<h2id="orgdbe180d">An Invitation to My New Game</h2>
<divclass="outline-text-2"id="text-orgdbe180d">
<blockquote>
<p>
“Great party, Shane,” you say as you grab your coat, “by the way, how did you meet the little person, and while we talked for some time, I can’t remember his name.”
@ -229,16 +229,76 @@ Even the description he gave you to get to this bar sounded wild. From the Glads
</blockquote>
<p>
Sorry, I guess I’m still in <i>memoir-writing-mode</i>, but I have an idea for a casual, <i>role-play heavy</i> RPG for us I call, <b>Sitting on Moss and Jumping in Puddles</b> where we play as either Fey denizens of this <i>Otherworld</i> or more normal fantasy characters, who tripped and landed in the middle of a <i>faery circle</i>, and now finds themselves outside time, caught at a tavern in a Feywild™ domain. Since I sent you this (or some brilliant person forwarded it to you), this might interest you.
Sorry, I guess I’m still in <i>memoir-writing-mode</i> after my six-week sabbatical, but I have an idea for a casual, <i>role-play heavy</i> RPG for us I call, <b>Sitting on Moss and Jumping in Puddles</b> where we play as either Fey denizens of this <i>Otherworld</i> or more normal fantasy characters, who tripped and landed in the middle of a <i>faery circle</i>, and now finds themselves outside time, caught at a tavern in a Feywild™ domain. Since I sent you this (or some brilliant person forwarded it to you), this might interest you.
</p>
<p>
Keep in mind that my idea is <i>different</i>.
Keep in mind that my idea is <i>different</i> and may not be for everyone. So no offense if you ignore this.
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<p>
The <i>goal</i> (at least, at the beginning) of this game is “just role play”, or maybe I should say, “not funny improv”? I mean, you make your character <i>interesting</i> and <i>entertaining</i> to everyone and do a “yes, and” to the characters other players puppet.
Perhaps think of it as an extended Session Zero. After a bit (if we find it fun), I will start to add exploration, puzzles, and maybe combat.
The <i>goal</i> (at least, at the beginning) of these game sessions is “just role play”, or maybe I should say, “not funny improv”? I mean, you make your character <i>interesting</i> and <i>entertaining</i> to everyone and do a “yes, and” to the characters other players puppet.
</p>
<p>
This works like a <i>chat channel</i>, so no audio/video for the online games. Looks a bit like:
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<blockquote>
<p>
The pixies atop the giant, red-capped mushroom begin another tune.
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White mist appears…along with the smell of sulphur… When the smoke clears, an old gnome materializes.
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The old gnome happily asks you, “Ah, a wanderer from the Mud World, I see. You look familiar, old chap, have we met before?”
</p>
<p>
>><code>say Gosh, I dunno, Mister, I don't ... Why are you so small?</code><br/>
You ask, “Gosh, I dunno, Mister, I don’t … Why are you so small?”
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The old gnome indignantly asks, “Judge me by my stature, will you?”
</p>
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>><code>say I didn't mean no offense!</code><br/>
You exclaim, “I didn’t mean no offense!”
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The old gnome slams his staff against the floor. The room goes completely dark.
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The music stops abruptly.
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In the darkness, you see a pair of large red eyes, and a low gutteral growl.
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The old gnome whispers to you, “No offense taken, mah boy.”
</p>
<p>
The glowing orbs along the branches of this room relight and the music, starts again.
</p>
<p>
>><code>say/carefully Nice to meet yer acquaintance, sir.</code><br/>
You carefully say, "Nice to meet yer acquaintance, sir.”
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</blockquote>
<p>
Essentially we each type commands that add to <i>story</i> that emerges in this chat channel.
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<p>
@ -250,33 +310,42 @@ The game is <i>ultra casual</i>, so you can drop in (and leave) any time you wis
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<p>
Does this sound fun? If so, start thinking of an interesting character you can use to entertain us all. You can log in any time you want to get a feel for the interface, and create a character (and you can create more than one character, so don’t fear commitment). The portal to the Bar, however, will be open from 7 to 9pm PST on Monday (once you are in the bar, you can stay as long as you want).
Does this sound fun? If so, start thinking of an interesting character you can use to entertain us all. You can log in any time you want to get a feel for the interface, and create a character (and you can create more than one character, so don’t fear commitment). You can change anything about your character (so again, don’t fear commitment).
</p>
<p>
While I am still planning on a bi-weekly game at my place, we’ll play this game online weekly on either Monday or Tuesday evenings. I am basing the underlying rules on <i>Knave</i> (an overly simple OSR RPG), but the <i>interface</i> that I’ve created will gloss over that, so nothing really to learn there.
After logging in, you can wander around the Land of Wyldwood, but the portal to the Bar (where we will all gather for the “adventure”), opens from 7 to 9pm PST on Tuesdays (once you are in the bar, you can stay as long as you want).
