a/State

BreakfastOfChampions · Mon Oct 11, 2004 12:00 pm

I'm bumming that I missed the one shot of a/State, but now that I have a copy, I think I could really work with this setting.

One of the things I like about how the world is presented is there is something for all the senses. Descriptions incorporate sight, sound and smell a lot, which makes it even clearer to the reader just how grim and unsavory this particular world (city?) is.

I think it would be a lot of fun to run a short short of this. Should we add it to the queue?

(It gives Chris that wonderful opportunity to use his Brit accents!)

mordraine · Post by **mordraine** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 12:07 pm

I'm reading Perdido Street Station right now. Kinda reminds me of a/state.

Seems to me like a/state would be more suited towards a long term game than a one-shot.

BreakfastOfChampions · Mon Oct 11, 2004 12:10 pm

Yeah, that's why I pointed out 'short shot' Something like the Star Wars game, where we did...6 episodes? I lost track and count.

devlin1 · Post by **devlin1** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 12:38 pm

I think a long-term game of A/State would leave me suicidal. I was depressed enough at the end of the one-shot. It was a good game, don't get me wrong, but that may have been what made it so good: it was gloomy and oppressive. I was a nervous wreck the whole time.

Also, there was a low humming behind me that I never did turn around to look at. Anyone see what that was?

cczernia · Post by **cczernia** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 12:54 pm

~~[quote="devlin1"]~~I think a long-term game of A/State would leave me suicidal. I was depressed enough at the end of the one-shot. It was a good game, don't get me wrong, but that may have been what made it so good: it was gloomy and oppressive. I was a nervous wreck the whole time.

Also, there was a low humming behind me that I never did turn around to look at. Anyone see what that was?[/quote]

I don't think it was A/State that left you suicidal but playing at GT :twisted:

~~[quote]~~'m reading Perdido Street Station right now. Kinda reminds me of a/state. [/quote]

I've heard this before and they are both similar with the big Victorian Metropolis but I like A/state a lot more. PSS got silly for me with the guy dating an insect and all that.

~~[quote]~~I think it would be a lot of fun to run a short short of this. Should we add it to the queue? [/quote]

This would kick ass. The system wasn't that good (it worked, but could be better) so I could see this being a perfect setting to convert to EABA.

BreakfastOfChampions · Mon Oct 11, 2004 12:58 pm

~~[quote="cczernia"]~~[quote:77a45353db="devlin1"]I think a long-term game of A/State would leave me suicidal. I was depressed enough at the end of the one-shot. It was a good game, don't get me wrong, but that may have been what made it so good: it was gloomy and oppressive. I was a nervous wreck the whole time.

Also, there was a low humming behind me that I never did turn around to look at. Anyone see what that was?[/quote]

I don't think it was A/State that left you suicidal but playing at GT :twisted:

~~[quote]~~'m reading Perdido Street Station right now. Kinda reminds me of a/state. [/quote]

I've heard this before and they are both similar with the big Victorian Metropolis but I like A/state a lot more. PSS got silly for me with the guy dating an insect and all that.

~~[quote]~~I think it would be a lot of fun to run a short short of this. Should we add it to the queue? [/quote]

This would kick ass. The system wasn't that good (it worked, but could be better) so I could see this being a perfect setting to convert to EABA.[/quote:77a45353db]

I've been a little grumpy about the system myself. I don't think its very clearly thought out. I thought about SilCore, since I just got that too, but EABA would work very well, and provide the same level of realism.

Now what's funny about a/State being gloomy and depressing is that you get Improvement Points (read 'gold stars') for inducing hope into this bleak environment.

Never had a player commit suicide in one of my games. On a selfish level, that would be total props to my GM skills.

However, I'm not that good.

"You killed your father. You get ...*2*... dark side points."

mordraine · Post by **mordraine** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 1:14 pm

~~[quote="cczernia"][quote]~~'m reading Perdido Street Station right now. Kinda reminds me of a/state. [/quote]

I've heard this before and they are both similar with the big Victorian Metropolis but I like A/state a lot more. PSS got silly for me with the guy dating an insect and all that.
[/quote]

The insect girlfriend threw me for a loop at first too, but once I got used to the cosmology, it made more sense. I'm actually digging the diversity of races in PSS.

