Tuesday, 8 March 2016
Monday, 7 March 2016
Jurisdiction
Among other side effects of being ill this weekend, spending all Saturday sitting meant I watched five back-to-back episodes of NCIS New Orleans. I wasn’t really in the mood, so here I am picking holes in it.
Two of them had NCIS brought in on mysteries involving family members of Navy staff, which seem a stretch of their jurisdiction.
A wider remit than a single city’s office of the Navy’s detectives would probably make this handwaving less regularly necessary.
Jurisdiction is one of those tricky real-world things that can impact investigative series and games, so often gets skipped over or dodged around. PCs who aren’t out for themselves are often members of covert or not-strictly-existing agencies, or ones that can roll over jurisdictions like superhero ACRONYM Agents.
It gets more vague the further away from the present, so I would say the era I’ve seen most interest in playing regular law enforcement is the Wild West, and the most PCs I have seen carry badges have been with Starfleet.
For modern police types, I’d work out how much the game and group in question worries about this kind of thing. A specific remit including jurisdiction can probably be summarised in a shorter post than this if necessary.
Coming up with local and neighbouring representatives of various services and agencies can add to the campaign, as well. Friends, rivals, friendly rivals, outright enemies... I admit that I tend to throw a lot of NPCs into a game.
(Another of these five episodes had the team as the target of a bombing attack, which really seems like a case they should not work on themselves. Most law agencies have rules about that kind of thing, which in this case wasn’t even mentioned by a superior officer yelling “you’re off the case!” and being ignored, as is traditional in such situations. So I’d say this show is not really worried about this kind of thing.)
Two of them had NCIS brought in on mysteries involving family members of Navy staff, which seem a stretch of their jurisdiction.
A wider remit than a single city’s office of the Navy’s detectives would probably make this handwaving less regularly necessary.
Jurisdiction is one of those tricky real-world things that can impact investigative series and games, so often gets skipped over or dodged around. PCs who aren’t out for themselves are often members of covert or not-strictly-existing agencies, or ones that can roll over jurisdictions like superhero ACRONYM Agents.
It gets more vague the further away from the present, so I would say the era I’ve seen most interest in playing regular law enforcement is the Wild West, and the most PCs I have seen carry badges have been with Starfleet.
For modern police types, I’d work out how much the game and group in question worries about this kind of thing. A specific remit including jurisdiction can probably be summarised in a shorter post than this if necessary.
Coming up with local and neighbouring representatives of various services and agencies can add to the campaign, as well. Friends, rivals, friendly rivals, outright enemies... I admit that I tend to throw a lot of NPCs into a game.
(Another of these five episodes had the team as the target of a bombing attack, which really seems like a case they should not work on themselves. Most law agencies have rules about that kind of thing, which in this case wasn’t even mentioned by a superior officer yelling “you’re off the case!” and being ignored, as is traditional in such situations. So I’d say this show is not really worried about this kind of thing.)
Citadel Star Wars? Nearly...
Something I discovered today quite by accident: Citadel Miniatures took a pass on the Star Wars licence in the 80s, after producing one example figure in their then house style, a Stormtrooper. It looks to me to be at the extreme end of their style, maybe to make a point? Since this would be around the time they started with their own wargame set among the stars I can understand their not being interested.
(Not so sure with the provenance of the Perry Twins version also shown here. A run of Citadel big-25mm-not-yet-28mm miniatures in the more realistic style of the Perrys could have been fantastic...)
(Not so sure with the provenance of the Perry Twins version also shown here. A run of Citadel big-25mm-not-yet-28mm miniatures in the more realistic style of the Perrys could have been fantastic...)
I am now less sick.
I think I’m okay.
Not feeling like going out or anything crazy like that, but.
Always nice to be reminded of how easily an easily overlooked error or a crazy random happenstance can completely screw up a lot of work.
Not feeling like going out or anything crazy like that, but.
Always nice to be reminded of how easily an easily overlooked error or a crazy random happenstance can completely screw up a lot of work.
Sunday, 6 March 2016
Swords Of The South: Estalia for WFRP 2
Swords Of The South, the Estalia fan sourcebook for WFRP 2nd edition, is now online after seven years’ work, steered home by Steve D. I had a hand in the setting chapter, and am thus responsible for some of the worst puns because this is a glorious Warhammer tradition which must be maintained. See if you can spot the blatant TWH and Black Lion in-jokes. Also features the almost-legendary random moustache table.
Saturday, 5 March 2016
I am sick
Possibly food poisoning, possibly the Winter Vomiting Virus. I do not recommend it.
Not sure how I got it. Being sick always makes me think of random cold and flu tables, which is a level of verisimilitude nobody really wants...
