Those Dark Places RPG Actual Play with Guest GM, designer Jonathan Hicks

Just had a great time with @DougVCGaming on the channel, the stream is available right now!

'THOSE DARK PLACES' RPG available now!

My sci-fi roleplaying game is available now! It can be purchased from most outlets in hardback, e-book, PDF and Kindle.

What will you find in the deep dark?

Those Dark Places Tabletop RPG Actual Play

I've just had a really fun ttrpg session with Dicebreaker on their channel playing Those Dark Places!

Check it out!

The Farsight Podcast Episode 9 - My TTRPG 'Those Dark Places'

A bit of self-promotion - a brief look at my RPG 'Those Dark Places' out on November 26th 2020!

It's taken the better part of 3 years to get to this moment, but I've finally got the printed book in my hands. In three weeks it'll be on general release. I'm so happy with this. So very, very happy.

Pookie review here

Garblag Games playthrough here

Book details here

Reviews from R'lyeh: Blue Collar Sci-Fi Horror II

The first review of 'Those Dark Places' is out, and I'm happy with that!

Reviews from R'lyeh: Blue Collar Sci-Fi Horror II: In the ecologically ravaged future, twelve billion people live on Earth in environmentally sealed kilometre high city blocks clustered aroun...

A look at the Those Dark Places Roleplaying Game from Osprey Games

 A bit of self-promotion - a brief look at my RPG 'Those Dark Places' out on November 26th 2020!

The Garblag Games playthrough is here.

I have the book in my hands!

 I finally have it. I have it in my hands.

It's taken the better part of 3 years to get to this moment, but I've finally got the printed book in my hands. In three weeks it'll be on general release.

I'm so happy with this. So very, very happy.

Those Dark Places RPG - Designer's Blog #6

So, why did I decide to design a story-driven game?

When I first started to put Those Dark Places together I thought about what kind of system I would like to use and I wondered how much detail I would need. I looked at crunchy systems with plenty of detail and thought about all kinds of ways to roll all kinds of dice. However, the more I planned the more I realised that I didn't want to create a simulation; I wanted to create a story.

I love my crunchy games but the older I get the less I want to have to remember things from a hefty rulebook as I'm more about keeping the story flowing. There's one major thing I dislike in some games and that's when the story gets to a tense, dramatic moment and suddenly... a ruling has to be made and the GM/player spends time on sorting modifiers, perhaps flipping pages to get a reminder, perhaps consulting tables to get a result, and any tension that has been built to that point is suddenly lost in the rush to figure out 'how this plays out'. Instead of a flowing, action-packed moment there's a sudden lull, and the story falters in favour of the mechanics.

There's a time and a place for crunch in a game but it's something I wanted to remove from Those Dark Places so that I could focus on the story. It's also why the die used changed over time, from a D20 to a D12 (my favourite die!) and finally to the humble D6. The other dice were great but they were giving me results that didn't suit the kind of game I was trying to design, but the D6 gave me everything I needed, and the three levels of success - Yes/No/Yes, but... - were adding tension to the sessions.

At this point I decided to drop a whole slew of rules I had written for starships in the game. Vessels are huge lumbering things built for labour and as I wrote the game I realised that rules for them were superfluous at this stage of the game's development. They are simply a means to an end, and A to B plot device, and stats for them would simply be another set of rules that would detract from what I was trying to do with the game. That's not to say there won't be rules for them in the future...

I also chose a story-focused game because I really enjoy that sense of collaborative and spontaneous storytelling. The idea that the players can make some dicey decisions (considering how the levels of success can really turn things upside down) and roleplay out situations is great, but the sudden changes in the flow of the story thanks to certain die rolls or player input forces creativity from the GM and the players alike; how the GM handles the die results to really make the players sweat and how the players handle the pressure and react to the uncertain situations the mechanics provide can really create memorable and fun sessions as the group stumbles in the dark.

Take my recent session with Garblag Games for example; one of the players mentioned his PC's father as a drunken loser who he didn't care for and that immediately gave me an idea. Instead of a random corpse screaming in the PC's face - you'll have to watch the video to understand what I'm talking about (just watch out for the profanity) - I decided it was going to be an image of the PC's father, and we even ended the one-shot on that note. The players making comments like this immediately sparked ideas as to how I could adapt and adjust the situation to make it more personal to their PCs, and I didn't have to worry about mechanics or how it affected the rules. I decided on a change and just went for it.

Could you do this with any other RPG? Most likely, but Those Dark Places pushes the mechanics to the rear and focuses on the drama unfolding at the table, the rules are so simple that they fade into the background and the GM and the players don't have to give them a second thought as they plough through the story. The drama takes centre stage and the die is simply there to help.

Of course, that's how I play it. Once the book is in your hands, how the game unfolds is completely up to you... 

My MERP character Tere Swordsong and 'Against The Darkmaster'

So, Tere Swordsong. He's my favourite ever player character

I created Tere as a Scout for MERP, the original ICE boxset. He was good with a sword and bow but quite useless at everything else. He had average stats and not much else; I didn't know him as a character and didn't bother with a detailed background. In fact, he never has had any background and his life basically starts as he enters the Inn of the Last Bridge, the location in the Trollshaws for the first adventure in the original boxset. As a treat, the GM allowed me to have two mountain lions as pets and, as unpredictable as they were, they were great companions. 

Tere had quite a life - he ran through the adventures in the Trollshaws, then rescued captured elves, searched a run-down keep and uncovered a plot to raise an army and sweep across the land (this was pre-War of the Ring). Hr helped raise army, defended a castle, explored ruins for magical aide, set up a treaty with some elves and won the day, losing a mountain lion and an eye in the process.

The adventures got bigger and bigger, so big that the GM moved the action from Middle-Earth and created a fantasy version of Europe for Tere to adventure in, so that his deeds could grow, his renown increase and his legend become known across the land. This also freed the GM from the constraints of Middle-Earth; now he could create any kind of adventure he wanted and surprise me at his pleasure.

