Ask Me Anything: the_cava

What are some of your favorite comic recs? What genres do you prefer, or heroes if you like superhero? Marvel, DC, or Image (or another publisher)?

What is the attraction for you with cyberpunk game settings? Favorite cyberpunk game/setting?

What's your favourite little known thing about living in Italy?

What was the PbtA game and experience that finally made you say, non per me?

Looking at my library I'd definitely say Image.
About genres, I have favourites, but it's not a defining factor for my choices, usually, though I have a soft spot for fantasy.
Speaking of that, I highly recommend Ted Naifeh' Night's Dominion and Marjorie Lju's Monstress, and I'm loving Kieron Gillen's Die as well. I'm a bit frustrated by the game development delays, though...

I could go on and on with recommendations, but then they would feel meaningless.

The attraction came first with CP2020, mostly for the novelty with the setting, since until then it was fantasy or Cthulhu. Then, as we played, we caught on more and more on the critique, and it sparked ideas and discussions, while also giving us (at the time mere teenagers) a tool of interpretation for things outside the game as well.
Now there is a bit of nostalgia for those feelings, but I also like how in CP games you usually have a wider range of action to tackle things, and, of course, the style.
Because style is everything.
I just finished reading Walter Jon William's Voice of the Storm after Hard Wired and I find its setting absolutely awesome, but I think Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash is closer to what I usually play. There were also a couple Lorenzo Bartoli's short novels (under the pseudonym Akira Mishima) that really stuck with me at the time, Bambole and Overminder.

The small surprises you find strolling around towns. An usual bas-relief there, frescoes high up in narrow streets that you have to crane your neck to see, details of very old buildings kept within newer ones and secret enclosed gardens in villas and townhouses.

It probably was when I MC'd Thirsty Sword Lesbians, I was having fun with the group, but the moves dynamic really grinds with how I play. It frames actions too tightly, and railroads the narrative too much for me.
The real frustration is I really like many settings and ideas that have been made with it, and I'm still looking for an alternative that gives the same feeling, but with more flexible dynamics.
On the other hand, that same structure makes them much more accessible and relatable for people curious about the hobby, and that's invaluable, imho.

New users often say that they initially find GP confusing and difficult to navigate. How on earth did you manage it in a second language?

We seem to have a number of Italian players and games. Is this a fluke, or are RPGs particularly popular in Italy?

If you could change some things about GP, what would they be?

So, what is The Cava Hack?

I'm a new GP user, but I've been pbping for years, now, and, while there certainly are differences, it wasn't that hard to get the hang of it, after trying things out. English is my third language, actually, but I'm cheating a little, since I worked as freelance translator for a while with a British ad company (though always from home). One of the reasons I started pbping in English, though, was actually getting better with writing.
About Italian players, well, probably the stereotypical passion we put into things holds a kernel of truth, but rpgs are a niche of a niche here, to quote what local influencers say. Small, but loud. Sounds like another stereotype. Ah, well.
I wouldn't change anything in GP at the moment, mostly because I'm still getting the hang of it, but also because I'm not having any issues with managing games for now. I don't remember if I found other pbp sites more user friendly when I landed there, but it's true the first impact with GP felt a bit confusing, though it doesn't take long to get used to.

I'm writing a game of my own, it's still a draft I'm playtesting, but I'm translating the current version in English and I'll probably spam this forum as well as soon as I upload it.
It's my attempt at recreating the feel of metroidvania games in ttrpg format, a genre I'm rather fond of, and, after trying various games that attempted that same endeavour, I found none that tackled it the way I wanted to, so I took matters in my own hands. The first few playtests have been well received, and I'm still fine-tuning it, but I'm rather happy with the base structure.

I'm definitely curious to see some of it when you do share it!
What's the second?

And I will be looking forward to some expert feedback about it.
French. I grew up in Switzerland, and you start learning a second national language in elementary school. I also had to learn German in middle school in addition to English, but I never practised it, so I usually don't consider it.

I heard good things about the Italian D&D setting 'Brancalonia' - have you ever played that / would you recommend it? Since it is set in a fantasy, comedic version of Medieval Italy, would it work for non Italian players?

I DM'd and played it and it is awesome! I especially like the tavern brawl non-lethal fight rules, and, while comedy is front and center, they did a wonderful job with the different nuances of every region. There's even a Ravenloft equivalent! You could really set a wide variety of tones, not just comic ones, and it lends itself really well to intrigue.
Something that might turn off some players is the "low-level" approach, since it borrows from the old Epic 6 houserule where characters only advance to level 6, and only get feat-like advances from then on, but it perfectly fits the setting.
Non-Italians would most likely miss at least 4 out of 5 jokes and puns, but I think it gives enough context and more than enough hooks for everyone to get the gist of it.
I mean, you might not know the trope about people living in the Alps area ad their love for grappa (a strong liquor), but the barbarian archetype that can overcharge his rages drinking different liquors gives enough of a hint, and is probably fun enough to play even if you don't.
Did I mention the art is awesome?
Because it really is.

The E6 variant rules are amongst my favorite hacks for D&D.

Best movie you think everyone should see? (And briefly, why?)

Why don't you play in hell?
It's not the best movie I've seen, and it probably isn't even one everyone should see, but it's the first one that popped into my mind when I read your question.
This serious answer would be singing in the rain, because it's one of the oldest movies about how movies are made, and beautifully showcases how "movies" became "talkies", even though no one calls them that.