View Full Version : Chuubo's Marvelous Wish-Granting Engine
Has anybody been paying attention to this game? The Kickstarter has just gone up (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1710667762/the-chuubos-marvelous-wish-granting-engine-rpg). It's a spin-off of Nobilis, inspired by games like Earthbound and Studio Ghibli movies. I helped to playtest it and I think it would be a big hit with anybody who was a fan of the Persona games.
Terraoblivion
2013-05-30, 03:26 PM
I only saw the kickstarter. It looks quite great, however, which was why I decided to throw a fair bit of money at it. I'm not entirely sure what it is, but something about the presentation, themes and writing style just clicked with me. Of course, the Jenna Moran name helped a lot too, but it looks great even without that.
Grinner
2013-05-30, 04:03 PM
Oh, Ms. Moran, you foul temptress! Why must you taunt me and my rapidly depleting bank account so?
Oh, Ms. Moran, you foul temptress! Why must you taunt me and my rapidly depleting bank account so?
Doctor! Jenna didn't study for years at Making Them Give You Their Money Game Design School to be called "Missus Moran!"
Terraoblivion
2013-05-30, 04:41 PM
I know that feeling. It comes right in the middle of a period of uncertain income and on top of the Exalted 3e kickstarter, but I still had to not only get the book, but also get to see my portrait in the bright, colorful artstyle the game seems to be going for.
Woo, the core is funded. But there's still a long way to go before all three books are unlocked.
Geostationary
2013-06-03, 01:24 AM
How did I miss this thread earlier? Anyways, Chuubo's. Should be awesome, backed it, etc. It is coming at a rather good (bad for your wallet) time for rpgs on Kickstarter, and Jenna Moran is incapable of writing boring/not awesome stuff.
I know that feeling. It comes right in the middle of a period of uncertain income and on top of the Exalted 3e kickstarter, but I still had to not only get the book, but also get to see my portrait in the bright, colorful artstyle the game seems to be going for.
Congrats on joining those who recently did not exist and now do (and are probably not a Deceiver, unless you are, in which case sorry about the confusion).
Also, the previews and Treasure book for us Nobilisers are pretty cool so far! Check them out if you haven't already.
Terraoblivion
2013-06-03, 07:01 AM
The previews have indeed been awesome so far. Really awesome in fact, I loved reading the playbook for Chuubo himself and that's very promising. Even if I think that I'd be more likely to play one of the other characters if I were to play The Glassmaker's Dragon.
And I look forward to seeing myself in the artstyle of the book. Being real sounds like a nice thing to be, after all.
The rough draft is now available to backers!
Mewtarthio
2013-06-04, 11:42 AM
Wow. That's a nice surprise right there.
Terraoblivion
2013-06-04, 12:09 PM
Only read a few intro bits of the draft, but it looks very promising. I look forward to getting home and reading properly.
Also, the premade characters for The Glassmaker's Dragon look quite amusing. I'm particularly fond of the bits I've seen of Natalya... At least I believe the prodigy is called Natalya.
Grinner
2013-06-04, 12:26 PM
So these previews, where can I find them? Are they the Chuubo-tagged things Jenna posted to Hitherby Dragons a few years ago? Or is it backers only?
Terraoblivion
2013-06-04, 12:53 PM
Some are the old ones, some are updates to the kickstarter, some are comments in the rpg.net. The working draft is backers only, and is essentially an unedited version of the full corebook without art.
Only eight dollars away from the full art direction stretch goal.
If we don't get all the way up to Glass-Maker's Dragon I'll be extremely sad.
Terraoblivion
2013-06-13, 05:28 PM
It looks pretty likely we aren't getting there, though. I mean we might beat expectations, but it doesn't look terribly probable at the moment. There's a very real risk that we aren't even going to get Fortitude: By the Docks of Big Lake. At least we have the art direction.
Also, having finally read the entire working draft, the system looks pretty damn good and I kinda think Jenna Moran is underselling it by only focusing on one aspect of what it can do in the promotional material. It's just as great for things like Madoka and Utena rife with symbolic fighting and struggles to keep your life and mind intact as it is for slice of life and presenting some of that versatility would probably help. Especially since being able to have a proper system for those two would be pretty amazing in general and nigh-impossible with anything that I currently know exists.
Grinner
2013-06-13, 07:33 PM
I don't know. You're...what, fifteen days into the drive, and you all are already at $40k. Then you've also got to consider the usual final day spurt...No, I think you'll get your campaign setting.
Terraoblivion
2013-06-13, 07:59 PM
Probability is certainly in favor of getting Fortitude: By the Docks of Big Lake, but it might fail. Especially since the mid-kickstarter slump has been quite strong with Chuubo's. One day added a grand total of $57 for example. So if the final spurt is unusually weak then it might come up short. I definitely agree that it is unlikely, though.
