#RPG Elements

[patchwork-crow-writes]

Golden ribbons of sacred light descend from the heavens, responding to your desperate plea for a miracle. They swirl and swoop through the air like birds of sparkling crystal, leaving shimmering trails in their wake. You watch, breath caught in your throat, as the light converges upon the body of your dearest friend, settling like effervescent dew upon their lifeless form. Like the merest whisper of a sigh, the light is drawn into them, imparting a soft glow upon their surroundings that moves you to tears. It's like coming home, and you feel in the deepest reaches of your immortal soul that everything is going to be okay.

*Miss*

[gamegem]

https://www.fogaminghub.com/post/thrilling-outlaws-walkthrough-conquer-star-wars-outlaws-missions

[fogaminghub]

🚀 Elden Ring Nightreign is coming out on May 30, 2025! This co-op spin-off will elevate your gameplay with exciting new mechanics and the necessity of teamwork to survive against the Night’s Tide. 🌌 Master wall jumping, glide with Spectral Hawks, and work together to face formidable bosses. Join the adventure and conquer the challenges ahead! 🌟

[tabletopbellhop]

Like to watch?

Check out Get in Character, Ep 264 of The Tabletop Bellhop on YouTube

We talk about RPG elements in board games and suggest games that feature them prominently.

We also review Adventure Party: The Role-Playing Party Game from Smirk & Dagger.

[mrekco-gamer]

Exploring Cowboy Kid for NES: Ambitious Genre-Blending Western Adventure

Cowboy Kid for the Nintendo Entertainment System is one of those games that illustrate an interesting era in gaming. Released in 1991, this late NES game embodies the quirky mix of ideas that typified the games of that period. Developed by Pixel and Sculptured Software, Cowboy Kid tries to blend Western themes with action and RPG elements. The result is a game that's charming in its ambition but falls a bit short in execution.

What sets Cowboy Kid apart is its setting. There weren't a lot of cowboy-themed games back then, especially on the NES. In this game, you play as a young cowboy (or sheriff) tasked with clearing out criminals from different towns. The plot is simple, but it's backed by a quirky and often humorous atmosphere.

The gameplay has you going through various towns, engaging in side-scrolling action sequences interspersed with RPG-like exploration. There's something almost quaint about how the game switches between these modes—one minute you're navigating through a town, the next you're in a shootout with bandits. This kind of genre-blending was pretty innovative for its time, but it also means that neither aspect feels entirely polished.

Enemies are varied enough to keep you on your toes. You'll encounter all sorts of Wild West tropes, from bandits to gunslingers, and even some animals thrown in for good measure. Combat is straightforward but can feel a bit stiff. You need to learn enemy patterns and time your attacks, which can be satisfying once you get the hang of it.

Another notable feature is the cooperative gameplay mode. It's rare for an NES game to offer a meaningful two-player experience outside the usual competitive fare. In Cowboy Kid, a second player can join as an Indian companion, adding an extra layer of strategy to the game. Playing with a friend can make the experience more engaging and helps to gloss over some of the game's rough edges.

However, Cowboy Kid isn't without its frustrations. The controls can feel unresponsive at times, especially during the more hectic combat scenes. The graphics and sound are functional but not exceptional—they get the job done but don't really stand out.

In spite of these issues, Cowboy Kid has a certain charm. It's clearly a product of developers who were trying to do something different, and you can feel the passion behind it. It may not be a masterpiece, but it has enough unique elements to make it worth a try, especially if you're a fan of Westerns or retro games.

What makes Cowboy Kid memorable is its earnest attempt to push the boundaries of what an NES game could be. It might not have succeeded entirely, but it leaves you with a sense of what the developers were aiming for, and that alone makes it intriguing. In a way, it’s a snapshot of a time when developers were willing to take risks and try new things, even if they didn't always land perfectly. That spirit is something worth appreciating.

[rynli]

don't worry about it Kim

[leidensygdom]

Zephyrini, air genasi wizard, for @eerivee - This time in halfbody format! This one was a lot of work with all the swirl action going on (and the hair's lineart was also quite a lot), but I really wanted to give this character a proper rendition, and the Draw the OC Above we had on our server was the perfect opportunity for it!!

