[21-Jan-22 10:07 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
My name’s Alex and I’m the writer and designer of (among other titles) Across a Thousand Dead Worlds, a sci-fi RPG. This is my third project to date, but it is definitely the largest in scope, and seeing how well the Kickstarter campaign is doing, I’d say it’s the most successful too!
(done)
[21-Jan-22 10:07 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
Thanks, @Alex – Blackoath! The floor is open to questions!
[21-Jan-22 10:07 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
What can you tell us about the game’s setting?
[21-Jan-22 10:07 AM] Henry#3418
Do you have a link your project?
[21-Jan-22 10:08 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1775185920/across-a-thousand-dead-worlds
[21-Jan-22 10:09 AM] Henry#3418
Time is the currency of life. @Alex – Blackoath Why should people spend their time on your game, Across a Thousand Dead Worlds? In a flooded market of RPG’s what does your game provide more than any other, what makes your game unique and why should people play it more than any other?
[21-Jan-22 10:10 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
The setting is strongly influenced by Frederik Pohl’s Gateway, so anyone familiar with that book will feel right at home. The tone though is a bit different from the novel, adding in strong elements of psychological horror and action. Films like Alien or Event Horizon come to mind, but there’s also a strong component of group mechanics (even when playing solo with NPCs) that are closer to Paranoia (the RPG). I expect a lot of backstabbing to take place, haha
[21-Jan-22 10:13 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
Great question! I’d say that the setting is pretty unique, but mostly the fact that the game is built from the ground up to be played solo. In the world we live in right now, I’d say that’s something a lot of people will appreciate! You can of course solo any RPG with the right tools (I do it all the time), but RPGs that are designed with solo gameplay in mind from the very beginning are extremely rare. At most, you get a stretch goal facilitating it but not really planning it properly (I’m looking at you, Twilight: 2000).
[21-Jan-22 10:14 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
What is the tech level of the setting? Is there FTL travel, for example?
[21-Jan-22 10:15 AM] Henry#3418
@Alex – Blackoath Why the focus on ‘Solo Play’ and could you lay it out a bit for people who have never experienced or heard of tabletop solo play?
[21-Jan-22 10:16 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
It’s pretty grounded; the game takes place about 100 years in the future so things have progressed as one would expect. Nothing extravagant. This is definitely closer to The Expanse than to Star Trek. Advanced weaponry and biomechanical augmentations exist, and an EM drive has been developed that allows traveling a bit faster than currently possible, but that’s about it!
[21-Jan-22 10:18 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
Is the setting limited to our solar system, then?
[21-Jan-22 10:21 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
From the very beginning I’ve focused on developing solo RPG experiences, even before the pandemic hit. I love RPGs but one reaches a certain point in life where organizing weekly games is a quest unto itself, so I found myself dying to play this or that game, or enjoy this or that setting. This evolved into writing my own solo games because I knew I wasn’t the only one wanting to experience a good RPG when there’s nobody to play with. As for how a solo RPG works, you essentially have a bunch of random tables and other tools (usually known as “oracles”) that are designed to “replace” the role of a Game Master. So instead of asking questions to a GM, you’d ask the oracle tables. Then you use random tables to see how your character’s story develops, and that’s about it. It might sound complex but it’s super easy; in a way, it’s like assisted writing.
[21-Jan-22 10:24 AM] Henry#3418
@Alex – Blackoath Imagine you have the CEO of Roleplaying games no such thing exist, yet Microsoft I am sure are working on buying it right now. So you have managed to corner this suit in the elevator. You have your elevator ride to pitch this to the suit.
What is your pitch for solo play?
What is your pitch for Across a Thousand Dead Worlds?
[21-Jan-22 10:26 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
Yes and no; humans have not ventured outside of our Solar System, but thanks to the alien ships found within the Karum Asteroid, there are expeditions being launched all across the galaxy on a daily basis. in Across a Thousand Dead Worlds, you play as one of those brave adventurers, boarding alien craft for fame and profit. The only problem is, human scientists have only figured out how to activate the ships, randomly select one of the multiple destinations in their database, and that’s about it. When you board an Àrsaidh ship you have no clue where you’re going to go, how long it’s going to take to get there, and even if there will still be anything of value there! And of course, there’s no piloting the ship, you are just cargo, the ship goes to its destination, stops there, and when you’re ready you just punch the big “go back home” button and that’s it.
