games with a primary play mechanism involving the generation randomly of some value, aspect or resource, and the subsequent recording of this result on a sheet of paper (or dry erase board ... or whatever.) To my knowledge, the first (and arguably, still the most popular) game in this category is Yahtzee.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1AqFSRWFhiEk9GLTCecf2HWd_FCsfdy2AO5UWQAz9usQEtGjb9GIzAcnEP5ZmY9Q_Rbrcw2Mu3_CC0WhLvu5SYVI_y-W39b8zB7TfAaA4HUwee6ktCNhiTMmETGRi-m0xR3iuv21mvuafvoF7x7pvZZQ-qsqGCB3UlRLHkh53dNkZ8U8k3cWJ/s4030/components.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="4030" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1AqFSRWFhiEk9GLTCecf2HWd_FCsfdy2AO5UWQAz9usQEtGjb9GIzAcnEP5ZmY9Q_Rbrcw2Mu3_CC0WhLvu5SYVI_y-W39b8zB7TfAaA4HUwee6ktCNhiTMmETGRi-m0xR3iuv21mvuafvoF7x7pvZZQ-qsqGCB3UlRLHkh53dNkZ8U8k3cWJ/s320/components.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">In Mind Space players have a couple of dry-erase boards to write on and some markers of different colors. At the start of the game a row of cards is flipped up showing 5 different <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyomino" target="_blank">polyomino</a> shapes. One additional shape a 1x2 domino is also represented and always available. At the start of every turn, five dice are rolled and positioned based on their number beneath a card showing a different shape. Dice numbered one are placed under the first shape. Dice numbered two under the second and so on. Any dice numbered 6 are assigned to the 1x2 domino shape.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The numbers on the dice are used to match them to card shapes. After this, the numbers don't matter. Now, what you care about is the colors of the dice. By using a colored marker that matches the color of one of the dice, you draw the shape associated with that die on your dry-erase brain. (Yep, everyone has a dry-erase brain. Cool!)</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5JdzRpkmtVvZfvoqyuiLcQTnqaiFpiD5NpJGZWLUW8T9_qbYaKYChG7RXtsHGtmM2Xm7Ajvo7IX3WiU17VdhHsL5eHVNNOkDK4-Mi2OgWO9ypx2SL9MpGO5Db1iLTaOMnT9nc_dBahySBkaq92S8CMmjYR76om2uJQWCzfKhl6fduVGGwdSmm/s1440/7187344514608414083.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5JdzRpkmtVvZfvoqyuiLcQTnqaiFpiD5NpJGZWLUW8T9_qbYaKYChG7RXtsHGtmM2Xm7Ajvo7IX3WiU17VdhHsL5eHVNNOkDK4-Mi2OgWO9ypx2SL9MpGO5Db1iLTaOMnT9nc_dBahySBkaq92S8CMmjYR76om2uJQWCzfKhl6fduVGGwdSmm/w300-h400/7187344514608414083.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">After you draw your first shape, all new shapes have to be touching a shape already drawn, but two shapes of the same color can't touch each other. The placement rules are simple but create an interesting puzzle. After every turn, a new card is added to the beginning of the row of shapes and the last card in the row (at the "5" position) drops off. Then the dice are all rolled again and reassigned to new shapes.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPj68a-1VV7wcrslv4k8sjy21qSw7CxVFX9k64NR9gxGn7WVpLesIjnetambDCVStg9WS1stgSQJXt-g3AjsyL48il2LUwKs9ayfjk8mW0DkhDz5NIjUkcFtAejwkayz_qDorZdazW0FRpAxqjOEUbyOTiUn5Hru5eFitvTkACUEZxNgHFVo0u/s1440/2045748541605430480.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPj68a-1VV7wcrslv4k8sjy21qSw7CxVFX9k64NR9gxGn7WVpLesIjnetambDCVStg9WS1stgSQJXt-g3AjsyL48il2LUwKs9ayfjk8mW0DkhDz5NIjUkcFtAejwkayz_qDorZdazW0FRpAxqjOEUbyOTiUn5Hru5eFitvTkACUEZxNgHFVo0u/w400-h300/2045748541605430480.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">Each color scores differently. So, there's a surprising amount of challenge hidden within this simple puzzle. Add to this special scoring objectives that will give you more points if you manage to complete them before anyone else, and Mind Space creates a really satisfying game play experience.</p>Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-48290690323498967522023-09-03T01:00:00.112-04:002023-09-03T01:00:00.141-04:00Fate & Fortune -- Recreating The Fate Deck -- Identifying Trump SuitsThe key element to the SAGA game system was its use of cards. Both iterations of the SAGA system, Dragon Lance: The Fifth Age, and The Marvel Super Heroes Adventure Game came with their own version of the Fate Deck. I'm going to talk about the Marvel version because it's the one that I own and am most familiar with.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnmtJXElaB32I7YraR4nysP20tryhKm3K9Trl7U7aJQZDPLgBWU52Q9503b3qgKGGy0-W-mPSUnzYTO_mq2DQJhier4YK_91k_9x7AF-neqrg3Mp1JXVYkJM4F6cY70gRb0aAcTmXKaR38y7OYBChYZQxhelzBoRLDhP0jSDAhsFJSkARnq0A2/s784/Fate%20Cards.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="784" data-original-width="559" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnmtJXElaB32I7YraR4nysP20tryhKm3K9Trl7U7aJQZDPLgBWU52Q9503b3qgKGGy0-W-mPSUnzYTO_mq2DQJhier4YK_91k_9x7AF-neqrg3Mp1JXVYkJM4F6cY70gRb0aAcTmXKaR38y7OYBChYZQxhelzBoRLDhP0jSDAhsFJSkARnq0A2/w285-h400/Fate%20Cards.