[Trinity Continuum] What do you think and what are you doing with it?

[Poppyseed45]

For my purposes, I specifically want to talk about Core, Aberrant and Aeon, and of course, I'm talking the latest versions using Onxypath.

Basically, I REALLY like the system. Like, I really enjoy it so far from what I'm reading. Aberrant is a touch crunchier than I expected. Lots of pieces to characters (Skills, Paths, Edges, Powers, Power Edges, Power Tags, and fiddly bits connected to each of those). At the same time, I think this makes characters pretty differntiated and rich (something that I find a problem with games that are less fiddly for lack of a better term). Also, the game has LOTS of bells and whistles I really like in games, and is starting to affect which games I buy (specifically, I like games with Mass Combat systems and Wealth rules, and strongly appreciate having a "one roll" or "quick" combat option, since I often don't focus games on that much).

So, bascially, this tread is very much looking at people's impressions of the system, and what you've done with it so far, and what you can imagien doing with it in the future.

 

[aramis erak]

I read a friend's copy circa 1997... it was interesting, but not my cuppa, and I continued to use AMSH for supers; I didn't like the setting implications. Was also during the height of my annoyance at WWG for switching from 1S needed against variable TN, to fixed TN for variable successes. Never looked back at it again, tho' the friend in question has run and enjoyed it.

Oh, and welcome! (I figured someone should say it!)

 

[Staffan]

I've been looking into running an Aeon game for a while. The system seems like an OK development of the Storyteller system, and I like the hopeful nature of the setting. My main problem is that it's too big, so it's hard to get a grip on where to begin. I don't mean material-wise – there's not that much Aeon stuff: Aeon Aexpansion for miscellany, Distant Worlds for space, Terra Firma for Earth, Prometheus Unbound for psi orders, and the upcoming Mission Statements for other organizations. But there's nothing really that grabs me and says this is what you do, and other than a demo adventure there's no adventure support either.

Right now I'm leaning toward having the PCs be a group of investigators/troubleshooters for the Aeon Society – a group with diverse skills you send in to investigate and deal with situations where there are lots of unknown variables, so you want a wide variety of abilities available. Then I'll throw them into different situations and seed those situations with some plot hooks, and hopefully they'll bite on some. The metaplot doesn't particularly appeal to me, but there's plenty of other stuff to do.

 

[Poppyseed45]

I read a friend's copy circa 1997... it was interesting, but not my cuppa, and I continued to use AMSH for supers; I didn't like the setting implications. Was also during the height of my annoyance at WWG for switching from 1S needed against variable TN, to fixed TN for variable successes. Never looked back at it again, tho' the friend in question has run and enjoyed it.

Oh, and welcome! (I figured someone should say it!)

Thanks for the welcome!

Also, yeah, the old one was...weird, mechanically. It's one reason it took me so long to get around to this new version from Onxy Path; the old one had so many mechanical weirdnesses (the whole botch thing, or weapon dice added to weapon rolls, meaning the more deadly a weapon, the more likely you were to hit for some reason). But the new one looks pretty good mechically. So far. Been listening to a podcast for Trinity Continuum on Spotify that's sort of clued me in to the changes, which helped me decide to buy it.

 

[Poppyseed45]

I've been looking into running an Aeon game for a while. The system seems like an OK development of the Storyteller system, and I like the hopeful nature of the setting. My main problem is that it's too big, so it's hard to get a grip on where to begin. I don't mean material-wise – there's not that much Aeon stuff: Aeon Aexpansion for miscellany, Distant Worlds for space, Terra Firma for Earth, Prometheus Unbound for psi orders, and the upcoming Mission Statements for other organizations. But there's nothing really that grabs me and says this is what you do, and other than a demo adventure there's no adventure support either.

Right now I'm leaning toward having the PCs be a group of investigators/troubleshooters for the Aeon Society – a group with diverse skills you send in to investigate and deal with situations where there are lots of unknown variables, so you want a wide variety of abilities available. Then I'll throw them into different situations and seed those situations with some plot hooks, and hopefully they'll bite on some. The metaplot doesn't particularly appeal to me, but there's plenty of other stuff to do.

That pretty much fits what the Aeon Society is for (though, given the hopeful theme, as you said, I feel like any of the presented organizations would do, really). Don't have my Aeon book yet but I also really like the hopeful feel of the game settings; I've injested enough jaded grimdark recently, but this feels a bit better for me now.

 

[Staffan]

Thanks for the welcome!

Also, yeah, the old one was...weird, mechanically. It's one reason it took me so long to get around to this new version from Onxy Path; the old one had so many mechanical weirdnesses (the whole botch thing, or weapon dice added to weapon rolls, meaning the more deadly a weapon, the more likely you were to hit for some reason).

They still have some of that last bit. "Better" weapons are mainly handled via enhancements and tags. In order to apply enhancements you need to roll at least one actual success though. The idea is that enhancement combines both accuracy and firepower. Some tags modify this, notably the Brutal tag reducing the cost of a critical hit by one success, and others (Heavy) provide enhancement that only applies toward the Inflict Damage stunt. You also have Scale which mostly comes into play in Aberrant, which lets you buy the cheap Inflict Damage stunt multiple times rather than the expensive Critical stunt.

