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these_are_the_voyages [2012/02/02 14:20] JasonPthese_are_the_voyages [2012/02/10 13:25] (current) – [Creating Situations] JasonP
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 ====== These are the Voyages... ====== ====== These are the Voyages... ======
-This is a game about those old scifi movies where earth space ships explore the unknown of the universe. Earth ships manned by earth crew and the occasional humanoid alien embark from earth space and travel the frontier of space. Take on the role as ship leader one of the five command branches: Command, Medical, Security, Science, and Engineering and let the stories unfold in spectacular technicolor.+This is a game about those old scifi movies where earth space ships explore the unknown of the universe. Earth ships manned by earth crew and the occasional humanoid alien embark from earth space and travel the frontier of space. Take on the role as ship leader one of the five command branches: Command, Medical, Security, Science, and Engineering and let the stories unfold in spectacular technicolor. It is a [[:LUPOS]] game. 
 + 
 +You can find online playtest records of this game on the wiki here: [[Game Play:These Are The Voyages]].
  
 ===== Creating The Ship ===== ===== Creating The Ship =====
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   * //Name//: Enterprise.   * //Name//: Enterprise.
   * //Class//: Battlecruiser.   * //Class//: Battlecruiser.
-The GM then picks one asset that is Notorious, meaning the ship has a reputation across the universe for it, and one asset that is Problematic, meaning it is likely to cause the crew difficulty during missions. +The GM then assigns two attributes to these assets. The GM picks one asset that is Notorious, meaning the ship has a reputation across the universe for it, and one asset that is Problematic, meaning it is likely to cause the crew difficulty during missions. 
-The class can be any of: Escort, Corvette, Assault, Frigate, Destroyer, Cruiser, Battlecruiser, Flagship, Explorer, and Dreadnought. You can picture this as a scale of size and strength, from small to large. Normally the ships of the game fall into the range of Frigate to Explorer. If you want you could roll a d6 and take: 1, Frigate; 2, Destroyer; 3, Cruiser; 4, Battlecruiser; 5, Flagship; 6, Explorer. +The class can be any of: [[LUPOS:Monitor]][[LUPOS:Cutter]], [[LUPOS:Corvette]][[LUPOS:Frigate]][[LUPOS:Destroyer]][[LUPOS:Cruiser]][[LUPOS:Battlecruiser]][[LUPOS:Flagship]][[LUPOS:Explorer]], and [[LUPOS:Dreadnought]]. You can picture this as a scale of size and strength, from small to large. Normally the ships of the game fall into the range of Frigate to Explorer. If you want you could roll a d6 and take: 1, Frigate; 2, Destroyer; 3, Cruiser; 4, Battlecruiser; 5, Flagship; 6, Explorer. 
-All ships also have a five part situation track, which counts the situations they experience. Each five situations gives them a moment, and this moment is a dramatic test that lets the ship upgrade further. The result of the dramatic test is one more asset for the character to add to their sheet.+All ships also have a five part situation track, which counts the situations they experience. Each five situations gives them a moment, and this moment is a dramatic test that lets the ship upgrade further. The result of the dramatic test is one more asset for the ship to add to it's record.
  
 ===== Creating The Crew ===== ===== Creating The Crew =====
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 ===== Creating Situations ===== ===== Creating Situations =====
  
-First, the GM must establish the parameters of the situation. This is done with keywords. First the GM decides if the situation is going towards resolving the mission, if so its a **mission** situation. Next the GM attaches any of the following: **dangerous**, **harrowing**, **unknown**, **dramatic**, or **shiptied**. Each of these changes some of the rules of the situation. A dangerous situation is one that will, once per round, create a threat to the characters present. A harrowing situation is like dangerous, but when an action fails there is a threat roll in response. An unknown situation has a strong element of mystery which can be resolved for dice. A dramatic situation has tension between characters, which could result in a battle or other confrontation. Shiptied situations involve the ship itself, perhaps in addition to the action or perhaps that is the sum or it. The latter means a bridge scene with everyone playing their officer.+First, the GM must establish the parameters of the situation. This is done with keywords. First the GM decides if the situation is going towards resolving the mission, if so its a **mission** situation. Next the GM attaches any of the following: **dangerous**, **harrowing**, **unknown**, **dramatic**, or **shiptied**. Each of these changes some of the rules of the situation. A dangerous situation is one that will, once per round, create a threat to the characters present. A harrowing situation is like dangerous, but when an action fails there is a threat roll in response. An unknown situation has a strong element of mystery which can be resolved for dice. A dramatic situation has tension between characters, which could result in a battle or other confrontation. Shiptied situations involve the ship itself, perhaps in addition to the action or perhaps that is the sum or it. The latter means a bridge scene with everyone playing their officer. Handling situations, keywords, and so on is explained more in [[lupos:Black of Space GM's Toolbox]].
  
