Discussion, part 3 of 3, PBeM FRPG - The Broad Axe Tavern

From: gabai@paul.rutgers.edu (Steven Gabai)

Date: Sat, 16 Sep 1989 08:55:49 +0000

Jeff Young and I have been discussing certain things in email,
and I thought it appropriate to bring up here.

>        (looking curiously about) "Waitaminute.. you are running
>something here that gives everyone a little control over everything?
>Novel concept for an RPG...Good luck."

Seriously, everyone gets a little control over LITTLE things.
The distinction is important.  If they've made it through the 100K
registration packet and the 2-60 day interrogation process with
several meta-players; then they'll have a lot of background knowledge
of how the world around them works; and so yes, they probably are
qualified to assume certain things.

>        As to your third point (and gads, that was a biggie) I don't
>think the two systems as they stand are intermixable..  From the name
>of the game, you are obviously going to base your game in the Tavern.
>From ours, it should be pretty clear that WE don't know how far we are
>going-- the FF II is simply a jumping-off point for new and faraway
>places.... the first portal in fact is set to Pern, which is not
>remotely near Earth, or anything like Earth...an up and coming one
>will possibly be on a star cruiser in deep space...  The Portals go
>everywhere and anywhere... we are NOT staying!  (Well, at least all of
>the Adventurer's selves aren't staying.)  You'll see what I mean when
>we get officially rolling-- we started up last semester, but that was
>only to setup characters and run a Test Portal... (we were here
>first..)

The Broad Axe Tavern is located in the town of Ghlerhovllen
(13o27'S, 134o03'E), which is located in the country of Megara, on the
Aborige continent.  Most of the meta-players are developing
plots/buildings/organizations/etc in Ghlerhovllen with a lot of
interactions with the other meta-players.  Some involve placement of
terrain across the continent, while others are dealing with issues of
different societies and cultures.  And a few have access to other
things across the planet, or in the far past.  So where, your system
has lots of disconnected variety, we're developing an integrated
system with both breadth & depth.  To each, their own I guess.

>        Why do we have Tech stuff?  It is because the characters
>themselves have the background (and the Guardians are semi-omnipotent,
>so they pick up a lot of junk) and they may actually need it.

Assuming you want it in your system, and your system works for
you guys in your gaming environment; hey, it might produce an
acceptable level of fun for you.  Have fun.

>Another possible difference between the two games:
>  The characters themselves.  Mine here are all first level,
>with minimal power and perhaps one magic item.  Nothing really
>flashy-- this is a low-power game I am running.

The PCs in our game are supposed to start out with
approximately 5000-10000 xp (see registration packet),
which is about 2nd-4th level depending on lots of factors
in their character conception.  Just enough to give them
a small sense of self-reliance.  Again, to each their own.

>        If you have let your PC's set themselves up, I bet that a lot
>of them have some really "nifty" things tucked up their sleeves.

Except for the fact that the review panel reads every
nook-and-cranny of incoming PC-sheets AND I am cc'ed on everything
happening in the game AND the meta-players use 'back-channels'
to double-check things, including me handing out PC sheets
to those that are given GM privaleges (sp?); this hasn't been a
problem.

>        (Wherever did that guy get a ZEBRA, anyhow?  -8) )

2-3 weeks ago, I pre-approved his entry technique, given
certain non-public factors of his background AND a nearly completed PC
conception, that was almost fully approved.

>        We also tend to screen the characters before they get rolled
>up-- so far two characters got revamped and chopped down.

So far, a few of the 25+ meta-players, which also need to be
reviewed, have helped review 30+ tourist PCs, 20+ local PCs, and 5+
native PCs.  Another 30+ are still in the review process, and another
20+ are still designing them.  Most of the reviews went smoothly,
usually pruning or adding accordingly, based on the findings of the
review panel.  ...Most, but not all, I'm sad to say.  These numbers
are approximations, I could use the services of a Census taker :-]

>        I've kept guns out of the campaign so far.  [Non-public
>information deleted.] The motorcycle and car aren't [non-public
>information deleted.]  The one guy with [non-public information
>deleted] WANTED a pistol, a machine gun, a sword , a knife, PLUS magic
>ability, but he got none of that... We don't want any one character
>taking too much power...
>
>        Magic Spells: We are NOT using D+D spells!  We might have
>"borrowed" a few of the more commonplace ones, like Light, but we
>aren't even using the Magic System....

And who hasn't modified/replaced the magic system.  One
standard 'tweak' made the magic system too powerful; one trivial
'tweak' made the magic system weak; and one medium-diffulty 'tweak'
combined with the others makes the system just about right.

>                                     -Taldin The Blue Unicorn-
                                      [Jeff Young]

have fun
Steven Gabai
the mmmPC

References

Discussion, part 1 of 3, general PBM
gabai@paul.rutgers.edu (Steven Gabai)
Sat, 16 Sep 1989 07:54:04 +0000
Discussion, part 2 of 3, PBeM FRPG
gabai@paul.rutgers.edu (Steven Gabai)
Sat, 16 Sep 1989 08:41:40 +0000