The End Is Nigh

For those who may not have heard, some of us have been counting down the days of the Mayan tzolkin calendar, waiting to see what tremendous Earth changes may or may not be wrought when we hit zero hour. Being a long-time studier of astrology (including mesoamerican astrology), Edgar Cayce, Graham Hancock, and other non-traditional historians (commonly called quacks, fakers, and whack-jobs), I am all about counting down our final hours. Fact is, I've had a timer counting down our final hours on the ol' Blackrzor blog (bottom o the page) since I first started this thing a couple-three years ago.

Welp, today is the final day of the Mayan "long count" epoch..."4 Flower" in the uinal that started with 11 Alligator some twenty days ago (why doesn't the final count down end in a 13 Flower? No idea, just one of those mysteries of the mesoamerican numbering system). Not that it matters too much...I mean any of it. I've blogged before about the possibility of great "Earth Changes" including what I feel is the main things with which to concern ourselves (hint: it has to do with being kind to each other as much as possible...even people with whom you don't necessarily agree).

Anyhoo, tomorrow will see the dawning of a new epoch (I figure to go by midnight, Yucatan time), and I will be celebrating by getting into Mexico City very early in the morning with my family (I'm typing this from a Dallas airport computer while awaiting my connecting flight) and heading east towards Veracruz. No, not because I plan on taking part in any New Age-y mesoamerican celebration, but simply the traditional Christmas-with-family-and-in-laws celebration. And for those of us who can (hard as it might be) get beyond the coming Seahawks-Forty-Niners showdown in Seattle on Sunday, I think the most important thing for us ALL to do on the edge of this great cosmic changeover is to remember the Real Meaning of the Christmas Holiday.

No, not Jesus's birthday. Jesus was a Pisces, dude. I'll post his horoscope sometime.

No, the real deal with regard for Christmas can be found in its "heathen" roots as a mid-winter celebration...the 21st (or thereabouts) generally being the proverbial "longest night off the year." What midwinter celebrates is (guess what?) the night's start getting shorter thereafter, as we start that slow upward climb out off darkness and back to the Spring. It is a time of renewal (and often Yule-time booze), and we'd do well to consider how, no matter how dark the darkness gets, there always comes a light evetually...hopefully, a light that brings great joy and love to everyone.

Here's to hoping. Feliz Navidad, folks. I'll try to write more from Mexico...assuming the holidays grant me a little free time for writing.
: )

[P.S. Go 'Hawks!]

News Flash:Play-Testing Makes You Feel Good

Doubt…self doubt…is a terrible thing.

Two Wednesdays ago, I woke up feeling great. Well, kind of. Certainly I’d gotten too little sleep (and too much beer) the night before, resulting in an upset stomach and severe headache the entire day. This didn’t do much for the chronic neck and back pain I’ve been suffering. It was grey and drizzly all day after several days of sunshine, and my phone at work was ringing off the hook all day (which, as I’m not in a sales profession, is NOT a good thing).

But regardless, I was feeling good. There was a lightness…hell, a bounce…to my step, even as I was dragging my sorry ass into work a little late. And it was due entirely to the good play-testing the night before.

Now good gaming is its own reward for the most part. I’ve certainly blogged before about the elation and deep satisfaction I feel after a good gaming session, whether I’m running the game or playing in someone else’s. I’ve also written how disappointed or even ANGRY I get when a game session doesn’t go well…it’s like I wasted several hours of time, including the build-up and anticipation beforehand. I LOVE to game. Who knows why? For some folks, it’s an enjoyable, occasional pastime. For me…I don’t know. It’s just something more. A needed escape, I guess; a means of creative expression. Maybe just a chance to stretch my “imagination muscle.”

Astrologically, I would probably point to the emphasized Mars in the 5th house…a person with Pluto in the 5th house would be one of those people who have a hard-time “growing up.” With Mars in that location…well, it indicates this is where I gain or lose energy (and where I’m prone to upset when thwarted). There’s also a lot of ego surrounding an Aries Mars in the 5th house…which is par for the course with a 10th house Pluto and Capricorn 2nd containing Venus, I might add.

