[20-Jan-22 07:32 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Hi all, I am Tyler! The game is called Metroville. Metroville is a super hero tabletop role playing game designed to give the most options to players and Narrators (GMs). The most important part of Metroville to me is the flexibility during the game. Snce powers have no set moves, players can get creative and come up with their own signature moves, just like in the comics or the big screen. This feature is second only to the Traits. In Metroville no Character is perfect, so taking a balance of positive and negative traits is essential to creating fun and interesting Characters. Traits also help make your Characters feel unique by giving their flavour mechanical impacts, such as having more legs makes you harder to knock over, but being asthmatic makes you get fewer actions. There are so many different combinations of Traits and Powers that every character you ever play or come across in Metroville will be unique. Metroville is setting agnostic and in fact we have played it in a future science fiction setting, a feudal age setting, a 1960s middle America setting and a game set in the 21st century. Here is the link to the kickstarter for more info: http://kck.st/3FpJmli
Pdf of the character sheet is also below.
[20-Jan-22 07:32 PM] tattoopotato#5361
{Attachments}
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/780948065367490590/933896856176558160/Character_Sheet_UPDATED.pdf
[20-Jan-22 07:33 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
(Oh, sorry — please give us a (done) when you’re ready for questions. 🙂 )
[20-Jan-22 07:34 PM] tattoopotato#5361
(done) 🙂
[20-Jan-22 07:34 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Thanks, @tattoopotato! The floor is open to questions!
[20-Jan-22 07:35 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
So you say that the game is setting-agnostic, but do the rules lend themselves to any particular type of superheroic gaming? (Golden Age, Silver Age, Bronze Age, etc.?)
[20-Jan-22 07:36 PM] tattoopotato#5361
The game lends itself in general to a slightly more modern game (20th century). The built in Talents suit this time period better, though I do specify in the core book that these are easily changed to match the setting.
[20-Jan-22 07:37 PM] tattoopotato#5361
For example the driving talent is likely not useful in the 1400s, but could be replaced for something like horseback riding.
[20-Jan-22 07:38 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Right, but does it lend itself to any particular modern superheroic comicbook era?
[20-Jan-22 07:40 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Probably closer to the Bronze Age. The themes can get dark if the table wants it, but to be honest, it was designed to be flexible.
[20-Jan-22 07:41 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Is it designed to be an “anything goes” type of setting in terms of power origins?
[20-Jan-22 07:41 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
(Aliens, magic, mutations, superscience, etc.?)
[20-Jan-22 07:41 PM] tattoopotato#5361
There are 7 different origins baked in, though they are pretty general.
[20-Jan-22 07:43 PM] tattoopotato#5361
They include Enhanced, experiment/accident, magic, training, alien, high tech and enchanted or magical weapons
[20-Jan-22 07:45 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
While it’s not as common as fantasy, there are a lot of superhero RPGs out there. What makes yours stand out?
[20-Jan-22 07:48 PM] tattoopotato#5361
The thing that makes Metroville unique is how unique the characters can be combined with how free the players are to choose their actions in play. For example, the powers have some recommendations for uses of powers in the book, but ultimately they can choose to use their powers in any way they want.
[20-Jan-22 07:48 PM] tattoopotato#5361
This allows them to solve problems in different ways than others potentially using the same powers
[20-Jan-22 07:49 PM] tattoopotato#5361
From what some reviewers have said, it gives a real feeling of being a super hero, but not just a reskin of a hero from a known franchise, your own unique hero with their own moves and specialties.
[20-Jan-22 07:50 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
That certainly seems worthwhile!
[20-Jan-22 07:50 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Do you have a character sheet that we can see?
[20-Jan-22 07:51 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Yeah here is a pdf of the blank sheet!
{Attachments}
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/780948065367490590/933901498138648706/Character_Sheet_UPDATED.pdf
[20-Jan-22 07:52 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
I see “Alignment”. Can you say a bit about that?
[20-Jan-22 07:55 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Yeah so in modern comics, not all heroes are lawful good like Captain America. Some are more like the Punisher. This gives players an early chance to think about how their characters would interact with the world. Alignment has no mechanical effect in Metroville.
[20-Jan-22 07:56 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
What are the alignments?
[20-Jan-22 07:57 PM] tattoopotato#5361
The classic 9 alignments Chaotic – Lawful and Good to Evil are in there, but loose and flexible alignment is also recommended in the core book.
[20-Jan-22 07:59 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
What is the attribute scale for a normal human, and is there an upper limit?