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><br /><div>Marvel's Fate Deck is made up of five suits: Strength (Green), Agility (Red), Intelligence (Blue), Willpower (Purple) and Doom (Black). Notice that the suits (except for Doom) are actually character attributes. This is important because attributes relate to actions that you can take during the game.</div><div><br /></div><div>The suits also have an "icon" to represent them. So, the cards are color blind friendly. These "icons" are famous figures from the Marvel Universe that serve as an exemplar for the attribute in question. The icon of Strength (green) is the Hulk. For Agility (red) it's Spider-Man. For Intellect (blue) it's Mr. Fantastic. For comic fans, these associations are super intuitive and the deck works well.</div><div><br /></div><div>At first, I focused on transferring these same associations to standard card suits: spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs. (Justifying how the Spades suit and symbol are representative of Strength, and so on.) This works okay-ish, but I spent a lot of game text building these associations and they are never going to be as intuitive as they are for the custom deck.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, I changed my focus from the thematic to the mechanical and decided to forget trying to make these associations intuitive. I won't talk about them at all. I'll simply write the rules to capture these associations without asking the player to "interpret" anything.</div><div><br /></div><div>Mechanically, these associations provide a "trump" benefit. It works like this: if you are taking an action that uses your intelligence ability and the card that you play belongs to the intelligence suit, then the card played is trump. I needed my cards to do this, but without spending loads of time in the rules drilling into the players head that Spades means Strength.</div><div><br /></div><div>I wrote my trump rule like this, "If the Suit of a played card starts with the same first letter as the Ability for the action, then the card is Trump."</div><div><br /></div><div>The rule takes care of itself. There is no need to remember the associations between suit name, icon or color or try to invent clever ways to make these associations seem intuitive. I let the rule stand on its own as written, and the player just has to be able to spell. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now, all I have to do is use names for the four character abilities that start with one of the letters that start the four suits in a standard deck of cards: C, S, D, and H. I'll talk about the four character abilities that I chose next time.</div><div><br /></div><div>Regards,</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Jeff</div><div><br /></div>Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-39015841058753732742023-08-30T01:00:00.120-04:002023-08-30T01:00:00.139-04:00Kickstarting Board Games<p style="text-align: left;">Julie (I'm Julie's husband - for those not in the know.) and I got five new board games in the mail yesterday. This surprise delivery was the result of a Kickstarter that we backed featuring four new small box board games from a company called, <a href="https://www.allplay.com/board-games/">Allplay Games</a> (formerly Board Game Tables).</p><p style="text-align: left;">We already own a few games from this publisher, "Bites" about ants at a picnic trying to get the most food, and "On Tour" about musicians touring the country with their band trying to hit the most cities. These games have been a hit at our gaming table, and I think Julie in particular loves them both.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzN1v0mlBQfY-PE02g_KCDUPsmpFtRgHm-xaV9JdJP04qUuFra2iV-t3efSld_s1jtzIGlTCXgVM5TBvyjqYi43TpLdEtH2DrJM7Nk8LdZlvi5kfhbUBd_giF2isZLFq33mgKak5sAenor0UDNEUj52CwEtyz9Pou9ownKnVhtgYsBrjknNlej/s1440/FB_IMG_1693077579314.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzN1v0mlBQfY-PE02g_KCDUPsmpFtRgHm-xaV9JdJP04qUuFra2iV-t3efSld_s1jtzIGlTCXgVM5TBvyjqYi43TpLdEtH2DrJM7Nk8LdZlvi5kfhbUBd_giF2isZLFq33mgKak5sAenor0UDNEUj52CwEtyz9Pou9ownKnVhtgYsBrjknNlej/w300-h400/FB_IMG_1693077579314.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">So, we backed a Kickstarter featuring four new games by this publisher based on the quality and enjoyment that we have gotten from the previous games. Plus, the games all looked pretty good and being "small box" games, they weren't very expensive. We even added a fifth small box game to the mix because we were able to include it at a discounted price.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Kickstarter is an interesting phenomenon in the board game hobby. As a source for crowd funding, it allows consumers like us to support creators in the manufacture of products that we want. This is a good thing, because a creator can produce something that might otherwise be completely ignored by the population at large.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Mass market publishers like Hasbro publish board games. They focus on creating family games that will appeal to the largest portion of the population at large. The thing is, the population at large doesn't play board games. (At least, not yet. Julie and I keep doing our part to spread the love.)