[18:34] <+TGlennBane> I am T. Glenn Bane, the founder and publisher of Scaldcrow Games, Bare Bones Multiverse, the Dark Fantasy of Sundrah and now, "Davey Beauchamp's Amazing Pulp Adventures RPG."
(done)
[18:35] <~Dan> Would anyone like to start us off with a question?
[18:35] <+Omega> Pulp is something I have always been connected to at a fundimental level. The different genres of pulp. I'd like to know what subgenre your game focuses on.?
[18:36] <+TGlennBane> The APA follows a timeline from thirties until the fifties, with the characters appearing in each age, coinciding with the natural evolution of pulps from two fisted gun blazing action of the thirties to the diesal and atomic age.
[18:36] <+Silverlion> Does your game allow for things like Doc Savage, the Shadow, The Spider, the various Operators, and so on?
[18:36] <+TGlennBane> All is told through the evolution of the game's primary city, Sapphire City, the City of Tomorrow-Today!
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[18:37] <+TGlennBane> Yes, to the question. About the character types. The character archetype for Shadow and Spider is Guardian of Justice, while Doc Savage is Human Exemplar.
[18:38] <+TGlennBane> We tried to catch the basic driving principles of these characters.
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[18:39] <~Dan> (Just a reminder about the "(done)" in case you're waiting on us, Glenn. :) )
[18:39] <+Silverlion> How does the system work? Mechanically?
[18:39] <+TGlennBane> The Guardian of Justice picks up where the law falls short. During the thirties, the law was still reletivly undefined. Often, justice took other avenues.
[18:39] <~Dan> (Ah, n/m. :)
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[18:39] <~Dan> (Question pause after Sil's question, please.)
[18:39] <+TGlennBane> The system is based on a simple 2d6 dice mechanic.
[18:39] <+TGlennBane> All abilities are ranked 1-10 (1 the weakest and 10 the strongest)
[18:40] <+TGlennBane> The rank of an ability grants a target number which must be achieved by a die roll. Eash increment of the target number equals an additional success.
[18:40] <+TGlennBane> The mechanic is basically this ...
[18:41] <+TGlennBane> Roll 2d6, reroll doubles and add together. Snake-eyes always lose and snake eyes always win. You must reroll a result of doubles unless snake eyes are achieved, then you stop.
[18:41] <+Silverlion> (Boxcars you mean?)
[18:41] <+TGlennBane> 12
[18:41] <+TGlennBane> Yes.
[18:42] <+Omega> It's mostly focused on pulp heroes. Pulp action and adventure. from what you are saying. Pretty much a direct precursor to the comics book superhero genre that most people are familiar with. And I think that's good. It's a niche that hasn't been given really that much coverage. However, do you glance upon the other pulp subgenres at all? Like Pulp Sci-fi? Pulp Horror? Pulp Fantasy? Or anything else?
[18:42] <+TGlennBane> Abilities may be stacked. Each relevant ability a character has that may be argued as relevant to a situational use may be used.
[18:42] <~Dan> (Omega, question pause. Thanks!)
[18:43] <+TGlennBane> Absolutely we do. The adventure in the back of the book is "Museum of Death." It steps a little into horror. Mysticism, horror and other world are key to this genre.
[18:44] <+TGlennBane> Additional books have already been lined up in the series to focus on each of these elements.
[18:44] <+TGlennBane> One book will focus on horror, another on sci-fi, etc.
[18:44] <+TGlennBane> (done)
[18:44] <~Dan> How does the game handle superhuman levels of ability?
[18:47] <+TGlennBane> The trick in the Bare Bones system is communication. The player decides how a power will function, the GM simply pays attention to the player's vision. Example: A test gamer in a hero setting from Bare Bones Multiverse randomly generated the power "Portals" when the character used the power he indicated with his hands and narration that he ...
[18:48] <+TGlennBane> opened up portals in per-existing frames (windows, doorways, etc).
[18:48] <+TGlennBane> When the character tried to open a portal in midair to intercept a fireball, I disallowed the action based on the player's vision.
[18:48] <+Silverlion> Interesting.
[18:49] <+TGlennBane> The player aggreed, because it was his vision.
[19:24] <+TGlennBane> Instead the character breaks off two side view mirrors from parked cars, opens a portal in one and catches the fireball, then opens a portal in the other and blasts the villain with his own attack (done)
[19:24] <+TGlennBane> The rules in Bare Bones are provides to give a structure, not to dictate how powers may be used.
[19:24] <+TGlennBane> (done)
[19:25] <~Dan> Well, to clarify: I mean super-strength as opposed to mundane strength, for example.
[19:25] <+Silverlion> They had sideview mirrors at that point?
