Welcome!

We’ve lost two players due to lack of interest in GURPS. If you wish to be removed because you don’t want to use GURPS I’ll be sad to see you go but I understand GURPS isn’t for everyone. I was originally going to use the Fallout RPG but with the complexity I’m looking for and with the vote of others we are going to be using GURPS. I apologize for any disappoint!

Playing some Fallout 4 tonight to refresh my memory on everything and take notes, if there’s anything you guys think I should be sure to check or look into let me know! We have a couple people who are interested in General Atomics, Vault Tec Security, and I believe someone was interested in playing a robot? So I’ll be exploring some lore videos tonight about that and visiting locations in game that correspond

I was just talking to a Player in PMs about Easy Tables here on RPoL, and while I might make it look easy, it takes some getting used.  If you want to dig into them, for other games, your own amusement, whateves, I run a game (keeping the light on for the original GM) here that has everything you could ever want to know about Easy (and not so 'easy') Tables laid out:

 Here's the exact thread in fact:

Original Flavor RPoL link to a message in another game

Responsive Site link to a message in another game

Created the Master Index thread... no we don't really need it now (like at all, it is superfluous right now).  But these things are easier to stay on top of if they are already in motion.

Please note, since all OOC rolls and information should be placed under a spoiler tag, I no longer care if you post OOC in orange It’ll be hidden anyways. Assistant, if you still want people using orange feel free to jump in and say so. I just personally don’t care as long as it’s all under spoiler tags.

If you need help figuring out spoiler tags, let us know and we will help

Good point, I update the other post on it.  I think we should reserve Orange for IMPORTANT NOTICES.

Please everyone, feel free to start finding Character voice colors, I find that helps to quickly associate when peopel are using their Character Voice.

Also, I update the Posting Rules post, but refrain from posting "thoughts" unless it's meant to be 'worn on your sleeve".  Try to show, not tell, but if you can't think of a good way to show your character's reaction, "inner monologue" is fine.

For instance i you write:

"Well okay, that's all fine then," he said lightly, but his thoughts were the opposite, Oh, that dirty little so-and-so, I'll get them, they'll see.


Expect to have the person react like you just gave them the ole stink eye, because your thoughts were plain as day.

I like Coral. I use that one a lot. I'll keep doing that so I'm not confused... by that at least
This message was last edited by the player at 03:53, Sun 26 June 2022.

I feel like Vault-Tec Blue is appropriate

Do they need to be different from each other, or are duplicates OK? I usually use blue, but I'm happy to do something else if we all need different ones.

There’s only so many colors, so I’m okay with some overlap. But we should try to avoid choosing the same ones. If you’ve always used blue, go for it. But now that 2 people have chosen blue everyone else should pick other colors.

Personally, the primary motivation behind coloured speech is to more readily separate it from the non-speech text in a post.

So if you and Walter are both fine using blue together, I'm fine with it.

I'll go ahead and claim darkgreen. Seems appropriate for an outdoorsman.

I'll use purple

For keeping track of locations, we could do some additional things if they would be helpful. One option is to keep location recorded in one of our biography lines. If that's too public, we could keep a secret to GMs thing in our descriptions in "The Cast." I don't know if you'd find either helpful; just thinking of idea after the post above.

I like the idea of location recorded in biography lines.

I’ll be changing everyone’s tags soon to “Vault Dweller”. New characters later on in the game will get other tags featuring their racial template name.

Alright if I also use purple?

I found the RPoL GURPS character sheet in the Heaven - Game Resources thread. In Character Sheets its post #27.

link to a message in another game

You may use any character sheet you like, however Assistant has a format they use and will assemble your sheet for you once you are done with character creation and have their final approval.


On another note, I would like everyone to please edit your character description with basic information your neighbors would know about you, as well as a physical description. Doesn't have to be super detailed or lengthy, just get something up by tomorrow night preferably.

I am taking requests for 1 themed item that your character will be given at the start of the game. This should be an appropriately themed piece of gear based on your characters skill set. I'm looking to give out utility items more than weapons or armor. However, for some characters I will allow a simple weapon. Please send me a PM using your new character PM threads to let me know what you would like to request. If you need ideas just let us know.

If someone wants to set-up their own sheet, that's fine too.  Frex, Bravo is using the GCA (I think) for Michiko, and will probably be posting that sheet in their Character Sheet tab.  I put he characters together in a spreadsheet I've designed for my use, it calculates and sets everything up the way I've been doing it for 20 years, so it's all organized the way I like it, and I keep a copy on my desktop for use in number crunching and statistics look ups, etc.

I do request when building the character just note down your picks as you take them in a Chargen PM to me.

GCS, actually. If anyone wants pointers about how to put Sanity Points and similar into it, let me know.

NOTICE:  Please bear with us today, Overseer is getting chewed out at work for typing so much, and I'm inundated with Chargen.  So if we don't get back to everyone in a timely manner today, that's why.

