Nov 11, 2023 10:12 am
My first ever PbP GMing. A system I'm familiar with, a short scenario, to make my first try more manageable.
Here's the page for the game here on GamersPlane
✅ The Game System and Rules Version.
Starscape is currently version Beta 4.0 and is pay-what-you-want. It is a medium-complexity PbtA system that "focuses on the ebb and flow of trust and the dynamic relationships that form between a crew as they explore the stars. It is a found family game that is ideal for stories that focus on a small number of main characters who agree on a central goal, such as in Star Trek, Farscape, or Firefly."
You can tell all kinds of one-ship-focused science fiction stories using Starscape - but the rules and the core of the 'action' focus on how PCs feel about each other, how they trust each other, how these things change given what they encounter. As such there are no hit-points, PC death is always a choice made by the person running that character, and this is not for combat simulation.
To speed up game prep, I have already chosen a ship and a setting for the game (ideally these are chosen collaboratively by players before the adventure begins, but this can take a lot of discussion so for this first try I've chosen most of this for you already).
✅ The Pitch.
You're a crew of smugglers on your small freighter The Ballerina. You met in prison, escaped together, got your hands on The Ballerina, and make a (dis)honest living together.
Travel is by jumps once far enough from a big gravity well e.g. a star, with impulse drive to reach such distances (think the way travel works in the original Elite video game). Lots of non-human species, the ones you encounter/play will be human-sized, able to safely co-exist around humans (just because those are the kind of species most likely to be working together/encountering each other). No transporter technology, no FTL communications technology.
Game tone will be aim to include some drama, some action, but not to take itself too seriously.
You're in the middle of a smuggling run - the hopefully-boring part where you hope to make your way un-noticed through to your destination. Maybe it'll be uneventful this time. OR MAYBE NOT?!
I guess we're gonna have to play to find out...!
✅ Safety tools.
Extremely important to me that we feel safe and comfortable at the table. To help with that I'll be using two safety tools.
Firstly, the X-Card. At any moment, any player can just say "X-Card" with a short description of the content that is being Xed, and that content will be removed from the game, no questions asked about why, only perhaps some follow-up to understand specifically what is being removed. Players can X content for any reason.
Secondly, Lines and Veils. I'm using the Happy Jacks Google Sheet version of this. In the sheet, indicate any topics that you want restricted or not included in the game, or that you are perhaps particularly excited to see included. Restrictions/exclusion will always trump requests for including content. I'll need all players to fill out the sheet before we begin play.
✅ Character Restrictions.
All PCs will be different Playbooks. No restrictions. Character Creation is fairly quick, and I've prepared a GamersPlane Custom Character Sheet Snippet to act as a template. You'll need to edit it somewhat, to include Playbook-specific content (moves, connections, background questions, conditions).
Initially we'll build everything except Connections and Personal Directive - these we will fill in collaboratively.
If you want a pre-gen, just let me know the Playbook you want, and I'll make one for you.
✅ Game Duration and Post Frequency.
Aim to run this as a short "one-shot" scenario - my guess is it takes a few months to run though. I have the feeling that 5 posts a week could work well.
I'll run the game "Public" because I might want to share posts with other people outside the game for advice/thoughts on how the game is going (because I'm keen to learn from others about how to run games effectively via PbP).
✅ Specialized Software and Resources.
Planning to only use GamersPlane.
✅ Player Experience Requirements.
Game is open to anyone. I'm keen to play with people who already have experience playing and running games on GP, just because I have little experience myself and think it could be good to have people involved who do have that experience. And space for enthusiastic newcomers too :) Aiming to recruit 3, maximum 4, players,
✅ How to Apply.
Reply to this Recruitment thread indicating your interest, any thoughts you have on a Playbook you'd like to go for. If there are more than four players interested, I'll look to pick a set of players with a mix of experience levels who sound excited to play the game. For now, I'll expect to send invitations next week (perhaps Tuesday 14th November) - I'll let you know more details by adding to this post as we get a sense for levels of interest.
✅ Welcome Marginalized Groups.
I'm an allocishet middle-aged middle-class white guy who strives to make this game as welcoming and safe as possible for any disabled people, any People of Colour, anyone LGBTQIA+, of any gender, of any neurominority, of any class.