Probability is certainly in favor of getting Fortitude: By the Docks of Big Lake, but it might fail. Especially since the mid-kickstarter slump has been quite strong with Chuubo's. One day added a grand total of $57 for example. So if the final spurt is unusually weak then it might come up short. I definitely agree that it is unlikely, though.
I think the $57 came from Exalted's final day of Kickstarting, so hopefully that won't be repeated. I'm really hoping that people's wallets start to come off cooldown as we move into July.
neonchameleon
2013-06-14, 08:50 AM
I think the $57 came from Exalted's final day of Kickstarting, so hopefully that won't be repeated. I'm really hoping that people's wallets start to come off cooldown as we move into July.
Final days on Kicktraq are odd because they work by calendar days rather than internal days.
Terraoblivion
2013-06-17, 04:39 PM
And with the lifepaths out...Damn the Titovs are messed up in so many ways. Yet they also seem intriguing to actually play one of, especially if you're the one person struggling to be a functional individual among them. It seems like Isabella is the only one with even a glimmer of being able to function as a normal human being and she's the one they all look down on. Or, well, Diana would probably be a pretty decent, functional person if she could just get away from the family.
Mewtarthio
2013-06-17, 10:13 PM
Or, well, Diana would probably be a pretty decent, functional person if she could just get away from the family.
Nobody gets away from the Titov family. Maybe the Methodology Building could help you out there, but the cure would probably be worse than the disease there.
Probably. If the Headmaster showed up and asked me if I'd like to strike a deal to escape the Titovs, I'd have to give it some serious thought.
Nobody gets away from the Titov family. Maybe the Methodology Building could help you out there, but the cure would probably be worse than the disease there.
Probably. If the Headmaster showed up and asked me if I'd like to strike a deal to escape the Titovs, I'd have to give it some serious thought.
The Headmaster is at least an awesome jerk.
Terraoblivion
2013-06-18, 10:17 AM
Oh, I know. I'm just musing about whether any of them could function should some miracle allow them to escape the family.
Also, all this makes me want to play a Titov who is mostly a sane, decent person who is utterly freaked and stressed out by the horrible people around her. Of course, I also kind of want to play a young shop fox who wants to have a proper education and some choice in life instead of just automatically take up shopkeeping herself.
Arraxis
2013-06-19, 04:56 AM
One of my friends is a big fan of everything Jenna Moran, and he's how I learned about Nobilis and this. I backed it at a higher level than I probably should have, considering how high I went with the Exalted 3E one, but I'm very happy with the previews that have been released, and Jenna's sense of humour clicks well with me. I also like the shop foxes - backing at the art sponsor level for one, actually - although I've yet to read about the shrine families, and they sound quite interesting, too.
And now, the rats of Fortitude are already getting fanart on RPGnet! That really makes me happy.
The_Snark
2013-07-02, 12:07 AM
I haven't yet backed this, but probably will at some point before the deadline. On the one hand, the basic premise doesn't really hook me, and I don't know how much use I'll get out of it. On the other hand, I generally enjoy Jenna Moran's writing whether or not I use the book, and the sneak peeks have been interesting despite my ambivalence re: the big picture.
Also you get a look at the working draft, and I'm a sucker for instant gratification.
Also you get a look at the working draft, and I'm a sucker for instant gratification.
The instantest!
And remember, the sooner we hit $60k and unlock Fortitude, the better a chance we have of unlocking The Glass-Maker's Dragon, the best thing Jenna has ever done.
Terraoblivion
2013-07-02, 09:45 AM
I'm honestly not sure how good a job of selling the system Jenna has done by focusing so much of Fortitude. While it is clearly a labor of love throughout and Fortitude is her personal favorite, the narrow focus makes the system come off far less versatile than it really is, as well as catering to a rather niche need even for those into gaming primarily for character-oriented stuff. Also, personally speaking, Fortitude is one of my least favorite areas of the setting due to the small town feel. I'm just way too much of a city person to really feel warm and fuzzy about laid back, small town life. Going to places like that tends to put me on edge and make me increasingly irritable as it goes on without escape to an urban area.
CarpeGuitarrem
2013-07-02, 10:10 AM
This is a game I'm certainly keeping my eye on, though the pledge level of a physical copy is a bit steep for my current budget. I may wait and get this later...
It seems interesting, though. I dig the idea of trying to evoke emotional connection between the players and the story, of making the game not be about actions per se but about the personal meaning of those actions. It's not quite "clicking" for me yet, but I can see how it would after I played it a time or two.
Well, I'm testing the game out right now by running Chuubostuck, and that's going pretty solidly so far.
Seriously, everyone, support this game. It's great.
