[1:03 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): Sure, I’m Tobi from Mighty Mugs Studios. I’m 39, male, and have 3 kids. I founded Mighty Mugs Studios with my wife in 2022 (originally under the name Bossbecher & Ladymugs Games).
[1:05 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): Back then, we were inspired by games like Four Against Darkness (for which I created a campaign, found in “Lantern” Issue 1)
[1:05 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): I definitely want to thank you for the invitation and I have a little gift for you. From now on, the game Deep Dark Waters is “pay what you want”.
[1:05 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): Please feel free to ask me anything (done)
[1:05 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): Thanks, @Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios)! The floor is open to questions!
[1:06 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): What is the premise of Deep Dark Waters?
[1:07 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): I’ve always found the ocean to be incredibly fascinating, especially since so much of it is still unexplored. I’m also a big fan of TTRPGs like Cthulhu, D&D, and The Dark Eye.
[1:08 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): I was mainly inspired by the PC game “Schleichfahrt,” where the world has become uninhabitable and humanity has retreated to the sea.
[1:09 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): I was also looking for a new premise for a TTRPG. Eventually, I came up with the setting: exploring the ocean in an alternate version of our Earth, combined with Steampunk elements.
[1:10 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): The main focus of the game is on exploration and living together in confined spaces, finding treasures, and overcoming dangers.
[1:11 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): Do you want to know more?
[1:11 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): Does the setting have a supernatural aspect?
[1:12 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): Not at the release of the game… but I´m planning to add such elements… cthulhu inspired it takes place deep in the ocean after all.
[1:14 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): Can you tell us more about the setting? Is it an alternate Earth or a different world altogether, for example?
[1:16 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): It’s essentially our world, but with some differences. A natural disaster around 1900 fundamentally altered the landscape. However, the event that caused the sea level rise wasn’t natural; instead, it was triggered by a massive industrial accident where a factory released a chemical substance, setting off a chain reaction in the Earth’s crust. This chemical reaction melted the polar ice caps and led to volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and earthquakes. The world as it was known was destroyed, and the surviving population had to adapt to a new life underwater.
[1:17 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): What, if anything, is left of the surface world?
[1:18 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): (brb)
[1:19 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): That’s something to explore Some buildings might still stand. However, life on the surface should be completely wiped out. That’s one reason why humanity has taken to the sea. A later supplement could delve into that topic specifically. At release, the surface will be quite barren and empty.
[1:24 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): You describe it as a steampunk setting. Can you give us an overview of the tech level?
[1:26 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): Since the game is set around 1930+ and it’s an alternate version of our world, I wanted to keep the game relatively low-fantasy. There’s electricity, various steam engines. Most machines, submarines, suits are powered by these generators. So essentially, you’ll find what you’re familiar with from most steampunk-esque games.
[1:27 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): So, the technology is very grounded, but it’s adapted to maintain or enhance gameplay fun. It’s not meant to be an ultra-realistic TTRPG. Enjoyment and immersion in exploration and cooperative play are the primary focus.
[1:28 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): Given that it’s the 1930s, why did you go with steampunk rather than dieselpunk?
[1:30 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): That’s a great question. I think it’s mainly due to my personal preference, and I haven’t had much experience with Dieselpunk themes yet.
[1:30 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): Simply put, Steampunk was the first thing that came to mind when I was designing the setting.
[1:30 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): Could the steampunk aspect be explained by innovation slowing down for some reason?
[1:33 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): So one could say, the population had to quickly adapt to the new environment and invent new gadgets once a certain status quo was established. Most nations resumed “fishing” in foreign waters, and conflicts arose. Due to these circumstances, technology isn’t advancing as rapidly at the moment.
[1:34 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): It could be somewhat compared to Fallout. Old technology in a new world.
[1:35 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): Who are the antagonists?
[1:37 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): I wanted to keep the game’s history close to our current world, but with the twist of the setting. I sat down and thought about what would happen if this event occurred. Numerous new alliances have formed, such as:
[1:39 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): The Pan-Caribbean Union, Amazonia, West African Alliance, United Iberian Peninsula, North Atlantic Republic, Greenlandic Federation, Scandic Union, British Isle Confederacy, Central European Confederation.
