Quote from: Omega on Today at 05:26:03 AM

Quote from: Corolinth on May 11, 2024, 08:28:24 AM3.X is particularly shite at handling low fantasy. 5E can do it fairly well, but looking at all of the classes and races that have some kind of spellcasting or magical abilities, one does get the impression that 5E is not the system to use for low fantasy.

They say that because apparently they can not imagine restricting race and class selection. And toning down monsters or even going no monsters at all. Just people and animals.

Most people don't buy a game and then think it would be a great idea to cut out 90% of it.

It's one thing to say, "5E went off the rails with Tasha's," or something like that. Pick your favorite 5E book that you think is trash, it doesn't matter. You're suggesting someone also not use the Monster Manual, three entire PC classes, and at least three subclasses of the remaining classes.

You can do that. The system allows for it. You can totally play low fantasy in D&D, as long as you don't play D&D. That's such a fantastic argument. It's not even the first time someone made it. I remember back in the '90s, these guys had this game about vampires. Then they came out and said, "You know what would be a great idea? What if we took this game about vampires and got rid of all the vampires?" And it worked! People still buy that vampire game to play it with no vampires.

For me, one of the defining aspects of a story game is that it has mechanics that force a certain style of play or certain story beats to happen.  In a traditional game, one player could propose a romantic relationship between their character and another character.  In a game like Night Witches, one of the playbooks has a move that a player can use to declare that a character (including a player character) is now their character's true love.  The characters are now deeply in love with each other.  Your character is straight?  Well, not any more.  In Pasión de las Pasiones, one of the playbooks has a move that allows them to declare that another character (including a play character) is a liar.  If they roll well enough, that other character is now a liar even if that contradicts how the other character has been characterized and what has already been shown.  You are a liar now and everything is retconned to match that including who your character is.  Don't like that?  Tough shit.  It's not just talk about telling stories in the GM's section.  The game gives players tools to make the story go the way they want it to or has rules to enforce the style of play that the writer wants.  For me, it's that mechanical enforcement of story elements that makes something a story game not just some advice in the GM section about telling a story. 

Then there are the odd games that are designed to tell a particular story with particular characters and nothing else.    I mean games like Lady Blackbird or Yazeba's Bed & Breakfast that are intended to be played with the characters you are giving using their predetermined storylines.  Some. like Lady Blackbird, don't even include the option of making your own characters at all.  I would call these a sort of story game.  There aren't very many of these though and many are buried in the pile of undifferentiated rubbish that is itch.io
   

Is there any good game mechanics out there for a Splinter Cell type TTRPG experience?

So my current project game is in desperate need of some decent stealth mechanics and I'm hoping there's some board members here that can help me out with it.  I'm looking for something more dynamic than D&D stealth rolls but not something I need to do massive bookkeeping to manage.

When I run stealth in my games, I either run it fast and loose or I have a very carefully devised script map that takes into account every possible player action I can think of.  I don't think either of these concepts are going to work for my project, particularly because stealth should be more of a central part of the play experience over combat.  I'm looking for something more dynamic than D&D stealth rolls but not something I need to do massive bookkeeping to manage.

My current clunky rules set I have is include a stealth and awareness stat block for NPCs and monsters. I'm playing running stealth sort of like combat with each PC having stealth hp they loose and gain based on decisions, rolls, and the actions of NPCs and monsters.  It kind of works but requires a lot of bookkeeping on my part as the GM.

So does anyone know if there's a RPG game or supplement that does stealth action well?  Is there something you think does a good job at capturing the tense feeling of almost getting caught of Splinter Cell, Dishonored, or Commandos?  Anyone have good house rules I could see?

This is a lot of the research I've been gathering for the magic system for my current project.  My goal is to make a shinobi game set in the Sengoku period and dial the magic and mysticism up to making it a fantasy RPG somewhere between low fantasy and high fantasy.  Essentially, I want it to be a setting that does for feudal Japan what Lion & Dragon does for The War of the Roses.

Long long ago there was a short story series about a new technology that came to the fore instead of VR.

Recording and then being able to play back and experience dreams.

Forget who wrote it. But one story dealt with the inventor recruiting people who could dream clearly. Another dealt with a rival bootlegging sex dreams.

Quote from: Crazy_Blue_Haired_Chick on May 06, 2024, 01:29:51 PM

Quote from: BoxCrayonTales on November 06, 2023, 08:37:36 AMIf it does, then it will exacerbate the climate crisis. Why care about the deteriorating Earth when you can live in VR?

I'm currently working on a tabletop setting where people use VR to distract themselves from the worsening climate crisis. And by worsening, I mean people have to wear protective gear to go outside.

You know you might be onto the next big science fiction novel.

Someone did a short movie on that theme. VR/ARG to cover all the enviro and work problems. Theres a few others that explore ARG/VR used to just gloss over how bad things are.

Quote from: Cathode Ray on April 22, 2024, 04:27:23 PMI never played the game, but: Isn't absurdist sexy depictions of Lara the whole point of the game.

They did away with that years ago.

Quote from: Corolinth on May 11, 2024, 08:28:24 AM3.X is particularly shite at handling low fantasy. 5E can do it fairly well, but looking at all of the classes and races that have some kind of spellcasting or magical abilities, one does get the impression that 5E is not the system to use for low fantasy.

They say that because apparently they can not imagine restricting race and class selection. And toning down monsters or even going no monsters at all. Just people and animals.

Whatever they do. It will be stupid. With wotc failure is the only option.

Odds are BGG is doing the same. I just dont give enough of a fuck to look anymore.

Surprised they have not infiltrated and co-opted places like RPG Pub already.