AuraTwilight
2013-07-03, 03:15 PM
Like with Nobilis, I love everything I'm reading, but can't for the life of me figure out how to actually play this game. :l I love Jenna but her writing style is not friendly to non-native English speakers.
Grinner
2013-07-03, 03:33 PM
Like with Nobilis, I love everything I'm reading, but can't for the life of me figure out how to actually play this game. :l I love Jenna but her writing style is not friendly to non-native English speakers.
Oh no. It's just as unfriendly to native speakers. I think it's because Nobilis is so reliant on critical thinking. Just working through 3e's lifepath system gives me a headache, nevermind deciding what the Persona and Domain miracles are.
Terraoblivion
2013-07-03, 04:51 PM
I don't actually think the writing is the problem. At least for me it's more that the mechanics are nothing like anything I've ever seen before. I also get the feeling that if I were to actually play I'd pick it up quickly, though, rather than trying to keep it all and how it fits together in my head at once without experience to tie it to.
DeadManSleeping
2013-07-03, 06:37 PM
Hey, Chuubos.
I've been working on a helpful rules primer that summarizes the "how-to-play" in just a few pages and compiles a few things for easy reference. Jenna Moran has given me permission to share it with backers who've already got the draft (though it should not be considered "official" in any way), so if you're reading through the book and you're a bit stuck on where you're supposed to go with the game, send me a PM and I can hook you up with the current draft of the document (I won't consider it finished until I can put pagerefs in).
Grinner
2013-07-03, 06:38 PM
Hey, Chuubos.
I've been working on a helpful rules primer that summarizes the "how-to-play" in just a few pages and compiles a few things for easy reference. Jenna Moran has given me permission to share it with backers who've already got the draft (though it should not be considered "official" in any way), so if you're reading through the book and you're a bit stuck on where you're supposed to go with the game, send me a PM and I can hook you up with the current draft of the document (I won't consider it finished until I can put pagerefs in).
Woah! Where have you been?
DeadManSleeping
2013-07-03, 07:24 PM
Woah! Where have you been?
On like all the other forums that have much more active Chuubo's threads. I don't come to GitP for much at all, really.
Grinner
2013-07-03, 07:29 PM
On like all the other forums that have much more active Chuubo's threads. I don't come to GitP for much at all, really.
No. I remember you from...a year and a half ago? You used to post much more frequently.
For those who haven't seen, Jenna has dropped the stretch goal that unlocks the supplement Fortitude: By the Docks of Big Lake down to 58k, which puts us very close to going over the edge.
Remember also that once we go over this milestone, your $25 pledge will get you two full-sized supplements (and hopefully three before it's all over). Now is the time to pledge allegiance to Chuubo!
DeadManSleeping
2013-07-03, 09:25 PM
No. I remember you from...a year and a half ago? You used to post much more frequently.
I did, didn't I? I think I got a Warning or something, and decided to cut back. I'm very bad at holding in my sass, so a bit of distance seemed appropriate. Idunno. It was a long time ago.
Although I'm surprised you remember me. I was never a particularly prominent poster, to my knowledge.
Woo-hoo! We finally unlocked the supplement Fortitude: By the Docks of Big Lake, so anybody who pledges for an ePub of PDF will get both the core and the first supplement (and, if we get far enough, the first campaign book). Now is the time to jump in, because for $25 this is a bargain!
Geostationary
2013-07-07, 02:40 AM
The playbooks for the Wishing Boy and the Dreamwitch dropped! Should be interesting to go through.
Totally Guy
2013-07-07, 07:10 AM
Please tell me that the for real game isn't going to be 1000 pages...
Terraoblivion
2013-07-07, 07:21 AM
It isn't. The thousand pages include a lot of white space and uses a fairly big font. It is, however, we quite long in general, even if a lot of it is simply detailing quests and arcs.
Geostationary
2013-07-07, 12:40 PM
Jenna figures it'll still be around 500 or so. The thousand pages results from the lack of layout and her use of spaces to separate sections.
We've got five days left, and about $15,000 to go if we're going to unlock The Glass-Maker's Dragon.
Believe me when I say that you want to unlock The Glass-Maker's Dragon. You really, really do.
CarpeGuitarrem
2013-07-10, 08:32 AM
I don't actually think the writing is the problem. At least for me it's more that the mechanics are nothing like anything I've ever seen before. I also get the feeling that if I were to actually play I'd pick it up quickly, though, rather than trying to keep it all and how it fits together in my head at once without experience to tie it to.
This was the case for me, now that I've had a session to play. The best way I can describe it is "RPG calisthenics". You wind up using the same creative "muscles" that you use for RPGs in different, unfamiliar ways, so there's a lot to learn in terms of cultivating a mindset.
But I could see something really cool emerging, especially the more we played with the system and worked with it. I've never seen a game to which the term "grok" applied more readily.