[invinciblerodent]

Ngl, some people's "I wasn't allowed to be an irredeemably evil shitbird, ergo Veilguard is not an RPG" argument is extra funny to me, because I don't actually think there is a conceivable narrative in which, if your Rook did something as objectively amoral as selling people into slavery, they wouldn't wake up the next morning floating untethered in the raw Fade with Neve's bootprint on their ass, and the Lighthouse no more than a distant blip on the edge of their vision.

Like there is a lot to get into here that I just don't have the time or the spoons to go through, but I'd argue that one of the biggest strengths of Veilguard's writing is that the main cast are all very well-defined characters with their own sets of morals, ethics, and goals, and they collectively have more than enough of a backbone that if Rook did something that proved them incapable of leading the team to the story's climax and/or proved them to be of no benefit to them, they wouldn't fail their quest: they would just swiftly and efficiently get rid of Rook.

[criticalamityz]

still warm

[thorough-witness-enjoyer]

(Small, frivolous rant incoming, apologies)

One thing I wish the Destiny fandom did more of was dabble in the utter horror this universe holds, especially when it comes to portraying the vile atrocities committed by many of the cosmic level characters.

Destiny‘s T rating holds it back so much in my opinion (but it still manages to lay down excellent foundations for horror and more mature themes!!) and I really wish there was more fan works that explored the unimaginable tragedies that occur in lore!!

When you really dwell on the scale of many of the disasters that happen in lore, it really dawns on you just how sinister and monstrous many of the larger villains are. Antagonists like Eramis are much more grounded, certainly not saints though, but some of the antagonists we have encounter are truly odious in their behaviors, even if they are deluded into thinking what they are doing is correct (like the Osmium siblings ravaging whole star systems in pursuit of the sword).

For example, it’s no secret that I LOATHE the Witness like no other. This wicked entity has me fighting bile at the mere thought of it and I truly think the way it delivers cruelty with such a sense of compassion and righteousness to be the most stomach wrenching form of being baneful. I could not think of an entitlement more deplorable than the Witness‘ and it’s existence is a travesty that has caused irreparable harm that spans EONS.

Yet, in my experience, I never see much content that taps into the horrors experienced by those touched by the Witness and its pawns, such as the Noesis and humanity during the collapse. There are INCREDIBLE artistic and written works that tap into the psychological horrors of exos and the unethical hell Clovis was putting people through, but not as many on the more cosmic horrors from what I have seen!!

This may just be a me thing and the personal reasons why I want the Witness put under a hydraulic press speaking, but I often see plenty of depictions of the Witness being uncharacteristically soft and having deeper feelings towards its disciples, but works about its vengeful rage, simple mindedness, violation of the autonomy of others, and predatory grooming are quite barren.

I wish to see just how HEINOUS it is displayed in all its turpitude and how it leaves a festering rot on everything and everyone it touches. I love the Witness because it is so evil in it‘s actions and my heart SINGS any time I see people tap into the trauma it causes, especially for characters like Rhulk or Savathûn!!

There is so much room for exploring just how vast the Destiny universe is when you decenter perpetrators in stories and focus on the incomprehensible number of victims.

Destiny genuinely has a character running around with the title „The Final God of Pain“ haunting people and refusing to permanently die, but there is only so much a T rated game can do and I feel like Destiny enjoyers can go beyond what’s in game in such creative ways!! Just thinking of the fall of Torobatl has me going „Wow, I’m actually so sick to my stomach, I need to honor Caiatl and really capture the pain of such an event!“

The latest lore on the Qugu? My chest HURTS.

Some of the hive experimentations? The hive in general? Hell is not hot enough for what the Witness lead them into.

But you know what they say, be the change you want to see in the world! Create the content you want to enjoy and promote the content you do enjoy!! I wish to dabble into the darker areas of lore, and of course, promote Witness hatred any chance I get!! Hopefully I get more time to write about these things and really value the work the Destiny writers have put into portraying such strong feelings of loss time and time again!!

And also!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read The Garden‘s Witness by Titanmaster_117 !!! ESPECIALLY THE FIRST CHAPTER, I COULD RANT ABOUT THIS BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF PROSE ALL DAY, IT GENUINELY MADE ME CRY!! PROMOTE THE CONTENT YOU ENJOY ALL DAY, EVERYDAY!!

But this is just something I’ve been thinking for some time now. This isn’t condemning anyone in the fandom or saying there is an issue, just a desire I would love to see (and hopefully fulfill if I ever get back into writing for Destiny!) If you guys have any recommendations for Destiny works that are horrific, focus on themes of loss and devastation, or hate on the Witness, feel free to mention them so other people can find them!!

