[13:32] <+NicholasWMoll> Hey folks, my name is Dr. Nicholas William Moll. I’m a game designer with Owlman Press in Ballarat (Australia).
[13:33] <+NicholasWMoll> My game is Skum of the Stars.
[13:33] <+NicholasWMoll> Skum of the Stars (SotS) is a space opera roleplaying game where we take many of the existing tropes and turn them on their head. Most notably, set in a fallen empire, players take the role of characters typically deemed “bad guys” in the setting – pirates, gangsters, sorcerers, tyrants, etc. Humans are one amongst countless others, acting simply as part of t
[13:33] <+NicholasWMoll> Humans are one amongst countless others, acting simply as part of the setting rather than a main focus, and players are encouraged to build their own species as part of character creation.
[13:34] <+NicholasWMoll> The system is a fair simple yet evocative D6 based one. You roll a number of dice equal to your trait, look for 5 & 6s.
[13:34] <+NicholasWMoll> 6s explode. 1s represent misteps and can lead to negative consequences.
[13:35] <+NicholasWMoll> Equipment, Species Features, Talents, etc. add extra dice.
[13:35] <+NicholasWMoll> We have four broad traits – Arcana (Psychic), Shatter (Physical), Intuition (Smarts) and Vitality (Health). Idea is to function somewhat like a Space Opera film.
[13:35] <~Dan> (brb — please continue)
[13:35] <+NicholasWMoll> I.e. Drax is a walking brick, he can do all sorts of brick-things.
[13:36] <+NicholasWMoll> That’s more or less the shorthand of the game.
[13:37] <+NicholasWMoll> And yet, Axiomic, you just swung in at the start… :p
[13:38] <+Motulev> what kind of tone are you going for with the game?
[13:38] <+Motulev> grimdark, happy, serious, goofy?
[13:38] <+NicholasWMoll> I tend to write from the perspective that most groups will set their own tone.
[13:39] <+NicholasWMoll> I.e. Black Crusade is intended as SuperGrimDark40,000+ but you could play it as Saturday Morning Cartoon Villians…
[13:39] <+NicholasWMoll> So I tend to operate from a theme perspective more than a tonal one.
[13:39] <+Motulev> ok
[13:40] <&GenoFoxx> what’s the base tech level?
[13:40] <+NicholasWMoll> For my own writing, I tend more towards grim but not dark, trying to keep it somewhere around a heist movie.
[13:40] <+NicholasWMoll> Base tech level is “space faring.”
[13:41] <&GenoFoxx> are we talking beam weapons (star trek, star wars) or slug throwers ?
[13:41] <~Dan> (back, sorry)
[13:41] <+NicholasWMoll> Most planets have or had and are aware of fairly swift means of transversing the galaxy with laser pistols being a standard type of weaponry, as are beams and warp gates for vessels.
[13:42] <+NicholasWMoll> Planets that don’t have that kind of tech are lumped into a category of “Edge” or “Scar” world depending on how friendly they are.
[13:42] <+NicholasWMoll> In terms of actual equipment itself, we treat it almost as a template at times.
[13:43] <+NicholasWMoll> Using a Modality mechanic, the actual aesthetics of the item changes with a slight mechanical modification to the dice rolling.
[13:43] <&GenoFoxx> Does Earth exist in the setting?
[13:44] <+NicholasWMoll> So while two Skumbags (PCs) may have Blaster Pistols, one could have a Necro Blaster (reduced effectiveness), another a Origami one (more expensive modificaitons).
[13:44] <+NicholasWMoll> Yep.
[13:44] <+Axiomatic> Is the level of the heist supposed to be closer to holding up the Space Licquor Store for loose change that you’ll spend on a hotdog and some space meth, or is it more Carmen Sandiegoish
[13:45] <+NicholasWMoll> Earth was a client-state of the Blood Empire (the large, fallen imperial expanse). Taken in during 1977.
