[BLADERUNNER] Updated EARLY ACCESS materials.

[ruemere]

Hello there,

I have just received a notification that EARLY ACCESS materials for BLADERUNNER Core Rulebook and Starter Set were updated in my library at DriveThruRPG. According to the notifications the changes were:
(Core Rulebook):
"The changes are mostly cosmetic, except a few minor tweaks in the timeline on page 14-15."
The file:
Blade_Runner_Core_Rules_220803.pdf

(Starter Set):
"The changes are mostly cosmetic, except a few clarifications and typo fixes in Electric Dreams (all included in the final print file as well). Also, a booklet with condensed rules has been added."
The impressive list of files in the Starter Set:
Blade_Runner_RPG_Case_File_Report_220801.pdf
Blade_Runner_RPG_Case_File_Time_Tracker_2.pdf
Blade_Runner_RPG_LA_Map_220801.pdf
Blade_Runner_RPG_Playing_Cards_220801.pdf
Blade_Runner_RPG_Starter_Electric_Dreams_.pdf
Blade_Runner_RPG_Starter_Handout_Maps_220801.pdf
Blade_Runner_RPG_Starter_Handouts_220801.pdf
Blade_Runner_RPG_Starter_Pregenerated_Cha.pdf
Blade_Runner_RPG_Starter_Rules_220801.pdf

That said, here a few observations:

1. The retro SF look is ingenious, immaculate and incredible. I fell in love with the Coriolis graphics, Alien bleakness, Tales of the Loop alienation, and here is yet another unbelievably well done mix of style in the service of substance: washed out backgrounds, brutally thick characters built to last, neon colors that hide bleakness beyond them, everpresent light pollution.

2. Everything is graphics-heavy. My in-game advice is to use plain Google Docs for character sheets and copy'n'paste handouts. Google Docs scale well to mobile devices, so it is unlikely that the people at your table are going to have issues with using them.

3. The system changed since Aliens and Vaesen. It appears to be more polished, however as I haven't playtested, that's just an educated guess.
The original year zero engine (http://frank-mitchell.com/rpg/year-zero-engine-ogl/; Year Zero Engine OGL) works like this:
a) assemble your dice pool: d6 * (ATTRIBUTE_VALUE + SKILL_VALUE).
b) modify the quantity of dice for difficulty, tools, advantage, health, advantage.
c) roll and count 6s (a single 6 is a success, however in some cases you need to get more successes, or the more you get the better, or you need to get more than your opponent).
d) if you fail, you may declare a push, which is a full reroll at a cost (where the cost depends on a particular system).

The Blade Runner version:
a) your pool is two dice, ATTRIBUTE_DIE and SKILL_DIE, you may also get a third die, an ADVANTAGE_DIE. A Disadvantage means you lose a die from the pool.
b) a DIE can be d6, d8, d10, d12.
c) roll and count successes, each 6+ is a success, each 10+ counts as two successes.
d) if you fail, you may declare a push, a full reroll of the dice. The cost happens only and for every "1" you roll during the push.

4. Character creation is improved.
Despite the simplicity of the system, the character creation usually took quite long due to the length of list of options - you had to engage the players, explain stuff, and then wait for them to make the choice. This time, we have a detailed check list (14 steps) with an option to roll in case you don't want to take the long way.
Oh, and Strength still appears to be the least attractive of attributes.

 

[Grendel_Khan]

I don’t think it’s accurate to say the system is more polished. It’s tuned differently, as they’ve been doing with all of their YZE games. It’s similar to how Modiphius tweaks 2d20 mechanics for different games.

 

[nyvinter]

The Blade Runner version:
a) your pool is two dice, ATTRIBUTE_DIE and SKILL_DIE, you may also get a third die, an ADVANTAGE_DIE. A Disadvantage means you lose a die from the pool.
b) a DIE can be d6, d8, d10, d12.
c) roll and count successes, each 6+ is a success, each 10+ counts as two successes.
d) if you fail, you may declare a push, a full reroll of the dice. The cost happens only and for every "1" you roll during the push.

I think this was first seen with Twilight 2000 which in turn was a refinement on the Forbidden Lands that introduced the die steps (but still kept the dice pool).

 

[Grendel_Khan]

I think this was first seen with Twilight 2000 which in turn was a refinement on the Forbidden Lands that introduced the die steps (but still kept the dice pool).

Again, this assumes they have a single version of the engine that's getting refined over time. They use multiple dice types for some games and d6s for others, panic sometimes, sometimes not. Vaesen and Alien both came out after Forbidden Lands, and both use d6 pools. So far they've modified the mechanics for every YZE game they've put out.

