#Footfall RPG

[rottenshotgungames]

I want to start talking about my personal game design philosophy

Stop Saying “No”

Let’s be honest here, you’ve written a hard limit into at least one of your games. We all have, I certainly have. It’s one of those simple yet effective pieces of tech (one that’s existed since the dawn of games) that can be introduced to bring an option in line with some other option, or to prevent a scaling into eternity, or some other third thing. Maybe skills have maximums, or you can only use a certain number of consumables in a combat, or an item can only be activated every other scene or round. Whatever it is, you’ve written into your game a rule that tells the players, “No. You cannot do this thing.”

I think we overuse hard limits. My goal is to convince you that hard limits, that the “No” you’ve introduced into your rules, is the game design equivalent of junk food: easy to use and bad in large quantities.

My argument boils down to two simple points:

Hard limits are frustrating and boring

Hard limits limit your design

In addition, I will be detailing three alternatives to hard limits:

Costs

Consequences

Balance

Hard vs. Soft

Before we begin, I want to clarify the difference between a hard limit and a soft limit:

A hard limit can generally be defined as, "A rule which expressly forbids or otherwise disallows something, either in a given circumstance or in general."

A soft limit, in contrast, can generally be defined as, "A rule which disincentivizes or otherwise indirectly limits something."

Alright, on with the show.

Hard Limits are Frustrating and Boring

This is what I like to call the, “What do you mean I can’t use my telekinesis to disarm that guy??? That’s fucking stupid!” Put simply, people like using their toys, and people dislike being told they can’t use their toys for whatever reason. Even if you haven’t had as vitriolic of a reaction as the one described earlier, I’m more than positive you’ve felt this way toward some rule in an RPG at some point. Even if a hard limitation is completely reasonable, it can still be frustrating to encounter; I understand why I can’t raise my Skill levels above my character level in Pathfinder, but it was still annoying and saddening the first time I heard it.

There’s this tweet from a while back, in which one Mr. Joshy McCroo (@riseupcomus) argues that any hard CC that fully prevents you from taking actions is inherently poor design as it does nothing but frustrate the person that it’s used on. This is the very same concept, and for the very same reason: it’s just not fun.

The fundamental reason for the frustration caused by hard limits is that they restrict player choice. When you introduce a hard “no,” you often remove an opportunity to create interesting decisions, and decisions are the foundation of play. Boredom with a system or a situation is spawned by a lack of choice, by a necessity to perform the same action over and over or an inability to do anything. When you give players a variety of tools that can each be used consistently—particularly in tactical games—they will use those tools in interesting, creative, and fun ways; if you restrict those tools, restrict the freedom to use those tools as desired, boredom and frustration can set in quickly.

Hard Limits Limit Your Design

This point is less objective and far more experiential / personal. This isn’t meant to demean opposing views or differing design philosophies.

As stated earlier, hard limits are simple, effective, and easy to use. If you come up against a design wall, such as an option being too powerful or players over-centralizing, it can be easy to just institute a rule that says “You can’t use this constantly,” or “You can only have this many Gizmos™️,” but doing so will often deprive you of an opportunity to innovate or otherwise improve your design sense.

For me, learning design was a serious process of Example and Trial. I’d use reference points (such as RPGs or Video Games that I really liked) to guide me through tough decisions, and when I didn’t have that guide I’d just write and revise until something fit. Eventually, I realized that growing as a designer and developing my own philosophy meant expanding beyond (even if ever-so-slightly) my influences, and the balance shifted from Example(60)/Trial(40) to Example(30)/Trial(70). For me, the fun of design is coming up against these kinds of issues and seeing if I can develop a novel approach or take a stale approach and spice it up, and I feel myself getting better every time I try.

Hard limits are easy to use and generally (relatively) easy to implement, as such they offer less opportunity for growth.

Some alternatives to hard limits, and why you might consider using them:

Costs

Two prevalent examples of costs are weapon ammunition and (≥2) times per Scene/Combat/Rest/Day abilities (both of these can be found in D&D 3e onward and many of its derivatives).

A cost is basically just a hard limit that's been a few steps removed, but those few steps manage to turn it into a soft limit of sorts. Costs fundamentally take a hard "No" and turn it into a "Yes, but . . ."

This is probably the easiest alternative to implement, which explains why it's kinda found everywhere. Even spell slots in the Dragon Game are a form of cost limitation. It's also just a generally strong solution, usually removing a significant amount of frustration and adding opportunities for resource management gameplay. However, if not implemented with care or consideration for surrounding options, you could end up with people carrying over 500 arrows at any given time or once more falling into a set rotation of combat abilities that they perform round-to-round (thereby negating the boredom fix).

Consequences

This is my personal favorite alternative.

A consequence, like a cost, is a "Yes, but" that disincentivizes an option or changes how a player thinks about using that option. There are two major differences between a cost and a consequence:

Costs are always negative in nature (you are spending something as part of doing something), consequences can be but aren't necessarily negative.

Costs always lead to a state that acts as a hard limit (once the resource is empty, you cannot do the thing), consequences do not directly involve a hard limit.

Two prevalent examples of consequences are taking damage for doing something (such as the Stress generated by Blades in The Dark's flashback mechanic) and gaining / losing affinity with a person or faction (a la Over War: The Night Comes Down).

The primary benefit of implementing a consequence is the interconnection with other mechanics. Costs are relatively self contained—usually only branching out to a currency mechanic, a weight mechanic, or a leveling mechanic at the very most—because the threat of a hard limit somewhere down the line is often enough to change how players approach a specific mechanic or situation on its own; consequences, on the other hand, necessitate an understanding of and interaction with other mechanics in the system because they literally cannot exist without them. If using a specific ability is going to give you a status condition—for example—that status condition inherently affects other mechanics and how you interact with them as well, changing how you think about that ability and its place in your toolset pretty substantially.

As an example, there's a Priest ability in Hollow Halls (my fantasy dungeon crawler) entitled Glimpse The Plan. Glimpse The Plan doubles the user's Believe proficiency (stat used for casting Parable spells), but also afflicts them with the Blind and Afraid statuses (which are both pretty bad). The Priest playtester quickly realized that if he was Afraid all of the time, then he effectively eliminated half of the consequences—and wouldn't ya know it, there's an option to become permanently Afraid at character creation to increase your health.

All of that being said (and my favoritism clearly on display), consequences can suffer from a difficulty of implementation. Some consequences, particularly the taking of damage, are really easy to throw about haphazardly and thereby suffer from the same "limitation of design" problem that hard limits do; but escaping those, adding consequences that are unique and create interesting choices, takes time and care and an awareness of how certain mechanics can and do interact. Even the easier-to-implement consequences can often take a few tries to fine-tune.

Balance

This is simultaneously the simplest and most complicated alternative. To balance something here means to compare an option to other surrounding options, weigh the value of each, and slowly tweak numbers until they're all in line with each other. Generally speaking, the easiest way to do this is to craft an option as a baseline and balance everything else around that option, but there are times where you'll create a more powerful ability that you don't want to change, thereby causing it to become the new baseline and so on and so forth.

This alternative involves a lot of trial and error, a lot of guesswork, a lot of testing, and a willingness to add, remove, and change elements of any given option. It’s time consuming, stressful, and incredibly rewarding. I don’t recommend going pure nitty-gritty numbers-hound in every situation, or even in every game, but—if used properly—this option can create an incredibly healthy and interesting environment of options.

The primary strength of numbers balancing is that you'll probably be doing it at least a little bit anyways. Unless you're part of the "balance is for pussies" crowd, some amount of balance work will be done on every option you introduce into the game. This is kinda just, y'know, the logical extreme of that process.

All three listed alternatives can be used with each other, even on a single mechanic.

Conclusion

I do not think that hard limits are inherently bad. I really need to make it clear that I DO NOT think that you should never use them (as much as that may be suggested by the title of this post). Sometimes you'll be on a serious time crunch, or you won't be able to come up with a suitable alternative, or it's the most thematically or mechanically sound option, so on and so forth. There are instances in which it will be appropriate, or even preferable, to use a hard limit—but that doesn’t make an over-reliance upon them any better for you or the people playing your game.

Honestly, what I want people to take away from this post is very simple: every design decision matters. Even seemingly inconsequential choices with limited impact can have profound effects on an important moment for some of your players, and as such are worth considering carefully.

Self-Promo

Hey, I'm Gio. I run Rotten Shotgun games. If you wanna support me, or keep up to date on my work, you can find me on Itch.io at https://rotten-shotgun-games.itch.io/

Otherwise, I hope y'all have a great night and a great day!

[cawyden-gaming]

Rogue Trader - Act 2 - Heinrix Footfall

At the beginning of act 2 Heinrix will shortly leave you on Footfall. You can get him back quite fast and easily - you only need to go to the Atrium and speak with the Liege and you will get a quest update that repairs on the ship are done and you are needed back.

Just head back to the docks where your shuttle is waiting and Heinrix will be waiting for you.

It is worth it to do this before running around for the other quests on Footfall because you will otherwise miss out on dialog for Heinrix.

