thread: 2005-09-21 : The Red Sky A.M. Fishbowl
On 2005-10-05, Vincent wrote:
KSB goes: "So you got army initiation... But I am wondering what have you planned these future supersoilders are going to be fighting. Giant ants or fellow humans over a goal that is vague and not really understood by the troops? Just curious."
That'll be a dial you set during game setup. It has three settings:
1. Humans. You're fighting humans on Earth or from Earth. The scale of the war is national, whatever the nations (or corporate nation-substitutes) happen to be.
2. Non-human people. You're fighting aliens who, while inhuman, are undeniably people. They have culture, language, art, technology, diplomats, motivations you mostly understand. Think of Star Trek or Farscape aliens.
3. Non-people. You're fighting aliens who are not recognizable as people. Here's your Aliens and your Starship Troopers.
Which you choose will have thematic significance, obviously, and mechanical significance too. For instance, if the group chooses non-people, that allows the GM the option to have battles in a toxic environment, but takes from the GM the option to have the civilians back home become outraged at the enemy's inhuman treatment at the hands of the marines.
This makes NinJ go "Dials!"
Man, I'm so happy about this dial. Man, Shock: is entirely a game of dials. It's so the way to go for game design.
This makes KSB go "Dials and options"
Is it going to be adverserial bettween GM and player. You talk of removing options. I love this bit, but how will it work?
This makes VB go "not adversarial."
The person with the strongest opinion is going to get to make the decision, probably, but that's okay. Nobody loses anything by it. I mean, the game loses and gains particular options, but to no net loss or gain.
This makes KSB go "Dial set to 3"
I meant more like different toolboxes. Bughunts gives the GM Adversial Environment, while Fellow humans gives Bad News Coverage. And that the Dials help define the relationship between Home Front and Front.
This makes VB go "exactly."
...What was the question again?
This makes KSB go "the question"
Will the GM tollboxes be sort of Demon Dice in DitV, a trait the GM can use to escalate the conflict or do you see this as a more Bang like aspect of play?
This makes VB go "oh. Neither."
Or both, or something. Anyway they already have a very concrete mechanical function that I haven't told you. Hang in there.
This makes KSB go "Groan"
Slumps from the keyboard trembling in anticipation.
This makes SJF go "Non-People = symbolic"
Geigeresque aliens = rape. (Ben L.: "It doesn't mean tail.")
Heinlein "bugs" = maybe individualism doesn't make us stronger after all = fear of Communism, industrialized conformity, etc.
Even the most non-human aliens should hit a human theme.
This reminds Dotan of Forever War, we said ! ! !
This reminds Dotan of It's Rogue Trooper, comic and vgame