[1:40 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): So, it depends on which union one aligns with. As “neutral” parties, there are, of course, the usual suspects like pirates, mercenaries, and naturally, life forms in the sea that may have mutated.
[1:40 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): In the core book, all factions are listed, detailing which countries are involved and their political intentions.
[1:41 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): Do any of the alliances have any particular advantages?
[1:42 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): At the current time, no. However, I have considered it. Currently, the factions serve more as lore background to make the world vibrant. But I can definitely see that feature being implemented in the future, although it’s not a top priority right now.
[1:45 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): In what sorts of societies do people live?
[1:47 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): Due to the accident/event, people mainly live together in smaller towns. I haven’t precisely addressed the topic of religion yet, but it could gain more significant influence.
[1:49 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): The cities are like replicas, if you will, of how people lived before. However, they no longer have access to the same materials, so they build with what is available: metal, wood, etc.
[1:50 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): What do these towns look like, though? Are they floating on the surface, built on the ocean floor, or something else?
[1:50 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): The cities are mainly built within caves or similar depressions.
[1:51 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): Most cities don’t have many residents, perhaps a few thousand. A larger city like “Neu-Berlin,” found in the introductory adventure, has around 10,000+ inhabitants.
[1:52 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): There are also smaller outposts for trading or similar activities, which you can imagine as underwater stations.
[1:53 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): In the cities, you’ll find many steam-powered generators and simple buildings, reminiscent of huts.
[1:54 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): Utility takes precedence over comfort.,
[1:55 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): Since the cities have an artificial ventilation system, the air is not particularly good and can be stuffy in general.
[1:56 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): Can you give us an overview of military technology?
[1:58 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): Sure thing. Pretty much every faction has some kind of army, some larger than others. An army consists of submarines and steam-powered (combat) suits.
[1:59 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): There are different types of torpedoes, mines, as well as hand-to-hand weapons and weapons specifically designed for the suits.
[2:00 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): for example, electrical torpedos, chemical torpedos, pressure mines, incendiary grenades.
[2:01 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): What sorts of hand-to-hand weapons are used?
[2:03 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): Hand-to-hand combat is handled using familiar weapons such as bayonets and other swords/knives, pistols, brass knuckles, rudimentary sniper rifles, etc. So, the game features many different locations. The sea (with submarines), caves/underwater (with suits), and cities/buildings (on foot). However, the main focus is on the sea.
[2:04 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): Using firearms in outposts can indeed be dangerous…
[2:05 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): A critical failure could indeed result in a bullet piercing the hull
[2:05 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): Speaking of which, other than hand weapons, what weapons are used within the outposts?
[2:07 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): In my current version, mainly the already mentioned weapons are used. However, the use of firearms remains a last resort due to potential failures. Therefore, security forces would more likely resort to projectile-less weapons like baseball bats, batons, brass knuckles.
[2:08 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): A flamethrower could also be deployed.
[2:09 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): Have flechette rounds been invented?
[2:10 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): I haven’t thought about that, to be honest. But yeah, that would totally fit.
[2:10 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): I marked it down 1
[2:12 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): You mentioned mutated animals. Can you give some examples of that?
[2:15 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): A good example of this is the Orkwal encountered in the introductory adventure. The Orkwal is extremely powerful and robust. It also possesses a certain level of intelligence and is capable of acting strategically.
[2:16 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): It’s essentially a mutated version of our orca, but smarter and larger. Life forms, in general, can appear in an alternate, mutated version, with one or more characteristics of the animals altered or enhanced.
[2:19 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): I’ve also thought about adding “steam-powered” animals, which means they’re enhanced by technology. But that might also be a topic for a supplement.
[2:19 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): What would you say is the most outlandish mutation?
[2:21 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): some oceaners have heard rumors about an animal with long tentacles, huge glowing eyes and with a body of an shark. but that are just rumors… or perhaps not?
[2:23 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): Do you have a character sheet that we can see?
[2:23 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): Players will also encounter mutated sea serpents, which have grown to enormous sizes and have developed the ability to breathe steam. These creatures can be found in deep waters and are known to devour entire ships.