[19:26] <+TGlennBane> There is a rule called outclassing. A character with strength would simply write "Super Strength 8" on his sheet. This means that his strength is 8 of 10 as compared to other characters with super strength.
[19:26] <+TGlennBane> 8 is an arbitary number. It could be any number.
[19:27] <+TGlennBane> arbitrary
[19:28] <+TGlennBane> It works this way with any ability. (done)
[19:29] <+TGlennBane> Silverlion: No, not really, but when the system was being tested for Bare Bones Multiverse, it was in a modern setting.
[19:29] <~Dan> So how does outclassing work mechanically?
[19:31] <+TGlennBane> The mechanics are based on common sense principles. A normal kid cannot trash a tank with a slingshot. The tank's armor outclasses the slingshot damage. There does not not have to be a table for this. An average joe cannot lift a size 5 car. But someone with super strength could. The rule is generally found in practical storytelling.
[19:31] <+TGlennBane> In this example a size 5 car is different from a size 5 person. Cars are bigger than people.
[19:32] <+TGlennBane> The rules take a back seat to the stories. Therefore the stories tend to have greater possibilities and broader scope.
[19:33] <+TGlennBane> "Smaller Rules Equal Bigger Gaming!" is the motto of the Bare Bones system
[19:33] <+TGlennBane> (done)
[19:34] <~Dan> Hmm. Well, let's move on to combat, then, and touch on the impact of outclassing there while we're at it, if you don't mind. How does it work, and how would something like super strength affect damage?
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[19:37] <+TGlennBane> Let's say that someone shoots our hero. Normally damage is rolled by determining successes on the weapon, say Pistol 7 (lets say 4 damage). The target defends with his toughness. If the target is a super with the ability Invincibility, Bulltproof, etc and succeeds on an ability check. Then the the defense will certainly outclass the attack (no.
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[19:37] <+TGlennBane> No damage).
[19:38] <+TGlennBane> It would require 4 successes for a normal peerson to soak 4 damage.
[19:38] <+TGlennBane> It only requires 1 success for bulletproof to soak all of the damage.
[19:39] <+TGlennBane> Every character is different, and really lies on the vision of the player.
[19:39] <+TGlennBane> (done)
[19:40] <~Dan> Speaking of outclassing, how far into superhero territory does APA stray?
[19:41] <+TGlennBane> Not very. The heroes of Sapphire City are effectively mundane (though some have gadgets), until you reach the mid forties. When the first supers appear in the atomic age, things change.
[19:41] <+TGlennBane> It is otherwise ambiguous. Afterall, characters like Doc Savage, are arguably on or over the line.
[19:42] <+TGlennBane> By the way, the closest thing to Doc Savage in the book roster is Mister Adventure.
[19:42] <+TGlennBane> (done)
[19:42] <~Dan> Are there low-grade powers available, like those of the Shadow, earlier on?
[19:42] <+Silverlion> hrms'
[19:42] <+TGlennBane> Yes, mysticism and hypnotism are more readily available.
[19:43] <+TGlennBane> The Character Solomon Stone leans heavily on the mystical.
[19:44] <+TGlennBane> By the way, hypnotism as an ability is treated just like anything else. It can be used for any use that hypnotism can arguably include.
[19:44] <+TGlennBane> (done)
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[19:45] <~Dan> Do I recall correctly that some abilities are standard and some are freeform?
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[19:47] <+TGlennBane> There are front loaded abilities that are used to define the Archetypes. For instance, Bare Knuckled Battler has the ability "Steadfast." Steadfast is basically defined as anything related to fortitude, strength of will, and undeterable ambition to succeed.
[19:47] <+TGlennBane> For this reason, Steadfast may be used or stacked with any ability for the purpose of those reasons.
[19:49] <+TGlennBane> Bare Knuckled Battlers also have an ability called "Sweet Science." This is a reference to pugilism and can be used to stack with any ability use concerned with gritty melee combat.
[19:49] <+TGlennBane> Certainly "Sweet Science" and "Steadfast" will often overlap. In such cases, they may both be used.
[19:49] <+TGlennBane> This is called "Stacking"
[19:49] <+TGlennBane> (done)
[19:50] <~Dan> Are there any standard attribute-like abilities like strength and agility?
[19:53] <+TGlennBane> No. There are only abilities. Things like might or agile, only get written down if they are noteworthy. Bare Bones does not record items that bo not make you different from everyone else. Further, the scope of Bare Bones is such that having specific attributes limits the possibilities of character creation.
[19:53] <+TGlennBane> No. There are only abilities. Things like might or agile, only get written down if they are noteworthy. Bare Bones does not record items that bo not make you different from everyone else. Further, the scope of Bare Bones is such that having specific attributes limits the possibilities of character creation.