For example:

1. Heinrix and Idirah (Argenta will add to the dialog too) if you talk to Hieronymus Doloroso about who the enemies of the Imperium are:

2. The "Figaro/pirate funeral" quest - here Heinrix will comment at the start of the quest (if you select the "What is this place and what is going on here?" line)

3. Heinrix on meeting Jae in the cantina (Martyr's Endurance) - this is even voiced

Heinrix has additional dialog in the cantina - with Ryzz, (Fellowship of the void reputation contact), the one guest (Gordei Skatov, who speaks about Footfall architecture) and with Octaviana (the bartender)

4. If you talk to the Liege, there is a short conversation between him and Heinrix too:

[s-creations]

Roleplay

It was easy to think he'd been a hero this entire time. After all, with everyone backing him, Geno felt he'd been accomplished so much.

But, staring down his greatest enemy, making sure someone he cared for was safe, Geno wasn't sure if he was really meant to be a hero.

Fandom: Super Mario & Releated Fandoms, Super Mario RPG Rating: General Audiences Relationship: Mario/Geno (Nintendo) Additional Tags: Harsh look at reality, It's not always roses, Geno's protective of Gaz, Geno/Mario is a background item, But I'm still making it count!, Smithy's kind of a jerk, There is fire and mentions of burning buildings, Geno gets a little shaken.

Make from @nintendonut1's art: Link

“Whatever happens, just hold onto me, Gaz. And don’t stare at the light for too long.”

Smithy had not taken being defeated well. Instead of falling, as the team had been expecting, the villain had doubled down. Burning red eyes seemed to narrow down on Geno as he stood once more. Declaring he wasn’t going to hide away in his factory any more. That this takeover needed a more direct touch. 

Starting with Rose Town.

Geno had never felt so cold before. 

Even with the fact they all practically left the portal at the same time, Smithy somehow got a lead. The party arrived in said town with it already on fire. Numerous troupes from Smithy’s gang rushed around and away once the heroes engaged. Mario called for everyone to spread out to help where they could. 

Geno was gone before the human finished. 

Sturdy footfalls carried him down a path he’d felt uneven walking on only a few days ago. Now only stumbling to avoid the crumbling homes and structures. Still focused on arriving at his destination as quickly as possible.

He shouldn’t feel so sick upon seeing the familiar house up in flames. But it took everything in him to not collapse at the sight. 

“Gaz!” the puppet desperately called out, “Gaz, where are you! Can you hear me? Gaz!” 

He flinched away as the fire flared up. Feeling as if his soul was crumbling away as the front started to collapse.

“GAZ!” 

“G-Geno?”

Relife he’d never felt before seemed to slam into his chest hearing the timid voice. A familiar small Toad just peeking out from the edge of the forest. Clearly terrified and covered with a bit of ash, but otherwise well.

“Gaz… Grambi Above, Gaz!” Gaining strength in his legs once more, Geno rushed over to said child. Feeling comfort by the weight he now carried in his arm. “You’re okay… Are you hurt? Where’s your mother? Where’s anyone?”

“W-We’re all in the forest,” Gaz sniffed weakly, “‘M okay. What’s h-happening?”

Geno faltered as he tried to figure out what he could say about this. “I…I wasn’t able to stop the bad guy fast enough. I’m sorry…”

“But you’re here to stop them now, right?”

“Yeah, yeah of course! I’m going to stop them before you can be hurt any further.”

“Awww, how charming.”

Gaz let out a fearful gasp as he hid away in Geno’s chest upon seeing the person towering behind said puppet. On his part, Geno instantly took a defensive position. One arm wrapped around the small Toad while he faced Smithy. The other was already holding out his weapon.

Said dictator seemed far more imposing with the fire burning casting heavy shadows over him. His eyes seemed to glow a deeper red. 

“How something so small could cause so much trouble. Do you want to know something interesting, Little Star?” Smithy asked smugly, “This little piece around my neck holds quite the informative side effect. I can hear every wish that’s been asked for. Every. Single. One. From every living being. Including Stars.”

The overlord chuckled as he watched Geno’s face fall in horror.

“You are quite the interesting being, Little Star. It all started off rather understandable. If not a little dry.”

‘I wish I knew what this stomach pain was.’

‘I wish I knew why I can’t keep my eyes open.’

‘I wish I could understand how people can keep going.’

“I suppose being mortal was a very strange change for you. Being physically tied down is tiring if you’re not used to it all. I’ll be honest, I grew bored of hearing from you after a while. Who wants to hear about wanting to be more ‘mortal’? Not I… Until your wishes turn into something…amazing.”

‘I wish I could tell Gaz how it’s going. He really likes this toy, I’m sure he misses it.’

‘I wish I knew what it was like to have a home. It seems so wonderful to have a place to just relax.’

‘I wish I could enjoy cake every day!’

‘I wish Mallow could keep his smile on his face forever, he deserves to.’

‘I wish Bowser would just admit he likes being around us.’

‘I wish I didn’t feel so nervous around Peach.’

‘I wish I could be as calm as Mario is.’

‘I wish I could be as easy around Mario as Peach is.’

‘I wish I knew why my soul beats so fast when I look at Mario.’

‘I wish I could tell him how I feel.’

‘I wish I was brave enough to tell him how I feel.’

‘I wish I could stay.’

Geno didn’t mean to tighten his grip on Gaz. But hearing his own wishes mockingly repeated back to him was terrifying.

“How absolutely pathetic,” Smithy growled out. Hefting up his hammer to be held in both hands. “If you want to be a mortal, if you want to play the hero, then you need to experience all of it. Even the not so friendly side. You don’t get to pretend.”

“You get to watch this little village burn before I move onto the next town, and the next one. I’m going to make sure you feel the full force of being mortal before I crush you. If you want to act as a hero, prepare to feel failure. Starting with that child.”

The fears he felt were quickly replaced with protective rage. Gaz’s eyes widened in amazement as the weapon pointed at Smithy started to hum. Seeming to suck in light at the tip as a large orb of light began to appear. The multiple colors merge to become white. 

“Gaz…”

Said Toad’s attention went to Geno’s face, who was glaring Smithy down.

“Whatever happens, just hold onto me. And don’t stare at the light for too long.”

At that, Gaz buried his face into Geno’s chest. Just before the charged beam was released.

Geno could feel the child flinch as the hum of said attack was released, seeming to mute the area with how loud it was. Smithy moved quick enough to raise the head of the hammer to act as a shield. Feet digging into the ash covered ground as he was pushed back. When he came to a stop, the leader let out a huff followed by a heavy chuckle. 

“Well, well, touched a nerve have I?” Smithy smirked, standing once more.

“You have no room to make such threats. I will make you regret those words.” Geno’s voice was cold and unwavering as he stared Smithy down.

“Your little stun gun may pack a punch. But you’re going to need more than that.”

Gaz, who had peeked out, panicked further when the ground began to shake. Letting out a small but terrified scream of surprise as Bowser basically barreled into Smithy. Geno quickly wrapped his other arm around the Toad. The steely anger melted away slowly as he realized it was the rest of the party. Peach and Mallow rushed to help Bowser while Mario drew closer to Geno.

“Hey, are you okay?” Mario asked, “We saw your beam and-”

“He threatened Gaz.” Is what Geno was able to choke out. 

The human’s eyes went down to said Toad, who was still clutched close to Geno. Mario offered a comforting smile while gently pulling Gaz away from Geno’s death grip. Silently gesturing to keep the puppet calm before addressing the child. 

“Do you know where everyone else is?” 

“I-In the forest.” Gaz sniffed.

“Okay, do you think you can find everyone on your own?”

“Uh huh.” 

“I need you to go back in then. Geno needs to know you’re safely away from here so he can focus on fighting.”

Gaz looked back up to Geno. The puppet was able to give a very short nod of agreement in his numb stupor. 

The Toad turned back to Mario, “You’ll keep Geno safe, right?”

“I’ve been doing well so far. You can trust me.”

That seemed good enough for Gaz as he finally turned to rush back into the foliage. 

With that taken care of, Mario’s focused on Geno. Who still hadn’t really moved.

“Hey, Geno, I need you to talk to me.”

Moving slowly, Mario reached out to take Geno’s hands in his own. That caused the puppet to fully jerk out of his stunned silence. Amber eyes taking in his surroundings once more. 

“Mario?”

“Hey, yeah, it’s me, you’re okay,” Mario gave a small chuckle, “First time threats are not fun.”

That sent another jolt of remembrance to strike Geno. Who now scanned to find a familiar form. “Gaz, are they-”

“Back in the forest. He’s safe. Think you’re okay to fight?”

Geno looked down at their clasped hands for a moment before addressing Mario.

“Yeah, let’s finally end this.”

[veemo4]

2023 Media Thread (Re-do to add a Read More Link)

Spark The Electric Jester 3:

Man I was holding off on spoilers for MONTHS until the holidays when I could get this game, and I only beat it in the beginning of the year and well…HOLY SHIT I didn’t know I needed existentialism in my funny little platformer- Gameplay is INSANELY solid, like honestly some of my favorite platforming controls I have ever used! Music is top notch as well!

