Gigacrawler: How Did This Happen?

Here we have a Gigacrawler PC or possibly more than one stumbling into some kind of situation. (Click to enlarge the situation, click twice to enlarge twice). This situation is the direct result of 4 spells being cast and one martial arts technique having been employed.

Your task: say what those spells were and what that technique was.

The spells and kung fu moves must be new. If you're a real pal, spells need failure results and difficulty levels.

All this stuff will be added to the finished game, of course.

Question For Straight Female Gamers, Gay Guys, & People Who Are Bi

What constitutes a sexualized male character?

Not 'sexualized' in some ridiculous way that you don't actually find attractive, (like if you don't actually think Han Solo wearing Leia's gold bikini would be hot, don't put that) but in a way that you do find attractive. You can give an example of a character, point to a picture, describe an action. Whatever you want.

Remember: not merely "desirable" but 'sexualized'--like how a chick can be hot no matter what she's wearing, but if she's in a chainmail bikini and bending at the waist for no apparent reason, that's sexualized.

Comments from anybody not fitting the target demographic will be deleted. This page is just for collecting data.

Gruntwork for Gigacrawler

So here are the things that should probably happen to Gigacrawler before anyone goes around calling it a game. If you're feeling creative, here's what we need...

-Alterations. We have plenty of mutations/cyborg stuff/etc. though some industrious soul(s) should take a look at them and think: can I pretty much build most of the "playable" aliens and mutants I can think of using these rules? Like: Wookie, blob guy, animal-people (if you've got one of those animal encyclopedias at home that'd be good, any given Green Lantern (except Mogo or Dkrtzy RRR--though if you can rig a sentient mathematical progression as a playable PC race, you rock), any miniature you own (etc.). Claws, teeth and extra limbs will cover 9o% of it but is there, say a chameleon-like ability in there?

-At least half again as many martial arts. Go crazy.

-Devices. We got lots of devices. While covering every possible sci-fi device is not necessary (we need something left over for treasure) someone could look through the list and make sure that all the basic modern adventuring gear is represented: a plausible range of low-level weapons, life-support devices, ten-foot pole, flashlight, etc. Look through a modern RPG and your camping/hiking/mountain climbing shopping list and make sure it's mostly covered.

-More spells. You might wanna take a look at the extant spells and make sure there's a decent spread of low, medium, and high-level stuff. And you can never have enough madness and weirdness. There's like 45 so far.

-Setting features. Looking good here--especially on the tech end. Maybe a few more esoteric/magical ideas. Also, we could arguably use more monsters, so if there's any beastie you want in there before the game goes "official", there you go.

Almost Derailing Patton Oswalt's Q&A

So I went to Patton Oswalt's reading for his new book. Patton read his book. It was funny. Then there was a Q&A. Questions were asked, answers were given.

Patton Oswalt:
Any other questions...?

Zak:
When was the last time you played Dungeons & Dragons, and who with?

Patton:
It was about a year ago with..(and then he points to the friends in the corner of the bookstore that he has been giving shout-outs to all night, only this time they look a little embarrassed)...we had a little mid-life crisis, we started playing old school, Monster Manual, Deities & Demigods Dungeons (points to friend) you were an elf, right? And I was a drunken dwarf. And I played a drunken dwarf. There's an epic poem about the character I played in high school on my book. Or several characters. They kept dying. Do you guys play?

Zak:
Yeah.

Patton:
Who are your players?

Zak:
They're in porn.

Patton:
Oh of course. "Oh my god I need to escape this afternoon. Take me away green slime." Who's the DM?

Mandy:
He is, but I just started DMing.

Patton:
What do you play? Like what's your character?

Mandy:
I'm the cleric!

Patton:
(now he makes the joke about how does everybody have a high charisma but it does it in an ironic self-mocking I-know-this-is-dumb way so it's ok.)

Zak:
Yeah, sometimes, the girls don't seem to grasp the idea that charisma is a dump stat.

Mandy:
I have a low charisma but I just said it's because I'm obnoxious but really hot.

Patton:
So it's like a Kardashian thing, right? Like I wish she didn't talk. Yeah, it's weird people don't realize charisma is totally a dump stat because it's like...

Zak:
(to audience) I'm sorry I ruined this for everyone.

Patton:
Oh yeah, I was about to disappear down a K-hole there. Alright, are there any other questions?












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Addendum: This is what we call an anecdote. The point of it is not to seriously discuss the use of the charisma stat or any other game mechanic. Those attempting to go that way should be aware that they run a severe risk of sounding like Comic Book Guy.

Gigacrawler: What's Going On In This Picture?

What's going on in this picture? (click twice to enlarge twice.)
New ideas included in the explanations will become part of Gigacrawler.

If your explanation includes a new character option--
Martial Arts
Spells/Psionics
Devices & Equipment
Mutations, species adaptations, cyborg/robot parts, etc.
then you could be a champ and click over to the appropriate page and put it in there.

A Suggestion For Folks Thinking Of Publishing Game Stuff

Here's the ideal for me ("the ideal"--not what I expect or demand, but--hey, we're DIYing this Old School Gaming thing so why not start doing things a different way?)...

Rather than a writer going "Hey, I'm gonna write an adventure about Giant Worms From Space, then once it's done I'll send it to this artist that I think would draw awesome worms and see if I can get him/her to illustrate it."

Maybe try..."Hey I'm gonna write an adventure about Giant Worms from Space. I'm gonna tell this artist who I think would draw awesome worms -right now- and commission him/her to send me a picture of some Giant Worms From Space doing something right now and then maybe I'll get some ideas, and I'll use the picture in the adventure. Then wherever I get with writing on that, I show the artist, and then I'll ask for another picture, and then maybe I'll get some ideas from that, and we'll go back and forth and make an awesome adventure."

All OSR writers are DMs, most artists are, too. If their work seems interesting and it seems like they would be right for your project, it probably means they have ideas about that thing. You can't actually draw a Giant Worm From Space without thinking about one at least a little.

And yeah, that's maybe harder, you have to commission the picture before you're even sure the thing's written, but we should be trying new crazy ways of doing things. For the DIY D&D artists, who--let's face it--are not getting paid a lot, being involved in the project at this level makes it much more fun and exciting, and may make them more willing to get involved and put work in. It's their baby too.

If an artist is working for you, chances are s/he would like to one day hold up whatever s/he makes as a portfolio piece to attract future clients. That means s/he'd really like to do something s/he thinks is interesting and is engaged in.

For further reading on the subject of artists having good ideas to contribute to media involving both words and pictures, see:
Paul Jacquays
Kevin Siembieda
Moebius
Elektra: Assassin
Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Gigacrawler: What Are These Things?

Here are some more things tucked away in the Gigastructure. Tell us what they are, and they'll be added to Gigacrawler. (And if you know what they really are--forget it--make up something new...)

Blogger's being insane so I can't put letters next to them so you'll just have to describe what you're describing.