[2:23 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): sure
[2:24 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): There’s also a pre-filled version included with the quickstart rules.DeepDarkWaters_CharacterSheets_1_0.pdf859.62 KB
[2:25 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): this is the example sheetCharacterSheets_example.pdf995.17 KB
[2:27 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): Can you describe task resolution?
[2:30 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): Sorry, I’m a bit behind. What exactly do you mean? An example task?
[2:30 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): I mean, how are dice used to determine success?
[2:30 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): ah
[2:32 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): In Deep Dark Waters, the game master has control over the difficulty level of checks. The difficulty levels are divided into three tiers, with each tier being adjustable for increased or decreased challenge. Tier 1 corresponds to rolling a d6, Tier 2 to rolling a d12, and Tier 3 to rolling a d20. For a Tier-1 check, the game master rolls a d6, and the result determines the required challenge. The player also rolls a d6 and adds their relevant attribute to the result. If the player’s result is higher than the sum of the game master’s roll, the check succeeds. An impediment means that a specific value is subtracted from the player’s result. An alleviation adds a value to the player’s result to decrease the difficulty level.
[2:34 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): What is the difference between a Tier difference and an impediment or alleviation?
[2:34 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): In Deep Dark Waters, difficulty levels are used to set the challenge level of actions and checks. These difficulty levels are divided into three tiers: Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3.
[2:35 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): Tier 1 (D6): This is the easiest tier, typically used for basic actions. The game master rolls a d6 to determine the challenge that the player must overcome. The higher the player’s result compared to the game master’s roll, the more successful the action. Tier 2 (D12): This tier is used for moderate challenges. The game master rolls a d12 to determine the challenge. Players must utilize their skills and attributes to overcome this higher difficulty. Tier 3 (D20): This is the highest tier and is used for extremely difficult challenges. The game master rolls a d20 to determine the challenge. Players must employ their best skills and may need to find creative solutions to overcome these challenges.
[2:36 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): At each tier, mitigating or aggravating circumstances can be considered, further influencing the difficulty level. It’s up to the game master to set the appropriate difficulty level for each situation and create an exciting player experience.
[2:37 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): The game master can make a roll more difficult or easier by a certain amount, regardless of the creature’s level.
[2:38 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): for example:
[2:38 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): Possible obstacles: Seismic activity (D20+0, Damage 1D3+2), Underwater currents (D20+0, Damage 1D3+1). The driver must pass one or more checks (D20 + Finesse) against the difficulty dice (D20) of the environmental phenomenon to navigate through the obstacles unharmed. In case of failure, the submarine suffers the corresponding damage but can continue its journey.
[2:39 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): How does combat work?
[2:41 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): combat is primarily presented as “Theatre of the Mind,” meaning that players visualize their actions and the environment primarily through their imagination and the descriptions provided by the game master.
[2:41 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): In the game, players encounter different types of combat: combat with the submarine, combat with Submersive Suits, and regular combat without special equipment – or perhaps a combination of the three.
[2:43 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): The combat mechanics generally work similarly regardless of the location you’re in (on foot, in a submarine, or in a suit). In combat on foot, players utilize their own skills and weapons to defend against or attack enemies. Each weapon has specific attributes that determine its effectiveness in combat, including things like attack power, range, and accuracy. To make an attack, the attacker rolls an attack die (typically a d6) and adds the corresponding attack attribute of their weapon to it. The defender also rolls a defense die, defined by the armor they are wearing (typically a d6). The result of the attacker’s attack roll must exceed the defender’s defense roll for the attack to be successful. If the attack is successful, damage is calculated based on the properties of the weapon and other relevant factors and applied to the defender’s armor or hit points.
[2:43 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): Example: Max attacks Anna in combat on foot. He uses a weapon with an attack die (usually a d6) and adds the value of his corresponding attack attribute to the result. He rolls a 4 on the d6 and adds his Finesse attribute of 3, resulting in a total of 7. Anna attempts to defend against Max’s attack using her defensive weapon. She also has a weapon with a defense die (d6), but since she’s not wielding a shield or similar, she doesn’t add anything to her roll. Anna rolls a 5 on the d6, resulting in a total of 5. Since Max’s attack value is higher than Anna’s defense value, the attack hits and deals damage. Anna suffers the effects of the attack as the combat continues.