</p><p style="text-align: left;">Crowd funding allows small publishers to reach a small market by removing some of the risk placed on the publisher. In the world of crowd funded projects, the investor is also the consumer. This means that the publisher is receiving both operating capital and a customer base at the same time.</p><p style="text-align: left;">There is a problem with this. The risk while reduced for the publisher is not completely eliminated, and what remains is being placed firmly on the shoulders of the investor. The investor is you ... me, the consumer. We invest because we want the product. We purchase a product sight unseen, based on a promise. But, there are no guarantees. This is an investment, a gamble. It's not a preorder.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Julie and I have been burned by this in the past. One of our investments didn't pay off. The company producing a game that we Kickstarted went bankrupt and our investment was lost. A few games that we have backed, just weren't very good. One in particular that I can think of was an absolute stinker. This has proven to be the exception, not the rule for us, and there are ways to minimize the risk. Like going with companies that have a proven track record, as we did with Allplay.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The board gaming hobby has exploded over the last few years growing exponentially. Despite this, it's still very much a niche market. Crowd funding is still the best way to make sure that interesting quality games reach our table. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose, but investing in that risk helps this hobby evolve in new and exciting ways.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Allplay is a fairly new company. They started out making board game tables and only started making actual board games over the past few years. Julie and I like the idea of small box games that are affordable and easy to get to the table, like those offered in the Kickstarter. Yes! Let's support more of that. So, we backed, and we will back again and again to help our hobby grow.</p>Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-68958970576613862102023-08-20T05:00:00.027-04:002023-08-20T05:00:00.157-04:00Fate & Fortune<p>My newest project has a name. It's, "Fate & Fortune." My incredibly talented artist daughter, Kaylee has drawn a character (a dwarf) for me to feature on the cover. Today, we are moving Kaylee into her dorm at Central Michigan University for her first year of college. So, I thought it might be cool to share Fate & Fortune's cover to commemorate the day. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy99G78dDFO7S82wyggVymI5FV_JIV2RiTp8j9obJFgPan2w3MYPKrRa_q8BKcccuYNQ1FHPAtL7apVJWBbtueD8LKtfUWtK7KWjIHnXnIAS3sDtPKU9IWi6o6QbE10WYgq4pArXMaFttDlIoydr8proKmHxVCx7x3pxyxoef5bDBNfvM_FPba/s2550/F&F-Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1650" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy99G78dDFO7S82wyggVymI5FV_JIV2RiTp8j9obJFgPan2w3MYPKrRa_q8BKcccuYNQ1FHPAtL7apVJWBbtueD8LKtfUWtK7KWjIHnXnIAS3sDtPKU9IWi6o6QbE10WYgq4pArXMaFttDlIoydr8proKmHxVCx7x3pxyxoef5bDBNfvM_FPba/w259-h400/F&F-Cover.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><br /><p>Thanks, Kaylee! Enjoy college life! (I am going to miss you so much!)</p>Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-21360781913161087282023-08-16T09:48:00.002-04:002023-08-16T09:48:50.300-04:00Power Pack Team Ups<p>The next several Power Pack mini-series were Team-Up titles featuring Power Pack with other heavy hitters from the Marvel Universe.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96cS0BFHmujSvCkwiKnOJ3ZpnXR8vdUUe-8xsXr5bLDM9Pe6QLKiqCnN51oui01F7_gbLaG_BbQS1cQzO5kcynVQi1td2Ncl1rzGS94p8NlMJCsmGQ7B_j49-glsjPU6vBsXans3b_-E2wT5fXhKE9hOdMWgYnqngkbihq6FyKRiKiE94vxLW/s1988/middle-name.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="869" data-original-width="1988" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96cS0BFHmujSvCkwiKnOJ3ZpnXR8vdUUe-8xsXr5bLDM9Pe6QLKiqCnN51oui01F7_gbLaG_BbQS1cQzO5kcynVQi1td2Ncl1rzGS94p8NlMJCsmGQ7B_j49-glsjPU6vBsXans3b_-E2wT5fXhKE9hOdMWgYnqngkbihq6FyKRiKiE94vxLW/w400-h175/middle-name.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>They meet the X-Men, The Avengers and Spider-Man among others.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgZ0kjwExKaoJLB0GGsqu0TOsh60cWIaLIpFlZeTc5DoxzYGkqO0U2sATd9JYmr5gN75frutu_gGLMLcv6RLk-xvqwbNXC35SFWRjvwurO2FPuSKihJ3X-UwLCQxwDFiWpBtO1aYv3x3jfLGrg91sr0uId1AZcVOxZQAYTrQMczlc5BKl3Qg17/s1841/arrival.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1841" data-original-width="1359" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgZ0kjwExKaoJLB0GGsqu0TOsh60cWIaLIpFlZeTc5DoxzYGkqO0U2sATd9JYmr5gN75frutu_gGLMLcv6RLk-xvqwbNXC35SFWRjvwurO2FPuSKihJ3X-UwLCQxwDFiWpBtO1aYv3x3jfLGrg91sr0uId1AZcVOxZQAYTrQMczlc5BKl3Qg17/w295-h400/arrival.jpg" width="295" /></a></div><br /><p>The team-up books are a lot of fun. In the Avengers book Kang ends up projecting the Power Pack into an alternate future where they meet grown-up versions of themselves. It's really cool.