Actual Play: Savage Fallout Session 7

I've posted before about bringing new players into existing games, and once again after finding myself at the whims of opposing schedules, I've found myself introducing a new player into a weekly gaming group. This time we welcome Cubbie in as Minnie, the aged ex-madame and no-shit taker.

Somehow my love for Fallout (apparently a shared love) has immunized me to the pitfalls of the unfamiliar player and allowed a solid (if short) session to come through.

This time, the party crosses paths briefly with a wasteland superpower and arrive in Junktown by way of a very truncated travel time. Alliances are made, foes are created, and new love blooms in this week's episode of Savage Fallout.

Enjoy!

Savage Fallout Episode 7: Junktown Junction

Overseer: David Schimpff
Wastelanders: Russell, Clint, Joseph, Sage, and Cubbie.

You can download the episode here.

Analog Setting

Artist's impression of Kepler-16f

Occasionally I go back through my old blog posts for nostalgia's sake, and in those moments I come across campaign or setting ideas that I've done and forgot about, or done and continuously thought about re-doing or actually figuring out how to write a source book for, but never actually engaging in. Sometimes I even find myself pondering how I'd make a certain world work a bit differently than I originally envisioned, because the basic concept of it had either holes in its logic or lore. The one setting I find myself returning to again and again is one I dubbed The Wrong Side of Everything or, as I pitched to my good friend Susan, Dino Poacher RPG.

There was quite a kitchen sink of material I included in the setting, replete with hovercraft, actual dinosaurs, a world bombarded by solar radiation (and occasionally blacked out by solar flares), a virulent and pervasive disease, and a nebulous authority group I dubbed the 'Nicks, as a sort of allusion to a throwaway line from Pitch Black about a mercenary posing as a lawman with a "nickel-slick badge."

The setting was in a post-apocalyptic Earth, but as I figured out more and more of the world, I started to wonder if good old Terra was the best setting for the kinds of hazards I was throwing out. It had some of the appeal of walking through the ruins of previous civilizations, but the game that I ended up running had very little to do with those abandoned cities, and more to do with the scrap towns that sprang up in places with either abundant natural resources of in locations that made sense aesthetically.

There's also the fact that I am absolutely nuts for sci-fi gaming, and I've also been kicking around the idea of a Lost Planet-style setting where humans dwell underground and survive off geothermal energy, while needing to scavenge the surface for...as of yet undefined reasons.

What I want to absolutely avoid, at least in the beginning, is the ability for players to travel through space. With all this in mind, I'm thinking my next (well, first) actual writing project is going to be called Analog, and the overarching premise will be the launching of one-way colonization ships to planets that have been determined to be Earth-Like (Think Interstellar without Matthew McConaughey's investigative ship, I guess. I still haven't seen Interstellar.)

Hopefully I follow through on this, but really, when have I ever done that?

Actual Play: Savage Fallout Session 6

So tonight we tested out some Mass Combat rules, seeing as we were down two players. Everything went pretty smoothly, though it was less interesting for the players themselves, seeing as they weren't leading the battle. However, the combat ended much more swiftly than it would have under standard rules, which gave some time to do some exploring and roleplaying. Apologies for the short episode; next one should be the proper length.

Also to note, the players have now just realized exactly what kind of scale of game they are going to be playing. And they still don't know the half of it. Should be fun.

Enjoy!

Savage Fallout Episode 6: The Battle of Shady Sands
Vault Dwellers: Scott, Joseph, Russell, Sage
Overseer: David Schimpff



You can download the episode here.

Actual Play: Savage Fallout Session 5

I've always been a bit nervous about bringing new players to the table, but tonight's game went off without a hitch. The takeaway from this game is that I've allowed my players to become something violent and blasphemous, and even their previous failures haven't taught them that jumping right to the bloodshed isn't always the correct choice.

In either case, shit gets burned down, Chekhov's Gun has been fired, and the people of Shady Sands have taken their first step towards their inevitable fate.

Enjoy!

Savage Fallout Episode 5: Pros and Khans
Vault Dwellers: Aidan, Scott, Clint, Russell, Sage
Overseer: David Schimpff



You can download the episode here (right click, Save As)

Actual Play: Savage Fallout Session 4

It was really only a matter of time before my players got back to their old mercenary ways; I suppose it's a bit too much of a stretch for them to play any kind of role even resembling a white knight. People in RPGs always seem to want payment for their actions, especially if they're the ones coming up with all the dialogue.