Nier Automata: The End of YoRHa Edition:

Holy fuck how did I manage to avoid spoilers for this game for YEARS??? That ending was beautiful~ (Yes I did do all the main endings)

Chrono Trigger: I should preface this by saying I did modify this game a tiiiiny bit to have PS4 button prompts and fixing the Classic filter. Other than that, I can see why it’s a lot of people’s favorite RPG! Short enough in case you wanna replay it, and the foundation of the NG+ system definitely helps incentivize replays! Can’t wait to play Chrono Cross!

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII:

I binged both FFXIII and FFXIII-2 during October and November of last year, but took a short break to avoid burnout. And well, yeah this game was neat! I will admit though that since there’s no way to REWIND time like in Majora’s Mask that I got INSANELY stressed out but that didn’t take away from the sweet release of seeing these characters I love finally get their well-deserved happy ending :)

Mega Man Zero:

I put this one off and on throughout like 2 years because I just wasn’t good at it, but it taught me a VERY good lesson in perseverance! Really excited to play Zero 2!

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion: ZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK ;w; Story was pretty…alright for the most part, but I couldn’t feel attached to any of the original characters :/ Honestly my eyes were on Zack just…being real with what’s going on. I may not feel bad for when people he cares about dies, but I can EASILY emphasize with him because I know that HE knows them. Knows them more than we ever will know. Also the gameplay and music are fucking stellar.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes:

I should preface all of this by saying I don’t remember what order I beat all of these in lmao. Anyways my route was Golden Wildfire and the story for it is such an improvement over its equivalent in Three Houses!!! I love Shez so much as a protagonist even if his outfit is a tiny bit dumb.

Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker

Man I really wanted to like this. And like, music and area wise I loved it! But the story feels…It just doesn’t feel like the finality for all we’ve done so far. I could not care at all for Meteion because they spend approximately like 20 or 30 minutes making us meet them and then throwing us IMMEDIATELY into the angst like, no. This isn’t even a case of “Well I don’t care but I can understand why others do” NO THE GAME MAKES YOUR WOL FEEL BAD AS WELL, MEANING YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO CARE! NO! I DON’T! I was able to at least pretend a little bit to roleplay as needed but man. At least Footfalls and the post-endwalker dungeon themes kick ass though. (Warrior of Light’s name for me is M’bahlon Tia)

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe

SO CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE I love kirby games sm and this is no exception. REALLY loved how hard the Magolor Epilogue got at certain points though that was great.

Fire Emblem Awakening

I CAN SEE WHY THIS SAVED THE FRANCHISE WHEN IT CAME OUT!! It’s a REALLY good game! I went with the default male Robin settings since that’s what’s in Smash Bros. And man just, everything about this game is AMAZING!!! Sadly cannot see myself replaying it anytime. I could just load my endgame save and grind out support conversations with other characters or do that…new game plus thing I think it was?

Another Eden: The Cat Beyond Time and Space: Bound Wills and the Hollow Puppeteer

I did this event initially back when it came out (and in fact is the main reason why I played the game in the first place) But I got horrible units and died super often, and revived every chance I got. But losing my save data and getting a better unit HEAVILY boosted my chances of getting through the event and man, it was a lot of fun! I love seeing tiny mona :3 JUST LOOK AT HOW SMOL HE IS AAAAAAAAA

Mighty Gunvolt Burst:

I had a lot of fun with this one! I used one of the DLC characters (I think they’re the Zero character from Mighty Number 9 but) it’s a great romp!

EDIT: ALSO SHOULD MENTION IT FUCKING OWO’D ME

Final Fantasy XV

“Walk tall…my friends.” I got this game YEARS ago but haven’t truly delved into it recently. And well… That ending got to me. It really did. The gameplay took me so long to get used to (especially since I had been more used to the more refined gameplay of Final Fantasy 7 Remake 3 years prior) Music is amazing, love the characters! I just wish the other episodes were finished and weren’t just put in a novel :/

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

HOLY FUCK THIS GAME WAS SO COOL. I always heard like, right, about how good this game was but I figured it was just nostalgia talking for people. NOPE. As someone who’s first paper mario game was super (never beat it, I was a really stupid child) and then played Sticker Star (Again, very stupid child but also that game is bullshit because everything is so obtuse and it sucks) But this? This was a big breath of fresh air. I am so excited to go back and play 64 and Super!!!

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Honestly? Way better than I was expecting. You can FEEL nintendo had a strangle-hold on the movie’s production though from how Chris Pratt in the final movie actually fucking voice acts somewhat (it’s a start), there’s no bad Illumination tropes, Peach is a dragoon, Toad and Bowser easily steal the show, and just, ALL THE REFERENCES WOW. EVEN THE NEWER THINGS. I didn’t see any Paper Mario or Mario & Luigi references though which makes me sad. I hope that if there’s a sequel it’s actually better and doesn’t fall into any traps movie sequels usually do, maybe even say if the other kingdoms from Mario Odyssey are in this universe (and maybe Isle Defino) The movie definitely could have used an extra 20 minutes spread throughout to add more to the main group dynamic.

Mega Man Zero 2

OH MY GOD THIS WAS SO MUCH BETTER BALANCE-WISE HOLY SHIT Cyber-elves requirements to be leveled up were MASSIVELY lowered and the enemy AI isn’t as overly aggressive! Loved the music too, especially Departure and the ending theme which was adapted for the song Clover! Can’t wait to do Zero 3!

WARE WA MESSIAH NARI! HAHAHA!

Mega Man Zero 3 was really good, but either I am getting way too good at these games or they are getting easier haha. Loved the music and gameplay though, and how Cyber Elves were handled here is absolutely the best they have ever been! If there’s any game in this series I am gonna replay, it’s Zero 3 without a doubt! On to Mega Man Zero 4, the last of the GBA era.

Mega Man Zero 4

I finally did it. I beat the entire Mega Man Zero series. While I do not agree with how the parts and cyber elf system were handled, It was not a bad experience by any means! It felt nice following Zero’s character arc throughout these games. I’m maybe gonna take a break before I tackle Mega Man ZX, but hey, I feel like that game’s gonna be fun! It’s the only one I actually OWN on its original hardware after all! :D

Sonic and the Black Knight

This was a fun distraction for a few hours! I had a lot of fun with this! Granted the second King Arthur fight took me an hour but besides that it was a quick and good romp! Probably has one of the best final boss themes in a sonic game I’ve ever heard! :D

The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past

Pretty fun game all things considered, but I didn’t like how punishing some of the design philosophies were in the end parts of the game. Music’s great though! Maybe I’ll revisit it one day, but not anytime soon. Still, can’t say I disliked my experience.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

Where…do I even begin with this?…It was…genuinely amazing. I was waiting for a sequel to Breath of the Wild for years, and during my high school years I was wondering how they would even follow it up! Doing a sequel to an open-world game is harder than a lot of other genres.      But yet….they did it. They somehow did it. Those 6 years of development time more than paid off. It felt…amazing to run around a changed Hyrule from the last game. The mechanics were amazing, and the character development was really cool! The new rune abilities are dope!!!    BUT THE MUSIC MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM THE MUSIC OH THE MUSIC IS SO GOOD THE ENDING MUSIC MADE ME ACTUALLY CRY AHHHHHHHH PLAY THIS GAME PLAY IT NOW

Kirby and the Forgotten Land

And here we are! Finally got around to this! It was a really dope game! Loved the combat and music! I even did most of the bonus content and the Ultimate Cup Z, but I kept dying at the final phase of the final boss of that so I just gave up lol, it’s purely bonus content anyways lol. But honestly I loved this game! Can’t wait for the next mainline kirby game!

The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD

FINALLY GOT AROUND TO PLAYING THIS ONE! I owned this on real hardware since its release date but never got far. I finally got around to it with the motivation of beating Tears of the Kingdom, and I gotta say, it’s pretty good! Not exactly like, absolutely top tier game that everyone MUST play but, it’s decent! Bosses are a big sour point though. Music was pretty decent, though the final dungeon theme is a bore. Only other current Zelda games I gotta beat are the 2D/Top-Down ones, so maybe I’ll do one of those next! Possibly either Phantom Hourglass or Spirit Tracks.

Pokémon Scarlet

HOLY SHIT THAT ENDING SEQUENCE WAS ACTUALLY COOL AS HELL!!! Like yeah, the game has its decent chunk of technical issues but, holy shit….those last two hours of the main story are phenomenal. TOBY FOX CONTINUES TO BE THE GOAT THE MUSIC HE COMPOSED IS AMAZING! I love how easier it is to capture pokemon compared to Sword and Shield as well. I do like Dynamax raids more as a multiplayer component, but I much prefer the Tera mechanic in terms of PVP. I stlll need to do the post game before the dlc comes out later this year, but all I really got is just the refights against the gym leaders and all that jazz. There’s also the Needle thingies I gotta pull out and the wall things I gotta investigate in order to get the other legendaries, but all I really care about is finishing the core of the main story, I got other games to get to lol. Probably thinking of either Paper Mario or Chrono Cross next haha.