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLbkYZcclUQfs9CXrx32MCFx6gBeu5RVgK1PEBAl1IbJc-a5oYI9Mfe6Kz_HwQIIsbp4qfzw4g7_m91t0O24foHKr6fiauhFQo-AXl1ijoTpTeVbOZRfjwOvCpwxlDE0Afov_qcBr8M_wQ-xs-j-5DxNSOqGfzuuhBBWhWBzEgQvyRY9jfnhH/s3056/future-pack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3056" data-original-width="1988" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLbkYZcclUQfs9CXrx32MCFx6gBeu5RVgK1PEBAl1IbJc-a5oYI9Mfe6Kz_HwQIIsbp4qfzw4g7_m91t0O24foHKr6fiauhFQo-AXl1ijoTpTeVbOZRfjwOvCpwxlDE0Afov_qcBr8M_wQ-xs-j-5DxNSOqGfzuuhBBWhWBzEgQvyRY9jfnhH/w260-h400/future-pack.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><br /><p>The books are action packed while still retaining their sense of humor and fun. (I love this exchange between Katie and Spider-Woman!)</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBjL1QnJzCf7Hxl-MME2_UgDVwF0QK9oWqq7I_vVcyqomqJz9NnqDFrh_GPdNf_-_sPguS07Sk_ygBqBnL0s3PpOq8r68PL1njJTwKqc7c81Dde6dbunMrGj2G9nT8iR_glXDZOKjtKPerIVpsmqjNGRGQw9GXKtyu6JHcXsMFTgm5g0RL_Xi1/s1988/spider-woman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="1988" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBjL1QnJzCf7Hxl-MME2_UgDVwF0QK9oWqq7I_vVcyqomqJz9NnqDFrh_GPdNf_-_sPguS07Sk_ygBqBnL0s3PpOq8r68PL1njJTwKqc7c81Dde6dbunMrGj2G9nT8iR_glXDZOKjtKPerIVpsmqjNGRGQw9GXKtyu6JHcXsMFTgm5g0RL_Xi1/w400-h158/spider-woman.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>And although these are "All Ages Books" that are meant to be family friendly, they don't talk down to their audience. There's some real content here, including genuine suspense and even terror. An example of this mix in storytelling is prevalent in the Spider-Man team-up book. In one arch Spider-Man is reduced in age to a child and becomes an honorary member of Power Pack.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFf1U_GOe_sgAHoqqTteB1tZVR3MOawwkV7TIokpW-q8yqCzYxeAC_YA5z88XkNep4dbb5PXWdNA3VMPgHFhXT5cLiRpAm_ls4I9JoPy57Aod-U-nXs2cx5Hf0S7i1dV7GAGGpNb-ndRgrCsEyPjlcByAHrfrkM9y_PUpaN7JXKpIt2q8WLc_F/s1845/spidey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1820" data-original-width="1845" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFf1U_GOe_sgAHoqqTteB1tZVR3MOawwkV7TIokpW-q8yqCzYxeAC_YA5z88XkNep4dbb5PXWdNA3VMPgHFhXT5cLiRpAm_ls4I9JoPy57Aod-U-nXs2cx5Hf0S7i1dV7GAGGpNb-ndRgrCsEyPjlcByAHrfrkM9y_PUpaN7JXKpIt2q8WLc_F/w400-h395/spidey.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>But in the next story, the venom symbiot possesses Katie's Power Pack costume. There is a scene where the symbiot takes control of Katie, consuming her while she is sleeping in the safety of her bed. Honestly, I think this is one of the most terrifying images that I have seen in a comic book.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIUKwS6TDnP6PApDwST1OnxiGNf7wlIhKwxS8mpjlW5mucYRc8i7TAOcVZD2RZG4wMVHqek1gyjWrhuW5s03qS_4prC2g5TdnDhihv-d2aWVFLougfRCjOW_5zpen5H2_mevCfqiJvZlaBg_se5WfYBR8HpYp-ohhwzWiwGSqX1FO7VAy_OUmm/s1845/venom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="1845" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIUKwS6TDnP6PApDwST1OnxiGNf7wlIhKwxS8mpjlW5mucYRc8i7TAOcVZD2RZG4wMVHqek1gyjWrhuW5s03qS_4prC2g5TdnDhihv-d2aWVFLougfRCjOW_5zpen5H2_mevCfqiJvZlaBg_se5WfYBR8HpYp-ohhwzWiwGSqX1FO7VAy_OUmm/w400-h201/venom.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Maybe it's the generally light nature of the books that makes this image seem so very harsh to me, but it really got me.</p><p>These Power Pack books are truly great. They have more to them than you might expect, and they have gotten me interested in exploring other Marvel Age titles.</p><p><br /></p>Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-30834407729503530432023-08-13T05:00:00.001-04:002023-08-14T08:59:32.858-04:00Work Continues And Evolves<p>I spent months working on Royal Treasures, then months working on Double Zero. RT was an attempt to make a solo board game campaign book in the mold of Rangers of Shadowdeep, but using my own version of the SAGA game system introduced by TSR in the mid 90's. DZ was an attempt to create an RPG zine that took Mike Pondsmith's very excellent and abandoned RPG system from the early 90's, Dream Park and make it compatible with the vast library of RPG materials currently being produced for the OSR, while also combining it with my own RPG design, Five By Five.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Y3ITMxF-8o8BOjszNYFuJgUJORVyKnHmdoEn5sr-5Vc7vS0ZLl-jLSvQDmPlBVzVElg0BFlr0wPLpY-oWRZYhQQdrVOh3dosXTIPlfusfyp2Wfr0TXmSxFANSo4rE34i2QdYA3ZX7eWptBDjiHe-TWUN3XujGTBa42eZyISCsSjVH0KTM1RI/s475/Marvel%20Super%20Heroes%20Adventure%20Game%20(1998).