When running Ghostbusters: A Frightfully Cheerful Roleplaying Game, you may be forgiven if you think that adventures are more interesting if it takes more to defeat a ghost than just zapping it with a proton pack and stuffing it into a ghost trap (although that can be quite challenging at times). Riddles, puzzles, incantations, quests for relics, research, and helping a ghost finish its business in the realm of mortals can all be rewarding, but if ghosts can only be busted by very specific and usually difficult methods, then that removes the quality that makes those busts extraordinary. Think about the first Ghostbusters movie. Was every encounter an arduous struggle against a malevolent godling or other supernatural superbeing? No! Most of the time, the Ghostbusters were responding to calls, arriving on the scene, and conducting otherworldly pest control. It was their profession. Confronting Zuul, on the other hand, was an epic undertaking. Now, many jobs will fall somewhere between those two extremes (quite a bit closer to the lower end most of the time), but at least some should be straightfoward go-in-and-get-it-done affairs. At least half should be simple jobs of blasting ghosts or debunking hoaxes, so that the special cases can effectively be special. It also preserves the element of surprise, which is always more fun in Ghostbusters. In any given session, especially if it's four or more hours long, include an extra job at the beginning, middle, or end of the adventure to keep the player characters on their toes, and don't tell them which is the main mission. Let them figure it out. And don't forget to mix in some non-Ghostbusting activities and concerns. It helps keep the game grounded, enriches the setting, and makes the Ghostbusting more exciting. There is something to be said for remembering the mundane concerns in a world where ghosts exist.
21 March 2025
Flash Gordon for D6?
Some time ago (2017), I mentioned I would like to see a Flash Gordon role-playing game along the lines of Prince Valiant. Mind you, I already own The Savage World of Flash Gordon for Savage Worlds (and I will run it someday), but I can't help wanting to find the perfect system for Flash Gordon and other swashbuckling space operas.
What am I contemplating now? I'm contemplating "Flash Gordon D6" (or "D6 Flash Gordon"?) via the forthcoming D6 System: Second Edition from Gallant Knight Games. It worked for the West End Games Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game, so why not try it with the science fiction serial that inspired Star Wars? I think I would enjoy running the same group of players through both a D6 2e Flash Gordon adventure and a Savage World of Flash Gordon adventure to see what they (and I) think. What do you think?
[Or, instead of D6 2e, I could run Flash Gordon with The D6 System or Mini Six or Zorro: The Roleplaying Game (modified).]
19 February 2025
What They Do in the Meantime
In an overview of three games Richard Woolcock ran recently (in his blog, Zadmar's Savage Stuff), there is a useful hint for anyone running almost any role-playing game (emphasis mine):
Another weakness of my games in the past is that they often felt like they ended abruptly. A friend of mine had a great solution to this when he ran Sundered Skies several years ago, where at the end of the campaign he asked each of us to describe what our characters got up to after the conclusion of the story, and we each had the chance to wrap up our character's storylines. I've attempted to do the same thing since then (although I sometimes forget), but it worked really well in this case, as I always gave the players the "final word" at the end of the adventure, letting them describe the ending.
The player characters are the protagonists of the adventure. It only makes sense to let them describe what they doing at its conclusion. Not only does it give the players a sense of ownership over their own experiences, but it can also lead to a greater feeling of connection with the setting and sow the seeds of future adventures. This is something I will be adopting in my own game-mastering, although I'll probably need to write myself a note and stick it on my GM screen until it becomes a habit.
[This article is cross-posted here in Creative Reckoning.]
30 October 2024
Six-Sided Halloween Suggestion 2024
What is the best game for Halloween utilizing six-sided dice? Arguably, it is Zombie Dice from Steve Jackson Games. Since I have started recording my game plays on BoardGameGeek.com, I have played more games of Zombie Dice than any other game of any kind. It's easy; it's quick; it has custom six-sided dice depicting Brains, Footprints, and Shotgun Blasts; and it's a perfect light game for Halloween.
And that, my friends, is this year's Six-Sided Halloween Suggestion!
Learn more about Zombie Dice here.
04 September 2024
Binary Dice Notation and Omnia
Further thoughts on "Binary Dice Notation" have been continued in Omnia Pro Omnibus as I work out how to present the rules of Omnia:
02 August 2024
News at 6-Sided: D6 System: Second Edition on Kickstarter
The crowdfunding project for D6 System: Second Edition is, in fact, live on Kickstarter at this moment. Gallant Knight Games provided a glimpse of the long-awaited second edition with the publication of Zorro: The Roleplaying Game. This, I predict, will be one of the greatest universal role-playing systems yet.
The D6 System: Second Edition Kickstarter project ends 15 August 2024.
31 July 2024
News at 6-Sided: D6 System: Second Edition Coming Soon
Gallant Knight Games has announced that a Kickstarter project will be launched soon for D6 System: Second Edition, the rules of which were previewed in Zorro: The Roleplaying Game. This will be a modular core rule book with three choices of cover art. Learn more in "D6 System: Second Edition!"
