This is where all out of character chat will take place and I hope everyone introduces themselves here.
This message was last updated by the GM at 17:37, Fri 26 July 2013.

One idea occurs to me if people were interested in a bit of continuity from Q&D... if people intend to continue playing their PCs in this game, then perhaps SSS takes place "after" Q&D?  Since it is the same year 1887... maybe it takes place a few to several months later (between 3-10 months?).

Perhaps Whiskey Flats (being in California) was unknowingly located upon a volitile fault line and a massive earthquake hit that totalled the town of Whiskey Flats... thus forcing the local residents to move on to a new and hopefully more secure/stable home/location... namely Harmony, CA.

Thus some of the character development and in particular the PC social interaction & shared experiences/history could be preserved from the old game to be brought over to the new game.

Of course some people may choose to play brand new characters and they could either already be in Harmony when the Q&D PCs arrive or they could arive as newcomers much like the Q&D PCs.

Just an idea to consider.  ;)

For myself, I'll admit to being a bit torn between keeping Beau or possibly trying a new character (I'm toying with playing "Paladin" from "Have Gun, Will Travel" or perhaps a US Marshal in a similar vein to Wyatt Earp).

Just my two bits, but I'd rather not have any continuity from Q&D. I think we had a great run but it has ran it's course and it's time to lay her to bed. I'm totally ok if anyone wants to bring their Q&D player to life here. That would be fine to me. I will be creating a new character because Judson was not really created by me, I just played him. And I believe he just belongs in Whiskey Flats. Also I think it would be awesome that some of us already know each other and are already members of the town, or even have shared backstories.... that would make for some interesting reads and allow us to still have a connection as writers but here, not there. I mean I'm not against anyone wanting to do as Beau mentioned, and I'm not gonna complain if it happens but I would just rather not. Now I can't wait to see what happens here. :)

I don't mind anyone wanting to bring a Q&D character over, but you must know before hand no storyline from Q&D can be carried over so there may be no point other than your affection for the character which I support. Please know Johnny Madrid will NOT be in this game though he is my favorite western character. You have probably seen him on the cast list, but I did that strictly to reserve the character portrait.

Because I am such a fan of the western movies and TV series' I will actually still allow the playing of those characters though, so If Beau decides to be Paladin I'm all for it. As long as we can fit it in story which would be easy with that character. Should Lorena Wood decide to show up, it would be easy as a simple story of her actually leaving Johnny could be created because she would have left him thinking she couldn't be a Lancer. If Johnny could be Madrid she could go with him anywhere, but Johnny is Lancer now. I can create a storyline to bring any of your characters over....

However. Like Judson, I don't want to spoil anything we did in Q&D. It was very special to me but I think with our group we can create something equally as special, even if we changed genre's and did a horror theme, or a 16th century Samurai/Bushido theme. You are all such creative and spectacular writers we could do whatever you wished, but the western genre is my theme of choice so here we are. ;)

We will be changing the setting to the Texas/Mexican Border area of the same time period to keep a little familiarity since both areas had a lot of the same issues. This will also add Texas Rangers, Comanche to go along with the Apache, even more Mexican bandits, post civil war conflict since a lot of Texans actually fought for the North and everyone hated carpetbaggers, but it will cut down on the gold mining and such quite a bit. It will add the badlands and outlaw trail though, which could get exciting.

The town name of harmony will need changed unless any of you speak Spanish and know the Spanish word for Harmony but again, that was just a space filler to create the forum. I will be updating the game info to reflect all of this.

Now back to system.

I think we are actually RPers much more than we are gamers and most have agreed they want a "Rules Lite" system. I think I personally can adapt to this "The Window" system very rapidly with a few tweaks. If it doesn't work out I can switch to the more familiar Boot Hill system very easily.

Is everyone still on board? If so I can post my system tweaks and we can do character creation and you can all start putting yourselves into it.

La Armonía, and I'm ready to go. Already have a character in mind. :)

If anyone can read the new game info and point out any mistakes I made or if I left anything out it would be most appreciated

I am very happy to hear that everything will be new and different in this game. A fresh start is just what we need. I have several ideas for one established character and for one newcomer character. Both (females) would be better  played with backstories that connect them to other characters. If there is anyone interested in scheming possibilities with me as we begin character development please let me know.

~ Clementine (who was Lorena in another life)


This message was last edited by the player at 03:19, Wed 17 July 2013.

I have no problem with the Window system. I think two areas that will hamper the game with the system is that Boot Hill has an excellent weapon system differentiating damage and speed.

From what I see in Window it does not seem to matter a rifle is slower then a Fast Draw revolver.  But faster then a scatter gun. I know that makes it sound like I am overing focusing on the system. The reason, I am is that with most western systems there is a feeling of lethality and risk. I am not certain Window gives that, but I am hoping to be pleasantly wrong

As requested in Q&D, I am posting here in the OOC.

