Story games as board games

[droog]

So there's a few of you sitting around, you've had some good food and somebody says: "What about a quick game of Ticket to Ride?"

People say yes, sure, somebody tries to stick out for Axis and Allies but gets overruled, and you start playing. Too easy!

But what about if somebody said: "What about a quick game of InSpectres?"

Which of the Forgista games do you find most suitable for casual pick-up play? Which could you whip out for a general game-friendly audience?

[Blackleaf]

In that scenario I'd be happy for someone to pitch InSpectres - but I don't know if it would win out over Ticket to Ride. :-)

[David R]

I dunno. I mean if it was supposed to be a quick oneoff and everyone was a gamer, I'd say something like Whispering Vault. Or maybe if I wanted to run a fantasy thing it would be Broadsword.

Tone isn't really a problem because I would use OtE to whip up something scary or creepy. Maybe something everyone could get into fairly quicky like Star Wars powered by RISUS. Gotta a lot of options going the Trad way.

The problem is I not aware of any Forge games that I could just run off the cuff. I mean is WUSHU, Forgey ?

Hmm, you got any suggestions other than InSpectres ? Maybe some other quick and dirty Forgey games.

Regards,
David R

[Blackleaf]

I like the theme of InSpectres, I guess it would depend on the people in the group.  I imagine it would go over a lot better for people who are really into improv storytelling and 1st person character acting / roleplaying?  That sort of thing can be a bit intimidating to a lot of casual gamers.

[David R]

I dunno, if it was supposed to be this quick casual thing, I'm sure there would be a lot of improv from all sides. IMO, it's all about getting everyone on the same page, fast, the rules not getting in the way and begin playing almost, right away.

Regards,
David R

[Aos]

Tone isn't really a problem because I would use OtE to whip up something scary or creepy.


Regards,
David R

What is OtE?

[David R]

Over the Edge.

Regards,
David R

[RPGPundit]

Over the Edge isn't a Forge game, though. Its an RPG.

The one game that came out of the Forge movement that I actually ended up liking was OctaNe, and I'd recommend that one for this purpose.  With a tiny bit of tweaking you can basically run it as an RPG, and it has a kickass setting and everything.

RPGPundit

[jhkim]

Which of the Forgista games do you find most suitable for casual pick-up play? Which could you whip out for a general game-friendly audience?

Generally speaking, a pick-up game should have a familiar background, jump immediately into action, and have low mechanical complexity.  I found that the Parlor LARP system and setup is excellent for this.  Within tabletop I've done fairly well with Faery's Tale, Monster Island, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Spirit of the Century, Truth & Justice, and Amber -- for those into the source material.  

Among Forge-associated games, the first I would try would be A Thousand and One Nights -- and I'd consider Best Friends and the Shab-al-Hiri Roach.

[Ned the Lonely Donkey]

I've always thought My Life With Master could work well in this way as it has a very defined end game. Most RPGs end by consent - My Life With Master has a real end, just a like a boardgame. It also has a rigorous turn sequence that can be more or less strictly applied, plus a very easy background.

Ned

[Balbinus]

I've always thought My Life With Master could work well in this way as it has a very defined end game. Most RPGs end by consent - My Life With Master has a real end, just a like a boardgame. It also has a rigorous turn sequence that can be more or less strictly applied, plus a very easy background.

Ned

That was the one that immediately leapt to my mind, when I read the OP.

[Ian Absentia]

I find it interesting that you should draw up this comparison, because, fairly early on in the "indie"/Forge game movement, I observed that many of the games seemed to be board games with talkie, thespy elements added for entertainment value -- one-session scenario play, specific player goals, specific mechanics for obtaining those goals and victory conditions.  I actually approve of this sort of thing, treating them as a subset of roleplaying games as an overarching category.  Sadly, many of the themes chosen for these games have been less than appealing.

To my eye, the most complete and satisfying of this style of game has been The Mountain Witch.  In addition to the appeal of the setting (Sengoku period Japan, Sergio Leone/Kurosawa-styled internal conflict within a group), it hits all the points I cited above -- single-scenario play, clear player goals and victory conditions, specific mechanics for clearly achieving those goals and conditions.

The downside of games such as these, of course, is overcoming the hesitance that many casual gamers have to getting all thespy in front of their friends and families.  There's a reason why board games, with much less emotional investment and risk, are more popular.

!i!

[Ian Absentia]

The one game that came out of the Forge movement that I actually ended up liking was OctaNe...

Was it really part of the Forge movement, though?  I recall Jared putting it out before the Forge really got any traction or chatter.  I suspect, if anything, Jared's existing designs, like OctaNe and InSpectres, were part of what drew him and Edwards together.

I could very well be wrong, of course.  I just remember being aware of a number of crafty little indie games (including Edwards' Sorcerer) long before I was aware of The Forge.

!i!

[Balbinus]

Was it really part of the Forge movement, though?  I recall Jared putting it out before the Forge really got any traction or chatter.  I suspect, if anything, Jared's existing designs, like OctaNe and InSpectres, were part of what drew him and Edwards together.

I could very well be wrong, of course.  I just remember being aware of a number of crafty little indie games (including Edwards' Sorcerer) long before I was aware of The Forge.

!i!

I think you're right, I think it predates it, I don't honestly think Jared is a Forgey designer.

Pundy may not know the history, but it could be a factor in why he's more sympathetic to Jared's work, it's not from the same intellectual wellspring as the stuff that irritates him.

[The Shaman]

All of the descriptions I've read of Mountain Witch make it sound like a board game. I'd play it if this were true.