I did get some good opportunities to create some foreshadowing for my players this week, however, but telling you how would be spoiling the fun for my group, which occasionally reads this blog. Veteran Fallout players will recognize it, though!

Enjoy!

Savage Fallout Episode 4: Wrath of the Khans
Vault Dwellers: Aidan, Scott, Clint, Russell, Joseph
Overseer: David Schimpff



You can download the episode here (right click, Save As).

Actual Play: Savage Fallout Session 3

"Into the Wasteland" by Dem0ralizeD

Well folks, here we are with the third session, our players are fully immersed in the wonderful world of Fallout, and their quest to save Vault 13 just got a lot harder.

It seems like my players are picking up the Savage Worlds ruleset a lot faster than I expected, and they are simply trouncing everything I'm throwing at them, which is nice for the flow of the game, but I'm really thinking I'm going to need to come up with something to challenge them and add some tension, or they're going to eat each other alive.

Regardless, we're about to get into the meat of the story of Fallout 1, so I'm super excited for the next few weeks, and I hope you all are, too!

Enjoy!

Savage Fallout Episode 3: Shady Business
Vault Dwellers: Aidan, Scott, Clint, Russell
Overseer: David Schimpff



You can download the episode here (right click, Save As).

RSS Feed Live

"Glossy RSS Icon" by Art-D

Hey everyone! Many thanks to long-time Esoteric Order of Roleplayers listener Miika for suggesting I do something productive with my Memorial day and actually learn about this crazy RSS thing.

Which I did. So I've got a feed now. And six subscribers, apparently!

Which is nice.

Also, big thanks to the Esoteric Order for linking me yet again this week, I've officially passed 10k pageviews, and thusly will begin attempting in earnest to keep up with my Actual Plays.

In any case, if you're reading this, you've probably contributed to those views referenced above, so thanks for checking out Crit This!

6/3/16 Update: 99% of archived Actual Plays are now on the feed. Enjoy!

Actual Play: Savage Fallout Session 2

And here we are, a couple weeks after our first session of Savage Fallout and we have Session 2: Brak Gets a Dog. No, but seriously, I'm having so much fun taking the framework of the first Fallout game and throwing players through it like a sieve.

First impressions on the second episode: combat is very easy, which I have no issues with currently, seeing as the players are just getting started out in the wasteland. Sure, having the Savage Worlds mechanic of Extra/Wild Card enemies makes it so some of the more nerve-wracking enemies in the traditional Fallout sense get a little nerfed so others can really shine, but I think once my players encounter a Deathclaw, they'll be shitting their pants realizing that 'holy fucking shit that thing can spend goddamn bennies.'

I think I'm actively not trying to kill my players in this game, and that doesn't bother me as much as I think it used to. Really, I'm kind of hoping to see how they do without the constant adversity I throw their way in games. Plus they're sitting on alien technology. And rolling like goddamn pros.

The wasteland doesn't have a fucking chance.

Take a listen and enjoy, folks!

Savage Fallout Episode 2: Out of the Wasteland, Into the Vault (15)
Vault Dwellers: Aidan, Scott, Clint, Russell, Joseph
Overseer: David Schimpff



You can download the episode here (right click, Save As).

Actual Play: Scrolls and Swords IV

I've been dropping the ball on uploading my games for a while now, hopefully I've figured out how to not do that anymore. But then again maybe I haven't. Who knows? In any case, here's an oldie back from February of the group getting together to ridiculous it up in some Scrolls and Swords.

Enjoy!

Scrolls and Swords Ep 04: Stuck-U-Buses


You can download the episode here (right click, Save As).

Iron Kingdoms RPG Actual Play Season 2 live!

"Warmachine" by IgorKieryluk

Well folks, I've finally done it. I've uploaded all the backlogged sessions of Season 2 of my Iron Kingdoms game, like I promised I'd do at the beginning of this year. Hooray for me. Feel free to take a listen over at the AP: IKRPG page up top. Hell, I'll even link it for you right here.