BreakfastOfChampions · Mon Oct 11, 2004 1:16 pm

~~[quote="mordraine"]~~[quote:c6ac8a9493="cczernia"]~~[quote]~~'m reading Perdido Street Station right now. Kinda reminds me of a/state. [/quote]

I've heard this before and they are both similar with the big Victorian Metropolis but I like A/state a lot more. PSS got silly for me with the guy dating an insect and all that.
[/quote]

The insect girlfriend threw me for a loop at first too, but once I got used to the cosmology, it made more sense. I'm actually digging the diversity of races in PSS.[/quote:c6ac8a9493]

Sounds very William S Burroughs.

cczernia · Post by **cczernia** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 1:19 pm

~~[quote="mordraine"]~~[quote:3aa7f79cea="cczernia"]~~[quote]~~'m reading Perdido Street Station right now. Kinda reminds me of a/state. [/quote]

I've heard this before and they are both similar with the big Victorian Metropolis but I like A/state a lot more. PSS got silly for me with the guy dating an insect and all that.
[/quote]

The insect girlfriend threw me for a loop at first too, but once I got used to the cosmology, it made more sense. I'm actually digging the diversity of races in PSS.[/quote:3aa7f79cea]

I got through about half way and just couldn't do it anymore. Inbetween the birdpeople, insect people, cactus people, bat people I just became overwhelmed. One thing I liked about A/state was no races. Also looking forward to City of Clocks from DP9 which sounds like another Steampunk Victorian setting.

cczernia · Post by **cczernia** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 1:20 pm

~~[quote="BreakfastOfChampions"]~~[quote:6282b17604="mordraine"][quote:6282b17604="cczernia"]~~[quote]~~'m reading Perdido Street Station right now. Kinda reminds me of a/state. [/quote]

I've heard this before and they are both similar with the big Victorian Metropolis but I like A/state a lot more. PSS got silly for me with the guy dating an insect and all that.
[/quote]

The insect girlfriend threw me for a loop at first too, but once I got used to the cosmology, it made more sense. I'm actually digging the diversity of races in PSS.[/quote:6282b17604]

Sounds very William S Burroughs.[/quote:6282b17604]

Yeah, except it's not a trip down drugged out gay land. More like edgy Forgotten Realms land.

BreakfastOfChampions · Mon Oct 11, 2004 1:22 pm

I dunno if I'd call a/State Victorian. There's a lot there that wouldn't fit into a Victorian mindset. What you do have is a huge dispairity in classes (no, not fighter vs magic user!)

but you also have horrors which should not be seen {TM} Super science, toxic waste, poisonous plants, flintlock weapons, mass accellerators, genetically modified troops, war crawlers, and canals. Lots and lots of canals.

cczernia · Post by **cczernia** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 1:23 pm

~~[quote="BreakfastOfChampions"]~~I've been a little grumpy about the system myself. I don't think its very clearly thought out. I thought about SilCore, since I just got that too, but EABA would work very well, and provide the same level of realism.[/quote]

I could see EABA or Silcore working equally well. Both games are lethal as hell.

Lowly Uhlan · Post by **Lowly Uhlan** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 1:30 pm

~~[quote="mordraine"]~~I'm reading Perdido Street Station right now. Kinda reminds me of a/state.

Seems to me like a/state would be more suited towards a long term game than a one-shot.[/quote]

I would have to disagree. A long campaign of a/state would tax the shit out of me as a GM. One of those settings that is so full that it's easy for a GM to get stuck.

Lowly Uhlan · Post by **Lowly Uhlan** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 1:31 pm

~~[quote="BreakfastOfChampions"]~~I'm bumming that I missed the one shot of a/State, but now that I have a copy, I think I could really work with this setting.

One of the things I like about how the world is presented is there is something for all the senses. Descriptions incorporate sight, sound and smell a lot, which makes it even clearer to the reader just how grim and unsavory this particular world (city?) is.

I think it would be a lot of fun to run a short short of this. Should we add it to the queue?

(It gives Chris that wonderful opportunity to use his Brit accents!)[/quote]

I'll give a tentative yes on playing a/state.

Lowly Uhlan · Post by **Lowly Uhlan** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 1:33 pm

~~[quote="cczernia"]~~

This would kick ass. The system wasn't that good (it worked, but could be better) so I could see this being a perfect setting to convert to EABA.[/quote]

The game mechanics are playable but not that hot. No rules for movement (!) or thrown weapons.