And thanks for showing up, we have a good crowd of Players so far, can't wait for the game to start and ... oh yeah, I'm in charge of CHargen, right.  Assistant out.

I'm a long-time GCS user (since I first got 4e).  Took a couple tries to figure out how the Attributes settings did and didn't save entries, but I now have LFP, RP, SP, and LTS added and correctly affecting each other (take a couple points off LTS and SP pool shrinks correctly, for instance).

I did find a way to export RPoL from GCS in this thread>

https://groups.io/g/gcs/topic/79464573#134

In reply to Nicky Lee (msg # 24):

I just do it alll manually...

I have a small favor to ask everyone, please do not create any new PM threads. I am making private message threads for every character, separate from your RTJ thread. Use that one for all further communication with me. Me or assistant will also make a character background PM thread for you to discuss character creation with assistant or any rules questions.

In the end, you should have three PM threads. Your RTJ request, your PM thread to me (overseer), and then a chargen thread to Assistant.

If you message another character, continue to use that same PM thread for all further messages.

This will help me and assistant stay organized, keep important information together and help us reply and answer everyone's questions. I will eventually post this somewhere for easy reference. Thank you!

Yes, those PM threads can really blow up as GM. I appreciate what you're doing. Anything to make it more manageable! Do you want all the character background stuff moved over to the character generation thread, then?

Yes, if it's related to GURPS and your character sheet that is handled by Assistant in the Chargen PM thread. Some of you don't have a chargen thread yet, either wait for a GM to make you one or just use your original RTJ thread. If you just have questions about the setting and/or want to discuss your characters background in the game world address that to me in your character PM thread.

I hope that makes sense, I'm all over the place right now

Yes, it a bit of madhouse behind the curtain.

We are live!

I have not run a game in well over a year, so my creative writing skills need improvement. I hope to get better over time! I will take suggestions or tips, as I want this to be a good game. With that said, don't feel pressured to post yet. You have time. Half the cast is still working through character creation. Me and assistant still have an untold amount of work behind the scenes, but we have enough done for everyone to start roleplaying.

I am about to crash, and I know assistant is getting to that point as well. I may wake up and edit the fuck out of the Sanctuary thread tomorrow, we will see. I could improve it but its late.

I'm glad you all have joined me on this journey, I hope it's a memorable one!


EDIT:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYNajpnyZiM

For those of you who have never played the game, this video is the opening cinematic for Fallout 4. It's colorized, so looks a bit different than the videogame.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:17, Mon 27 June 2022.

Heh.  There's me again.  Still using that @NAME export template.  Makes a "sheet" that looks a good bit like the published stat blocks for major characters -- but according to Assistant the formatting makes it hard to skim...  :(  That might just be me making containers for every template and lens so sheet verification can verify I'm on template...

I exported to png and posted the images.

that's so funny, I guess I'm just old school. pencil, paper, type it up in a neat word document to keep safe, open my character generator and start plugging away.

Nah, it's not you, it's because in the CharSHeet tab it formatted like this:

(Genericized to protect the innocent)

[Skill Pack 1] Lens - _ [##]

Skill Name 1 - 15 _ Att+# [#] B###

Skill Name 1 - 15 _ Att+# [#] B###

Skill Name 2 - 15 _ Att+# [#] B###

Skill Name 3 - 15 _ Att+# [#] B###

Skill Name 4 - 14 _ Att+# [#] B###

Everyman Lens - _ [##]

Skill Name 5 - 13 _ Att+# [#] B###

Skill Name 6 - 10 _ Att+# [#] B###

Skill Name 7 - 11 _ Att+# [#] B###

Skill Name 8 - 13 _ Att+# [#] B###


Haha, after genericizing it, that's kinda what the CharSheet looked like on the page to my brain, I couldn't parse the information being so uniformly spaced, the skills all kinda blend into one, the numbers don;t line up all orderly like.  Where when I'm number crunching I format like so:


[Skill Pack 1] Lens - _ [##]
Skill Name 1 - 15 _ Att+# [#] B###
Skill Name 1 - 15 _ Att+# [#] B###
Skill Name 2 - 15 _ Att+# [#] B###
Skill Name 3 - 15 _ Att+# [#] B###
Skill Name 4 - 14 _ Att+# [#] B###

Everyman Lens - _ [##]
Skill Name 5 - 13 _ Att+# [#] B###
Skill Name 6 - 10 _ Att+# [#] B###
Skill Name 7 - 11 _ Att+# [#] B###
Skill Name 8 - 13 _ Att+# [#] B###


And suddenly [Skill Pack 1] Lens becomes like "Detective Work Lens" and the Skill Name 1 becomes an actual skill name, and I can parse the numbers.  Brains are funny machines, often cross-wired.



Which worked just fine.  It did take me a few minutes to hunt down the Move buy down (and I kept losing Skinny at the top of the second page), one of the reasons I don't like the GCS, it doesn't organize things the way I do... but it works fine overall.




