[7:34 PM]Alex: Hello everyone! My name is Alex Thomas and I am the line developer for Mutants & Masterminds, the world’s greatest superhero RPG, published by Green Ronin Publishing. I’ve been a game designer for 12 years now, starting off as a freelancer, before moving into the lead position in January 2023. I’ve been a forever GM since my dad bought the third edition D&D starter box for my brother and I when I was 11. I’m a karaoke enthusiast, a dog lover, and an aspiring Kryptonian!
[7:37 PM]JoocyJoestar: I’m Joey and we are the creators of RE:EMERGENCE! A Sci-Fi TTRPG with fast encounters and combat scenarios in which the players will navigate with a (DM Dungeon Master/ GM Game Master) Going across the universes dealing with all sorts of planets, creatures and factions as you explore the worlds around you finding and dealing with challenges and obstacles using our FLAT Rate systems and the almighty D20! With the game being main lined with a character’s skills and abilities to overcome these challenges. Every player is unique in building each character as each class we have can make up for another’s shortcomings. Battles both in Starships and on the ground are fast-paced with the way weaponry works and items function with each of our classes. Some classes are more tactical while others are more supportive. Combined with the FLAT system and the character creator, this manifests lightning-fast encounters and amazing teamwork to overcome situations the DM/GM creates during their adventures. This game is meant to be speedy with timer systems in play alongside the difficulty-changing FLAT system to make things feel both immersive and fast-paced to keep everything fresh. https://www.patreon.com/PatchwerkGames?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator (DONE)(edited)PatreonGet more from Patchwerk Games on PatreonAlso on Spotify! Known as Dastardly Ez Dming!
[7:46 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): Thanks, @Alphant and @JoocyJoestar! The floor is open to questions!
[7:47 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): Are there any popular scifi settings out there that this game’s setting resembles, in style and/or in tech level?
@HOO (Biological Male)is combat tactical or abstract?[7:49 PM]Alphant: To answer your question Hoo may I ask what you mean when you say abstract?
[7:52 PM]HOO (Biological Male): well, i like hex and counter games, adn tactical combat on that order. By abstract, I mean something like D&D, where it’s not as concrete.
[7:55 PM]JoocyJoestar: Yes! we take a lot of inspiration from the movies “Total Recall” and “Robocop” With some of our factions! we have 4 mainline factions in the game to align with or just go in as a freelance “For Hire” type. With Attlas we take the approach from the “Robocops – Omni Consumer Products” with how they’re a large corporation that deals with everything from arms to regular household items. Where the Shraxx are people like the main resistance members of the show “Total Recall”. The other 2 factions are the Bounty Hunters take from the series “The Mandalorian” for inspiration! Acting on codes and being orderly in their work. Head Hunter Corp is the last faction and is the opposite of the Bounty Hunters playing as the so-called “Big Game Hunters” in acting for the thrill of the kill! Tech style were going for is more tuned to the “Borderlands” Franchise with guns and weapons being the head of the game with Elements and types for battles and encounters alike. But having multitudes of sci-fi elements as well, such as, Bioengineering and Synths. All the way to Cybernetic enhancements and crazy looking Aliens from other worlds! I hope that answers the question well.
@HOO (Biological Male)well, i like hex and counter games, adn tactical combat on that order. By abstract, I mean something like D&D, where it’s not as concrete.[7:55 PM]Alphant: So I would say that the games combat is inspired by dnd. however, In this game you must be tactical and keep aware of multiple situations and be thinking about moves ahead of time since you don’t want to freeze during your turn and that timer is counting down. I do hope that answers your question.
[7:57 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): So I’m guessing the standard sidearm is a slugthrower and not an energy weapon?
[8:03 PM]JoocyJoestar: This is subject to each DM/ GM and how they wanna play everything out in terms of timeline! But primarily in the main storylines, yes, it would be more likely to have slug weaponry and higher-tech Auto rifles, Shotguns, and Snipers compared to a laser weapon or other type to start. However, we have over 100 different weapons that range from regular rusty-style guns to high-powered laser weapons and toxic canister launchers. We have so many to play around with and find across the universe so that everyone can find something they enjoy and can cause endless mayhem! Even the items we have can do some crazy gravity manipulation and magnetic pulls and such. Why not manipulate gravity to pull an Attlas official right into your loving arms to be taken back for thousands of credits?!
