Rich Stokes
@tacticalbacon.bsky.social
GenX nerd.
Thinks he's funny, but isn't.
If you care about what I think, you probably shouldn't. I'm an idiot.
Look, I'm just here to talk about RPGs. And sometimes Industrial music and videogames or movies.
Also sometimes comics. More of a DC guy, sorry.
Thinks he's funny, but isn't.
If you care about what I think, you probably shouldn't. I'm an idiot.
Look, I'm just here to talk about RPGs. And sometimes Industrial music and videogames or movies.
Also sometimes comics. More of a DC guy, sorry.
I remember that some stuff fell. And it ended up "out" .
And also that war never changes.
And also that war never changes.
November 14, 2025 at 11:02 AM
I remember that some stuff fell. And it ended up "out" .
And also that war never changes.
And also that war never changes.
I've always felt Pendragon was a narrative game cosplaying as a Trad game, or maybe some Voltron style bolt-together hybrid thing.
I probably need to revisit it, last time I read it I came away not really digging it. That was a while ago and I suspect I'd find more to like there now.
I probably need to revisit it, last time I read it I came away not really digging it. That was a while ago and I suspect I'd find more to like there now.
November 13, 2025 at 3:19 PM
I've always felt Pendragon was a narrative game cosplaying as a Trad game, or maybe some Voltron style bolt-together hybrid thing.
I probably need to revisit it, last time I read it I came away not really digging it. That was a while ago and I suspect I'd find more to like there now.
I probably need to revisit it, last time I read it I came away not really digging it. That was a while ago and I suspect I'd find more to like there now.
That is disturbingly accurate.
November 13, 2025 at 2:16 PM
That is disturbingly accurate.
Nobody said it was perfect 🤣
I'd say it's more that it was a lightweight system which was designed to be run leaning more on the mechanics to resolve the feeling and vibe of the action rather than the details?
I'd say it's more that it was a lightweight system which was designed to be run leaning more on the mechanics to resolve the feeling and vibe of the action rather than the details?
November 13, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Nobody said it was perfect 🤣
I'd say it's more that it was a lightweight system which was designed to be run leaning more on the mechanics to resolve the feeling and vibe of the action rather than the details?
I'd say it's more that it was a lightweight system which was designed to be run leaning more on the mechanics to resolve the feeling and vibe of the action rather than the details?
That is nifty looking.
November 13, 2025 at 1:06 PM
That is nifty looking.
That tracks. I'd agree that Ghostbusters is probably the most popular and influential of those early games.
November 13, 2025 at 1:02 PM
That tracks. I'd agree that Ghostbusters is probably the most popular and influential of those early games.
(And yes, I know about Prince Valiant and before @flintlock.bsky.social mentions Flash Gordon and the Warriors of Mongo those games never really broke into the mainstream or had much impact on broader game designs in the early 90s)
November 13, 2025 at 11:16 AM
(And yes, I know about Prince Valiant and before @flintlock.bsky.social mentions Flash Gordon and the Warriors of Mongo those games never really broke into the mainstream or had much impact on broader game designs in the early 90s)
The play was very fragile. The GM was doing all the work, if they had a bad day or an uncooperative player, you got a dull or dysfunctional session.
I personally enjoyed the challenge back then, but don't now. I now demand the system and process to do more work.
I personally enjoyed the challenge back then, but don't now. I now demand the system and process to do more work.
November 13, 2025 at 11:13 AM
The play was very fragile. The GM was doing all the work, if they had a bad day or an uncooperative player, you got a dull or dysfunctional session.
I personally enjoyed the challenge back then, but don't now. I now demand the system and process to do more work.
I personally enjoyed the challenge back then, but don't now. I now demand the system and process to do more work.
At the time there was a philosophy that systems mattered, but only to a point. It was definitely expected that the GMs job was to take the rules the game DID have and massage the outcomes into a story based play experience.
That was a lot of work, but it "how things worked" back then.
That was a lot of work, but it "how things worked" back then.
November 13, 2025 at 11:13 AM
At the time there was a philosophy that systems mattered, but only to a point. It was definitely expected that the GMs job was to take the rules the game DID have and massage the outcomes into a story based play experience.
That was a lot of work, but it "how things worked" back then.
That was a lot of work, but it "how things worked" back then.
In short, the idea that RPGs could have rules to directly impact narrative (rather than rules impacting character's ability to impact the fictional world, which might in turn impact the narrative) wasn't mainstream back then.
Trad was basically the only game (type) in town.
Trad was basically the only game (type) in town.
November 13, 2025 at 11:13 AM
In short, the idea that RPGs could have rules to directly impact narrative (rather than rules impacting character's ability to impact the fictional world, which might in turn impact the narrative) wasn't mainstream back then.
Trad was basically the only game (type) in town.
Trad was basically the only game (type) in town.
But here's the thing: at the time, it was fun. And it was very much a product of that time. RPGs generally had action resolution rules and combat was still considered an inherent aspect of pretty much all RPG play experiences.
Understanding the game in this context is key.
Understanding the game in this context is key.
November 13, 2025 at 11:13 AM
But here's the thing: at the time, it was fun. And it was very much a product of that time. RPGs generally had action resolution rules and combat was still considered an inherent aspect of pretty much all RPG play experiences.
