'Heart Of Gold'
A thread for the discussion of games: board, LARP, MMORPG, video, tabletop RPG, game theory etc. etc. and all attendant news, developments and ancillary subjects thereof, as well as coordinating/scheduling games either online or IRL. All are welcome to chime in, talk about their favorite games or learn about gaming of any sort.
PLEASE TO WHITEFONT SPOILERS for video games, RPG modules or anything for which foreknowledge of events might lessen one's enjoyment of whatever gaming experience.
One time I was in a group doing a Living Greyhawk adventure, where we had to escort a VIP that was being targeted by a local crime ring. When we come pick him up, just to set the tone, a crim shoots at him through the window.
And the GM rolls a crit. Triple damage. Our employer is dead on the floor in front of us and the adventure's done before it even started.
GM: "Soooo... What do you do now?"
Player: "We............ Loot the body?"
Nice.
That's something I learned as I got more experienced as a DM. You don't have to roll for everything. If something is directly affecting the PCs, by all means roll for it (no player likes things to happen to them by DM fiat) but if it's just to get/keep the story moving, just have it happen.
I will say there's a darkly comedic aspect to the way the belongings of the dead are handled in D&D.
In fiction a fallen ally's loss is mourned and they're buried with their prized possessions. In D&D it tends to be "Shit, Bob's dead... I call dibs on his armor!"
RftG
O my players, thank you all for your patience. We are now good to go! Everyone has made their choice for their starting world and discards, not to mention their choice of action card for Round 1. So let's see where we begin:
Round 0
Goals
Research Leader - Most Explore Powers
Greatest Infrastructure - Most Developments
Expansion Leader - First to 8 cards in layout
Innovation Leader - First to have a power in each phase
Galactic Standard of Living - First to 5 VPs
Uplift Knowledge - First to 3 Uplift cards
omnis
Layout
Galactic Developers (Non-Military World)
Cards in Hand:
4
Military Strength:
0
Victory Points:
0
Layout Value:
1
6-Cost Developments:
0
Goals:
0
chrismg
Layout
Rebel Cantina (Non-Military World)
Cards in Hand:
4
Military Strength:
0
Victory Points:
0
Layout Value:
0
6-Cost Developments:
0
Goals:
0
Connie Neil
Layout
Separatist Colony (Non-Military World)
Cards in Hand:
4
Military Strength:
1
Victory Points:
0
Layout Value:
1
6-Cost Developments:
0
Goals:
0
Ryan
Layout
Epsilon Eridani (Non-Military World)
Cards in Hand:
4
Military Strength:
1
Victory Points:
0
Layout Value:
1
6-Cost Developments:
0
Goals:
0
-t
Layout
Alpha Centauri (Non-Military Brown Windfall World) + good
Cards in Hand:
4
Military Strength:
0
Victory Points:
0
Layout Value:
0
6-Cost Developments:
0
Goals:
0
Laga
Layout
Ancient Race (Non-Military Green Windfall World) + good
Cards in Hand:
3
Military Strength:
0
Victory Points:
0
Layout Value:
1
6-Cost Developments:
0
Goals:
0
VP Pool: 72
Most players have a hand of 4 cards, with the exception of Laga. Her starting world, Ancient Race, is a cut above the average; that gets balanced out by requiring one more discard at game start. She starts with 3 cards.
Orders for Round 1 will follow shortly.
RftG
Here they are, orders:
omnis: Phase II - Develop
chrismg: Phase III - Settle
Connie Neil: Phase II - Develop
Ryan: Phase II - Develop
-t: Phase IV ($) - Consume (Trade)
Laga: Phase IV ($) - Consume (Trade)
We're starting with three phases: Phase II (Develop), Phase III (Settle) and Phase IV (Consume). Phase II is first. I have orders from some but not all. Everyone who hasn't sent me COs for Phase II, please do so. Anyone who hasn't put in COs for Phase III, let's hear them. (And that probably covers everyone.)
RftG
I don't have all the orders for Phase III yet, but I do have all of Phase II. Here's what's happening:
omnis draws 1 card from Galactic Developers, then plays Public Works. He chose this phase, so it's -1 cost and costs him nothing. This card can consume 1 good for 1 VP, and whenever he plays a development, he draws 1 card afterwards.
chrismg passes.
Connie plays Mining Robots for 1 discard. This gives her -1 cost on playing Brown worlds, and lets her produce on 1 Brown windfall world in Phase V. (She does not as yet have any Brown worlds in her layout.)
