Hogscape
11th level Troll
Stalwart of the Trollbridge
It's not the years, it's the mileage.
Posts: 2,126
|
Post by Hogscape on May 5, 2009 7:33:46 GMT -5
I'm really curious to know what style of T&T is being played out there. Looking back over previous games that I've run I think many of my T&T sessions have been intentionally light-hearted. What's the way you roll?
|
|
machfront
11th level Troll
Stalwart of the Trollbridge
"Let's go dark!"
Posts: 2,147
|
Post by machfront on May 5, 2009 7:47:31 GMT -5
I voted "Mostly Straight", but it's not a perfect fit.
I renamed some spells, but other I didn't need to as I used the spell names from the Corgi print of 5th ed.
While my default campaign world and play is very dark and grim (even the weather being usually grey and overcast, etc.) with little to no hope for the 'forces of good', there still has to be some moments of lighthearted fare and humorous situations (at least darkly humorous) or else it would just be too much.
|
|
Hogscape
11th level Troll
Stalwart of the Trollbridge
It's not the years, it's the mileage.
Posts: 2,126
|
Post by Hogscape on May 5, 2009 8:01:19 GMT -5
While my default campaign world and play is very dark and grim (even the weather being usually grey and overcast, etc.) with little to no hope for the 'forces of good', there still has to be some moments of lighthearted fare and humorous situations (at least darkly humorous) or else it would just be too much. When can I learn more of this grim and perilous T&T world? |
|
machfront
11th level Troll
Stalwart of the Trollbridge
"Let's go dark!"
Posts: 2,147
|
Post by machfront on May 5, 2009 8:12:07 GMT -5
While my default campaign world and play is very dark and grim (even the weather being usually grey and overcast, etc.) with little to no hope for the 'forces of good', there still has to be some moments of lighthearted fare and humorous situations (at least darkly humorous) or else it would just be too much. When can I learn more of this grim and perilous T&T world? Oh, it's nothing special. Not too much detail to speak of either. Just Trollworld through a dark lens. Ever seen the American-made remake of Ringu, The Ring? If so, you can easily picture how things look. I do my simple best at trying to make monsters truly foul and monsterous. Not just things that local adventurers toss tales around about in the pub. The kinds of things that are whispered about. That people lock their doors and windows at night because of. The gods, for lack of a better term, went insane. The universe shuddered in fear at the lack of balance and oversight. Unsure and unwatched, it spat forth all manner of abberations. In short, the Cosmos was sick. The clouds covered the planet, seeped into every nook and cranny. Things long dead or asleep...awoke. Some began to grow, others to grow more hungry. Humanoids were caught unaware and are on the defensive, for all the good it will do. It is the new way of the universe after all... |
|
|
|
Post by Toad-Killer-Dog on May 5, 2009 8:21:38 GMT -5
I'd say straight for the most part, but lets face it at sometime EVERY campaign descends into slapstick.  My game worlds tend to be of the dark & gritty variety, where monsters are monsters not just things you kill for gold and AP's. Then again I like writing humor adventures, maybe my style is confused? ;D |
|
machfront
11th level Troll
Stalwart of the Trollbridge
"Let's go dark!"
Posts: 2,147
|
Post by machfront on May 5, 2009 8:24:48 GMT -5
I think it makes perfect sense, TKD. People commonly respond to tragedy and hardship with laughter. It's perfectly natural. If they didn't, they'd be far less able to cope. Dark times call for escape and smiles. Heck, the game Monopoly was invented and sold like crazy during the Great Depression.
|
|
|
|
Post by ragnorakk on May 5, 2009 10:03:03 GMT -5
Ever one to run with the pack, I voted 'mostly straight'. T&T's got a lot of humor kinda built-in
(grim slapstick humor maybe, but humor nonetheless...), and I've never enjoyed games where the
tone was deadly serious ALL THE TIME - but in general, I tend to play pretty 'bog-standard' fantasy.
That being said, it's been YEARS since I've had the opportunity to play - before coming here and starting
the PBP thread. If I'd taken this poll as a kid when I started playing, it would have been far more on
current mood (used to play some pretty absurd scenarios...) or light-hearted with serious moments.
|
|
order99
7th Level Troll
Coffee-fueled Carrion That Walks Like a Man
Posts: 1,039
|
Post by order99 on May 5, 2009 15:54:00 GMT -5
With MY players? Doesn't really matter what I run, it invariably turns into Komedy Khaos Korner. I can't stop them, I don't even try these days...
|
|
|
|
Post by Toad-Killer-Dog on May 5, 2009 18:49:41 GMT -5
Order99 from your stories I'd love to see your players do a Paranoia game. ;D
|
|
Hogscape
11th level Troll
Stalwart of the Trollbridge
It's not the years, it's the mileage.