Centric
2013-07-10, 05:04 PM
Chuubostuck? Is that what I think it is? :0
I backed pretty early on because I liked the premise presented on the Kick page. Then I got to see the system, and it supports the way I DM. And now, with the Techno demo, my transformation is complete.
Chuubostuck? Is that what I think it is? :0
Probably, assuming what you think it is involves a swarm of meteors, stealing copies of SBURB from Principal Entropy II's office, installing a mad-science laser on the roof of School to shoot down meteors (and to demand game copies from stores OR ELSE), a frog temple hiding under the sewers of Town dispensing captchalogue modii to people who do not live in a captchalogue world, and a rather suspicious number of rats hanging around. :smallwink:
All right, we're moving into the final stages of the Kickstarter. I'd like to thank everybody who has backed, and to hope that anybody who's been on the fence this far will consider backing for the two PDFs unlocked so far. At $25, it really is a good deal even if we don't hit $80k. (If we do, it becomes an insane bargain.)
Geostationary
2013-07-14, 11:55 PM
Huzzah! Kickstarter ended with a final tally of $90,081!
Amechra
2013-07-15, 12:19 PM
Where are our fancy "I pledged" badges! Exalted got 'em...
More seriously, I'm adoring the Wounds system. It's just such a different idea.
Grinner
2013-07-15, 04:39 PM
Huzzah! Kickstarter ended with a final tally of $90,081!
Fantastic, yes? But more importantly, there's a secondary funding period going on at Hitherby Dragons through Paypal. If that nets at least $5,000 more, then the Great White (e)Book might upon up.
The Random NPC
2013-07-16, 03:56 AM
I a bit confused on that regard, those that donated $35 gets the Great White Book, but I wasn't aware of that until it closed, does that mean I have to donate an additional $50 to get it? Or only $15? Does anyone know where I can clarify that?
Geostationary
2013-07-16, 12:04 PM
I a bit confused on that regard, those that donated $35 gets the Great White Book, but I wasn't aware of that until it closed, does that mean I have to donate an additional $50 to get it? Or only $15? Does anyone know where I can clarify that?
The GWB option was a stretch goal for $95,000 that was added in the twilight hours of the Kickstarter, that may still be reached with the paypal option (they need to buy back the art rights, from what I can tell). This goal would only furnish a pdf copy, as no one makes print on demand of the dimensions necessary for it to be economically viable. The $35 level gets you for sure the Nobilis 3e core and the Deceiver minibook though, which are pretty sweet.
At no point was the GWB offered as part of a goal or add-on beyond the stretch goal. If it's reached through paypal you can probably expect a torrent of new emails from Jenna about how to go about acquiring it, as I want to say they were going to make it available on drivethru rpg as well.
Grinner
2013-07-16, 06:12 PM
At no point was the GWB offered as part of a goal or add-on beyond the stretch goal. If it's reached through paypal you can probably expect a torrent of new emails from Jenna about how to go about acquiring it, as I want to say they were going to make it available on drivethru rpg as well.
I could have sworn Jenna said all $50+ backers would receive the Great White Book pdf if it funded.
Anyway, I should hope Eos Press will start selling it if it funds.
The Random NPC
2013-07-16, 10:30 PM
The GWB option was a stretch goal for $95,000 that was added in the twilight hours of the Kickstarter, that may still be reached with the paypal option (they need to buy back the art rights, from what I can tell). This goal would only furnish a pdf copy, as no one makes print on demand of the dimensions necessary for it to be economically viable. The $35 level gets you for sure the Nobilis 3e core and the Deceiver minibook though, which are pretty sweet.
At no point was the GWB offered as part of a goal or add-on beyond the stretch goal. If it's reached through paypal you can probably expect a torrent of new emails from Jenna about how to go about acquiring it, as I want to say they were going to make it available on drivethru rpg as well.
I could have sworn Jenna said all $50+ backers would receive the Great White Book pdf if it funded.
Anyway, I should hope Eos Press will start selling it if it funds.
Man, I was not very coherent with that post. I meant that the $50+ gets the GWB, and I was curious if I would need to donate another $50 or if I could pay $15 to get up to $50 and get it.
Geostationary
2013-07-17, 12:17 AM
Man, I was not very coherent with that post. I meant that the $50+ gets the GWB, and I was curious if I would need to donate another $50 or if I could pay $15 to get up to $50 and get it.
Ah. I wouldn't be surprised if it came with pledges of a certain level and/or was an optional add-on of some sort. They may also sell it online, as it's a pdf and I see no reason why they wouldn't.
Crinias
2013-08-03, 12:03 PM
Just a general heads-up: I'm starting a Glass-Maker's Dragon campaign (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=15749924#post15749924) if anyone's interested.