[20-Jan-22 08:01 PM] tattoopotato#5361
That is a good question, and one that took a lot of noodling. Every character starts at 2 of each before point buying begins, so that has become the default for regular human. There is no upper limit in theory, but in practice there is because of the way getting stronger works in Metroville.
[20-Jan-22 08:02 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Can you say a bit more about that?
[20-Jan-22 08:03 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Yeah for sure, was hoping you would ask that! In Metroville, you can only get stronger by doing relatively hard actions. Without going into a crazy amount of detail (unless you want that) what was a hard task when you have say 2 body, will be easy when you have 6. Eventually it will not be feasible to gain any more in an attribute, power or talent.
[20-Jan-22 08:04 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Hmmm… Perhaps for context, you should describe task resolution?
[20-Jan-22 08:09 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Yeah for sure. So Metroville uses a die pool system. This means that you roll d6s equal to the number of points in your ability + modifiers. Any die above 3 is a success. The Narrator decides whether or not that reaches the target number. If the target number was half of the total die pool or more the player get s a heroic task. If the target number is 1 less than or equal to the total die pool, they get a Mythic task. Note, they do not need to succeed these actions to complete these tasks. You need some number (depending on current die pool) of heroic and mythic tasks to raise your attributes and super power modifiers.
[20-Jan-22 08:11 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Does that mean that target numbers in excess of ability scores are impossible?
[20-Jan-22 08:12 PM] tattoopotato#5361
not at all. It can be very impossible to complete actions.
[20-Jan-22 08:13 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
I’m not sure I follow you there. If an ability score is 2 and an action requires 3 successes, how is that possible?
[20-Jan-22 08:13 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Well then likely the Narrator won’t ask for a roll and narrate the failure of that action
[20-Jan-22 08:14 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Many other games do this. For example in Pathfinder 2e, if a Character with +0 in a skill attempts an action that requires a 40, they sure can say they want to do it.
[20-Jan-22 08:14 PM] tattoopotato#5361
But they sure will not succeed.
[20-Jan-22 08:15 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Ah, okay, I misunderstood.
[20-Jan-22 08:16 PM] tattoopotato#5361
I think I may have too. Yes attempting an action that has a target number higher than your pool will be impossible to complete. But also yes this can happen (and has happened) in play.
[20-Jan-22 08:17 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Is there any “metacurrency” like Fate Points?
[20-Jan-22 08:17 PM] tattoopotato#5361
No there are no meta currencies in metroville
[20-Jan-22 08:18 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
I don’t see a place for skills on the character sheet. Are skills a thing in this game?
[20-Jan-22 08:19 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Skills are not a thing in Metroville. We use talents to offset that. We wanted this game to be centered more around the powers.
[20-Jan-22 08:20 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
I see. And how do talents work?
[20-Jan-22 08:21 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Talents also have modifiers like powers and add that many die to your pool when performing an action that could reasonably use that talent
[20-Jan-22 08:21 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
How does that differ from a skill?
[20-Jan-22 08:22 PM] tattoopotato#5361
In so far as they are fairly niche, and you generally won’t get very many of them.
[20-Jan-22 08:22 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Ah, I see.
[20-Jan-22 08:23 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Can you give an example or two of a talent?
[20-Jan-22 08:25 PM] tattoopotato#5361
For sure!
[20-Jan-22 08:27 PM] tattoopotato#5361
In Metroville there are two types of talents General, which are chosen from a list that all players have access to and Unique, which are created by the players every game and are supposed to be ULTRA niche. An example of a general talent is stunt driving, a unique talent is knowing the entire Britney Spear’s discography.
[20-Jan-22 08:27 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Which was a real unique talent from one of our playtests
[20-Jan-22 08:31 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
So what would you use for “ordinary” driving? Just the attribute?
[20-Jan-22 08:32 PM] tattoopotato#5361
For the most part, Characters are considered competent and likely wouldn’t have to roll for “normal” driving.
[20-Jan-22 08:32 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Well, let me rephrase: What would a character use for driving in a stressful situation?
[20-Jan-22 08:35 PM] tattoopotato#5361
If I were the Narrator I would say that driving under stressful situations could arguably fall under stunt driving. They would add their Agility Attribute to their Stunt Driving Modifier to create their pool for that action (and maybe a super power like super speed or super intelligence?)
[20-Jan-22 08:36 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Does the game account for “super-talents” like Green Arrow’s archery?
[20-Jan-22 08:37 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Characters like that would likely have the Training Origin, and then they would have a really high Attribute in, in that case, Agility.
