Game Design Thoughts After Dexcon 13

The Ever Larp uses the Everway’s elemental system which I’m not sure if I like because its good or because I know it, and a way to boost stats by player aids which I know I do like.

Then I play A Taste For Murder and the idea of who influences who is very tasty as is the mood die.

I’m not sure if I Like it more for sparking inspiration of mood in the play or giving a player incentive as it is a bonus die but I know that it added pepper to the game and I like pepper.

So today I am thinking some things. I am thinking that I like a system that encourages player support. I like games that offer incentives like bonus dice. I like games that give players things to do when its not their characters turn to be in the spotlight.

I haven’t played Spirit of the Century often, but I used to play fudge and there are a number of games where the task is set at a target number. I’m wondering if thats what I want.

SHU is GM-less and I didn’t think I liked GM-less games. I guess I don’t like any games where what I do is insignificant or can be ignored, whether is it GMed or not.

From my Everway roots I’ve been seeking player empowerment. But Ive played player empowered games and walked away unsatisfied. Such games highly depend on the caliber of the players.

I think I’m building a game with dice. And A Gm. Where the tasks are set against a target number of difficulty. Where the odds of success are greatly improved with player cooperation, or hampered with pvp conflict. Where there are bonus dice that players can aim for. But also a game where the influences that characters have over each other and the setting with ebb and flow organically with successes and failure.

I see cards in this system. but not playing cards. voting cards like in the Boardgame “King Me” These voting cards may advance the size or number of dice a player can roll or decrease/increase the target number.

Perhaps Bonus Dice should be “taxable” You get it free now but you have to pay that bonus die back on a future roll…ooooooh that could be interesting.

I will help you here but in return you will owe me.

Now and I working on the mechanics for my Robot game – Fragile Gods? A Fairy Game of unknown name, or Alley Cat….it might be alley cat…lol.

The Serial Homicide Unit Larp

Oh Boy.   I believe Ive signed up to Run a 20 person LARP twice at Origins for Serial Homicide Unit.  Which is cool…Mostly…Execpt I haven’t quite nailed down the Larp Rules yet.

I mean I have MOST of it,  I know how the Potential Victim Larp is going to run.  With permission from my loving husband I’m hacking By The Stars for the Potential Victems to wheel and Deal and try and get their individual agenda’s met.  As we all try and do in life.

But there is a Second Larp within the first Larp and that the one the Investigators are playing.  They have been taken out of the first Larp by the serial killer and using what they know about their own characters, tracking down an NPC killer.

Cause NO ONE PLAYS THE KILLER>

Even if  A GM plays the killer I’l be unhappy.

This LARP must be made to work so that every PC has a list of NPC’s available and one of those NPC’s is the killer. and the Investigators stand a chance of catching the killer.

So in the coming days I’ll be posting my updates as to how I’m gonna make this work.

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Kid news

Well first the exciting news. My Sister Cory is days away from having her baby. His name will be Mathew and we are looking forward to meeting him…any minute now….

Secondly. Some of you will remember my struggle a couple of years ago in trying to adopt a little girl named Sol. Soelly was a wonderful little girl that just fit with our family and all of us wanted her to stay part of it but she was removed to be placed back with the adoptive family that had ASKED HER TO LEAVE to begin with. This crushed me in so many ways. One of the many painful things is the day she left we were cut off from any contact. We had no idea how she was.

I bumped into her old caseworker. We were chatting in the government center while I waited for T’s visitation to end. She told me that a few months after Sol left my care the same woman who asked her to leave to begin with, decided shecouldn’t take either Sol or her older sister, she only wanted the baby and the other two had to leave.

And then a miracle happened.

There is a couple Ive never met who have no kids and were looking for a family. They were able to take in all three kids and they adopted them and all three sisters are doing well.

I kinda feel like Ive been holding my breath for a very long time and can breath again. I really loved and miss Soelly. Im just so relieved that she’s out of the care of the woman who took her from me.

I feel better about returning to Fostercare now, and Im pretty happy today. Anyway. Thought I’d share the news since Im really good about complaining bitterly when things go wrong. Here is something that went right.

Gah! Its almost here!!

So Ive updated my hp and the IGE Wiki for Dexcon. The summer con.
It came up so quickly I almost missed it.

what was I doing? Thats a whole nother post-
but her name is tinesha, she’s just turned 8
I can’t post her pic, but believe me when I say this one is a heart breaker.