[19:53] <+TGlennBane> No. There are only abilities. Things like might or agile, only get written down if they are noteworthy. Bare Bones does not record items that bo not make you different from everyone else. Further, the scope of Bare Bones is such that having specific attributes limits the possibilities of character creation.
[19:53] <~Dan> ...
[19:53] <+TGlennBane> Sorry.
[19:54] <+TGlennBane> Technical difficulties.
[19:54] <+Silverlion> So it has Do-it youself abilities?
[19:55] <+Silverlion> er...
[19:55] <+TGlennBane> You define your character in the terms that are needed to do so. If the character is not smart, don't give the character "smart" as an ability.
[19:55] <+TGlennBane> In that since. Yes.
[19:56] <+TGlennBane> Thinnk about a character you like and describe that character in a sentence.
[19:56] <+TGlennBane> Go ahead.
[19:56] <+Silverlion> The Friar of Fear is a terrible hunter of criminal evil-doers, with his cadaverous appearance, and chilling touch,,,
[19:57] <+TGlennBane> Conditions: Hunter of Evil doers, Shocking Cadaverous Appearance Abilities:
[19:57] <+TGlennBane> Abilities: Chilling Touch
[19:58] <+TGlennBane> On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the smallest and 10 being the strongest possible with 4 being the average. Score each.
[19:58] <+Silverlion> I've got him written up in SOTC, and H&S nice to see he's doable elsewhere.
[19:58] <+Silverlion> Hunter of Evil Doers 9 Shocking Cadaverous Appearance 4 Chilling Touch 6
[19:58] <+TGlennBane> Yes. You can bring in anything you can describe.
[19:59] <+TGlennBane> By the way, you have just, more or less made a character.
[19:59] <+TGlennBane> From there you can fill out his more specific skills.
[19:59] <+Silverlion> Cool.
[19:59] <+Silverlion> Sounds simple enough.
[19:59] <+TGlennBane> If I ask you how the chilling touch works, I am sure you already know the answer.
[20:00] <+TGlennBane> It is. That was the point of making this system.
[20:00] <~Dan> How do weapon stats work?
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[20:00] <+Silverlion> Indeed. It sounds a lot like how I handled High Valor. (Which has a ton of examples)
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[20:01] <+TGlennBane> A pistol causes rank 7 damage. The target for a rank 7 ability check is 7 ....
[20:02] <+TGlennBane> I roll 2d6 roll a 4,4 (doubles), and again for 3,5. The total roll is 16...
[20:03] <+TGlennBane> 16, divided by 5 is 3. Damage is always base 1, so the total is 3+1. 4 points of damage done.
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[20:04] <~Dan> Where did the division by 5 come from?
[20:04] <+TGlennBane> The character shooting may have additional abilities that can stack to damage. Lets say the shooter has the abilities "Sharpshooter" and "Ambush". Both can arguably be added.
[20:05] <+TGlennBane> Dan, There is a table on every character sheet that shows the target numbers. You don't need the table though. It is figured as 12, minus the rank number.
[20:06] <+TGlennBane> There are other rules that can affect weapon use. You may call shots to be non-lethal, extra lethal, for range, etc.
[20:06] <~Dan> Oh... So did you mean the target for rank 7 is 5?
[20:06] <+TGlennBane> Yup. That's it.
[20:07] <+TGlennBane> The target for rank 10 is 2.
[20:07] <+TGlennBane> There are other things that set Bare Bones apart from other games as well, such as initiative.
[20:08] <~Dan> Oh? How's that work?
[20:08] <+TGlennBane> Other games require each character to roll individual initiative to determine who goes first on a turn.
[20:09] <+TGlennBane> In BBM the initiative is rolled like anything else, 2d6. The player on the GM's left rolls it and if the player wins, all of the characters go in the winner phases of a turn. Action also proceeds ...
[20:10] <+TGlennBane> from the person who rolled initiative, clockwise around the table. Next initiative the next player rolls, and so on.
[20:10] <+TGlennBane> This way, everyone gets to play. Everyone goes first and everyone goes last (eventually). This keeps action from lagging and insures that everyone is involved.
[20:10] <+TGlennBane> (done)
[20:12] <+TGlennBane> Other questions?
[20:13] <~Dan> I know you told me this previously, but could you say a bit about the adversaries and creatures provided?
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[20:15] <+WonderRat> Howdy, brehaut
[20:15] <+brehaut> hi
[20:16] <+TGlennBane> Sure. There us a roster of villains in the book including Doctor Zhou, The Masked Gunfighter, Shadow Mask, Black Iris and many more. There are also Thugee, ninja, nazis, generic mad scientists, cops, robbers, mobster,robots, brutes, a full array of Zoo and circus animals, as well as stats for cars, subs, airships, trains, etc. We are still adding to the list.
