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Anyone running any online games?


Ragnarok

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Re: Anyone running any online games?

 

Give me some examples. I am getting ready for a fantasy game soon, but I don't know if my style is compatible. And also, I would need to know days and times you would be available.

 

For the record, I am shooting for Thursday evenings 6PM -10PM Pacific Time. I could adjust an hour either way depending on the group. I use MapTool (current version is 1.3b63) which requires a Java installation.

 

And just to be clear, right now I am in the planning stage. I ran off sort of half-cocked on my last campaign and there were some long-term (about two years into the campaign) repercussions that I had not foreseen. I want to do it better this time.

 

So fill me in. Dark is something I tend to do pretty well. Not sure what you mean by "low" in this instance.

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Re: Anyone running any online games?

 

By low I mean...

 

 

  • Low CP total. A skilled soldier or town guard would be a significant threat to me. Players need to work together as a tight knit, well oiled machine rather than a group of powerful individuals who happen to be fighting the same people.
  • Very limited magic use. Not really interested in libraries filled with magic scrolls or magical flying ships. Magic is the rare exception, not the rule, and therefore is a significant and memorable encounter.
  • Not a lot of fantastical playable races. I'm tired of half-celestial bugbears and fiendish centaurs running around.

 

In short, a grim and fairly realistic fantasy world with the PCs working actively to improve a dire situation. Magic and fantastical monsters should be the spice, not the bread and butter.

 

Ideally, I would prefer shifting it an hour backward (5:00 PM PT) because I'll be in Ohio, but I'm pretty sure I can be flexible.

 

If you would like any campaign ideas, I have a few mulling about. Scary, dangerous elves as monsters being one of them.

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Re: Anyone running any online games?

 

Hmmmn. We may be on to something. I need to wrap up something here today and then I will start putting things together. Just a bit of forewarning, I do like magic. I don't think it should be too overpowering, but it will be present and fairly balanced against non-magic. But in other respects, I think our concepts are similar enough that we might be able to try something out. I will be posting a notice to the Player Finder forum sometime this week.

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Re: Anyone running any online games?

 

Pacific' date=' which would be 7-11pm Central. I would love to start earlier but Thursday is my chore day and I just know I would not be able to do much before 5pm Pacific.[/quote']

 

No. 7-11 would be a lot better for me. I couldn't guarantee being home by 5. So, please count me in.

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Re: Anyone running any online games?

 

Four is my happy number for MapTool, BUT I have run with five and been successful at it. And, I've noticed that during the first couple of weeks we learn if styles are compatible. There tends to be a little bit of flux in the roster until things settle in. Let's do it.

 

That is the lat position I can take though. I know my limitation and anything over five, I start neglecting one or more players. Just too hard to keep up, especially if I have one or two very active and aggressive players. With five or less, I can sort of "afford" the attention span.

 

Funny that this is the second time I found myself volunteering to run a game and never needed the Player Finder forum.

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Re: Anyone running any online games?

 

Okay. Now comes the nitty gritty part. I was going to create a Group, but the 1,000 character limitation for posts would probably make that problematic at best. I think that another thread with the title of the campaign would serve us better. So now, we just have to learn what our title is. Took me about 6-10 sessions before the Gemini Ascendant campaign became the Gemini Ascendant campaign.

 

Here is the setting I am imagining. It makes reference to a lot of role-playing pop culture, so if you don't know it intimately, I will have links posted to various wikis. So here we go....

 

(unnamed 6E Fantasy Campaign)

Recruiting Status: Closed

Start Date: Thursday, March 11, 2010. Game days will always be Thursdays unless the group elects to change them at a later date.

Game Time: 5 PM - 9 PM Pacific Time. Hours will adjust for Daylight Savings Time transitions.

 

Character Creation Guidelines

Base Points: 175

Matching Complications: 25

 

Starting Campaign Power Levels

CHAR Range: 8-15

Speed: 2-3

CV: 2-6

DC: 2-9

Def/rDef: 4-8/2-4

Active Points: 10-45

Skill Points: 10-50

Skill Roll: 8-/13-

 

Special: All of the base Characteristics start out at 5 and must be bought up from there. Presence will have a much higher utility in the game, so the cost has been increased to 2 points per increment. Characteristics and Skill rolls have a base roll of 8 + CHAR /4. This gives a little more range of rolls.