Tere had plenty of friends he fought alongside; Minastir the swordsman (he made bad decisions but was a good friend), the golden-haired brothers Eoner and Errone (steadfast and reliable), the elf-maiden Minwe (she could not talk but fought well, and they ended up married with children), and Minwe's brother who helped seal the treaty between Tere and the Elves.

Tere ended up with a family and, with his riches and fame, he bought the Inn of the Last Bridge to retire in, and he hung up trophies on the wall to commemorate his life and the lives of those he lost; the collars of his mountain lions, Minastir's two swords, the spears of the brothers, and various trophies and mementos. And that's where he's been since 1990.

The GM ran the games with such intensity that the sessions got incredibly melodramatic, driven and emotionally engaging. It was the first time I'd played a game where the characters drove the story, not the adventure design or a dungeon layout or a railroaded sequence of events. I truly found the campaign engaging because I made a difference, and it was where my love for story-focused narrative gaming began.

Now, MERP was great fun but could be cumbersome and there was no real way to communicate a character's motivation. The rules were mainly just numbers on a sheet of paper. I created Tere with a simple aim; he was going to do good, and help people as best as he could. And he did so, and that was all I needed for him. A sword, a bow, and a desire to be a hero. Since he retired, I never intended to play him again.

However, a new game has entered the fold. 'Against the Darkmaster' from Open Ended Games is a revamp of old MERP and Rolemaster, but it has been streamlined and modified to make it easier to create a character and the resolution system is much more refined. Bear in mind that I have only seen the Quickstart Rules for the game - I'm waiting for the POD before I purchase the full game as I want the physical book, but the PDF is available now - but what I've seen makes me very, very excited. It captures what I loved about the MERP, drops a few things I wasn't fond of and adds a few extras I'm sure will make a difference. I dropped crunchy games in favour of rules-lite systems a long time ago, but Against the Darkmaster is making me break that, and now I want to create a detailed character again.

And that brings me back to Tere Swordsong. For the first time in 30 years I want to play him again - or perhaps a descendant of his - because there is a new part of the rules which covers Background, Passions and Drive. Backgrounds give a little history to the character, Passions give the character a purpose and help explain why they're adventuring (in Tere's case, it was a desire to do good and be a hero) and Drive is a mechanic that can help the PC during the game. It's something I wish I had had access to when I created Tere way back when, and I think it's a great addition to a game that could get lost in crunch but seems to have a desire to give the PCs impetus and agency, and allow them to tell a story of their own. Once I get the rulebook I'll know more, but I'm excited to see what I can do with the game and how it may be able to emulate the epic MERP game I was a part of.

Tere Swordsong is my favourite PC of all time and I have had no desire to revisit him until I read the Quickstart of Against The Darkmaster. I read about this game and saw it growing into the Kickstarter but I never thought I'd get caught up in it, no matter what nostalgic feelings it stirred in me. But I've seen how they've made the game and the system their own, and now I'm on board and I'm excited about going back to a set of rules I really enjoyed.       

 

The Mullet Guild: Episode #9 Catching up with Mister Hicks

The Mullet Guild: Episode #9 Catching up with Mister Hicks: The Mullet Guild: Episode #9 Catching up with Mister Hicks

On tonight's episode coming to you live from Sietch Quinlan, Adam is joined by expert RPG creator Jonathan Hicks, a huge Dune fan and massive fan of all things role playing games. 

We will be joined by him for the next few episodes for an insight into gaming and into his fandom.

Find The Mullet Guild on:Apple / Stitcher / Spotify / Google Play / Podbean / IheartRadioContact:Site: fpnet.podbean.comTwitter: @fanpodnetworkFacebook & Instagram: Fandom Podcast NetworkAdam: @thelethalmullet (Twitter/Facebook/Instagram)Jonthan: @jonmarkhicksSite: farsightblogger.blogspot.comFPN Master Feed: fpnet.podbean.comCatch the flagship show: Culture Clash, Blood of Kings, The Lethal Mullet, Making Treks, and the host of amazing podcasts covering all of fandom.

'Those Dark Places' actual play on Garblag Games

The peeps at Garblag Games gave me the chance to run amok on their channel with my first full public playthrough of the game. It'll be on their YouTube channel soon, but if you can't wait then you can check out the stream on their Twitch channel.

Many thanks to the guys for their time and enthusiasm, and if you like these videos they are a fantastic channel to subscribe to as they've got some amazing game sessions under their belt!

Unboxing 'Escape the Dark Sector' from Themeborne

As lockdowns increase again I'm finding it hard to get a group together for a review play, so join me as I unbox the new game from Themeborne, 'Escape the Dark Sector'.

Those Dark Places RPG - Designer's Blog #5

Under Pressure.

In this blog I'd like to talk about the effects of Pressure on the characters, groups and the game overall.

Pressure is a game mechanic that tries to emulate the effects of mental stress and emotional hardships that the PCs may have to face. Depending on your stat choices some characters are more susceptible to the rigours of space exloration than others, but it's not the immediate effects that may cause problems...

Characters have a Pressure Bonus which is added to a roll, and the higher the better. Failed rolls result in your Pressure Level going up and this can lead to Episodes; you may be tremendously shocked or terrified and that will negatively affect your rolls, or you'll be rooted to the spot, or you'll go into a violent frenzy as you try to get away from the horror. However, this Pressure Level goes up and it might not trigger an Episode right away, so the higher it goes the more chance you'll have of triggering a response and the worse it'll be. It's like you've been bottling up your fear and at some pont the pressure will be so great you'll explode in a far worse way than if you'd reacted to it sooner. This can not only affect the individual player it can create problems for the group as they have to deal with a weakened colleague, a catatonic crewmember or a terrified violent friend.

However, it doesn't end there. These Episodes can have ongoing effects. Once the player has had an Episode they write down what triggered it, and if they are ever in a situation similar then the memories of the initial shock can come flooding back and have a negative effect on their rolls. In Those Dark Places, players don’t just make the rolls and suffer the consequences; they're encouraged to role-play it! If the situation means your character has to face their fear, then make sure it becomes part of the story you’re telling.