[8:07 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): How would you characterize starship combat?
[8:14 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): (brb)
[8:16 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): (back)
[8:17 PM]JoocyJoestar: I think we’ve nailed Starship combat to be unique in the way that it’s not only easy to pick up and learn but is also mindful of its own difficulties. The challenges you’ll face in Starship combat come from the Timer system we regularly use plus the fact that each class comes with a specialty. This comes with its own set of issues when you have to organize a team to work in tandem with one another to defeat other ships and enemies. Or even just to talk to them via their native tongues or faction-based language. Every encounter in Starships varies between being combat or being a friendly trade, but if for whatever reason you can’t see or understand a language it’ll be difficult to navigate friend or foe. During the actual combat, your team will have to coordinate with one another to properly assign and conduct roles on the Starships that vary between positions and who’s operating them as said before certain classes get certain bonuses to assigned places on the Starship. This makes an interesting flow between the FLAT, the assigned roles, the characters themselves and what they operate to come together as a symphony to overcome their various obstacles or maybe just to make a stop at a MCspaceys for lunch!
[8:19 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): Is starship combat like that of Star Wars, with huge dreadnaughts and swarms of fighters?
[8:20 PM]JoocyJoestar: Its actually a mix of both! We involve single-fighter ships to play in a ship on your own during a swarm fight or between those huge awesome multi-pilot ships we see in all our favorite sci-fi worlds!
[8:21 PM]JoocyJoestar: so in other words yes!
[8:24 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): What are standard weapons on capital ships?
@Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe)What are standard weapons on capital ships?[8:28 PM]Alphant: So this would be subjective to the dm/gm, for the main storyline though it would be warheads and laser cannons.(edited)
[8:29 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): How common are life-bearing planets, and how common are sapient alien species?
[8:35 PM]JoocyJoestar: We have a total 7 Planets as of right now! Each has its own biosphere and eco-systems. The planets we do have right now are inhabited by intelligent life and their own aliens. We have 15 of our playable races on the front of the book that inhabit the 7 Planets. We haven’t gone over barren planets as there isn’t much to go over in that respect as we haven’t made the game have depth in resource collecting from the other planets that have no life or major resources. At least not yet. We have the 7 planets that go into detail on what the creatures and fauna look like in an outer view from orbit. The races talk about the intricate storylines between other factions on their planet and nearby but the planetary pages themselves go over how many moons, tidal situations, storms, or the level of gravity that occurs with each.
[8:54 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): How exotic are the alien species? Are we talking about human with brow ridges or more like Lovecraftian horrors?(edited)
[9:00 PM]JoocyJoestar: For anyone who can see the posted picture, we have a huge variety of bi-pedal races! The floating head however, is called the Gremogoblin a mischievous rat equivalent much like the movie “Critters” and the green-suited race is the Newtonianite that is a jelly-like creature that is highly intelligent but lacks bones so it’s stuck in a space suit for better mobility. We have more human-like creatures so far but plan for an add-on to come that will give some craziness to our planetary creatures and beasts that will resemble some things we recognize but some we won’t so in the grand scheme we plan to have a large variety of them to appease everyone’s pallet! There will definitely be an array of exotic creatures as we continue to create more RE:EMERGENCE content for years to come!.
[9:05 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): What are relations like between the species?
[9:12 PM]JoocyJoestar: Each individual race has traits that some might find problematic. The Sonaraphites for example are very militant and compare heavily to communist Russia on earth. Remorians are a high society of rich beautiful beings that have heavy perceptive abilities that allow them able to see the smallest flaws in another’s being. This can cause conflict between a lot of them as they seem to always bat their nose or act disgusted while in the presence of “Ugly” creatures or persons. The 3 Terraphillian races Argonite, Lophant, and Yomacanth live on Terraphil X a planet closely related to Earth if Humans never had the chance to inhabit Earth. The Terraphillian races had their own conflicts among themselves and had many leave the planet because of them. These are a few examples of the races backgrounds and their is total 15 of them so when you read RE:EMERGENCE you’ll have plenty to go over for story and a nice foundation to craft onto.(edited)
[9:16 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): Does the setting feature psionics or other paranormal abilities?