[13:45] <+Axiomatic> where you steal priceless artwork and occasionally landmasses
[13:45] <+NicholasWMoll> We’re still trying to work out the details of Earth’s alternate history. Mostly how many Star Wars prequels to eliminate.
[13:45] <&GenoFoxx> so is there power armor, battlesuits or mecha?
[13:45] <+Axiomatic> Also I can’t spell lick…liq…lickqour?
[13:45] <&Moxiane> NicholasWMoll: All of them, obviously.
[13:46] <&GenoFoxx> (liquor)
[13:46] <+Axiomatic> Spirits.
[13:46] <&Moxiane> Axiomatic: Licquor
[13:46] <+NicholasWMoll> Priceless artwork and landmasses.
[13:46] <+Axiomatic> Now I’m getting conflicting information!
[13:46] <&Moxiane> NicholasWMoll: If Slartibartfast is around, it could be one and the same!
[13:47] <+NicholasWMoll> In terms of Mecha, we use a thing called Specialist Talents to represent rare and relatively uncommon abilities.
[13:47] <+NicholasWMoll> Mecha – called Magnama – are one, as is Sorcery and tyranny.
Session Close (#rpgnet): Mon Oct 02 13:47:55 2017 -0500
Session Start (Dan:#rpgnet): Mon Oct 02 13:48:54 2017 -0500
[13:49] <~Dan> (Sorry — quick meeting with the boss, there, and now I’m being sent to get coffee. Please continue!)
[13:49] <+NicholasWMoll> In terms of the heist question, jumping back, the setting features a lot of implied low level “dime store” outlaws, but the players are meant to be the specials. I.e. the Jesse James’ or Ned Kelley’s of the setting – the ones who spawn legends.
[13:50] <+NicholasWMoll> An Infamy mechanic keeps track of player misdeeds, so you can get a sense of at what level the Crew are received at and what kind of jobs will be pitched their way.
[13:50] <+NicholasWMoll> Also… how known/recognisable they are.
[13:51] <+Axiomatic> I guess it IS important that everyone know you are THAT famous international art thief
[13:51] <+NicholasWMoll> @Moxiane Awe… Even Rogue One?
[13:52] <+Axiomatic> (that’s not how private chats work on irc)
[13:52] <+NicholasWMoll> Well, using the art thief example, if you get caught.
[13:53] <+NicholasWMoll> Infamy is more of a reward/punishment system. Its awarding is ultimately up to the Game Master to decide.
[13:54] <+NicholasWMoll> And there are a number of ways to address it.
[13:55] <+Axiomatic> But the correct one is to have an Inspector who has dedicated his career to catching you
[13:55] <+Axiomatic> And who will stomp on his hat in anger and frustration when you evade him yet again
[13:56] <+NicholasWMoll> On one hand, if the Crew have acted in a stealthy manner, the Game Master can ignore Infamy. If there is some sort of investigation it can be awarded later. If the Crew blow up the museum/gallery and video-cast themselves do it… that’s pretty immediate.
[13:56] <+NicholasWMoll> Well, I don’t really offer one way for Game Masters to handle or adjudicate their groups.
[13:57] <+NicholasWMoll> There’s a general rules mechanic with a number of options and suggestions, but ultimately its up to the GM to decide what the group is rewarded for.
[13:58] <+NicholasWMoll> If you want to do Pink Panther, Axiomatic, that’s your call 🙂
[14:00] <~Dan> (Howdy, Ryft_Darkmile!)
[14:01] <+NicholasWMoll> Swinging back to GenoFox’s Mecha question… the Mecha themselves are more of the voltron/power rangers vein than a Mechwarrior one.
[14:01] <+NicholasWMoll> I.e. large machines with a measure of personality and character.
[14:01] <+NicholasWMoll> Rules-wise, they’re developed more like a PC than a piece of equipment.
[14:02] <+Axiomatic> I was going to ask why you’d need them, but I guess it’s obvious, really – how do you steal a major landmark without one?
[14:03] <+NicholasWMoll> Lol… well, you might not just be committing thefts.