 

[Poppyseed45]

They still have some of that last bit. "Better" weapons are mainly handled via enhancements and tags. In order to apply enhancements you need to roll at least one actual success though. The idea is that enhancement combines both accuracy and firepower. Some tags modify this, notably the Brutal tag reducing the cost of a critical hit by one success, and others (Heavy) provide enhancement that only applies toward the Inflict Damage stunt. You also have Scale which mostly comes into play in Aberrant, which lets you buy the cheap Inflict Damage stunt multiple times rather than the expensive Critical stunt.

I personally find the first part okay mechanically; it means the extra damage (enchancement) doesn’t matter unless you hit.

For the second, that’s okay too, since criticals represent something different damage-wise than straight damage through the Scale system (though I’ll be honest and say I haven’t read that section yet carefully; homework for me!).

 

[Staffan]

I personally find the first part okay mechanically; it means the extra damage (enchancement) doesn’t matter unless you hit.

For the second, that’s okay too, since criticals represent something different damage-wise than straight damage through the Scale system (though I’ll be honest and say I haven’t read that section yet carefully; homework for me!).

Basically, it works like this:

1. Decide what to roll, e.g. Aim + Dexterity. Roll. Unless you get at least one success, go to step 4.
2. Assuming you had at least one success, add a number of successes equal to enhancement.
3. Spend successes on Difficulty, Complications, and possibly Stunts.
   • For an attack, the Difficulty is the target's Defense. If you can cover that, your attack has connected and you can spend successes on Stunts.
     • The most common Stunt is Inflict Damage, which has a cost equal to the target's Soft Armor. Note that for many antagonists, actual Defense and Soft Armor are combined into just Defense (sometimes with the armor specified, e.g. "Defense 3 (including 2 soft armor)", so in these cases "Defense" is what you need to both hit and hurt them. This speeds things up in most cases, but in case you're trying to do fancy stuff the Storyguide might have to make some calls on how much is actual defense and how much is armor. This inflicts one level of damage on the target.
       • Normally, you can only buy this once per attack. If you have a higher damage Scale than your target, you can buy Inflict Damage once more per point of difference.
       • Someone who doesn't wear any armor has Soft Armor 0.
       • That means that a hit on an unarmored target with upscaled weaponry will automatically deal a number of damage conditions equal to the scale difference. Ouch.
     • There's also a "Critical" stunt for 4 points dealing one level of additional damage, as well as a bunch of other things like knockdown and such.
   • Complications are side effects of doing something that can be bought off and/or mitigated by spending successes on them. For example, if you're trying to shoot someone who's running through a crowd, that would be a complication, and if you don't buy it off you hit a bystander.
     • Sometimes you will have to decide whether to spend successes on actually succeeding or on avoiding complications.
     • Sometimes you won't have enough to do either. Oops.
4. Deal with any consequences, such as damage or unmitigated complications.

 

[Poppyseed45]

Basically, it works like this:

1. Decide what to roll, e.g. Aim + Dexterity. Roll. Unless you get at least one success, go to step 4.
2. Assuming you had at least one success, add a number of successes equal to enhancement.
3. Spend successes on Difficulty, Complications, and possibly Stunts.
   • For an attack, the Difficulty is the target's Defense. If you can cover that, your attack has connected and you can spend successes on Stunts.
     • The most common Stunt is Inflict Damage, which has a cost equal to the target's Soft Armor. Note that for many antagonists, actual Defense and Soft Armor are combined into just Defense(sometimes with the armor specified, e.g. "Defense 3 (including 2 soft armor)", so in these cases "Defense" is what you need to both hit and hurt them. This speeds things up in most cases, but in case you're trying to do fancy stuff the Storyguide might have to make some calls on how much is actual defense and how much is armor. This inflicts one level of damage on the target.
       • Normally, you can only buy this once per attack. If you have a higher damage Scale than your target, you can buy Inflict Damage once more per point of difference.
       • Someone who doesn't wear any armor has Soft Armor 0.
       • That means that a hit on an unarmored target with upscaled weaponry will automatically deal a number of damage conditions equal to the scale difference. Ouch.
     • There's also a "Critical" stunt for 4 points dealing one level of additional damage, as well as a bunch of other things like knockdown and such.
   • Complications are side effects of doing something that can be bought off and/or mitigated by spending successes on them. For example, if you're trying to shoot someone who's running through a crowd, that would be a complication, and if you don't buy it off you hit a bystander.
     • Sometimes you will have to decide whether to spend successes on actually succeeding or on avoiding complications.
     • Sometimes you won't have enough to do either. Oops.
4. Deal with any consequences, such as damage or unmitigated complications.

Ah, I see. Have to reread the section on Soft and Hard armor as well; I realize systems are starting to mix in my head and I'm thinking of Savage Worlds a lot.

 

[Staffan]

Ah, I see. Have to reread the section on Soft and Hard armor as well; I realize systems are starting to mix in my head and I'm thinking of Savage Worlds a lot.

Soft armor: sets the cost of the Inflict Damage stunt.
Hard armor: extra health levels injury condition boxes. Generally resets at the end of the scene. (Notably, some psi powers in Aeon can give you armor with the Hard Armor tag – Gross Manipulation under Biokinesis/Transmogrify and Sheath under Psychokinesis/Thermokinesis. As far as I can tell, there's nothing preventing you from deactivating one of these powers and reactivating it, in order to renew your hard armor.)