Understanding the game in this context is key.
Understanding the game in this context is key.
In broad strokes it's easy to look back on it and call it an awful failure. 3 decades plus of progress on understanding how RPGs fundamentally work let's us point at a game promising Machiavellian politics and personal horror while mainly having rules for decapitating people with a katana and laugh.
November 13, 2025 at 11:13 AM
In broad strokes it's easy to look back on it and call it an awful failure. 3 decades plus of progress on understanding how RPGs fundamentally work let's us point at a game promising Machiavellian politics and personal horror while mainly having rules for decapitating people with a katana and laugh.
I've seen Helmet several times.
There's definitely a geography department missing some staff when they tour.
There's definitely a geography department missing some staff when they tour.
November 12, 2025 at 10:30 PM
I've seen Helmet several times.
There's definitely a geography department missing some staff when they tour.
There's definitely a geography department missing some staff when they tour.
Absolutely still my favourite film ever.
November 12, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Absolutely still my favourite film ever.
To be fair, apple are apparently asking £220 for a sock with a hole in you can put one of their phones in, so...
November 12, 2025 at 10:21 PM
To be fair, apple are apparently asking £220 for a sock with a hole in you can put one of their phones in, so...
Vader 4 I got for about £40 and the Cyclone 2 was £32.
Some idiot was trying to convince me to get the dualsense edge. Which is £200 and doesn't even have magnetic sticks or trigger stops. Like, wut? Lol.
Some idiot was trying to convince me to get the dualsense edge. Which is £200 and doesn't even have magnetic sticks or trigger stops. Like, wut? Lol.
November 12, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Vader 4 I got for about £40 and the Cyclone 2 was £32.
Some idiot was trying to convince me to get the dualsense edge. Which is £200 and doesn't even have magnetic sticks or trigger stops. Like, wut? Lol.
Some idiot was trying to convince me to get the dualsense edge. Which is £200 and doesn't even have magnetic sticks or trigger stops. Like, wut? Lol.
I was thinking more like £40 for the controller sounded reasonable, maybe £50?
I currently have no use for the console, if it'd come out a year ago I might have been interested. I built a PC when Microsoft made it clear they weren't making a new XBox because it gives Sony free reign for bullshit.
I currently have no use for the console, if it'd come out a year ago I might have been interested. I built a PC when Microsoft made it clear they weren't making a new XBox because it gives Sony free reign for bullshit.
November 12, 2025 at 9:59 PM
I was thinking more like £40 for the controller sounded reasonable, maybe £50?
I currently have no use for the console, if it'd come out a year ago I might have been interested. I built a PC when Microsoft made it clear they weren't making a new XBox because it gives Sony free reign for bullshit.
I currently have no use for the console, if it'd come out a year ago I might have been interested. I built a PC when Microsoft made it clear they weren't making a new XBox because it gives Sony free reign for bullshit.
Controller looks interesting. Lacks some features I'd need for a daily driver, but if they're realistic about the price point I might pick one up for games which want a touchpad.
November 12, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Controller looks interesting. Lacks some features I'd need for a daily driver, but if they're realistic about the price point I might pick one up for games which want a touchpad.
To be fair, I'd managed to play weekly RPGs for over 20 years before I ever played D&D.
4d6 and keep the highest 3? Fuck off, grandad.
Young Rich was a right twat.
4d6 and keep the highest 3? Fuck off, grandad.
Young Rich was a right twat.
November 12, 2025 at 5:33 PM
To be fair, I'd managed to play weekly RPGs for over 20 years before I ever played D&D.
4d6 and keep the highest 3? Fuck off, grandad.
Young Rich was a right twat.
4d6 and keep the highest 3? Fuck off, grandad.
Young Rich was a right twat.
I'll see your Silhouette Tribe 8 and raise you a GURPS: Castle Falkenstein.
November 12, 2025 at 5:24 PM
I'll see your Silhouette Tribe 8 and raise you a GURPS: Castle Falkenstein.
A lot of people online don't believe me that D&D was basically absent during the 90s in the UK scene I was part of.
Although I appreciate that probably says a lot about the company I kept back then.
Although I appreciate that probably says a lot about the company I kept back then.
November 12, 2025 at 5:23 PM
A lot of people online don't believe me that D&D was basically absent during the 90s in the UK scene I was part of.
Although I appreciate that probably says a lot about the company I kept back then.
Although I appreciate that probably says a lot about the company I kept back then.
Like, you start out dead and if you min max you can maybe move a pencil a few centimetres? Most people wanted the fangs and katana.
November 12, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Like, you start out dead and if you min max you can maybe move a pencil a few centimetres? Most people wanted the fangs and katana.
I saw it fail and saw it be a hard sell for people. You couldn't create a powerful murder hobo character with kewl powers so compared to Vampire, Mage and especially Werewolf it just didn't have the power fantasy hook those games had.
November 12, 2025 at 5:18 PM
I saw it fail and saw it be a hard sell for people. You couldn't create a powerful murder hobo character with kewl powers so compared to Vampire, Mage and especially Werewolf it just didn't have the power fantasy hook those games had.