And to all of the players who did this (or something similar), my old brains thanks you.  Because that's literally how my brain likes to work.  Old Skool.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:56, Mon 27 June 2022.

Hey guys! Glad to be on board, hope to see you in play, soon.

Hey guys, I apologize for the confusion but I haven’t dropped the IC reason to go the vault yet. I just wanted you guys to post your daily routine and some basic role play in your homes or whatever. I wanted everyone to stay near a TV or radio so that I can drop the IC reason to go to Vault 111 later

The "or radio" is important, y'all can be outside, on your lawn, talking to the neighbor over the hedge, in the small community park, down by the shore, etc, just 'have a shortwave' on hand to listen to tunes or the news or whatever...  Heck you can be loading up the car for a drive to the beach, as long as there a is radio (or even one them new fangled "portable" Radiation King tv sets) handy to give the "Emergency Broadcast".

Thread is momentarily locked while edits are being committed....

Location: Sanctuary Hills (Pre-War) Thread is officially re-opened for business (not that I actually locked it, I'm a dummy sometimes).

Any Sanctuary Hills residents who make it to 9am in their own post, please go ahead and copy an individualized version of the following in Aqua when you receive it (the message hits your indicators at 9am, either your key fob, 'desktop', tv, or household security panel.

"Hello Mr {Character Last Name], this is a good morning from Vault-Tec, we hope you are settling into your new home well and apologize we couldn't welcome and invite you individually to the community picnic this afternoon, there will be some catering, but we also request each family bring a small potluck to represent themselves.  Later as the sun sets there will be fireworks and games, both for children in the kid's park, and slightly more adult, but family friendly, games on the green.  Unfortunately Mr. Rushidde has fallen ill, oh no, nothing serious, he simply ate something that has disagreed with him and can't make it to invite your household personally. I know he feels quite regretful.  We're hoping his stomach troubles have passed by this afternoon though.  Please do accept our apologies, I look forward to meeting with you at the community function.  Please indicate RSVP by double tapping the green indicator once this message has ended, and again thank you for choosing Vault-Tec as your future safety provider.  Good morning, and welcome home [Polite Personalized Pronoun]."

If you answer it from your keyfob or personal desktop logon, I'll be personalizing it a bit, otherwise, if you answer it from a family neutral station (tv, sec station, family logon for the family desktop) it will be Family Name and no Personal Pronoun at the end.

Any Non-Sanctuary Hills Characters, hold off a tick and PM me directly if you haven't already posted in thread.  I think we already hit everyone who isn't a resident, but it's been a hectic few days and I can't remember everyone's background off the top (and some are still limboing).

Repeated from NPC and Character Discussion for reach assurance:

Tracy Tani, Boris Ivanovich, Pepper Lewis, your first posts have been edited, please check them and then make any further corrections as needed.

Armand Villeneuve, Marco Gray, your first posts have been personalized - you don't have to do anything, but go ahead and reread it.

Michiko McManamy - Your first post was given a second personalizing touch - you don't have to do anything, but go ahead and reread it.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:28, Mon 27 June 2022.

Hello everyone! I am looking forward to playing with y'all!

Welcome Minji.

I'm going to hold off on posting anything more for now, seems like our GM's have a system and order in mind.

Appreciate that Walter. You’re fine, me and assistant both knew the sanctuary thread was gonna be crowded and a bit of a mess.

By next week you guys will be able to start splitting into smaller groups

In reply to Overseer (msg # 42):

Edited first post as well. Also looking forward to playing with you all.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:17, Mon 27 June 2022.

Sigh.  When I was posting this morning, before running out the door to work, I saw a link to a YouTube video that was said to be good background for new Vaulties -- but I was running late by the time I'd finished typing my post (since heavily edited by Overseer and then me) and didn't have time to even click through the link.

And now I can't spot it.  I'm used to a slightly different format on the other RPoL game I'm in, and dozens of threads closed with nearly a thousand posts in each (that game has thirty or forty PCs at any given time, posting twice a day in many cases, and GM responses likewise -- tens of thousands of total posts over much more than the seven years I've been playing there) -- and I can't find anything on the threads here.  I'm sure it'll get better when the threads start to have enough pages they don't reformat when I click "first" or "last", but meantime, can anyone point to the thread and message number that had that link?  I wanted to watch the video (and since I go to bed early, I probably won't get to see it tonight, but I will click through and "watch later" it once I find it...

https://youtu.be/gYNajpnyZiM

There you go

Many thanks!  And I've still got time to watch it!

\
Thanks Walter, yeah once some more PCs have gotten into thread we'll get your squad up the [SPOILER] to do the [SPOILER] and then [SPOILER].

It'll be [SPOILER].

I want to make sure no one feels like they are “slipping between the cracks” , so if you need my attention for anything please bump your PM thread to me.