[20-Jan-22 08:37 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Since they gain Attributes and powers differently from other Origins
[20-Jan-22 08:38 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Hmmm… See, I’d take issue with that, just because a character like Green Arrow isn’t super-agile. He’s just super-good at archery.
[20-Jan-22 08:40 PM] tattoopotato#5361
That makes sense. Now that i think about it a little more, we did have a super good with guns Character, and they just had a really high talent modifier in guns. (specifically long range guns for this character) so super archery would likely work the same
[20-Jan-22 08:40 PM] tattoopotato#5361
(again a feature of training, they get more talents than the average)
[20-Jan-22 08:41 PM] Xenaphos#2866
Sniper chainsaw was great lol
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[20-Jan-22 08:41 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Oh, hey there, @Xenaphos!
[20-Jan-22 08:41 PM] Xenaphos#2866
ohai
[20-Jan-22 08:41 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
@Xenaphos stopped by the other day to check us out in advance of this Q&A. 🙂
[20-Jan-22 08:42 PM] tattoopotato#5361
They were in many of the playtests as well 🙂
[20-Jan-22 08:42 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Cool. 🙂
[20-Jan-22 08:43 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
So let’s look at powers. How are they designed? Are they effects-based, for example, or do you by them as complete packages (like Weather Control)?
[20-Jan-22 08:44 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Powers are designed to be varied and unique. Weather control is a power. But so is electricity control.
[20-Jan-22 08:45 PM] tattoopotato#5361
So they do come in packages, but the packages are a little more specific in their use cases. Like, you can’t really use weather control to shoot lightning at an enemy from inside where electricity control may be used indoors.
[20-Jan-22 08:48 PM] tattoopotato#5361
There are also over 30 powers in the core book as of right now (will be 33 if the game gets funded due to our great backers) so there is no shortage in my opinion
[20-Jan-22 08:49 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Are super-attributes simply super-high attributes?
[20-Jan-22 08:51 PM] tattoopotato#5361
There aren’t any super attributes in Metroville really, at least not in that name.
[20-Jan-22 08:51 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Could you provide an example of what you mean by that?
[20-Jan-22 08:52 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Well, I mean the Hulk’s strength or Spider-man’s agility, for example. Are they simply purchased as really high attributes, or do they count as powers?
[20-Jan-22 08:54 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Super Strength is a power, as is Super Speed. Danger sense is also a power, there is no real super agility power, that would probably be represented by high Agility as it isn’t too drastically above human reactions (depending on the spiderman iteration of course, sometimes he is near godlike)
[20-Jan-22 08:57 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
We’ve touched on this a bit, but how does the game handle issues of scaling? Can a Batman type be as potent as a Superman type in Metroville?
[20-Jan-22 08:58 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Heck yeah they can! It does really depend on the kind of game you want to run though. If you are running a game where there are only fights and little investigation, Superman may outshine Batman slightly, but in an investigation game batman would triumph. If it a more balanced game they would both have their weak and strong areas.
[20-Jan-22 08:58 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Cool. 🙂
[20-Jan-22 09:00 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Due to the number of powers, and the flexibility of them, some will outshine others if the table is looking for a game that is “broken” which I learned is totally cool and allows Metroville to be played by different groups with different interests!
[20-Jan-22 09:00 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
How does your game handle magic and gadgeteering?
[20-Jan-22 09:01 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Magic is an origin, so essentially they would take powers as “schools of magic” and do the same thing other heroes do, but “magically” instead of however their origin dictates it. Same thing for the high tech origin. Both Tony stark and superman can fly, they just gained their powers differently
[20-Jan-22 09:02 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
I follow you there, but does the game handle super-science inventing?
[20-Jan-22 09:03 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Super intelligence is a power. Could see that being used by a Reed Richards type to create fun gadgets that the team could use for sure!
[20-Jan-22 09:03 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Combine that with a Talent for say mechanics and you have yourself a dope inventor
[20-Jan-22 09:04 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Do you have specific rules for gadget creation, or is it simply a matter of the GM deciding on the difficulty for creating any given invention?
[20-Jan-22 09:04 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Perhaps even through in the “Wealthy” Trait to ensure that you have the resources to invent
[20-Jan-22 09:05 PM] tattoopotato#5361
As of right now it is up to the GM for that. I think that putting specific rules for that may limit some of the creativity the game is trying to sponsor
[20-Jan-22 09:06 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Fair enough.
[20-Jan-22 09:06 PM] tattoopotato#5361
The thing I have come to accept about Metroville is that the rules could easily be “abused” by a table that wishes to do so. And who am I to say their fun isn’t fun enough.
