RPG Review: Glimpse the Beyond

Hey everyone!

First off I apologize for my long absence from this blog.  I have been having a series of setbacks health wise that keep me from really doing as much creatively as I would like.  That being said, I am back and hope to return to posting here frequently.

Today I bring you a review of a game called Glimpse the Beyond by Travis Legge.  GtB uses the tag-line of being a roleplaying game of Cosmic Horror.  In a field full of monster-hunting, massive unthinkable horrors, and magic this game does a good job of keeping things simple while still providing enough ideas and options to keep a campaign going.

Glimpse the Beyond is powered by the Myriad RPG System originally created by Ashok Desai.  The basic theme of the game is that there are unspeakable horrors that exist just beyond our normal perceptions and only a certain type of enlightened individuals, the Mages, understand what is really going on.  Now, I understand that this isn't an entirely new idea for a game, Travis does a good job of keeping it interesting through a combination of short fiction and examples here and there.

The overall system is a skill based on with a point-buy system used for character creation.  All rolls made in this game are done by rolling d6's.  One does not add the results of the individual dice, rather they use the single highest result and compare that to the Target Number in order to determine success.  There are of course modifiers and good rolls allow the character to have a better margin of success.  In addition to the standard character creation and mechanics section there are decent combat rules including vehicle combat guidelines.

The sections I like the most are the Magic and Creature Creation mechanics.  This is where the game gains most of its own flavor and becomes most interesting.  The spells use the same basic mechanic as the rest of the game but there are enough spells available to keep Players interested and give them variety between one another.  There are the obligatory combat spells but there are also many others that allow the Mage to influence what is going on around them and definitely give them an edge over normal people.

The creature section not only gives you a decent amount of pre-generated monsters, but there are several pages of guidelines for creating your own creatures.  Personally this is what I like best as I like to make up my own critters but most games don't give you a lot of information on how best to do it to fit in the system.

All in all I really like this game.  The only drawback I have is some of the artwork.  I am not against the CGI created work rather I think that most of the art could have a darker, more sinister feel rather than the somewhat glamorous style some has.

So, in closing, I give Glimpse the Beyond a 4.5 rating.  It is one that I hope to try out soon with my group and look forward to seeing what else Travis comes up with for it!

Some Random Thoughts about Gaming

So, gaming, both Tabletop and Video style, has been a big part of my life for many, many years.  It has been the release that I have needed over those same years, an escape from myself and my thoughts.  Don't get me wrong, it has caused me some problems...simply put there are many people, even today, who are put off by the idea of gamer's and the idea of RPG's in general.

As an escape it has allowed me to find a way to put my thoughts into something more concrete and to challenge myself.  The challenge isn't a hard one really, it is merely to push myself to write and/or draw more often.  While this is a somewhat simple goal, it isn't always one I am able to meet.  I sometimes go to great lengths to stop myself from being creative.  I have been known to talk myself out of it quite often really.

Thoughts of inadequacies, however silly, creep to the front time and time again and diminish what I have gone to great lengths to create.  Take my art for instance.  It is honestly a talent I have never truly pursued but I have been extremely fortunate to use of late.  Opportunities, both free and paid, have come up that have helped me to feel better about that part of my life, but there are always doubts.

Add to all of that a combination of over-active imagination, and sheer laziness and you get where I am most of the time.  Despite all of this there are many of you that inspire me without knowing it.  Even those of you that I have 'called-out' as being such usually don't know exactly how much they have done for me...

People like Nathan Richmond, Jay Libby, Joshua Kubli, and now the relative newcomers to my life such as Peter Bryant have helped me in many ways that I will always be grateful for.  As this year progresses, the year where I vowed to do more with my talents, I hope to show them... and all of you, how much I appreciate your support.

Thanks as always!!

RPG Review: G-Core PRIME

Hey everyone!