Whatever; the why doesn’t really matter all that much. The mental result does. And I get off on good gaming and get pissed about games that go poorly.

But it’s taking it to a whole ‘nother level when you’re dealing with your own game, one that you’ve designed and written yourself. So when a play-test goes well…especially with a game that you’ve been tinkering with for more than a year due to the flaws and frustrations it’s caused…well, it’s enough to make you forget (mostly) about a raging hangover.

Because CDF (the game we’ve beep play-testing) has caused me frustration. And that frustration can lead to self-doubt: doubt about whether you have completely wasted your time. Doubt about whether or not anyone would even enjoy such a game. Doubt about whether or not you should even spend your energy on “design.” I mean, you still have B/X (or LL or AD&D or Pathfinder or whatever)…just house rule it and run with it forever, Amen, right? Throw in a game of Traveller or Boot Hill every now and then for a change-up but just stick to what works and forget the idea of writing anything besides flowery character backgrounds or adventure scenarios for your existing game. Forget your compulsion to do anything more…’cause dammit, you’re just not good enough.

See that? Follow that line of thinking you end up hiding your light under a bush.

I’m not saying every gamer is a designer waiting to bloom. I’m saying that every human has a means (or two) of creative expression and when you find it (and usually you’ll know what it is, deep down, ‘cause it excites your passion) you have to find a way to pursue it in spite of any reservations that might stifle you…things like not being good enough, or smart enough, or educated enough. No, you may not “succeed” and make oodles of money or acquire fame, but you’ll be a helluva’ lot more satisfied with your life…much moreso than if you allow your own nay-saying doubts stop you from pursuing something you enjoy.

I recently had the opportunity to re-read Thomas Sugrue’s biography of Edgar Cayce, There is a River (I highly recommend it to anyone…a good, quick read and both fascinating and enjoyable). Reading about Cayce’s self-doubts about his own unconventional work…despite the great good and help he did for so many people…really helps put your own BS in perspective and (to me anyway) demonstrates how important the MEANS is, not just the END. We’re all going to end our present lives eventually anyway; how do you want to look back at the way you lived it?

I’m going to stand for courageous creativity.

So, regarding the play-test: it went great. As with my previous play-test, I’ve been running an old Shadowrun adventure, converted over to my own system. This particular adventure is Demon in a Bottle, which is kind-of-bad-but-not-terrible. It’s very flavorful due mainly to Tim Bradstreet’s artwork (the story narrative sounds both poorly written and banal to my ear), and an interesting not-quite-McGuffin combined with the usual SR triple-cross-SNAFU isn’t quite demolished by some ham-fisted railroading.

Or maybe it is. After all, in the original adventure it’s up to an NPC to come in and be the “hero” in the end.

But, as said, that’s the original adventure. I ran the opening scenes twice (over two game sessions with different players) in order to test some things, and have decided the rest of the mission will be completely “off-book” (i.e. I’ll be spinning the rest from whole cloth). Hopefully, when we meet next

[Note to Players: TOMMOROW (Tuesday) at the BARANOF, 8PM or thereabouts]

…hopefully, they’ll enjoy the session at least as much as I enjoyed our last one. Highlights from the last session (for me) included the following:

• Players really embracing the Alignment rules (and earning the bennies of playing in character).


• Vehicle evasion/skill rules working the way I wanted…quick, loose, and fun while still defined.


• Having a boost ganger perform a boarding action on a moving vehicle and subsequently getting blown away by a hail of bullets.


• Good (and creative) use of the witchcraft rules by the witch play-tester


• Surprise and Initiative rules


• NPC rules


• Illusion spells and flux working the way I intended


• Learning what other “fat” needs to be cut out of the rules

Regarding the latter, I’ve now found over multiple play-tests that I never use the shock/stun rules…which tells me, um, why should I even bother including ‘em? Cut. Keeping track of ammo/bullets expended also seems to be something we neglect in the heat of the moment…I’m thinking of knocking that out, too (or just stream-lining it). I’m going to play around with that tomorrow, I think.