If characters do face their fears they can slowly overcome them, and successful rolls means reduced negative modifiers. The memory of the shock will never go away, but they will learn to perhaps accept it and with support from their colleagues they can get through it. This means that incidents such as these are not limited to a single session or adventure; perhaps a few weeks of play down the line the situation arises again. In every case the players are encouraged to roleplay it out and not just state that they have modifiers that may affect their performance.

About to be sent into a narrow air duct? “No way, man! You ain’t getting me in there!”

Being told to get into a leaky spacesuit and go outside the ship? “You’re kidding, right? I don’t care that I’m the only one here that can fix it, get someone else!”

Have to dive underwater? “Do you not remember what happened at the refinery? I’ll wait here, thank you very much!”

Pressure Levels can be reduced between adventures with R&R and time in a LongSleep chamber, but during the game the players will have to suffer the possible effects of Episodes and the repercussions of pushing too hard and too far against the terrors in the darkness.

Art By Nathan Anderson

Video - Unboxing the Alien RPG Starter Set and the Alien RPG adventure 'Destroyer of Worlds'.

 A quick video of me opening boxes with Alien RPG stuff in them and trying really hard not to get too overexcited about it.

Subscribe for some reason! Share the vid! Smash that like button! I have no idea what any of that means! Why would you smash the like button, you might break it! Just press it carefully! A tap will do, just calm down!

www.frialigan.se

www.farsightblogger.blogspot.co.uk

The Farsight Podcast Episode 8 - Dune and my RPG hobby

 In this episode I have something of a rant about my love for Dune, and what I would expect from roleplaying game session (most of it unrealistic and really selfish).

The Farsight Podcast Episode 8

Thank you to Ryan Hicks for the awesome intro music!

Those Dark Places RPG - Designer's Blog #4

 In this designer's blog I'd like to talk about my influences and what it was that helped inspire the idea that became 'Those Dark Places', as well as what kind of adventures the group can have out there.

My initial inspiration came from such movies such as 'Alien', 'Outland', 'Dark Star', 'Silent Running' and even the Disney classic 'The Black Hole'. These movies dealt with a theme I found fascinating; space is big, vast, and when you're out there you are - quite literally - on your own.

These movies dealt with different ideas and each one of them really helped me form my setting. 'Alien' gave me some stunning visuals and the aesthetic and overall design I longed for, as well as the horror of the unknown. 'Outland' gave me the fear of an indifferent company, much like 'Alien' did, and what a person must do to fight against it, as well as deal with the claustophobic place they work in where hard-pressed workers could go off at any time. 'Dark Star' gave me the awkward silliness of it all, the depressing idea that not only would you lose your way you'd lose your identity way out there in the deep black where sheer boredom and errant technology could do you in. 'Silent Running' gave me desperation and hopelesness, where a mind might crack under the pressure of indifference and ignorance. Finally, 'The Black Hole' gave me that sense of what a person might do to realise their ideals and their twisted dreams out where they feel there is no consequence, as well as what - and who - they'd sacrifice to get there.

I was also inspired by computer games such as (obviously) 'Alien Isolation', 'Dead Space' and 'Alien Breed Trilogy'. While these games deal with monsters and body horror they, too, capture the feel I was looking for; starships and stations in the middle of nowhere where no help is coming, as well as twists and turns and the need for brains as well as brawn to get you through it. 

All of these things helped create the setting of 'Those Dark Places' and, while there is no definitive timeline or history to the backgrond, there is a definitive design idea behind it all - that the darkest reaches of space, where travellers are alone and surrounded by death, can be a physical and mental minefield, where old technology can be just as dangerous as vacuum and radiation because the machines that keep people alive are thousands of cheap, easily produced and replaceable parts built by the lowest bidder in a marketplace that puts profit ahead of everything else.

So, what kind adventures can a group have? Well, that's up to the group and what kind of mood they're in. There are plenty of adventure hooks in the game - 'Those Dark Places' calls adventures 'Reports' - ranging from espionage to exploration to investigation. Although science fiction horror and thrillers influenced the game there are no direct stats and rules for the horrors in the dark - aliens, eldritch horrors, genetic monstrosities and the like - but there is absolutely nothing stopping GMs from including this kind of thing if they feel that the experience would suit their group. The system is so simple that statting such creatures would be easy.

This design decision was done on purpose; I originally designed the game with monsters and creatures involved but as I wrote I realised that there was no need for this. If I included these things then the unknown would be known and the players would anticipate these horrors, but if the choice of danger or foe was left in the hands of the GM then they would not know what to expect at all.

And that's something about 'Those Dark Places' I wanted to make sure was prevalent - that sense of nervous anticipation, of the players not knowing what was coming and that unknown factor adding to the tension. It was why I added a level of success that was basically 'Yes, but...', so that the players knew that they had barely succeeded but that scrape might come back to bite them at some point... but when?

And how?

Artwork by Nathan Anderson

Press release: 'The Cursed King' adventure for Dragon Warriors

The last few weeks have seen me working on a new project, and at last I can reveal what that project is - I'm writing a new full adventure for the Dragon Warriors fantasy roleplaying game from Serpent King Games.

I've been a huge fan if Dragon Warriors for a very long time but my love for the game exploded when the hardback book of the RPG was released. The setting, the system, the atmosphere is everything I love about old-school RPGs and I've played it a lot. I've always wanted to be able to write something for it.

Well, here I am! After finally getting everything published for it - in fact, it's the only RPG I own for which I have all the books and PDF supplements and adventures - I've absorbed the Dragon Warriors game and decided to delve into one specific location; Thuland.

The official press release is below. I'm excited to be adventuring in the Lands of Legend!

“Thuland welcomes you! The town of Oskild is celebrating a prosperous year and the Master of Rings Festival has something for everyone: games, hunts, song and plenty of food and mead. There is much to do here and the rewards are rich for those who are worthu. Oskild also has a myth, that of a cursed king who suffered for his people, a magical artefact used in revenge, and dwarves who retreated deep into the earth in shame…”

The next release for Dragon Warriors will be The Cursed King, by Jonathan Hicks. We are anticipating a February 2021 release date, as a 64-page print and PDF book. As ever we will round out the adventure with source material on the warlike kingdom of Thuland, and its jarls, merchants, farmers, smiths, and raiders, as well as adventure hooks so you can expand the adventure into a short Thuland campaign if desired.

