Author Topic: Compendium Gamenight!  (Read 5710 times)

Boo the Gentleman Caller

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Compendium Gamenight!
« on: April 10, 2018, 11:24:16 pm »
Hey all!

So I was thinking... It could be fun to have a Compendium gameshare/game night/etc. Just a one-time event that, should it prove totally awesome beyond all reason, we could try again down the road. But for now, just one time only.

I was thinking we could all plan a day and time and have a game night. Depending on the game, there may be a limit.

I'm trying to think of ideas.

Minecraft has Realms, so I know it's group share. I don't know much about Minecraft but I do have the game (my daughter loves it). I would be willing to pay for a Realms account.

Left 4 Dead. I think this game has 4-player co-op, and the scariness could make for some kicks and giggles.

Final Fantasy XV (I know it's new, but it does have some sort of multiplayer option). I haven't played it yet, though, so I don't have any idea. I do own it, though.

Terraria. I think it's sort of like Minecraft. Some of the guys I play D&D with play together.

Or maybe an interactive board game? The Witcher Adventure Game? Lords of Waterdeep? Ticket to Ride? Catan Universe?

Some kind of free MMORPG? Maybe FFXI, FFIV, Black Desert Online, Elder Scrolls, or some other kind of free game. Something that has a quick tutorial so we could just hang out for a few hours, hahaha...

Just a thought. Throwing it out there to see if there's any interest.

Lord J Esq

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Re: Compendium Gamenight!
« Reply #1 on: April 11, 2018, 02:14:49 am »
You know my vote. Either Catan or CARDS! Big Two! Hold' Em!

Mauron

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Re: Compendium Gamenight!
« Reply #2 on: April 11, 2018, 03:30:29 am »
I could get into something.

PrincessNadia78

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Re: Compendium Gamenight!
« Reply #3 on: April 11, 2018, 01:56:04 pm »
I don't have a preference as far as games at this time but I would love to be a part of this!

Razig

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Re: Compendium Gamenight!
« Reply #4 on: April 11, 2018, 04:16:46 pm »
http://store.steampowered.com/app/286160/Tabletop_Simulator/

Maybe as a community project we could come up with a Chrono-based board/card game?

Boo the Gentleman Caller

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Re: Compendium Gamenight!
« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2018, 05:03:10 pm »
I saw the Tabletop Simulator on Steam but didn't really wrap my mound around the ability to actually create your own modules. A Chronoverse one could be cool.

What would we do? A normal board game with a Chrono coat of paint?

Or run a Chrono-based D&D module?

PrincessNadia78

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Re: Compendium Gamenight!
« Reply #6 on: April 11, 2018, 05:07:32 pm »
I love the idea of a Chrono-themed D&D! Now admittedly, I've never played D&D but I can learn!

Boo the Gentleman Caller

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Re: Compendium Gamenight!
« Reply #7 on: April 11, 2018, 05:09:43 pm »
I just started playing about a year and a half ago or so... I've always loved board games and RPG video games, and I gotta say... it's super fun. I enjoyed it x10 more than I thought I would.

Thanks, Community! (the tv show, which did a few D&D episodes that inspired me to give it a try)

Mauron

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Re: Compendium Gamenight!
« Reply #8 on: April 11, 2018, 05:37:21 pm »
D&D is quite fun. I recently started a Babylon 5 d20 campaign.

I wonder what system would best handle Chrono.

Boo the Gentleman Caller

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Re: Compendium Gamenight!
« Reply #9 on: April 11, 2018, 05:50:14 pm »
Quote
Babylon 5

And so it begins... There is a hole in your mind... What do you want?! ... Get the hell out of our galaxy!

I actually just finished watching through Babylon 5 for the first time since it originally aired. It aged better than I expected; I credit the tight writing (even if some of the dialogue was a little hokey at times). In fact, I am trying to get a copy of Crusade so I can watch it, since I failed to watch it the first time around. Gosh, Babylon 5 was such a gem during the golden age of 1990's science fiction (although I'll always have a softspot for Farscape). I definitely love it and feel like now we need to have a thread to talk about it, hahaha...

First off, are you playing with a group online or IRL? If it's IRL, I'm impressed -- I don't think I've ever met a Babylon 5 fan in the real world, let alone a group to play a d20 tabletop with!

As a fan of Babylon 5, I'm super curious how this would work in relation to the story. The mechanics, in additional to where it can fit in storyline-wise... I assume it's post-Crusade?

Mechanics-wise, if you're a telepath, does your P-level go up with your actual level, allowing for new psionic abilities? Can you get the Vorlon's to turn you into a P5 to P40, (or whatever Lyta ended up being, haha...)?! And for the record, I hated where season 5 took both her and Linnier, although Linnier sort of made sense -- Bill Mumy said from day one he was playing it that Linnier was desperately in love with Delenn, even though JMZ hadn't written it that way yet).

I assume the mechanics would be something like this...

Human = Average stats all around
Centauri = Charisma-based support?
Narn = Pure STR/DEX warriors?
Drazi = I have no idea; back-stabby backstabbers?
Vorlon = Purely magic-focused (assuming they're even playable)?

And I assume the telepaths are equivalent to a mage in D&D?

This sounds awesome! What are you playing as? Tell me about your character! Give me the ALLLL details! I MUST KNOOOOW!