Everyone is more or less okay to post, Minji you just got here so you’ll need to work with us GMs a little bit more but you should be okay to post by tomorrow. If you feel like something is holding you back from posting shoot me a message and we’ll talk.

[EDIT=Assistant]
It's after midnight, and I suspect the Bossman isn't a nightowl like me... small correction:

Minji, you're in thread, good to go.  I've got your sheet, hopefully I can crunch it tomorrow (so many people I keep saying that too!).

Nicky Lee, I PM'ed you.

We're only missing a few people so far, but they've been pinged.
[/EDIT]


I believe I’ve replied to everyone’s private messages. I’ll post an IC update tomorrow to move things forward, and I’ll be working with our map maker to see where we are at with the Vault 111 map. Wednesday we will begin the transfer to the Vault 111 location thread.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:34, Tue 28 June 2022.

My last post and then I turn into a pumpkin:

Humble Bundle is having an "essentials" GURPS pdfs sale.  https://bundleofholding.com/presents/GURPS4Essentials

I strongly disagree with their definition of "essential", buuuuuut, even if it's just the Basic Set, $19.95 is a damn good deal.  Not a single other book in the "Core" collection is worth it to a Player.  Now, the 'essentials' Bonus... hmmmm.  The three 'core' Tech books are damn good for a Player to have if their into gearing up (Low-Tech, High-Tech, Ultra-Tech), the others... well... the Weapon tables are useful but they aren't adding anything the Tech books don't have and Bio-Tech is of dubious utility to a non-GM.

But the Basic Sets for 20 clams?  Not bad if you don't have them and want them.

You meant bottle caps

"This unit is malfunctioning.  Do not attempt to communicate with this unit, the flailing jokes and erratic word usage could accidentally cause audial injury or emotional distress.  Unit one one three eight nnn three dee seven is malfunctioning.  Do not attempt to communicate with this unit, the flailing jokes and erratic word usage could accidentally cause audial injury or emotional distress."


How could I miss that cue?  Of course it's caps!  /fingerguns.jpg

So, I got these wooden nickles over in New Reno last summer, 125 of them...................

Nicky Lee, Adam Foster, your first posts have been personlaized.

Minji, I've edited a few of your posts for "Fallout Techology" look and feels.  I just noticed the ear pods...


For those of you not Fallout lore junkies:  Fallout tech (at least our Fallout Tech) is an eclectic mix of Fifties Retro-Futurism (sleek laser guns; swooping lines on vehicles; weirdly small or huge electronics with buttons, levers, indicator lights galore, tape drives; slim space suits; terrible looking furniture; etc), 80's Dieselpunk (chunky power-armor and robots; big clanky squad weapons; halftracks and hovervehicles in the military; post-apocalyptic vehicle gangers - once the bombs drop anyway; etc) and 40s-60s Atomic Horror (crystal memory matrixes; bulky mesmerino-rays; radar dishes for every sort of 'scanner'; tiny hand scanners that are wired to large hip packs; Giant Bugs - after the fall; etc).

What you won't see (at least not often) is laser disks, small cassette tapes, ear pods, cellular phones that fit in a pocket (the chunky 'military'-sat phones that connect to briefcase are in fashion with those that consider themselves "in charge"), trim digital wrist-watches (but chunky analog ones that still do short-wave radio are in), etc.

The keyfobs are sleek, and ultra 'new', but they're still about quarter of a pound of plastic and metal, they fit in your pocket, but only because most men wear jackets with good pockets and all women carry purses (Tracy wear men's suits with deep proper pockets and a vest with decent internal pockets and can forgo carrying a purse - she gets some looks, but as she looks like a proffesional copper, it's generally not commented on).


Which brings us to attitudes.  Currently, you're all on par.  Nice solid but generally mild Fifties chauvinism and jingoist propaganda.  Women are still "supposed to be homemakers" but the long war has radically shifted what's acceptable.  Rosy the Riveter is an acceptable dream for little girls and women soldiers come home in caskets at a per-capita rate equal to men (roughly 1 out of every 5 combat personnel is a women).  We've also flipped on the Gender equality switch for trans and Gay to be about where the modern western world is today.  So it's still uncommon, but if Tommy grows up to be Tammy (or vice-versa), only the fringe reactionaries get upset.

Of course, once the bombs drop, the above attitudes may all change... (not the Gender Dial, that's going to stay firmly in the Equality setting, though some Factions might be regressive - but then they're the "baddies").

Okay, I've got household stuff to deal with so my appearances will be spotty until 3pm est, at which time I will be gone until roughly 12am est (midnight) as tonight is my Real Life™ game night.

Thanks for taking care of the morning stuff Assistant, I’ll be logged in from work so I’ll keep an eye on things. I’m off in 7 hours and then I’m going to start preparing the next IC post, which will post at midnight Wednesday.

I have gotten most of you guys gear requests, I’ll get you all answers about what I’m giving out tonight as well, but I need to ask Assistant some stuff behind the scenes.