The Cursed King is an adventure for players with characters of Rank 5-6, of any profession and heritage.

We are very much looking forward to exploring the northern waters and crags of Thuland with you!

The Farsight Podcast Episode 7 - Influence and Inspiration

 In this episode I talk about my influences on my gaming hobby, and talk about a couple of ideas as to where to find inspiration for your own TTRPG stories.

The Farsight Podcast Episode 7

Thank you to Ryan Hicks for the awesome intro music!

Those Dark Places RPG - Designer's Blog #3

Welcome to another designer's blog for my upcoming roleplaying game 'Those Dark Places'. Today I wanted to talk about character creation in the game. Trust me, this is going to be a short blog entry.

Character creation can be as detailed or as simple as you want it to be. The majority of the decisions go into deciding what kind of person you want to play, their personalities and attitudes, and there are only three choices you need to make as far as abilities go:

Choose the scores for your four attributes CHARISMA, AGILITY, STRENGTH and EDUCATION. These are the number 1, 2, 3 and 4 - there's no rolling for scores or dividing up points.

Choose a primary Crew Position.

Choose a secondary Crew Position.

That's it.

I ran a game of Those Dark Places for Gen Con 2020 recently and it lasted two hours. There were six players - who had never played the game before, nor knew anything about it - and they had all created characters within ten minutes, I spent five minutes explaining the rules and then we played. Character creation was incredibly simple because everyone has the same numbers to choose from and decisions to make regarding their position in the crew. Choosing the position not only gives them their abilites but it also gives them impetus, something to give them a purpose and helps define who they are as a character as well as their role in the group.

The Crew Positions (including such positions as Science Officer, Navigation Officer and Security Officer) are linked to certain attributes but there's no need to take any notice of that if you don't want to. Sure, you might want to be an engineer, but that doesn't mean you'll be any good at it, does it?

There are no skill lists, no long descriptions regarding how skills work or how they affect the game. When a roll is made the player/GM chooses the attribute that suits it best and then adds bonuses depending on the Crew Position and any relevant equipment. So, if the player decides to repair an engine they will have a bonus to the roll if they have the Engineer Officer Crew Position and maybe some other bonuses from relevant equipment.

Character creation is quick, easy and simple and this gives the group more time to focus on who their characters are and how they interact with each other rather than how the numbers on the sheet work and perusing over a myriad of scores and bonuses. This also does away with charts and tables, reducing the time it takes to work out a roll and enables quick resolutions. This keeps the action moving and the tension high.

In the next blog I'll talk more about the setting and how exploring the dark can make for exciting adventures.  

Create whatever player character you want

As long as players are at the table to game well, they understand and appreciate the mood and goals of the table and they're not there to make it about themselves, then I'm good.

The PC is yours to create - I'm not going to restrict you based on what the adventure or the game needs to function. You want to create a pacifist in a combat heavy game? You go for it. That's a challenge to me as the GM and THAT'S WHY I GM.

I GM for the challenge of doing things differently, being as spontaneous and creative as I can be. And other players should be the same, and adapt to the wildcard in the group because that's what makes the game fun and challenging.

So you want to create a combat-inclined character in a investigative mystery game? Cool! the sparks that will fly as other PCs try to keep that character in check, and for me to adapt the adventure to suit, is creatively challenging and should create some amazing moments.

There shouldn't be a 'requirement' in character creation, or PCs shouldn't be expected to function in a way that suits the game and group. It should be challenging, and as long as the group is good with it, and expect some turbulence, then a great game can be had with PCs that go against the grain. I don't want cookie cutter characters with specific roles in the group. That's a board game with set outcomes and definitive goals.

I want to tell a group story, and the best stories come from peculiar situations that are faced by characters that defy expectations. And it's fun for the players, too. They get to play what they want, and the others get to shine as they react to each other.

It's as much about the group dynamic and the relationships they have as it is about the unfolding story.

And I hate to tell a player 'you can't do that' when we're creating characters. Yes, I'll step in when things get insane or ridiculous, but I'll be damned if I step in because a player is being creative.

Create what you feel, what you're comfortable with. Don't let the game dictate what you play, even if the nature of the game requires specific types of characters. ESPECIALLY if that's the case.

Make it a challenge, not just as the GM but as a player, too. That's what gives an RPG fire.

Those Dark Places RPG - Designer's Blog #2

Today I wanted to talk more about the game system that 'Those Dark Places' will be using.

The system is called 'ODDS' (although it is not addressed as such in the game), which stands for 'One Die Determines Success'. The game uses a single D6 for task resolution as I wanted the game to focus more on the story rather than the crunch. The system is very simple - take an attribute, add any relevant modifiers due to the position in the crew, any equipment and actual situation, and roll a D6. Add the scores together to beat a target number, and interpret the results depending on the level of success.

This produces three levels of success that translate to 'yes, no' and  'yes, but' results that will make for some tense games.

These three levels of success are key to the tension and uncertainty that I want Those Dark Places to offer - the players can make their rolls with their modifiers and they have a target number to beat, but they can kind of succeed if they hit the target number. So, yes, they closed the airlock but did it seal properly? They convinced the guard of their intentions but will he reconsider his decision later, perhaps sound an alarm? The simple threat of these incidents possibly coming back to haunt the players always hangs in the air, and it helps the GM to come up with some fun and twisted ways to make sure that the story is unpredictable, as well as giving them a chance to game on the fly and spontaneously create new and exciting situations.

I also wanted the game to be quick and intuitive - pace and tension can be disrupted when players have to do a lot of number crunching or table searching. Many games of this kind that i have played in have been slowed as rules are read, debated and interpreted and once the tension is gone the atmosphere is ruined; I wanted a simple system that avoided that. It leaves a lot of the work in the GMs hands, for sure, but the system is easy to interpret so they can just make a ruling and get on with the story. It's fast, ever so simple and easy to grasp so you can have a game going in minutes. It's also really workable, so if you want to make modifications to the rules and add a lot more depth then you can do so with ease.