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="321" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Y3ITMxF-8o8BOjszNYFuJgUJORVyKnHmdoEn5sr-5Vc7vS0ZLl-jLSvQDmPlBVzVElg0BFlr0wPLpY-oWRZYhQQdrVOh3dosXTIPlfusfyp2Wfr0TXmSxFANSo4rE34i2QdYA3ZX7eWptBDjiHe-TWUN3XujGTBa42eZyISCsSjVH0KTM1RI/w270-h400/Marvel%20Super%20Heroes%20Adventure%20Game%20(1998).jpg" width="270" /></a></div><br /><p>Play testing Royal Treasures has left me a bit disheartened because I just can't get engaged in the experience. The truth is, I'm not a solo gamer. While I like the idea of a good solo dungeon crawl, I wouldn't know one if it hit me in the face, because I don't play them. I think the mechanisms of RT are strong, but I have no way of knowing what kind of results my play tests are producing, because I don't play solo games. I've never gotten into them before. I shouldn't be designing one.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhACdUbH6_qrOy5UnLqXnwYhe81OLFTkU9yFw_kF-63M8repCUaMttQ3X3ER-bhljjYPnjJAIQ2DYlehsRacXFW6SEmZxYfuhJTG6BVpxzeW7YgTJkOaehPicVrdcQiHvwtGMMPaZarbO1PWpyqsiSyBIGK7rFxllQen3RWlsy-tSChObRuChTP/s1200/Dream%20Park%20(1992).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="920" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhACdUbH6_qrOy5UnLqXnwYhe81OLFTkU9yFw_kF-63M8repCUaMttQ3X3ER-bhljjYPnjJAIQ2DYlehsRacXFW6SEmZxYfuhJTG6BVpxzeW7YgTJkOaehPicVrdcQiHvwtGMMPaZarbO1PWpyqsiSyBIGK7rFxllQen3RWlsy-tSChObRuChTP/w306-h400/Dream%20Park%20(1992).jpg" width="306" /></a></div><br /><p>Play testing DZ has me struggling to make the Five By Five game system function within the parameters that I've set for it and finding that the result is not intuitive. Five By Five worked because it was super rules light and free form. Making it into something else makes it not work. DZ is broken, which is a tragedy because I think its chock full of some really good ideas.</p><p>I find myself pivoting once again. Both Dream Park and SAGA (specifically the Marvel Super Heroes Adventure Game) are RPG favorites from my past. The work that I have done on both of these projects shouldn't go to waste. I am going to continue work on DZ, but I am dropping the Five By Five game mechanics and replacing them with my version of the SAGA system. In effect I am combining all my efforts of the last year into a new project.</p><p>I don't know if anyone reads this (or the reposts in my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/fivebyfiverpg" target="_blank">Facebook Group</a>), but I think it's important to maintain this blog (just for me.) So, I'll keep sharing progress here, and maybe talking about comics or board games too.</p><p>Regards,</p><p><br /></p><p>Jeff</p>Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37085152.post-40660606133536340282023-08-09T05:00:00.230-04:002023-08-09T07:50:44.462-04:00Power Pack (2005)<p>One of my favorite comic book runs from the last days of the bronze age of comics is Marvel Comics' Power Pack. Created by Louise Simonson and June Brigman in 1984, the comic featured a group of four young siblings, two brothers and two sisters. The kids obtained superpowers from a pony like alien called Whitey to fight an alien invasion of lizard men creatures called the Snarks.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip5tI0fbMCtTRU8DofPEweh_RWezElAJvdgnYMH779cRYtLBNBwH_26XZv5y0JoOG0FUtFSosCd-ngTSHW48HAcfZteIZJJFuMUEi0_qd0p5aamzHWeZ7TR21NClYeawtxGrgdbfNXNdzegfXi5cLYOOUGTfZ87F6as02u72pU1BizROg_dKBg/s3056/Power%20Pack%202005%20%231.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3056" data-original-width="1988" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip5tI0fbMCtTRU8DofPEweh_RWezElAJvdgnYMH779cRYtLBNBwH_26XZv5y0JoOG0FUtFSosCd-ngTSHW48HAcfZteIZJJFuMUEi0_qd0p5aamzHWeZ7TR21NClYeawtxGrgdbfNXNdzegfXi5cLYOOUGTfZ87F6as02u72pU1BizROg_dKBg/w260-h400/Power%20Pack%202005%20%231.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><br /><p>In 2005 Marvel relaunched Power Pack as part of their "All Ages" brand. I'm 58 years old. Yet, I am finding this comic book title labeled: All Ages (which usually translates as "for kids") one of the most enjoyable reads of the past 20 years.</p><p>This relaunch of Power Pack was published as a series of mini-series, and looking back now, it's pretty tough to figure out the reading order without a score card. I thought that I might enjoy reviewing each mini-series in order beginning with the first one: Power Pack (2005).</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhJzkoji24xLx_a-5DSFOYoWEhU4lo70hEIu8g0xEydOzzTYsYRXJMV0WwZnrjm8sqlVbNaTANM2I_71-GfnDMcBcSa3wac-H-Jw5H_B5vJRr9PEGPRnOD_P6XM6h9zJXqRBsYK-dFewAY91d1-iJKvxOQ2tFdZv1vc2v8x3HZawjN7BYNxtH/s1875/origin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="912" data-original-width="1875" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhJzkoji24xLx_a-5DSFOYoWEhU4lo70hEIu8g0xEydOzzTYsYRXJMV0WwZnrjm8sqlVbNaTANM2I_71-GfnDMcBcSa3wac-H-Jw5H_B5vJRr9PEGPRnOD_P6XM6h9zJXqRBsYK-dFewAY91d1-iJKvxOQ2tFdZv1vc2v8x3HZawjN7BYNxtH/w400-h195/origin.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>The book starts with a brief retelling of Power Pack's origin story. This is done in the form of a comic book written and draw by the youngest member of the team as a "What I did over my summer vacation." sort of report for her return to school.