Topics

1

Bee Train Role Playing Game / Live play?

« on: April 19, 2020, 08:03:18 PM »

Hi guise,

Quick survey to see if anyone would be interested in a Baaninfstree live session in the near future, and if so, when and how.

Fundamentals:

- Don't want to interrupt Pulsen's rpg (which looks awesome)!
- Want to get noirlax involved even though he's in the future and sleeps at wakey times (weird).
- Want to make sure everyone has fun (fun)!

Cliquez ici: https://form.jotform.com/201095666965062

2

Avenger / Is Three Billboards near Epping, Missouri basically Avenger?

« on: July 26, 2019, 06:41:19 PM »

Discuss.

3

Bee Train Role Playing Game / [ax] Baaninfstree: Lost Moon - Game Thread

« on: July 05, 2019, 07:59:12 AM »

Hello, and welcome to the Game Thread! This is where all of the action takes place. Please read the following carefully before replying.

I will update regularly with some descriptive text, non-player character (NPC) dialogue, and information your character knows. Occasionally, I may also DM you private information that your character might want to know without the other characters knowing.

You can post actions for your character(s) here, anytime you want.

There are three simple rules to posting:

1. Tell us which Character is posting

It will help a lot if you put your Character name or nickname in brackets at the beginning, so we don't get characters mixed up. This is especially important if you are playing more than one character. For example:

[Arie] I pet the dog.

You can use first or third person to express your characters actions. It also helps if you add dialogue!

[Arie] (Pets the dog) "She's really cute!"

2. If something your character is doing is difficult, express it as a potentiality; i.e., something you want to do

This is really important! Part of the fun of the game is that many of your actions have a chance of failure, or might be prevented by other characters. If something sounds hard, use words like "I try" or "I want" to express your character's actions. For example:

[Elenore] I try to disarm my opponent with magic.

Depending on how hard the action is, I will either advise you that this is impossible, or I'll roll some dice and see if you succeeded, and reply something like this:

[Elenore]

*Disarm*: Your opponent's pointy stick is yanked free from his grasp, and drops to the ground in front of you. You could easily pick it up yourself, if you wish.

That bit in asterisks? That's an ability. If it looks like you're using an ability, I'll put some asterisks around it to let you know you're using an ability, and you can too, if you want! We'll find out more about abilities over the course of the game.

3. Distinguish OOC text from IC text

Sometimes, I might have to make comments or instructions, like these, in the Game Thread. In order to do this, I distinguish it as out-of-character, or "OOC" text, using red text. It would be great if you did too! Some people prefer to use ((double parentheses)) or other means of showing that their text is OOC. I don't mind how you do it, as long as myself and the other players can tell between what is IC (in-character) and OOC.

If your post is mostly or entirely OOC text, it probably should be in the OOC thread, and I might move it there. You can also ask questions and plan with your teammates on the Discord channel, if that's easier. DM me if you need a link to Discord.

Okay, let's get started!

[Spoiler: Characters of Baaninfstree •]

4

Bee Train Role Playing Game / [ax] Baaninfstree - The Lore Thread

« on: June 28, 2019, 06:57:14 PM »

Sorry to be proliferating threads, but I couldn't think of a better place to put this!

Please reply with your own memories / information if you want to share ^^;

I'll add more information to this top post later. The Spoiiler tags are merely there for organization; they do not actually contain spoilers to the game.

Non-Player Characters


The following are NPCs (non-player characters) who are or who may be fairly important to the current game and/or the overall story.

Spoiler: Characters of Baaninfstree • show

Lys [LEES]


A seasoned warrior and surly dwarf who has recently taken control of Periwinkle's in Baaninfstree.


Ella


A companion to Lys and, it seems, a moderating influence on her. She has a strong Nafrecian accent and is a warrior of some description.


Wrennalch Vannaerfen [REN-nalk vahn-NEYER-fehn]


A longtime resident of Baaninfstree. He keeps a tea house on the square which is popular with the local residents, and is an accomplished mage. His friend, Fax, was a key protector of Baaninfstree for many years.


Esteban Elkano


Esteban is a young magician who seems to have a gift of prescience. His visions are often difficult to communicate and cause more bafflement than clarity. But his talents have been useful in the service of the town. His family are farmers who live near Baaninfstree, and they own a small house on the square where his sister and her family live.