Now that I'm changing gears and dragging my players through the wonderful world of Savage Fallout, it will be a bit of time before we discover the results of the Immoren Liberation Front's clash with the Cephalyx.

In the meantime...enjoy!

Actual Play: Savage Fallout Session 1

Well folks, here I am, back again, with a brand new Actual Play series (I know, I know, I'll get to posting the remainder of my IKRPG games...sometime. When I have time. Which will be...sometime.)

Anyway. New shiny! Some backstory: after basically ignoring Fallout 4 for, um (December, January, February, March...) four months- heh, so many fours- I started playing again, got sucked in, then realized exactly how much I really dislike the entirety of that game. Like, so much. So, I started listening to some Fallout Let's Plays on YouTube, and I discovered that there are like TWO Fallout LPs! Maybe more, but I saw 2 after googling for like five minutes! Imagine my shock!

So I started my own Fallout LP, and decided that if I was gonna play through Fallout 1, I'd make my Thursday game play through Fallout 1 right along with me.

Well, after pulling up the latest update to Savage Fallout, I modded a few options on the character sheet and in the various handbooks, and suddenly had a general direction to move in for a five-player team of Vault Dwellers! Also, I had a pre-written campaign that:
a) I know like the back of my hand
b) One of my players knows just as well but also knows not to mess with the meta
c) A group of players who know how to have fun in the gritty wastes of California!

Also, after playing for a bit, I started wondering exactly how much FO 1 and 2 managed to...mess with geography. Like, Vault 13 is apparently almost directly east of San Francisco, but Bakersfield is like a short walk from Vault 15? I dunno, I'll have to look at my official map (which I'll likely need to use for this campaign...maybe. Or I'll keep using the Savage Fallout hex map. Seems more fun that way.

In any case, I'm having so much fun with this game already, it feels completely different than any other pre-gen campaign I've ever run, so hopefully I can keep up the steam. I'll also be posting my first LP pretty soon, so look forward to me linking that, too.

Enjoy!

Savage Fallout Episode 1: Out of the Vault, into the Wasteland
Vault Dwellers: Aidan, Scott, Clint, Russell
Overseer: David Schimpff



You can download the episode here (right click, Save As).

Game Notes:

• Around 1:57, I mistakenly tell Savage Hank not to add his damage dice together; this is in error. However, his modified damage roll of a 10 would still not have been enough to pierce the Radscorpion's Toughness.

Personal Notes:

Okay, I lied. There are like a million Fallout 1 LPs on Youtube. I'm just really lazy, apparently. Too lazy to keep looking, but the opposite of lazy when it comes to actually starting up a Let's Play? I don't fucking know....STOP LOOKING AT ME!

Actual Play: IKRPG Season II Session 7

Here it is, our first entirely combat episode. It's also the last episode of the season so, you know, make an educated guess.

Episode 7: Cephalyx Blues (download)

Actual Play: IKRPG Season II Session 6

The party momentarily forgets their woes as they pillage anything perceived to be of worth in the Orgoth maze. But are they the only ones raiding this tomb?

Episode 6: Blinded by Greed (download)

Actual Play: IKRPG Season II Session 5

Lost in an Orgoth labyrinth, the Immoren Liberation Front must avoid heinous traps (and their mutual distrust) in order to survive and see the sun again.

Episode 5: Lost in the Dark (download)

Actual Play: IKRPG Season II Session 4

The group descends into the blast site to discover its perpetrator and bring him to justice. But will their path be as straight forward as they hope?

Episode 4: Into the Sewers (download)

Actual Play: IKRPG Season II Session 3

With their marching orders set, the Immoren Liberation Front decides to take care of the High Captain's problem the only way they know how: but will their heavy-handed tactics defuse the powder keg politics of Chaser Island?

Episode 3: No Hope for the Future (download)

Actual Play: IKRPG Season II Session 2

Arriving in Five Fingers, the ILF honors their strange invitation and encounters a figure from their recent past, who appears to be strangely...altered.

Episode 2: My Dear Komrades (download)

Actual Play: IKRPG Season II Session 1

Welcome back to IKRPG! Season two kicks off with the Immoren Liberation Front receiving a mysterious and threatening missive.

Episode 1: Every Story Begins With a Journey (download)