Based on a True Story!!

I was at the cinema (or Movie Theater if you're American) yesterday to see the Total Recall remake (slightly above average 3/5 if you're interested) and I saw the trailer for the new Sam Raimi flick 'The Possession'. Splashed across the screen was the message 'Based on a true story..';  a statement that seems to be mandatory for any ghost/demon movie these days that is hoping to do well commercially and one that immediately makes me suspicious - especially when it comes to tales of a supernatural nature. So much so that I quipped to the person next to me "so I presume it's based on experience of someone that bought a box once..' 

Long after I'd left the cinema (and forgotten most of the detail of Total Recall - oh the irony!) I remember that line in the trailer and it got me thinking about it's usage to sell a obviously fictional story. 'Based on a true story' gives a movie, or book, or whatever, a grounding in reality; something tangible to the viewing audience.  I suppose it can make it more engaging, perhaps fire the imagination, and make the drama more 'real' since it might have happened, and it can draw in the audience.

Basically exactly what a GM is trying to do at the gaming table.  

Anyone that has GMed for any length of time is sure to have seen advice on basing stories on real life - stealing plots from the all over the place, but I wonder how many people make a point of telling the players this?  Admittedly this is unlikely to have the right impact in your typical D&D Fantasy game, but if you're playing a game like Call of Cthulhu, Delta Green, or similar, then I reckon there might be significant impact to be had through silently, and without explanation, holding up a sign at the beginning of your first introductory narrative, that simply says 'Based on a True Story'.

Of course, for your own credibility (because you know the players will ask later) it's kind of important that the adventure is 'based' on a true story - or perhaps 'inspired' by it at least! But there are enough mysteries for you to easily pluck a story from the popular media and use that as the basis of your story. Adding tentacles, sea monsters, or aliens later doesn't stop your story being 'based' on a true story does it?

Yes it's a bit of a party trick, but so it a lot of effective story telling and if it engages your players then there's no apology necessary. Just don't do it all the time as it does become a cliche..

In case you're interested The Possession is apparently based on the story of The Dibbuk Box. I'll leave it to you to decide whether that is a good thing.. 

Developing the Kingmaker Sandbox

I've been GMing the Pathfinder Adventure Path 'Kingmaker' and, though we're still in the middle of the first part 'Stolen Land' I'm already looking ahead for ways I can extend the campaign.

What makes Kingmaker different from the adventure paths that precede it is the very 'sandbox' nature of the campaign story.  Though there are events that take place, and a climax against dangerous opposing forces, the GM has far more opportunity to make the campaign their own.  This got me thinking about how I might want to extend Kingmaker and I've decided to introduce a couple of other stand alone Pathfinder adventures into the mix, as well as extend the back story; in fact foreshadowing to one of my player characters before the game began, as well as hinting at the nature of the bad-guys from the outset of play.

So far I've decided on two Pathfinder adventures to add into the campaign (though not for a few levels yet!)  The first is 'The Realm of the Fellnight Queen', a particularly appropriate scenario that can easily be incorporated into the wooded area that makes up a substantial area of the lands in which Kingmaker is based.  The plot of the scenario also fits very nicely in the overall 'feel' of the Kingmaker campaign, and it's also a good read!

The second adventure I'm intending to add is 'The Harrowing', a unique adventure that takes the PCs 'inside' a Harrow Deck - the Pathfinder equivalent of Tarot cards - in a very much 'Alice in Wonderland' style adventure.  I think it will make for an interesting departure of the King-building nature of the campaign.

Another reason for adding these two scenarios though is my concern that my players are used to being reactive to the plots they are presented with - rather than 'proactive' and going out to build their own adventures.  This is just how we've always played really, and even the 'hexploration' (exploring the hex-grids that make up the 'Stolen Lands' has been something they are only slowly getting used to.

It will certainly be interesting to see how they get on with the Kingdom-building rules. I'm pretty convinced that some will love it and others loathe it.

I think the 'issue' (if you can call it that) is that the gamers in my group enjoy the 'narrative' aspect of roleplaying and that is something that is possibly down-played a little in the Kingmaker adventure path.

Only time will tell.

