A community effort

[Hassknecht]

I don't support the idea of psykers, but if they do have drawbacks...

Yeah, I'm not a fan, either, way too easy to make them overpowered. It would be a matter of debate, if we can find a way to balance out psykers it might be ok. We might take a look at Dark Heresy (a WH40k PnP) and their treatment of psykers. Constant dice rolls to see if something terrible and uncontrolled happens, stuff like that.

 

[Dr Fallout]

Yeah, I'm not a fan, either, way too easy to make them overpowered. It would be a matter of debate, if we can find a way to balance out psykers it might be ok. We might take a look at Dark Heresy (a WH40k PnP) and their treatment of psykers. Constant dice rolls to see if something terrible and uncontrolled happens, stuff like that.

Might be easier NOT to have them. I mean, they're such a small part of the world and they take away from the setting.

 

[Risewild]

It would still be better to have the rules for them in the source books though.
I also do not really like psykers but they exist in the Fallout lore so they should have rules in the source books .
After all in PnP it is all about what the GM allows or wants to use, there should be rules for pretty much anything in the source books and then the GMs use or alter those at their own tastes, that is one of the greatest advantages of PnP over computer games, freedom of choice.

 

[Black Angel]

Yeah, I'm not a fan, either, way too easy to make them overpowered. It would be a matter of debate, if we can find a way to balance out psykers it might be ok. We might take a look at Dark Heresy (a WH40k PnP) and their treatment of psykers. Constant dice rolls to see if something terrible and uncontrolled happens, stuff like that.

I've always imagined that the Fallout universe can be seen as a precursor of some sort to the 40k Universe. Maybe in year 3000 the Emperor begin to actively participate in world affair but not yet fully reveal himself..... I don't know.

The way the Master convey psychic powers (pardon me for using 40k term) was acceptable, at least, since he's an abomination of assimilating multiple personality, so it's kind of make sense? Fallout 2's mistake is going all out without imposing those limitations and grotesqueness of the Master, but can be somewhat attributed to the fact that the Chosen One was raised a tribal so from his perspective ghosts, psykers, and the likes was 'normal', maybe? Underrail also explored psionic powers and although vague, it was acceptable due to the mystery of what actually render the surface inhabitable, and the Lunatics all gone mad from abuse of their power and lack of discipline, etc etc.

Personally, I'm curious how psykers can work in Fallout universe. The Master was at the least acceptable, and the one thing that made it somewhat unacceptable in the Fallout universe was due to how Fallout 2 handle it. Still, I'd like to see how we can explore it in the NMA's PnP, and there's nothing wrong with referring to at most, Fallout 1, and for outside source, the 40k Universe (and maybe Underrail).

 

[Hassknecht]

Yeah, I think it will be a big discussion (among others, like how hairy and talkative should Deathclaws be, and should easter egg items like Bridgekeeper's Robes and the Solar Scorcher be in the game).
We'll discuss and decide in time. Maybe they should be NPC only.

 

[Risewild]

To be honest if we exclude the Master's Psykers (which were the most powerful psykers in Fallout lore) most of the remaining ones are really weak, most powers only include visions, "communicate" with small animals ( and usually only one type of animal: rats, radroaches, giant ants), and use telepathy to communicate (through dreams or amplified using some kind of tech).
And usually some of these have already bad side-effects (need medicine to not go crazy, need drugs to fuel the psyker powers, needs special mental blocking devices so it won't be painful, etc).
So I don't see a big chance of making psykers overpowered, of course if we go the Master's Psykers route they will be overpowered if not in check.

Oops I didn't see Hassknecht post in time while I was posting mine...

 

[Hassknecht]

To be honest if we exclude the Master's Psykers (which were the most powerful psykers in Fallout lore) most of the remaining ones are really weak, most powers only include visions, "communicate" with small animals ( and usually only one type of animal: rats, radroaches, giant ants), and use telepathy to communicate (through dreams or amplified using some kind of tech).
And usually some of these have already bad side-effects (need medicine to not go crazy, need drugs to fuel the psyker powers, needs special mental blocking devices so it won't be painful, etc).
So I don't see a big chance of making psykers overpowered, of course if we go the Master's Psykers route they will be overpowered if not in check.

Oops I didn't see Hassknecht post in time while I was posting mine...

I think even the Master's psykers were kinda balanced. Theoretically they had power, but they were also batshit crazy and useless. And they were specifically produced via FEV injections, so there shouldn't be any more of those.
Actually, thinking about it, I don't actually mind rare and limited psykers all that much. Fallout has big roots in pulpy science fiction, and there it's a common theme that after a cataclysmic war some sort of PSI sensibility arises from the mutations (Beneath the Planet of the Apes, anyone?). Especially in timespans long after the war (post NV) I wouldn't mind it, if it's somewhat balanced. Maybe even subvert the common tropes, because Fallout is also very good at that. Yeah, there is a new humanity with new powers... But they all suck.
I wouldn't make it a main or even a common thing, but something for advanced rules, when you want to make a really special character. We should definitely go at it with an open mind.