[20-Jan-22 09:07 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Good attitude, IMHO.
[20-Jan-22 09:07 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Thanks 🙂
[20-Jan-22 09:07 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
How does combat work?
[20-Jan-22 09:08 PM] tattoopotato#5361
All of combat is contested rolls. The attackers ability to hit vs the defenders ability to dodge or block.
[20-Jan-22 09:08 PM] tattoopotato#5361
You can use powers on attack, but only a limited number of times on defence per turn, to make sure people actually take damage.
[20-Jan-22 09:09 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
How does armor function?
[20-Jan-22 09:09 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
(AC or DR, I mean.)
[20-Jan-22 09:10 PM] tattoopotato#5361
There is no AC as a static number, it always rolled defence. In Metroville, armour (if you have it) straight up prevents damage.
[20-Jan-22 09:10 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
How is damage determined? Is it rolled, for example, or is it a flat number?
[20-Jan-22 09:12 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Rolled. So for example the defender rolls 3 success and the attacker rolls 5, so they deal 2 damage. If you are using a weapon (and have a talent in that weapon) they do get to add a small amount of extra damage.
[20-Jan-22 09:14 PM] tattoopotato#5361
The purpose of this, is you deal super damage to mooks, but super villains of your caliber will be a tougher fight
[20-Jan-22 09:15 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Ah. So damage isn’t rolled separately but is based upon degree of attack success?
[20-Jan-22 09:15 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Exactly
[20-Jan-22 09:15 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Gotcha.
[20-Jan-22 09:16 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
How does strength affect damage?
[20-Jan-22 09:17 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Well if you are doing a strength based attack, like punching a fool, you will roll Body plus mods so it will help in that way, but if you are doing a mental attack like telekinesis, your Willpower will impact the die pool not your Body.
[20-Jan-22 09:18 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Hmmm… So how would the game simulate a martial artist who hits hard through finesse rather than brute strength?
[20-Jan-22 09:19 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Martial arts is a talent that can be added to an attack roll.
[20-Jan-22 09:19 PM] tattoopotato#5361
This would simulate a Batman or the like.
[20-Jan-22 09:19 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
nods
[20-Jan-22 09:20 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
What is your least favorite aspect of this game? Is there something that you think could be improved in some way?
[20-Jan-22 09:21 PM] tattoopotato#5361
I think that if I had to choose one aspect, I would say that adding some Talents or making more Talents that are specific to time periods or settings would improve the game.
[20-Jan-22 09:22 PM] Randak#0007
How well does your game handle larger groups of players (like 8)?
[20-Jan-22 09:22 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Great question, really got me thinking
[20-Jan-22 09:22 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Thanks! I can’t take the credit for it. A former regular came up with that question.
[20-Jan-22 09:23 PM] tattoopotato#5361
To be honest, we have not played with that large of a group, our highest was 6 plus narrator. It is definitely slower due to the fact that in combat all attacks are contested, but with 6 at least it was still as fun as most other games. The main problem is not all players will get as much “spotlight” time as is ideal in a given session.
[20-Jan-22 09:24 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
In the time remaining, is there anything we haven’t covered that you’d like to bring up?
[20-Jan-22 09:25 PM] tattoopotato#5361
I think that something that we sidn’t talk about a lot is the traits system.
[20-Jan-22 09:27 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Traits can be both positive and negative. (you can be calm, cool and collected or you can have a severe illness) The traits also have values. so traits range from -6 to +9. The goal is to create a character with “0” overall trait points to “balance” them.
[20-Jan-22 09:27 PM] tattoopotato#5361
This lets you make absolutely unique characters since there are over 50 different traits.
[20-Jan-22 09:28 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Very nice!
[20-Jan-22 09:28 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Thanks very much for joining us, @tattoopotato!
[20-Jan-22 09:29 PM] tattoopotato#5361
Thanks for having me!
[20-Jan-22 09:29 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
I hope you’ve enjoyed your visit and that you’ll continue hanging out with us (like @Randak has over there 😉 )!
[20-Jan-22 09:29 PM] tattoopotato#5361
For sure!
[20-Jan-22 09:29 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
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! 🙂
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[20-Jan-22 09:29 PM] Randak#0007
As soon as I figure out where the exit is….
Interesting game @tattoopotato
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[20-Jan-22 09:30 PM] Dan Davenport#6715
Now, if you’ll give me a couple of minutes, I’ll get the log posted and link you!
[20-Jan-22 09:30 PM] tattoopotato#5361
thanks @Randak !
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