Posts: 2,126
|
Post by Hogscape on May 5, 2009 21:14:12 GMT -5
When can I learn more of this grim and perilous T&T world? In short, the Cosmos was sick. The clouds covered the planet, seeped into every nook and cranny. Things long dead or asleep...awoke. Some began to grow, others to grow more hungry. Humanoids were caught unaware and are on the defensive, for all the good it will do. It is the new way of the universe after all... That sounds great! What kind of adventures do you run for you players? The typical dungeon delve doesn't seem to fit the mold here? |
|
order99
7th Level Troll
Coffee-fueled Carrion That Walks Like a Man
Posts: 1,039
|
Post by order99 on May 5, 2009 21:20:23 GMT -5
We tried Paranoia once-they used up every single clone they had in the Briefing Room...took about 15 minutes. So we played Battletech that night instead, and watched one very confused Atlas forget it had NO jump jets and hurl itself 500' into the thingypit of an enemy Battlemaster and (of course!) set off a reactor core explosion that the Atlas somehow survived! The battlecry of The Electric Mayhem was officially changed to "Don't make us pull out the PEOPLE'S ELBOW!!!"... Sigh. At least they didn't build a Lance of giant Wicker Men and expect them to work as Decoys...again. I'll be the first to admit the Radio Transponders were a nice touch, but really, Mech sensors are a LITTLE more sophisticated than that! Remember, these are the people who decided to play Bandits, Peasant Farmers, Hedge Witches, Pit Fighters and Defrocked Clergy...in my Pendragon campaign. Excuse my while I set this Module on fire, we won't be needing it, EVER...  As a group of Fearless Vampire Killers in my Masque of the Red Death game, their weapon of choice was a cute little apple-cheeked toddler they had just rescued from the Workhouse and given a shiny new coat filled with dynamite- -"See that fella right there, with the rich clothes? That's your new Grandpa! Now run up to him, light this Birthday Candle and sing 'happy Birthday' to him. We'll be right around this corner, so we can jump out and yell 'SURPRISE!' when you finish your song, okay?" Argh.  My short-lived Land of the Pharaohs adventure (set in Mythic Egypt, right?)where Every Single Player created Phoenician sailors wandering around Egypt getting into trouble...did I mention none of them spoke the native language? PC1-I don't see why they keep chasing us! All I did was offer to buy that ugly bird-headed statue... PC2-You must have insulted them with your opening price. Still, an extreme reaction! PC3-Five bags of salt for a twenty pound Ivory statue is a GREAT opening bid where I come from! Me-GAAAAHH!!! That. was. a. temple. to. Thoth. You gave their god a rich offering of salt. Then you...kidnapped. him. The priests are. NOT. amused. PC2-Let's ask that young maiden to explain on our behalf! I think i've got the hang of this language by now..."Halt, Infidel! Lend us your eyes! We must purchase your sky!" (maiden flees the gibbering madmen) Oy.  Then there's the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game where they all played-yep, human-sized Chickens. With Commando training. And vast psychic powers. Too bad they didn't have enough points left over to buy human speech, or hands, or anything like that- Me- and as the hapless Bike Messenger clutches her case and retreats before the muggers, she looks for a hero- Ceasar- (glides from nearby rooftop) AWK! BWAK BAWK BRAAAKKK!!! Mugger1- What in the name of SCORPIONSSCORPIONSINMYBRAINOHGODGETEMOUTAAAAAhhh...(faints) Aristotle- Awk. Mugger2- I can't move. Why can't I move? Why is the Giant Chicken looking at me like that? Messenger- Giant Chickens. Again. Why me? WHAT DO YOU WANT?!? Tesla- (picks up Bike wrench in beak, tries to change tire, wishes he had hands) Marconi- (pecks at wall) y o u r f a t h e r g a v e u s t h e g i f t o f l i f e a n d s o w e a r e y o u r p r o t e c t- Policeman- Hands in the air, NOW, and take off those stupid-hey why can't I move? Ceasar- (shrugs wings, gives signal to fly away) Messenger- Oh, Daddy, playing in God's Domain again. First the Rabid Sheep and now this...  Do you begin to understand why this Poll doesn't work for me yet? |
|
machfront
11th level Troll
Stalwart of the Trollbridge
"Let's go dark!"
