Hey Man, well this is Babylon

Thanks to Travis Brown, Cannibal Contagion now has discussion forums over on the GoPlay! PDX website. Drop on in if you have questions or ideas!

Finally, all the updates are live. There’s quite a few, which is why this has taken so long to get out:

• Added option rule in the Gear section for “inventory slot” mechanics, allowing a simulation of the Survival-Horror game inventory management.
• The “Threat Pool” and NPC sections of the GM side of the book have been almost entirely re-written, and completely reorganized. NPCs are now purchased with fewer Threat Pool tokens, and enter the game with frequently-higher Threat scores. They’re supposed to be dangerous, and now they are.
• Expanded section on game themes, and how to effectively incorporate them.
• More info in both the Player Tips and CiC Tips sections.
• A bit more detail in the introductory scenario. Still working on that one.
• A large handful of errata updates, typo fixes, and corrections to outdated information.
• Added spacers for several future additions, such as Index, character sheets, and a few planned art pieces.
• A few more sections of example text have been added.
• Added advice for using player-framed scenes.

The updated rules and sheets can be found here, as usual. Next on the immediate design list is to create some additional helper cards, to assist with management of the optional limited inventory system.

In Cannibal Contagion, the CiC uses the Threat Pool to create NPCs, directly purchasing their Threat scores with points from the pool. As it currently stands, the mechanics for creating NPCs and generating Threat are.. well… a tad sloppy.

Today I had a new idea that I’m considering using instead. This would make the Threat Pool system a lot more modular, less haphazard, and give the CiC a lot more control over the NPCs and Dangers without overburdening him with oodles of tokens. Here’s the idea:

The CiC would use tokens from the Threat Pool to purchase an NPC, with the token cost being based upon the NPC’s Role. Fodder NPCs would cost 1 token, Hindrances 2, Minions 4, Big Bads 6, and Bigger-Badder-Big-Bads 10. Once brought into the game, the CiC then draws cards to determine their actual Threat scores. If you’re using the little NPC cards, it’s really easy to then just set the drawn cards beside or underneath the associated NPC card for quick reference in play. For Fodder, draw two and keep the lowest. For Hindrances, draw 1. For Minions, draw 2 and keep the highest, for Big Bads draw three and add together the highest two, and for BBBBs draw four and add together the highest three.

In this system, the actual composition of the NPC is still irrelevant: a Threat 5 Hindrance could just as easily be a group of five zombies as it could be one really tough zombie.

Threat Pool could still also be used as Awesome tokens as per normal rules. The amount of Threat pool available would decrease significantly, though. I’m thinking, at the beginning of each scene the CiC gains 1 for each scene that has passed and one for each player at the table.

Whaddaya think?

There will most likely be a new update to the Cannibal Contagion playtest rules in the next day or so. I’ve been adding spacers for art, ads, character profiles, and an index. Additionally, I’m working on a somewhat thick section on evoking game themes, such as survival, macabre humor, and paranoia, among others. I’ve also added a few additional rules and clarifications, including a section on mechanical limitations on a character’s Gear (thank you, Resident Evil!).

As usual, when the update is ready, look for it on this blog.

- NPC

I’m currently gathering requests for back-of-the-book ads for the Cannibal Contagion book. The final print format will be 5.5 x 8.5, and I’m looking at filling four pages with ads for other gaming things. Maybe two pages of full-page ads, and then two pages with two half-page ads each.

Advertising will likely just be free. Lemme know if you have a good gaming-related product or something to advertise, and we’ll talk! Products should of course be things available at or after the intended December 2008 publication date.

Update: One page filled already by Orcusville! Three left.

- NPC

On Sunday, I watched the HD version of the new Watchmen trailer eleven times. I’ve watched it many more since then. I want this movie very badly. I just this weekend finished reading the complete series for the first time, and I’m really amazed by it. I doubt anything I could say about it hasn’t already been said, so in short, I’ll just say that it was Amazing.

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I seriously need to get some firearm training…

I meant to do this Friday, but only just now found the time to get around to it. The playtest rules have been updated considerably:

• Added placeholders for four pre-generated example characters
• Removed the Agsomafa mechanics
• Updated the Showdown outcomes: now the total play pile = Hurtin’, and faces and aces can be exchanged for Facts and Awesome tokens
• Added two new Joker-specific power maneuvers to replace the Agsomafa. One mechanic involves an all-or-nothing desperate move, the other allows you a boosted result should you win with a joker.
• Updated glossary
• Updated character sheets and accessory cards
• Removed the Awesome-for-Hurtin’ weapon modifier

The updated rules and sheets can be found here, as usual.

I’ve decided to start the process of adding example text to the book. Currently, I believe the only play examples I have in the text are for Character Creation and for the basic Quick-Draw and Showdown mechanics. To those of you who have read the rules, or played the game, what areas do you think could most benefit from example text blocks?

This morning, a new train of thought regarding the Agsomafa started moving in my brain. This idea involves eliminating it entirely, and replacing it with a more versatile “desperation” mechanic. Instead of a one-shot super-attack, this new idea would introduce two Joker-based mechanics, one geared around the theme of “double or nothing” and the other around “balls to the wall” aggression.

Change #1: Double or Nothing, or “Hail Mary”

The Hail Mary mechanic would allow the player to try for a drastic last-ditch all-or-nothing effort at a crucial time. This would be evoked after a Showdown has been declared, but before any cards have been dealt. The player would blow their entire reserve of Awesome tokens, and start drawing cards from the deck. They keep drawing until either they have drawn an amount = the # of tokens they dumped, or they draw a Joker, or the deck runs out of cards, whichever happens first. If the player happens to draw a joker, then she wins the Showdown with an outcome = the # of cards drawn, including the Joker. If the player does not draw a joker, then the opponent wins with the same outcome (and the player is out all that awesome). Using this mechanic, of course, requires suitable intense narration.

Change #2: Balls to the Wall

This mechanic involves playing a Joker during a Showdown. When played, unless countered by an opponent playing another Joker (canceling both out), the player can immediately burn Awesome tokens to add additional Hurtin’ to the result. The maximum amount of Awesome that the player can spend in this fashion is equal to the number of cards currently in the play pile, Joker included. Like the Hail Mary, this requires suitable narration.

Change #3: Tweaking the Outcome

Now, this all brings me to something else that’s been bugging me, and this time it doesn’t have anything to do with the Agsomafa. I feel the outcome mechanic (Effects, Facts, and Hurtin’) needs to be tweaked just a teeny tiny bit. Here’s what I think I’m gonna change it to, in short form. When you win a Showdown, the number of cards in the final spread (the cards played by all involved contestants) determines the amount of Hurtin’ you can deal. Each Ace or Face can be exchanged for either an additional Fact added to the moment, or a bonus Awesome token. Cards used for Facts or Tokens do not count towards the Hurtin’ total, however.

What are your thoughts?