Tengu_temp
2013-08-04, 08:53 PM
I'm torn. On one hand, I really want to like this game - it has quite a lot of fun ideas, many lines in the book amuse me, and it looks like it has the potential to create a lot of funny and/or emotional moments in a game with the right people.
But at the same time...
I find the "chatty" way in which the book is written annoying a lot of the time. The game uses mechanics for what should be just handled with roleplaying, and roleplaying for what really could use more mechanical support. I have issues with some of the fluff, like the idealization of simple pastoral lifestyle (which I find dreadfully dull). The game is described as good for both slice of life and adventures, but the conflict resolution mechanic is way too simple for the latter, and the former could as well just be done entirely freeform. And that's just some issues I have off the top of my head.
Help me like this game. Or at least finish reading the pdf, because I tend to lose interest and stop reading after several dozen pages whenever I pick it up.
The_Snark
2013-08-04, 10:50 PM
Well -
First off, this example of play (http://imago.hitherby.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Example-of-Play-Chuubos-Marvelous-Wish-Granting-Engine-from-the-Kickstarter-Previews.pdf) might help. It's shorter and easier to read than the corebook in its current, haphazard layout. Does a fairly good job of showing how the basic XP, Quest, and Issue mechanics work.
The conflict resolution mechanics are loose and open to (indeed, reliant on) interpretation by the GM/HG. I don't think there's anything wrong with them, exactly, although they're a little sparse and don't feel quite as clear as the similar rules in Nobilis. (Possibly this will change when we get the final version of the book.)
Things like Quests strike me as potentially useful for providing structure; it means that if you're ever stuck thinking "what should I do next?" or "what should I do in general?" you have a ready-made list of suggestions. Of course you can just freeform it - most games do - but having rules for the narrative (as opposed to conflict resolution rules attached to a freeform game, as with most RPGs) is an interesting alternative. I'm not sure how things like Issues and Arcs will work out in play, but it's worth a shot.
I do agree that some of these rules seem a little unnecessary (like emoting).
I wouldn't recommend reading through the entire core book start to finish; a hundred pages of example Quests without context doesn't make for terribly interesting reading, and I don't think it helps unless you're making a character and looking for some fitting Quests. If something doesn't seem interesting, skip ahead? That's what I did, more or less.
I can't help you on the tone - I like the flippant sitting-down-to-chat-with-the-author voice she's been using for her books lately.
Tengu_temp
2013-08-05, 06:40 AM
I tried reading the example of play before, though I don't know why I bothered. I never find examples of play interesting, only stupid and/or boring, and this one was no different. It also made me think that this is a game where all the agency comes from the players, and all the GH does is describe the results of their actions or how things they started unveil - and that's not a model I like, because it leaves very little room for surprise, for adversity, or for some kind of overarching story that I need in order for a game to feel like it's getting anywhere.
Crinias
2013-08-08, 12:03 AM
I think I can understand your concerns. If people feel like there's no real conflict all interest goes to hell. Conflict is what gets stories going, after all.
But there's a few things about that: As a player, this game gives you a lot of freedom/agency. In fact, it actively assumes that players are proactive. Together with the HG, the group decides what kind of game to play (what Genre) and the actual situation in which the PCs find themselves in.
The example of play is about a few death cultist who survived the drowning of the world in chaos and lack of detail, and who are living out their lives in the Pastoral genre. Hardly the stuff of epic stories, but then again, it's both something they came up with no prep time and it's set in the Pastoral genre, on the mortal power level. It's a matter of expectations.
But the HG has all the right in the world to suggest for a game: "Hey, I have an idea for a campaign: you play as such and such characters, in the (mortal or divine) power level, in Genre X, in the Y region of Town (or in a different setting) with Z Conventions. Who's in?"
For instance, let's say you suggest playing a game where the PCs are Call of Cthulhu-esque investigators, who are investigating (or will investigate, after some establishment) the mysterious disappearance of an important figure of Horizon (e.g. Principal Entropy). You and the players agree that by its very nature this sort of premise fits the Urban Fantasy genre (or Immersive Fantasy, as it's called in the latest draft), with lots of Road of Trials for when they encounter monsters or whatever. To make things interesting, you also agree that they'll begin in the mortal power level and progress to the miraculous power level almost immediately afterwards (I don't know, maybe they have a close encounter with an Outer God and are fundamentally changed by that). In general you also agree not to make it TOO much like CoC - it would beat the purpose of playing in Chuubo's.
You can totally do that, and just start off playing based on that. Now, presumably you have a general idea for a plot, but it should probably be rather loose to allow the PCs breathing room. You probably have an idea of why Principal Entropy or whoever is missing, and maybe where they are. Presumably you have lots of clues and ideas to give to the players. This is just an example, but here you can totally have a lot of adversity, surprises and things of the sort.
