Questions for Sark

[Mr Sark 227]

I know you had talked about Top Secret in a previous 'Crazy Shit' segment. Out of curiosity, of those 'many games' what are some of your favorite systems and has this group played with any other systems? Thanks!

 

I liked Top Secret. I liked Shadowrun 3rd. I warped 'Call of Cthulhu' but enjoyed my remix of it. I don't really like the World of Darkness rules, but use their books for reference. I loved the old Palladium System used in TMNT, Heroes Unlimited, and Robotech. I bend the hell out of whatever D&D system I'm running. I wish I knew Pathfinder.

 

The crew has primarily played D&D. Blaine (Blackie) in particular has played a number of other games.

[Mr Sark 227]

Hello Mr. Sark,

 

I was listening to the show (which is amazing), trying to catch up. I listened to alot of them in a row and there was one thing i couldnt understand. If mildrid the dwarf lady was a stow away, and saw the pirates invading their ship, then why did she not have her gear still? And how did she get to the new ship that wasnt the initial cruise that they were on? Maybe i miss understood but either way the show is hilarious and keep it up.

 

It was a quick & dirty setup but let's go with this:

Mildred, a stowaway on her vacation cruise, hid in the underbelly of her cruise liner when she saw the boarders. It being a vacation she didn't have her gear with her

During the looting, and transferring of the passengers / prisoners / victims the crate she hid her tiny-self in was carried over to the invader's ship where she found herself super bored and eating show leather because she was so hungry. Beats the alternative as The Collector's don't seem to take very good care of females. FOR SOME REASON. A few days pass and she meets the party!

 

Now you, Mildred, and I can all sleep at night

[Mr Sark 227]

If Amarth were killed would the show become "Nerd Poker without Brian Posehn"?

 

If Amarth dies, we all die. IRL

[Mr Sark 227]

Sark, how do you keep people from missing games? If you have a weekly game and cant have all the players for a game once and a while, how do you continue? Any tips on how to play it through or things you have done to keep the story going?

 

We play when we can and (in the case of this podcast) we bank episodes. Everyone in the party is extremely busy so getting together is difficult but very rewarding & fun.

 

No real tips on playing through an absent Player. If there's a particularly good role-player in the group let them steer the character for that session. If not, then you (the DM/GM) may have to shoulder the empty character as if they were an NPC.

[Mr Sark 227]

Seems like you have a lot of experience with different RPGs. Have you ever played an "indie rpg?" I think you guys would have fun playing Spirit of the Century from Evil Hat games. At least, I'd have fun listening to you guys play it.

 

I'll check it out! Much like my videogame habits though I lean towards spending a bunch of time in a system, rather than bouncing around. So I have very limited experience with Indie RPG's. Played a bunch of 'Car Wars' back in the day if that counts. A bit of 'Traveller' also.

[Mr Sark 227]

So this has been brought up over and over throughout the forums but just to put it right to you Mr Sark... What's the hold-up with bringing Gerry back in?

Surely it would have been easy to just have him be one of the survivors that decides to join the group in their escape attempt.

 

Gerry's a very busy dude. That's about it It has nothing to do with difficulty rolling him back in.

[Mr Sark 227]

Mr. Sark,I know you already said that you felt that there were enough plugs for this podcast, but Machinima Realm would seem like an obvious choice to try and promote this show, seeing as they are the rpg side of the network.

 

That being said, love the show and glad I found it!

 

I try not to worry too much about who's promoting what. Brian will tell you I was hesitant to even podcast our games because it takes a slice of the 'hang-out' vibe away. We're warming up to it though.

[Skeevins 322]

What's the longest you've played with only one surviving party member?

[bowcaster01 0]

You rule

XP!

Love this podcast

XP!

Sark for president

XP!

Brian for DOD secretary

XP!

When are you guys going to level up and junk?

XP!

[Hazard2GoSu 0]

Hola Sark. Heard about the podcast from you on respawn, and love it. It has made me want to try and host a game with some friends, what would you reccomend a group of total pen and paper noobs pick up to get started? And what advice would you give a first time DM on creating a campaign/adventure?

[Mr Sark 227]

What's the longest you've played with only one surviving party member?

 

Haha! Never more than an evening. Although the party has split before for prolonged periods of time so individual players had to come over at different times than the rest of the group. This has happened over multiple sessions before (weeks in real time). It's usually Gerry.

[Mr Sark 227]

When are you guys going to level up and junk?

 

When the action breaks and everyone has a moment to ponder all the important lessons they've learned. Like - don't attack obviously aquatic folk if you can barely swim. And - blood soaked rags make for shitty disguises. And - sometimes innocent people die if you punch them hard enough.