While I was in California last week, K had the opportunity to run another play-test session of CDF with her group, and reported they, too, had a very enjoyable time. They have also skipped the shock rules and stopped counting bullets, which leads me to think I’m on the right track dropping and updating the rules. She says they had a lot of fun with grenades (who doesn’t?) and that the sorcerer was able to knock himself out with flux for most of the session while still contributing mightily to the success of the mission. She also says the two players with prior Shadowrun experience enjoy the rules and are having a blast…which, of course, makes me uber-feliz.

They’re going to continue playing for at least the next couple weeks, which should give ‘em a good chance to work with the development/advancement and mission creation rules. I’m going to need to get on the ball to catch up!
: )

So, yeah: play-testing will re-commence tomorrow at the usual time. Folks in the Seattle area who are interested should email me...I still have a couple-three spots open for players.

2012, Earth Changes, and 5th Edition

As the Broncos continue to march through the play-offs due in no small part to the faith-powered arm of Tim Tebow, I’m well aware that “the End of the World” is on a lot of folks’ minds. Hell, if Tebow finds a way to beat the Pats at Foxboro, many Denver residents may spontaneously Rapture.

[actually, I checked the numerological implications of Tebow just to see what exactly was going on there; turns out a lot of things point to his potential as a MAGICIAN. While I’m pretty sure Tim isn’t a closet occultist, most of the principles of real magic are based on BELIEF and VISUALIZATION, made possible by a mind disciplined by MEDITATION (which is, in many ways, the equivalent of passive, humble PRAYER). Possibly #16 is working real magic – what a Christian might call Biblical SORCERY – though without knowing it. The power of belief generated by his loyal fans doesn’t hurt much, either]

In all seriousness, I know that there’s been a lot of “2012 talk” buzzing around since the New Year: my wife told me there was an SNL skit based on the Mayan Tzolkin/2012 predictions, and even a local brewery (Tangletown in Green Lake) is offering a series of new Apocalyptic Beers over the next 12 months as we await The End. Oh, yeah…and I heard something about it on CNN the other day, too, when I was watching the Republican debate coverage.

The fact that people are talking about it…even if they are making light of it…tells me that the idea IS out there, and the possibility of the world getting snuffed is probably of at least minor concern nagging the back of some people’s minds. I figured I’d offer my two cents on the issue since I’ve been studying the subject since 1997 or so…longer than some of my blog readers have been playing Dungeons & Dragons.

#1: Sure, We Will All Die. It’s always possible a global disaster (meteor strike, solar eruption, global pole shift) might wipe out the planet. It’s also possible that something else might kill us, individually, and equally remove us from this life we enjoy and all our friends and loved ones. Don’t you people ever watch Spike TV’s “1000 Ways to Die?” Life is a precious, precious thing and both stronger and more fragile than what we generally assume. But it WILL eventually end for each of us (and for our loved ones, our spouses, our children, etc.) and tough as that is to come to grips with, it is the reality of our present, material existence. I’m not saying this to be a downer; I think that embracing our mortality can help us appreciate what we have Right Now…which is one of the best things we can do to live our lives with as much joy and love as possible.

#2: The Earth Will Probably Live. The Earth Changes that have been predicted by most prognosticators mainly spell doom for humanity, NOT the planet. From my studies, the most likely thing to happen is a shift/flip in the Earth’s axis which would devastate civilization, shift continents and oceans, and turn the planet upside down. But the planet (and life on the planet) will continue to exist, even if humanity does not. Should a man-made disaster (global warming, nuclear holocaust, bioengineered disease) cause the destruction of the race, life will STILL survive on the planet, and the planet will eventually recover and repopulate without the destructive interference of humans. And IF humans survive, there will still be a planet for those who are left. For those worried about the ecosphere, this planet will outlive us.