[20:16] <+TGlennBane> In fact, I am open for any ideas that each of you may have. Hit me up on FB and let me know.
[20:17] <~Dan> You mentioned dinosaurs as well?
[20:18] <+TGlennBane> Oh yes. Pulp is not pulp to our friends from the savage lands and the distant past rise up and menace the present. We also recently added Prehistoric robots.
[20:19] <~Dan> Can you give an example of the stats for somethine or other?
[20:19] <+TGlennBane> Sure, hold on.
[20:22] <+TGlennBane> Pterodactyl (based on pulp, not realistic biology): Conditions: Foul Temper 6, Monstrous Appearance 7, Predatory Behavior 8
[20:22] <+TGlennBane> Abilities: ...
[20:40] <+TGlennBane> Beak Damage 9, Claw Damage 6, Cling 8, Combat 5, Endurance 6, Might 5, Perception 8, Size 6, Toughness 7, Winged Flight 8
[20:41] <+TGlennBane> ANy part of this may be subject to change, of course.
[20:41] <~Dan> Hmmm... Interesting...
[20:42] <~Dan> So let's say the creature is attacking. Can you break that down for me? Like, what might stack where?
[20:45] <+TGlennBane> Sure. Situation. The hero is stalking down an alley. The beast is using clinging to ambush the hero. The creature attacks, stacking its "Combat" and "Clinging" For damage it checks its "beak damage", stacked its "might." There are additional modifiers to the pips, granted by the situation (found in the book). I think the bonus will be,
[20:46] <+TGlennBane> +5 (+1 attack from above, +2 surprise, +2 pre-established kill zone)
[20:46] <~Dan> What about Size?
[20:47] <+TGlennBane> Size is different. There is bonus damage derived from size. The bonus damage is +2 per size difference, -2. Since the average score for anything is 4. Lets say our hero does not have size on the character sheet. We assume 4. The bonus in this case is 0.
[20:48] <+TGlennBane> Lets say that a T-Rex bite at a size 10. The bonus would be +10 base damage. This makes the damage 11 base since base damage is always 1. This is before actual damage is rolled.
[20:49] <~Dan> Is there a limit to how much you can stack?
[20:49] <+TGlennBane> Dan, I have to leave in 10 minutes. May I speak a moment about the Kickstarter and give some links?
[20:49] <~Dan> Oh, please do!
[20:49] <+TGlennBane> The answer, by the way is no. no limit.
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[20:50] <+TGlennBane> We are doing a Kickstarter for this project. We currently have 54 backers and I think 54% of goal. The Kickstarter ends on Friday! Please check out the video and lend your support. We love pulp and we love gaming, that is why we do this.
[20:50] <+TGlennBane> The Kickstarter is (Link: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1279968844/amazing-pulp-adventures-role-playing-game)http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1279968844/amazing-pulp-adventures-role-playing-game
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[20:51] <+TGlennBane> Check out Davey Beauchamp's Amazing Pulp Adventures Radio Podcast (Link: http://www.pulpadventures.net/2009/10/31/halloween-2009/)http://www.pulpadventures.net/2009/10/31/halloween-2009/
[20:52] <+TGlennBane> Check out the art of the relly exciting Dana Black (Link: http://www.facebook.com/Danajmblack?ref=ts&fref=ts)http://www.facebook.com/Danajmblack?ref=ts&fref=ts
[20:52] <+TGlennBane> My website has been having technical difficulties for a few weeks but (Link: http://Scaldcrow.com)http://Scaldcrow.com
[20:53] <+TGlennBane> And finally, drop by anytime and talk to me on Facebook. I love talking about this. (Link: http://www.facebook.com/tglenn.bane)http://www.facebook.com/tglenn.bane
[20:54] <~Dan> Thanks very much for coming by, Glenn!
[20:54] <~Dan> I'll have the log posted at my blog shortly.
[20:54] <+TGlennBane> If you are in the East Coast, North Carolina region, drop me a line, and I will tell you where I am running BBM.
[20:54] <~Dan> The link to my blog's in the subject line.
[20:55] <+TGlennBane> Thanks Dan. I have had a blast.
[20:55] <~Dan> Great! Please come by any time. I have more questions, and I'm sure others do as well. :)
[20:55] <~Dan> Have a safe trip!
[20:56] <+TGlennBane> Thanks Dan!
[20:56] <+TGlennBane> Bye All!
[20:56] <~Dan> Bye!
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