</p>
<p>
Let me clarify my choice of using the word “adventure” in the previous paragraph. As a GM, I will be bringing interesting NPCs and events to this “Bar,” that you, as a character, can “interact,” but my vision focuses on the player’s characters. Perhaps you can think of the first few sesssions, as an extended Session Zero. After a bit (if we find it fun), I will start to add exploration, puzzles, and maybe combat. If you have questions about this, reach out.
</p>
<p>
While I am still planning on a bi-weekly game at my place, we’ll play this game online weekly on Tuesday evenings starting on Tuesday the 27th of May.
</p>
<p>
I am basing the underlying rules on <i>Knave</i> (an overly simple OSR RPG), but the <i>interface</i> that I’ve created will gloss over that, so nothing really to learn there.
The interface I’ve programmed has an online help system and a tutorial to walk you through how to play, but what follows is a one page summary of how to use this game interface:
</p>
<p>
First, log in via <ahref="https://www.howardabrams.com/cozy">https://www.howardabrams.com/cozy</a> and click the <b>Enter</b> button (if you would rather not use a web browser, you can install any MUD application, and connect to <code>howardabrams.com</code> and port <code>4000</code>). Next, create an account by typing:
First, log in via <ahref="https://www.howardabrams.com/cozy">https://www.howardabrams.com/cozy</a> and click the <b>Enter</b> button (if you would rather not use a web browser, you can install any MUD application, and connect to <code>howardabrams.com</code> at port <code>4000</code>). Next, create an account by typing:
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<preclass="example"id="org5bf0a83">
<preclass="example"id="org9b8e573">
create username password
</pre>
<p>
And just use your name for the <code>username</code> and swap out a more interesting password. You will then log into the system each time, by typing:
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<preclass="example"id="org8d5fd84">
<preclass="example"id="org777f7b9">
connect username password
</pre>
<p>
The first time you log in, you enter the character creator, a text-base wizard interface, where you can type <code>back</code> and <code>next</code> to answer prompts answering questions about your character. You will need to know the following:
The first time you log in, you enter the character creator, a text-base wizard interface, where you can type <code>back</code> and <code>next</code> to answer prompts answering questions about your character. You will need to answer the following:
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<olclass="org-ol">
@ -288,13 +357,16 @@ The first time you log in, you enter the character creator, a text-base wizard i
</ol>
<p>
That’s it for making a character. To play, you basically type commands. Again, the game has a tutorial for new characters to walk you through this process, but the key ones we will use for <i>role playing</i> include:
That’s it for making a character. I mentioned this before, but I’ll say it again, during the game, you can change everything about your character, so if you aren’t sure, start with anything.
</p>
<p>
To play, you basically type commands. Again, the game has a tutorial for new characters to walk you through this process, but the key ones we will use for <i>role playing</i> include:
Type <code>say</code> and a phrase to say something so that everyone in the area can hear that. Because we use this command so much, and we want to make the text to read more interesting, it has a number of <i>aliases</i>, including:
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@ -303,32 +375,32 @@ Type <code>say</code> and a phrase to say something so that everyone in the area
<li><p>
<code>ask</code>, so that it may read:
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<preclass="example"id="org2012abd">
<preclass="example"id="org3cd8f83">
Beardless dwarf asks, “How are you?”
</pre></li>
<li><p>
<code>reply</code>, so it may read:
</p>
<preclass="example"id="org06e45eb">
<preclass="example"id="org0f2bfee">
Tall, blond elf replies, “Well, and you?”
</pre></li>
<li><code>respond</code>, <code>yell</code>, and <code>scream</code>, are similar.</li>
<li><p>
<code>"</code> and <code>'</code> are shortcuts allowing you to type: <code>"Greetings</code> to have it read:
Use this command to send a message to the <i>out-of-character public channel</i>. All logged in users receive these OOC messages, prefixed by your <i>username</i>, not your <i>character</i>.
</p>
@ -406,14 +477,14 @@ Use this command to send a message to the <i>out-of-character public channel</i>
<p>
Typing something like:
</p>
<preclass="example"id="org24cfb19">
<preclass="example"id="orgcb17b5b">
pub Is anyone here yet?
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<p>
Might show a transcript like:
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<preclass="example"id="org6b21062">
<preclass="example"id="orga000a03">
[Public] howard: Is anyone here yet?
[Public] rick: Yeah. I just got here.
</pre>
@ -427,15 +498,14 @@ I have more commands for getting and drinking Fey cocktails, and exhibiting thei
Like the <code>pub</code> command above, this allows you to talk to another player directly. I expect we will use this primarily for talking to the GM during the game session. For instance:
@desc shrub = If a small shrub had the facial muscles to smile and show how much it enjoys itself, this lil' guy would be it. The short leaves indicates it once was a boxwood, but the way it nurses that glass of water shows those days are way behind. When you look its way, it waves a branch at you.
You notice one of its branches clutch a small chalkboard while another holds a piece of chalk.
Howard Abrams