[14:04] <+Axiomatic> I mayyyy have fixated on that a bit
[14:04] <+NicholasWMoll> We cannot choose our inspirations, Axiomatic.
[14:04] <+Axiomatic> What else does the core concept encourage you to do?
[14:05] <+Axiomatic> Apart from shoving the Space Eiffel Tower under your mecha’s baggy sweater and nonchalantly sashaying away
[14:06] <+NicholasWMoll> The core concept encourages you to build a Crew of rogues. It begins the day after the Blood Empire has fallen and opportunities abound for those who are brave/ruthless enough to seize it.
[14:06] <+NicholasWMoll> Another civilization may be just across the horizon, with several contenders bubbling in the mixture of ruins, but today its the barbarian’s day.
[14:07] <~Dan> Is there room for playing any sort of “good guy” in the game? Or does that defeat the purpose?
[14:07] <+NicholasWMoll> The floor of the galaxy is open. One Skumbag might want $$$ and take it with a blaster…
[14:08] <+NicholasWMoll> Another might want a crown…
[14:09] <+NicholasWMoll> There is room to play a sort of “good guy” and I use the recent Omega Men, Guardians of the Galaxy and Firefly as examples of “outlaws with a heart of gold” that can easily fit into the setting.
[14:09] * ~Dan nods
[14:09] <+NicholasWMoll> You could also play a “straight up and down” type good guy, hunting criminals – and that could range from a Lonesome Dove/Wild West “last line of law and order” scenario to a Punisher-esq vendetta.
[14:10] <+NicholasWMoll> The default setting is that the bad guys have the day, so any traditional “good guy” type will be immediately at odds with the setting.
[14:10] <+Axiomatic> You mentioned Tyranny was a skill earlier?
[14:11] <+NicholasWMoll> One of my players takes that approach, however, and he has a lot of fun trying to bring out the best in his fellows.
[14:11] <+NicholasWMoll> Talent, yes.
[14:12] <+NicholasWMoll> To clarify, its governed under the “Specialist Talent: Tribune.” That means the Skumbag/PC has a small domain under their control.
[14:12] <+Axiomatic> So you’re basically the guy they come to on the day of his daughter’s wedding and ask him for justice
[14:13] <+NicholasWMoll> So, I wrote tyranny from the rules-perspective in the Greek sense of an unrestrained ruler.
[14:13] <+Axiomatic> ‘kay, I was picturing it as kind of being a space mafioso
[14:14] <+NicholasWMoll> And yep, depending on the individual character, you could run your domain in a Godfatherly sense… or it could be spun with something like the Noble Talent as a feudal monarch.
[14:14] <+Axiomatic> ey, leave the blaster, take the blue milk, capisce
[14:15] <+NicholasWMoll> The talent itself gives the player the domain. Its really up to them how they run things.
[14:15] <+NicholasWMoll> Depending on the mixture of other Talents and the character type they’ve designed.
[14:15] <+NicholasWMoll> Lol… yes.
[14:16] <+NicholasWMoll> In terms of writing the game itself, the tyranny example hits hard on the middle ground we were building.
[14:17] <+NicholasWMoll> On one hand, you want groups to have the freedom to go quite dark if that is their play style.
[14:18] <+NicholasWMoll> On the other hand, you need to allow players to configure themselves as Robin Hood types – even if that means Men in Tights – or the “kinda good, kinda bad” of something like Guardains..
[14:20] <+NicholasWMoll> Often that meant writing with the implication of nastiness without quite calling it as being there. And we began to use the phrase “PG-13” (well, M15 – Australian rating system) for what we were trying to do.
[14:22] <~Dan> Do you see this as the start of an entire game line?
[14:23] <+NicholasWMoll> Ah, the publishing model 🙂
[14:23] <+NicholasWMoll> Maybe is the best answer to that question.
[14:23] <+NicholasWMoll> We recently put out our core edition, and the first issue of SkumMag.
[14:24] <+NicholasWMoll> SkumMag’s going to be a quarterly expansion to the Core Edition and the setting.