</p><p>The kids "freak out" at this, as they fear Katie's report will expose their secret identities endangering their friends and their parents. A conflict ensues and Katie ends up using her powers at the kids' home, revealing their location (and the secret of their identities) to their arch enemies the Snarks.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4f-EHL8rK3Ri_quTzRGlNK-JqsAq1lcYy66wYvxv2aI0m9FZdjjv6wi6peQMpJeHw7v7Zs_7utsskS4pTOvD1VQr3cfYFcb2osRHDukz9zutzIhnPdv9HU4D77uXQ95btqBAsID7jJr0oYycjo_n51LcbHyHilOHuMPo8cDtOErA8dFR6ZQzx/s2050/skratt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1110" data-original-width="2050" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4f-EHL8rK3Ri_quTzRGlNK-JqsAq1lcYy66wYvxv2aI0m9FZdjjv6wi6peQMpJeHw7v7Zs_7utsskS4pTOvD1VQr3cfYFcb2osRHDukz9zutzIhnPdv9HU4D77uXQ95btqBAsID7jJr0oYycjo_n51LcbHyHilOHuMPo8cDtOErA8dFR6ZQzx/w400-h216/skratt.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>A Snark scout by the name of Skratt ends up attacking the Power Pack at their home but is repelled. (He will be back.) Katie ultimately decides not to endanger the teams secret with her school report and everything wraps up nicely by the end of the issue. While the four issue mini-series is connected, each issue is episodic and self contained. (Something that I really like and appreciate -- much like Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.)</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnp48QukUBYqS35cjrIMThFdxSjG9Gybi5j08bYkVlFqQk9Voe3vcPH1bwsOobLVdPOVo6uw4g42tC0gS1VYDoeEmSSXWWXU4JDrAQOYtt5xFdvqQOvJ6MsJ84xllm-M7Cjx4RtZrC16bU-qFbIC0gKWTwH9vOTUjgx1MfDUXmy55lZ1m7ScDi/s1093/katie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1093" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnp48QukUBYqS35cjrIMThFdxSjG9Gybi5j08bYkVlFqQk9Voe3vcPH1bwsOobLVdPOVo6uw4g42tC0gS1VYDoeEmSSXWWXU4JDrAQOYtt5xFdvqQOvJ6MsJ84xllm-M7Cjx4RtZrC16bU-qFbIC0gKWTwH9vOTUjgx1MfDUXmy55lZ1m7ScDi/w400-h330/katie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Each issue of the four issue mini-series focuses on one of the kids. This first issue is Katie's issue. I love Katie, she is absolutely adorable and fun. The whole premise and presentation of Power Pack is fun! That's what I love about this series. It's what I love about comic books. I realize that comic books have proven themselves capable of so much more as literature, but when it comes down to it, I'm here for the fun.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbygsXqEkcMr-OM4MkOkUmvLG8-A_uE3c9tMlQf_Em0dawW1nTX4i-BmRQiPA1vtc7R-smtcODP9DXPTMEwmyWCtjMC9nTR_XQZ9uklm6fSoPSHVXFSOHDHqRx82P9Cf9mj6Z90dCRBkLNYFbGrUVFsCKKRxopT2ZND-KnaHR43Gf8dtCE302/s3056/Power%20Pack%20(2005)%20%232.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3056" data-original-width="1988" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbygsXqEkcMr-OM4MkOkUmvLG8-A_uE3c9tMlQf_Em0dawW1nTX4i-BmRQiPA1vtc7R-smtcODP9DXPTMEwmyWCtjMC9nTR_XQZ9uklm6fSoPSHVXFSOHDHqRx82P9Cf9mj6Z90dCRBkLNYFbGrUVFsCKKRxopT2ZND-KnaHR43Gf8dtCE302/w260-h400/Power%20Pack%20(2005)%20%232.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Issue 2 features big brother Alex, the oldest member of the team. While the youngest siblings, Katie and Jack tend to fight, the two older kids, Alex and Julie get along well. Julie even proves what an awesome friend she can be by introducing her brother to a friend that he has a crush on. (I can testify that all "Julie's" are cool.)</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDxY3sZa3knyTqRIeNA7CyvObllZ_da_TyMKmjtRhU-yMC9XQcjm8XRgsBGsgOj1XIF3OLOnF3Bi0TjptuSUqJBj1jd9R1YUbD43fVBKfH8Z1hg3az5NZdW5uxRQd_KXMoXuHLDRrv6YEX9KcS-o1KW9vXzWlz5hUQ9TB9wmqDlZ4oC7JL_pva/s1800/Best%20Sister.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1021" data-original-width="1800" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDxY3sZa3knyTqRIeNA7CyvObllZ_da_TyMKmjtRhU-yMC9XQcjm8XRgsBGsgOj1XIF3OLOnF3Bi0TjptuSUqJBj1jd9R1YUbD43fVBKfH8Z1hg3az5NZdW5uxRQd_KXMoXuHLDRrv6YEX9KcS-o1KW9vXzWlz5hUQ9TB9wmqDlZ4oC7JL_pva/w400-h228/Best%20Sister.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Alex has a date, but as luck would have it, it's on the same night that mom and dad are going out for their anniversary dinner, and Alex, being the oldest, has to babysit. Alex is afraid that rescheduling their first date would set a bad precedent, but younger sister Julie comes to the rescue again offering to cover for her brother so that he can go out.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_YO86WVdz1_8fvJA-N0qehwdjhoNPZd9LrJ_k8MfGtdSGH1GPal-6ox-w0X1QQLE368CCFXXACpUKMQiBUFupWdbYKYG6BvDmC9OwfrFEa_171fpH34diQxk20YRkO3DaE-2BtIR_9xSGbZdjFXP4VIuQIRcx-QsNghoP9TQcjR6s40_DlIbh/s1988/Squid.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1519" data-original-width="1988" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_YO86WVdz1_8fvJA-N0qehwdjhoNPZd9LrJ_k8MfGtdSGH1GPal-6ox-w0X1QQLE368CCFXXACpUKMQiBUFupWdbYKYG6BvDmC9OwfrFEa_171fpH34diQxk20YRkO3DaE-2BtIR_9xSGbZdjFXP4VIuQIRcx-QsNghoP9TQcjR6s40_DlIbh/w400-h306/Squid.