In my next blog entry I'll talk more about character creation.

A Cyberpunk-style TV show would be EASY to do, surely?

Soup up normal streets, add some flash and attitude, upgrade the tech and bang - Cyberpunk show. Imagine a show like that made in LA - the city is screaming Cyberpunk. Christ, imagine making it in The Volume, the digital set used in 'The Mandalorian'. It'd be insane.

You could have fresh music every episode, old school dance and house, industrial, metal, synth, revival. Bands like Celldweller, Gunship, Feint, all kinds of stuff old and new. Action, attitude and a dark, dystopian era of government and corporation corruption.

I mean, we're living it, so why not be entertained by it?

Why is nobody writing this? Surely it writes itself? The balance of life and tech, the corruption of the soul, the ethics of new technologies and breakthroughs, the thin wall between corporate greed and government mandate.

THIS IS WHAT WE NEED!

We need something in line with Cyberpunk, the street trash, corp bastards and the attitude. Thick Matrix-style action. Every week a new story that intertwines the top dogs and the bottom feeders, with all kinds of drama and face-offs.

A new and fresh band every week, showcase new music talent with edge and attitude. Make it fresh and exciting. Even throw in older stuff, remixes of classics.

Could you imagine some of the amazing writers the show could get involved? From street level danger to cop procedural to corporate intrigue to courtroom drama you could have EVERYTHING! A slew of TV dramas all mixed into a Cyberpunk setting, with curses and bullets flying.

It'd be like 'What's happening this week? Oh, the workers at the Gamazone distribution warehouse have all gone batshit insane due to spinal implants to make them work harder and the corp don't give a shit? The hardass lawyer hires the street gang to get the evidence! ACTION!'

The gang do it but then the corp mercenaries with cranal links to their guns trying to cover it up catch up with them, and then BOOM! You've got a car chase through a neon nightmare while Feint feat. Coma's 'Snake Eyes' screams out. Heart's racing just THINKING about that.

Look at all the police procedurals with a sheen of darkness to it, like CSI. Throw in some neon and some modded motors and you're almost halfway there. Budget might be a problem, but let it sing to a younger, more jaded audience and you're in.

Can you imagine the bands who would just DIE to have their music showcased or featured in an episode? As a main track, event score or just playing in the background? Guest star the mofos in a club where the streetrash hang out! It'd really call out to the younger audience.

And with cynical fuckers writing it, really letting the darker side of the modern age leaking out and presenting 'what if?' scenarios that either crawl under your skin or make you ponder possibilities, what could better reflect the shit going down in the modern world?

And, even better, we connect with characters with the cool hair, cool tats, cool clothes and cool gear who are barely getting by but are angry enough to cry 'FUCK YOU!' to the wagemasters and take a stand, fight back, and use the tech they've been controlled with to wage war.

Absolutely no compromise. Nothing twee, cute or morally uplifiting. You get dealt a hand, lose the bet, but then realise you've been had and you KICK IT IN THE BALLS! Melodrama, emotion, action, the whole nine yards.

Characters you can attach yourself to emotionally, and not feel too bad when they let themsleves go, so you're yelling at the screen 'OH, DAMN RIGHT, CLARICE! YOU FUCK THEM UP!'

I'm trying hard to get across what I want from a show like this. ATMOSPHERE AND ATTITUDE is everything. Yeah, show the streets as recognisable locations but when someone shows their robot arm, synthetic eyes, or a hovercar flies over then you KNOW you're not in Kansas, Dotmatrix.

/end rant

Those Dark Places RPG - Designer's Blog #1

I created something.

The press release for 'Those Dark Places' has been sent out and, suddenly the impending launch date is on my clock. The book is as finished as it's going to get and all that remains is for me to wait until it's out into the hands of gamers.

I will be talking about the game some more in this series of Designer's Blogs, talk about the kind of adventures I'm thinking about running, how the incredibly simple D6-based system works and how it all hangs together to become a playable game.

So, first of all - why did I write this game?

I'm a huge fan of dark science fiction thrillers. 'Alien' is my favourite movie of all time along with other classic of the time such as 'Outland', 'Blade Runner' and 'The Black Hole'. More recent movies such as 'Moon' have also been a massive influence, and I'm heavily inspired by computer games such as 'Alien Isolation', 'Dead Space' and the most recent 'Alien Breed' trilogy. These movies and games have a plethora of great big nasties to overcome but they all have something in common; their dark, claustrophobic atmosphere.

It's the aesthetic I love about these things; the design of the ships and locations, the oppressive and harsh environments and the sense that help isn't coming, that you're on your own and it's up to you to get the job done - or at least stay alive. Yes, the creatures and weirdness are excellent but the incredible level of atmosphere and reality these creations create and exude simply blows my mind. I had to take that feeling and translate it into a game somehow.

'Those Dark Places' is what I call Industrial Science Fiction; it's down and dirty, incredibly hands on and doesn't rely on fancy tech to help the characters get by. If a problem can be solved by a four foot powerwrench weighing thirty kilos then so be it. Players get their hands dirty, physically and mentally.

While there is plenty of scope for nasty aliens ruining your day, or genetic monsters getting all slasher on you, the game doesn't deal with those things directly. You'll not find rules for terrors in the dark, but there is always the hint of them being there, existing either physically or just in the insane ramblings of the broken mind of a deep space traveller who has allowed the void to get to them. Either one can be a threat and that sense of not fully knowing is what, I hope, gives 'Those Dark Places' the chance to offer something new to the gaming table. If players are not 100% sure of what is happening next, or if it's even real, then that's a level of uncertainty that can really enhance a gaming session.

The game system is incredibly simple and uses a single D6 for everything. It's a roll Vs target number system and there are three levels of successs. I'll explain more about this in another blog entry, but the system is easy to use and a player character can be created in less than a minute once you know what kind of character you want to play. More thought is put into the character's personality and role on the ship than scores and stats. This makes it easier to modify and add your own material so if you do want to add those monsters and aliens then you can do so with ease.

In my next Designer's Blog I'll talk more about the system and how it plays, and why I made that design choice for a storytelling game like 'Those Dark Places'.

