Gen Con Online
The Corona Virus Pandemic shut down all fan conventions since around March this year. We were excited that, while Gen Con closed, they, too, chose to host a virtual convention. Badge to attend is free, and most games are only $2 US. The cost is mainly to cover the costs of serving the virtual games.
We hope that conventions like Gen Con and Comic Con will see the benefit of continuing this, even after the pandemic is over. While nothing beats being at the show in person, some get very busy. The dealer room at Comic Con is practically a stand still place, packed with human flesh and bags all across every aisle. Fans can still attend and play new games and old remotely, benefiting the show and the companies that go there.
Copper Penny
Operation Copper Penny for Delta Green RPG played on Roll20
The first game was Copper Penny, a Delta Green RPG scenario. I have never played Delta Green but wanted to for many years. The mechanics are modified from the Call of Cthulhu game. Delta Green is now a stand-alone game. The player characters still face the cosmic horror of the Lovecraft Mythos. However, they are part of an organization that actively fights against them and covers up any trace to preserve humanity’s ignorance.
One of the great options at this show was going to games where experience was not required. While this is common at conventions, it was convenient since we would be playing in a new mode - virtual gaming. I chose my PC - an FBI agent who is both a doctor and epidemiologist.
Sandra Diaz - Physician- Forensic Pathology
The Handler (game master) was very well prepared. We played on Roll20. The characters were pre-loaded and were immediately ready to use. For those new to this, we can click on the character sheet under the appropriate ability to make a roll. This is time saving and helps with the game immersion. The story took us to various places (no spoilers) and there was enough for every player to get involved. I definitely recommend this scenario. As usual with Call of Cthulhu-style games, the game master and the players are key, so, kudos to the whole group for an enjoyable experience.
The Doors to Heaven
On Friday night, it was time to play The Yellow King’s The Doors to Heaven scenario. The Yellow King, from Pelgrane Press, is a Kickstarter we backed a couple of years ago. This will be my first chance at playing it. I have not read the rules.
The game was done in Theater of the the Mind style - audio only over Discord, the events happening inside each player’s head. I was privileged to have a group of fun role players. They ran with the story, set in Paris early in the last century. The absinthe flowed freely in our Bohemian scenario. We played US college kids in France, enjoying the libertine lifestyle. The game flowed from our minds, with very few interludes about game mechanics. The game uses the Gumshoe system, which is very handy and very fast. We were successful, more in spite of our choices than because of them. I will play with this group again if given the chance.
Urgent Care
Friday night was my first Shadowrun 6th Edition game. I have the book but I have not played in some 20 years, so it was a few editions ago. Like most of the games for which I signed up, this was set up for newbies, so there was no pressure. The good surprise was the available characters which were already set to use in Roll20. I just had to pick, the game master assigned it to me and I was ready to go.
Since I was not familiar with the changes, I chose a Street Samurai, Ace. Warrior types are good entry Player Characters and require less reading of the rules. The Game Master was knowledgeable and a good story guide. The other players were a lot of fun. Without knowing much of the story, we picked three physical fighters, a technomancer, and a mage. No Face. As it worked out, the story was geared towards stealth and subterfuge. Yet we managed to pull it off. There was only one fight and it was over quickly, with no casualties, as required by our agreement.
Ace, the Street Samurai provided for the game.
Another pleasant surprise was the sponsors of the game, Shadowrun Missions Online or SRMO. They are a campaign in the style of the Pathfinder or Adventurers’ Guild. The idea is that you can create and play a character and bring it to other sponsored games at conventions and other events. It relieves the effort to organize a local group (though you can certainly play with the same group if you choose) which can be so difficult once you “get a life” or are in an area without many local players. Online makes it easier. You get one “Mulligan”, which allows you to change your character once while keeping all the rewards from previous games. I played Ace but I would like to try a different character once I get more familiar with the game. From a great find to great game master and fun fellow players, this was a great game.