First off, sorry for the lapse between posts.  Real life has been a bit...hectic of late and has been keeping me from doing a lot of writing.  That being said I still tinker away at my slew of projects as much as I can!

Today I come to you with a review of the new version of Jay Libby's super-hero themed game G-Core.  This, the third version, is named G-Core PRIME and is easily the best version out there.  Born from the days of the highly vaunted FASERIP system, G-Core has taken away the need for the confusing chart and simplified things down to using a single roll of a d10 to resolve things.

Jay has gone to great lengths to take the last edition of his game and expand upon it.  Character creation has been re-worked extensively in such a way as to allow all manner of character types.  The first step in Character Creation is choosing Origins, and this is more important, and fun, than ever.  A characters Origin provides them with how they got their powers, and innate abilities that arise from that event, as well as special features that relate solely to that origin.

Instead of just a paper-doll character with a slew of numbers and nothing else you can build a rounded character with PRIME.  Your Origin and other character options, including Hero Types (Basically occupations) and Special Focuses (skills) you are able to craft anything you could want.  My favorite part of the new character generation is the inclusion of the Power Table.  When using the characters Origin and the Power Table the Player is able to determine the overall 'level' of character they will have as well as how potent their abilities are.

There is a slew of powers available for characters to use, as it should be.  And things such as Magic and Technology are handled well enough so as to not be cookie-cutter copies of other powers.  But what I do like is that the G-Core system is so simple to use that crafting new powers, heck even new Origins, is a simple matter.

Jay did an excellent job at taking a good product and making it better.  It plays, looks, and understands the genre better than ever, and at the great price of $2.50 for a 98 page, full-color book you can't go wrong!

http://www.rpgnow.com/product/129071/GCore-GCore-PRIME

System Purpose

Hey Hey!

There has been a great deal of discussion, both internal and with colleagues of late, about the use of RPG systems.  What I mean is that there is a point where trying to adapt a system into something else becomes less than advantageous.  Is it possible to take a system intended for one thing, say Fantasy, and convert it far enough to portray a Comic-Book feel without 'breaking' the game.

I worry about this a lot.  You see, my own projects generally seem to be open-ended multi-genre based games.  It isn't that I don't want to work on just a single project/system, but as you all probably know I am obsessed with multiple ideas... Fantasy, supers, sci-fi, you name it I have ideas for it.

My current project involves adapting the BareBones Fantasy engine into a supers-system.  It has been fun and frustrating at the same time.  There are many aspects of BBF, and it's modern counterpart Covert Ops, that I really like, but I am afraid of changing it too much and losing the engines basic flavor.  I can't help but fear that is the case.

I have worked on a couple of adaptations to systems I like that take the basics too far.  The most notable ones would by my G-Core Sci-Fi/Supers, and the Monsters and Magic sci-fi/post-apoc.  I really like where both are going but they are quite a large departure from the most basic features of the game.

Is it wrong to change the fundamentals of a game?  Where does one lose the basic flavor and style of a system?

Interesting questions I think....  What are your thoughts on such a subject?

Creativity and a few brief reviews...

And away we go!

So the last couple of days have been slow on the creative tip.  It isn't because I didn't want to be, rather I just had a lot of negative things on my mind... I am sure you know how it is.  Today seems to be different in that I have already managed to get a little art done and I hope to do some more writing today.

So, I know a good number of you are writers of various levels and taste in genre.  That is what I am wondering about today.  I am an RPG writer.  Anyone who has read this blog-o-mine knows that.  The thing is I recently took a bit of time and wrote more of a story.  It was a snippet really... just over 3k words, but I enjoyed it immensely.  To that end I have been thinking more and more about trying my hand at more recognizable fiction writing. (is that an oxymoron?)

Will I be working on RPG's still?  Well of course!  I am actually working somewhat dilligently on a writing project or two for the BareBones Games by DwD.  I am thinking about using the fiction I want to do as a tie-in for the gaming things.  I think it should be fun but I imagine it will be frustrating at times as well.  And we all know how I deal with frustration...