Kamen Rider Heisei Generations Final: Build & Ex-Aid with Legend Riders

Okay so context: my friend @arcadiusdragoneyes​ is showing me and @darkspine576​ Kamen Rider Build since it’s one of his favorites and he wanted to indoctrinate introduce us into Kamen Rider AND IT’S FUCKING WORKING. I only know one part of this crossover, but I think it did a good job of giving across the feel of the other Kamen Rider series very well! Kamen Rider Build is so extra I love it. Can’t wait to finish Kamen Rider Build!

[danganronpasurvivoraskblog]

Rpg Anon: Oh fucking Hel (literally). Give a moment to debate this. Ok first of all, if we go with this, we HAVE to make Mukuro's Persona Fenrir, which will also need more research, and we'd HAVE to find Jormungandr (Ryoko or Yasuke or Someone "related" to the sisters). Also, damn I didn't think of that. Hel is literally "half black and half white" so damn. Another also, I really liked our Nyarlathotep idea cuz of Persona and junk so maybe Hel is the initial Persona. Needs debate.

Ok after hours of researching this topic, alongside Lovecraft bullshit, I've come to the decision that Junko should have Hel as her initial Persona but it comes with complications and conditions. Hel is rather seriously indifferent to everything especially death. She is kinda cruel and an asshole but it's hard to say that she's evil. Hard to say Fenrir, Jormungandr, and even Loki are actually "evil" either, but I'll get to that. She's not like Hades who actually is nice to people at times but is still super responsible yet strict. She's kinda responsible and definitely strict but lacks any sympathy or empathy. To put it simply, she's the definition of an indifferent and downcast gloomy death person. I'm gonna just say Junko does have Hel as her initial Persona, but only when she's playing up Monokuma. I find this rather awkward cuz Monokuma literally gets "Thrills, Chills, Kills!" when it comes to death and sadistically executing people. This is literally the opposite of Hel. But, I can't help but adore the half-white half-black aspect of this. Once Junko throws away the Monokuma "mask", she'll just move onto her true Ultimate Persona, Nyarlathotep.

Now, I've also come to the conclusion that Mukuro should have Fenrir as her initial Persona but I need your input on the second part of this debate, which involves lore important aspects. I'll simplify and abridge it for you when we get to it. First of all, obviously Mukuro was part of the Fenrir mercenary group. Obviously, she's basically the guard dog to Junko. In fact, she was basically a guard dog to Makoto too. (Fenrir was NOT Hel's guard or anything related but i'm just using symbolism). Obviously, Mukuro is very physically strong. Blah blah blah. This part alone is just too obvious not to have her have this Persona. Now to the second part.

Like I mentioned before at one point, Hel, Loki, Fenrir, and Jormungandr are argued to possibly not be "evil" in nature. Ignoring the others for now, it's argued Fenrir became a monster cuz of abuse. (Think of God of War 4 & Ragnarok). Norse pantheon tried to chain him up a lot but only succeeded the third time and then they put a sword in his mouth to mock him. My question for you mod is: Excluding Junko (which is the hard part), was Mukuro ever "abused" by the supposed good guys? This is important cuz it plays out Mukuro/Fenrir would want to assist Junko/Hel in ending everything.

If Mukuro is Fenrir, who's Odin and Tyr in this case? Odin gets killed by Fenrir and Tyr loses his hand cuz when they tried to trick Fenrir with the third chain, Fenrir got skeptical and Tyr had to offer his hand to make Fenrir trust them and when the third chain worked, Fenrir got mad and bit his hand off. Also, who's Vidar then? Vidar is Odin's son who eventually exact revenge on Fenrir but ripping/stabbing out his heart and breaking his teeth.

Fenrir broke the first two chains. The dwarves made a chain out of "impossible things" that "no longer exist in the world": The sound of a cat's footfall, a woman's beard, a mountain's roots, bear sinew, the breath of a fish, and the spittle of birds. They made a thin delicate looking ribbon and it worked on Fenrir. In this case, what would be Mukuro's Gleipnir?

Small little third part. Who'd be Jormungandr then? Yasuke? Ryoko? Jormungandr was a giant ass snake that circles the entire world and blah blah blah fought Thor at the end of the world and they killed each other. Thor died after taking nine steps backward before succumbing to poison.

Now for the last part of this rant. I think I might have finally found Mukuro's Ultimate Persona based on Lovecraftian mythos. The only problem I find is that, do these fuckers even exist? They feel fanmade. Regardless, I never like Yog Sothoth as her Persona like you said before (no offense) but it just didn't feel right. And now I found TWO people from Lovecraftian mythos who might fit the bill. The theme I wanted to go for was Mukuro is now trying to go against Junko and help the people and Future Foundation. And so, I present: N'tse-Kaambl and/or Nodens. I can't choose, though things might be leaning towards the first one.

N'tse is apparently "a beautiful woman in flowing robes bearing a spear and shield. Some credit the invention of the Elder Sign to her." Apparently, the Elder Sign is some kind of rune glyph that protects humanity from Elder Gods and binds them away or some shit. The stupid funny ass thing that makes this feel like some kind of weird fanfic to me is that 1. there is little real info about her and 2. she looks EXACTLY like Athena from Greek Mythology. Some people actually say that N'tse actually IS Athena and she crossed over myths to fend off Outer Gods. WTF. Regardless, you see where I'm going with this. Female Warrior lady who fights against Lovecraftian Abominations, which Junko is representing with Nyarlathotep.

Nodens is, I kid you not, apparently some badass old man fisherman hunter of Eldritch Abominations. And guess what? Just like N'tse, Nodens is ALSO a crossover god! He's actually a Celtic God of the Sea and Hunting who rides atop sea monsters, especially literal Sea Horses! WTF. Is this also fanfiction?! Nonetheless, Nodens gets special treatment cuz 1. In some way he is a Lovecraft God himself now but he's relatively benevolent and 2. Nodens actually is specifically stated to be hunting down and duking it out with Nyarlathotep. If you want Mukuro to specifically have the badass old man who dukes it out with motherfucking Nyarlathotep, who we are stating is Junko's Ultimate Persona (symbolism here), then I argue you give this fucker some thought.

And yes, I got both of these fuckers from Yugioh. I would say that they are not real lovecraft lore people, but guess what? Further research shows that THEY ARE NOW. I already said Yugioh has already made them official printed cards, that stupid nyarlathotep anime actually has these two characters, and so on. Stupid ass fanfic shit, but it's now canon.

So mod, pick your poison.

//Lol, I like that it got your head spinning.

//A few points:

I like the Nyarle idea too, but I gotta admit this one sounds equally as good. There's a lot of really good connections that I didn't give much thought before now.

Jormungandr should probably be Ryoko over Yasuke. I say this because Ryoko is closer to being a third sister to the group, and in A Student Out of Time (not canon to this blog or the main one, but still something I thought about) Ryoko actually IS a third Enoshima sibling, not just another part of Junko. Plus, Akechi's multiple personalities (not DID but I think it's close enough) give way to multiple Personas. It's not hard to assume Junko could have her own variant of the wild card given how much she can shift about.

"Lacks any sympathy or empathy" and "indifferent and downcast gloomy death person" are two things that describe Junko perfectly. The core reason why she's so obsessed with Despair is because it's unpredictability is the only thing her Ultimate Analytical Prowess cannot foresee, and it gives her a thrill, which is why she's so crazy in the first place. When she's not high on Despair, she's usually pretty Izuru-like in terms of her behavior.

The only thing I can think of with anything related to abuse with Mukuro is that it took a LONG ass time for people to warm up to her and not see her as a criminal, killer, spy, murderer, Despair-sister, etc. And because of that, she ended up getting a lot of verbal and emotional abuse from everyone to varying extents, aside from Makoto. Things are obviously different now, but that's all I got.

It seems pretty appropriate for Vidar to be Koime's Shadow. Since not only did she kill Mukuro, but she's also hosting AI Junko, so there's a varying degree of Revenge there. And this one's a bit of a stretch, but as for Odin and Tyr...I know they're not characters on the blog yet, but how about Hijirihara and Fujigawa? Mukuro's obviously killed lots of people, but the trauma that turned both of them into bloodthirsty monsters comes directly from the Middle School Massacre that they survived. It's a stretch, as I said, but I think it's an ok idea.

Isn't Gleipnir an anime about a guy that can turn into a stuffed animal suit?

I never really liked my initial pick for Mukuro's Persona either, I VASTLY prefer this whole Fenrir thing in the grand scheme of things. And I'm all for that as her Ultimate Persona. It really encapsulates how far she's come as a person in blog context. I might have to steal that for any more stories I make related to PToH, assuming you don't mind.