Those Dark Places RPG - official press release

Osprey Games to publish Those Dark Places

Osprey Games is delighted to announce that in November 2020 we will be publishing Those Dark Places: Industrial Science Fiction Roleplaying by Jonathan Hicks, with illustrations by Nathan Anderson. 

Inspired by the aesthetic of iconic science-fiction thrillers such as Ridley Scott’s Alien and the Dead Space video games, this highly thematic RPG thrusts players into deep space; a grim, dark, claustrophobic setting that constantly hints at danger. A sleek ruleset keeps players focused on the story as they venture into shadowy corners of space that no-one has ever explored and face the unknown.

“I've written various articles, reviews, and interviews for the RPG industry for more than a decade, so of course I jumped at the chance to write a full game about my favourite genre,” commented author Jonathan Hicks, “I've always leaned towards rules-light systems so that the story takes precedence and the atmosphere is allowed to flourish. With Those Dark Places I hope gaming groups can take the simple rules and the evocative setting, run with it, and create their own stories of horrors in the stars... whether real or imagined. With Nathan Anderson's wonderful artwork and Osprey Games' excellent production values, I'm excited to see this come alive!”

Senior Games Developer, Filip Falk Hartelius, added that “Those Dark Places is a game dripping with atmosphere, capturing the frailty of human existence amidst the uncaring vastness of spaces. Whether you are deep in the political intrigues of a dystopian future or facing terrifying cosmic horror, Those Dark Places is constantly gripping, tense, and transporting.”

 ***

Space is a hell of a thing but you need to be sure that this is what you want. Like, what you really want. The idea of space exploration to further the frontiers of mankind is noble, but let's not kid ourselves – it’s really all about furthering the profit margins. There’s money to be made and out there is the place to make it, but you hear all kinds of stories… equipment malfunctions, strange discoveries, crewmembers going insane... You'll be out there in the reaches, alone, for months or years, breathing recycled air and drinking recycled water, with nothing but a few feet of metal and shielding between you and certain death.

Are you sure this is what you want?
– Crew Orientation Briefing

Those Dark Places is a rules-light, story-focused roleplaying game about the darker side of space exploration and the people who travel the stars in claustrophobic, dangerous conditions. Starships, stations, and outposts aren't havens of safety with clean, brightly lit corridors – they're potential deathtraps, funded by budget-conscious corporate interests and running on stale, recycled air and water. The stars may be the future of humanity, but they are also home to horrors and terror the human mind cannot comprehend.

***

About Jonathan Hicks

Born in the historic city of Lichfield and now residing in Northampton, Jonathan Hicks has been at the gaming table since 1983, and has more than a decade of gaming articles, reviews, interviews, and designs across multiple genres under his belt.

About Nathan Anderson

Nathan Anderson is a freelance illustrator based in Michigan who has had an interest in sci-fi, horror, and fantasy since he was very young. Influenced by European comics, Japanese fantasy fiction, Medieval history, and retro arcade games, Nathan's clients include Gale Force Nine & Wizards of the Coast, Little Caesars, Laundry TV & the SyFy Channel, and more. 

About Osprey Games

Osprey Games is the dedicated games division of Osprey Publishing (part of Bloomsbury Publishing plc) and publishes a wide range of wargames, roleplaying games, and board games. Launched in 2014, the company has produced an array of critically acclaimed titles, including Frostgrave, Bolt Action, Wildlands, Undaunted: Normandy and The Lost Expedition.

Those Dark Places RPG

News coming soon...

Kings of War the Roleplaying Game

'The roleplaying game for Mantic's epic fantasy setting: Kings of War. In a world of heroes, forge your own legend.

Kings of War is a fantasy setting of epic scope. Originally envisioned through the medium of a tabletop wargame, Pannithor has since been expanded with the Dungeon Saga board game and the Kings of War: Vanguard skirmish game. With Kings of War the Roleplaying Game, GMs and players will be able to explore this grandiose fantasy setting like never before!'

An age ago I bought the 'Kings of War' miniatures rules and had great fun with it. It was the game that got me back into wargames for a while and, while I didn't stick with it, it was the only other game since WFB that really stoked my passion for tabletop battles.

Of course, my thoughts at the time leaned to RPGing it, and I created some fast and loose rules to add on to the wargame to play individual heroes. The rules were published in the much missed Ironwatch fan magazine.

Now it has it's own full RPG and it looks excellent. I've downloaded the quickstart rules and what I've read so far looks great. I'm really looking forward to seeing the full game of this and what they do with the world the wargame created.

Alien Isolation is my preferred sequel to Alien

I've started playing Alien Isolation again recently and I love it to bits, so much so that I've come to regard it as my preferred sequel to Alien, rather than Aliens.

Aliens is, by far, my favourite 80s action movie; I saw it on it's opening night in the UK in 1986 and I riffed on it for years, in my games, writing and art. As I've gotten older - and probably more jaded! - I realised that Alien was my favourite movie of all time and I much preferred the unknowable Lovecraftian horror of the first movie rather than the action thriller that was the second. As much as I loved that film I do think it was the beginning of the end of what I loved about Alien and an end to the unknowable, cosmic terror that was the creature (Prometheus and Covenant only helped to compound that, but that's another story).

Then came Alien Isolation; it went back to it's tension/horror roots, removed any extraneous material that didn't refer to the first film (having no Queen was a great decision) and instead of changing the nature of the story, it changed the scope of it. Gone was the claustrophobic corridors of a starship, this was a huge station and it was the Alien's hunting ground. You, as Amanda, come into this when it's already gone wrong and the threat is tripled; Alien, Working Joes and desperate, terrified people who will do ANYTHING to just stay alive another hour.

I enjoyed the story - I even liked the conceit of Amanda Ripley looking for her mother because it kind of made sense - and the return to the space jockey's derelict on the Anisadora was just spot on. Regardles of certain issues with the actual gameplay (backtracking, repetetive tasks and sitting in a locker for half an hour at a time) I felt the story was solid and is pretty much what I was lookng for in a sequel to Alien.