 

[TorontoReign]

There have been characters with psychic type powers in most of the Fallout games. Mama Murphy is the most recent (facepalming) example but Hakunin was much better, and The Forecaster from New Vegas wasn't half bad. I never saw the problem with the Hairy Deathclaws either really. Synths actually work in the setting they were just handled poorly. I even liked the Beast Lords and Calculators army to a certain extent. Just imagine a D&D Monster Manual. They have so many enemies to choose from it is insane, but it is up to the Dungeon Master to use them in the way they see fit. Limiting a player too much can really stifle the character creation process and dampen the fun in the game. Psyker type powers should definitely have drawbacks to balance out the advantages, whatever they may be.

Also this is worth mentioning. Just spitballing here.

http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/inde...with-chris-avellones-fallout-pnp-cards.88801/

Deadlands uses something similar too.

http://rpg.stackexchange.com/questi...se-poker-chips-playing-cards-or-both-and-what

The game Caravan makes something like that really easy to implement. Or even Tragic the Gathering... You could use real bottlecaps and poker chips for something as well I wager. It just doesn't seem as unique without something to differentiate the game like that.

 

[Dr Fallout]

So psykers in? As long as there's no talking deathclaws I'm fine.

 

[Izak]

It would be cool if card games like caravan or blackjack were involved but I have no idea how your luck and gambling skills would affect it.

 

[Dr Fallout]

It would be cool if card games like caravan or blackjack were involved but I have no idea how your luck and gambling skills would affect it.

Well in Fallout PnP, when you gambled you just rolled against your gambling skill. If you got under your skill level you won.

 

[cratchety ol joe]

I don't want to make a mess in this pond... But rather than having a long thread of concept back & forth surely this entire thing should be moved to a more formalised 'project' style, such that concepts can be laid out correctly, etc.

I sound like an old fuddy-duddy, but making the working package as transparent as possible will help everyone involved..

Might I put forward such tools as mind-mapping software (eg tools such as yEd) & collaborative project platforms (such as Microsofts 'Onenote' )

A more formal structure takes a lot of work, but ensure everything that is discusses can be done so in a clean and comprehensible format, something that a linear forum thread will never afford.

</ being an old fart>

 

[Izak]

You damn idiots should wait until you have a goddamn place to write shit down before you start writing shit down!

This is, for all intents and purposes, the writing down random concepts thread, (well that and a way to gage opinion on a Fallout PnP) I imagine things will become organised once Korin comes back and makes a sub-forum.

Well in Fallout PnP, when you gambled you just rolled against your gambling skill. If you got under your skill level you won.

That'd be fine if it were an in-game thing but I think Toront was saying the cards would be played in real life with effects ingame.

 

[Hassknecht]

I don't want to make a mess in this pond... But rather than having a long thread of concept back & forth surely this entire thing should be moved to a more formalised 'project' style, such that concepts can be laid out correctly, etc.

I sound like an old fuddy-duddy, but making the working package as transparent as possible will help everyone involved..

Might I put forward such tools as mind-mapping software (eg tools such as yEd) & collaborative project platforms (such as Microsofts 'Onenote' )

A more formal structure takes a lot of work, but ensure everything that is discusses can be done so in a clean and comprehensible format, something that a linear forum thread will never afford.

</ being an old fart>

Yes, it will be. There's a new subforum planned where all the discussions an planning and whatever will be done in.
You would have known that if you've read the thread.

 

[cratchety ol joe]

I'm well aware of the sub-forum concept... I was merely voicing my opinion that there are far more efficient ways of doing things...

 

[Hassknecht]

And I wrote several times that I plan on doing this in a guided, transparent, and "professional" way. Personally, I'm not a fan of mindmaps and stuff like that, but I will form teams divided by tasks, set work packages and deadlines (and Gantt charts so everyone knows when what is due).
We'll need some way of file-sharing, too. I have no idea how much webspace NMA can provide, but maybe it would be possible to host some stuff here. Gonna check that, too.

 

[Izak]

So I'm really gonna flex my creative muscles here, the GMs going to be called Overseer right? That makes sense within the world of Fallout and it's a solid substitute for Game Master.

 

[Hassknecht]

So I'm really gonna flex my creative muscles here, the GMs going to be called Overseer right? That makes sense within the world of Fallout and it's a solid substitute for Game Master.

Haven't thought about that so far, but yes.

 

[Dr Fallout]

So here's a question, are we going to make very broad rules or aim at a specific region?

 

[Hassknecht]

So here's a question, are we going to make very broad rules or aim at a specific region?

I'd like to have a more general basic ruleset, with all the fluff and setting separately in the campaign- and auxillary books.
Basically, one book solely about the crunch, then different books/chapters about the various regions, their history, basic maps and so on.
That way the Overseer (really liking that for the GM's name) can set campaigns in all of the regions and timespans, from stuff shortly after the War to after Fallout 4.