[2:45 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): How would damage be figured in the above example?
[2:47 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): So, the damage is typically determined by the “stat” of the weapon. For example: Weapon: Pistol (D6+Finesse, Damage 1D6+1)
[2:48 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): so the player rolls a d6 and adds the value of 1 to determine the damage
[2:49 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): The first specification indicates the attribute with which the weapon operates or is attacked.
[2:49 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): The incoming damage is then subtracted by the opponent’s armor.
[2:49 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): if its bigger than 0, damage is done
[2:50 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): So armor both reduces the chance of being hit and the amount of damage taken from a hit?
[2:54 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): not exactly. the defense die is determined by the armor the character is wielding. for example: tacticle combat suit(d6, Armor+2). this means wearing this armor will give you a d6 defense die and adds 2 armor points.
[2:54 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): so incoming damage reduces the armor points.
[2:56 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): so if you have 2 armor points and the enemy hits you with 4 damage. it will negate 2 damage points and you will recieve 2 damage. but the armorpoints are 0 then. so the next attack on you will hit you without reduction. the defense die stays the same.
[2:56 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): armor has to be repaired afterwards to gain armor points back
[2:58 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): So, when you’re attacked, you roll your defense die (d6) for defense. If your result is higher than that of the attacker, they don’t hit you.
[2:58 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): Does the game include a bestiary, and if so, how large?
[3:00 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): In the current version, no. However, there will be one in the core rulebook. I can’t say exactly how extensive it will be, but I plan to include many animals, to make it as beginner-friendly as possible.
[3:00 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): There are currently only the quick start rules with the basic rules for combat, skill checks, etc., and one introductory adventure.
[3:02 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): The core rulebook will contain a complete description of the world, including factions, vehicles, items, and wildlife.
[3:02 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): In the time remaining, is there anything we haven’t covered that you’d like to bring up?
[3:04 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): I’d like to mention briefly that the game will include a stress mechanic, which in my opinion, gives it a unique touch. Players can suffer traumas when they experience too much stress.
[3:04 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): In the oppressive and perilous world of submarines, submariners are under constant stress and pressure. The claustrophobic confinement, the constant threat of enemies, and the uncertain future weigh heavily on their psyche. Every day is a struggle for survival, and the stressors can lead to severe psychological traumas. Phobias of confined spaces, fear of drowning, or even personality disorders are not uncommon. Some grapple with severe mental illnesses that can push them to the brink of madness. Submariners must not only battle external enemies but also the demons in their own minds.
[3:06 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): To reduce stress, mechanics can be implemented that promote role-playing.
[3:06 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): for example: Reflecting on the day: By reflecting on the day and discussing what happened, crew members can process their thoughts and emotions and reduce stress. n Discussing past battles: Sharing experiences and emotions related to a battle can help crew members alleviate stress and support each other. n Processing a threatening situation: After a threatening or stressful situation, it can be helpful to discuss it together to process fears and concerns and reduce stress.
[3:07 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): there is also an psychologist class which can help to reduce stress and trauma
[3:08 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): I’ve tried to differentiate somewhat from the usual classes (here called Backgrounds) as well. For example, there’s the Psychologist, Cook, or even Politician, each with their own skills and abilities.
[3:09 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): In the current quick start rules, we have the Soldier, Pilot, Psychologist, Doctor, Scientist, and Engineer.
[3:10 PM]Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios): That’s it for now, I think. Much is still a work in progress, and there will definitely be some changes to the mechanics during development.
[3:11 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): Thanks very much for joining us, @Tobi (Mighty Mugs Studios)!
[3:11 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): Usual reminder: If you’ve enjoyed this Q&A and would like to treat me to a coffee or two, you can do so at https://www.ko-fi.com/gmshoe. Anything’s appreciated! Ko-fiBuy Dan Davenport a Coffee. ko-fi.com/gmshoeBecome a supporter of Dan Davenport today! ❤️ Ko-fi lets you support the creators you love with no fees on donations.
[3:11 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): If you’ll give me a minute, I’ll get the log posted and link you!