Maiseniye [MA-EE-ZEH-NYEH]


An Elven princess and adopted daughter of Sen, the recently deceased Queen of the Hall, a local tribe of Elves. She is a contender to that throne amidst a succession battle which is currently in progress. She is also known as "Hochiko" and used to work at the Inn in Baaninfstree.


Ralt


The "arbiter of succession" for the rulership of the Elven tribe nearby.


Rinkireiye [REEN-KEE-RYEH]


The other contender (with Maiseniye) for rulership of the Elven tribe near Baaninfstree. She conspired with Amelie d'Arvangnes to kill Amelie's uncle for her in exchange for support from Nafrece, an illegal act under the laws of succession of her tribe, but for now, without consequence.


Minor Characters of Baaninfstree


The following characters are less plot-critical, though they may become more important if treated in a certain way or engaged more with by the players.


Nellie and Induo


Staff at the Tinin Azraq, Baaninfstree's central inn.


Donmark


Donmark is captain of Baaninfstree's Town Guard and a member of the town council.


Ordaan and Midori


Mercenaries in the employ of Maiseniye.

Spoiler: Characters of Paris • show

Queen Amelie [AH-MEH-LEE]


The past and current Queen of Nafrece and the neice of Julian, a mad but seemingly harmless prince who ruled over the coastal subkingdom of Arvangnes. She conspired with Rin's assistance to kill her uncle and his staff, including Hochiko - his guest at the time - but Hochiko survived, thanks to the efforts of Arie, Yukiko, and their companions.


Jeanne [DZAHN]


Jeanne was briefly Queen of Nafrece, before the king, Louis, divorced her in order to marry the previous Queen, his deceased brother's wife, Amelie. She has taken up residence of the University and remains a key financial and political patron. She is personal friends with Tommaso Teano, the University Rector.


Abun [AH-BOON]


A researcher and lecturer at the University, the adopted son of a wealthy family of Gossholt. He keeps a large but fairly harmless panther as a pet.

Sirti

The university librarian. (Will add more later).


Penny Harding


The captain of an airship, the Ruddy Hart and infamous privateer in the employ of the College of Cloudreach. She is currently making repairs to her ship after crash landing at the University last month.


Coddles


A Cloudreach aristocrat who is the Ruddy Hart's chief engineer and owner. She is also a member of the College, the governing body of the Isle of Cloudreach.


Minor Characters of Paris


Prodling


The Ruddy Hart's cook. Jeanne seems to know his family, but you're not sure how or why.


Tommaso Teano


A quiet lecturer and the recently appointed Rector of the University of Paris. He is a close friend of Jeanne's.


Leviathan


A dragon, many centuries deceased, whose soul - or part thereof - powers the Ruddy Hart. Recently, it seems to have developed a mind of her own, and it becomes active when in proximity of Elenore's dragon orb.

History of Player Campaigns

Spoiler: Baaninfstree: The Story So Far • show

notes:

While The World is substantially different from Earth, dates roughly correlate with the technology levels of the Earth at a similar time.

1492, Winter: The Temple Ruins

A party of adventurers gathers near Baaninfstree, a market town in the Avari / Nafrece borders, to investigate the disappearance of several of their residents. On exploring a nearby abandoned temple to the Old Gods, they rescue several of the residents but are unable to rescue the town ranger, Saerella, who was possessed by an undead entity, the Shade Lord, who was attempting to attain immortal life.

The adventurers defeat the Shade Lord, with the aid of a dragon.

1493, Spring: Baaninfstree

Many of the adventurers settle in Baaninfstree and become part of the town's community. They begin to unearth clues as to the dragon's identity and his relationship to the Shade Lord. It appears the dragon was making his own experiments with necromancy, but the Shade Lord betrayed him, leading to the Shade Lord's demise. Arie Vilo Atram is appointed Ranger of Baaninfstree.

1493, Summer (not yet played, but part of the canon)

The adventurers confront the dragon, revealed to be Babiron Azraq, and his goblin servants, leading to the dragon's soul being trapped in Elenore's Dragon Orb, which is then stored in Baainfstree's vaults. Elenore herself returns to take up residency at the University of Paris, while Yukiko Kurowa becomes the town's innkeeper.