[14:24] <+NicholasWMoll> But so far we’ve opted not to undertake any further books per say.
[14:25] <+NicholasWMoll> Doing a book means we’re locked into one idea for the long term and we really want to be able to respond to player feedback as well as follow the passion.
[14:25] <+NicholasWMoll> Also, Owlman isn’t a particularly large entity, so the magazine format is a lot friendlier to our scale.
[14:28] <+NicholasWMoll> That said, lets say hypothetically, it the Core Edition sold a blurbfurst-and-one copies. Adam Gillespie and myself would probably go “yep, another book” at that point.
[14:28] <~Dan> Do you have any plans to use the core mechanic for anything else?
[14:28] <+NicholasWMoll> Yep.
[14:29] <~Dan> Anything you can share? 🙂
[14:29] <+NicholasWMoll> The core mechanics are based off a game I wrote with my wife called Big Damn Sci-Fi. That was a little 2,000 core book, so obviously Skum of the Stars features a lot of extrapolation.
[14:29] <+NicholasWMoll> From there it went to a game called Big Damn Dryden from Dryden House set in the… Dryden Universe (Cyberpunk/noir).
[14:30] <+NicholasWMoll> So its already been around the traps a couple of times.
[14:30] <+NicholasWMoll> As for the future, I’m working with a Melbourne artist/game designer at the moment called Chris Booth.
[14:30] <+NicholasWMoll> He does a lot of interesting stuff re: social outreach and gamification.
[14:30] <+NicholasWMoll> And we’re working on a fantasy game using the system called Phantasmagoria.
[14:31] <+NicholasWMoll> Much like SotS its a bit of a “turned on its head” and open playfield for the players.
[14:31] <+NicholasWMoll> The first step of character creation is to build ones own class.
[14:31] <+NicholasWMoll> Setting-wise, its a fantasy multiverse after a planar implosion…
[14:32] <+NicholasWMoll> meaning everything from everywhere has been thrown into the one, now highly eclectic and conflicted place.
[14:32] <+NicholasWMoll> Thus opening the opportunity for characters that are a bit “thing a” and “thing b”
[14:33] <+NicholasWMoll> I guess that’s a recurring theme in my game design…
[14:33] <~Dan> Huh. Interesting.
[14:33] <+NicholasWMoll> I’m not really into giving players a list of things to be…
[14:33] <+NicholasWMoll> Instead, I prefer to give them the tools and say “what do you want to be?”
[14:34] <+NicholasWMoll> Along with the structure of a consistent setting to help hold it all together…
[14:34] <+NicholasWMoll> You know… so you don’t end up with a Cowboy/Viking/Mecha situation and a GM going “but I wanted to run a Soap Opera!”
[14:35] * ~Dan nods
[14:35] * ~Dan chuckles
[14:35] <~Dan> Do you have a character sheet you can share?
[14:35] <+NicholasWMoll> Yeah, it should be good when its all done. Like Adam on Skum of the Stars, Chris has his own particular flair that he brings to projects.
[14:35] <+NicholasWMoll> Yes I do (if you tell me how to share it)…
[14:36] <~Dan> If you have it posted somewhere, you can just post the URL here.
[14:37] <+NicholasWMoll> My thumb is erect in reply.
[14:39] <+NicholasWMoll> URL to character sheet: (Link: https://www.facebook.com/SkumoftheStarsOfficial/photos/a.469347890116966.1073741828.469343250117430/478425625875859/?type=3&theater)https://www.facebook.com/SkumoftheStarsOfficial/photos/a.469347890116966.1073741828.469343250117430/478425625875859/?type=3&theater
[14:39] <+NicholasWMoll> There we go…
[14:40] <~Dan> If you haven’t already, can you describe what the attributes are?
[14:40] <+NicholasWMoll> I did already, but I can do so again. There are four core Traits – Arcana (psychic), Intuition (smarts), Shatter (physical) and Vitality (health).