#3: Destruction May Be Avoidable. No, I’m not saying you should move to Montana or build a bomb shelter in your backyard. Most of my readings indicate that any Earth Changes that would cause the massive destruction of human society is directly linked to the actions and karma of the human race: a Cosmic Karmic House-Cleaning if you will. There is precedent in the mythic stories of our race (Noah and the Flood, the Great Deluge of Atlantis, etc.) where God or “the gods” were displeased and rained destruction down upon us…also, that individuals of righteous virtue were saved from death. Whether or not you want to survive and live in a post-apocalyptic world is a matter of debate (I’m not sure I do!), but if that’s your thing the universe is MORE likely to let you live if you have something positive to contribute to what will certainly be a “new world.” AND there is possibility (mentioned in some texts) that the universe will spare us the possible conflagration IF enough of us are on-board with the Universal Will and acting as contributors to the good of our fellow man. Living a “good life” (paying your taxes, treating people with respect, practicing unselfish kindness, etc.) is a start, but STANDING for an ideal, modeling it for others, NOT hiding your light, and CONTRIBUTING to the good of your community (however you can, based on your own individual ability…and, no, not just contributing judgment or “evangelizing,” I’m talking WORK)…that kind of POSITIVE ACTION is needed on a large scale (i.e. from multiple people) if we want to be a group worth saving. And if we’re NOT that…well, perhaps the universe will be better off without us. Try to see it from a universal (non-human-centric) point of view. How are we treating the Earth, really?

#4 Change Will Come Regardless. Whether we have wholesale destruction of the world we’ve built or a sea change in attitude towards our fellow humans and planet, changes WILL come eventually. We are constantly evolving as we journey through life: growing, changing, learning. Whether we do so slowly/gradually or quickly (often with great upheaval/upset to our normal routine) is USUALLY up to us; but sometimes the universe/God steps in and throws us a major Final Exam; whether it be an Ice Age or a World War. For the most part, these “disasters” (“natural” AND man-made, both) are caused by our own actions…karma, the law of cause and effect. And predictors seem to be pointing to the possibility of one of these “final exam moments” in the near future.

Only time will tell what shape such change will take. From an astrological perspective, 2012 looks to be a bumpy ride. Pluto and Uranus will square each other no less than half-a-dozen times this year, starting in June. Uranus is the planet that represents explosive upheaval, and when it interacts with planets it tends to cause upset in aid of cleaning up outmoded patterns and keeping things authentic. Pluto, on the other hand, is the planet that represents volcanic transformation and titanic shifts in consciousness as well as our deep-seated emotional attachments (some of which are left over from past lives). “Square” aspects in astrology are challenging interactions…they tend to be very uncomfortable and have lots of energy and planets in square alignment feel like they’re fighting each other. The coming squares between Pluto and Uranus promise dramatic changes for the entire planet as they are actually aspecting each other, not necessarily planets in individuals’ natal charts. But who knows how that dramatic change will show up? Maybe Ron Paul will cause a major rift in the Republican Party.

Now what does any of this have to do with 5th Edition D&D? Not much, as it’s doubtful anything will be released/published in 2012. However, it is possible that “dramatic changes/shifts of consciousness” will be occurring with the designers working on the latest version of the game. Even so, I’m not sure how much practical impact that will have in the development of the project. For one thing, the game (or rather, the brand) is still owned by Hasbro and as such its design and development is still deeply tied to the normal corporate profit-making requirements. The designers are soliciting feedback from individuals, but many of the young, internet-vocal folks ready to respond are likely to give info that moves 5E farther away from the game’s role-playing origins, developing instead social networking, smart-phone/IPad-style apps, and otherwise incorporating 21st century technology into the game…all wrapped in a new business model that still allows Hasbro to squeeze profit from the consumer (through monthly subscription and/or “collectible” aspects). Even when corporate executives give a rat’s ass about something their hands are tied by the business of business…pandering to share-holders and whatnot. The likelihood anyone will institute an “older approach” to gaming in the design/business model is pretty damn slim, in my opinion, as is the chance of older (“competing”) editions being made available as .pdfs. Far more probable is that the adaptation of certain “old school aesthetics” or even “retro-3rd edition-stylings” in an attempt to woo the OS fan base and Pathfinder players even while moving the game farther away from its original, simple, semi-ambiguous form for something slick and stream-lined and simplistic if “updated for a new century/generation.”