 

Magic: Magic is what defines fantasy from historical fiction so it is part of this campaign. I will have a write-up that deals with magic specifically, but here is a basic. Rundown;

  • Combat Spells are built along the same lines as weapons. They have a max DC per the campaign guidelines, just like weapons. They use PRE to increase damage in the same way that STR increases the damage for melee weapons.
  • Incremental non-combat Spells also use PRE to increase effect.
  • All spells have a PRE minima.
  • All spells cost END to use.
  • Casting and maintaining more than one spell at a time is difficult (-2 per each additional spell) and exhausting (+1x END Cost per additional spell).
  • Spontaneous Magic: All Magi have a VPP with a Pool of 1 and a Control of 10. PRE can increase these as well, but must be split between them.
  • Magic is ruled by symbolism, location, and other external factors. These external factors may help or hinder the Magus in his spell casting efforts.
  • Spells are reviewed and approved on a case by case basis. The two biggest considerations are a) relative power level and B) flavor in regards to the campaign. The second one is more than a little arbitrary.

Setting

Inspirations: Ars Magica, Colonial America, Lovecraft, Ravenloft, 7th Sea, Dresden Files, Treasure Island, Pirates of the Caribbean (though probably not as magicked up)

 

Actual Setting:

I am torn between making this a fantastic actual Colonial America or doing a 7th Sea-like take on the colonies. I deliberately chose something with a historical basis so as to not have to scramble to come up with an in depth fantasy world. I'll take opinions on the world setting itself.

Just remember that Colonial America (or a fictional counterpart) extends all the way down to the Caribbean so you can have a pretty vast area to roam in and different sub-settings. Not to mention that there are whole other continents out there as well.

Coming up with a fictional New World should be relatively easy. I can use the 7th Sea materials for "Europe" and then go from there.

 

Feedback?

As we are still in the planning stages of this campaign, let me know what you think. I'm going to shut up now and wait for your input.

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Re: Anyone running any online games?

 

Very intriguing setting! I've always wanted to play in a pseudo-Caribbean/Atlantic seaboard locale. Also happens to fit me pretty well, because the character concept I'm kicking around right now is sea-based. Sort of like a marine.

 

On that note, are there any major wars going on, uneasy peace, exploration, etc?

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Re: Anyone running any online games?

 

D'oh! Forgot to post some files. Attached are the HDT and HDR files for HERO Designer.

 

EDIT:

Updated HERO Designer Template (HDT) file.

 

Changelog;

3/1/10

* Added Languages back into the HDT file.

2/28/10

* Moved the Staff Weapon Proficiency from Weaponsmith into Weapon Proficiency.

 

2/27/10

* Restored Demolitions, Forensic Medicine, and Transport Familiarity to the Skills Section.

* Added Staff as a Weapon Proficiency (Familiarity).

* Defined or refined the Perks for Colonial Government officials, Lordship, and Ship rank.

* Refined the Starting Money Perk to reflect the Equipment Price List (not yet posted).

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Re: Anyone running any online games?

 

How has the presence of Magic affected technology typical to the 'historical' era?
Not in the overt sense. Magic tends to be a temporary phenomena for the most part. There are places where magic tends to be more powerful, but it is rare for magic to be captured within items. And for the average person, magic is not often seen.

I suppose the question most directly involves the development and commonality of firearms.
Firearms development has not been impacted by the presence of magic.

How would a typical Military man be armed?
My Google-Fu is failing me, but equipment is about what you'd expect for the time frame and military involved. May be I should load in the Patriot to get a Hollywood accounting. :)

How about a Frontiersman/Explorer?
I would suppose that would depend on his personal funds, external funds from somewhere (probably a trading company of some kind), and what is available.
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Re: Anyone running any online games?

 

So' date=' this is more of a historical world with fantasy elements, rather than a fantasy world with guns? i.e. similar styles of clothing?[/quote']I would say that it is more of a historically based world. Are you familiar with 7th Sea at all? Basically, while maintaining a purely fictional setting, every one of the major nations is based on a real world equivalent. For instance, Avalon is based on England and Castille on Spain.

 

I am shooting for something similar.

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