EDIT: Mauron, what have you done?!?! Now I've gone down the rabbit hole. Currently reading one of the E1 rulebooks...
« Last Edit: April 11, 2018, 05:59:27 pm by Boo the Gentleman Caller »

Acacia Sgt

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Re: Compendium Gamenight!
« Reply #10 on: April 11, 2018, 06:55:17 pm »
I'd be all for this. Though not sure with what. I'll admit, I don't really own much when it comes to having stuff to play multiplayer-online. If it's something needed to be bought, I'm out of luck there at the moment. Unless it were something I already own. Hmm...

Anyway, this D&D talk brings me back to the old RP days (both here and in other sites). I'd be most up for that, perhaps...

Mauron

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Re: Compendium Gamenight!
« Reply #11 on: April 11, 2018, 07:25:01 pm »
Farscape is also excellent, and I ran that for a while too.

We're playing IRL. My groups tend to be a mix of "I've watched the series at least once" and "I have not ever seen that, but a person is running it so I'm willing to play."

There are multiple options on when to set it. I've done post-Crusade, post-Legend of the Rangers but pre-Crusade, and the current one is set during season 1. The players are able to completely throw off the plot of the series, if they do something that changes things.

For Telepaths, your P-Rating is fixed at first level. I'm not sure how first edition did it, but second edition it's a 2d6-2 roll, and if you take the telepath class you can optionally add +6 to it, or get a bonus telepathy feat (I've never seen anyone take the bonus feat). Second edition gives you access to all normal abilities, but they have a base Power to use. Your power is your P-Rating + effort put into using the ability, with a maximum of +6. You then take non-lethal damage of Xd4, with X being the number you raised your effort for.

There are some guidelines for telepathic experiments, but Vorlon experiments aren't covered as thoroughly. You can kind of make that one up as you go along, since Vorlons could give a person gills or create telepaths in a race that didn't previously without much issue.

Base races and their ability score adjustments:
Humans: None. Same D&D 3.0/3.5 bonuses.
Abbai: -2 Strength, +2 Wisdom
Brakiri: None
Centauri: -2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma
Drazi: +2 Strength, -2 Intelligence
Minbari: +2 Strength, -2 Charisma
Narn: +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma
Pak'ma'ra: -2 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, -2 Charisma

First edition did attempt to make Vorlons and Shadows playable, but it's best done in specific campaigns. Here are there stat bonuses:

Vorlons: +10 strength, +10 Dexterity, +10 constitution, +10 intelligence, +2 wisdom.
Shadows: +12 strength, +6 dexterity, +10 constitution, +12 Intelligence, -2 charisma.

Second edition only gave Kosh Influence as a stat (I'll mention Influence more later.

There are rules for Technomages too. They don't have spell levels, but lots of spells have prerequisites. Fireball (whatever they call the Technomage equivalent) requires at least Create Flame (palm-sized fire), Control Flame (manipulate a single flame), Create Conflagration, and Control Conflagration.

Babylon 5 characters are squishy! You only get a normal amount of HP (5-8 plus con bonus) at first level. After that you gain 1-3 HP per level, with no con bonus or penalty.

Influence is one of my favorite things about the Babylon 5 system. It represents your ability to grease the wheels or call in favors to get things done. With a little influence, you can get an investment in a project or access to records. With a lot of influence, you can start a war, get access to the deepest of secrets or gain the use of the most powerful warships. It's divided into categories for local influence, ranging in size from a solar system to a city, special influences like criminal influence, and influence with the various races. Race influence is divided into categories, Economic, Military, Social, and Political.

If you don't have the exact influence you need, most groups can put pressure on other groups to get what you need. Any Earth influence can pressure any other Earth influence, and any Political influence can pressure any other Political influence, but it's easier to do something directly.

I'm currently running the Fiery Trial module, and since I don't have many players everyone is playing gestalt characters from the D&D 3.5 Unearthed Arcana rules.

One is a Drazi Agent/Trader, that uses his trader background as a cover for any illicit activities. The agent is basically the 3.5 Rogue with a name change, and trader is custom for Babylon 5.

The other is a Human Telepath/Soldier (reskinned Fighter), loyal to Psi Corps and connected to their seedy underbelly.

And for some non-Babylon 5 commentary: A good roleplay could be fun.

Boo the Gentleman Caller

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Re: Compendium Gamenight!
« Reply #12 on: April 12, 2018, 12:06:36 am »
Quote
One is a Drazi Agent/Trader, that uses his trader background as a cover for any illicit activities. The agent is basically the 3.5 Rogue with a name change, and trader is custom for Babylon 5.

The other is a Human Telepath/Soldier (reskinned Fighter), loyal to Psi Corps and connected to their seedy underbelly.

How can anyone play a Psi Corps?!?! Or a Drazi! They're the worst! The only thing worse is the Pak'ma'rah, and that's only because they're smelly carrion eaters. :)

In all seriousness, that sounds super fun. I would love something like that. I'm also glad that it doesn't go insane with over-powered characters; sounds more grounded than 5e D&D.

One final question... How much HP does spoo refill? :)

Mauron

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Re: Compendium Gamenight!
« Reply #13 on: April 12, 2018, 12:12:43 am »
Definitely not overpowered.

Cold spoo would leave your HP unchanged. Warm spoo would reduce your HP unless you're a Narn.

Lord J Esq

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Re: Compendium Gamenight!
« Reply #14 on: April 14, 2018, 04:48:19 am »
I love Babylon 5 and I love D&D. Alas, I wouldn't have time for any roleplaying campaigns. But I would definitely try to tune in and follow your adventures (if they were posted here)!