[21-Jan-22 10:26 AM] Randak#0007
How common is death (character done, campaign over) in a solo RPG? How do you handle the “heal” possibility that exists with groups of adventurers?
[21-Jan-22 10:26 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
Interesting premise!
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[21-Jan-22 10:28 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
Playing an RPG solo allows you to experience all the fun and excitement of discovering an unknown world and its characters, on the fly, without any prep whatsoever. Across a Thousand Dead Worlds takes that same design philosophy and applies it to a sci-fi world, expanding it so that not only can you play it alone, but also as a co-op or even traditional, GM-led RPG. All without prep, randomly generating the adventure as you go.
[21-Jan-22 10:33 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
That really depends on the game. The thing is, true solo RPGs, designed from the beginning to be soloable, are extremely rare. Right now I can only think of Ironsworn, its sci-fi version Starforged, and I suppose Scarlet Heroes. So the usual thing is having to adapt a traditional group RPG to solo gaming, which has its challenges. I would say though that my own games are pretty deadly because I follow old school design sensibilities, where you are not supposed to beat everything you find in your travels; some enemies you can kill, others you’re supposed to run away from until you’re more powerful. There’s no power level scaling in Across a Thousand Dead Worlds; if you don’t flee often and promptly, you will die. As for healing, you can always use the Medical Aid skill to patch yourself or a crew member up, but for more serious injuries you’ll have to spend some time recovering at Karum Station.
[21-Jan-22 10:33 AM] Henry#3418
@Alex – Blackoath Is your system unique to this setting? That is to say is this system specifically designed for this setting?
[21-Jan-22 10:36 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
It is, yes. I find that solo games benefit from having all systems designed from the ground up with solo gameplay in mind. This is not a problem for those who want to play it in a group though; as a matter of fact, it makes a GM’s life much easier because the many, many tools found in the book are meant to be used on the fly. As for the system itself, the basis of it are extremely simple: you roll a single D20, add the relevant Attribute or Skill, and if the result is 20 or higher, you succeed.
[21-Jan-22 10:36 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
Do you have a character sheet that we can see?
[21-Jan-22 10:36 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
(And I need to take a restroom break. brb!)
[21-Jan-22 10:37 AM] Henry#3418
@Alex – Blackoath What mechanic do you think we can find in your system that we won’t find in another which is unique to your setting?
Is there something which is a good comparison to your project?
[21-Jan-22 10:38 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
Yes, but right now I only have it as a PDF, I can covert it to JPEG in a second if necessary. Let me see if I can attach it here at least
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https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/780948065367490590/934124917467775117/ATDW_-__Character_Sheet_A4.pdf
[21-Jan-22 10:39 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
That’s fine!
[21-Jan-22 10:40 AM] Henry#3418
I have to say that is a very nicely designed sheet which fits the theme of what your doing. I have seen a lot of character sheets come through here and that is generally when you know if someone is putting in effort and a lot of effort shows with that.
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[21-Jan-22 10:40 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
Is this an attribute + skill system?
[21-Jan-22 10:41 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
I think the way acquiring talents, which is essentially randomly, is quite unique. Each two levels you get to roll on one of the talent tables; you can have a maximum of 5 different talents equipped at once, so they can be rotating as you get new ones. Talents go from active skills like a combat charge, to passive boosts to skills, health, etc. There’s a total of 60 different talents.
[21-Jan-22 10:42 AM] Randak#0007
I’m intrigued by the solo play idea but would be concerned about player agency. Does my skill and decisions matter? Not just picking the right or wrong path, but able to use skills to overcome obstacles (or escape).
[21-Jan-22 10:43 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
Thanks! I can’t take any credit for it though, I’m working with an extremely talented graphic designer (Phlvx from Signum Nox), and he’s in charge of all the game’s visuals. Having a single person on charge of that makes the game have a coherent look. I think it’s going to be absolutely killer; you can see some spreads on the KS campaign, if you’re curious.
[21-Jan-22 10:43 AM] Henry#3418
@Alex – Blackoath What makes your setting unique? There are many dark future games what is the thing that makes yours different? What itch do you scratch that no other game does?