08 May 2024
Reminder to Self Regarding Broken Compass and Outgunned
I am leaving this note here because I have too many physical notes scattered about and I am worried that if I write another one I'll misplace it and fail to do any of the following, which is:
- Figure out the difference between Broken Compass and Outgunned.
- Find out if either are available outside of backing their crowdfunding projects, i.e. are they in any stores, physical or online?
- Find out if anyone outside of playtest groups actually plays these games and, if so, what do they think?
- Assess the odds of the task resolution rules. Do they feel right in play? Are they satisfying?
- Decide whether to back Outgunned Adventure, the "pulp" supplement.
Does anyone reading this have any opinions or insights?
[Edit: I don't think I'll bother with this game. As far as I can tell, they are crowdfunding Outgunned Adventure when they haven't even fulfilled the orders for Outgunned yet. This does not inspire confidence. The fact that their quickplay rules are neither well-written nor well-proofread gives me further pause. Besides, I am more interested in exploring the subject matter of a genre rather than the conventions of a genre as it is portrayed in a single medium (in this case, film), and Outgunned is clearly an attempt to adapt the latter. The novelty is not worth the price or the wait. 2024-05-24]
24 April 2024
The Ghost Busters via Ghostbusters: Ghosts
Here are the ghosts of The Ghost Busters as they appear in order of original air date. They have been adapted for The Ghost Busters: A Clever, Courageous, and Strong Role-Playing Game (That Is Completely Unofficial), which is based on Ghostbusters: A Frightfully Cheerful Roleplaying Game.
SPOILER ALERT!
Big Al Caesar
Power 3Ectopresence 2
Special Abilities: Materialize, Teleport
Goal: To steal the Maltese Monkey.
Appearance: Episode 1, "The Maltese Monkey" (6 September 1975)
Dr. Frankenstein
Power 4Ectopresence 4
Special Abilities: Materialize, Teleport, Materialize Object
Goal: To transplant the brain of the world's most gullible fool into the body of his Monster.
Appearance: Episode 2, "Dr. Whathisname" (13 September 1975)
The Monster
Power 2Ectopresence 5
Special Abilities: Materialize
Goal: To obey Dr. Frankenstein.
Appearance: Episode 2, "Dr. Whathisname" (13 September 1975)
Sir Simon de Canterville
Power 3Ectopresence 6
Special Abilities: Materialize, Teleport, Immune to the Ghost De-Materializer
Goal: To break his curse of haunting the family castle until he does a brave deed.
Appearance: Episode 3, "The Canterville Ghost" (20 September 1975)
Harry Albert, Werewolf
Power 2Ectopresence 4
Special Abilities: Materialize, Transform into Werewolf
Goal: To be cured of lycanthropy.
Appearance: Episode 4, "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" (27 September 1975)
Sophia
Power 3Ectopresence 3
Special Abilities: Materialize, Teleport, Use Crystal Ball
Goal: To cure Harry Albert of lycanthropy.
Appearance: Episode 4, "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" (27 September 1975)
Captain Aloysius Beane
Power 5Ectopresence 3
Special Abilities: Materialize, Teleport, Materialize Object
Goal: To recruit a crew for his ship, the Flying Dutchman.
Appearance: Episode 5, "The Flying Dutchman" (4 October 1975)
Scroggs
Power 4Ectopresence 2
Special Abilities: Materialize, Teleport, Materialize Object
Goal: To obey his captain.
Appearance: Episode 5, "The Flying Dutchman" (4 October 1975)
The Phantom of Vaudeville (with Elmo)
Power 3Ectopresence 7
Special Abilities: Materialize, Teleport, Immune to the Ghost De-Materializer Special Vulnerability: Can only be sent back to the Great Beyond by being unmasked.
Goal: To settle a score with rival vaudevillians Slapsy, Maxie, and Nijinsky.
Appearance: Episode 6, "The Dummy's Revenge" (11 October 1975)
Queen Forah of the Nile
Power 5Ectopresence 4
Special Abilities: Materialize, Teleport, Materialize Object, Use Sun Disk
Goal: To find the sorcerer Simios who can lead her to Spen-Zah, keeper of the secret of immortality.
Appearance: Episode 7, "A Worthless Gauze" (18 October 1975)
The Mummy
Power 2Ectopresence 5
Special Abilities: Materialize, Materialize Object, Mummy's Touch (physical contact causes instant mummification)
Goal: To obey Queen Forah.
Appearance: Episode 7, "A Worthless Gauze" (18 October 1975)
The Witch of Salem
Power 5Ectopresence 5
Special Abilities: Materialize, Teleport, Materialize Object, Transform, Illusory Disguise, Control Mind, Concoct Potion, Use Crystal Ball
Goal: To have revenge on the descendant of Edward Spencer, Spell-Dissolver of Salem.
Appearance: Episode 8, "Which Witch Is Which?" (25 October 1975)
Gronk
Power 1Ectopresence 1
Special Abilities: Materialize
Goal: To obey the Witch of Salem.
Appearance: Episode 8, "Which Witch Is Which?" (25 October 1975)
Billy the Kid
Power 3Ectopresence 1
Special Abilities: Materialize, Teleport, Materialize Object
Goal: To round up a gang and rustle cattle so they can get victuals.