But yeah, if you improvise too much or give the players no real sense of direction it's likely that they'll feel lost and not know what to do. This goes doubly so to players not used to Chuubo's or Nobilis, they'll probably feel very confused with the system in general. I suggest that you should, even in general terms, establish a basic goal or theme for a campaign or session, to keep things going. For instance, Glass-Maker's Dragon revolves around a bunch of kids who kind-of represent characters from the Enuma Elish, but aside from that they have their own quests and stuff to do (also, there's a thing about a glass dragon which might be important).
The Intentions system is a bit frustrating to follow, I admit. The Issues could be a bit clearer on how they work, particularly how a Sickness interacts with Wounds. Emoting, as mentioned by Snark, is rather unnecessary. But aside from that the system is solid, from a story-telling view of things.
I suggest reading through all the Miraculous content - particularly Miraculous Arcs. Oh, and if you or anyone have any questions in general rules-wise, just ask me and I'll do my best to answer them.
Geostationary
2013-08-08, 02:12 PM
I'm torn. On one hand, I really want to like this game - it has quite a lot of fun ideas, many lines in the book amuse me, and it looks like it has the potential to create a lot of funny and/or emotional moments in a game with the right people.
But at the same time...
Sorry that I'm dividing everything up, but it's the only way I see to address your problems.
I find the "chatty" way in which the book is written annoying a lot of the time.
Fair enough. People tend to have a love/hate relationship with the author's writing and I totally see why it may turn people off.
The game uses mechanics for what should be just handled with roleplaying, and roleplaying for what really could use more mechanical support.
So, the thing to understand about Chuubo's is that it's orthogonal to most rpgs on the market. Hell; the author even basically referred to it as a story generator game disguised as an rpg. The mechanical focus of the game is around your interactions with people and the world, along with the internal landscape of your character (the issues). They also come after-the-fact most of the time; you don't generally go into a conversation thinking "Ah yes, I think we'll fulfill our in-genre xp action now with some bonding", it's more likely that you'll be roleplaying everything out, and then going "That! That right there! We totally just had a Shared Action where we connected!" and then claim xp for it. The quests in turn can guide and give the game and story more structure as they give incentives to do certain things and they sit there going "Hey, HG, this is the kind of thing I want to do".
I have issues with some of the fluff, like the idealization of simple pastoral lifestyle (which I find dreadfully dull).
Again, fair enough, though other genres are available and you can totally change things that you don't like! I'll also point out that this is pastoral as envisioned by Jenna Moran, so it's still plenty weird once you get past the surface, but what you don't like you don't like. Can't do much about that.
The game is described as good for both slice of life and adventures, but the conflict resolution mechanic is way too simple for the latter, and the former could as well just be done entirely freeform. And that's just some issues I have off the top of my head.
Mechanically speaking, conflict resolution is about identical to that of Nobilis, and having run that I can say it works fine. It's also a question of what you consider 'an adventure'. If going on an adventure is killing a thing or otherwise conflicting directly with it, you can do that, but it's not the focus of the system. If you consider the chatting and bonding and exploring and stuff while traveling through the perilous Far Roofs (or wherever) the adventure, then it's great. Ritual actions are pretty good catch-all sorts of things for weird or atypical stuff. It's also important to note that in both systems, direct conflict tends to be conterproductive in many instances; I mean, if the guy you're fighting is immortal, you probably can't just beat him to death and call it a day.
I tried reading the example of play before, though I don't know why I bothered. I never find examples of play interesting, only stupid and/or boring, and this one was no different. It also made me think that this is a game where all the agency comes from the players, and all the GH does is describe the results of their actions or how things they started unveil - and that's not a model I like, because it leaves very little room for surprise, for adversity, or for some kind of overarching story that I need in order for a game to feel like it's getting anywhere.
Players do have a lot of agency, yes. But that's never stopped GMs from adding terrible twists, revelations, and conflict before, has it? Also, the Arcs and Quests are good for giving you that structure you crave- it's what they're there for, really. I'd also recommend looking at the Glass-Maker's Dragon, as it may help you figure out how to tell stories to your preferences better (or it may not! I wouldn't know, but it can't hurt too much).
The Intentions system is a bit frustrating to follow, I admit. The Issues could be a bit clearer on how they work, particularly how a Sickness interacts with Wounds. Emoting, as mentioned by Snark, is rather unnecessary. But aside from that the system is solid, from a story-telling view of things.