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Of course, things go wrong. Jack and Katie sneak off and mess with Dad's inter-dimensional portal that he's been building in the basement. (Dad is a scientist, after all.) The kids end up summoning a giant squid monster as one does, and Alex has to rush home, cutting his date short.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkAqVTyC4z1UOdSl-19DyRVZQVQQuowNi-S1JOiEvzchz_w_S3mzg_RstNawlnUncINKczCrIW3sz966Bc8nV_DC-FoXLLUp1Fa3R9KPUeFx7rVCKk9N4Z2rtDixcE1nKkrePqoYDKVYlW3HSKaj4-saMdee9pcXZA5jtLaNEkKhvIWjrjYj54/s1881/Caitlin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1259" data-original-width="1881" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkAqVTyC4z1UOdSl-19DyRVZQVQQuowNi-S1JOiEvzchz_w_S3mzg_RstNawlnUncINKczCrIW3sz966Bc8nV_DC-FoXLLUp1Fa3R9KPUeFx7rVCKk9N4Z2rtDixcE1nKkrePqoYDKVYlW3HSKaj4-saMdee9pcXZA5jtLaNEkKhvIWjrjYj54/w400-h268/Caitlin.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>At home Alex helps clear up the squid menace, and later his date Caitlin proves just how cool she is (and what an awesome judge of character Julie is) when she reschedules their date. She understands the responsibilities of an older sibling, having two little brothers of her own. Alex's love life is saved.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiru3qmjo-B9hU15-jhArxG3htbSbp7tYRMjxBLLY6Kocn8nL_khdpNa1XSygUDt59Vm7rEK9Do3f-RcHRMkJS0-foiWm_CD7GyV1iB5qIzxJIqjR7VKl3IXncH1V4uAlLyZE-Lsfkt3D4LW0Uy-FL7j-jsJ0ow51sAjMxM4k4B5iAZK0O1O6yX/s3056/Power%20Pack%20(2005)%20%233.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3056" data-original-width="1988" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiru3qmjo-B9hU15-jhArxG3htbSbp7tYRMjxBLLY6Kocn8nL_khdpNa1XSygUDt59Vm7rEK9Do3f-RcHRMkJS0-foiWm_CD7GyV1iB5qIzxJIqjR7VKl3IXncH1V4uAlLyZE-Lsfkt3D4LW0Uy-FL7j-jsJ0ow51sAjMxM4k4B5iAZK0O1O6yX/w260-h400/Power%20Pack%20(2005)%20%233.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><br /><p>Issue #3 is Jack's issue. The Powers are on a family camping trip. On their way to the camp ground they not only see a mysterious (and very out of place) medieval castle, they also fight a Doombot while getting groceries for their cookout.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fs9wFVXyHCn8jMkrbHWPf0NS7oXQmGa3ceJ3b3ZMDOpWI65N-o3MbCSwAhej0Rq_XKVzwO5GkoJ--pHpJAumZCmVE4BA4fygjWxWx9KQfXg4CYRleZnXjeEH6hD0zk-AbK-ujQQzBJRyQGf43DLtCyqZQ9lLdA36udq3Z7biNCztG6USqpRl/s1889/castle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1226" data-original-width="1889" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fs9wFVXyHCn8jMkrbHWPf0NS7oXQmGa3ceJ3b3ZMDOpWI65N-o3MbCSwAhej0Rq_XKVzwO5GkoJ--pHpJAumZCmVE4BA4fygjWxWx9KQfXg4CYRleZnXjeEH6hD0zk-AbK-ujQQzBJRyQGf43DLtCyqZQ9lLdA36udq3Z7biNCztG6USqpRl/w400-h260/castle.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>This one's pretty much an all action issue, which is appropriate for a Jack issue. That night, Jack runs off to investigate the castle and ends up getting captured by Dr. Doom himself, but he's not the only one. Johnny Storm, the Human Torch is also Doom's Prisoner. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUm2JakHneApN4ym9bDf6Gss3k01VFG9i87RLyId045LqxkXT-Uoltdw4CSgYVoCFMcGMV58SYntPMrYcIF9NApROwTfeOlr4QRMjQlPcrqurZGeaLzHRDoWhI2m6ROsx-mSNmpQmO-YSl2rJPzMYeN3DTR9WMJgfotmPHKMTewL1Hw5qgtRq8/s1782/Duh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="1782" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUm2JakHneApN4ym9bDf6Gss3k01VFG9i87RLyId045LqxkXT-Uoltdw4CSgYVoCFMcGMV58SYntPMrYcIF9NApROwTfeOlr4QRMjQlPcrqurZGeaLzHRDoWhI2m6ROsx-mSNmpQmO-YSl2rJPzMYeN3DTR9WMJgfotmPHKMTewL1Hw5qgtRq8/w400-h161/Duh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>The rest of the Power Pack discover Jack missing and quickly deduce where he has gone. Their rescue attempt might have gone wrong if not for the timely intervention of the Fantastic Four (there to rescue Johnny.) Together, Power Pack and the Fantastic Four manage to save their respective family members.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKArvF60LlJCAGs3y3Aarcl8YDHzezaYdj21LXf9WQX-WUseIqfGDncZfaiBAZ2IOb1hTvWqAQo942g7D5CEVpbEwsvOZusg5Et0lwspjtYzPBC9d6LChLl0hjpI2zh8bpX-RcRI4z3XzWG6q9ik6NnXnptslFojXCtLNQhIed9TMYBYzrtS4/s1347/two%20of%20a%20kind.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1061" data-original-width="1347" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKArvF60LlJCAGs3y3Aarcl8YDHzezaYdj21LXf9WQX-WUseIqfGDncZfaiBAZ2IOb1hTvWqAQo942g7D5CEVpbEwsvOZusg5Et0lwspjtYzPBC9d6LChLl0hjpI2zh8bpX-RcRI4z3XzWG6q9ik6NnXnptslFojXCtLNQhIed9TMYBYzrtS4/w400-h315/two%20of%20a%20kind.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>In the end, both Jack and Johnny learn a lesson about running off without your teammates, and the Powers family ends up having their cookout with the Fantastic Four. Cool!