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  1. Breaking Star Games

    What is the GM's Most Important Job?

    Well the first part and second are together - I am a fan of Game of Thrones' characters (except that last season) even when the dice fall and they die. But yeah most PbtA games also have an Agenda of Make the World Seem Real and a rule of Say What the Rules Demand. So you shouldn't hold back on...
  2. Breaking Star Games

    What is the GM's Most Important Job?

    Being a Fan of the Player Characters. It means a lot. You aren't antagonistic, you are collaborative leaving room for the players to tell their stories - giving them a chance to signal what they are excited about. You are genuinely interested in following them like you do for your favorite TV...
  3. Breaking Star Games

    Grading the Genesys System

    I think of myself as pretty good at improv-ing interesting consequences after running quite a bit of Blades in the Dark and Scum & Villainy, but when playing Edge of the Empire, those dice could throw you for a curveball. It was pretty exhausting keeping up with them especially with how many...
  4. Breaking Star Games

    What makes a "bad GM" or a "bad player"?

    I think I can boil it down even further to not respecting the fellow people at the table. If everyone is coming from a place where they regard the others feelings with appreciation and support, I think that covers most bad behaviors - even bad fit where they will either flex or understand its...
  5. Breaking Star Games

    Modiphius Announces Star Trek Adventures 2nd Edition

    Always appreciate designers going back and improving the experience. You learn so much especially when you get a whole community playing and discussing their experience, so I love designers who do this. Its very much against human nature to stick to one project for so much time - I know all too...
  6. Breaking Star Games

    Grading the Burning Wheel System

    A player can buy into a premise (even a niche one) but have lots of choice that truly guides the game. Just like how Masks has a very tight focus on teen drama superheroes. Players making decisions is pretty core to Torchbearer - whether it be how they proceed in dangerous environments...
  7. Breaking Star Games

    Grading the Burning Wheel System

    I ran into the issue of fellow players not writing very good Beliefs that have solid short term objectives that we can always hit on each session. Its really tough and one of the games I had to do the most reflection and brainstorming on what kind of Beliefs to write and learning how to write...
  8. Breaking Star Games

    Kickstarter Deal-Breakers (Poll)

    The one I selected that is most controversial (as in only 22% of people voted for it) is the shipping schedule. If its not going to be delivered until a VERY long time, then there is no way I am planning to back it. I don't even know what I am getting because its not done being designed and...
  9. Breaking Star Games

    Things I Wish Publishers Did/Included?

    Now some of mine are more commentary on designers than publishers but its fair to put in. One thing I would love a game that hired an artist to just commission tons of profile images of characters that fit their setting. Especially for very unique settings. Its a great resource to put a face to...
  10. Breaking Star Games

    Do TTRPGs Need to "Modernize?"

    Usually when I see people bring up modern boardgames and compare them to modern TTRPGs, its how innovative various mechanics are: deckbuilding, interesting scoring methods, Dutch auction, action programming, monster AI, multi-use cards, etc. And these are very cool, but I don't think it...
  11. Breaking Star Games

    Recurring silly comment about Apocalypse World and similar RPGs

    I think unfortunately the answer is based on what you and your table of players will find the most exciting. The more passion you have with the genre/themes, the more fun the game will be. Six to eight sessions for a lot of PbtA can be nearly a full campaign since most of its mechanics are so...
  12. Breaking Star Games

    TTRPGs that have a "Wagon Train to the Stars" feel?

    I really like how Starforged has a focused and fast set of tables for building out planets, people and ships - the game is designed to be played solo, but can also handle like 3 PCs and a GM. It has some decent point crawl rules with more abstracted/narrative resources under simply a 5 HP bar of...
  13. Breaking Star Games

    Your TTRPG Design Principles?

    Beyond the overall goals of being fun, interesting and meaningful. I really like: Collaborative Storytelling is the focus. Whether that looks like your traditional sandbox and prep for your next session or PbtA's Play to Find Out - I just want the players' contribution to be a large part of the...
  14. Breaking Star Games

    Blades in the Dark Advice Please?

    Those "Push to..." can definitely be similar to Playbook Moves. Like the Superhuman feat was definitely inspired by Apocalypse World's "NOT TO BE naughty word WITH" which lets the Gunlugger fight like they are a small gang. But that is just always on when they fight. Also its less loose than the whole...
  15. Breaking Star Games

    Blades in the Dark Advice Please?

    I really appreciate Apocalypse World for popularizing not using weirdly Simulationist stats in TTRPGs. I agree that it would be a lot better if instead of Hard, it was Ruthless. Cunning instead of Sharp. Charming instead of Hot. In general, there is a lot more jargon that has caused issues than...
  16. Breaking Star Games

    What is Success in the RPG Industry?

    For me personally, its to just have my game completed and I can enjoy it with friends. And MAYBE even get to be a player in it.
  17. Breaking Star Games

    R. Talsorian Games Announces Shadow Scar

    It hits on some of my favorite touchstones (Cowboy Bebop is probably my favorite show of all time). It'll definitely be something I want to keep an eye out for - I especially love that it looks to be yokai bounty hunting. I've heard about issues with rules organization of Cyberpunk RED, which...
  18. Breaking Star Games

    BitD Fantasy or best FitD game to play fantasy? Tell me about it!

    Not Forged in the Dark, but Root: The RPG is has much of Blades in the Dark DNA like playing highly competent Rogues with Load, Flashbacks, Stress and a Skill List. But it has traditional PbtA Basic Moves and GM Moves and not as fixed of a play structure. In Root, Downtime isn't a separate phase...
  19. Breaking Star Games

    Do players want challenging games, with a real chance of death?

    I am usually here for the drama. I think of death as one of the least dramatically interesting consequences. I would prefer to see my character at their lowest than to get the easy way out from all the drama. What is more interesting is losing much or all that they care about it. Death lets them...
  20. Breaking Star Games

    MCDM's New Tactical TTRPG Hits $1M Crowdfunding On First Day!

    I thought I've seen it as standard or best practice to have a playtest doc with pretty much complete and playable core rules before getting funding. Seems a lot of Kickstarters were to pay for art, layout editing and of course printing/shipping. Maybe not a red flag to not have it finished but...
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