BreakfastOfChampions · Mon Oct 11, 2004 1:33 pm

~~[quote="cczernia"]~~[quote:9b3628f174="BreakfastOfChampions"]I've been a little grumpy about the system myself. I don't think its very clearly thought out. I thought about SilCore, since I just got that too, but EABA would work very well, and provide the same level of realism.[/quote]

I could see EABA or Silcore working equally well. Both games are lethal as hell.[/quote:9b3628f174]

Agreed. I've got time to learn SilCore. I'm still digesting it. I can't say I know it really really well.

EABA I know pretty well, and would fit nice.

Lowly Uhlan · Post by **Lowly Uhlan** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 1:34 pm

~~[quote="BreakfastOfChampions"]~~I dunno if I'd call a/State Victorian. There's a lot there that wouldn't fit into a Victorian mindset. What you do have is a huge dispairity in classes (no, not fighter vs magic user!)

but you also have horrors which should not be seen {TM} Super science, toxic waste, poisonous plants, flintlock weapons, mass accellerators, genetically modified troops, war crawlers, and canals. Lots and lots of canals.[/quote]

Don't forget the clockwork cyberpunk.

BreakfastOfChampions · Mon Oct 11, 2004 1:35 pm

~~[quote="Lowly Uhlan"]~~[quote:ff85e6f325="mordraine"]I'm reading Perdido Street Station right now. Kinda reminds me of a/state.

Seems to me like a/state would be more suited towards a long term game than a one-shot.[/quote]

I would have to disagree. A long campaign of a/state would tax the shit out of me as a GM. One of those settings that is so full that it's easy for a GM to get stuck.[/quote:ff85e6f325]

There's so much going on that it would be very easy to get stuck. I'm glad I have a lot of time to chew on this before it takes off. There's Chris' kickass mage game, Mikes Paranoia fest, and ... not sure what else.

But it gives me precious time to really dig in and see what I want to do with it.

Lowly Uhlan · Post by **Lowly Uhlan** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 1:39 pm

A short Fading Suns game is somewhere on the horizon.

BreakfastOfChampions · Mon Oct 11, 2004 1:41 pm

~~[quote="Lowly Uhlan"]~~A short Fading Suns game is somewhere on the horizon.[/quote]

That's right, that would be cool too.

Good. As far as I can tell, I'm going to need lots of time :)

cczernia · Post by **cczernia** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 1:43 pm

~~[quote="Lowly Uhlan"]~~A short Fading Suns game is somewhere on the horizon.[/quote]

Bastard likes to tease me. :evil:

BreakfastOfChampions · Mon Oct 11, 2004 1:45 pm

Lowly Uhlan · Post by **Lowly Uhlan** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 1:46 pm

~~[quote="cczernia"]~~[quote:496c889bde="Lowly Uhlan"]A short Fading Suns game is somewhere on the horizon.[/quote]

Bastard likes to tease me. :evil:[/quote:496c889bde]

This is assuming that Chris upholds his end of the "bargain".

BreakfastOfChampions · Mon Oct 11, 2004 1:53 pm

~~[quote="Lowly Uhlan"]~~[quote:35d98f5cb3="cczernia"][quote:35d98f5cb3="Lowly Uhlan"]A short Fading Suns game is somewhere on the horizon.[/quote]

Bastard likes to tease me. :evil:[/quote:35d98f5cb3]

This is assuming that Chris upholds his end of the "bargain".[/quote:35d98f5cb3]

Which bargain is this?

Lowly Uhlan · Post by **Lowly Uhlan** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 2:06 pm

I'd tell you, but it's way too much fun to fuck with Chris

The campaign would be called "The Second Gate". What is the second gate? Is there a first gate? What byzantine plot is brewing in Known Space? The Church? The Emperor? The Noble Houses?

BreakfastOfChampions · Mon Oct 11, 2004 2:11 pm

~~[quote="Lowly Uhlan"]~~I'd tell you, but it's way too much fun to fuck with Chris :twisted:

The campaign would be called "The Second Gate". What is the second gate? Is there a first gate? What byzantine plot is brewing in Known Space? The Church? The Emperor? The Noble Houses?[/quote]

With Fading Suns, isn't the answer 'yes, all of them'?

cczernia · Post by **cczernia** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 2:11 pm

~~[quote="BreakfastOfChampions"]~~[/quote]Which bargain is this?[/quote]

I have to run "Red Star" first which I picked up a few days ago and looks really good. Uses a variant on d20 Modern.