1494, Spring: The Mountain Hawk

Some of the original heroes of Baaninfstree, along with new allies, investigate a possible kidnapping of a young elf named Tindal. It transpires that Tindal had in fact ran away from her monastic home in Nafrece to try to contact her kin in the mountains near Baaninfstree. The adventurers are confronted by a mysterious secret society known as Les Soldats, who seem to be intent on reviving an ancient prophesy and bringing Avari and Nafrece to war in the process. The party makes contact with the local elves and discover a machine within Mount Ziz that appears to control the passage of time. They work with a time traveller and the spirits of the mountain to rewrite time from this point forwards, fulfilling both his and Tindal's dying wishes.

1495, Spring: Schism

The heroes of Baaninfstree work with Queen Jeanne of Nafrece in establishing the political neutrality of the University of Paris as Avari and Nafrece come to the brink of war, and King Louis of Nafrece divorces her.  Meanwhile, a party of Gnomes from Cloudreach crash-lands their airship at the University, an airship which appears to be powered by the soul of another dragon.

Amelie d'Arvangnes abducts (and, you surmise, kills) her uncle, appropriating his title and thus allying Arvagnes to Nafrece. She has also, it is revealed, allied with Rinkireiya, the Elven mage who seeks to rule the Hall, a tribe of Elves near Baaninfstree, and attempts to kill Hochiko, Rin's rival, and the party in an ambush. Yukiko and Arie defeat her Soldat agents, however, and save Hochiko. Arie, disguised as Cardinal Jiminez of the Inquisition, allies Baaninfstree to the University by supporting their new treaty with Nafrece.

Sir Corrin, Baaninfstree's magistrate, escapes Amelie's takeover at Arvangnes, but you know not where he has gone.

1495, after Schism (not played but part of canon)

Amelie becomes Queen of Nafrece, and Jeanne, her predecessor, repairs to the University to continue her work, joined by Elenore Harpell. Arie and Yukiko, meanwhile, return to Baaninfstree and try to manage the pressures of the Avari and Nafrecian armies gathering nearby.

Sometime in the 17th Century: Forbidden Book

Several spirits of the heroes of old, including Arie, Yukiko, and Star, work to rescue a young witch called Tessella, who has acquired a magic book from her mother, and prevent it from falling into the hands of the Soldats. Baaninfstree is, by this time, a vassal of Avari, and Flampanc has replaced it as the most important town in the region.

2076, Summer: The Garden in the Stars

A party of adventurers explores an abandoned space station on the Andromedan galactic rim, and discover a strange creature. As they complete their mission, the station is destroyed by long-distance missiles from an unknown source. One of their party, John Smith, crash lands on a nearby moon, as the others escape.

Combat Classes

Characters do not need to have a "class" and are not bound by the definitions of a class. However, you can, if you desire, choose between eight character archetypes which give you a starting point from which to further customise your character. For more information, click the spoiler tag below:

Spoiler: Classes • show

Your class does not effect your character's capabilities outside of combat, but it may affect how people view your character in the world. For example, some cultures may have a suspicion of magic users, while others may hold Mages and Clerics in high regard.

Characters with a "Lunar" aspect rely more on magic or emerging technologies in combat. Characters with a "Solar" aspect rely more on physical traits and conventional weapons.

Four Elements - Earth, Water, Fire, and Air - are found everywhere in the World. The dominant "element" noted before each character description reflects the elemental balance of a character's abilities, but it does not always reflect how they appear in combat. For example, a Mage may use magic that shapes water, while a Warden may have a penchant for fire.

The Chimera
Element: Earth
Aspect: Lunar

Chimerae tap into the blood of a powerful monster, either from within their bloodline or through modification, experimentation, or disease. They use this blood to unlock the strength of a monster, and with practice can transform into powerful creatures.

The Barbaroi
Element: Earth
Aspect: Solar

Barbaroi gain their strength from living in the wilds. Their unique martial prowess allows them to weather many blows without the use of the heavy armour and shielding typical to most warriors of the age.

The Cleric
Element: Water
Aspect: Lunar

The name "Cleric" is given to a wide variety of scholars, healers, and people of faith who use their understanding of magic and technology primarily for defensive and peaceful purposes. When challenged, many Clerics can become fearsome opponents, however.

The Warden
Element: Water
Aspect: Solar

Wardens are protectors of the World's many communities. They are often found in positions of responsibility and leadership, as law enforcement, or as knights leading armies into battle. Others are defenders of the wilds, conserving the delicate balance of nature around them.

