Other Games

Weapons of the Gods is an RPG based on a wu-xia comic. Its basic resolution mechanic is very similar to ORE: Roll a variable number of d10s and look for matches. A set of matching dice is converted to a numerical result equal to width*10 + height. Thus, for example, a 3x1 is read as 31. (Sets of only one die are allowed and 10s are read as 0s, so the worst possible result is a 1x0, which is read as 10.)

"Zounds, the Visigoth has kidnapped the members of the Senate and is holding them ransom unless we pull out from Gaul! Quick, light the signal pyre to call the Justice League. The Gladiator, the Praetor, the Fascist, and Purple Toga will make short work of this problem!"

As is typical, the dead rise up from their graves and shamble around, seeking to slay the living. Civilization collapses and chaos reigns. After a few months of this, the survivors see three great glowing presences in the sky, which identify themselves as Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, the gods of humanity. Long ago, they used to visit the Earth regularly and do battle with the dark god Lucifer, but that ended when all swore to a pact to leave humanity to its own devices.

So, two recent threads on the Technocracy have combined in my head with wishful thinking regarding Victorian Age Mage and my current reading of Castle Falkenstein to produce a total trainwreck of a setting idea: Alternate universe steampunk Mage, with the Technocracy as actual good guys.

So, in one of my random insane musings, I had a flash of insight regarding a new setting for Paranoia. It would take place inside the Omega Complex, where all Comrades work loyally for the good of the people's collective. (Remember, the Collective is your family.) Everyone is ever wary about the threat of Capitalist agents, who can often be identified by their lack of furry hats and/or mustaches. People without mustaches might also be throwbacks who do not possess proper mutant powers.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — 31 March 2001

Steve Jackson Games is proud to announce that it has acquired a license from Wizards of the Coast to convert its GURPS role-playing game to the industry-standard d20 system. The award-winning GURPS game has long provided a universal system for multiple genres. Converting to the new d20 standard will better allow Steve Jackson Games to cooperate with other companies and produce products more accessible to the general gaming public.

Role-playing games are simply games where each player takes on the persona of some fictional individual in some situation, and then attempts to act out what this person would do. Everyone's played role-playing games before, even if they don't know it. House, Doctor, and Cowboys N' Indians are some classics enjoyed by children. While children find these games great, adults get tired of them very quickly because there's only as many characters as there are players, which limits interactions, and disputes always arise along the lines of who yelled "Bang!" first.