~~[quote]~~The campaign would be called "The Second Gate". What is the second gate? Is there a first gate? What byzantine plot is brewing in Known Space? The Church? The Emperor? The Noble Houses?[/quote]

:jawdrop:

BreakfastOfChampions · Mon Oct 11, 2004 2:12 pm

~~[quote="cczernia"]~~[quote:e9f93dbb22="BreakfastOfChampions"][/quote]Which bargain is this?[/quote:e9f93dbb22]

I have to run "Red Star" first which I picked up a few days ago and looks really good. Uses a variant on d20 Modern.

~~[quote]~~The campaign would be called "The Second Gate". What is the second gate? Is there a first gate? What byzantine plot is brewing in Known Space? The Church? The Emperor? The Noble Houses?[/quote]

:jawdrop:[/quote]

So do they get rid of the base classes?

mordraine · Post by **mordraine** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 2:14 pm

~~[quote="Lowly Uhlan"]~~[quote:422e0e5362="mordraine"]I'm reading Perdido Street Station right now. Kinda reminds me of a/state.

Seems to me like a/state would be more suited towards a long term game than a one-shot.[/quote]

I would have to disagree. A long campaign of a/state would tax the shit out of me as a GM. One of those settings that is so full that it's easy for a GM to get stuck.[/quote:422e0e5362]

Perhaps it is taxing on the GM. The GM would need the intestinal fortitude (read: TIME) to go for it. But the setting is too damn rich for a one-shot to more than scratch the surface. Although I'm sure you did a splendid job with it at GameFest. Wish I could've attended.

mordraine · Post by **mordraine** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 2:17 pm

~~[quote="cczernia"]~~Yeah, except it's not a trip down drugged out gay land. More like edgy Forgotten Realms land.[/quote]

What now? Did you just say Forgotten Realms?!? How you figure that?

BreakfastOfChampions · Mon Oct 11, 2004 2:20 pm

~~[quote="mordraine"]~~[quote:35283cec74="Lowly Uhlan"][quote:35283cec74="mordraine"]I'm reading Perdido Street Station right now. Kinda reminds me of a/state.

Seems to me like a/state would be more suited towards a long term game than a one-shot.[/quote]

I would have to disagree. A long campaign of a/state would tax the shit out of me as a GM. One of those settings that is so full that it's easy for a GM to get stuck.[/quote:35283cec74]

Perhaps it is taxing on the GM. The GM would need the intestinal fortitude (read: TIME) to go for it. But the setting is too damn rich for a one-shot to more than scratch the surface. Although I'm sure you did a splendid job with it at GameFest. Wish I could've attended.[/quote:35283cec74]

There is too much for even a campaign to scratch it all. I could see where entire campaigns could completely avoid say - the Shifted. While other campagins could completely ignore the fights within the mega corps.

Lowly Uhlan · Post by **Lowly Uhlan** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 10:45 am

Personal favorite bits of a/state:

The Hundred Block War: High tech warzone in a clockwork setting. Gotta love corporate warfare.

The Shifted: Scary shit. Big mystery.

The prison I forget the name of: A huge prison. No one talks about the lower levels, there were problems there in the past. They sealed them of with concrete. If you listen closley you can hear a faint tapping coming from the other side of the concrete...

The Burghs: Very diverse.

Dog food: People eat dogs. Better than the toxic waste fish. There's a couple of places that sell human meat as well.

No matter what you do you're still fucked: You ain't saving no one. The one constant for the majority of The City residents is misery. Medicated with TV.

devlin1 · Post by **devlin1** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 10:49 am

~~[quote="Lowly Uhlan"]~~
No matter what you do you're still fucked [/quote]
I think this was the bit that was starting to turn me off. I realize you're perma-fucked in Paranoia, too, but at least it's funny.

BreakfastOfChampions · Tue Oct 12, 2004 10:52 am

~~[quote="Lowly Uhlan"]~~Personal favorite bits of a/state:

The Hundred Block War: High tech warzone in a clockwork setting. Gotta love corporate warfare.

The Shifted: Scary shit. Big mystery.

The prison I forget the name of: A huge prison.
[/quote]

Inferno

~~[quote]~~No one talks about the lower levels, there were problems there in the past. They sealed them of with concrete. If you listen closley you can hear a faint tapping coming from the other side of the concrete...

The Burghs: Very diverse.

Dog food: People eat dogs. Better than the toxic waste fish. There's a couple of places that sell human meat as well.

No matter what you do you're still fucked: You ain't saving no one. The one constant for the majority of The City residents is misery. Medicated with TV.[/quote]

Don't forget nebelweed.

