I'm starting to take off with my own system testing.  Got 2 separate campaigns going, adding new players, have successfully done two major updates to streamline the game, and have most of the player materials up-to-date with those changes.  Starting to edge into mid-level testing, which, naturally, found some issues.  Got at least one major update to address those.  Meanwhile, the GM side of the rules--up until now mostly fluid documents only I've seen--are ready for a clean write up to start presenting to the players.

Of probably more interest for those reading this topic, the actual games are getting better.  Putting together my own adventures instead of having to tinker with the rules all the time, and thus am starting to get the game to work the way I envisioned.  We've had some really tense moments with rat folk and their traps.

Started a new The Dark Eye campaign last night.  Entirely virtual, sadly, but not on any cloud solutions.  Just Zoom and a camera positioned over the table with my flip mats, etc.   Veteran players who have played together for a few years now, so I've got that going for me...

Pretty good. About to hit level 6 in the SWN campaign. Playing virtual has its limitations, but I'm out of state now so there isn't really a choice there. It helps that we all knew each other before hand.

My 15yo son is just finishing running his first campaign ever.
5e's Rime of the Frost Maiden.
He's taken some cues from his dad:
-Modified stats for monsters.
-some NPCs and some scenarios written entirely from scratch.
-some monsters entirely from scratch.
-not afraid to kill off a PC now and then.  (4 so far, but we're in the home stretch)
-asks the players "what are you planning on doing next?" so he knows what to prep for, but can improvise as needed.

I'm wasting my time reading other rpg systems when I should be getting ready to run my thing when I take the DM screen back.

I'm giving serious consideration to Tiny D6 mechanics.  A 5 or 6 on any one die equals a success.  A typical die roll uses 2d6.  Advantage uses 3d6.  Disadvantage uses 1d6.  Now a first time player quickly understands how to play.  It's as simple as eating pie.

Just going for fast and simple.  Trying to catch modern potential players, who wouldn't sit through an explanation of AD&D.  Cell phones have conditioned people to have much shorter attention spans.

The first attachment shows where the PCs started in our Solar Blades & Cosmic Spells campaign. Outlaws, on the run after a prison break. The game started in September of 2020. They fought hard to become respectable business creatures, treasure-seekers and scavengers, and escape the ire of the law. They deposed a tyrant, brought a slaver ring to its knees, opened trade lines and escaped the wrath of two Galactic Overlords. All the while, they ignored the signs of growing corruption in the sector they took residence in, and worked for the main corrupting influence numerous times, shrugging off signals that perhaps those jobs might be A Bad Thing. The second attachment shows how they ended up coming full circle at the close of the campaign.

My group hasn't played a game in a long, long time.

It happens when your GM is a med student and everyone has a life.

Not running any person to person RPGs at my place or anywhere at this time.
Not sure when it will happen.
The paranoia with the Covid has killed of RPGs clubs, Boardgame clubs etc.

I am going to a gaming festival in a couple of months, to run something hopefully, if it goes ahead.
Not sure what the turn out will be like though.

I have been running RPGs online using Roll20, but not that recently. We took a break for Xmas and haven't got back together again yet.

Quote from: horsesoldier on February 03, 2022, 01:57:15 PM
Pretty good. About to hit level 6 in the SWN campaign. Playing virtual has its limitations, but I'm out of state now so there isn't really a choice there. It helps that we all knew each other before hand.

Oh nice. I like SWN. Care to share any misadventures?

I really miss the old story hours on the good enworld back in the day.

My son tested positive for covid yesterday morning and I had to cancel live tabletop Odyssey of the Dragonlords game.
8 hours later I had it set up on Roll20, and we all got a good 3 hour session in there - feeling pretty pleased with myself and my players.