So, I find myself pondering online games... with my group further shrinking to just two folks, I start to wonder if it would be possible to start doing a Online game with people... which starts with "how?"

You can go all out, with the whole "Virtual table" style thing...
https://www.fantasygrounds.com/
http://roll20.net/
http://www.d20pro.com/index.php

Which look both cool and daunting. How much do you need to run a game, can you get by with chat? Do you need a white board program? How much "tabletop" would I need to feel comfortable running?

Or just little add ins like
http://tabletopforge.com/ (google+ ap)

This is really all just spit balling and links for my benefit, really. No idea how to proceed at this point.

And the World Began

Central Conflict
Order vs. Chaos, the rise of legends and civilizations, the very beginnings of the world.

History
Before the world existed pure chaos, and in infinite chaos there stands a chance for a moment of order to appear. That moment happened, and as if aware order would not revert from it’s existence. Creation, destruction and codification tore at each other and in the aftermath there were beings. Gods, Titans… the title means little aside from the scale of power being spoken of. Factions grew within these beings, and thus the beginnings of Courts and Pantheons, and with factions grew conflicts. Conflicts required ways to resolve them, so came the world.

The mists of chaos were parted and there was a world. Nearly formless, more an idea of a world than a true place, the will of these first beings began to lay claim and populate the world. The history of civilization stretches back barely a generation, and the world itself is only slightly older. The world is untamed, formed only in the most general sense, and there are places were chaos still pools like water. Pockets of what could grow into legendary empires exist now as points of order in that sea of chaos.

And now, in this dawn of time, those created to populate the world look out and are driven to build. Explore. Conquer.

Couple of game setting/theme ideas. Neither are original, just my take on things.

A goodly time ago I read an idea, and I can't recall if it was a gaming friend, or a blog or... what but I was thinking of high fantasy settings and this boiled out. It would be set in the primordial ancient times, instead of after the fall it would be before the empires were built, or the lands tamed, before legends were created and traditions codified into "fighter and mages and clerics". Heroes would represent the some of the very first heroes to come forth. Not based on an evolution scale, more of a mythic traditional gods/titans/etc. create the world and sets mankind upon it and says "Conquer in my name". The world would be wild, and newly formed, spirits would be abundant (i.e. the little gods would be in all sorts of things). I would see this being a good setting for something like a FATE style game.

The other is more low key. It's based on a setting a blogger created called the Blackwood. It's basically a wide expanse of nature, wild and untamed but set in a more traditional European middle ages mythos. The forests are dangerous, the fae lurk within and torment mankind, kings rule from afar, and safety travels only as far as the light from the village torches. There is trade, roads, and other villages in the woods but travel is uncommon for most folk. I see this is a more low key, DnD style game... and currently it sort of holds my interest as a "If I get to playtest 5e, this is the setting".


Just tossing these out there to record some musings.

Not posted for awhile, not really been working on much of interest but I've been mulling a bit and I like posting to work through that. I find myself having some issues with my 4e game, and I've been trying to figure out what it was.

So... firstly, I've found that Ptolus is... big. It's detailed and intricate and awesome and totally overkill unless you are actually going to use all of that. If you are just going to be running some dungeon delving adventures, do you need a city like Ptolus to play around in? No. And it makes me feel like I'm wasting it, by not utilizing all the information in the book.

Secondly, I admit to a bit of pre-5e fatigue. Since I'm never 100% comfortable with systems I'm generally open to looking at new things, and knowing that a new system is coming down the pike (even if it's one I'm leery of) makes me want to see it and less interested in working in the framework I have.

And lastly I know in a couple of months my group is going to get shrunk again, and I guess that makes me feel pessimistic about stuff. Which I guess ties into m general depression/motivation issues I've had of late.

So all in all I've been very neglectful of my game. I feel bad about it, but I've had trouble motivating myself to really work on it. And that leaves me with a lot of "not playing" inertia. I'm kind of writing this to get it out there, and to think about it and how I can fix it.

Short of totally scrapping it, which is the "easy" solution that I come to all to often, the thing that comes to mind is to try and embrace the more... episodic nature of 4e. The Encounters style adventure where sessions highlight a scenario/encounter And just sort of running from there. This abandons a lot of the "flavor" of Ptolus, but in the end might make it easier to run (for me) and thus make it a more enjoyable experience. not sure this sits well with me. We'll see.

I often have a lot of sparks going around in my head about games. Little fragments of thoughts, ideas, etc. sometimes they reoccur, sometimes they are fleeting... today i feel like writing some out to work them through.

4E vs 3E vs NewE
Since this is the blog topic du jour I keep reading about it, and thus thinking about it. I've yet to find "a perfect game" so I don't have a lot of nostalgia for anything in particular, though I do have monetary investments which make m grumble at the thought of "new".

4E
I like 4E for easy of GM setup, I like the healing paradigm where the group healers are able to heal AND do other things, I like that the got rid of the vancian system in favor of giving people something to do every round, I like that "big damn hero" is more or less the default power level, I like the codified exception rule 42 stuff.
I dislike that 4E continues (and intensifies) the magic item dependence, I dislike that in removing vancian magic magic has become more "stagnant" and less varied, the powers system is a bit to bloated.

3E
I like 3x for the varied magic system and that as a player it "feels" a little less boxed in.
I dislike the vancian system as the core magic system, I dislike that healing is an either/or option in play,

NewE
Is really just to new to think about... all the "Old School Friendly" stuff makes me a bit unplussed but until there is really something firm out there it's too soon to tell.


