Newest addition?  Who is it?  OH!  It's me.  Right.  I knew that.

Cooper and/or Lee - Any particular background story from the Wars or just general knowledge of the existence and vague reputation of the others?

Correct!

As for Wayland- that sounds good as a connection. Maybe he trampled her garden out in SAN Patricio and helped with replanting.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:54, Tue 30 Apr 2019.

Tamsin - That sounds perfect!  With the realization that he did not actually do any actual gardening...  But paid some folk handsomely to repair and replant.  Though he would have made some suggestions based on some wonderful new scientific gardening experiments he had been reading about....

lol I think I just died

Cooper, just in case you missed it in msg #5:



It might've gotten lost in the larger post, but the intention was that this was the "all clear" for Coop, Jacinta, and Bauer to come join them.

Dammit. I didn’t just miss it once. But even on rereading.

Edit: Post edited. It makes a little more sense now.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:23, Sun 05 May 2019.

I’m nearing the close of my run with Red Dead Redemption II and I have to say, there’s some part of me that wishes I could replicate the tone and character of the game here in Deadlands. But I’m not nowhere near as talented as the group of writers and creators that Rockstar were able to gather.

I've always wanted to play that series, but I don't want to invest in a console. Hopefully they'll a PC release for this version.

But don't give yourself short shrift here!

I have to confess I’m not certain why Rockstar never ported the original Red Dead Redemption to PC. In my mind, they were losing out on sales, especially in light of the fact that they had published so many of their other titles for computers. Hopefully, they’ll change course with the new installment.

And I really appreciate the kind encouragement, but honestly, if you ever experience the game, you’ll understand what I mean. These are some of the most well realized characters I’ve ever encountered in any medium. It’s truly a remarkable achievement.

Well couple things:

- Rockstar never ported Red Dead Redemption citing some unspecified technical issues.  I've read various speculations over the years and found somebody claiming once the engine they built the game in is something that's very difficult to port.  I am inclined to believe that.  Rockstar loves money but they love their reputation too, they are kind of like old school Blizzard who never released anything that wasn't polished to their own high standards.

Rumors abound however there's been a few Linked In links and datamining in the Red Dead Redemption 2 app that lends some clues they may put it on PC eventually, that and they made SO MUCH MONEY on the PC port of GTA V.

Rockstar has a strategy with PC ports.  Understand they don't care about the PC gamer, rather what they want to do, like they did with GTA San Andreas and GTA V, is sell the game twice to console players once on each platform.  If they happen to get some PC only players in the bargain that's just gravy.  So they will wait, if they do a PC release, until console players have sort of subsided.  They make the most money selling it on consoles so there's no reason not to wait until they're sure that well has run dry.

- You're doing great.  Look, let's say for the sake of argument some benefactor came along and offered to pay all of our regular salaries in exchange for us all working on the ultimate Deadlands campaign together.  Given a year don't you think we could come up with something really cool?  Pretty big advantage if you ask me.  Can't compare to what one person living a life with a job can realistically manage.

Also, video games have the advantage of pretty much forcing a story.  Now yes there are games with a very wide variety of choices, but ultimately even the most sprawling open ended narratives are still on rails.  You have to deal with the fact that we human being players are, well, kind of idiots who are going to go do stupid things like join the villains, haha.

Plus they're just noncomparable.  Rockstar does make great characters, but I can feel Kansas Kate's self-loathing, her cynicism, her desire to be somebody else but having no ideal how, but also her stoicism, her unrelenting confidence, and her ability to live in the moment.  I can see how she feels completely in control at all times, yet absolutely tethered to destiny. I can see how clean and sharp her Toothpick is, how the Schofield is perfectly oiled, how inhumanly fast and fluid her fingers move, like some kind of demon.  I can smell the sweat and black powder smoke that seems to cling to her always.  No video game will ever do that and I say that as someone who considers video games an art form.

*slow clap*

Well said!

I’ve lost interest in video games, and I’ve lost interest in other games, but your games always manage to keep my attention! I had no knowledge of the system or setting when I joined this game, but I figured if it was you and I was drawn in enough by your interest check that I’d better not pass up the opportunity.