-Mod

[buddy-arc]

@yxllowcoat | horror/rpg starter call

looking back, maybe it was a bad idea to go out of their shelter abruptly without explanation. looking back, it would be obvious that six likely noticed. evidently, she had followed him—mono hears footfalls, knowing it’s her by the cautious and quiet way she walks.

he feels guilty; he shouldn’t have rushed off so abruptly, but… mono had lost his bag. he had lost what paper thin respite he had. he needed to hide his face. instinctively, mono uses his hands to do so. he still doesn’t turn to face six, barely peeking through his fingers to search for a head cover in this small junk pile.

“s-sorry if i made you worry,” he apologizes with a genuine tone despite his shyness, “didn’t mean to. jus’… don’t look at me. i need to get another paper bag…”

[empathydm]

Sherlock Story Chapter 5

Help me roleplay Sherlock Holmes in this collaborative story adventure. Last text: We approached the woman cautiously, her focus unwavering as she delved into the ancient pages of the book before her. The air grew heavy with an energy that seemed to defy rational explanation, as though the room itself pulsed with some unearthly force. "Holmes, what could she possibly be seeking in this forsaken chamber?" I whispered, my voice barely audible over the arcane hum that enveloped us. Holmes's gaze remained fixed on the woman. "She's searching for answers, Watson," he responded, the weight of his words carrying the gravity of a shattered reality. "Answers that lie at the heart of these disappearances and the Illustrious Order's hidden agenda. We have played pawns in a twisted game, and the woman holds the key to unraveling it all." The woman's fingers skimmed along the pages, her touch reverential, her mind entwined with the dark knowledge within. It was then that Holmes spied a series of markings and symbols strewn across the worn floor, forming a ritualistic sigil reminiscent of arcane texts he had studied in years past. "Take note of this symbol, Watson," Holmes said, his voice barely audible. "It aligns with the rituals of the Illustrious Order. It seems they have found a haven within Mudie's Library, hidden in plain sight, disguised as the innocent pursuit of literature." My mind reeled with the realization. The illicit meetings, the hidden codes, the presence of the Illustrious Order--all part of an intricate web created within the very heart of this establishment. The sanctity of knowledge used to cloak abominable deeds. Our eyes never left the woman, her every movement steeped in mystery and intrigue. Was she a defender of justice, unraveling the Illustrious Order's plans from within? Or did she hold darker intentions, orchestrating a danse macabre where we were merely unwitting partners? Holmes took a step forward, his voice now steady and resolute. "We have brought this woman into our circle, Watson, and it is through her that we may uncover the truth behind this labyrinthine charade. We must proceed with caution, for the dangers lurking within these walls reach far beyond anything we have yet encountered." As by unspoken agreement, Holmes and I navigated the chamber to stand beside the woman, becoming a trifecta bound by shared purpose. Her eyes lifted, meeting Holmes's steely gaze with a mix of determination and vulnerability, her true intentions shrouded in an enigmatic silence. Before we could speak, a distant echo reverberated through the corridors—the unmistakable sound of footsteps drawing nearer. Someone, or something, approached with unhurried purpose, each step a thud against the taut wire of anticipation. Holmes's hand instinctively found the hilt of his cane, his eyes narrowing with resolve. "Watson," he said with an urgent firmness, "we stand at the precipice of revelation, where the veil of deception dissipates, and truth is thrust into the unforgiving light. Ready yourself, for whatever lay ahead, we must face it head-on." A tremor of anticipation raced through my veins, tightly braided with a mixture of dread and anticipation. We prepared ourselves, as the sound drew closer, each footfall nearing its inevitable crescendo. The woman, Holmes, and I stood united, our quest for justice on the brink of revelation. How should the story continue? Please vote by liking the following posts: Option 1: Unmasking secrets, facing danger #HolmesAndWatson Option 2: Unraveling secrets, battling darkness. #HolmesAndWatson Option 3: In library: secretive Order discovered. Full text for each option in following posts. The votes are counted every 6 hours. #Sherlock #rpg #fanfic.

[sam4samina-blog]

Detective Science Fiction: These stories are often set in a near-future and feature where technology aids law enforcement and criminals. The Caves of Steel The Demolished Man

Extraterrestial invasion: The alien invasion or space invasion is a common feature in science fiction stories and film, in which extraterrestrials invade the Earth either to exterminate and supplant human life, enslave it under an intense state, harvest people for food, steal the planet's resources, or destroy the planet altogether. The War of the Worlds Footfall

First Contact Science Fiction: First contact is a common science fiction theme about the first meeting between humans and extraterrestrial life, or of any sentient species' first encounter with another one, given they are from different planets or natural satellites. Rendezvous with Rama Ender's Game

Generation Ship: When a space voyage would take a thousand years to make and there is no faster-than-light travel or time-bending technology a generation starship is the practical answer—another option is suspended animation. The idea is that as the ship journeys across the universe generations will live and die onboard. The original crew will never see the final destination. The final crew will have never set foot on Earth. There will be passengers that don't know either place. Orphans of the Sky Non-Stop

Gothic Science Fiction: Gothic Science Fiction is a macabre sub-genre that crosses Sci Fi and Gothic literatures. Gothic Sci Fi tends to have the same atmospheric qualities of Gothic literature, but does not delve into the depths of horror. The sub-genre takes typical elements of Gothic literature and explains them scientifically. Frankenstein Warhammer 40,000

Immortality Science Fiction: This sub-genre is about eternal life. The Postmortal Scythe

LitRPG: LitRPG, short for literary role playing game, is a literary genre combining the conventions of computer RPGs with science-fiction and fantasy novels. Many of the post-2014 writers in this field insist that depiction of a character's in-game progression must be part of the definition of LitRPG, leading to the emergence of the term GameLit to embrace stories set in a game universe, but which don't necessarily embody leveling and skill raising.Ready Player One, Opening Moves

Lost Worlds: Lost Worlds Science Fiction are stories of adventure with voyages to lost worlds. The voyage results in discovery of wonders like dinosaurs or ancient/advanced technologies. The Lost Worlds sub-genre is a successor to the Fantastic Voyages sub-genre that was popular in the 18th century. This is a genre that often ties closely to the Fantasy genre. Journey to the Centre of the Earth LOST HORIZON

Military science fiction: Military science fiction is a subgenre of science fiction that features the use of science fiction technology, mainly weapons, for military purposes and usually principal characters who are members of a military organization involved in military activity, usually during a war; occurring sometimes in outer space or on a different planet or planets. All You Need Is Kill A Hymn Before Battle

Mind Transfer: The transference of a mind into another body, a computer, a mechanical object, or an alien body is a popular theme in Science Fiction. The transfer of a mind can be temporary or permanent. The process may destroy the original, or copies may be made. The World of Null-A Old Man's War

Mundane Science Fiction: Mundane Sci Fi favours stories about scientific realities--biotechnology and environmental change. Flowers for Algernon Air

[entwifeexperience]

BrinaPlays: Roll for...Adventure! by MilkyPork

Session 1.

CW: Described Violence, Referenced Addiction

I was really intrigued by this being a full stripped-down functional adventure TTRPG in a 12-Word RPG form. I started this ongoing game as a solo journaling playthrough with a vague cyberpunk vibe as it's not something I've really played or explored as much as I would like.

[d6] 3..Health

I am pinned down in the husk of what must have been a casino or arcade. Blocky cabinets provide cover as I slowly move through the labyrinth of rubble, warped plastic and pools of broken glass that twinkle in the torchlight.

My clothes are heavy and wet. It's not all sweat. I'm definitely bleeding. Adrenaline and whatever shit BY gave me are doing their work. But I'll be feeling it soon.

I need to give these fuckers the slip.

...Adventure! 6. Even: Advance

Ignoring the disconcerting disconnect between absence of pain registering in bmmh brain and my body being all too aware, I slip deeper into the maze.

This place must have been huge. The number of arcade machines and bizarre combinations of plastic weaponry and vehicles is ridiculous. They way some of them stand, shouldering rows of their fellows who at one time fell in succession, looks like a giant's failed domino trick.

I snag a cracked machine gun laying next to a severed cable. It's not even going to be deadly to pixels anymore, but the look of it might give my pursuers enough pause for me to stay alive for a couple more seconds, before...

...Adventure! D6: 4. Even: Advance

Heavy boots on broken glass.

Shit. Shit. Fuuuuuuuck.

OK. OK. Get it together CC!

I head around another broken machine and see rubble. The collapsed roof leaves a dark hole above shot through with twists of rebar. Below it crushes more arcade machines and what might have been some kind of booth. A dead end.

Getting closer and more concerned with how wet my jacket by the moment, I spot a hole. Thankfully when the roof came down, the way two of the came together has left a tiny gap I can hopefully squeeze through...

...Adventure! D6: 1. Odd: Conflict

I don't see the boot until I am extricating myself from the detritus. It's a small mercy that it belongs to a P10. The faceless mask looks down at me and what little I can read from the body-gloved figure shows surprise, seemingly flinching as they draw their Cide...

CC d6: 6 v PIO d6: 5

I manage to kick Cide away and bring my lightgun up. The deteriorated plastic explodes against the face mask harmlessly, leaving me holding cables and chain. Still, the rookie PIECE reels back, giving me a moment to put every bit my malnourished, B3TT4-hooked frame into their knee.