The Mage
Element: Fire
Aspect: Lunar

Mages learn to shape magic to their whim, sometimes through careful study, sometimes through bold experimentation. Generally in demand for all the best (adventuring) parties, they are particularly skilled at disappearing and at making things explode.

The Slayer
Element: Fire
Aspect: Solar

Slayers are, as the name suggests, simply very good at killing things. They are often found as royal agents, experienced soldiers, underworld operatives, or as back-alley thieves and brigands.

The Ace
Element: Air
Aspect: Lunar

Aces are the masters of technology and science, and use their investigative powers to devise new and elegant solutions to combat situations.

The Champion
Element: Air
Aspect: Solar

Champions are the masters of traditional combat, who seek to dominate their opponents by pure skill, technique, and a carefully chosen weapon.

Bloodlines

Bloodlines are like "races" in many fantasy games, except most people in the World have more than one bloodline. Click the Spoiler tag below for more details.

Spoiler: bloodlines • show

Human

Humans are the dominant bloodline in the World, and very few people are completely devoid of Human ancestry. They are found in nearly every society in a wide variety of roles, from peasant farmers and roaming Barbaroi to all-powerful emperors.

Tsi-tsi

Tsi-tsi (also called "Chi-chi" in some cultures) are a collection of unusual creatures marked by their animalistic appearance combined with Human-like intelligence. They do not share much in common with other bloodlines and have a variety of different appearances and, seemingly, species among them. Though Tsi-tsi are found in most corners of the World, they are still regarded as mysterious, and most are not keen to divulge much about their nature, leading to much speculation among scholars. Tsi-tsi subspecies typically include the legendary Vampires (Lang-tsi).

Note - if you wish to play a Tsi-tsi character, please have a word with me before starting, as the events of this game have a special impact on them.

Elf

Elves are the second most common bloodline in the World, and were once the dominant race, something which prouder Elves will not let you forget. They have fine features, an innate familiarity with magic, and tend to be exceptionally long-lived. Today, Elves have assimilated into most Human cultures, and indeed, most Humans have at least some Elven ancestry. But pockets of "pure-bred" Elves remain, particularly deep in woodlands and caves.

Gnome

Gnomes are an elf-like people who inhabit the Cloudreach isles, and are scattered among some other continents. They are distinguished by their short stature and (typically) high intelligence, though some cultures view them as foolish or inconsequential. Like Elves, they are generally assimilated into Human society, but legends of "wild" Gnomes persist, particularly in the vast forests of Gossholt.

Dwarf

Dwarves are similar in height to Gnomes, but are generally far stockier, stronger, and sturdily built, and usually lack the Gnomes' more refined, Elven features. They are also far less common in Human societies, generally keeping to themselves in mountain and coastal realms inaccessible to most Human explorers.

Extinct and exotic bloodlines

Some claim bloodlines which are pure Aether (e.g., from a God or Demon), of Nymphs or Dryads, or of the recently-extinct race of Dragons, who were said to be adept at procreating with other mortals. Though these bloodlines are difficult to confirm scientifically, occasionally people betray traits which seem otherworldly.

5

Bee Train Role Playing Game / [ax] Baaninfstree - Lost Moon (Prelude) [OOC]

« on: June 01, 2019, 09:30:39 AM »

Hi all,

There seems to be some mild to moderate interest in a short-format (3-4 months) game this summer; if you're interested, please read the following and reply as to whether you'd be willing to play, and if you'd prefer to use a new character or an old one. If you have any questions, please ask them here or in the BTF RPG chat in Discord (please tag me "@kavi" to make sure I see it!)

Setting

The game takes place in Baaninfstree and at the University of Paris, a few weeks after the events of the last game.

For those who haven't played before or who haven't played recently:

Baaninfstree is a small independent town on the borders of Nafrece and Avari, two powerful nation-states similar to the real-world countries of France and Spain, respectively. The town is an affluent trading hub that is currently governed by the local Ranger, Arie Vilo Atram.

The University of Paris is a world-leading centre of education and research, home to many of the brightest and best mages and scientists of the age. It is governed by the Academic Rector, Tommaso Teano, and Jeanne Martin, the former Queen of Nafrece, who provides much of the financial support.

The World is home to a wide variety of magical and mythical beasts, as well as wondrous machines and elegant structures. One might describe it as having a "Renaissance Steampunk" atmosphere.

How to Play

Most gameplay is done right here on the forum in a play-by-post format. In the past, sometimes we've wrapped up games with a live play session. I wouldn't rule that out, but due to time differences between players and other commitments, play-by-post is the safest way to keep things moving along.

