Quick Update (OK, not really that quick)

I'm on vacation now for the next two weeks, so I'll post a few things here as I go.  I don't know how often I'll be posting during this time, but it will be at least the scheduled Tuesday and Thursday postings.  This, by the way, might not count as today's post - I have an adventure log I'm working on, which should be finished this afternoon before Date Night with the wife.  Assuming I get enough time to write it.

We played Super Rat again last night, making it down to the fifth level of Dyson's Delve.  The DM has announced that he has the level UP from Dyson's Level 1 done and is planning a wider story arc away from the Delve once we reach a stopping point he has set for the Delve.  [Said another way, we will not be exploring all 11 levels of the Delve as the DM wants to do some stuff away from the dungeon setting.]  I'm interested in seeing what he develops.  He's got a good grasp of the rules mechanics, so I'm curious what kind of world he creates for us to explore.

I've always had an interest in wargaming and historical miniatures.  It's not my primary focus of interest in gaming, but it is something I enjoy doing when I get the opportunity.  I've used the Warhammer Fantasy Battles rules to set up battles for a fantasy RPG campaign I've run in the past (I own a copy of the 1st edition rules, which have the guidelines for point-costing new units properly).  While do-able and enjoyable, there is a limit to what can be effectively fielded and the magic system is radically different from what I use in the RPG.  As a result, I've been looking for something else to use.

This year I came across the Hordes of the Things ruleset and I like what I see (I have the free download of the rules).  This gives me a fairly easy to use set of tactical rules, but now I'd like some campaign rules to go with them.  Reading several blogs in the blogosphere, I came across references to Tony Bath's Ancient Wargaming, which includes his much touted work, Setting Up a Wargames Campaign.  Thanks to a gift from a good friend, I now own this book and it has been placed on the top of my reading stack for a quick reading to see if it is what I want/need.

On a different topic, I am progressing slowly with my ideas for a sci-fi campaign.  I have some basic game mechanic questions I need to work the answer out, like the size of the ship the PCs are using.  A small ship might make sense, but a larger ship allows characters to be off-stage when their player is not able to make the game.  I may do a mix-up and start with a small ship (either a rental or a ship's boat they managed to jury-rig) to get off planet to the "floating hulks" in the star system and then let the PCs select a ship, secure it, and then explore it.  Hmm.  I really like that idea.  Give them a McGuffin piece of software to blow out the Apocalypse Virus from the ship's systems and let them learn about what they've just secured as they go.

The other question I want to consider is: will they have passengers?  I think the answer is "maybe".  I've about decided that I'm going to use the HERO System (FREd version - Fifth Revised Edition for those not familiar), which allows for the possibility of starting characters being on the run from someone or searching for something or just wandering (see: half the main characters in Firefly for examples), and bolt on the relatively system agnostic parts of Traveller I like (the sector, system, and life forms creation sub-systems and maybe the character generation system with an adaption kit between rules sets).  If someone chooses that option, I'm good with it.  If no one does, I'm also good with it.  Eventually the possibility should arise for the players to take on passengers, gamblers, companions, or even a research team.

I've also started working out what possible levels of technology/society will be possible.  This will range from the exceedingly rare (at least at the start) star systems that have also reclaimed the ability to travel the stars to high tech societies with only system wide or orbital only space travel, to complete collapses to alien races moving in on previously human worlds.  That last part will need some more thought.  I want there to be alien races already known, but I want the opportunity to insert new alien races as well.  The Hobgoblin Star Empire should be possible, nay even required.

That's all for now - back to the Southern Reaches adventure log and the Death of Su Bel.  (Heh, heh.)

Inspiring Architecture

My dad and step-mother renewed their wedding vows in Las Vegas this week and (thanks to parental financial assistance) I was there. Elvis was the officiant and a good time was had by all (which I think should tell you a lot about where I get my sense of humor).

What I really want to talk about here is inspiring architecture. My wife and I were staying at the Riviera, which looks like any other hotel you've ever been to, but using a maze-like casino full of slot machines for the lobby. Really? Kind of boring. My dad and step-mother were staying in Cesar's - good lord that was awesome! The grounds outside are awesome, the the casino was awesome, the attached mall was really awesome, and the rooms were pretty cool.

The mall architecture is what I really want to talk about, particularly the entrance from the street. The main area is open to the ceiling, encompassing three floors of mall and a false level above that. Doesn't sound awesome? Imagine that each floor is about two stories tall (except the top floor), the ceiling is an intricate mosaic, and the support pillars are three-story tall statues of Roman goddesses in a classical style. The floors are marble and there is a large fountain in the center. The curved escalators spiral up around a two story tall winged foo-dog.

The whole thing shouted "Temple to The Gods" (if you selectively edit out the storefronts). This was a place adventure could happen. Once I've pulled the pictures from the camera I'll post some links so you can see what I mean. And this was just in the front area of the mall. Later on we passed a different set of fountains and statuary that was just as impressive (if not as large). Sadly, the data stick ran out of space here and I didn't get all the shots I wanted.

Over in the Bellagio, they had seasonal displays, which were running an autumn theme. The effect was like an indoor garden full of over-sized vegetables (actual pumpkins the size of boulders figuring prominently). There was a pair of giant Venus fly traps that were animated to open and close their traps periodically. The effect was like a wizard's garden underground, lit by a sun that was either false or imaged from some other location (it was actually sunset at the time, which emphasized the underground feel, despite being at least two stories above the street level).

Another place that looks good on the outside was the Adventuredome, attached to Circus Circus. During the day it is this immense coppery dome structure, but at night they light it so it looks like red. From the north (from the Top of the World restaurant) it looks like some steampunk structure that has been partially unfolded (again, pictures to follow).

If you want to inspire your players with wondrous locations, Vegas has places that make good models. Check out the architecture wherever you travel for good idea seeds, if not locations you can steal wholesale for use in your games. Imaging large and the players will love you for it and remember your campaigns fondly.

Just, you know, make sure the PCs have things to do in addition to looking around. No one likes listening to a travelogue for 4+ hours.