The PIO goes down like a sack of shit, silent behind the matt faceplate, and I am on them before they even hit the floor. My size and this what's left of the arcade gun is all I have.

I lash at blank face, but the chain just bounces off.

I can hear the echoing footfalls of at least two H0Rs and the terrifying distorted incantations of an EL3 getting louder. I don't have a choice.

I whip the chained cables around the faceless pawn and try to not think about the person underneath -- I'm flying. Running on clouds. Golden coins rotate in mid-air... No! I need to be here.

A B3TT4 flashback blazes across my stimulation-starved synapses. I haven't had the juice to Face in nearly a week now and I have to fight my system to reject the glitch-hit...

...Adventure! D6: 3: Complication

I am crouching on a white panel...I phase through it and run behind the scenes...I hit a loop at full speed and spring into the air...I spread my arms and dive from the tower's edge...the winged demons place me before the cathedral city and I feel true awe. I have purpose. I have power. I have agency. My body...

CC d6: 6 v P10 [2]d6: 6

CeramiK spreads my nose across my face and I lurch back into the aching nihilism of reality.

CC d6: 6 v P10 d6: 3

Blood is pouring down my face. I can feel something grinding against my hip socket. I don't want to die.

I throw myself back with as hard as I can. The cables skate across the CeramiK, before hooking in under the chin. I pull with everything I have left.

A moment of stressful silence stretches out. A rotten tooth cracks from the tension and I choke on pus and shards. But something buckles and the chain bites deep into flesh.

[endwalkr]

our song of hope, she dances on the wind! higher, oh, higher. e'er our vows endure, and remain forever strong, standing tall in the dark do we carry on. on wings of hope, you rise up through the night. higher, oh, higher! carrying our song, cradled fast within your arms, that its chorus might ring for all!

[rottenshotgungames]

No more waiting, let’s talk about what y’all are here to see

Footfall Devlog 4

This Devlog will be covering the basics of what Footfall is and the challenges of making a game so heavily inspired by immersive sims.

So, without further ado:

What is Footfall?

Footfall is an occult-industrial stealth-action rpg inspired by Dishonored and Mistborn. It aims to emulate the systemic ecosystem and emergent gameplay of immersive sims, particularly the fast, creative, movement-centric gameplay of Dishonored.

If this sounds interesting to you, the free playtest is live! You can find it on itch at https://rotten-shotgun-games.itch.io/footfall-playtest

Genre Convention

If you’re interested in Footfall I assume that you’ve played stealth-action games before: Dishonored, Assassin’s Creed, Gloomwood, Sekiro, Metro, etc. If you have, you know that there are generally two categories of stealth mechanics present in any given game

Player tools & indicators (e.g. Thief’s light gem, Dishonored’s stealth kills)

Enemy AI (e.g. The xenomorph in ALIEN: Isolation changing up their search patterns based upon your actions)

These two categories are mostly separated by longevity. Player tools and indicators focus very much on short term actions and consequences that influence the long term consequences of the enemy AI—I’m including the state of unconsciousness or death as a “long term consequence.” Because the first category tends to (mechanically) impact the second more than vice versa—and because this would be a VERY long essay if I talked about both in detail—we’re gonna be covering the player side of stealth today.

The Indicators

An Indicator in a stealth game informs the player when they’ve been spotted and/or how close they are to being spotted. Some stealth games have a few Indicators that track or reveal different things (e.g. The three lightning bolts in Dishonored tell you how aware a certain enemy is toward your presence and location, and the upgraded Dark Vision lets you see enemy Vision Cones, and guards will yelp and say things when they see a body you left behind. All three of these are Indicators). There are two general categories that Indicators fall into:

Hard Indicators—distinct visual trackers, particularly a UI element (e.g. the motion tracker in ALIEN: Isolation).

Soft Indicators—Narrative elements that convey information in a manner that is less precise than Hard Indicators (e.g. the sound made by your actions in AMNESIA: The Bunker).

While most videogames with a stealth mechanic incorporate both kinds of Indicator to some extent, TTRPGs are a bit different. The more tactical subset of this medium often attempts to provide player characters with a plethora of options for solving problems and overcoming tasks, among these being stealth—but almost every one of these games uses solely Soft Indicators. What do I mean by this? Well, think about D&D 5e’s stealth: D&D has no facing rules, no rising gauge of enemy awareness—hell the only semi-Hard indicator is light level, but that’s pointless because of the non-rarity of Dark Vision. There’s exactly two TTRPGs that I can think of which contain Hard Indicators, that being Blades in The Dark and Black Seven (both of which are really cool) but their indicators are both more long-term and therefore fall into my arbitrarily designated Enemy AI portion of stealth mechanics.

Hard Indicators are crucial to giving the player a sense of control in a stealth game, watching the numbers go up and down in direct response to your actions is the foundation of the experience (and just failing one Stealth check as a transition into full-blown combat discourages wide-spread use of stealth anyway). I decided to include two major Hard Indicators in Footfall:

Facing. This one was a no-brainer, Footfall already has a physics engine that would massively benefit from facing rules, it’s no huge leap to describe how your facing impacts your Line of Sight.

Notice. Notice is a riff on the classic stealth tracker (e.g. Dishonored’s lightning bolts, Gloomwood’s huntsman eye colors) that measures how aware nearby enemies are to your presence and actions, combined with the player-centric elements of THIEF’s light gem. This has led to a more generalized resource, measuring the awareness of all nearby enemies, influenced almost entirely by the individual player’s actions. It ranges from 0 (unnoticed) to 3 (spotted).

A consistent question I’ve gotten asked is, “Why did you make Notice a player resource, rather than something tracked by individual enemies?” Firstly, tracking that kind of resource on an enemy-by-enemy basis is hellish for a GM. Secondly, and possibly even more importantly, making Notice a player resource makes it feel like they have control over their own ability to stay hidden. If it’s a number ticking up and down on their character sheet, then it’s something they’ll pay more attention to and attempt to exercise control over/capitalize upon more readily . . . so long as they have the tools to do so, of course.

Tools

There are, generally speaking, two types of stealth-interactive tools:

Maintaining tools

Capitalizing tools

Maintaining tools help you to maintain or regain your hidden status. Think the lockers in Outcast or crouching in everything. These tools make stealth feel interactive and . . . well, functional. If you don’t have the basic ability to hide, how are you supposed to engage with stealth gameplay? The balancing act with Maintaining tools is in making them strong enough that Stealth feels viable, but not so powerful that the game becomes too easy or other options are immediately discarded. These take quite a few forms in Footfall, the most basic being Line of Sight and environmental interactions (e.g. Cover, Hidden Terrain, Darkness) that prevent you from needing to make a Stealth check or slowly reduce Notice over time. Some Gifted powers are also categorized as maintaining tools, particularly the base powers of Passage, Possession, and Shadows.

Capitalizing tools allow you to take advantage of your hidden status. The most common example is the Stealth kill/knock out. Capitalizing tools make stealth feel worth it, they’re a reward for engaging in this style of gameplay. In Footfall the only explicit Capitalizing Tool is the Coup de Grace, an enhanced Attack that’s far more likely to kill/knock out your opponent in one blow; however there are a million-and-one other reasons to maintain stealth, such as the danger of direct combat, the increased freedom of power usage, the penalties from Enemy Awareness, and the Downtime penalties from killing people (some of this will be covered in the next Devlog).

This brings us around to an underrated topic when discussing Stealth TTRPGs:

Centralization

We can talk all we want about the conventions of the Stealth genre, about the specific implementations of common mechanics and mechanical types, but it’ll only ever be useful insofar that such mechanical theory informs how players interact with the game.

The end-goal here is centralization. Your stealth mechanics, where they do exist, need to impact and influence every part of rules and play. Even if your players aren’t engaged in Stealth, that decision needs to be put in context of and conversation with Stealth gameplay.

If I’m not constantly thinking about the light I’m in and the sound I’m making, I’m not playing Thief.

If I’m not constantly working to get to higher ground and hidden terrain so that I can ambush enemies, I’m not playing Assassin’s Creed.

If I’m not thinking in relation to Stealth, I’m not playing a Stealth game.

Self Promo

Hey y’all, sorry about the long wait on this one. The playtest is finally public, and we’re halfway through talking about stealth! The next devlog is gonna be about Enemies, which are a whole can of worms.

If you wanna check out my other games, and get updated when major changes come to the Footfall playtest, follow me on Itch! If you're just looking for more Footfall status updates, or want to have an impact on the design, you can always join my public Discord. If you want more devlogs, and more rpg design talk, follow me here or on twitter.

Have a great night and a great day.

[cawyden-gaming]

Rogue Trader - Heinrix dialog - Drink in Cantina

On Footfall (act 2 or 4 works) if you go to the Cantina you will learn that Heinrix has been there before (Octaviana the bartender directly assumes his presence means the RT is not for pleasure but rather for business reasons there)

You can try what the locals drink and Heinrix will warn you (he tried it before which is interesting - that he would drink it in the first place (low quality) and that he would drink while on the job).