I think The Window sounds like a good system to at least try out and see if it works.

The schoolteacher in me is happy to oblige.  ;-)
This message was last edited by the player at 03:17, Wed 17 July 2013.

I'm all for it and he did mention 'tweaks'

If I might inquire... is there a reason you picked 1887?  I ask because that's 22 years after the end of the Civil War, making almost any but the youngest veterans of the Civil War at least 40 years old if not older (and that's if they only fought in the final year).

Since we're starting over, is there a possibility of having an earlier start date/year?

Just an idea.

I guess one other problem I have is I believe that players should start somewhat balanced. It seems to me that the Character Creation seems very open. Basically, if I could write a background to justify playing a guy that is equal to superman. There seems to be no guidelines to stop me except my and the GM integrity...  Sorry if I seem negative. I just believe this genre is conflict driven, so knowing that a equal playing field is established makes it seem fun. I was in an organization that allowed better characters for those that served the organization. Sounded great, but it seemed as a newer player that you could never compete with those players.  Some were red shirts or dames in distress. While others could play the villain or hero without fear

Really want to stress I will give it the college try. Not trying to be the negative. Just voicing a few concerns

I agree with Beau that it would be different and perhaps better if the time frame was immediately after the Civil War.

Window actually doesn't JK. My issue with it. But easily tweaked. My issue with Boot Hill is how it changed so much over the three editions. They are three entirely different games. lol. Issue 3 is actually the best in detail, but so rule heavy we can't use it. Boot Hill 2nd edition was very close to my own system and when I saw it, after I created the system in the 80's, I was pissed I didn't market it. lol

Bah. I picked 1887 for the weapon availability only and to show the winding down of the wild west. Doesn't fit this timeframe. I'm still editing. lol

JK I understand exactly what you are saying about starting even, but how do you do that in a story driven game? Was Becky supposed to be the equal of Johnny Madrid or Judson Fletcher? The Window actually has a workable system to take these things into account, depending on what feats the GM adds. The Luck and Experience traits make this pretty easy to balance. With tweaks. Becky has no interest in being able to beat Madrid in a gunfight. She wants to play her character and have fun. I don't believe the interest with our people is who is best. It's about storytelling and RP. The system doesn't matter at all in the long run. One however is needed for when conflict arise.

Well, and Becky (which was me)would have maybe had to use a gun, but it would have been iffy... and I would have played it that way.

I like the idea of an earlier date.  The West was 'officially' considered tamed (or the frontier closed) in 1890, with the Wounded Knee event.  If you do 1860s or early 1870s, then you might not have the 1873 Colt, but you have the Civil War pistols, which were good enough for Wild Bill.

I'm still thinking on Rebecca's picture, by the way.  I may not stay with this one.  Still deciding.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:57, Wed 17 July 2013.

I understand what you are saying, and I am very story driven. But how many people did play Gunfighters. If, they had a fear that hey no matter what I do I can not face Johny Madrid because the system is so stacked versus he just role played superior. That is the test if a game is balanced or not.  I want to stress I not saying that is the case, but some systems allow a Big dog Hierarchy to rise.  In Boot hill. You can be better, but no matter how good. Another player just lucky that day could win.

Boot Hill has lots of problems in fairness. I think players that are not gunfighters go hey the game is not made for me. So we will see what happens. I just really wanted to air my concerns.

As I said, I could be totally wrong thus surprised

I have the same concerns JK, which is why we are going to keep Boot Hill as a fall back if needed. In theory The Window is ideal for our largely freeform style of play so I hope it works for us.

In case anyone was wondering what happened to Beau... he is now Cyrus Solomon Jericho (I decided to go with a new character for the new game).

Cyrus Solomon Jericho is currently a Deputy U.S. Marshal originally from Kansas (a Jayhawker who graduated from West Point and served as an officer in the 7th Kansas Cavalry, "Jennison's Jayhawkers", fighting for the Union during the Civil War).

So in some ways Cyrus is the flip side/opposite of Beau but I think he should be an interesting character to play (and with the new game, I decided I wanted to start off RPing with a "clean slate", hence the new character).

LOL. So you chose a Jayhawker. Very controversial road to travel, my friend. Seen equally as heroes AND villains at the time period of our game. Knowing your RP ability I'm very excited now to see how you play him. You've chosen a possibly extremely difficult character to play. Naturally being a U.S. Marshal you aren't a "redleg", but there will still be lots of people prejudiced against you for your affiliation. I assume you've seen the movie "Jayhawkers" with Fess Parker and Jeff Chandler? Excellent movie