Thoughts on 'Those Dark Places'

I thought I'd talk a little about my upcoming RPG 'Those Dark Places'.

It's a dark science fiction thriller game, and although it's influenced by movies such as Alien it's more in line with the character-driven psychological dramas of Outland, Blade Runner and the like. There's nothing stopping you from including alien mystery, cosmic horror or throwing in some Dead Space violence - the game alludes to that - but the game itself is centered around the very human problems surrounding the rigours of space travel and exploration.

What I've taken from movies like Alien and Outland is the design aesthetic. I love the dark corridors, the dimly lit rooms and the strange, misty atmosphere. Alien especially feels really cramped and claustrophobic, the corridors are low and the rooms apear to have ceilings you can easily smack your head on, and as for the air ducts... well, it's perfectly suited for that kind of story, being trapped in the back of beyond where there's no help coming for weeks, if at all. What made Alien terrifying was the fact that the crew were utterly alone and had to rely on their wits - which were in short supply - and what they could cobble together from what they had. In fact, it wasn't until the last twenty minutes where pure frustration, desperation and anger drove Ripley on did we see any decisive action being taken. The terror of the situation seemed to dull their senses.

Outland was a much bigger location and dealt with less cosmic horror, and it leaned more towards the uncaring corporate and profiteering company side of things. This was a much more human drama and, even though it was basically 'High Noon' in space, it dealt with the psyche, drives and ambitions of normal human beings be they corrupt business people, exploited employees or idealistic officers of the law. This is probably more in line with 'Those Dark Places' as it's a very story- and human-centric plot with a smattering of action. Again, it's the design of this movie that drives the atmosphere I'm trying to create in my game - everything is dark, dingy and very analogue with clunky CRT screens and chunky switches. It's a very hands-on world.

Those Dark Places is a rules light game and depends on a single D6 to decide actions and tasks. The system is incredibly easy and can be adjusted, modified and changed to suit most gaming groups. This is so that the focus can be on the setting and the story, trying to establish atmosphere and pushing the players along a route where a plot can unfold and the entire group can experience a very involved adventure. In my experience, some game systems can slow the story and interfere with the spirit of the game as the action stops to consult rules or tables to decide outcomes; Those Dark Places, I hope, does away with most of that and enables the adventure to unfold without the need to interrupt the mood.

More thoughts on Alien and Predator stuff

I don't like the Engineers in Prometheus/Covenant and I don't like the idea that David was somehow responsible for the creation of the Alien as we know it. The 'space jockey was a suit' idea really grates my nerves, and the whole 'they made us, too' is so far removed from the original cosmic horror and mystery that it feels like a different franchise altogether, with the Alien thrown in at the last minute.

I like the films, they look great and I appreciate the fact they tried to do something different but the mental leaps in logic and downright stamping on what came before makes it feel like the movie was created from half-remembered notes made from the original films, and it's hard for me to reconcile the two. It doesn't expand on the mystery, it utterly destroys it.

And don't get me started on Ressurection...

In my opinion, the AvP movies are a bit of joke and are more like glorified fan fiction than any attempt to bring the two franchises together. They did a really good job with the Dark Horse comic in 1990 and, even though I didn't feel the two worlds would - or should - co-exist it was an entertaining romp and would have made a far better movie than 'hidden temple in the snow and the predators were gods' rubbish. I can't even talk about Requiem, it felt like a knock-off movie that got away with using the title.

I love the first two Alien films and the appreciation of the 3rd, it was a good movie when it was cut properly. I love Aliens to bits but think it's a bad sequel, considering the lore the first movie et up, and I prefer Alien Isolation as a continuation of the first film. Resurrection can 100% do one, with it's comic book characters and ego-tripping main character. That could have been an interesting story but they decided to just throw as much dodgy imagery and exposition at the viewer in an attempt to hide a plot lacking in depth.

Prometheus? David was a great character but was ruined/let down by a weak story and a spotty character arc. His involvment in not only the history of the alien and his attack on the engineers was kind of ridiculous, and any interesting developments were tossed out of the window when he went HAL9000 'bad company robot is bad' on the story. It was a waste.

Covenant looked amazing, as all Scott films do, and there's a lot to enjoy but the story is undermined by trying to force on a continuity with Prometheus, and wasting Shaw - probably the only compelling character in the first film - so they could get to the 'Hey! here's the Alien you wanted! Yeah? Yeah?' moments. The end was incredibly flat and I have to wind past the shower scene - I mean, what the fuck? Really? After everything you're having a sexy shower scene so that the alien could turn up teen slasher movie stylee? Fucking do one.

If the sequels and crossovers did everything they could to murder the cosmic mystery and unknowable horror of the original, the prequels dug up the corpse, set it on fire and then tried to sell it as nostalgia cake with sparklers.

This is Hicks, signing off.

The Farsight Podcast Episode 5 - Voicing NPCs

In this episode I talk about voicing NPCs, how it shouldn't be a requirement and how I handle it, and a quick and easy way to create an NPC who might be spending a long time in the game.

The Farsight Podcast - Episode 4

In this episode I generally ramble about my love for the Alien movie and how I'd use it in my own Alien RPG games.

Those Dark Places - my RPG from Osprey Games

It's time to let you know that my TTRPG 'Those Dark Places' is in the pipeline, to be published by Osprey Games. It's a rules-lite scifi game, and I'm quite excited!

I want to explain a few things about my upcoming game 'Those Dark Places' from Osprey Games. I'm just sharing this post with friends on here, there'll be more detail when Osprey do a full press release.


****************************************

Space is a hell of a thing but you need to be sure that this is what you want. Like, what you really want. The idea of space exploration to further the frontiers of mankind is noble, but let's not kid ourselves – it's really all about furthering the profit margins. There's money to be made and out there is the place to make it, but you hear all kinds of stories… equipment malfunctions, strange discoveries, crewmembers going insane... You'll be out there in the reaches, alone, for months or years, breathing recycled air and drinking recycled water, with nothing but a few feet of metal and shielding between you and certain death.

Are you sure this is what you want?