[9:20 PM]JoocyJoestar: Yes, it does! We have what’s known as “The Great Beyond” which is our spin on the psionics and paranormal abilities granted from a universe or separate plane of existence that has eluded the Galaxies for eons. The Great Beyond is a place where things don’t work the way they do in our day to day. Physics and Science have no hold on the realm itself. So when a character or person in the game interacts enough with it. They connect to this realm which alters them and makes them more powerful at the cost of themselves and others. The abilities are far beyond just psionics utilizing space and even time?!? So we have abilities within that alone that players can pick up and use during their campaigns using it as “Eldritch Arcana” which will play a big factor for those looking for a magical element within RE:EMERGENCE!
[9:31 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): Do you have a character sheet that we can see?
[9:35 PM]JoocyJoestar: I sure do!
[9:36 PM]JoocyJoestar: each of these are available on our Patreon for our subs for free or if you purchase the book we send them along with your purchase!
[9:36 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): Let’s see here…
[9:38 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): Can you describe task resolution in the system?
[9:39 PM]JoocyJoestar: Complexity Rolls (CR): Determine whether a character can perform the action they wish to do. The CR is the maximum number you have to beat to succeed in doing an action. (CR is determined by the GM) Flat Rate Skill (FLAT) is the minimum required knowledge, skill, or how beefy you are to be able to do said action. A Flat Rate Skill: FLAT is a base requirement of an Attribute when making a roll or trying to complete an action. The FLAT is said and defined at the start of a Player-decided action. (such as if the Player wanted to move a heavy object) The FLAT applies to all rolls a Player makes while doing that action (If you have 5 STR and to pull off a vent hatch requires FLAT of 6 STR you have a -1 to your roll. This works vice versa. A character with 10 STR vs. a FLAT of 6 STR vent hatch has a +4 towards the CR requirement determined by your GM.) Think of the FLAT as a base knowledge or physique needed to do your action effectively.
[9:41 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): What kinds of dice are used?
[9:41 PM]JoocyJoestar: This makes it so that all actions can be more or less difficult dependant on the GM/DM and is always changing with your environment. That being said in an Attlas facility it might be more high tech resulting in a higher FLAT being used for INT/FRS but might be easier to bust through or use stealth as an option instead with a smaller FLAT to STR/AGL making every encounter you come in contact with different so that everyone at the table feel important and useful during their designated timeframe
[9:42 PM]JoocyJoestar: The system uses a D20 primarily for all the rolls for skills and accuracy but are not shy in using all the die you have available. Every die deserves a home in our game!1
[9:43 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): How does combat work?
@Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe)How does combat work?[9:52 PM]Alphant: I’m glad you asked, so combat in our game works a little differently then in table top games that I have experienced. One big difference out the gate besides having a timer is the fact that characters do not have a type of armor class, instead when you attack in this game you will hit unless you roll a one on your die. So think of it like wearing a bullet proof vest, that vest can only take so much damage before it’s rendered useless, after that you start taking actual damage. The system we have in place for all this is called Armor points each piece of armor that you wear will give you more ap and you will count it all together to come up with your sum total. So dmg is figured out by a roll of the die but you will normally roll what we call plt, or clip, so say for instance your gun has a dmg of 1 and a clip of six, you will roll a D6 say you roll a 5 then if the enemy is out of ap you will deal 5 dmg to them.(edited)
[9:57 PM]JoocyJoestar: On top of this theres some weapons that use accuracy(ACC) instead of CLIP/PLT. The weapons in the game like my partner is saying work quick and fast using AP as a stand in for Armour class. This makes the combat we have very immersive as every second matters as the time dwindles. This makes every situation in combat feel real as your a mercenary of sorts working for these different factions. Combat is almost always determined by your CLIP/PLT/ACC and the damage of the weapon itself so that you can move quickly and make decisions without wasting too much time on the specifics besides extra damage and any elements tied to it. With a variety of things to help with the timer during situations you can use weaponry, abilities or good ole’ lefty and righty!
[10:08 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): In the time remaining, is there anything we haven’t covered that you’d like to bring up?