But DEX CON 12

Can it really be summer already?
Well take in mind that Dexcon is running a little sooner this year than last and then YES
Time to think of games and gaming and people I love to hang out with.

If you were not able to go to Dreamation this year, Dexcon is being held in this WONDERFUL Hotel
The space they have given the Indie Games is JUST amazing.

I’m really so excited.

Also Dexcon falls on my birthday…Its like they threw a game convention just for me!

Check out the IGE Wiki run some games

can’t wait to se you there.

-Kat

Not Module- Game Demo Contest Winner

The word module calls to my mind packaged unhappiness. In fact I’m running a packaged unhappiness now for my 4rth ed. DnD group. It makes me weep every time I have to open Keep on the Shadowfell. You know they left out one of the rooms that they mapped. That’s a whole other story. The word Module just leaves a bad tast in my mouth.

A word that makes me excited and happy, a Word that tastes good in my mouth is DEMO. Through the Forge I have learned the importance of writing a 15 minute demo. This little taste of the game is enough to get you excited about the game and want to buy it.

Another Word that Draws excitement is CONTEST. Especially Game Design Contest. So in the interest in making peanut butter Cups from peanut butter and chocolate, I’m wondering how well received the idea would be to host a Game Design Contest For game Designers to write up a 3 ½ hour demo of your game. You’d need to Script out how to teach your game to a table of people and a short scenario for those people to play your game in, writing clear enough that a stranger could pick up the script and feel confident running your game for you from across the country at any con.

In my head this seems like a wonderful idea. It needs a handful of committed Gms. These people would judge the demos, running them for friends, and hopefully be part of a Game Demo Gm Pool that would run the winning Demos at Dexcon, and other cons they attend.

It would also need Game Designers interested in writing a convention session Demo of their game.

And a Prize.

nuff said

Im so Happy!

I came home today and Look!

’nuff said

Daja Me

This weekend saw Bayla leaving us, the bathroom repainted and on monday a new foster daughter, she’s 7 years old. Her name is Nesha. Boy am I in trouble.
Two different case workers told me that she was going to be cute….and still I was not prepared for this one. I have promised myself I WILL not get attached this time. And you know she’s only been here two days so she’s on her best behavior….
except her best behavior is pretty darn good. She takes good care of her things, likes to be clean, likes to be helpful, is cheerful and has a contagious laugh and finds the cats ever so amusing…so the laughter happens several times a day. She affectionate, sweet, and have I mentioned I may be in trouble? That vow of not attaching this time has crumbled on day 2. DAY 2!

There is much about her that reminds me of Sol. And I tell myself that to try and raise up a barrier…but it isn’t working. I got to put her hair in cute little pigtales, and read her bed time stories…and she likes broccoli…she doesn’t watch much tv, she’d rather read…

So…the good news is we have a delightful new foster daughter…..the bad news is if we don’t get to keep this one I’m gonna cry….
a lot…

Oh Yeah…This is why I do this

It’s been a hell of a week. The Funeral was draining and wouldn’t you know just as I sat down after the funeral I got a call for a foster care placement.
Michael and Ihave have requalified with the countyr to be part of a small select program, mostly as a way to find another child to adopt. Ive been waiting and waiting for a call since before halloween and they got me when I was so not ready.

I can’t reveal much about the placement accept her name is Bayla and she’s 12 going on 13, and i was so tired and sad when the call came in, it would have been so easy to just say no. I almost did, but its christmas time and every kid should be in a safe warm home in christmas. So I talked to Michael about it and we agreed that we should do this. So now Bayla has come to stay with us.

Bayla is a very sweet girl. We’re at the point where she’s on her best behavior as she’s getting used to us. She’s the kind of kid that easily gets lost throught the cracks and Im glad she’s here with us. She might get harder in a few weeks, when she’s more used to us, and that’s fine she is a 13 year old, but tonight I feel content. I feel we have a lot to offer her and she has a lot to remind us of just how when things work out, it can make you feel really good about yourself.

anyway, she’s only been with us since friday. Dalys and Bayla hit it off right away. That’s always a good thing. I think it might be a nice christmas this year.

-kat

I attended the veiwing and funeral service of Michael’s uncle today.
It was very draining, there were so many people in pain.
Im kind of numb about it just now. I hardly knew this relative. His death creates no void for me.
I just wanted to be there for Michael and Joan.
I hope the numbness goes away soon.