Now, other things! Intentions have always been kind of weird, but I think a lot of that is that mundane actions don't actually guarantee that what you're trying to do is what happens, only that when you try it'll be productive. The actual level of a given Intention is generally only important when two+ conflict, if you're trying to ensure productivity, or if you're doing mortal magic, as mechanically speaking everything you do that isn't Miraculous is part of an Intention; it's just that most of the time it doesn't matter. Issues I think act a lot like cues and mental notes- the game is meant to be played with Issue cards or analogues in front of you; as for sickeness, it's not entirely clear, but I think I'd be treated similarly to resolving wounds in that wounds can let you do cool things while you have them; I'd have to read over it again to say more.
I like the emoting- I think part of it is for player engagement, but also so that people know that hey, this makes you feel [X] or that you feel [Y] about something. It'd also probably be useful in online play, as you don't have a person to decipher the emotions of in front of you.
Tengu_temp
2013-08-09, 07:13 PM
Okay, I'm re-reading the game mechanics, and I still have no idea how you actually play this. New questions just keep appearing all the time! Do you play it like a normal RPG, or a collection of scenes started and almost entirely controlled by the PCs like in Bliss Stage? How much of the narrative is in the PCs' hands, as opposed to the HG? In a pastoral game a single chapter takes a week - is that supposed to be filled with various events or just take a couple of sentences to breeze through?
And so on, and so on. All of this is very unclear and badly explained.
Crinias
2013-08-09, 09:12 PM
Okay, I'm re-reading the game mechanics, and I still have no idea how you actually play this. New questions just keep appearing all the time! Do you play it like a normal RPG, or a collection of scenes started and almost entirely controlled by the PCs like in Bliss Stage? How much of the narrative is in the PCs' hands, as opposed to the HG? In a pastoral game a single chapter takes a week - is that supposed to be filled with various events or just take a couple of sentences to breeze through?
And so on, and so on. All of this is very unclear and badly explained.
I've never played Bliss Stage so I don't know about that, but you as a PC only control your character and what you want to do with him (also, you can usually just describe the general things that occur around you as you do stuff that aren't too important or to set up a scene - like say that the wind is blowing and that your scarf is blown into your face, or that your character accidentally slips on a banana, or that you're eating ice cream but it's not very good).
You control what will happen to your character in the long run. This takes the form of Arcs and Quests. For instance, Chuubo in Glass-Maker's Dragon is starting an Otherworldly Arc, which represents that he's being contacted by another world - one which is related to his true identity, another part of him. That's what's happening to him on the long run. In the short run, he advances his Arc via Quests which follow a general Otherworldly theme - such as being contacted by a dream-entity, being tempted into abusing Wish-Granting Engine, only to have go terribly or amusingly wrong, and other such things.
The HG in general is in charge of the narrative, of the world and everything that is not the PCs. But the players still have a lot of agency thanks to Quests, and as mentioned above.
Chapters can take up several scenes, and are designed to last at most 90 real-life minutes, but probably closer to 30-60. To put this in perspective, during a chapter you can take at most two XP Actions - two moments that set the mood for your character for about a third of that chapter. In a Pastoral game it probably takes the form of a few events, and of the players carrying out their Quests in general. A few boring days are probably skipped over.
Scenes are a bit weird because they usually end when it makes dramatic sense - like when a conflict gets resolved or something memorable happens, or when it simply runs out of steam. On the flip side, a scene may begin with either the HG asking where the players are or declaring that they're doing something by extrapolating from the previous scenes (for instance, if everyone agreed in the last scene to go eat at that new sushi restaurant that opened up the other day, it could begin with everyone sitting around and admiring the general decor of the place). At least that's my understanding of it. Mostly you'll be the one to say that you're doing something somewhere.
To put it all together: a scene could play out at the beginning of the week where Chuubo's just talking with Seizhi while walking to the docks, perhaps casually discussing the possibility of using his Wish-Granting Engine to find out who that mysterious woman in his dreams really is. This could advance any quest related to his dreams, the Arc and the story in general, so it's at least in theory a good idea (The exact results of that wish would be up to the HG, but he MUST fulfill the wish one way or the other).
Seizhi could give him some advice, maybe make some witty comment about how wishes obviously never go wrong, and Chuubo may come up with a worse idea. Seizhi facepalms terribly, then laughs, and his player claims a Shared Reactions Action XP because he realizes it fits. Chuubo joins in the laughter, and the scene ends there with the two of them laughing. That could happen.
Don't feel bad if you feel confused, that's a natural reaction to both the author's writing and the fact that it's still a draft - it requires more cohesion, I think.
Longes
2014-02-22, 03:41 PM
M-M-M-M-M-M-M-MONSTER BUMP!
So, I'm curious, is anyone playing Chuubo? Anyone wants to run a game, either PbP or by voice/chat? :smallsmile:
Tengu_temp
2014-02-22, 03:45 PM
As a matter of fact, a few people who posted in this thread are playing a game right now:
IC thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=298937)
OOC thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=297956)
It's very fun.