If you pass a thoughness check you can drink it without wincing (I haven't had the version where I failed so no screenshot of this unfortunately) and Heinrix says nothing but is impressed

[dailycharacteroption]

Cryptid Scholar (Investigator Archetype)

 If medieval bestiaries, video game wikis, and the entire pseudo-science of cryptozoology are anything to go by, it becomes increasingly clear that mythological beasts of cultures past and present are an endless source of fascination for the very human beings who created them in the first place.

Admittedly, at the time, the people telling those stories in the ancient past were completely convinced that such creatures did exist, with some being based on very loose accounts and descriptions of real-world animals, or were wholly fictitious entities that may very well have been allegories in their own right.

Regardless, where storytellers speak of monsters, there will be those that wish to catalogue and understand them, especially in a fantasy world where that instinct can be channeled towards a scholarly understanding of actual monsters.

In many fantasy rpg games, knowledge skill checks to identify monsters that a character has never encountered before can be explained as the character having heard stories, or perhaps read through a bestiary. However, while your average adventurer might focus on the strengths, weaknesses, and perhaps behaviors of a monster, today’s subject: the cryptid scholar, seeks to understand all they can about monsters, delving into the ecology, the psychology, and the biology of such beings.

While others feel dread at the sound of the massive footfalls of the dragon, these scholars grow excited, eager to study them and even interview them if given the chance.

This fascination gives them a reputation of being eccentric, which might make them seem strange to others, including their peers and colleagues in academia, but most don’t mind, instead pursuing rumors of monster sightings to observe them in the field. Naturally, they work best with a party of adventurers to help protect them, as well as benefit from their vast knowledge.

 Naturally, these scholars are extremely knowledgeable about monsters, even those associated with disciplines that the scholar doesn’t know as much about.

In combat, these scholars can give advice and observations on the tactics and limitations of a species to give allies an edge in defending against them.

Additionally, they can end this advice to signal the perfect moment to strike, giving allies a lethal edge for a few seconds.

Put in game terms, this archetype forgoes their normal studied combat ability and studied strike to grant buffs to allies, as well as granting a similar studied strike to all allies. Essentially, your strategy will be buff the defenses of allies and yourself while wearing down the studied foe until the perfect moment to finish it off together, which admittedly takes some setting up. With that in mind, I’d recommend defensive extracts and discoveries to help bolster allies and prepare for the finishing blow.

 The name choice of the archetype and the flavor text leans heavily into the “brilliant scholar, considered foolish, mad, or just eccentric by their peers”. However, there is also an element of the passionate biologist, the person who wants to show the world how wonderful and interesting these creatures are, while dispelling falsehoods against them. So yes, there’s definitely room for taking inspiration from Steve Irwin and the like.

  Due to their nature as guardians of fate, norns do not typically allow mortals to approach unless they have need of guidance on some great destiny. That isn’t stopping the fey anthropologist Mixi Tallfellow from trying to secure an interview. Ironically, the fey will allow this, but only because the party’s destiny is so interesting.

 The party happens upon an owlbear tearing into an overturned cart. When they attempt to intervene, a voice from under the wagon asks that the beast not be harmed. If they comply, the wiry old man thanks them for the rescue, and hands them a copy of a monster almanac he has been working on.

 Adventurous and endlessly curious, Alvad, musetouched elven aasimar, has documented the many strange beasts that live in Brennivale for half a century. However, a strange plague has come to the heart of the forest, something that even they have never seen before.

[some-dr-writings]

Nagito x depressed, imaginative S/O

·       You were a very introverted individual. Preferring to keep to yourself and having very few friends whom most others would consider family should they be in your position. You rarely spoke and avoided the spotlight. Being the center of attention or being with too many others was incredibly draining so you always tried to hide. You were certainly on the extreme side of introversion, in fact, it likely wasn’t even introversion that led you to the point of outright avoiding people at any cost. You found them so noisy and annoying…

·       That was likely why you liked Nagito and agreed to date him. He was a walking disaster either summoning incredibly good or bad luck. Many avoided him because of that, so even if there was a brief stint of chaos things soon settled down… Nagito was also kind. He’d quietly watch as you worked on your latest rpg maker game. He’d cook and clean for you letting you hold yourself in your dorm just working away…

·       As amazing as Nagito found you, at times he was worried. You always seemed to be somewhere else. Your eyes seemed unfocused, glazed over as if they were that of a porcelain doll’s. You’d never noticed when the school bells rang, and if it wasn’t for him texting you every morning you’d likely never get out of bed. But as the Super High School Level Storyteller you were likely just thinking about new plot lines or character arcs for your characters, maybe composing the perfect theme song or game mechanic. Yet… Something about you just kept nagging away at him. You’d get so frustrated with yourself at times, and he didn’t know why. There was something about you he just couldn’t quite place his finger on.

·       It was the dead of winter. Nagito watched as the snow drifted down, swirling around. A rather lovely sight. Pulling his coat just a bit closer he trotted over to your dorm room.

·       “The door’s unlocked?” It was open by only a crack… He simply stood there for a moment before hesitantly pushing the door open. Your room was just as cold as the outside so Nagito promptly closed the door upon entering, hoping to trap even his minuscule amount of body heat in the room. “Y/N?” It was absolutely silent, only his own heartbeat and his soft footfalls upon the carpet could he hear. Your room was an absolute mess. Trash, dirty dishes, reference sheets and notes scattered about, quilt and sheets seemingly tossed onto a pile of… something Nagito was too nervous to even take a peak at, clothes uniform and pajama alike in a corner and you, just laying atop the mattress, arms draped over your eyes, a few empty bags of snacks with you along with crumbs. “Y/N.” You didn’t respond… at all… were… were you even breath- Nagito immediately shook his head as if trying to shake away that thought and instead he looked at the floor, puzzling out a path to take that wouldn’t step on anything.

·       This wasn’t the first time Nagito had seen your room like this, but… it seemed worse than usual. Nagito couldn’t help but begin to fret as to why he even had come here in the first place. It was common for you to go off the grid for a few days, so completely absorbed in your work, or lost in though planning out a new tale to tell, but… it’d been two weeks without a singe sign of our existence anywhere, you didn’t even send a text telling your friends to not bother you since you were in the creative zone. There was just nothing.

·       “Y/N!” Placing his hands on your shoulders he rocked you. “Ugh, what do you want. I’m thinking right now.” Nagito shakily let go of the breath he didn’t even realize he was holding. “I’m sorry. I just thought I’d check in on you since it’s been a while.” “Okay.” Then you rolled over onto your side. “… Do you know how long it’s been?” “…” “It’s been two weeks si-” Finally it seemed he had garnered your attention. You looked over your shoulder to him. “two weeks?... that can’t be. I… yeah! I just texted you before getting to bed.” He opened his texts and presented the screen to you. You just stared at it before abruptly sitting up. “Two weeks!? But I… Damn it, not again!” You rubbed your temples, seemingly those two weeks hitting you all at once. You groaned, crumpling over yourself… Nagito simply sat beside you, holding you up, rubbing his hands up and down your upper arms to help get some blood moving and warm you up, you were freezing. “Again?” You flinched… then chuckled? “Yes, again. As always! I just can’t bother anymore! I’m tired, I want to sleep, but I can’t sleep. I sleep when I shouldn’t and am awake when I should be sleeping! I want to be passionate and do things but I just can’t! Isn’t that fantastic!? Being absolutely worthless and not being able to do anything!” “Y-Y/N!” “You say you’re garbage but look at me! I’m worse than garbage! At least trash can be made into art, and I… I’m just worthless! I can’t even take care of myself! I rely on you for everything! I can’t even work anymore! All I can do is just hate myself for not doing anything, try to do something, but give up because I’m too exhausted and hate myself again! Isn’t that just fun! An endless cycle of suffering! All I can do is daydream and pretend to be something better, but it’s funny torture, because I know I’ll never improve! Maybe I’d be better… better… fuck… I said too much…”

·       You wanted to hide, but even that was too much of a bother. Your whole body just felt so heavy, impossible to move. Even trying to keep your swirling, racing mind steady sent shivers through your body. You…

·       …

·       Everything was very white and sterile. You were… in a hospital? You were going to look around, but found an IV stuck into your arm, Mikan dashing away, saying something about a doctor, and Nagito, who was asleep, laying his head on the mattress you were on, holding your hand. Soon after Mikan and a doctor showed up to speak with you, shooing Nagito out temporarily. Your body couldn’t take how much strain you were putting on it with eating and drinking so little so when you started having a panic attack, it was too much for your body to take on so suddenly and you had collapsed. It had been a few days since then and you were now in a more stable condition… they were also rather keen on finding out why this happened.

·       You just wanted to talk to Nagito.