Ryan plays Investment Credits. This gives -1 cost on all future developments.
-t plays Space marines for 2 discards. This gives her +2 military strength (this being her total).
Laga plays Expedition Force for 1 discard. This lets her look at 1 extra card when exploring and gives her +1 military strength.
If you haven't got your orders in for Phase III (Settle) yet, do so now.
RftG
Orders for Phase III are in. Connie, Ryan and Laga all pass.
Not so omnis, who plays Blaster Gem Mines for 3 discards, i.e. the rest of his hand. This is a Brown windfall world, and also gives him +1 military. We're still in Round 1, and at this point, every player has at least 1 military strength with the exception of chrismg, who can play military worlds as non-military through his starting world.
And he does so now, playing Outlaw World for 1 discard. This card lets him consume 1 good for 1 VP and 1 card. He chose this phase, so he also draws 1 card.
-t uses her just-played Space Marines to play The Last of the Uplift Gnarssh. This is a Green windfall world, and an Uplift card. The first player to have 3 Uplift cards in their layout will claim one of the goals for 3 points.
RftG
Phase IV (Consume) closes out Round 1. chrismg, Connie and Ryan have no goods, so they sit this one out.
omnis just got a good on his windfall world, which he consumes on Galactic Developers for 1 VP.
-t chose this phase and opted to trade. She just got a Green good on her windfall world, which she trades for 4 cards. She still has a Brown good on Alpha Centauri.
Laga also chose this phase, and also trades a Green good for 4 cards.
And that concludes Round 1! Board summary is up next, and then we'll start the next round with everyone's choice of action card.
RftG
End-of-round summary:
Round 1
Goals
Research Leader - Most Explore Powers
Greatest Infrastructure - Most Developments
Expansion Leader - First to 8 cards in layout
Innovation Leader - First to have a power in each phase
Galactic Standard of Living - First to 5 VPs
Uplift Knowledge - First to 3 Uplift cards
omnis
Layout
Galactic Developers (Non-Military World)
Public Works (Development)
Blaster Gem Mines (Non-Military Brown Windfall World)
Cards in Hand:
0
Military Strength:
1
Victory Points:
1
Layout Value:
4
6-Cost Developments:
0
Goals:
0
chrismg
Layout
Rebel Cantina (Non-Military World)
Outlaw World (Military World)
Cards in Hand:
3
Military Strength:
0
Victory Points:
0
Layout Value:
1
6-Cost Developments:
0
Goals:
0
Connie Neil
Layout
Separatist Colony (Non-Military World)
Mining Robots (Development)
Cards in Hand:
2
Military Strength:
1
Victory Points:
0
Layout Value:
2
6-Cost Developments:
0
Goals:
0
Ryan
Layout
Epsilon Eridani (Non-Military World)
Investment Credits (Development)
Cards in Hand:
3
Military Strength:
1
Victory Points:
0
Layout Value:
2
6-Cost Developments:
0
Goals:
0
-t
Layout
Alpha Centauri (Non-Military Brown Windfall World) + good
Space Marines (Development)
The Last Of The Uplift Gnarssh (Military Green Windfall World)
Cards in Hand:
4
Military Strength:
2
Victory Points:
0
Layout Value:
1
6-Cost Developments:
0
Goals:
0
Laga
Layout
Ancient Race (Non-Military Green Windfall World)
Expedition Force (Development)
Cards in Hand:
5
Military Strength:
1
Victory Points:
0
Layout Value:
2
6-Cost Developments:
0
Goals:
0
VP Pool: 71
RftG
Orders are in for Round 2, and a lot of people are feeling the squeeze.
omnis: Phase I (+1/+1) - Explore (draw +1 card, keep +1 card)
chrismg: Phase I (+1/+1) - Explore (draw +1 card, keep +1 card)
Connie Neil: Phase I (+1/+1) - Explore (draw +1 card, keep +1 card)
Ryan: Phase I (+1/+1) - Explore (draw +1 card, keep +1 card)
-t: Phase III - Settle
Laga: Phase II - Develop
Lot of exploring going on. We will again have three phases, being Phase I (Explore), phase II (Develop) and Phase III (Settle). Cards are going out for Phase I:
omnis, chrismg and Ryan all draw 3 cards and keep 2.
Connie gets 2 extra cards from Separatist Colony, so she draws 5 cards and keeps 2.
-t draws 2 cards and keeps 1.
Laga gets 1 extra draw from Expedition Force; she draws 3 cards and keeps 1.
Everyone, let me know what you keep. You can also send me COs for Phases II and III.