From my point of view, such updating is likely to be a less-than-good-thing (as incorporating technology only increases the likelihood of alienating/disconnecting folks from real human interaction). But, hey, we may all get buried under several tons of rock and water and lava long before that…and if we do the appearance of 5E is sure to be a moot point.
; )

Gunslingers

I was watching an episode of the second season of Top Shot (my wife put it on during dinner the other night...they were throwing tomahawks and my wife knows how much I dig axes in every way, shape, and form), and I was struck my the same thought that struck me when I watched the show in its first season:

What a bunch of nerds.

Now I'm sure many of these sharpshooters are fine human beings, but that doesn't change the fact that they spend a large amount of time honing a fairly useless talent. Ya' know...like playing role-playing games and pretending to be elves and such.

Really. I mean, I guess it's useful if you want to shoot something (or someone) but the value of shooting things (and people) is a fairly debatable point. I mean, learning to play RPGs has given me some math and reading skills anyway...if nothing else, RPGs have helped me to decipher my own taxes every year since I started working, round about age 15.

[fast food, folks]

There are a lot of "nerdy" pastimes available to folks in 21st century America, many of which I engage in ("fantasy football," for example...of what possible value is it to geek out on sports in this way?). I'm not saying this just to be negative or contrary, I'm just pointing out something...a lot of the hobbies that we are blessed with the time and money to pursue are fairly worthless; and often, when we are not caught up in the moment of doing what it we are enjoy doing, I think we realize that.

Is it wrong to pursue such worthless pursuits?

I know that some of the saints and prophets who have come into this world before us would say that. Yes, they would say we should be spending our free time (and money) on pursuits that emphasize humility, compassion, and kindness in support of our fellow human beings. And far be it from me to go against the wisdom of the saints and prophets.

But (and I'm sorry if this seems to be a justification for my own indolence) "to err is human," and I think that it is a deep and sometimes cumbersome challenge to ignore that humans often crave these shallow things that entertain us or fulfill our desires. "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy," and we are so enamored of not being dull. Or not leading dull lives.

I think that rather than "beat oneself up" for indulging in petty fantasies, one might find what is good, positive, and constructive in any hobby. I'm not sure I can think of such for all hobbies (Texas Hold 'Em? Internet porn?) but there ARE constructive grains within most of our nerdy pastimes...and I'm not just talking about doing taxes.

For a person who studies "the way of the gun," one might consider that what is learned is a respect for life: the fragility of human (and animal) life and the ease with which it may be taken...not to mention the need to protect against the indiscriminate action of doing so. Also, a respect for the awful power of the technology of man: a Glock isn't a cell phone and an M240 is no polio vaccine. That we have made these things is a testament to both our ingenuity and our perpetual madness...and from the study of guns we should learn to respect both of these human "virtues."

Also, the simple fact of the matter is that there will always be those who use guns for the wrong purpose (again, whether or not there is a "right" purpose is debatable), by which I mean "used in the harm of others for the sake of self aggrandizement." And those who DO study the way of the gun should serve as a pillar of integrity to those who do not, an example for others to follow...they can display the right way to respect the discipline and proper use of these tools that have such potential for harm and woe. To those who enjoy firearms I say: your enthusiasm has led you to know the weapon; use that knowledge for good, as a safeguard for and testament against ignorance.

Ugh...I guess I'm feeling a bit guilty today. Personally, guns give me "the willies" even if they are fascinating pieces of destruction in games (or any dynamic, artistic visual medium: comics, film, video games). My non-gamer friend, Jon, would certainly accuse me of "glorifying violence," whatever that means exactly. I suppose it means "having fun imagining I'm shooting imaginary people"...but, hey, I AM a big nerd after all. Pretending to be a one-man wrecking crew is nothing worse than pretending to be the coach of a fantasy football team...at least in my book.