[14:40] <+NicholasWMoll> They’re basically the things you roll.
[14:41] <~Dan> How do you distinguish between dexterity and strength?
[14:41] <~Dan> (Howdy, Azoth!)
[14:41] <+NicholasWMoll> The idea was to not use skills, creating a broad sense of what characters can do.
[14:41] <+NicholasWMoll> The system more or less doesn’t distinguish between Dex and Strenght in the D&D sense.
[14:42] <+NicholasWMoll> Things based on hand-eye, like shooting, are governed by Intuition while things like jumping and acrobatics fall under shatter.
[14:43] <+NicholasWMoll> The idea is that, say, Han in “the first Star Wars movie” can proficently shoot, charm/bluff, and do a range of other things under his general skillset.
[14:44] <+NicholasWMoll> He’s really good at piloting, and that’s where talents come in to distinguish those elements.
[14:44] <+NicholasWMoll> Below the main four Traits, you’ll notice on the sheet there are four others.
[14:44] <+NicholasWMoll> These are static numbers indicating defences and states.
[14:45] <+NicholasWMoll> I.e. Barrier – mental strength/resistance, Defence – what it says on the tin, Move – speed and initiative, Wounds – how much damage the character can take.
[14:46] <+NicholasWMoll> These are seldom rolled (with the exception of Move) but typically rolled against.
[14:46] * ~Dan nods
[14:46] <+NicholasWMoll> I.e. Psychic attacks target Barrier.
[14:46] <+NicholasWMoll> Good old fashioned, non-space punching targets Defence.
[14:47] <+NicholasWMoll> I’m not a big fan of character-death…
[14:47] <+NicholasWMoll> So in terms of the Wounds trait there, when a Skumbag takes damage equal to their wounds they are a) unconscious and b) roll on the table of fun.
[14:47] <+NicholasWMoll> I.e. the permanent injury table.
[14:48] <+NicholasWMoll> A poor roll on the permanent injury table can result in character death.
[14:48] <+NicholasWMoll> But its more likely that a character will suffer some permanent misfortune.
[14:48] <+NicholasWMoll> That could range from internal injuries to lost “organs/facilities” (i.e. limbs for those standard type bipedal humanoids).
[14:49] <+NicholasWMoll> to the deprivation of particular species-elements such as Wings or psychic capabilities.
[14:49] <+NicholasWMoll> The other thing you’ll notice there on the sheet are a spot for Species Features.
[14:50] <+NicholasWMoll> That’s essentially the traits that define what type of Alien the player has made.
[14:51] <+NicholasWMoll> Its a fairly straight forward, Saturday Morning Cartoon, inspired process… I.e. you take two of a broad selection of traits and puzzle them together in a chosen manner.
[14:51] <~Dan> How much leeway is there for that?
[14:51] <+Prince_Herb> Aloha!
[14:51] <+NicholasWMoll> Quite a lot, and its a game we often play here to see how weird we can make it.
[14:51] <~Dan> (Howdy, Prince_Herb!)
[14:52] <+NicholasWMoll> One of my favourite outcomes is the Colours-That-Kill… A sentient bucket of Red Paint.
[14:52] * ~Dan chuckles
[14:52] <+NicholasWMoll> That one used Ethereal Anatomy (no standard internal structure) and Natural Weapon (Psychic).
[14:53] <+NicholasWMoll> Something more conventional are things like the “I can’t believe its not a Vulcan (and not in the Star Trek Discovery sense)”…
[14:53] <+NicholasWMoll> Which is simply Natural Trait: Intuition and Emotionless.
[14:54] <+NicholasWMoll> So there’s room there to be derivative of another work or fairly creative.
[14:54] <~Dan> (brb)
[14:54] <+NicholasWMoll> In terms of fitting all these weird creations into the setting, tjhe idea of the Blood Empire was that it was somewhat Roman in its outlook.
[14:55] <+NicholasWMoll> I.e. hugely cosmopolitan with the general criteria of “when in Rome, do like the Romans do”.