There are also a few games running over on rpg.net; I'm running a game mixing Chuubo's with Homestuck (http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?693294-Chuubostuck-SBURB-Comes-To-Town) at the moment. I bet you could get another one going if you went over to drum up enthusiasm.
(That link will do nothing if you don't have an rpg.net account, incidentally. Sorry.)
Overall, the game is sort of in a weird spot where those of us who backed have the rules, but we can't easily spread them to other people because the game hasn't been properly released yet.
Overall, the game is sort of in a weird spot where those of us who backed have the rules, but we can't easily spread them to other people because the game hasn't been properly released yet.
Well, do those of us who missed the Kickstarter a favor and bump this thread when the game actually becomes available? :)
Crinias
2014-02-27, 09:03 PM
Well, do those of us who missed the Kickstarter a favor and bump this thread when the game actually becomes available? :)
Will do. Not sure when that'll be, though - the art and layout may be the only thing that needs to be added, but editing takes a long time for a polished product.
Will do. Not sure when that'll be, though - the art and layout may be the only thing that needs to be added, but editing takes a long time for a polished product.
It's not a hurry, I have lots of games, but this is one I'm intereested in when it manages to release.
Crinias
2014-04-11, 10:25 PM
Ladies, gentlemen and others, Chuubo's has finally been released, as an Epub! You may buy it here (http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/128212/Chuubos-Marvelous-WishGranting-Engine--EOS7000-ePub-only), if you wish (and be sure to spread the word). The PDF version will take longer, unfortunately, but we've been getting advances on its progress and it's coming along quite nicely.
I foresee that this will be an interesting time for RPGs.
Finally, a setting where you can have relaxing slice-of-life play or maniac, energetic school shenanigans just as easily as you can have epic campaigns about confronting Death, the 'lord of death's dominions', while forces from outside the world threaten to destroy existence.
Finally, a system where I can build a character that can effectively turn into a giant snake/jewel-headed octopus/other giant monster without needing to look for obscure sourcebooks or make complicated builds. A system where you can be so enthusiastic about your beliefs that you can literally infect people with your personality. A system where you can be so dramatic that you can summon up spotlights from nowhere just by saying so. A system where you can get XP whenever other players shake their fists at you in rage.
...Anyway, what I guess I'm trying to say is that I'm excited for the near future. :smallsmile:
The Random NPC
2014-04-12, 12:49 AM
Ladies, gentlemen and others, Chuubo's has finally been released, as an Epub! You may buy it here (http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/128212/Chuubos-Marvelous-WishGranting-Engine--EOS7000-ePub-only), if you wish (and be sure to spread the word). The PDF version will take longer, unfortunately, but we've been getting advances on its progress and it's coming along quite nicely.
I foresee that this will be an interesting time for RPGs.
Finally, a setting where you can have relaxing slice-of-life play or maniac, energetic school shenanigans just as easily as you can have epic campaigns about confronting Death, the 'lord of death's dominions', while forces from outside the world threaten to destroy existence.
Finally, a system where I can build a character that can effectively turn into a giant snake/jewel-headed octopus/other giant monster without needing to look for obscure sourcebooks or make complicated builds. A system where you can be so enthusiastic about your beliefs that you can literally infect people with your personality. A system where you can be so dramatic that you can summon up spotlights from nowhere just by saying so. A system where you can get XP whenever other players shake their fists at you in rage.
...Anyway, what I guess I'm trying to say is that I'm excited for the near future. :smallsmile:
Neat. Any idea where the backers go for their copy?
Mewtarthio
2014-04-12, 01:16 AM
You should have received a message from DriveThru with a coupon code.
The Random NPC
2014-04-12, 12:15 PM
You should have received a message from DriveThru with a coupon code.
I may have accidentally deleted that... Oh well, I guess I'll just wait for the PDF.
Mewtarthio
2014-04-12, 04:34 PM
I may have accidentally deleted that... Oh well, I guess I'll just wait for the PDF.
Check your spam folder?
The Random NPC
2014-04-13, 12:02 AM
Check your spam folder?
I regularly clear that, and I get a lot of spam from DrivethruRPG so... yeah...
Mewtarthio
2014-04-13, 12:17 AM
I regularly clear that, and I get a lot of spam from DrivethruRPG so... yeah...
Try messaging Jenna with the same account tied to the Kickstarter and see if she can do anything.
I hadn't realized it was out. I've got my ePub now.
I should check on the progress of some other kickstarters I've backed.
Reading through the book, I like what I see. I'm also confused by what I see. I am having a similar experience to when I read through Nobilis.
The Random NPC
2014-04-13, 06:03 PM
Try messaging Jenna with the same account tied to the Kickstarter and see if she can do anything.
I will, thanks.
Good news! Turns out I didn't delete. Just downloaded it and I'm planning to read it after a quick nap.
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