– Crew Orientation Briefing

Those Dark Places is a rules-light, story-focused roleplaying game about the darker side of space exploration and the people who travel the stars in claustrophobic, dangerous conditions. Starships, stations, and outposts aren't havens of safety with clean, brightly lit corridors – they're potential deathtraps, funded by budget-conscious corporate interests and running on stale, recycled air and water. The stars may be the future of humanity, but they are also home to horrors and terror the human mind cannot comprehend.

****************************************

It's my first fully finished RPG game and it's a dark scifi setting, and while it's inspired by movies such as Alien, Dark Star and Outland it takes inspiration more from the aesthetic rather than the content; so, no aliens or monsters or cosmic entities, they only exist in the minds of those who can't handle the pressures of working in deep space.

Or perhaps they don't.

It uses a single D6 for its mechanic but its quite versatile and generates a lot of uncertainty. This is the final version of my ODDS System - One Die Determines Success - but is not referred to as such in the book. That's something I'll concentrate on depending on how well the game does.

Although the game is rules-lite the book focuses more on how to use the rules and the atmosphere of the setting. There is also no definitive setting - just a guideline - and this leaves it open for groups to use the game as they see fit. Combat is brutal and very deadly.

The game focuses on characters and stories, and the system is designed to support that. I'm hoping the game will encourage games of intense fun, as I'm trying to emulate thrillers in an industrial science fiction future.

Even though 'Those Dark Places' is inspired by movies and games like Alien and Dead Space, it's more the aesthetic and design I've taken my cues from. If anything, it's more a thriller like Outland - but you can add whatever strangeness you want.

Although 'Those Dark Places' can be used for ongoing campaigns - the aim isn't to improve, it's to simply stay alive long enough to finsih your tour - it's perfectly suited for one-shots and short adventures over several sessions.

PC creation takes around 5 minutes.

That's all for now. I'll no doubt be in full publicity mode once the game is fully announced, but in the meantime if you have any questions then feel free to ask!

Why, to me, the Prequel Trilogy feels more 'Star Wars' than the Sequel Trilogy

I’ve realised something – I think that the prequel trilogy is more Star Wars than the sequel trilogy.

I’m not a fan of the prequel trilogy for all kinds of reasons, but I don’t switch them off when they’re on. In fact, recently I’ve sat down and watched them again and there’s plenty to like, even love, about these movies. I understand now, and probably realised back then, that these films were never going to grab me the way the original trilogy grabbed me; I was 8 when I first saw Episode IV: A New Hope and I was 28 when I saw Episode I: The Phantom Menace. I was two totally different people.

I was 44 when Episode VII: The Force Awakens hit the cinema. I enjoyed it because I entered the cinema prepared, I shed myself of the expectations I had when I went to see Episode I and watched it for what it was. It was a new, fresh take on the saga and was exciting, fun and emotionally charged. Then I saw Episode VIII: The Last Jedi and I felt severely let down; the rules appeared to have changed and characters were flat and a little lifeless, even the original trilogy characters I grew up with. Then Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker hit and it was fun but… well, let’s just say it wasn’t the ending I would have chosen, and spectacle appears to have taken the place of story and drama, which was a problem I had with the prequel trilogy. I’m not a huge fan of the sequel movies – apart from The Force Awakens – as it feels very disjointed to me, with a lot of things thrown in to serve the action with changes made to the Force and what it’s capable of that, quite frankly, pulled me out of the saga and made no sense to me.

Anyway, I was watching the prequel trilogy again and I realised that even though they have what I think are flat scripts and some special effects that have not dated well, they felt really Star Wars. The world was rich and vibrant, detailed and really well defined. The locations were huge and really evocative and there were some really good world-building moments.

Then there’s the other movies and the new TV show; Rogue One, Solo and The Mandalorian. As these were depicting characters and events that had no bearing on the overall saga I liked them, loved them in the case of Rogue One and The Mandalorian. They were taking the galaxy in a different direction and they could explore other aspects of the universe, so the expectations were different or, in the case of The Mandalorian, simply not there so you could watch fresh and exciting new material. Also, the background is either already established, such as with Rogue One and Solo, or it was properly explained, as it was with The Mandalorian. They, too, felt very Star wars to me but in a very different way.

I didn’t get any of that with the sequel trilogy. I didn’t know much about the events between Episode VI and Episode VII, wasn’t sure what the First Order was about or why they were doing what they did, and didn’t fully understand why the Resistance was fighting without the help of the New Republic, or the Galactic Alliance, or whatever they were calling themselves. It just felt like the Big Bad Guys were still around in their big pointy warships, flying their TIE fighters and wearing white armour. It felt like the events of Episodes IV, V and VI were for nothing.

The worldbuilding was dropped in favour of spectacle and the movies suffered for it; if I had no understanding of the conflict, or had any idea how or why the conflict was taking place, then why would I care what was happening? I felt all three sequel movies suffered from this. I understand that there’s a stack of source material that explains all this, but… I paid my money to watch a movie that should have explained it, and I shouldn’t be trawling the internet or buying extra product to enable the movie to make more sense. It’s like downloadable content, or a ‘Pay To Win’ game. You want the full experience? Let’s see the cash. That’s really unfair, especially to the casual cinemagoer.

Also, the main characters from the original trilogy were being used as throwaway characters in the sequel trilogy, characters who you know are important and have a history but they’re only there to move the main characters forward – a line of Ben Kenobis from Episode IV, if you will – and they felt underused and a little wasted considering their pedigree. Why do I mention this? Well, perhaps, that’s another factor as to why these movies don’t feel very Star Wars to me, because the trilogy characters simply felt so, so different (apart from Han Solo, for the most part). I honestly feel they would have been better movies if these main trilogy characters had been left out.

The prequel trilogy, however, explained everything, however badly I felt it was written or however clunkily I felt it was acted. Everything you needed to know was on screen and, even though I was somewhat confused as to why certain things happened – especially the whole Sifo-Dyas thing – that was more the plot not making sense to me the first time. I didn’t need to research, purchase or otherwise search out the reasoning behind what was happening on the screen. I knew what was happening and, in some ways, I cared.

So there you have it. This probably makes more sense to me because I know how I feel, but I thought it was something worth sharing.