January 2, 2024

2024 McCfesto Part Two

2024 McCfesto Part Two (Playing)

Now we come on to what I want to play in 2024, this is a tough one, I get more enjoyment out of running games, but I still have fun playing and it also means I'm learning how to be a better GM.

But I don't have much time to devote to RPGs, probably less so in 2024, so I need to choose wisely...

Our Regular Sunday/Thursday group is going to be running Vaesen, so this will be a real highlight 🤞 I'm a sucker for the Year Zero Engine system, I think it facilitates quick and simple play, so you can focus on the story and your characters.

Vaesen I love the setting, the art by Johan Egerkrans. The one game I played was run by the amazing Martin Cookson, The Silver of the Sea, and this introduced a lot of complex investigations, alongside difficult moral quandaries and a final epic battle, it seemed a perfect combination, I'm a bit confused as to why I've not played more, maybe I felt it was a little safe compared to my usual horror fare, time to have expectations confounded!

I've also got a whim to try out a couple of Solo RPGs first up is Entity, picked purely on its art and a theme of NASA punk! I'm excited to try this, I think Science Fiction lends itself well to Solo RPGs given the remoteness of space, and the unknown, your imagination, or at least mine, is already sparked just talking about it.

The next solo is Numb3r Stations by Lunar Shadow Designs, this is a cold war / mission-based structure, taking its random element from real-life broadcasting number stations. I've started this and hope to complete it and write it up in story form in January, so far the mission has gone so badly, that the enemy hasn't even realised something is wrong, is that a good thing?

Next up in playing is the try-before-you-buy group. This includes several games that I've had my eye on and have not been able to get a game or having read the games/reviews don't quite grok it. Firstly Shiver is a more traditional horror, think slasher flicks, I'm at turns horrified and excited by the custom dice approach, but how does it all hang together, hoping to get a game of this in early 2024. Maybe Kat who did some playtesting for this can be convinced to run?

Next is Candela Obscura, the RPG from the Critical Role folks, I've not watched Critical Role beyond a single episode, but I'm aware of it as a phenomenon and I'm fascinated by this aspect of our hobby, where spotty teens in basements meet Hollywood. Also, I see a lot of right-wing aligned RPG factions desperate to denigrate this game, I may not end up enjoying it, but I'll make my own mind up by playing it and the more hate there is for it, the more I want to support it!

Finally in this group is Starforged, I like the combinations of playing this Solo vs Guided by a GM vs Co-operatively or GMless. Many folks I've talked to, who've played it, have had immense fun but again, how it operates in play eludes me. Time to find out.

Last in my playlist is a mixed bag of games, that I've heard others have run or organised and I'd like to give it a go as I appreciate them as GMs.

My first Delta Green game, Poker Night, was brilliantly run by Stef at Grogmeet, it felt like it was the perfect introduction. Now one of our Raspy Raven GMS, Fabio is up for running us through the quickstart Need to Know and its scenario Last Things Last. I'm excited by this as it's been a long time since I've played Delta Green and also, since I've been in one of Fabio's games.

Rob aka UK Gamer Podcast, check out his YouTube and Patreon has offered to run The Walking Dead, now as a Year Zero game I should be right in there but I've not been a fan of the TV series, I find it a bit too relentlessly grim and I couldn't quite figure out how I'd get engaged, but Rob is an ace GM so I'm sure the session will be fun.

Rob is also, possibly running D101 Games' Monkey, I got this last year and I'm intrigued by how the dice and card-based game comes together. In addition, growing up with the Monkey TV series, I've since explored and now love the original stories of Saiyūki from the 16th century The Journey to the West.

Beyond the Wall is next, hoping that new GM George will take his Wednesday afternoon game into a one-off evening session. Our regular group used this system to generate a funnel for a D&D5e game, so this and lots and lots of praise from other grogs means I have to try it.

Lastly, we go into the Dark, Graham Wamlsley's Cthulhu Dark and various evolutions of it (Cosmic Dark, Trophy Dark, Trophy Gold) from GMs Sue, Graham and others, all part of a proposed Seven Wonders season on The Raspy Raven in April. I hope I can pick up a few games during this run, excellent GMs, all homebrews and a brilliant system.

I'm sure there will be other games that come up, those that are on the cusp or still to be fully released like The Electric State, Sanction, Mythic Bastionland, Project Cassandra, especially at cons where I always see it as an opportunity to try something new, hopefully, see you in a game!

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