Hmmm...it is obvious I am on my last "mental legs" of the night (it's after midnight, and I just got Big D to sleep with a little bouncing/singing). Tomorrow, I'll have more interesting gaming things to say I'm sure. Sorry for being such a downer!

; )

The Eras of the Apocalypse

There’s nothing quite cut-n-dry about apocalyptic fiction in any media. It probably stems from the fact that most people use the term “Apocalypse” incorrectly (including myself). The Apocalypse is the last book of the Bible…i.e. the Book of Revelation. “Apocalypse” is the English translation of the Greek word that means “revelation” (in other words saying the Book of Apocalypse is the same as saying the Book of Revelation); however, because of the general belief that the Book of Revelation provides a prophecy of the “End Times” for humanity, we have allowed the term “Apocalypse” to become synonymous with the End of the World.

Or as I would call it, “the end of civilization as we know it.”

[by the way, in case anyone cares I don’t believe that what St. John describes is a Doomsday scenario but rather a symbolic blueprint of the path to enlightenment based on tearing down one’s selfish separate self / “ego” and re-building the psyche in terms of being a tool for following the divine will, the Seven Seals being the seven chakras that need to be activated through meditation and right-mindedness. Not that humans don’t run the risk of destroying themselves or anything, but I don’t think John’s revelation was anything about some extra-dimensional divine being saving us from THAT…accepting and following the teachings of the enlightened masters, like Jesus, WILL save your soul from the cycle of death and rebirth, but taking Communion isn’t going to give you a chair in some Astral Plane. Read your Edgar Cayce, folks!]

ANYWAY…so when I write “post-apocalypse” (or “PA”) keep in mind that I’m using the common, slangish parlance of “After the Doom of Mankind” not “post-revelation.” The latter phrase would be mean a state of enlightenment (I guess), while the former means a miserable pile of rubble that used to be society as we know it.

SO there are many shades to PA fiction; it ain’t all Gamma World and Mutant Future, that much is for sure. And part of writing a PA game is considering which SUB-GENRE of PA we’re deciding on. ‘Cause, after all, we can’t use every sub-genre at once, can we?

[that’s semi-rhetorical: my original idea DID try to include all sub-genres in one book, hopelessly overwhelming me and being a decided FAIL]

To my mind there are four or five PA sub-genres based on proximity to The End (proximity time-wise, that is):

#1 PRE-APOCALYPSE: Society hasn’t quite broken down, but it’s at the breaking point. Things are pretty frigging bad all over, the end is nigh, and there’s little to nothing anyone can do about it. Possible examples of this in fiction/RPGs include: Blade Runner, Mad Max, Cyberpunk, Car Wars.

#2 IMMEDIATE POST-APOCALYPSE: The end has come and gone and we are left to pick up the pieces. Society has been shattered and will probably never be what it once was, but it’s still within memory of those who lived through the apocalypse. Those who live weep for what they lost and try to maintain normalcy, even as they make do and attempt to survive. After effects of the Cataclysm (nuclear winter, radiation, disease) are as dangerous as the break-down in law and order and starvation (as a society not used to rustic life gets used to a lack of electricity, plumbing, and supermarkets). Examples of this genre are many: The Stand, The Day After, Dies the Fire (and Ariel), Reign of Fire, Damnation Alley, The Postman, Deathlands, The Road Warrior/Beyond Thunderdome. RPG examples are actually few but include the Rifts supplement Chaos Earth and Twilight 2000. Shadow Run could be a fairly wimpy entry into this category.

#3 MULTI-GENERATION POST-APOCALYPSE: The End occurred generations before living memory. People have learned to survive in the wilderness that is the new world, and have rebuilt some semblances of civilization. The wonders of the pre-apocalypse world are rarely understood entirely correctly but here and there people remember and pass things down. Working artifacts from the pre-cataclysm days are scarce except for well-preserved fortifications that have gone un-looted or ruins long abandoned due to multiple dangers. In some of the farther fetched genres helpful/beneficial mutations have become common, as have giant mutant monsters. Examples include Planet of the Apes, A Boy and His Dog, Water World, Logan’s Run, A Canticle for Leibowitz, Battlefield Earth. RPGs in this category are numerous: Gamma World, Mutant Future, Cadillacs & Dinosaurs, Paranoia, and Rifts to name a few.