[21-Jan-22 10:44 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
(Question pause while @Alex – Blackoath gets caught up, please. 🙂 )
[21-Jan-22 10:44 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
It’s not, it’s either Roll+Attribute, for when you’re doing things that are not covered by the skills, or Roll+Skill. The game has a pretty generalist approach to skills, there are only 12 of them so you’ll not find really obscure specializations
[21-Jan-22 10:47 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
Oh absolutely! You have full control of your character’s decisions, that’s the fun of it. If you decide to punch that NPC that you can’t stand, you can use the different oracle tables to see how the NPC reacts, for example. It is important to realize that you will have to don your “GM hat” occasionally; while the story will surprise you, there are things you have to decide yourself; as long as you follow your logic, you’ll be good. In my example, if the NPC you just punched is a security guard, the most logical outcome would be you getting in trouble; if it’s just some random tourist at Karum Station you could probably get away with it. You need to apply logic and understand how the world should react to your character’s actions.
[21-Jan-22 10:51 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
Definitely the fact that alien technology has been found, but humans have no clue whatsoever of how to use it. Still, it’s of extreme value because of its properties, and that is where players enter. Your character comes from a life of misery (most of the times), and this is your chance to become rich and famous. The setting is an ultra-capitalist one, the wealthy have essentially escaped Earth and left everyone there to die. So I’d say this is a post-Earth setting, at least for your characters, and at least for this first chapter of the game. Yes, I’m planning on having an evolving story, things will change with each official expansion.
[21-Jan-22 10:52 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
(Questions may resume!)
[21-Jan-22 10:52 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
Is there any relationship at all between attributes and skills. or are they completely unrelated?
[21-Jan-22 10:52 AM] Henry#3418
@Alex – Blackoath The question must come, why not 5e and if not 5e why not one of its well-known competitors? Such as Power by the Apocalypse, Savage Worlds or Fate? Why put in the massive work that is making a unique system?
Do you think your setting could work with any of those other systems?
[21-Jan-22 10:53 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
I forgot to mention that yes, your character’s skills do matter, and so do your personal skills as a player, as they would in any normal RPG.
[21-Jan-22 10:56 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
Oh definitely, the setting would work well with other game engines, I think it would work specially well with Savage Worlds actually. But in order to have a proper solo (or co-op) experience I believe it’s much better to have all the in-game systems and mechanics working in conjunction towards that goal, without having to twist and break game mechanics, forcing them to work in a way they were never designed for in the first place. I thought very long and hard about this same question when I first started working on the game, and I was really close to making this an Old School Essentials product, but as I mentioned, it would have been a lot of work forcing that game to work the way I needed it to.
[21-Jan-22 10:57 AM] Randak#0007
Do have have any playthroughs available? I would love to see even a short video of the mechanics in action.
[21-Jan-22 10:58 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
I’m afraid not, at least not yet. The closest I have is the gameplay example you can download from the KS campaign; that’s 100% a game session played by me, no changes or fixes, sans the mechanics. I think you get a good feeling of how the game plays!
[21-Jan-22 10:59 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
As a solo game developer it’s complicated to be on top of everything, and I still need to find time to sit and record myself playing through a game session.
[21-Jan-22 11:00 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
(and by solo I mean nobody’s helping me, I’m behind the whole operation, aside from the graphic designer helping me on this project, as I mentioned before)
[21-Jan-22 11:00 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
(Did you see my earlier question, @Alex – Blackoath? 🙂 )
[21-Jan-22 11:00 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
Damn, I missed it, sorry!
[21-Jan-22 11:01 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
That’s okay! You’re doing great. 🙂
[21-Jan-22 11:02 AM] Randak#0007
The example in the Kickstarter is great, thanks! (I didn’t realize the link contained an example)
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[21-Jan-22 11:03 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
They are unrelated. Originally each skill had an Attribute associated to it, but it wasn’t an even distribution and it favored certain attributes so I decided against it. You use Attributes for the more generalist checks, as well as for certain mechanics like recovering from being knocked down, etc. Skills are used in the traditional way, when you need to see if your character can attack or sneak by some enemies
[21-Jan-22 11:04 AM] Randak#0007
If you play with multiple players what is the GMing mechanism if it a group effort (as opposed to one player assuming the GM role)?
[21-Jan-22 11:05 AM] Henry#3418
@Alex – Blackoath What is your least favourite aspect of Across a Thousand Dead Worlds?
[21-Jan-22 11:07 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
You don’t really need a GM at all, so you can all take turns rolling on the tables, or let one player take the initiative. Ideally though you’ll all organically paint a picture of what’s happening together. Trust me, it all happens naturally while playing!