·       When he entered your room he looked so relieved, yet the concern etched into his features was evident. You hated it. So gently he hugged you, nuzzling into your shoulder. “… just stop.” “Stop what?” You felt his grip loosen, and before he could let you hugged his arm, keeping him in place. “Stop caring about me, please.” “I… don’t think I could ever do that, even if I want too.” You held him tighter, feeling the tears percolating in the corners of your eyes. “Nagito… I just keep getting worse and worse. Now with this… it just shows I can’t even keep my head above water. Please just ignore me, I don’t want to be a burden to you. I don’t want to worry you like this, I… I just…” You quickly wiped away those tears that kept trickling out. “I’m sorry…”

·       He hugged you tightly. “So warm.” “Huh?” For a moment he simply indulged in being able to hold you again, hear your voice even if it wavered. He was just so glad to see you awake. “It’s alright. You’re here, I’m here. You are amazing and can do anything. And I’ll do anything I can to help you. We can work together and try our best.” “No, I can’t, i… I’ve been dealing with this for so long. Nagito… I’m tired, I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up. It’s just going to get worse and worse and… I’m sorry. I… I should have told you about this, I shouldn’t have dragged you into my mess, I shouldn’t be with you, I’m just going to hurt you. I…”

·       Slowly he let go and instead sat beside you. “Do you not want me anymore?” “…” You couldn’t bare to look at him, instead glancing to the wall, clutching the bed sheets. “You said we could work through this, right?” “Yeah.” “… I… I can’t deal with this… how I have no control over my body… how I can’t do anything to satisfaction… how I just can’t be happy anymore… That’s why I daydream. I don’t even do it intentionally anymore, it just happens… Heh, e-even now it’s taking everything I have left to be ‘here’ to even have this conversation or to talk with the doctor before… I… I don’t know how much longer I can force myself to concentrate before I just give out again. but… I can’t work through this, i-if I do, I’ll lose what little I have left, my talent and you. You… y-you adore people who are talented s-so even if I’m magically normal like everyone else, I… I won’t have to day dream, I won’t daydream, then I can’t make games anymore, my daydreaming is where I write so if I change and stop that I won’t be a story teller, I won’t be ‘hopeful’ or an ‘Ultimate’, you won’t love me, but… I… I see now that… I’m toxic like this, I’ll just drag you down with me I-I, I…” You pulled up the sheets, tucking your head under them… You didn’t want him to see you like this, though… seeing how not hopeful you were, how you were just falling deeper and deeper in this despair that has always suffocated you. Maybe he’d finally leave you, that way you’d have one less thing to mess up. All you would have was yourself. You wouldn’t hurt him anymore and he’d leave of his own accord and be happy without you, so he wouldn’t have to worry about his bad luck hurting you like it had done with others… but… what if he blamed himself for this. What if he thought it was his bad luck. Were you hurting him even more than you thought!? Was he blaming himself this whole time!? Is that why he was with you when you woke up, to apologize for his luck!? Were you-

·       …

·       What was that pressure?

·       Though your vision was still clouded you could see Nagito was still by your side, his hand placed atop your arm. He scooched over a little, getting closer to you before cupping your cheeks in his hands, stroking those tears from your puffy red eyes with his thumbs. “I’m a trash boyfriend. Y/N. I love you. Your talent is only a sign of how amazing you are. Look at Hinata, he’s amazing and he’s in the reserve course of all places! And you are like him, amazing. Even right now you’re fighting to be here with me despite how much it hurts. I will love you no matter what happens. If you want help, I’ll search for help with you. You can make it through this, I know you can. You were able to make it this far on your own, weren’t you? You did what you had too, and you’re still here, and… if you’ll still have me, if fearing your hurting me is not too much, I’ll still be here. So… do you want me to stay?”

·       It… was a long process. Due to why you ended up in the hospital you were sent to therapy. Despite Nagito’s constant assurances you were still so scared and distanced yourself again, just getting lost in thought. Going to the sessions took all the energy and focus you could muster and you’d end up daydreaming immediately after so Nagito would keep a vigilant eye on you, getting you back home, and making you a healthy meal, even staying with you through the night hoping the presents of another person would lull you to sleep.

·       It was difficult every step of the way, but everyday you both kept trying. It was all you could do, and… you had each other. On good days when your mind could be clear for a moment, when you were with Nagito and not in one of your many worlds… you’d make a vow to get better and better so that one day, you could support Nagito just as he had for you now. It was the least you could do for such an amazing person.

[squicky-fannish-discourse]

A/N: I was writing for the lovely people on the cloti discord. So have some alternate universe tifa and cloud, in which Tifa gets into fights, and cloud’s a nerd into Lord of the Rings. 

//

She was fumbling with her keys, as she walked up the driveway, and he was waiting for her there. “You got into a fight again?” Tifa shrugged. She adjusted her school bag. “The guy was asking for it.” Lately, she thought. She had to look up at him. Her awkward childhood friend Cloud—who wore thick spectacles and played with RPG table-top games and spent half his time dreaming of Tolkien—was growing up. She still didn’t know how to feel about that. “I don’t like it when you fight,” he said. “You could get really hurt one of these days.” His fingers lingered on her cheek. “He was asking for it,” Tifa replied. She glanced back at him. “What did he do?” “He started it,” she repeated. “He said something about a friend of mine.” “Tifa,” Cloud said. He followed her into her house and up the stairs—past the pictures of the two of them together as children—and he entered her room. “What did he say?” Tifa sighed, and she raked a hand through her hair, and she dropped her bag to the floor. He sat on her bed. “He…” she glanced at him. “He was being a jerk about a friend of mine, and I couldn’t stand it.” She shrugged off her jacket, and she peeled off her hair band with her teeth as she looped her hair up into a ponytail. And she didn’t catch Cloud’s eyes linger. “I… lost my temper.” He looked away. “Tifa,” he said. “Was it really worth it?” “Yes.” He gave her this sigh, and he looked at her with worry. “I don’t like it when you get hurt.” And she looked up at him again. When had he gotten so tall? “Cloud!” And they both glanced over at her window, which faced his room. His mother was leaning over his window frame. “Come for dinner!” she hollered. “Yes, mum!” She watched him leave her, and Tifa slumped back down on the bed, as she stared up at the ceiling—hearing his footfalls down the stairs—and she closed her eyes as she listened to the quiet clock ticking in her room. She hadn’t meant to get into a fight. It’s just that he’d called Cloud’s friends annoying, and then some other colorful things, and then he declared that Cloud irritated him. “Maybe I should mess around with him a bit.” “You’d what?” He turned to her with a grin. She was leaning against the locker eying him and his pals. The next thing he knew, her fist was inches from his face. And she didn’t know when Barrett had dragged her away from the fight telling her to cool it, while his little pals were dragging him back. The teachers would be on their way here! She covered her eyes with her arm. “Tifa?” She glanced back at him. He poked his head through the door. “Are you coming for dinner? Your dad’s on one of his business trips, isn’t he?” She sat up then. “Oh um…” she said. “Yeah.” He smiled at her. “C’mon! Mum’s ordering pizza. Maybe we can rewatch Lord of the Rings again?” She groaned. “Aww, we still have to watch the extended version!” She didn’t mind fighting for him.

[mysticalxrydia]

———♚ era aesthetic game!!!

tagged by :  @dvineblast, thank you dear :D ♥ tagging :  @glarehand @asouldivided @party-of-rpg-muses @angelflutes @darkprinceofjustice @thecrimsonsageofgaia & YOU ;D

** Rules : ** bold the aesthetic that applies to your muse. repost. don’t reblog.

                             𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐕𝐀𝐋.

tired eyes. coffee stains on the table. listening to the bustle of the city. unmade beds. loose ponytails. sunlight seeping through the curtains. chapped lips. walking barefoot across the floorboards. dusty dictionaries. black and white reruns. huge sweaters. the ticking of the clock. hearing birds in the morning. fireplaces. falling asleep during class.

                            𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄.

freckles. the sun rising. watching the sea. taking shots of the city. historical museums.bright eyes. looking up at the clouds. walls covered in artworks. drawing in the middle of lessons. tracing your fingers on the sand. painting for hours. staying in uncrowded coffee-shops. worn paperbacks. messy braids. going to bed with your kneesocks on.

                             𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐎𝐐𝐔𝐄.

dark hair. a little sophisticated. always observing the world around you. intricate designs.high ceilings. extravagant musical pieces. dim lights. colourless photographs. fancy furniture. pale skin. hearing soft footfalls coming from outside the room. mischievous looks. bitten nails. candlelight dinners. dark shades of lipstick.

                             𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋.

chandeliers. the clinking of a teacup mug. laced clothing. modern architecture.light hair. watching the view from the terrace. hidden birthmarks.drinking tea in the morning.wandering about in an empty building.botanical gardens. old films. ancient marble. sculptures. expensive perfume. breakfasts in bed. reading about mythology.

                             𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐂.

compassion. short writings on scraps of paper. blushed cheeks. a bouquet of roses. reading collections of poetry late at night. loose hair. carpeted floors. attending operas. faint music playing in the background. staying under the covers until midday. the night sky. streetlights.picking flowers. dancing around in silk dresses. scented candles.