On top of all of this, I've been pondering the game I am nominally running on Fridays. Due to a bunch of issues it's had a difficult time getting any traction going forward. And a much as I like the idea of Ptolus, I start to wonder if it was ultimately a wise choice... Health issue, timing issues, hard to get the group all together and playing. Maybe it would be better to start over. Oi. I hate that. I'm so finicky about running.

Ajax - PL 10

Strength 6, Stamina 1, Agility 1, Dexterity 2, Fighting 8/4, Intellect 5, Awareness 2, Presence 0

Advantages
Accurate Attack, Benefit, Status: Owner of Phalanx Arms, Benefit, Wealth 2 (independently wealthy), Equipment 1, Improvised Tools, Inventor, Ranged Attack 5, Second Chance: Technology checks

Skills
Expertise: Business 5 (+10), Insight 4 (+6), Perception 3 (+5), Persuasion 4 (+4), Technology 8 (+13)

Powers
Battlesuit (Removable)
Armor: Protection 5 (+5 Toughness)
Boot Jets: Flight 7 (Speed: 250 miles/hour, 0.5 miles/round)
Combat Array
Micro Missile Burst: Burst Area Blast 7 (DC 22; Burst Area: 30 feet radius sphere, Extended Range 2, Split 4: 5 targets; Unreliable (5 uses))
Phalanx Blade: Strength-based Damage 4 (DC 25; Accurate: +2, Precise)
Plasma Spear: Blast 8 (DC 23; Accurate 2: +4)
Comm System: Radio Communication 2
Energized Defense System
Active Cloaking Field: Concealment 4 (All Visual Senses; Passive)
Shield: Protection 6 (+6 Toughness; Impervious [1 extra rank]; Activation: move action, Limited: Able to React to attack, limited Arc)
Life Support System: Immunity 10 (Life Support)
Sensors: Senses 12 (Accurate: Radar, Darkvision, Direction Sense, Distance Sense, Extended: Radar 3: x1k, Infravision, Time Sense, Ultra-hearing)
Servo Motors: Enhanced Strength 6 (+6 STR)
Tactical Computer: Enhanced Trait 15 (Traits: Dodge +2 (+8), Fighting +4 (+8), Advantages: Ranged Attack 5)

Equipment
Loft

Offense
Initiative +1
Grab, +8 (DC Spec 16)
Micro Missile Burst: Burst Area Blast 7 (DC 22)
Phalanx Blade: Strength-based Damage 4, +10 (DC 25)
Plasma Spear: Blast 8, +11 (DC 23)
Throw, +7 (DC 21)
Unarmed, +8 (DC 21)

Complications
Motivation: Recognition: A firm believer in the viability and usefulness of your product you've taken field testing as a personal responsibility, donning the prototype Ajax suit and engaging in anti-crime/terror activities on your own.
Responsibility: CEO Phalanx Arms: As the CEO of Phalanx Arms you bear a responsibility not only to your employees, but to your military contracts to uphold your business standards and to not cause issues which could negatively impact your profits or image.

Languages
English

Defense
Dodge 8/6, Parry 8, Fortitude 6, Toughness 6, Will 8

Power Points
Abilities 30 + Powers 84 + Advantages 8 + Skills 12 (24 ranks) + Defenses 16 = 150

Loft - PL 10
Tou 6, Size Medium Features: Garage, Living Space, Security System 1, Workshop.

Totals: Abilities 1 + Powers 0 + Advantages 0 + Features 4 + Skills 0 (0 ranks) + Defenses 0 + Equipment 0 (0 ep) + Weapons & Armor 0 (0 ep) = 5

Sovereign League

While no one would deny Chicago's importance in American industry, it has never received the attention or respect it really deserved from the caped community. LA, New York... these were the places the big names went. Out of that came the Sovereign League.

Created in the waning days of World War 2, the Sovereign League formed to defend the streets of Chicago from the rising tide of homeland criminals taking advantage of the war's distracting influence. At first it was mostly "masked vigilante" stuff, but over time grew to include some real supers. The League has always operated outside of the government's direct control, so it' had contentious relations over the years and while it's influence has risen and fallen the people have generally rallied behind it.

The League's base is located just north of Wolf Lake (which is technically in Indiana) on a decent sized parcel of land that looks to be an abandoned rail yard. Modern locks, security cameras, bullet resistant glass and strong steel doors protect the above ground building area. Additionally recent upgrades have installed gravimetric restriction fields to subdue any unwanted guests as well as cells to hold a few super powered prisoners if need be.

It has facilities to house a dozen people comfortably (and more for short periods of time), a gym and training area, garage and workshop, infirmary, central computer system and communications hub.

Soverign League HQ - PL 10

Toughness 12, Size Large

Features:
Combat Simulator, Communications, Computer, Concealed 1, Defense System, Fire Prevention System, Garage, Gym, Holding Cells, Infirmary, Living Space, Power System, Security System 1, Workshop

Powers
Gravimentrics: Burst Area Snare 4 (DC 14; Burst Area: 30 feet radius sphere, Selective)

Offense
Gravimentrics: Burst Area Snare 4 (DC Dog 14)

Power Points (total cost 20, shared)
Abilities 2 + Powers 1 + Advantages 0 + Features 14 + Skills 0 (0 ranks) + Defenses 3 + Equipment 0 (0 ep) + Weapons & Armor 0 (0 ep) = 5