 After you setup keywords, you establish advantage for the situation. Advantage are a pool of red 10 sided dice in play. When a situation starts, each officer present creates one advantage, so one is placed into the pool. If it is shiptied, the advantage pool grows one for each applicable asset of the ship, as decided by the GM and Foil (roll off if agreements can't be made). After you setup keywords, you establish advantage for the situation. Advantage are a pool of red 10 sided dice in play. When a situation starts, each officer present creates one advantage, so one is placed into the pool. If it is shiptied, the advantage pool grows one for each applicable asset of the ship, as decided by the GM and Foil (roll off if agreements can't be made).
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 ===== Creating Rolls ===== ===== Creating Rolls =====
  
-When a roll is needed the GM calls for it and the player makes it. They roll a single d10, plus other dice as they can earn. If their character is an officer and their area applies, they earn a die. If the character has a fitting asset, a die is earned. If the command allows, advantage may be spent as bonus dice. Players can add their dice to a roll as well, but keep in mind these are six-siders and much more valuable (likely to create outcome). The player takes the best result of all dice rolled. The outcome of a roll is the amount shown on the dice, except only five may be earned. Dice that come up six or more don't count at all for earning outcome.+When a roll is needed the GM calls for it and the player makes it. They roll a single d10, plus other dice as they can earn. If their character is an officer and their area applies, they earn a die. If the character has a fitting asset, a die is earned. If the command allows, advantage may be spent as bonus dice. Players can add their dice to a roll as well, but keep in mind these are six-siders and much more valuable (likely to create outcome). If a character chooses to act without hesitation, they earn a bonus die, but they also suffer confidence threat if they fail and possible other issues (there are only sometimes that the fleet rewards such brazen actions). The player takes the best result of all dice rolled. The outcome of a roll is the amount shown on the dice, except only five may be earned. Dice that come up six or more don't count at all for earning outcome.
  
 After the success of the character's action is determined, the GM rolls nothing for easy actions or situations. They roll 2d6 challenge dice for hard situations and 2d8 for even worse ones. They take the highest die, and compare that to the character's outcome. If that is higher the action fails to earn any result. If both dice are higher than the action, that triggers a threat roll or worse: a staggering blow! After the success of the character's action is determined, the GM rolls nothing for easy actions or situations. They roll 2d6 challenge dice for hard situations and 2d8 for even worse ones. They take the highest die, and compare that to the character's outcome. If that is higher the action fails to earn any result. If both dice are higher than the action, that triggers a threat roll or worse: a staggering blow!
  
 The situation is resolved when the players earn five outcome total against it, as each fills in a situation square. However, for each player beyond one in the situation, give it two more squares. If all characters are disabled before it is resolved, the GM describes how that situations ends badly and then sets an even worst one in motion. The situation is resolved when the players earn five outcome total against it, as each fills in a situation square. However, for each player beyond one in the situation, give it two more squares. If all characters are disabled before it is resolved, the GM describes how that situations ends badly and then sets an even worst one in motion.
 +
 +===== Creating Features =====
 +
 +The medical officer and science officer can create features for situations. These are helping or hinder details that give or take dice away from the rolls made against it, as the creating player sees fit. A helping feature always gives a die, but only when the creating player chooses. A hindering feature always takes a die, but only when the creating player chooses. Why would they choose to hinder? Simple, these dice all come from a feature pool. When each feature is created, one die goes in this pool. When a hindering feature activates it puts a die in this pool, and when a helping one activates, it takes one from the pool. A sort of balance must be maintained.
 +
 +===== Creating Attributes =====
 +
 +This is the true power of the Foil. Attributes are fictional details that enrich the game and engage the imagination. These are concepts applied to characters and the ships that spark the imagination. The ship already has Notorious and Problematic attributes, but the Foil can create them for any character. They do this at their whim, but never creating more than one per session of play. An attribute for a character could be like "cassanova of the galaxy" for instance.
 +
 +===== Creating Interesting Fiction =====
 +
 +This is the job of all players, but a lot rides on the GM. 
 +First they need to use the power of attributes. Bring the game to life by creating fiction from an attribute. Take the ship's notorious attribute and decide how that might spark an interesting situation, and so on. When an attribute is embraced by the GM this way, situations get an extra advantage, but they don't get the use of the attribute.
 +Second the players need to read and learn parts or all of the [[LUPOS:Earth Fleet Officer's Handbook]] which describes standard operations (and game rules for these operations) of the earth fleet.
 +
 +===== Creating New Officer Abilities =====
 +
 +As officers progress, earning their moments, they also earn new abilities. They may take on ability listed from any other officer, but only ever one from each. They may also elect to take one from the following list. If they elect to take an ability, they do not earn an asset as well.
 +
 +==== Officer Earned Abilities ====
 +  * 1) **Survivor**. When disabled, the character may be revived for one advantage (regaining one square) if command allows.
 +  * 2) **Leadership**. The player may use other players dice as their own, if that player has equal or less dice than them.
 +  * 3) **Paragon**. The character's attribute is truly stunning, and they may use it if the GM wishes for an action to fill in a situation square, no roll needed for an action.
 +  * 4) **Peculiar**. The character is odd and other find it hard to work with them, but this means they are well adapted to it. They may use advantage dice as personal dice when the situation is dramatic.
 +  * 5) **Lucky**. The character may make one reroll per situation, or allow another to reroll as they wish once per situation.
 +
these_are_the_voyages.1328221245.txt.gz · Last modified: 2012/02/02 14:20 by JasonP