Yup, people are processed into something like Soylent Green.

I still like the idea that all you can do is survive and possibly bring some hope that there is a sense of justice. Sure, the decay is inevitable, but how you go down is important.

Lowly Uhlan · Post by **Lowly Uhlan** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 10:54 am

~~[quote="devlin1"]~~[quote:a32d8f74d3="Lowly Uhlan"]

No matter what you do you're still fucked [/quote]
I think this was the bit that was starting to turn me off. I realize you're perma-fucked in Paranoia, too, but at least it's funny.[/quote:a32d8f74d3]

It's a dark setting. there are rules for giving xp for ANYTHING that brings hope to someone else's life. Some of us like that super-grim shit.

cczernia · Post by **cczernia** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 10:54 am

I liked the kids that flew the planes. And the stinky canal.

Lowly Uhlan · Post by **Lowly Uhlan** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 10:56 am

~~[quote="BreakfastOfChampions"]~~

Don't forget nebelweed.

[/quote]

There's all kinds of dope. Scrape addicts=GM fun.

BreakfastOfChampions · Tue Oct 12, 2004 10:57 am

It is awfully dark, but a lot of the stock adventures also have their humorous moments, because without them, the grim would just be 'the norm' and you'd adjust.

I see it with a very noir feel, and a sense of decay all around, with weird tech like 'City of Lost Children'

Digins are very amusing.

Lowly Uhlan · Post by **Lowly Uhlan** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 10:58 am

Have you checked out the online adventures, BoC?

BreakfastOfChampions · Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:00 am

~~[quote="Lowly Uhlan"]~~Have you checked out the online adventures, BoC?[/quote]

Yup, those are the stock adventures I'm talking about. Nifty stuff!

devlin1 · Post by **devlin1** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:03 am

~~[quote="Lowly Uhlan"]~~[quote:63f670097e="devlin1"][quote:63f670097e="Lowly Uhlan"]

No matter what you do you're still fucked [/quote]
I think this was the bit that was starting to turn me off. I realize you're perma-fucked in Paranoia, too, but at least it's funny.[/quote:63f670097e]

It's a dark setting. there are rules for giving xp for ANYTHING that brings hope to someone else's life. Some of us like that super-grim shit.[/quote:63f670097e]

Well, don't get me wrong: I don't want the Forgotten Realms. But I find that at a certain point, I feel a disconnect with the setting. When too many things are alien, I have a really hard time identifying with the world or even my character, and answering the all-important question of "If I were my character, what would I do?" becomes nearly impossible.

Fortunately, my pre-gen at GameFest was a single-minded fanatic, so that helped. I had fun not caring about anyone but myself and my aims, but I'm not sure how long I could keep that up before I got a misery-knife in the back.

BreakfastOfChampions · Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:07 am

~~[quote="devlin1"]~~[quote:290cf11c18="Lowly Uhlan"][quote:290cf11c18="devlin1"][quote:290cf11c18="Lowly Uhlan"]

No matter what you do you're still fucked [/quote]
I think this was the bit that was starting to turn me off. I realize you're perma-fucked in Paranoia, too, but at least it's funny.[/quote:290cf11c18]

It's a dark setting. there are rules for giving xp for ANYTHING that brings hope to someone else's life. Some of us like that super-grim shit.[/quote:290cf11c18]

Well, don't get me wrong: I don't want the Forgotten Realms. But I find that at a certain point, I feel a disconnect with the setting. When too many things are alien, I have a really hard time identifying with the world or even my character, and answering the all-important question of "If I were my character, what would I do?" becomes nearly impossible.

Fortunately, my pre-gen at GameFest was a single-minded fanatic, so that helped. I had fun not caring about anyone but myself and my aims, but I'm not sure how long I could keep that up before I got a misery-knife in the back.[/quote:290cf11c18]

Agreed, because its one of my problems with a white wolf game. I feel behind on terminology, and I'm so busy trying to get my head around it (and the fact that Chris is telling me he missed his period, though it would explain some of the bitchiness ;))

I think a/state works best when you *do* have something to care about. But I also think that approaching it as a noir type of world really helps.

That, and a glossary.

For Neoterra, I actually had the players come from 'elsewhere' which helped in the explanation of the technology.

I think if the setting is *entirely* bleak, then it does drivel off to nothing. Even Call of Cthulhu has a sense of accomplishment, if only at the cost of your soul and sanity.