When I update, I usually give the player characters "Options" of how to proceed. These aren't exclusive (there's always an "Other" option if you decide to do something different, or something I haven't thought of); they're just meant to give you an idea of how you can move the game along in one of a few defined directions.

The success/failure of your actions is determined according to the roll of a d10 die or, more often, multiple d10 dice. If you'd like to roll your own dice, that's fine, otherwise I will roll them for you using the forum's built in dice-roller.

The way you have customized your character, the equipment you are using, and the decisions you make take most of the randomness out of the game. Moreover, I always reward players for considerate role-play and effort. If you put a lot of thought into how your character behaves and reacts, and your character appears to be genuine, I will definitely take this into consideration.

Though there is no minimum or maximum for how often you should post, posting about once a week to three times a week is probably about right for most characters. If your character is put into a position where they have to make a decision and you are afk for more than a week, I or a trusted alternate player may make that decision on your behalf.

What I don't do is kill or harm characters simply because the players are unable to play - I don't think this is fair!

Plot

Baainfstree is under an informal seige by the armies of Nafrece, who have blockaded the Southern and Western roads and have "asked" to occupy the town. Avari insists that Baaninfstree is part of its sovereign territory and that any occupation would be an act of war. Baaninfstree's leaders hope to resolve this crisis without bloodshed - but also without sacrificing the town's long-treasured independence.

The University of Paris, meanwhile, also has a pressing concern - environmental changes and disturbances in the aether have led some mages and scientists to warn of an impending catastrophe. Many of the World's finest minds have come to Paris to discuss the phenomenon, but there is little consensus as to what is wrong, if anything, or how to fix it.

Info on classes and races have been moved to The Lore Thread.

Changes from previous games

The most significant change former players will notice is that you are now able to "craft" abilities. This means that you will be able to make your own abilities in game through an in-game mechanism which will be introduced as part of the game's storyline. Making your own abilities allows you to customize your character finely and encourages you to come to combat with a more dynamic and strategic approach.

There's also a new morality system, which I will also introduce in-game.

Some lore elements of the World have been a bit re-ordered and tweaked to make it more original and intuitive.

6

Bee Train Role Playing Game / Aim Ten [AX] - RPG ruleset and combat simulator

« on: April 11, 2019, 09:50:58 AM »

Linked here are some documents and resources for Aim Ten games here at BTF.

---

My Website (external link)

This is the main website for core rules and mechanics. Information is a bit basic and lacks examples in some cases, but I am steadily building it up.

Discord

I have a small discord server where I post updates and often host games. Please DM me for an invite link if you want!

Exilian (external link)

This is a game dev community where I pilot some things. Feel free to drop round if you'd like to play a short game with some new people.

Roll20

I've been increasingly using Roll20 for maps, visual aids, and live gameplay. If any of that sounds cool, make an account, drop me a message, and I will send you an invite to a game or two. You can then spectate, or join in if and when you feel like it!

More to come soon...

7

All Series / Mashimo Series Rankings

« on: August 26, 2017, 08:30:59 PM »

<<Please don't start ranking yet, I may have forgotten some series...>>

Okay, here's a list of Mashimo series that I can think of (with the help of Wikipedia). Please let me know if I've missed anything, and then we can start ranking them!

I'm listing series in which Mashimo was (chief) director only (though interestingly, this is the vast majority of the series which Mashimo has worked on in any capacity).

As with the Bee Train Series Ranker, seasons of the same series / sequels are counted as one unless it is in a different format (e.g. OVA, film release).

Unless otherwise noted, all of these are anime television series. Occasionally I have added notation to distinguish the Mashimo-directed series from others of the same title.