No worries.. and...

I just saw your note to Sarah about getting it 'started' tomorrow morning, so I'm calling off game tonight.  I play every Tuesday with the guys, but we only start a new game the one time.  I'll still mostly be absent until after 3pm, but after that I'll be "all hands on deck" for the rest of the day.

Oh okay, I wasn’t going to post until midnight tonight so technically Wednesday. I do that so when the players wake up Wednesday morning they’ve got a new post and have time to read it before work so they can figure out their post by Wednesday night or Thursday. But I’ll keep in mind you game Tuesday’s, would hate to interfere with your other game you’re a tremendous help here

Once we get into the routine, won't be an issue... just everything is being juggled right and taking 8 hours off could drop a few plates, eh?

Francis Lawrence, your first post has been personalized.


Man, for all the subtle background story this poor secretary has developed, it's gonna be shame when she doesn't make her spot in the Vault...

In reply to Assistant (msg # 58):

Oh, with the usual dropout rate you will have plenty of places....

Yep, in a world like pre-War³ Greater Boston, a woman who makes it to Detective isn't fully conformist...and that's fine.

At seven feet and most of an inch, I couldn't be anyway.  "Men's" suits, etc. at least can be bought off the (Big & Tall shop) rack in my size and fit an A cup carrier with a minimum of alteration.  If I were the kind who wears dresses, first, I'd have a lot of trouble concealing a big ol' pistol (wasn't thinking when I posted my first, that should have been a shoulder rig, to keep the gun under the jacket, not a Sam Browne like a traffic cop would wear, though with a long jacket and high waist it could still work); second, a maxi in size 14 would be about knee length and have enough bust to carry a couple grapefruit (if not canteloupe) in addition to the required volume, and third, running down a rabbit (especially in "women's" shoes, as well as dress or skirt) is likely to result in skinned knees and elbows (if not forehead and nose).

Some of the "looks" I get are when people figure out this tall, slender person is actually a woman.  And yes, some of them are "What's a woman doing dressed like a man."

Boris, I believe Walter was leaving the bridge when you met him. See message 15. Walter was walking away when the robot began to Malfunction as a distraction.

Also, Assistant and I don’t mind editing posts, but we want OOC messages IC  to be put under spoiler tags. I already fixed your post Boris. It’s not a big deal just helps keep the IC thread looking cleaner, especially when we get to combat and rolling checks.

In reply to Overseer (msg # 61):

Ok, sorry, old habits die hard. I will try to adapt, and beg forgiveness now for the times that will occur when I get it off.

It’s okay, I know every game is different, and I don’t mind editing posts it takes me 30 seconds. So really, no biggie

I just spent an hour editing everyone's Descriptions to all be in the same "format" (don;t worry Ems, Minji, Sarah, I kept your layout and markup code the same, I think)

For future note, please follow this format:

---

Goes By:  Do you have a nickname, title, or honorific?
Ethnicity:  Everyone has one.  For identifying purposes this is "skin tone" and "culture", frex: "Caucasian-American".
Apparent/Actual Age:  Please post both if they are different.
Gender:  I filled this one in for everyone, double check though.
Height:  This is barefoot height, if you tend to wear boots to boost this, or stoop so much people mistake it, post that as well.
Weight:  Actual.
Hair:  Style, length, colour, etc.
Beard:  Women can leave this off.  Most men got what I saw in your avatar.
Eyes:  Colour, and if you tend to wear lenses of any nature.

Physical Description:  If we put you next to someone of identical height, weight, hair, eye, and skin colour, what would distinguish you?

Evident Personality:  What is someone going to notice about your personality immediately, note this is probably a Social Disadvantage, and if it's -10 or worse should be decribed here unless you take pains to hide it.

Possibly Known History:  ALmost everyone filled this in just fine.

[Private to GM: Testing 1, 2, 3] - If you see this, or something similar, now or in the future, leave it.  It's my way of throwing quick notes where I can find them easily.  Note, only the GMs can see the line, but if you edit, you can also see it.  However, no one else can.

---

If you want to use RPoL posting codes to highlight the categories with your posting colour (as a one of you already has, I love you!) feel free, though you do have to input the code manually.  It's not required though.

The easy way is to copy your Description into a post, do the mark-up and then copy it back in your Description.



Everyone:  Do you have a nickname, title, or honorific?  If you did not supply one in your description previously, I did not fill that in.  If you did, it's done.

Everyone:  Almost no one put in an Ethnicity, so if you didn't I supplied "Caucasian-American", if this is wrong, please edit.  Except Ems and Minji, I copied yours, and Tracy, I put "African-Amercian", if you need to change it feel free.

Armand, I listed your hair and beard as "Grey, short", if this is inaccurate, please edit.

If your name on the following list, you have at least one hole that needs words stuffed in it:

Adam Foster
Boris Ivanovich
Lonnie Mowbray
Pepper Lewis
Tracy Tani
Walter Bjornberg
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:50, Tue 28 June 2022.