Not sure how I got it. Being sick always makes me think of random cold and flu tables, which is a level of verisimilitude nobody really wants...
Friday, 4 March 2016
The Neptune Foundation
My next Trinity preview, the Neptune Foundation are lovely people. Buy a wristband. (n.b. Wristbands not currently available in this universe.)
Thursday, 3 March 2016
WHO YOU GONNA CALL
Ghostbusters!
Plot sounds like it should work. Liking the blue underlit ghosts. Love the “Let’s go!” moment.
Also, hidden website found via whiteboard.
Plot sounds like it should work. Liking the blue underlit ghosts. Love the “Let’s go!” moment.
Also, hidden website found via whiteboard.
Wednesday, 2 March 2016
The Black 22s
A new show from, among others, John Rogers and Kung Fu Monkey, David Oyelowo, and National Geographic, The Black 22s is “the true story of a brilliant African-American detective and one of America’s first all-black police squads in St. Louis, Missouri. Battling the gangland killers of Prohibition and set up to fail by their own bosses...” Will watch.
How to write Star Wars the WEG way
Lucasfilm Story Group Creative Executive Pablo Hidalgo has shared some choice sections from the Star Wars RPG Style Guide, August 1994.
“It is a universe of neat gadgets, cool aliens, mystery and a hint of magic...”
“It is a universe of neat gadgets, cool aliens, mystery and a hint of magic...”
Obviously some of these things have happened since... The guide was for freelancers to stop them all proposing the same ideas repeatedly.
Tuesday, 1 March 2016
Happy 75th Anniversary, Captain America!
Captain America set the bar for the patriotic superhero, he exemplifies the good in the genre, and the nation. A pulp hero in a supers world, an everyman despite having all those maxed-out stats.
Politics: freaky
On Super Tuesday, an article from the Smithsonian about ten items of election memorabilia in their collection, featuring the origin of the elephant and donkey mascots, torchlight processions and a Clinton cheesehead hat. Ever had an election get so... odd in your games?
Monday, 29 February 2016
February 29th
February has twenty-nine days. Leonardo DiCaprio won Best Actor. NOTHING IS REAL.
Last time a February 29th happened, I reported two series that BBC America planned to make and planned to create a geokinetic gorilla superhero. Still waiting on all of those. The unmade Stephen Volk show sounds a whole lot like Humans, though.
Last time a February 29th happened, I reported two series that BBC America planned to make and planned to create a geokinetic gorilla superhero. Still waiting on all of those. The unmade Stephen Volk show sounds a whole lot like Humans, though.
Sunday, 28 February 2016
Rivals, not (quite) enemies
I’ve mentioned this before, specific to NPC adventuring parties, but any group of PCs could have rivals, who can be full-on enemies in a setting where settling feuds with a fight to the death isn’t generally an option.
Band Vs Band reminded me of this (thanks to Rose for the link) centring on a group of upbeat indie pop kids and another group of downbeat indie rock kids. Misfits, you might call the latter group...
Harry Potter and his crew may confront Voldemort and the Death Eaters on a few dramatic occasions, but they tangle with Draco Malfoy and gang frequently, often over petty things, so when they get pulled into the real drama it stands out and often changes their ongoing relations.
Band Vs Band reminded me of this (thanks to Rose for the link) centring on a group of upbeat indie pop kids and another group of downbeat indie rock kids. Misfits, you might call the latter group...
Harry Potter and his crew may confront Voldemort and the Death Eaters on a few dramatic occasions, but they tangle with Draco Malfoy and gang frequently, often over petty things, so when they get pulled into the real drama it stands out and often changes their ongoing relations.
Propulsion 2016
Propulsion 2016 should be about done by now. I’m home already. Fuller report to come from a longer-term survivor participant.
Saturday, 27 February 2016
A cross-section of gaming
Currently at Propulsion, and the games at this time are D&D 1, D&D 5 and The Shab-Al-Hiri Roach...
Friday, 26 February 2016
The game in your back pocket
Heading to Propulsion tomorrow morning with a bunch of systems and settings and no adventures ready. This is not ideal, obviously, but we’ll see how it goes.
Slightly cut down list from last week:
Buffy because of course.
Star Wars, though plot ideas are hazy. Something with spaceships, guys in white armour and explosions.
A horror game, possibly Dead Of Night. Or Doctor Who with a horror vibe.
Also a couple small card games.
Slightly cut down list from last week:
Buffy because of course.
Star Wars, though plot ideas are hazy. Something with spaceships, guys in white armour and explosions.
A horror game, possibly Dead Of Night. Or Doctor Who with a horror vibe.
Also a couple small card games.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)