 

[nyvinter]

They've used 1's for bad stuff in some games and not others but over all they've used the same mechanics. T2K and now Blade Runner are the two that has had significant change in how the dice work, so I'd argue that we now have two different forks of YZE. Before we just had slight variations.

 

[Grendel_Khan]

They've used 1's for bad stuff in some games and not others but over all they've used the same mechanics. T2K and now Blade Runner are the two that has had significant change in how the dice work, so I'd argue that we now have two different forks of YZE. Before we just had slight variations.

The details really matter, though, like how different the Push mechanics are across all of those games. And even if it's true that there are now two main forks (never mind that BR does advantage while T2K does more granular steps up and down in dice types, plus T2K has ammo dice and BR has nothing like it), that means there's still no single engine that's being refined or updated. Different mechanics for different games. Like I said upthread, it's the same as when people present 2d20 as a single, uniform system, and then get boggled by how different Dune is from Achtung Cthulhu and how different both are from Conan. Companies with house systems don't seem to be taking the GURPS or Hero route anymore. Can make it tricky to parse things, but in most cases I think it makes for better design.

 

[ruemere]

Well, as I said: "it appears to be polished".

I haven't mentioned Twilight 2000 or Forbidden Lands since I haven't had sufficient experience with these variations of the game engine.

Now, the "polished" part of my opinion comes from my reading of the early access materials. It looks good on presentation level, the explanation of rules is smooth and clear, and throughout the reading I was enjoying the clarity of content.

I haven't played it yet, so I am reserving my opinion until then.

 

[Grendel_Khan]

Well, as I said: "it appears to be polished".

I haven't mentioned Twilight 2000 or Forbidden Lands since I haven't had sufficient experience with these variations of the game engine.

Now, the "polished" part of my opinion comes from my reading of the early access materials. It looks good on presentation level, the explanation of rules is smooth and clear, and throughout the reading I was enjoying the clarity of content.

I haven't played it yet, so I am reserving my opinion until then.

Well, you said, "The system changed since Aliens and Vaesen. It appears to be more polished..." and then went on to directly compare the mechanics of BR and older YZE games. So...if words mean anything, you were definitely saying that the system is more polished.

I'm just trying to point out what's really going on in their various games, because the idea of seemingly universal or house systems has changed in recent years. In a lot of cases there's no longer a standard or typical approach that they use, just an underlying mechanic that varies across specific games.

 

[ruemere]

Well, you said, "The system changed since Aliens and Vaesen. It appears to be more polished..." and then went on to directly compare the mechanics of BR and older YZE games. So...if words mean anything, you were definitely saying that the system is more polished.

I'm just trying to point out what's really going on in their various games, because the idea of seemingly universal or house systems has changed in recent years. In a lot of cases there's no longer a standard or typical approach that they use, just an underlying mechanic that varies across specific games.

Look, "The system changed since Aliens and Vaesen. It appears to be more polished..." contains two separate items:

• the system changed.
• the system appears to be more polished.

The former is a definitive statement.
The latter is a tentative opinion.

The latter is tentative because I haven't playtested it (incidentally, I am running a Vaesen campaign right now and mourn somewhat awkward mechanics).

I do not mean to challenge the validity of your opinion, I merely try to base my opinions on certain familiarity with the material, and I judge my familiarity with Bladerunner RPG to be lacking. That's all.

 

[aramis erak]

I think this was first seen with Twilight 2000 which in turn was a refinement on the Forbidden Lands that introduced the die steps (but still kept the dice pool).

There are two HUGE differences between T2K and BR...

• Minimum Skill
  • T2K, it's no die.
  • BR d6
• Difficulty and dice mods
  • T2K size of dice shifts between 1d6 and 2d12
    • Autofire adds extra dice, but success has to be on the core dice to succeed at hitting
  • BR number of dice thrown, 1, 2, or 3.
    • If more bad than good conditionals, roll only the larger die of skill or attribute
    • if more good than bad, add another of the smaller die.
    • if same or none,

A few important others

• differences in the skill lists - 12 vs 13
  • BR's 13th is on vehicle's handling as the att.
• Character gen is
  • T2K: template or lifepath
  • BR: template with age effects
• Suppressive fire
  • T2K: natural effect of autofire; triggers a CUF check.
  • BR: called shot, does stress instead of damage
• Combat distances
  • T2k: 10m hexes
  • BR: Zones, which "... can vary from a few steps across up to about 25 meters."
• General approach to situation mods
  • T2K: simulationist, but not extensive.
  • BR: story focused