[21-Jan-22 11:10 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
Tough question! I think I can do more with character progression; it’s probably more than enough right now but if someone really plays the game obsessively (there’s always someone like that), they’ll reach the ceiling pretty quickly. I know this is a natural thing that happens to all RPGs, but I personally like having the option of constantly evolving and improving my character. This is something I’ll work on in the future.
[21-Jan-22 11:12 AM] Henry#3418
@Alex – Blackoath Imagine…
Imagine Across a Thousand Dead Worlds has gone triple platinum, people no longer say I am going to play D&D they say Dead Worlds instead. People cosplay as characters from your game and people wear merch about Across a Thousand Dead Worlds like Nirvana T-Shirts. Usually saying oh yeah man Dead Worlds is great I love their sound…
Imaging that.
- How does it make you feel?
- What is the thing that gets you in trouble?
- What is the one thing you loved from your game that now makes you cringe?
[21-Jan-22 11:13 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
Name of the game aside, how common is life in your universe, and is any of it that’s still around sapient?
[21-Jan-22 11:17 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
Haha, that’s a lot of imagining… I’m not sure how I’d feel about it, it would probably be bizarre. I think it would probably also mean I’m no longer in control of the game, haha. I don’t think anything within the game can get me in trouble, if that’s what you mean… While there’s a clear critique to how our world is going, I don’t think anyone will feel attacked. I don’t think anything from the game makes me cringe, I’ve always been consistent with my decisions and I stand by them.
[21-Jan-22 11:19 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
Life is as common as one might expect, which is not at all. The interesting thing though is that the Àrsaidh (the aliens that built the ships your characters use) had a clear interest in places that supported life, so you inevitably will end up facing it wherever you go, since their ships only take you to places that where previously visited by the Àrsaidh.
[21-Jan-22 11:20 AM] Henry#3418
Just a bit of follow up for that one. The reason I ask this question is because a lot of creators think in terms of beating failure, not dealing with success. I am sure Notch from Minecraft and the creator of Undertale never expected the success they got.
[21-Jan-22 11:21 AM] Henry#3418
@Alex – Blackoath What is the one thing you wished people asked about the game but haven’t yet?
[21-Jan-22 11:23 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
Yeah it’s definitely an interesting question, and as expected, it’s not something that I’ve spent any amount of time thinking about. I’d like to think I’d handle success in an elegant, calm way, but you’re more likely to see me atop a giant golden tank chasing my enemies while blasting black metal. So more Mad Max Fury Road, less 7 years in Tibet.
[21-Jan-22 11:24 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
What about the second part of my question? Has any intelligent life been encountered?
[21-Jan-22 11:24 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
A metaquestion! Let’s see… maybe details about the gameplay loop?
[21-Jan-22 11:26 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
Apologies, I got carried away and forgot. The answer is a rotund no. The Àrsaidh left behind clearly intelligent constructs but so far no intelligent lifeforms have been encountered by humans. At least not on record…
[21-Jan-22 11:26 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
Are there ruins of any civilizations besides that of the Àrsaidh?
[21-Jan-22 11:27 AM] Henry#3418
Could you give us some detail about gameplay loops and how they work??
[21-Jan-22 11:27 AM] Randak#0007
The “trauma” mechanic sounds fascinating.
[21-Jan-22 11:27 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
There are clear signs of other cultures having taken over what the Àrsaidh left behind so yes, you can encounter signs of other intelligent species, but that’s about it.
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[21-Jan-22 11:33 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
Finally! The core gameplay loop is relatively simple: you start off at Karum Station which is the station built around the hollow asteroid that served as some sort of spaceport for the Àrsaidh. You can spend there as long as you want (or as long as you can afford, since it’s not free. Nothing’s free), dealing with other Deep Divers (that’s explorers like you) or the nosy tourists, but eventually you’ll want to let the Karum Station Authority know that you’re ready for your next mission. You’ll generally be assigned a ship according to the size of your crew (which is 1, 3 or 5 passengers), and sent to a random set of coordinates in space. If you’re lucky, you’ll arrive there with enough supplies to make it back, and “there” will be a place you can actually explore, like an alien facility or planet, and not a cloud of space dust. Once you are off your ship, you’re supposed to grab anything that you think could be of any value to the KSA and bring it back with you. And that’s about it!