Posts: 2,147
|
Post by machfront on May 5, 2009 22:55:05 GMT -5
In short, the Cosmos was sick. The clouds covered the planet, seeped into every nook and cranny. Things long dead or asleep...awoke. Some began to grow, others to grow more hungry. Humanoids were caught unaware and are on the defensive, for all the good it will do. It is the new way of the universe after all... That sounds great! What kind of adventures do you run for you players? The typical dungeon delve doesn't seem to fit the mold here? It would seem to be one of many decent rationalizations for the existance of dungeons and why they're so filled with... things.. But honestly, I don't really dig dungeon crawling, but there have been a few. The adventures they've partaken of are pretty much the same as any other campaign or standard fantasy game might entail. I keep it sandbox-style. No "plot" or "storyline" or anything like that. It's a dark place in turmoil, where many are raging against the dying of the light. That's pretty much where the realm of "plot" ends. The kind of adventures they get into are totally up to them and responses to situations, accidents, difficult decisions. It's usual stuff, really. |
|
Hogscape
11th level Troll
Stalwart of the Trollbridge
It's not the years, it's the mileage.
Posts: 2,126
|
Post by Hogscape on May 5, 2009 22:55:47 GMT -5
Egad order99, I would go bonkers!
|
|
order99
7th Level Troll
Coffee-fueled Carrion That Walks Like a Man
Posts: 1,039
|
Post by order99 on May 6, 2009 1:25:16 GMT -5
And how do you know I didn't? ;D Truth be told, I try to give as good as I get, so playing 'Break the GM' with me ends up...Breaking the GM. The Pendragon adventure? I ended up throwing Ancient Undead Etruscans at them, with guest appearances by The Devil (played by Clive Revell) a Mad Prophet (played by Dolph Lundgren) and a battle for the soul of an 8-year old boy. And upon returning home the next dawn, the PCs found that 20 years had passed them by... The Masque adventure? I shook my head, the Players looked sheepish, next week I rolled up some Gamma World Mutations and our Masque campaign turned into the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen-styled Blackstone's Freak Brigade! At the end of the campaign, I used the PCs from the old game as Darklords they had to defeat. They failed. Shortly thereafter, Archduke Ferdinand was killed and WWI broke out. The Egypt-er, Phoenician campaign? Became our Ultimate Ugly Tourist Saga. Run out of Egypt (accompanied by Thoth who thought the whole thing amusing and who kept altering their maps into gibberish for the fun of it) wandered the lands of Mesopotamia searching for somebody who spoke the lingo and could tell them how to get home. They rode Elephants and were served monkey brains in what would now be Pakistan and met a Prince cursed to be a Baboon...well, at least they THOUGHT the Baboon was a Prince, and often let him do the Navigation duties(following the random squiggles on the Nautical maps led to even more adventures!). The Tourists actually found Hades at one point(in a crevice deep beneath the earth)-they gave the service two out of four Thumbs Up.  And the Adolescent Psychic Chicken Commandos? I unleashed a Mad Biologist and an army of weaponized Cyborg Velociraptors upon their hapless town of Cincinnati and their precious Miss Carla Vonnegut! It nearly ended the city. Pity the Chickens had no allies and couldn't TELL anyone about the threat...heh heh heh. My Players drive me utterly nuts sometimes, but it is said that 'Iron sharpens Iron'-and we gets some fun going. It's worth a few head-sized dents on my kitchen table! Buuuuuut let's see how the other T&T GMs run their adventures. Meanwhile, i'm going to introduce the Electric Mayhem Lance of Mechs to a fleet of high-speed Hovertanks that operate in swarms of ten and aim for the leg actuators...'Peoples Elbow' my shiny Zombie derriere... |
|
|
|
Post by Toad-Killer-Dog on May 6, 2009 2:02:54 GMT -5
Order99 I have not laughed like that in a dogs age.
I was having a truly tough day, thanks for putting a smile on my face.
For your noble services to gaming and your lost sanity I exalt thee! ;D
P.S. The Egyptian campaign sounds priceless.
|
|