I also just sent out a bunch of PM's. Some of you may have already answered my questions in other PM threads, but please go ahead and copy it over into the main PM thread I have set up for character so that I can check your PM thread when I need to remember something about your character. Thank you.

Everyone is doing great so far; I appreciate all the effort everyone is putting into their posts!

I will not be posting the planned Wednesday IC post at midnight. I will be postponing it until sometime later Wednesday or early Thursday, to allow the ongoing roleplay to continue. Should give everyone some more time to finish up character generation and get settled.

I'm done here for the night; I have another game I'd like to focus on with the little time I have left before I head for bed. Hope everyone has a good night and I'll be back first thing tomorrow morning.

Heh.  I just posted about people mistaking me for a man, and there you are putting "Male" in my description.  Fixed it...  ;)

Filled in the other stuff, no time now but I'll try to come back with the honorific ("Detective" for folks who notice or care) and text color, and update that "physical description" -- after I think about what would distinguish me.  Probably the Pacific Islander cast in my features; I don't really look African in the face (Dad's skin is as dark as mine, but his face is a very different shape from Mom's or Grandma Luta's).

Ah geez, I knew I'd fek someone's up.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:29, Wed 29 June 2022.

In reply to Overseer (msg # 66):

Working with our GN's and Tracy behind the scenes to hopefully move everyone along and not hold up the show.

I am sure everyone is eager!

This is appreciated!  We will (most likely) be kicking off the Big Event tomorrow morning regardless, so if necessary I'll gently move you guys along tonight, somehow, someway.

Apologies, we had a roof leak in the garage last night, I called it in to the Landlady and figured she'd be by tomorrow or the next day (she's generally terribly busy and it can take a few days for her to arrange to get out, look at it and then get workers in), but she surprised me by popping in at noon with a 'roofer guy'...  So I've been busy wrangling cats and keeping an eye on her 'roofer'*.

I won't be getting any Chargen work done today at all, but I will keep an eye on the game threads and answer questions as I can.


* She has a terrible habit if hiring workers who only speak Spanish (which is fine, as that's her language and her english is Broken - to use a GURPS term), however they also generally have no idea what they're doing and often aren't even skilled in they repair work she's paying them to do...  thankfully the HVAC work gets done through a contracted insurance company, so those guys do good work.  It's all the others, frex, she paid a crew to repair the driveway (which was half sliding into the culvert) and they used masonry stucco instead of concrete because, and I quote, "Oh that was left over from other job, so save money, they say it is just fine and last over a decade..." which is what she said when I called her and said "Hey, these guys are using masonry stucco on the drive, you know that'll crack almost immediately, right?"

I mean if they were using polybond to fill some holes or just patching cracks, or even a resurfacing (which is what its used for) that'd be one thing, but they were pouring 3 inch slab with it.

One player has been asked to be removed from the game due to some behind the scenes stuff. I would like to reiterate that if you have an issue with another participant please message. Don’t message them or post OOC. If I see a message that is in anyway negative or derogatory towards someone else I will delete your post and shoot you a PM about why. I’ll try to discuss with you the issues you feel need to be addressed, and hopefully we can work something out.

Assistant and I are going to continue to edit posts. I hadn’t considered this from a players perspective and I’ve been informed it feels like a bit much. We aren’t going to change how we run the game or expect players to post, but we are more than willing to do most of the work for you guys. Like I said earlier, I really don’t mind editing posts. I know we are asking for a lot more work than most games require, but it’s all in the name of making this the best game it can be.

If this really bothers you and you wish to be removed I understand. Thanks for reading everyone

In reply to Overseer (msg # 72):

Predictable that some folk would drop out, though the reasons are a pity. Fallout is, to my understanding, a very gritty game, so I am not sure what could have been interpreted badly so far. I think you guys are doing a great job as I see it.

This hasn't even started to get gritty yet.  When you find yourself making up a spare character sheet as soon as you finish editing the details of the current one, you'll know it's gotten gritty.

In reply to Tracy Tani (msg # 74):

Not a bad idea...

I promise not to let anyone die until I at least get them into an ALPHA Release state on their current character sheet...

So Walter (the first sheet submitted) has a green light to die.  ;)

Oh, great.

Hey Walter, I am pretty sure that the electric fence is dead. Can you remove the wires so we can access the stuff he dropped on the other side of the fence?

Wait, just how similar is Fallout to Paranoia?

Nothing on the other side but twenty feet of grass (a bunch of fresh foot-trail depressions in the grass), probably security coming to investigate - to and fro) and then some heavy equipment and then the Vault doors set into the ground like a missile silo.


Depends on who the Authors are... some times Fallout Vault veers a bit close to "Friend Computer" territory, and it can be very 'tongue in cheek', but if this game includes an insane AI in control of secured facility, it'll more G.La.D.O.S. mixed with Stephen King's Misery than "Hello Citizen, Friend Computer here to ask when you stopped being a Commie Mutant Traitor?  Please address your answers to the plasma cannon's muzzle."