Kate, I really appreciate your insight. It’s really sound.

Your point about the limitations of storytelling in video games is well taken. I truly love the medium, but you’re correct that, by nature, that format of storytelling has limitations that table top RPGs don’t. Even a game like RDR2, which encourages the player to roam and explore, ultimately has to “funnel” the player’s experience in a given direction in order to further the story. If the player doesn’t ultimately go where the game is guiding them, the next narrative chapter never materializes. So, without question, on the table top, you can assuredly explore depths of character you’d never draw close to on video game screen, even in your most stat heavy CRPG titles.

Even so (not that this was being debated in the first place), RDR2 is well worth any interested video gamer’s time. It’s a remarkable achievement on numerous levels. I haven’t gotten so caught up in a game’s story since The Witcher III: Wild Hunt.

Please understand, I wasn’t attempting to disparage my own efforts as a GM as much as express admiration/envy at what Rockstar was able to do with their cast of characters. On the whole, the members of the Van Der Linde Gang are extremely well written. While there are a few that I expect to remain in my memory for years to come, every one of them is a compelling character in their own right.

Part of the reason this struck me in the way it did is because, personally, I find drawing up believable NPCs one of the hardest parts of being a GM, Especially if you’re “working off of your own script”, as in the case of this game. In most RPG endeavors, non player characters play a significant role in informing and motivating PCs. But drawing up cast members that each have a (relatively) unique “voice” and that aren’t, in some form or fashion, cliche can be really tough.

It’s easier when you’re working with professionally written material. Then, you’re building on the foundation a skilled writer put together and have a strong head start. It’s a lot more dodgy when you’ve put the whole thing together all by your lonesome. Although in the last several months I’ve put together scenarios for Call of Cthulhu and Savage Worlds, along with a modern ghost story that is, as yet, without a system, the games I feel most confident about proceeding forward with here on RPOL are published scenarios. They just seem to run more smoothly, at least from my perspective.

But, you’re absolutely correct, if we, collectively, had the time and funding to focus solely on creating a memorable Deadlands campaign, I think we could produce something rivaling RDR2 in terms of human drama. Having the time open to pursue such a goal undoubtedly has an impact.


That’s really kind and encouraging. I must be doing something right. You keep coming back! I must confess, one of my favorite character moments of yours goes back to the first game we played together, when, at the prompting of unseen voices, you opened the door to the RV that was under assault by ghosts, even as your fellow investigators screamed in protest. Truly epic stuff. :)

On my last Red Dead Redemption II side note, despite not being much of a Country and Western fan, this song has remained with me ever since I heard it (don’t click if you want a spoiler free RDR2 experience.)

https://youtu.be/wJ5PTIZdl-g

Y’all is lucky Tamsin is Loyal :P

I will do my utmost to put together a map of Angus this evening. It likely won’t be pretty, but hopefully it will help with any strategic planning  the group at the ghost town wish to undertake.

My sincere apologies, everyone. I got sick earlier in the week and it flattened me for a couple of days. I’m on the mend now and will get things updated as quickly as possible. Sorry for the silence.

Sickness happens!  Been a rough week for me too.

I was about to jump in an answer Cooper...but then I thought I should wait and let other people get a word in...

Given that two questions are directly to Doc, I think jumping in at the point would be good.

Touche....

I am in agreement with this plan, but have nothing particular to add before it moves forward!

Ranger, take all the time you need. Just worry about your new additions, not this. I’ll NPC you as needed, and make certain not to get you shot up too badly. :)

Yeah, take good care of those babies! And try to get some sleep now and then.

Thanks, appreciated!

I was sleeping well (well being 4+ hours a night) for a little while there, but I think they figured it out and decided the change the game up on us and set up a rotation so that we're hands on all the time.

Laughs and claps

Well done.  Kansas Kate gets exactly what she wants, and it's utterly worthless

Kansas Kate's thread is excellent, props to both the Marshal and player for this exchange. It has taken me about this whole day to read it because of babies but I was on edge the whole time.