Not enough Witness hate going around for my liking… this looks like a job for me.

[dinoberrypress]

Little Wolves is crowdfunding NOW!

It's finally here, y'all! The crowdfunding campaign for our tabletop RPG of folk tales, fae queens, and werewolves is live on Backerkit~

Support our work here!

From the award-winning publisher behind Motel Spooky-Nine, You’re In Space And Everything’s Fucked, Dinocar and more, Little Wolves is a tabletop role-playing game about adventuring through a realm of folk & fae as shapeshifting werewolves.

In Little Wolves, you’ll craft real-world paper masks that represent their characters, modifying them over the course of their adventures to reflect the marks their experiences leave on them while transforming between your Wolf and Mortal forms!

The crowdfunding campaign aims to bring the game’s vivid world to life in an 8.5” x 8.5” full-color perfect bound book loaded with gorgeous art from a team of 4 artists accompanying setting & mechanics from award-winning designers Julie-Anne Muñoz and Nevyn Holmes. 

The crowdfunding campaign launches May 14th, running through June 11th, 12pm US Central with an initial funding goal of $19,500 USD with plenty of stretch goals to unlock for more art, more content, and even an expansion!

Making masks & shifting forms

In your Wolf form, you have access to the benefits of your beastly Attributes, can sing magical Spellsongs, and can resist harm with your Resolve. In your Mortal form, you'll switch your Attributes, Spellsongs, and Resolve out for strong, flexible Mortal Powers that can turn the tide of any situation they're used in. Through character advancement, you can strengthen yourself as you see fit. Perhaps you favor one form over the other, or you may switch between them frequently. The choice is yours.

The Enchanted Forest

As you explore this dense forest you'll meet the powerful and mysterious Queens and aid them, and their courts, through all manner of quests and favors. As a werewolf, you're uniquely gifted in traversing the forest, capable of making it to every edge of the woods, meaning that only you can learn its deepest secrets.

✨ A free demo/quickstart for Little Wolves is available to download and play, get it here! ✨

[gamegem]

https://www.fogaminghub.com/post/the-evolution-of-stealth-in-assassin-s-creed-a-journey-through-time

As we gear up for Assassin's Creed Shadows coming this November, we're taking a close look at how stealth mechanics evolved throughout the series. Learn about the contrasting styles of Yasuke and Naoe, and how past games laid the groundwork for innovative gameplay. 

Don't miss our exploration of this iconic franchise! Check it out: 

[niidsch]

Winx Club: Magical Fairy Party ☆ 2012

[voltaical-art]

ohhhh blackwall is gonna kill me hes killing me

[vintagerpg]

The Original Adventures Reincarnated line is just such a no-brainer for Goodman Games. They spent years producing games full of spirit that emulates that of the golden age, 1974 to 1988, and arguably understand that old-school energy better than anyone. (To be clear, this is a matter of feel, look and vibe, rather than one of mechanics, though sometimes the two coalesce). So it makes abundant sense that they would take some of the perceived classics of the past and pump ‘em full of the modern gonzo. Temple of Elemental Evil (2021) represents the apex of the project’s connection to D&D.

It’s entirely over the top, two volumes in a slipcase, weighing in at a combined page count of 732 pages. The first 225 reprint the original material, both the first T1 module and the later supermodule format T1-4. The next 360 pages is a complete rebuild of the temple for 5E D&D, with all new art by, like, everyone who ever worked for Goodman Games. The rest is appendices for gods, monsters, items and so on. 150 pages of appendices. This is pure decadence in RPG form.

I’m on record as not particularly loving the original Temple. This is a marked improvement. It takes everything that the original promised and delivers, and then delivers again, then one more time, just to be sure. The original felt like a large building built for peculiar cross-purposes. This feels like a megadungeon and benefits from the destruction of logic that holes of such depth engender.

I love it. But I don’t know what to do with. It is fun to pore through and bask in the art and read the encounters but how does this get to a table? It’s so massive! The terms of the license deal meant there is no PDF edition, and now that the deal is over, it’s out of print and am I not going to risk doing things like photocopying it, or writing in it. I am not sure I could photocopy it with such a large spine. So it sits, on my shelf. Slowly bending it. Mocking me.