Here's the page for the game here on GamersPlane
✅ The Game System and Rules Version.
Starscape is currently version Beta 4.0 and is pay-what-you-want. It is a medium-complexity PbtA system that "focuses on the ebb and flow of trust and the dynamic relationships that form between a crew as they explore the stars. It is a found family game that is ideal for stories that focus on a small number of main characters who agree on a central goal, such as in Star Trek, Farscape, or Firefly."
You can tell all kinds of one-ship-focused science fiction stories using Starscape - but the rules and the core of the 'action' focus on how PCs feel about each other, how they trust each other, how these things change given what they encounter. As such there are no hit-points, PC death is always a choice made by the person running that character, and this is not for combat simulation.
To speed up game prep, I have already chosen a ship and a setting for the game (ideally these are chosen collaboratively by players before the adventure begins, but this can take a lot of discussion so for this first try I've chosen most of this for you already).
✅ The Pitch.
You're a crew of smugglers on your small freighter The Ballerina. You met in prison, escaped together, got your hands on The Ballerina, and make a (dis)honest living together.
Travel is by jumps once far enough from a big gravity well e.g. a star, with impulse drive to reach such distances (think the way travel works in the original Elite video game). Lots of non-human species, the ones you encounter/play will be human-sized, able to safely co-exist around humans (just because those are the kind of species most likely to be working together/encountering each other). No transporter technology, no FTL communications technology.
Game tone will be aim to include some drama, some action, but not to take itself too seriously.
You're in the middle of a smuggling run - the hopefully-boring part where you hope to make your way un-noticed through to your destination. Maybe it'll be uneventful this time. OR MAYBE NOT?!
I guess we're gonna have to play to find out...!
✅ Safety tools.
Extremely important to me that we feel safe and comfortable at the table. To help with that I'll be using two safety tools.
Firstly, the X-Card. At any moment, any player can just say "X-Card" with a short description of the content that is being Xed, and that content will be removed from the game, no questions asked about why, only perhaps some follow-up to understand specifically what is being removed. Players can X content for any reason.
Secondly, Lines and Veils. I'm using the Happy Jacks Google Sheet version of this. In the sheet, indicate any topics that you want restricted or not included in the game, or that you are perhaps particularly excited to see included. Restrictions/exclusion will always trump requests for including content. I'll need all players to fill out the sheet before we begin play.
✅ Character Restrictions.
All PCs will be different Playbooks. No restrictions. Character Creation is fairly quick, and I've prepared a GamersPlane Custom Character Sheet Snippet to act as a template. You'll need to edit it somewhat, to include Playbook-specific content (moves, connections, background questions, conditions).
Initially we'll build everything except Connections and Personal Directive - these we will fill in collaboratively.
If you want a pre-gen, just let me know the Playbook you want, and I'll make one for you.
✅ Game Duration and Post Frequency.
Aim to run this as a short "one-shot" scenario - my guess is it takes a few months to run though. I have the feeling that 5 posts a week could work well.
I'll run the game "Public" because I might want to share posts with other people outside the game for advice/thoughts on how the game is going (because I'm keen to learn from others about how to run games effectively via PbP).
✅ Specialized Software and Resources.
Planning to only use GamersPlane.
✅ Player Experience Requirements.
Game is open to anyone. I'm keen to play with people who already have experience playing and running games on GP, just because I have little experience myself and think it could be good to have people involved who do have that experience. And space for enthusiastic newcomers too :) Aiming to recruit 3, maximum 4, players,
✅ How to Apply.
Reply to this Recruitment thread indicating your interest, any thoughts you have on a Playbook you'd like to go for. If there are more than four players interested, I'll look to pick a set of players with a mix of experience levels who sound excited to play the game. For now, I'll expect to send invitations next week (perhaps Tuesday 14th November) - I'll let you know more details by adding to this post as we get a sense for levels of interest.
✅ Welcome Marginalized Groups.
I'm an allocishet middle-aged middle-class white guy who strives to make this game as welcoming and safe as possible for any disabled people, any People of Colour, anyone LGBTQIA+, of any gender, of any neurominority, of any class.
Last edited November 11, 2023 11:35 am