Pathfinder Condition Cards Review

Until recently I've probably been a bit of a roleplaying 'purist' (if such a thing exists), which means (in my head anyway) that adding card, chits, clips, pogs, and other paraphernalia to roleplaying just seems to detract from the actual game.  However my view has changed recently, and I now feel that used appropriately these things can compliment or add to the gaming experience.

Such is the case with the Pathfinder Condition Cards from Paizo. There are loads of conditions in Pathfinder and they are part of what makes the game interesting.  Unfortunately they are another book-keeping thing to keep track off and can be easily forgotten in the heat of combat by both the GM and players.  The Condition Cards aims to solve that by giving you a pack 'playing-card' sized cards that you can hand out to players (or use yourself as GM) to help you track them.  

There are 52 double-sided cards; basically 4 of each type, so 13 different kinds of cards.  Each of them illustrated with a Pathfinder goblin suffering the effects of the condition, as well as the in-game effects.  The effects on each side of the card is related so, for example, you have 'grappled' on one side and 'pinned' on the other. The cards are even colour-coded to make it easy to pick them out.  Great!

In play the cards work really well, even if you know the rules, having the card in front of you really helps you remember the presence of the condition. My players like them so much that when they get a condition they shout 'gimme the card gimme the card' and as a GM it just makes life so much easier. Additionally it's worth noting that you really only need 1 pack per gaming table - unlike say, the Buff Deck (which I've recently bought and will probably review in time)

The Condition Cards aren't quite perfect though, there are a few minor rules errors, and it would have been nice if they could have included the page numbers to the rules in the PFRPG book, but these are genuinely minor quibbles.  

I'm of the opinion that these are an essential purchase for any Pathfinder group. They are cheap ($10.99), colourful, fun and very useful.  Highly Recommended!

Rating: 4.5/5 (they drop .5 for a couple of little rules mistakes and no page refs)

2012 Ennie Nominees

Well, the 2012 Ennie Awards Nominees are out and always make interesting reading, if nothing else it's a great way to discover new games, podcasts, blogs, et al!

Check them out at http://www.ennie-awards.com/blog/2012-nominees/

No surprise to see the Pathfinder Beginners Box on there (as well as 'We be Goblins' which is an essential download in my opinion).

Moose Hunting?

Or something...

This dates back to 2007 but I've only just spotted this (and I don't play WOW), but it makes fun reading!!

Quote:
Hans Jørgen Olsen, a 12-year-old Norwegian boy, recently survived a moose attack by feigning death, "just like you learn at level 30 in World of Warcraft."

www.wired.com/gamelife/2007/12/boy-survives-mo

HAHA! Nice one Hans! Lucky you weren't a Mage in WOW though - that could have been a bit embarrassing.

Still I suppose it's better than killing 65 million boars.. ;)

New Terraclips

Oooh!  New Terraclips have been announced! Check out www.terraclips3d.com

I'm a new fan of Terraclips and currently have one set each of Buildings, Streets, and Sewers of Malifaux. They aren't cheap but are a real centrepiece to any gaming table and my long term players were wowed by them.  Of course, it takes time to put them together, and you have to accept that you're not going to get an accurate version of your map - unless you use the Terraclips as inspiration, which is easy because they very cool.

The new sets 'Dungeons..' look great, and yes I'll be getting them as soon as they are available in the UK. 

Check out these previews -
http://www.worldworksgames.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=11417
http://www.worldworksgames.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=11397

The Kingmaker Sandbox

Well, I've not posted in months.  That's mostly because I'm crap, and I've also been busy.  Anyway, I've finally started GMing the Pathfinder Kingmaker Adventure Path.  It's quite a lot different from what my players are used to, being a sandbox game.  I'm not saying that were expect to railroaded, but generally speaking there is a distinct plot and they are generally reactive.

In Kingmaker, though there is a plot, it takes a long time to really appear (and isn't that deep), so most of the emphasis is on the PCs to make the plot themselves.  This is great, IF you have the group that want to do that, otherwise it's going to be boring and tedious I suspect. At the moment I'm still not sure whether my players are going to enjoy it - they've just got to 2nd level and are in the process of 'hexploring' the map.  Let's see how it goes I guess.

The most annoying thing for me is that I'm not getting any chances to use my new Terraclips! :D

You can follow the 'action' at my campaign at Obsidian Portal.