Appearance: Episode 9, "They Went Thataway" (1 November 1975)
Belle Starr
Power 3Ectopresence 1
Special Abilities: Materialize, Teleport, Materialize Object
Goal: To round up a gang and rustle cattle so they can get victuals.
Appearance: Episode 9, "They Went Thataway" (1 November 1975)
Count
Power 2Ectopresence 3
Special Abilities: Materialize, Teleport, Transform into a Bat, Classic Vampirism
Goal: To find "donors."
Appearance: Episode 10, "The Vampire's Apprentice" (8 November 1975)
Countess
Power 3Ectopresence 4
Special Abilities: Materialize, Teleport, Transform into a Bat, Classic Vampirism
Goal: To find "donors."
Appearance: Episode 10, "The Vampire's Apprentice" (8 November 1975)
Dr. Jekyll
Power 4Ectopresence 3
Special Abilities: Materialize, Teleport, Materialize Object, Concoct Potion
Goal: To find an ingredient that will eliminate Mr. Hyde.
Appearance: Episode 11, "Jekyll & Hyde: Together, for the First Time!" (15 November 1975)
Mr. Hyde
Power 3Ectopresence 2
Special Abilities: Materialize, Teleport, Materialize Object
Goal: To annoy Dr Jekyll.
Appearance: Episode 11, "Jekyll & Hyde: Together, for the First Time!" (15 November 1975)
The Red Baron
Power 3Ectopresence 1
Special Abilities: Materialize, Teleport, Materialize Object
Goal: To have revenge against his old enemies.
Appearance: Episode 12, "Only Ghosts Have Wings" (22 November 1975)
Sparks
Power 3Ectopresence 1
Special Abilities: Materialize, Teleport, Materialize Object
Goal: To assist the Red Baron.
Appearance: Episode 12, "Only Ghosts Have Wings" (22 November 1975)
Eric the Red
Power 3Ectopresence 2
Special Abilities: Materialize, Teleport, Materialize Object
Goal: To find the banner that proves the Vikings discovered the New World and plant it before Lothar the Hun can dispute their claim.
Appearance: Episode 13, "The Vikings Have Landed" (29 November 1975)
Brunhilda
Power 3Ectopresence 2
Special Abilities: Materialize, Teleport, Materialize Object
Goal: To find the banner that proves the Vikings discovered the New World and plant it before Lothar the Hun can dispute their claim.
Appearance: Episode 13, "The Vikings Have Landed" (29 November 1975)
Merlin the Magician
Power 2Ectopresence 5
Special Abilities: Materialize, Teleport, Materialize Object, Dematerialize Object Goal: To find the trick that will enable him and Gronk to return to the Great Beyond.
Appearance: Episode 14, "Merlin, the Magician" (6 December 1975)
Gronk
Power 1Ectopresence 1
Special Abilities: Materialize
Goal: To obey Merlin.
Appearance: Episode 14, "Merlin, the Magician" (6 December 1975)
Morgan le Fay
Power 6Ectopresence 5
Special Abilities: Materialize, Teleport, Teleport Involuntary Subject, Materialize Object, Dematerialize Object, Use Crystal Ball, Create Smoke
Goal: To trap Merlin and Gronk on Earth.
Appearance: Episode 14, "Merlin, the Magician" (6 December 1975)
Dr. Centigrade
Power 4Ectopresence 2
Special Abilities: Materialize, Teleport, Materialize Object
Goal: To transplant a warm heart into the body of the Abominable Snowman.
Appearance: Episode 15, "The Abominable Snowman" (13 December 1975)
The Abominable Snowman
Power 3Ectopresence 3
Special Abilities: Materialize, Teleport, Materialize Object, Freezing Touch
Goal: Unknown.
Appearance: Episode 15, "The Abominable Snowman" (13 December 1975)
18 April 2024
The Ghost Busters via Ghostbusters: Doorways to the Great Beyond
In The Ghost Busters, the ghosts always enter the world of the living via a local cemetery. In addition, in the episode, "Dr. Whatshisname," Dr. Frankenstein explains to the Monster as they Teleport from the abandoned castle on Batwing Lane to the cemetery, "It is a bother to have to keep coming back here in order to materialize my laboratory equipment, but this is the Doorway to the Great Beyond." From these two facts, we can formulate the following rules for The Ghost Busters: A Clever, Courageous, and Strong Role-Playing Game (That Is Completely Unofficial):
Doorways to the Great Beyond
When ghosts enter the world of the living, whether by willing Teleportation or by being summoned, they must enter through a Doorway to the Great Beyond. Such Doorways are typically located in cemeteries or other sites of concentrated paranormal activity.
Certain ghosts have the special ability to Materialize Objects (usually to continue their work toward their Goal), but excessive use depletes a ghost's Ectopresence. In order to replenish their Ectopresence, they must return to a Doorway to the Great Beyond and tap into its psychokinetic energy reserves. Any materialized objects disappear when the ghosts who manifested them return to the Great Beyond or are otherwise banished, sent back, or trapped.