[14:56] <+LaggingDice> How does the system handle space ship creation?
[14:56] <+NicholasWMoll> Throw on top of the numerous species acquired via conquests with those arriving through barbarian invasions, you have a canvas into which you can paint all sorts of lifeforms.
[14:57] <+NicholasWMoll> A fairly straight forward build-as-you-need/build-and-tally processs.
[14:57] <+NicholasWMoll> Ships, like characters, have four core traits governing the basic facilities of a starship.
[14:58] <+NicholasWMoll> Engine (maneoverability/immediate speed), Structure (size), Firepower (GUNS!) and Utility (computers)…
[14:58] <+NicholasWMoll> From those basic four, you can build on a wide variety of modifications.
[14:59] <+NicholasWMoll> I.e. its equally valid to construct an A.I. piloted drone fighter as it is to build a space whale.
[14:59] <+NicholasWMoll> Each modification simply has its cost, and those get added to the base stats to tally the vessel’s value and its capacities.
[15:00] <+NicholasWMoll> I.e. crew, cargo space, passenger zones, terminals, etc.
[15:01] <+NicholasWMoll> While we offer examples of defined vessels – mostly from the Blood Empire and its key invaders – the idea was to provide room for players to build ships towards their species style and technology.
[15:01] <+LaggingDice> The dice pool system reminds me of Shadowrun 2nd ed, how does the game compare to that ruleset, in terms of mechanics/crunch?
[15:02] <+NicholasWMoll> I must confess here that I have never played Shadowrun, though I am aware of what it is.
[15:03] <~Dan> (Howdy, Anemos!)
[15:03] <+Anemos> (yo)
[15:03] <+NicholasWMoll> That said, in terms of comparison on a strictly rules-as-read level I will say that SotS is quite a bit more straight forward.
[15:04] <+NicholasWMoll> I.e. you roll, you resolve, and onto the next action.
[15:04] <+LaggingDice> Fair enough. What other system would you compare it with in terms of mechanics and structure?
[15:05] <+NicholasWMoll> World of Darkness, particularly the 1st edition nWoD.
[15:05] <+NicholasWMoll> Just in the sense that the dice rolls have more of a narrative signifigance than a mathematical one.
[15:06] <+LaggingDice> In the spirit of ‘shut up and take my money’ where can I get your game?
[15:06] <+NicholasWMoll> The extreme ends – 1s and 6s – in particular open an opportunity for storytelling…
[15:06] <+NicholasWMoll> RPGNow is pretty much where most of my stuff comes out.
[15:07] <+NicholasWMoll> (Link: http://www.rpgnow.com/browse/pub/3722/Owlman/subcategory/27062_27369/Skum-of-the-Stars)http://www.rpgnow.com/browse/pub/3722/Owlman/subcategory/27062_27369/Skum-of-the-Stars
[15:08] <+NicholasWMoll> I highly recommend the Core Edition because its the one with the more tools/toys/ideas in it.
[15:09] <+NicholasWMoll> And there is something innately pleasurable about going “hang on a minute, I just need to wind up my Clockwork Sniper Blaster”
[15:09] * ~Dan chuckles
[15:10] <~Dan> Does the game include a bestiary?
[15:11] <+NicholasWMoll> Yes, though it is more of a “Extras” section than just a list of monsters.
[15:11] <+NicholasWMoll> I wanted to provide enough “shake and bake” NPCs for GMs to construct games with minimal fuss.
[15:12] <+NicholasWMoll> So we have in there “standard type animals” that just need a couple of Species Features thrown on top to make them unique creatures. I..e an “Equine Mount” with “Plant” is different to one with “Mechanical”
[15:12] * ~Dan nods
[15:12] <+NicholasWMoll> There are also a wide list of common folks that are around the galaxy. I.e. Starship Crew, Thug, Bounty Hunter.
[15:13] <+NicholasWMoll> There is a section on known personas in there. I.e. people mentioned and notable in the setting and background.