[10:10 PM]JoocyJoestar: The game is usually 3-6 players with the GM excluded and again is available now on our Patreon for anyone that wants to go check that out! We have a ton of tiers that are there for anyone to go check the game out or just purchase a copy. Were running our Bday sale until the 30th so for anyone looking to get into RE:EMERGENCE you can go pick that up for 10$ off for the remainder of the month! And of course thank you so much Dan for having us and talking about RE:EMERGENCE!
[10:11 PM]Alphant: Thank you for having us Dan.
[10:13 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): Absolutely!
[10:13 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): Thank you both for joining us!
[10:13 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.
@Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe)Thank you both for joining us![10:13 PM]Alphant: of course!
[10:13 PM]Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe): If you’ll give me a minute, I’ll get the log posted and link you!
[10:14 PM]Alphant: thank you so much.
[7:32 PM]Olessa-MindsVision: Sure!
[7:34 PM]Olessa-MindsVision: I’m Otavio Lessa, co-founder and president of Mind’s Vision. We are a relatively new publisher here in the US and we are bringing many Brazilian RPGs to English language; our first game was The Legacy of Cthulhu. We are currently promoting our crowdfunding campaign of INFAERNUM, an amazing RPG with a very unique premise: your game starts with a prophecy that will set an apocalyptic vision and, within your narrative, you will have 7 days to survive. Here with me I have Caio Romero, game designer and writer, and Raul Rinaldi, graphic designer/artist.
[7:35 PM]Olessa-MindsVision: @Caio Romero and @bellchior. respectively. I will be their translator for most of the chat, but they will try their best to interact with everyone (and to say hello!)
[7:35 PM]bellchior.: Hello guys 🙂
[7:35 PM]Caio Romero: Hello, guys!
[7:36 PM]Olessa-MindsVision: here’s the link to the campaign: https://gamefound.com/en/projects/minds-vision/infaernumInfaernum by Mind’s Vision
[7:36 PM]Olessa-MindsVision: here’s the demo: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/466967/Infaernum–Gameplay-Preview-BundleInfaernum – Gameplay Preview Bundle – Mind’s Vision | DriveThruRPG.com
[7:36 PM]Olessa-MindsVision: and the character sheet.
[7:36 PM]Wildhag | Deakin: Howdy! I’m Deakin of Wildhag Publishing, my own lil’ indie TTRPG developer where I am thoroughly invested in Feudal Hearts — a medieval immersion of low-to-high fantasy! I’ve been playing RPGs & TTRPGs for decades and have been homebrewing and playing with making a game during equal time. Feudal Hearts is designed to immerse players into a feudal world by structuring the setting around noble titles and domains–while also facilitating familiar-D&D-like adventuring and playstyle. It is designed to play personally and intimately, but feel global and provincial should one or more players decide to participate in the feudal world and be a noble in the backdrop of matriarchal world where the patriarchal “kinglanders” are across the Banesea. From this option, players can choose a familiar medieval world–or one with a unique twist. Of course there are more options, but those are the two big ones.
[7:48 PM]al spader (Sentience, Once Upon): Hello! I am Al Spader. I’m a freelance rpg writer and designer. I currently do work for Modiphius’s Star Trek Adventures line and I’m the creator of the award winning Sentience 2d20 rpg for the Modiphius Worldbuilding program. sentiencerpg.com I’m also a member of the Yellow Hand. A collective of creators who support each other with their skillsets. I’m currently working on my 2nd RPG; Once Upon… But for tonight, let’s focus on Sentience 2d20! (Done)1
[1:02 PM]polarblues: I am the whole of Polar Blues Press. I built a bunch of roleplaying games that are available free from the UK Roleplaying Collective website (https://ukrpdc.wordpress.com/2017/12/03/polar-blues-press-downloads/). These are all rule-lite Fudge-derived games designed to play fast. DONEUKRP Design Collectivepolarblues2002Polar Blues Press Downloads
[1:00 PM]Omer Golan-Joel (Stellagama): I am Omer Golan-Joel, owner of Stellagama Publishing. My company, founded in 2016, specializes in older-school sci-fi and fantasy RPGs and RPG materials, especially using 2d6-based systems.