Background work going on, please hold off on posting IC. I'll announce when it's okay to resume

I need gear requests from one last player, and then I will compile the available loot in Vault 111, and allow you guys to dish out the available items among yourselves in a fair manner. A lot of you have requested similar items, I’ll make sure there’s multiples of those. Some of you have asked for tools, me and assistant can make that work easily enough. For those of you who requested firearms, expect to be disappointed. I’ll give you guys a couple guns most likely, of my own choosing, but ammo is going to be rare.

I’ll make sure there’s some other stuff, but you guys are going to be hurting bad at first. Embrace it. I’m purposefully trying to make sure your characters are in bad shape for awhile. I’m working with Assistant to make sure not to go overboard, but things aren’t going to be “easy” for at least another 500 posts

Somebody mentioned gritty? We haven’t even gotten inside the Vault slow down, you guys haven’t seen any gritty at all yet ;P
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:30, Thu 30 June 2022.

ATTENTION:

If I got your Character Voice wrong, if you'd think or say something else in the "Meanwhiles" post... PM me and I'll happliy adjust.  Just had to get everyone "up to speed" and in a place and honestly most of you did not need a post but I didn't want to leave any out.

UPDATE: IC THREAD IS NOW OPEN TO POST IN

Me and Assistant are going to sleep. We both work tomorrow and while we will check in don't expect much from us until tomorrow night. That is all, have a good night folks

Mwahahahahah, IT'S ALIVE!


Oh god, that Meanwhiles post hurt my computer so, so much (it crashed 8 times just trying to write it).  I'm going to have to get a new puter, just for a play-by-post game... I never thought I'd say those words...

Alright, 499 posts to go. ;-)

But seriously, it's okay to be struggling. Gritty is fine as well, as long as nobody goes overboard. Personally I am not a fan of character death, and I will play Minji carefully.

Caution should be the watchword.  Not that soemtimes rapic action won;t be called for, but it'll be a balance y'all will need to weigh.


Character death reminds, can everyone see the House Rules Thread?  And does anyone have any questions?

For those us in the USA, I know things are crazy expensive but my family in Ukraine really appreciates everything we Americans are providing.

They send me pictures and videos fairly regularly, and it’s really sad. My niece is only 2 years old and already knows the sounds of Missile strikes and distant artillery. Back in March a Missile struck the street right in front of their apartment.

So next time you’re paying 5 a gallon at the pump just know there’s at least one Ukrainian family that really appreciates the sacrifices the rest of the world is making for Ukraine.

Slava Ukraine!

Slava Ukraine!


On another note, I'm terribly sorry we've been cut-sceneing so damn much, I promise once we get to what I'm calling "Wakey Wakey Eggs* and Bacey*", I never wanna do another cut scene again in my life.

I have a sudden and new found sympathy for every game dev ever.


* Radroach eggs and Baked Wasteland!

*chuckles reading about how Sarah yet again, has her path blocked *

Ya, she's having a day. Good luck always comes with a price. It's only there when you need it, not when you want it.

I sent actual money directly to someone in Ukraine just a couple weeks ago (well, almost three weeks now).

No, not a donation, better in some ways (I hope): I bought a camera from a camera shop over there.  Slow-boat shipping, I expect it any time in the next four weeks, but the money went over immediately.  Genuine US dollars, probably worth more than the official exchange (though not as good in PayPal as it would be in actual US Mint printed bills).

Hoping this helps with a little push toward "normal" in a world that's probably already starting to forget what that was.

I hope to visit next year, my daughter is the same age as my niece. Supporting Ukrainian businesses there is definitely a great way to help

I think I’m the only one who can lock threads, since even though you have GM access the game labels you a “co-GM” and you can’t lock me out of threads. But I might be wrong. Your post IC works though, not everyone checks OOC before they post and you can edit your post when you update the IC thread

This is true, however my methods so far have been to make it a Notice* and to try to make it Public (which would "lock" it from Players, but not GMs).  However when I tried to do that, the system told me "Please post to a group Overseer is a member of" implying you can't post in Public threads, despite the fact that I was editing your post (and I can make Public threads, I just did a Testy McTester thread and it worked fine, I just turn a thread you've made into a Public thread - you probably still can however).


Huh... it works fine if change the first post over to Assistant instead of "Posting as Overseer".



* Which I discovered doesn't actually lock it in anyway shape or form.

And "Sanctuary Hills (pre-war)" is back open.

I hope it's readable, my Mark 1 eyeballs aren't functioning 100% and it's time to start crawling off to bed.  I'll check on it in the morning and hope I didn't burn the whole place down leaving the stove on or something.

To Boris and Armand (anyone else who comes in later and tries to save Walt), I commend you.

I should have realized y'all wouldn't let Walt down.  MEa culpa.

