Low Power Game Idea (Checking Interest)

[Venatus Vinco]

Hello,

I am thinking of a Black Market/Streets of the 'Burbs style game. Lots of Noir/Cyberpunk/Shadowrun type themes played out in the 'Burbs and lower levels of Chi-Town.

Characters would be MARS builds with no XP (so FG/HJ rolls, MARS package but no 20 xp).

Is it good as a long term game or maybe a one shot for 4 quarters?

Thoughts/Interest?

VV

[Pursuit]

You are killing me. This is my ideal game, and I would have no time to play it.

But, yes. There is interest.

[Pender Lumkiss]

I would be very interested in playing it. I would love for you to run it after the 1st is finished, should that ever happen.

[Tribe of One]

Definitely interest, not so sure about time at the moment.

[KahlessNestor]

I would play.

[Snake Eyes]

When are you running this? I'm interested, but I'm gonna have to sort some work stuff out before I try to commit.
I like long-term games in general. This one could work as either long term or a 1 year 1 shot.

[Seswarick]

Sounds pretty sweet to me.

[Ndreare]

Sounds really cool.

[Greywolf]

Potentially interested, though would need to see how much of a drain on my resources my ETU game is gonna be.

[Seswarick]

Potentially interested, though would need to see how much of a drain on my resources my ETU game is gonna be.

I'm curious about the theme/setting of that one as well.

[Greywolf]

Potentially interested, though would need to see how much of a drain on my resources my ETU game is gonna be.

I'm curious about the theme/setting of that one as well.

Just about to throw it open for recruitment.
The setting is teens studying in college end up fighting the supernatural. My head keeps trying to say Scooby Doo, meets Call of Cthulhu. Like f the monsters in Scooby Doo were all real, not justold Jenkins the caretaker in a costume.
It'll be a mixture of college life and adventures against the supernatural. Low powered, no arcane background s, but all this will be in the recruitment post.

[Ndreare]

Potentially interested, though would need to see how much of a drain on my resources my ETU game is gonna be.

I'm curious about the theme/setting of that one as well.

Just about to throw it open for recruitment.
The setting is teens studying in college end up fighting the supernatural. My head keeps trying to say Scooby Doo, meets Call of Cthulhu. Like f the monsters in Scooby Doo were all real, not justold Jenkins the caretaker in a costume.
It'll be a mixture of college life and adventures against the supernatural. Low powered, no arcane background s, but all this will be in the recruitment post.

Funny that, what comes to my mind is Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The constant struggle to keep your grades up while saving the world can be tiring for a student.

[Koshnek]

Pretty much. Its a very cool setting, we players and the GM alike liked it when we ran through it in my thursday night group.

Note: Keeping your grades up while battling evil is an actual thing in ETU .

[Sgt 86Delta]

VV. I would be interested to see your take on Shadowrun/Cyberpunk. InterFace Zero is good but it certainly isn't low powered in my opinion.

[Venatus Vinco]

Sarge,

Interface Zero is low powered compared to Rifts.

So, I imagine some of the stuff from that setting might be handy. I'll probably need a few "table rues" to help create the right feel.

VV

[Venatus Vinco]

I tried something similar with Palladium Rifts way back in 2008, but I think I needed SW to make it work right.

We made a wiki and players helped build the setting with locations and NPCs as they interacted with people and places.

http://level4.tiddlyspot.com/

VV

[Sgt 86Delta]

Sweet VV. Glad you kept the developed material.

I am considering a Low Powered Game as well for my adaptation of the PC video game Hellgate London.

[Icosa]

Sounds cool, but I'm fresh outta slots, lol. I'll keep an eye on it!

[Sgt 86Delta]

Sarge,

Interface Zero is low powered compared to Rifts.

So, I imagine some of the stuff from that setting might be handy. I'll probably need a few "table rues" to help create the right feel.

VV

IFZ is certainly Low Powered compared to RIFTS.

I have PDFs of fair amount IFZmaterials should you need or want them.

There has also been talk of version 3.0 for IFZ.

[Venatus Vinco]

Here's what I have so far

---

Shattered Dreams: Savage Tales of the ‘Burbs
“The lower one goes, the older and shabbier the city becomes. This is the home of City Rats, cyber-clinics, bargain stores, pawnshops, and the Black Market. The lowest levels look almost like a sewer and are as corrupt and dangerous as the ‘Burbs. This is a place of shattered dreams.” Erin Tarn, Our Changing World

The fortress city of Chi-Town is a bastion of humanity, capital of the mighty Coalition States. Humanity’s safest and most secure city. People sacrifice their lives so their families can be embraced by its walls. People eke out a life in the ‘Burbs just to earn a spot on a waiting list. People hold the city as a sign of hope and survival.

However, all is not rosy in the fortress city. For most CS citizens, those who live in levels 8 to 22, life in the super-city is exactly as promised. Clean and safe with all the amenities and protections the Coalition can afford. As one descends below these mid-levels the quality of life begins to degrade rapidly. These LLs (low-levels) are barely better off then the ‘Burbs, in fact some Old Town ‘Burbs are safer and more amenable.

The lowest of these levels is Level 4, the place where CS society intersects with the harsh reality of Rifts Earth. This is Level Four, home of shattered dreams.

