Beginning of the year and another game is out: Forward, a module for LIGHT, a TTRPG by GilasRPG.
LIGHT is a TTRPG heavily inspired by Destiny game series. In the TTRPG game, players are beacons, guardians of light using knifes, machine guns and somewhat elemental powers to fight back alien invaders. As long as they have light, they are revived when dying. *If you don't think that's cool, I don't even know what to say*
At last, my first take on sci-fi, which is not something I've dealt often my experience as player or GM. Since I have never played Destiny, I sought to learn more about it. *Research time!* Interesting universe and intriguing mix of shooting and RPG. After getting the feeling of the universe, I sought out my cover, as to help me figure out which direction to go on designing the hack. This one spoke to me and was picked (I rotated it until it gave that feeling of 'play', 'beyond', 'FORWARD')
Nice. So, about Destiny, what surprised me the most was that the range of powers available is really narrow. I agree that it fosters creativity but nevertheless that seemed to me a path I could pursue.
*Spark* Since I'm giving more power options, why not just make a list/system to create classes. Which would imply in more starting gear and abilities. Okay, more tables then. Still it didn't add enough to fill the 4 pages, a format I really enjoy. More powers are fun but about some dangerous powers? Since the beacons are guardian light why not give the option of thread in darkness? *Spark* Power that are stronger the more dark you have? Nice! Let's do this. Now I have to come up with 6 d12 tables of gear and abilities. I used as inspiration 3 games that have powers, some lore and aim and use group fights: Borderlands, Overwatch and League of Legends.
After some rereading about the abilities in those games, it started my creative engine and the tables were done. Even so, almost a whole page remained blank... Let's go watch more about Destiny universe *Research time* Ah! The beacons don't remember who they were before becoming guardians and are not allowed to research about it. *Spark* What if they were supposed to remember but still have some fragments? They know better to not go trying to find out what it means but maybe it could help make the scenery and characters more alive! That's when I created the Memories table, talking about the fragments the beacon has (where and what) and how the place it used to know is no more. That felt like a more meaningful complement to the game than the powers. Maybe that's just me.
Like always, let's roll something! Maybe a pregen character and his memories?
He remembers the lantern festival in Vietnam, the lantern being little copter like balloons, soaring and making patterns in the sky above the mountains. He also remembers the fight for resources there, scarce after the arrival of Darkness. Today, as a beacon, he knows there lies a Mega fortress, the mountains unified. Maybe full of flying sentinels scanning, scouting.