#4 ANCIENT APOCALYPSE: The Cataclysm occurred so far in the past that is understood only as a legend, like we might think of Noah’s Ark and the Antediluvian Age. Humans know almost nothing of the pre-apocalypse Earth, having long histories of their own new societies and civilizations and any ancient technology that has survived is more akin to “magic” than anything properly understood or even legendary. Mutant people and monsters are simply part of the local fauna and peoples of this new land. Examples in fiction include Thundarr the Barbarian (yes!) and the Storm Lands, the Dying Earth, maybe Bakshi's Wizards, and possibly some of the darker sword & sorcery pulp like Karl Vagner’s Kane series. Besides RPGs based on the mentioned fiction (Thundarr and DE both having games), Ron Edwards's “Sorcerer and Sword” supplement works, as does most any fantasy RPG you choose to adapt to this…Arneson’s Blackmoore campaign setting falls into this category which means OD&D works just fine.

#5 SPACE EXODUS: The Apocalypse destroyed the Earth and the only survivors of human society have been forced to make a new home…off world! The state of civilization may be any of the types #2 through #4, and may even be close to #1 (the Mutant Chronicles is an example). An example of #2 in space would include Battlestar Galactica or Titan A.E. An example of #3 in space would be Firefly/Serenity or Metamorphosis Alpha. An example of #4 might be McCaffrey’s Pern series, MZB’s Darkover series, or M.A.R. Barker’s Tekumel: Empire of the Petal Throne.

Now in one of my original PA posts I talked about what I found LACKING in the PA RPGs out there, namely the grim struggle for survival and the re-building of community/society. However, after writing up my list of PA sub-genres, I can see that these two “integral” parts of PA fiction don’t always apply…or don’t always apply the same.

#1: In this sub-genre, there is a grim struggle to HOLD IT TOGETHER. Society hasn’t collapsed yet, and things may be dangerous, but the main thing is holding on to what one has and knows and trying to keep from bottoming out.

#2: Both integrals apply, but SURVIVAL is emphasized.

#3: Both integrals apply, but COMMUNITY BUILDING is emphasized (for example, in Gamma World it is assumed your village has learned how to acquire food and shelter, etc. already).

#4: Neither "integral" is integral; at this point you’re simply playing a standard fantasy game.

#5: The integrals emphasized depend on which sub-genre of the sub-genre applies.

Now scoping all that out, the next question is: which game do I particularly want to design? Granted, one of the harder game concepts I’ll need to work out are rules to integrate the grim struggle for survival and community re-building into the game system, but before I get to THAT I need to figure out the setting for the game. I’m kind of thinking the #2 category (Immediate PA) is the less saturated category of RPG, but besides being awfully depressing (rape, looting, cannibalism, radiation sickness) it’s…well, too much firearms and not enough homemade spears. Unless, of course, I go the “Change” route (aka the Steve Boyett/S.M. Stirling “all-technology-just-stopped-working-for-no-good-reason” plot)

Nah, if I do #2, I’m most likely to set it in space (the #5 qualifier), kind of based on Titan A.E.: humanity has got to learn to come together in a hostile universe if they’re going to survive and rebuild themselves. Earth’s been wiped out to make way for a new hyperspace bypass; hopefully the survivors remembered their towels. ; )

I think #3 holds a lot of potential (probably so many of the RPG entries already out there fall into this category). I’d prefer something less whimsical than Gamma World, much more like A Canticle for Leibowitz (I love that book…it’s similar to a PA version of Asimov’s Foundation series). However, I’m not above adding some psionic mutations to the mix…the mutants Beneath the Planet of the Apes and those found in DC’s Kamandi comics being bizarre enough without throwing in talking animals.

'Course in the words of one PA film: nothing is certain, the future is NOT set.

More later...