 

It's likely that they'll jump a handful of levels. I know this isn't the best way to learn abilities but we're more focused on getting into a groove with (my version of) the 4th Ed. rules. Don't want to stop down and mull over the books at the moment.

[Mr Sark 227]

Hola Sark. Heard about the podcast from you on respawn, and love it. It has made me want to try and host a game with some friends, what would you reccomend a group of total pen and paper noobs pick up to get started? And what advice would you give a first time DM on creating a campaign/adventure?

 

Seems Wizards Of The Coast (the current publisher of D&D) knows that many people are asking the same thing. THIS SEEMS LIKE A GOOD PLACE TO START (for D&D anyway). There are a ton of other games out there to try. Maybe start with a modern-day HeroQuest knock-off like the D&D-simplified 'Dungeon' or a similar style of board game. I also found the DUMMIES books useful. Remember (in my opinion), MORE BOOKS does not equal BETTER. I wish we'd limited our current game to Player's Handbook 1 + our own creations. Would've saved us money and time. Anything beyond the basics just becomes reference material. Again, MY OPINION.

 

As for creating your own adventures, start simple. Buy a cheap pre-made module. Change the names. Change the monsters. Change the loot. Keep the story. Finally, write all your notes down so nobody can see that you're referencing a module.

 

Later you can create this stuff from the ground up or adapt other material and expand the game to allow your players almost total freedom (if you want - some people enjoy a more linear experience).

[Chaosound 50]

Just wondering why you guys chose to start 4e if you are all more familiar with 2e?

[choochoo_the_wonder_slut 740]

Sark, wondering what your some of your all time favorite video game RPGs are? I liked Skyrim (when it wasn't crashing my xbox) but I still go old school turn-based every now and then with a little Fallout 2 or even Bard's Tale. MMO's have kind of sucked ass since they all went themepark WoW style in my nerd opinion. SWG ruled.

[subaltern 0]

Mr. Sark, you DM like you play Sniper Elite V2......Heroic. I think your DM style makes the 4e "Skills" very relevant. You should get that sh*t out! Things like Perception, Insight, Bluff, etc.

[SeanRoy 0]

Sark, I know you guys don't have room for a battle map, but you could use a room tile from a box of Dungeon Tiles for combat. You can get a box from amazon for like 10 gold pieces.

[CamberFreese 14]

Can you upload some of the phallic drawings you do of structures and stuff?

[StevoDoccerson 97]

Have any of the other players been on this forum & seen the pictures people have drawn?

[StevoDoccerson 97]

Can you upload some of the phallic drawings you do of structures and stuff?

A handful of them are on the Nerd Poker facebook page.

[surenotgunshy 7]

Sark, doin a good job but if you haven't already go check out Spencer from Harmontown... maybe he could help you out with 4E and dynamics.

 

I doubt that would help, Spencer runs a homebrewed 3.5 edition. 3.5/Pathfinder is very flexible and works great in the hands of a good DM. I'm sure Sark running that would be a joy. As he's stuck with a system that seems to be designed to ape an MMO he's doing an amazing job with what he's forced to work with.

[Chaosound 50]

yeah honestly I was never quite sure whiched edition they (HT) ran I just kinda guessed it was 4e

he is still more dramatic with story telling though, but of course im sure thats all a part of being more comfortable with the rules, or the fact hes trying to hold together a weak show with a coupel drunk slobs haha

enough about other podcasts

yeah im sure once Sark & crew get to the point they dont need to look up a rule every few mins he will really shine through

 

not that im knocking him as it is now

[tiles 13]

 

I doubt that would help, Spencer runs a homebrewed 3.5 edition. 3.5/Pathfinder is very flexible and works great in the hands of a good DM. I'm sure Sark running that would be a joy. As he's stuck with a system that seems to be designed to ape an MMO he's doing an amazing job with what he's forced to work with.

 

Is this an actual play podcast? I run my own business and can listen to podcasts all day (and often do), and am always looking for a good listen.

[surenotgunshy 7]

It's an... okay, I'm not sure how to describe Harmontown but it includes an ongoing campaign near the end of each podcast starting with the 8th episode.

 

With all respect to earwolf who I live dearly it's without a doubt my favourite podcast these days.

 

 

http://podbay.fm/show/542228532

[Chaosound 50]

 

Is this an actual play podcast? I run my own business and can listen to podcasts all day (and often do), and am always looking for a good listen.

short answer no, but its wicked fun