1. Gatchaman (II / F)
2. Golden Warrior Gold Lightan
3. Urashiman
4. Ai City (film)
5. Dirty Pair: Project Eden (film)
6. F
7. Dominion (1988)
8. Robin Hood no Daiboken
9. The Weathering Continent (film)
10. The Irresponsible Captain Tylor
11. Sorcerer Hunters
12. Eat-Man
13. PoPoLoCrois Monogatari
14. Wild Arms
15. Noir
16. .hack//SIGN
17. .hack//LIMINALITY (OVA)
18. .hack//Legend of the Twilight Bracelet
19. Immortal Grand Prix (microseries)
20. Madlax
21. Meine Liebe
22. Tsubasa Chronicle
23. El Cazador de la Bruja
24. Spider Riders
25. Blade of the Immortal
26. Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom
27. Batman Gotham Knight: "Field Test" (short)
28. Halo Legends: "Homecoming" (short)
29. Hyouge Mono
30. .hack//GIFT

edit: added Halo Legends and Batman shorts.
edit2: added .hack//GIFT (co-director)

[Spoiler: Deaths •]

8

Bee Train Role Playing Game / noirpg

« on: August 24, 2017, 10:34:02 PM »

Okay, this is a weird question based on an idea I just had (literally in the last 10 minutes or so).

This may be heresy, but I'm thinking it may be possible to design an RPG which closely followed selected episodes of Noir. The outcome of the game might match the plotline of Noir or it might deviate somewhat, and goals and aims for various characters would have to be added.

edit: I would like to make the game equally interesting for people who have and have not seen Noir, but I can't guarantee a no-spoiler zone for those that haven't.

For instance, Episode 1 might look like this (with each potential player character in bold):

Noir

Kirika finds Mireille, fights through mooks, rescues Mireille. Differences from plot: injuries may occur, interactions with Mireille might be a bit different, interactions may occur with other characters (see below). With luck Mireille may also not need Kirika's help so much, which might affect how they react to one another initially.

Mireille as above.

------

Parisian Authorities

French Detective (added character). Acts a bit like the viewer in Noir, experiences certain events and tries to make sense of them. May find her/himself in conflict with the Soldats, the Noir, or both.

Additional Detective (if required).

------

Soldat Retour

Chloe also monitoring the situation, may reveal herself earlier in the plot than in the anime (but can skip over the less serial episodes).

Altena monitoring the situation and interacting with Chloe. Generally a non-combat role but may be spiced up for the sake of the game, if played by a player.

Bourne / Marennes (or both) acting as Altena's bodyguards and agents, doing Soldat things and possibly in conflict (at least in dialogue if not in arms) with the Soldat mainstream.

------

Soldat Council

Remy similar playstyle to Altena and in frequent conflict with the Retour. As in the anime, has a persistent interest in Mireille.

Possibly additional added characters here.

Spoiler: Deaths • show

I've purposefully omitted anyone who dies early in the series - ie most of the minor characters! However, I think it should be possible that one of the main characters might die who survives the anime and vice versa. For instance, it would be interesting if, in a finale, a different combination of Chloe/Kirika/Mireille might survive their encounter.

Pros to an rpg like this:

I think it could be fun to give y'all (the players) control over an actual Bee Train plot and see what happens. Noir is what I'm most familiar with and the serialised portions of Noir offer a pretty short, contained storyline with a handful of characters.

I like the idea of experiencing BT characters in a BT world, which we kinda did with Twin Moons et al, but in a more contained and predictable environment.

I wouldn't need to worry about writing a plot or designing areas (yay for laziness).

Aim Ten rules can apply, so we wouldn't need to worry about maths much.

Cons:

Like I said at the outset, heresy. We would probably be overwriting some plot points and reinterpreting characters.

Would need a lot more work (weeks at least) to make it viable, and I'd need a lot of help organising based on what players want to do. Think Wolf's system of extra-long PMs and in-depth discussions about character concepts XD

------

Anyway, please reply to the above poll, and let me know your thoughts below.

9

Bee Train Role Playing Game / [axon] Baaninfstree: The Four Thrones [IC]

« on: April 11, 2017, 09:56:34 PM »

Hey everyone. This is a short combat encounter, or "quest", if you will, which occurs at the end of Schism and the beginning of the new game (eta late April). If you're unfamiliar with Baaninfstree and the story so far, that's fine! Read through this post and you should be able to get a bearing on the recent events.

This is an IC thread, meaning that dialogue and interaction should be in character. Please don't post here just yet ^^;

Please see this thread for character creation info.

The 500-year-old secret society known as the Soldats, once thought to have been extinct, are now open power-brokers in a brewing war between the ancient kingdoms of Nafrece and Avari.

One monarch, King Louis of Nafrece, has already made a deal with the Soldats. But three more kingdoms, erstwhile allies of Nafrece, are in the balance.