[21-Jan-22 11:34 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
Thanks! Trauma is a consequence of not taking care of your levels of Stress. If you’re dealing with Trauma it usually means things are super ugly and you’ll end up with mental problems almost guaranteed. Fortunately, the affordable psychiatrists at Karum Station are always ready to give you a hand!
[21-Jan-22 11:35 AM] Henry#3418
@Alex – Blackoath I have asked you a few questions and I hope they have been helpful, so this is my…
Final Question. What are people not talking about in the Roleplaying community that should be and why?
[21-Jan-22 11:37 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
Fantastic questions, definitely, so thank you! I honestly try to stay away from any community discourse, so I couldn’t really say. I think people should be free to play whatever they want, the way they want, since we are just a bunch of people trying to have fun, and that’s it. Some people take games way too seriously!
[21-Jan-22 11:38 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
Very true.
[21-Jan-22 11:38 AM] Henry#3418
Well your not wrong
[21-Jan-22 11:38 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
Can you describe how combat works in your game?
[21-Jan-22 11:40 AM] Henry#3418
@Alex – Blackoath I hope I have been helpful, in helping showcase your game. I try to ask hard questions because peoples money is hard earned and I hope that these creators can honestly. Which in my opinion you have, and done so with grace. Good night guys its about 20 minutes off 4 am for me. You all have a fantastic, morning, day, evening or night.
[21-Jan-22 11:40 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
Sleep well, @Henry! Thanks as always!
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[21-Jan-22 11:42 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
Combat is highly tactical; as a matter of fact, the ideal way to play it is with battlemaps and minis or tokens (although there are rules for a simplier, zone-based combat that doesn’t require any physical elements). Essentially you simply roll a D20, add your skill and so does your opponent. Attacker has a +2 to the roll, but whoever rolls higher scores a hit. Yes, this means that you can score a hit in your opponent’s turn. Your character has 10 points of Stamina to be spent every turn on different actions and attacks, as well as defensive maneuvers. There are no Health Points; instead, characters have 3 Wounds. When a character is first hit, they’re Knocked Down, if they’re hit again while being down, they receive a wound. There’s a bit more to it, but that’s essentially it!
[21-Jan-22 11:43 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
Thanks so much for your questions, I really enjoyed them!
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[21-Jan-22 11:43 AM] Randak#0007
This includes tactical combat? Take my money!
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[21-Jan-22 11:43 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
How is damage determined, and how does armor function?
[21-Jan-22 11:44 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
Yes, the book comes with a blank tactical grid sheet, and tables to generate random cover for it, so you’ll need to print one out when you have combat (unless you own any of the battlemaps we’re planning on making for the game)
[21-Jan-22 11:45 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
You roll damage depending on your weapon, and if the total is over the target’s Constitution, then you score a hit. If they’re standing, they’re Knocked Down, if they’re already down, they receive a Wound.
[21-Jan-22 11:46 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
Does your game include a bestiary, and if so, how extensive?
[21-Jan-22 11:49 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
Not really! The galaxy is a big place, so it would be weird to always encounter the same creatures, regardless of where you are. That is why instead of having a bestiary, the game comes with rules and tables to randomly generate creatures and aberrations. This includes behavior, appearance, abilities, stat blocks, etc. All randomly generated. The only exception to this are the Àrsaidh Guardians, which are constructs left behind by the Àrsaidh that are all the same, for obvious reasons.
[21-Jan-22 11:51 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
Fair enough!
[21-Jan-22 11:51 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
In the time remaining, is there anything we haven’t covered that you’d like to bring up?
[21-Jan-22 11:52 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
I can’t really think of anything, since we’ve covered essentially everything. The key questions about how a solo RPG works and what the game’s core mechanics are have been asked, so I’m pretty satisfied!
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[21-Jan-22 11:53 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
Great! Thanks so much for joining us, @Alex – Blackoath!
[21-Jan-22 11:53 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
Thank you for the opportunity, it’s been a blast!
[21-Jan-22 11:53 AM] 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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[21-Jan-22 11:54 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
Hope people found it interesting!
[21-Jan-22 11:54 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
I hope you’ll continue to hang out with us whenever the mood strikes. 🙂
[21-Jan-22 11:54 AM] Alex – Blackoath#7618
Oh yeah, I’ll be here! You guys are great
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[21-Jan-22 11:54 AM] Dan Davenport#6715
Now, if you’ll give me a couple of minutes, I’ll get the log posted and link you!
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