• Street Cred (Credit: Interface Zero 2.0)
  A character starts with a Street Cred of 2, and this increases by 2 each new Rank the character obtains, modified by Edges and Hindrances. This is the character’s maximum Street Cred and represents the limits of his influence on the streets. Over the course of the character’s life, this value will fluctuate as he exerts his influence and his reputation grows (see below), but it may never be lower than zero or greater than his unspent value.
  Details

  The character’s Street Cred is a pool of points that he may spend to obtain various favors from existing contacts or even new ones. The points a character has is equal to his current Street Cred value. In addition a character may earn Street Cred doing “good stuff”—or at least stuff that makes him look good or seem cool — up to his maximum. Think of Street Cred as sort of a ‘Currency of Reputation’: once a character spends it, it’s gone until he earns more.
  
  At the end of a quarter the GM needs to take stock of the characters’ action and modify their Street Cred based on the things they managed to accomplish. For the most part, the characters should all get the same gains or losses, but if an individual did something exceptional, he should be awarded a little more Street Cred (or, for that matter, if someone did something totally heinous or lame, he should take the hit to his reputation).
  Contacts (Credit Daring Tales of the Sprawl)
  Once per quarter, one player may invent a Contact. An individual player may invent a new Contact for his hero only once per character Rank.
  
  A Contact, unlike a Connection, is a unique individual who operates in a fixed location. Players who want allies with greater resources or allies who can be contacted anywhere should invest in the Connections Edge.
  Details

  The player should first seek his fellow players’ approval, since they might have ideas for a Contact they wish to use as well. He must then come up with a name, a reason the hero knows the Contact, and why the Contact is in the area. The GM has final approval and may tweak a few facts to better suit the adventure.
  
  Usage: As individuals, Contacts are not as resourceful as the links granted via the Connections Edge. In general, they can provide small items (a few magazines for a gun, digging equipment, or simple repairs) or aid (information, or healing). What they never supply is an army of Extras—pulp adventures are all about the heroes. The player can ask his Contact for whatever he wants, but the GM makes the final decision about what is available.
  
  In short, Contacts exist to provide a useful piece of gear or information, or to help parties who are struggling to solve clues.
  Dog Pack!
  The streets of the ‘Burbs are regularly patrolled by Coalition Dog packs on the lookout for unregistered psychics, magic users, and supernatural threats. Rolling a 1 on the arcane skill die when using arcane powers (magic, psionics, etc.) means your hero has been sniffed out by a CS Dog Pack Patrol. A team of armed dog boys lead by a psi-stalker is now on the way and will join the fray within 1d4 rounds! Using conceal arcana prior to arcane use negates the Dog Pack rule.
  
  Theatre of the Mind
  As a lazy person already running two games this one is for my sanity. All combat will be run as theatre of the mind with no maps or tokens. Occasionally, I may draw something on a napkin and post a picture of it if things get super unclear.
  
  Survive with Your Wits
  No Adventure Cards will be drawn for this game. Additionally, players can receive a +1 XP bonus if they do not use EP to influence dice rules during the quarter.
  
  Character Creation
  As usual for Savage Rifts with the following limitations. All players are use the MARS Iconic Framework with only 5 starting XP. Fortune & Glory and Hero’s Journey rolls remain the same.

[Koshnek]

I find it amusing how yall say "IZ is lower powered compared to rifts." Thats because nothing is on rift's level!

I'd say IZ is actually high powered compared to normal savage settings :p.

I started playing savage worlds at the more stock power level, so its the norm for me (although, having spent so much time playing Savage Rifts, its a bit jarring at first going back to normal SW)

[KahlessNestor]

I like your Burbs setting. Tossing my hat into the ring for a character maybe, if I can think of one. That's going to be it for my EP this quarter! Guess Cass will have to wait on her signature item.

[Pursuit]

Big fan of the “Dog Pack!” mechanic. It encourages smart power usage (conceal arcana) while also giving the sense that casting will be dangerous in this setting.

[Pursuit]

@Venatus Vinco, when are you thinking of starting this campaign?

[Toshiro 'Cybermonk']

Big fan of the “Dog Pack!” mechanic. It encourages smart power usage (conceal arcana) while also giving the sense that casting will be dangerous in this setting.

My thoughts exactly on this one.

I'd definitely be interested in playing in this game. I love the thought of a lower power game (having only played savage rifts and necessary evil in Savage worlds, I feel like I havent experienced anything remotely low powered).

VV, I sent you a PM about this, in case you'd be interested in letting me co-GM this guy to get my feet wet. A low powered game seems like it would be simpler to deal with getting my hands around than a full powered rifts adventure.

[Venatus Vinco]

@Pursuit

Well, with a co-Gm we can start once I get a few ideas down and we can coordinate our first adventure.

Maybe character creation over the next month or so, with things gearing up in earnest next quarter?

VV

[Pursuit]

@Pursuit

Well, with a co-Gm we can start once I get a few ideas down and we can coordinate our first adventure.

Maybe character creation over the next month or so, with things gearing up in earnest next quarter?

VV

Well, that at least gives me some time; there’s a chance (small though it may be) that I could do a game next quarter. And even if not, sounds like there’s plenty of interest from other parties; this game sounds super fun.

[The_Marshall]

I do not know if this is still a possibility but I have interest in this.

[Venatus Vinco]

@The_Marshall

We're full right now, but check us out...someone will die soon I'm sure

viewforum.php?f=194

VV

[Luke]

@The_Marshall

We're full right now, but check us out...someone will die soon I'm sure

viewforum.php?f=194

VV

Cruel but true.