Lets see now... what other things am I interested in today...

I am starting work on a set of art projects for a gaming series called "Toys in the Sandbox" by Occult Moon.  The TinSB series are small ideas for GM's that can be inserted into lots of different situations.  They are great for when you don't have time to do everything for a session.

I am re-reading  the Contagion RPG.  It is a dark future world where all kinds of supernatural beast and anomaly takes place in the modern world.

Both are quite fun really.

I plan to do a more in-depth review of these in the coming days.  I need to get back to art right now though :D

Keep on Gaming!

Works well with others...

Anyone who has read this goofy blog 'o mine knows that I simply can NOT stay focused for long.  There are times I wonder if this is a good-or-bad kind of thing since it further inhibits my ability to finish anything, but at the same time it is fun to work with others collaboratively.  I think that getting input and ideas during the early part of a project can do a lot of good for everyone involved.

I have been fortunate enough to make some friends and mentors in the RPG and writing fields over the years.  All of them have influenced my work in one way or another.  Some, like my great friend Nathan, have been a sounding board for my scattered thoughts for about two-decades now and others, like Lee, Jay and Joshua, are new to me but just as helpful.

I have been working on a few (more than I should be) projects recently.  Two of them, being done with a new friend named Anthony, are using the D00-lite system utilized by the BareBones Fantasy game, while the other is a total homebrew system/setting with a different friend.  Is this too much?  Yeah, probably... but it's how I roll.

I love getting help, I like the push that such help can give me and the excitement that comes from collaboration.  I have spent so many years trying to do everything by my self that I have grown stagnant and these new projects have been awesome!

I can't wait to share some of my projects with you all.  My personal projects will all be released quietly, using the new PWYW model and if things go right (no, WHEN things go right...) I will be working on a awesome upcoming game from Daring Entertainment.  INCOMING SHAMELESS PPROMOTION!!!

   https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2092114443/daring-comics-role-playing-game


I hope that in time I can do even more collabrative work with people.  As much as I like my solo-work, I think this is a way of doing things that will best fit my way of thinking...

What about you all?  How do you work best?

Flavor Fave?

Hey Gang!

So earlier this week I was having a bit of a discussion with a new friend about my favorite systems and settings.  He and I are working a fantasy setting and now he is being so kind as to throw some great ideas at my homebrew system.  It has been a great combination thus far.

So, as for favorites there are a few, oddly enough while there are a few I am partial to specific versions of some games.  I know this isn't all that uncommon among gamer's but it still stands out.  Oh, and keep in mind I still like my stuff best :P

Favorite Settings
Hands down I totally love the Mutant Chronicles world.  It is dark, grimy, and has lots and lots of detail.  I am partial to first edition, but am looking forward to seeing everything they do for the upcoming 3rd edition.

My second fave would be Shadowrun 3rd edition.  I just like it, no major reason but I did get to play tons of it over the years and I think that molded my love of it.

Third would be 1st or 2nd edition Earthdawn...Simply put its just a fun idea and the magic item growth is just awesome

A couple of other Honorable Mentions would be the Earth-Omega Setting used by Joshua Kubli's Invulnerable and the Palladium Fantasy Setting.

Favorite Systems
This one is harder than settings.  I have read and played so many variations on the same things (I'm looking at YOU 3.x/d20) that it gets hard to separate them.  That being said I would go with...

FASERIP/G-Core: So much fun.  Simple, fast and exciting.  It also helps that I have played more of this than any other game out there.

My second fave would be Shadowrun 3rd Edition.

And for systems my Honorable Mentions would be Invulnerable again as well as the D100 Lite system used by BareBones Fantasy and Covet Ops.  Both meet different needs for me.  And I am now getting more into Fate and can't wait to see the Daring Entertainment take on Supers for it.

So, what is everyone else into?