The key to their allegiances may lie in the small but wealthy microstate of Baaninfstree. Situated on the borders of Nafrece and Avari, in the Soldats' traditional heartland, the market town and its agricultural province rely on strong diplomacy to keep neighbouring superpowers in check. So far, Baaninfstree has always been independent and safe. But a recent change in leadership, financial concerns, and new enemies have made it vulnerable. And now, geographically and politically, it alone stands between the most powerful armies in Europe...

Or not alone?

Character Option A (former players wishing to reprise an old character): You are an adventurer who has represented Baaninfstree and/or The University of Paris in the past.

Character Option B (new players or new characters): You are a citizen of Baaninfstree, or are visiting the town, or passing through the area. You have some interest in the area and would probably help defend Baaninfstree - as far as you are able - against a threat.

10

Bee Train Role Playing Game / Building Baaninfstree 3.2

« on: February 26, 2017, 05:59:55 PM »

Facebook poll here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1557161571181477/permalink/1953503571547273/

There was a very strong consensus in this poll for being rewarded for effort - 100% as of this writing from six voters (I don't know who those people are, but I've never had more than six people in a game myself!) But there are a lot of different ways of implementing this.

I've divided the poll options into Conditions (things that you might be rewarded for) and Rewards (ways you might be rewarded). If y'all can vote on at least one each, that would be awesome. You may also add your own options.Keep in mind that the arbiter will likely by a DM (likely James or myself in the near future) so it depends partly on what you trust us to evaluate, and a lot of this will be quite subjective.

Some examples of things which have been less common at BTF:

"Active role-playing with a fellow PC, NPC, or both" -- I'm sometimes reluctant to reward role-playing too much, as I don't want to punish gamers who simply want to turn up, play the game, and not worry overmuch about the world they happen to be in. But we haven't had very many players of that nature lately and the core B'stree group, at least, are all solid role-players and play the games from this perspective. So perhaps this might be more appropriate for our group(s) ^^;

"RPG posts which are elaborate, skillful, or funny" -- I once played a very fun game on a very large gaming forum (thousands of active members) where the only object was to destroy a boulder with 1,000 hit points. The DM took more hit points off depending on how much effort and creativity you put in. I scored a good hit when I jokingly poked the rock with a feather. Another player scored a very big hit when they wrote a ballad describing their encounter with the rock. Others used more conventional martial tactics!

"Uncovering something hidden or obscure" -- I include a lot of "easter eggs" in my games which tend to be Bee Train or otherwise anime-and-comic themed. Some of them are more important than others, and often I don't want players to be too distracted by them, so often I gloss over it as "scenery" rather than actual game features. But such things could be a lot more prominent and more integral to a plot or world.

"Post of the week/month" -- DM might choose a forum player post which is particularly game-changing or important, or players might vote on one. The player who wrote that post then receives a predetermined reward.

11

Bee Train Role Playing Game / Building Baaninfstree - what have you not liked? (Poll 3.1)

« on: February 19, 2017, 09:08:25 AM »

Hi,

A parrallel poll to this one, but geared more at experienced and returning players. If you've played games at BTF before, what are some things which have been particularly less-than-fun or downright frustrating?

(I'm particularly thinking of some weaknesses in my games but you needn't answer solely on that basis).

Also very happy for you to add things in the comments but the above ones are actually things which I can definitely fix (or try to). Some people might also want to vote for something like "constantly changing world and mechanics" but that's just an accident of the various lab experiments I've done here and while I'm sure it has been frustrating for some, it was a necessary evil!

Also people might want to vote for "players and/or DM dropping out suddenly". Yeah, well, er, sorry about that :/

Anyway, please be honest and try to use all three of your votes (there's the dump one at the bottom if you really need it).

12

Bee Train Role Playing Game / Building Baaninfstree - what features would you like? (Poll 3.0)

« on: February 19, 2017, 09:05:52 AM »

Hi all,

Given the results of my last survey, there seems to be a broad appetite to resume gameplay in the world of Baaninfstree (though people also kind of want some different things about the setting, but I'm working on that).

However, interests have changed a lot over the years, and I'm playing with some fairly dramatic changes to how the game might actually be played, along with a more refined and unique setting.

If you think "rewarding exploration" should also be on this list, good, because I'm going to do that anyway!

