PbtA Games: Sell One Well +

[Reynard]

There was a kickstarter called "Broken World" in the first generation of new PbtA way back in 2014. It funded, but myself and 355 of my never-yet-met friends did not receive anything for it - except maybe a first draft pdf

In thinking about Gonzo Post Apoc, I'm wondering what are the player archetypes that can make strong playbooks?
In fact, what are the cultural touchstones for this type of game beyond other RPGs?

Going to go out on a limb, but for a PbtA to work well, feels like it needs to be grounded in some very clear cultural touchstones so that the moves can emulate those touchstone tropes very clearly. Beyond mutations, what else does Gonzo Post Apoc have that say, Mad Maxian post apoc (emulated by AW) doesn't have? In other words, could you just play AW, but add mutations? If not, why not? Hmmmm

Gamma World was inspired by post apocalyptic science fantasy of the 60s and 70s. There's as much "cultural touchstone" for gonzo post Apocalypse as there is for Dungeon World.

The core of gonzo post Apocalypse is weird mutants (the protagonists) surviving in a world where the remnants of humanity's ultimate excesses are a constant threat. There is hope for civilization but it is distant and tenuous.

 

[JAMUMU]

iirc, there was a fan-made playbook for OG AW that was a psychic guy with a Lovecraftian old one capable of destroying the world stuffed inside a suitcase. I'm a milquetoast kinda guy, but I think that's pretty gonzo.

 

[billd91]

Spirit of 77 and no mention of disco and the Bee Gees?!?

 

[overgeeked]

If they exist, what are good PbtA games for the following genres:

Zombie Apocalypse

Zombie World is amazing.

 

[pemerton]

threadbust alert

Can you share anything you care to about your CT inspired by AW? (perhaps in another thread or DM me)

/threadbust

I've got a lot of actual play threads. Here's the latest one (and I'm a bit shocked to see it's nearly two years ago!) and it has links that go back to earlier ones: Classic Traveller session

 

[Crusadius]

...City of Mists? Someone who's actually read the whole book, or played it, tell me how wrong I am.

Yeah, you can totally describe City of Mist as "Whatever genre it is Neil Gaiman writes" if you're wanting American Gods or even The Sandman - the system would allow you to create those kinds of characters, it is quite flexible if you want some sort of urban-supernatural-fantasy game.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

threadbust alert

Can you share anything you care to about your CT inspired by AW? (perhaps in another thread or DM me)

/threadbust

Zombie Apocalypse: Zombie World is probably your best bet - in fact a lot of people seem to feel that Zombie World is one of the best onramps to PbtA

Gonzo Post Apocalypse - you mean like Mutant Crawl Classics or Gamma World?

A PbtA version of the ORIGINAL Gamma World would be cool. "We have the power, the choice is yours!"

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

There was a kickstarter called "Broken World" in the first generation of new PbtA way back in 2014. It funded, but myself and 355 of my never-yet-met friends did not receive anything for it - except maybe a first draft pdf

In thinking about Gonzo Post Apoc, I'm wondering what are the player archetypes that can make strong playbooks?
In fact, what are the cultural touchstones for this type of game beyond other RPGs?

Going to go out on a limb, but for a PbtA to work well, feels like it needs to be grounded in some very clear cultural touchstones so that the moves can emulate those touchstone tropes very clearly. Beyond mutations, what else does Gonzo Post Apoc have that say, Mad Maxian post apoc (emulated by AW) doesn't have? In other words, could you just play AW, but add mutations? If not, why not? Hmmmm

Yeah, I'm not sure about 'cultural' maybe, but it has to speak clearly to a specific vision. You can't make a PbtA that is like "generic space opera", you need specific tightly drawn character archetypes, a tight agenda, etc. that all fit together. Like, I could see a PbtA that would reproduce the sort of "Classic Traveller, we got a Free Trader, we're just booting around trying to make rent." sort of game. It would probably NOT do other sorts of Traveller games, like Mercenary Dudes, or something like that.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Spirit of 77 and no mention of disco and the Bee Gees?!?

Absolutely best forgotten, wipe it from your mind. Has the history eraser malfunctioned?

 

[Mallus]

Our next campaign is going to be about a trial program of roller-skating cops in Santa Monica in 1977. Like a cross between CHIPS and Roller Boogie with some Barney Miller mixed in.

Spirit of ‘77 is the prefect system for this (also the inspiration). Does that sell or unsell it? I don’t know.