[1:02 PM]Omer Golan-Joel (Stellagama): Our current primary sci-fi ruleset is Cepheus Deluxe: Enhanced Edition, a 2d6-based full-scale system evolving from the old 2d6 (Traveller) SRD, with many changes and improvements. https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/415159/Cepheus-Deluxe-Enhanced-EditionDriveThruRPG
[1:03 PM]Omer Golan-Joel (Stellagama): We are working on a new sci-fi ruleset, using our home system, named Faster Than Light: Nomad. It will be released, at the latest, on May 4th, 2024 and will become our primary ruleset. https://spacecockroach.blogspot.com/2023/11/coming-soon-faster-than-light-nomad.htmlComing Soon: Faster Than Light: Nomad!I have been working on a brand new science fiction role-playing ruleset, named Faster Than Light: Nomad . It is, in a way, an evolution of…
[1:03 PM]Omer Golan-Joel (Stellagama): Our leading fantasy ruleset is Barbaric! now in its second edition. It is a streamlined 2d6 system, using skill-based magic and having a strong sword & sorcery milieu. https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/450864/Barbaric-2nd-EditionDriveThruRPG
[1:04 PM]Omer Golan-Joel (Stellagama): Our current main setting is Terra Arisen, a space opera setting combining UFO lore with classic sci-fi tropes for an action-packed interstellar setting. https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/400138/Terra-ArisenDriveThruRPG
[1:05 PM]Omer Golan-Joel (Stellagama): We have many plans for the coming future, including supplements for FTL: Nomad and Barbaric! 2E, as well as adventures and settings for both.
[1:06 PM]Omer Golan-Joel (Stellagama): Also, coming soon is a second edition of The Sword of Cepheus, our older sword & sorcery ruleset, successfully Kickstarted last month. https://spacecockroach.blogspot.com/2024/03/whats-new-in-second-edition-of-sword-of.html
[7:32 PM]Richard#0052: Hi all! I’m Richard (SprintingOwl on socials, kumada1 on itchio) and I’m kickstarting Dead Beats. Dead Beats is an occult brawler TTRPG where you play as heroic losers taking on demons for sub-minimum wage. The kickstarter page is here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rodreel/dead-beats-0?ref=ee9vspbrawling in a bedeviled 90s.
[7:40 PM]BomberBug: My name is Bug Boll! (They/Them) I am designer and writer for 9th Level Games. I have been working for the company since around 2006, give or take an unofficial year.
[7:41 PM]BomberBug: The company is known for its polymorph system and its flagship game Kobolds Ate My Baby!(edited)
[7:43 PM]BomberBug: This year @SCPCJon and I helped update the original beer and pretzels game to the new polymorph rule set. We just released Kobolds Ate My Baby! The Orange Book
[7:45 PM]BomberBug: It is a chaotic little anti-dungeon crawl where instead of heroes going into battle you play the monsters (Kobolds) going out into the world to start fires, push over old ladies, steal pocket change, eat babies and die… a lot.
[7:46 PM]BomberBug: Okay, I typed really slow, Jon are you home yet?
[7:46 PM]SCPCJon: LOL, yes. And just.
[7:48 PM]SCPCJon: Hi, I am Jon “The Kobold Dude” Manes (He/him). I’ve been officially working with 9th Level as of a couple years now, but unofficially, I’ve always been there! Or, at least since early 200’s
[7:48 PM]SCPCJon: 2000’s that is ha!
[7:48 PM]SCPCJon: Oh, and what Bug said about the game is spot on. (done)
[7:35 PM]JaySojdelius: Allright, I’ll give it a go. Not a terribly fast typer, so please have patience… I’m Jay Sojdelius, originally from Stockholm, Sweden but now living in Chicago. I run The Yellow Hand (TheYellowHand.com), which is a creative collective working on our own gaming IPs as well as licensed ones. We have been putting out products since last July, mainly on DTRPG.com – both downloads and PODs. I’m here to talk about Draconicus – Draconic.us – which is our first proprietary RPG based on our own system. It’s a fantasy RPG set in a pre-medieval like Iron Age world which will feel familiar to anyone who has played RuneQuest or similar games. My background as a game designer started in the early 90s, when I worked for Target Games, which is now in some later iteration known as Paradox Interactive. They published games like Mutant Chronicles, Kult, and Drakar & Demoner, which is now known as Dragonbane. (Done)(edited)