Please vote on the above, and let me know your thoughts! There's a lot of options here so I've given everyone three votes each ^^

There is also another poll, specifically for returning players, about things which you didn't like: http://www.beetrainfan.org/forum/index.php/topic,1618

Thanks as always for your consistent input. Feedback is vital

13

Announcements & Introductions / Poll: Flashchat stretch feature

« on: February 18, 2017, 06:44:11 PM »

I'm glad people are making good use of flashchat. Please report any bugs you find, no matter how big or small, in the stickied thread!

I'd like to make some improvements to the chat, but as with most things in life at the moment I need to strictly prioritise, so please tell me what you'd most like to see from the options above.

If there is something not above which you would like to see, please let me know in a comment; but please also vote from the above options as these are the most likely to be realised in the short term.

Everyone has two votes. Use them well!

14

Bee Train Role Playing Game / Aim Ten [AX] - RPG ruleset and combat simulator - old thread

« on: February 09, 2017, 05:48:05 PM »

The documents linked below are intended for internal testing and sharing with close friends and colleagues. They're not publication-ready and please don't share them too widely ^^;

(C) to me (Edmund Dean), all rights reserved.

At some point in the future I will be releasing all this information in a more organised fashion, at which point most if not all of it will be available under OGL (Open Gaming License) to share with whoever you want.


AXON Supplement (Fantasy)

Character Creator :: a quick character creation form for a combat-ready character. Highly recommended even if you're not making a new character.
The Four Elements :: a way of looking at the classes and attributes in an in-universe way. Highly recommended reading for new players.


As many of you have probably noticed, I've been plodding away at a built-from-scratch RPG ruleset for the past few years.

This project began when I realised that Dungeons and Dragons, which we had been using as a ruleset, wasn't sufficient for our needs here at BTF. Among other considerations, combat was ponderous in play-by-post format, skills didn't always feel intuitive or useful, and modern weapons and certain other Beetrainy features were difficult to incorporate.

I also found myself craving a system that could genuinely act as a combat simulator - not unlike GURPS, but vastly simplified so as to be playable for new players. Watching Skallagrim on YouTube and pouring over real combat theory made me think that a more realistic combat system is possible in a dice-rolling game with a few simple tweaks. I dug up some "house rules" for D&D, Pathfinder, and other systems and set to work taking the best of them and adding my own.

My third aim was to create a system which could be actively balanced (and strategically un-balanced!) by myself or a small team of gamers; a living and breathing competitive environment like is found on League of Legends and other successful MOBA-genre games. PvP combat is a special love of mine and I'm conscious that a new generation of gamers has been introduced to RPGs through PvP, rather than vice versa. I wanted to show that more narrative and more competitive forms of RPG gameplay were not only compatible, but complementary.

You've already been playing this ruleset in its basic and evolving form. Now it's very close to a complete (if still beta) release! Please check back to this thread for further news and updates.

In the post immediately below you will find some notable changes to the system from early 2016 when it was last used here at the forum, and soon (tm) I will also add further documents to help acquaint you with the system.

15

Announcements & Introductions / Flashchat

« on: February 02, 2017, 06:25:49 PM »

Please report any bugs and crashes here, and feel free to comment on the usability / speed / etc.

Before adding a new bug, please check to make sure it isn't already listed here, and follow the Basic Bugsplat Procedures.


ACCESS:

For the address to the chat, please message me or one of the other forum regulars.

You will need a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox, Opera or Edge. I recommend Firefox for Flashchat, but I usually use Chrome or Opera myself.

Windows phones and mobile devices should work fine, but if you are using an Android or iOS device, you will probably need a Flash browser such as Photon. Or, if you're stuck on a mobile device, ping us on Facebook or Discord and we can move there.

Flashchat will ask you for a username. Choose any username you want, but please be willing to account for who you are on the forum and register for a forum account if you don't have one already. Leave the password field blank.


CHANGELOG:

2017.04.02 - unplanned outage noticed by a user, unsure of cause. Reinstalled.
2017.03.10 - unplanned outage noticed by a user, unsure of cause. Reinstalled.
2017.03.02 - unplanned outage owing to maintenance by the server hosts.
2017.02.22 - unplanned outage noticed by a user, probably related to the maintenance on Monday. Reinstalled.
2017.02.20 - tried to do some security maintenance but Flashchat doesn't like me doing this on the fly... I may have to reinstall at a future date. Everything seems to be working, however.
2017.02.02 - reinstalled after I broke it by accident... Also re-enabled "use chat colour for incoming messages" in user options.
2017.01.30 - reinstalled to fix caching error which was affecting numeral inputs (including colours).