</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhumHoIEqlhLPp_fq0ObRNs3cVhAtuD1eGZYgGA0UURjQhPq9hfEgHg9Inh0mJ-hyFuaHc02jX7LSHxcwUez1ojQpq4rv-s8hmlSJ3FRm2GqxGxueVMWhYwzh9caWijD-JlPF9CL8JfF6ph8ivZzDd4HBjyzaRAL947wnNlzt2fvKIOwDj9vTOt/s3056/Power%20Pack%20(2005)%20%234.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3056" data-original-width="1988" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhumHoIEqlhLPp_fq0ObRNs3cVhAtuD1eGZYgGA0UURjQhPq9hfEgHg9Inh0mJ-hyFuaHc02jX7LSHxcwUez1ojQpq4rv-s8hmlSJ3FRm2GqxGxueVMWhYwzh9caWijD-JlPF9CL8JfF6ph8ivZzDd4HBjyzaRAL947wnNlzt2fvKIOwDj9vTOt/w260-h400/Power%20Pack%20(2005)%20%234.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><br /><p>The fourth and final issue of the inaugural all ages Power Pack mini-series features Julie (my favorite character.) Julie is fed up with playing second fiddle to Alex and with all the fighting between her younger siblings. She is considering leaving the Power Pack. </p><p>This decision is pushed to the breaking point when Jack sneaks a peek at her diary and reveals her plans to Alex. Later at the mall, the group is called to action by a news report, but Julie opts to stay behind with her friends. She isn't in Power Pack anymore!</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWjMOqnkwLFil1rt_VgDEN9hsWgjSVqsiOe9yDj3DOW4Vhzl-ferd_QNWPpwNZqU6SOzmEXB74Te_kcf-XG6DY_XGgJLdaJ8paFS6MtzlB5u9Y3j6xzR2qUXHBsVzAqM1cHpzgoy16N7EuXnEe72lVbNlEy-MFrjTThq2HBpNSbBtF-_YVkq2j/s868/diary.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="834" data-original-width="868" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWjMOqnkwLFil1rt_VgDEN9hsWgjSVqsiOe9yDj3DOW4Vhzl-ferd_QNWPpwNZqU6SOzmEXB74Te_kcf-XG6DY_XGgJLdaJ8paFS6MtzlB5u9Y3j6xzR2qUXHBsVzAqM1cHpzgoy16N7EuXnEe72lVbNlEy-MFrjTThq2HBpNSbBtF-_YVkq2j/w400-h384/diary.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>The threat that the others go to investigate turns out to be a trap set by the Snark, Skratt (remember him?) and Julie's three siblings are captured. Skratt has plans to kill the kids to further his own glory (kinda dark) but wants the full set of four. So, he takes his prisoners back to their home, knowing that Julie will return there eventually.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWRwDqKYMQxFgglD-8Yq6kxrjzkqESIFhzPK7RuaF6RiFCJcmirUceC6kowr35vvbKxfvk4clviHXjxezB4u_FH8Sd5IJDpI9ILVhi4h6aRU9Mpa8PKkKRSxZ8zFUiRTkmkYJzjxtWWtcOYBnBCazqeWyl_cLrvWdkJqAMPvXZC1hIbVWxm7-V/s1831/news.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1092" data-original-width="1831" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWRwDqKYMQxFgglD-8Yq6kxrjzkqESIFhzPK7RuaF6RiFCJcmirUceC6kowr35vvbKxfvk4clviHXjxezB4u_FH8Sd5IJDpI9ILVhi4h6aRU9Mpa8PKkKRSxZ8zFUiRTkmkYJzjxtWWtcOYBnBCazqeWyl_cLrvWdkJqAMPvXZC1hIbVWxm7-V/w400-h239/news.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Julie hears about the capture of Power Pack on the news and realizes that although they might have their ups and downs, the Power Pack is her family and she has to save them. At the house, Julie sneaks in through a window. (Skratt didn't see that coming!) and manages to free the others.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_y3oIPG0nwzqrf1gECM8ix0jRrKfvOqqxM1Tfd1chilBWo0Ikq6q10-RRbhL1L1KUGZwJ9CnJvdf52HSBY4xIN6HrGlLbVWqGsP1R2gnmGNQPUwYx7nQw9dGVaNzlQgg6jFjIok2Ua5VxZjmhwYqSncV4oD1MR-7lL-L69s-ch2MCY-w3Q_o2/s1594/window.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1594" data-original-width="1348" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_y3oIPG0nwzqrf1gECM8ix0jRrKfvOqqxM1Tfd1chilBWo0Ikq6q10-RRbhL1L1KUGZwJ9CnJvdf52HSBY4xIN6HrGlLbVWqGsP1R2gnmGNQPUwYx7nQw9dGVaNzlQgg6jFjIok2Ua5VxZjmhwYqSncV4oD1MR-7lL-L69s-ch2MCY-w3Q_o2/w339-h400/window.jpg" width="339" /></a></div><br /><p>Julie then tricks Skratt into chasing her into the basement where they use dad's inter-dimensional portal thingy (Remember Alex's issue?) to feed Skratt to the giant Squid (kinda dark.) Ultimately, all is right with the world and Julie is back with her team. She didn't really want to leave, but sometime when brothers read your diary, it makes you mad.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCGltvuj2AWKjM7OHsz0N0TmwNTmszx6iCForKcbMhtGKq8aRKfhNjFYNiIkhkPpvu_FgviCClxQfaL5A7jYm8biUYD8DIFHsWWqkos1_vFr7QERCfjMNcONaeGP1Y5nApQE9AJlhLH0SP3742qmhGBxr5vlxjOWlVDEpErm5Wo-oTA8E_09E/s1438/help.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1438" data-original-width="596" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCGltvuj2AWKjM7OHsz0N0TmwNTmszx6iCForKcbMhtGKq8aRKfhNjFYNiIkhkPpvu_FgviCClxQfaL5A7jYm8biUYD8DIFHsWWqkos1_vFr7QERCfjMNcONaeGP1Y5nApQE9AJlhLH0SP3742qmhGBxr5vlxjOWlVDEpErm5Wo-oTA8E_09E/w166-h400/help.jpg" width="166" /></a></div><br /><p>That's all four issues of Power Pack (2005) in a nutshell. The issues also included little back-up shorts, which were an obvious rip off of Calvin and Hobbs, featuring Franklin Richards and Herbie the Robot. I didn't really think they were all that funny, and they don't appear in any of the mini-series that follow.</p>Jeff W. Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172275785507310262noreply@blogger.com0