[15:13] <+NicholasWMoll> And some more “monstery” bits and bobs…
[15:14] <+NicholasWMoll> Such as Kreptiki (anti-Zombies – creatures too alive!), Intradimensional horrors, Artificial Intellects.
[15:14] <~Dan> Too alive?
[15:14] <+NicholasWMoll> Yep. WAY too alive.
[15:15] <+NicholasWMoll> The idea of the Kreptiki is that they’ve been exposed to a bad batch of overactive terraforming bacteria.
[15:15] <+NicholasWMoll> And basically been boiled to a quite healthy but wholly “baseline” evolutionary state.
[15:16] <+NicholasWMoll> I.e. their Species Features have been stripped away and the creatures are returning to a sort of protoplasmic goop, getting stuck part way.
[15:17] <+NicholasWMoll> Regenerative, immune to illness, functionally immortal…
[15:17] <+NicholasWMoll> But also physically and mentally “meh.”
[15:17] <+NicholasWMoll> Or *shrug* depending on your outlook.
[15:17] <~Dan> Heh. 🙂
[15:18] <+NicholasWMoll> Again, it comes back too the flip it on its head stuff. Zombies and the undead make a great stock antagonist.
[15:19] <+NicholasWMoll> But at the same time, we have this process and set of traits that define the character as a life form.
[15:19] <+NicholasWMoll> And that’s very perosnal to each player.
[15:20] <+NicholasWMoll> So what happens when that personal moment of creation, that private yet fully endorsed contribution to the setting, comes under assault?
[15:22] <~Dan> (I missed your answer, if you answered your own question.)
[15:22] <+NicholasWMoll> So, anti-Zombies… creatures that play on the same fears as a zombies but in a way that suits the mechanics.
[15:22] <+NicholasWMoll> Ah, I kinda let the door open for other folks to jump in if they had a thought ;P
[15:22] <~Dan> Oh! Heh.
[15:23] <~Dan> So in the time remaining, is there anything we haven’t covered that you’d like to bring up?
[15:23] <+NicholasWMoll> Nah, I think we’ve got it all down pat – basics of the game, key areas of curiosity and function, side trek, traits and outcomes…
[15:24] <+NicholasWMoll> Probably the only thing I haven’t mentioned is magic.
[15:24] <~Dan> Oh? What’s up with magic?
[15:25] <+NicholasWMoll> Anyone can get a distinct, defined psychic power with a Talent (i.e. Telekensis is one) but Sorcery in Skum of the Stars is distinct and freeform. The limit is the player’s imagination and the danger they’re willing to put their characters in to achieve their goals.
[15:26] <+NicholasWMoll> Characters select and construct spells from a list of guidlinees and criteria, each element increasing the cost/difficulty.
[15:26] <+NicholasWMoll> There is no upper limit and players can *attempt* to go for vast feats such as destroying planets.
[15:26] <~Dan> O.o
[15:27] <+NicholasWMoll> The trade-off is that it is high ritual and multi-stepped there in, so the character has to invest the time in gathering the psychic energies properly in order to attempt their desired spell.
[15:27] * ~Dan nods
[15:27] <+NicholasWMoll> So, you know… no one carries around a “Scroll of Death Star” in their back pocket.
[15:28] <+NicholasWMoll> But again, Magics one of those areas where we stepped away from the RPG mould and went for a less trodded path.
[15:29] <+NicholasWMoll> Alright, I think that’s the last thing I wanted to mention 🙂
[15:30] <~Dan> Cool. Thanks very much for joining us, NicholasWMoll!
[15:30] <+NicholasWMoll> Now worries, Dan, cheers for having me!
[15:31] <~Dan> Standard reminder: Those wishing to support my Q&A series can do so here: (Link: https://gmshoe.wordpress.com/the-gmshoes-tip-jar/)https://gmshoe.wordpress.com/the-gmshoes-tip-jar/
[15:31] <~Dan> And now, if you’ll give me just a minute, I’ll get the log posted and link you. 🙂