Don't worry, we're not leaving Walt out in the cold.  He's just not getting in the same way as y'all.  It's okay if he lays there in the blood soaked grass for a bit, he's earned a little rest.

Also, IP means Impulse Buys, check the House Rules here: link to a message in this game

My country has taken in a lot of Ukrainian refugees, and I have a center for refugees just a couple hundred yards from my home. I'm volunteering there in my free time and we have collected a lot of donations. My grandfather was a refugee himself after WW2, so caring for refugees runs in the family.

In reply to Minji Jackson (msg # 97):

Walt had been introduced to Boris earlier in the the thread, by the way.

<shrug> Soldiers CoH, you don't leave a man behind.

In reply to Assistant (msg # 95):

We have some good citizens in the group it seems.

Appreciate it guys.

The posts are looking great everyone. We are almost through the “introduction”, just need to get everyone lowered into the vault and then into cryosleep. Then once everyone wakes we GMs won’t be doing any more cut scenes or railroads unless absolutely necessary

Was driving for about 14 hours yesterday. Getting caught up this evening.

Hope to get a post in tomorrow, today got away from me.

No worries, I’ve been busy as well. Taking a look through the threads and PMs now, but seems like everything is moving along smoothly

Anyone notice we're destroying the US (in game) on 4th of July weekend (irl)?

I've been thinking I should consider the Fallout tech to be "nuclearpunk," as it's a lot like steampunk while building off nuclear power.

Yes- "Atompunk" is a perfectly good genre for it.

"Atompunk" sounds better than my suggestion, too.

In reply to Michiko McManamy (msg # 105):

Would 11 SEP be a more appropriate day for nuking the world?

Is there any day that is appropriate?

Atompunk, yeah, sounds about right!

Mwaaaaa!  /chef'skiss.gif

Hiroshima day, August 6?

Nah, I won't want to wait another five weeks.  Let's get into those pods, so we can wake up in a couple centuries and have to hit people with sticks because we lack real weapons, and use bottle caps for money.

I think our Overseer has fallen prey to the dreaded Fourth of July family events.  I'll give them until tomorrow to get the next post up, and then I'll move us along myself.

I'm still gently behind on a few PCs chargens, but I should have everyone to BETA build status by tonight at least.  (Sarah, I know I put you off for almost a week, I'm doing you up now.)

Nice.

Good looking out Asst.

Well that's not at all suggestive. LOL

Thank you!

Yes, 4th of July commitments. My boss fired half the staff for work performance issues. Now we have more work performance issues because we are understaffed. I love my job!

That said, I’m here now and I have the next two days off so once I get off work tonight we can start moving forward!

And yes, July 4th “Independence Day” was somewhat intentional. Not at first but then I saw things lining up :D

Both threads are updated, it’s rather late so apologies for any typos or mistakes!

I will be on all day tomorrow, and will likely get in another or several IC posts depending on how active you guys are. I’ll talk to everyone in the morning!

/shockedpikachuface.gif

And beatings will commence until morale improves!


Stockholm syndrome, that's what that is.  ;)

If you ever start loving your boss more than the money, just say the word, we'll send in a team.

Unless I am mistaken, and that could certainly be the case...

Per Lonnie's post, did Mrs. Sheffield just plummet from about ten stories to her death on the platform where everyone is standing?
This message was last edited by the player at 13:59, Wed 06 July 2022.

That appears to be correct but I think that may need to be corrected. The vault elevator shaft closes after a short distance down. At least in game and from our Overseer's description.

Thanks, I'll go and gently edit that into the Overseer's and my posts...

Yeah sorry guys I forgot to bring that up.

Appreciate you Assistant!

I saw you mentioned being blinded by witnessing a nuclear explosion, Francis. Yes, pretty sure anyone who looked would go blind, maybe permanently. But I couldn't resist letting you guys witness at least one. It is a nuclear apocalypse setting after all :)

In reply to Overseer (msg # 122):

Oh yeah, totally. Gotta take some artistic liberties for the sake of fun. I wasn't even sure if I was correct, just remembered reading it in a post-apoc book ages ago haha

In reply to Francis Lawrence (msg # 123):



Of course, that is just flash blindness, that could be gone by the time we get to the bottom of the elevator shaft...

Gah! Forget to change the bio line. Fixed now.

Me too. I fixed it as well now.

FYI. I'll be really bust this weekend starting tomorrow. Expect few if any posts during the day. I can catch up a little later in the evening

No worries Sarah, I’ll keep that in mind.

In other news, I’ve been working on another game of mine in the background for awhile now when not focused on this one, and I am finally opening it up to players. Please keep in mind this game only updates twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays, the days I don’t update here. Anyone who plays here is more than welcome to join

Game link: link to another game

I’m using the Savage World’s Adventure Edition game mechanics, and it is rated mature. It’s sci-if, not apocalyptic themed. The PC’s start out stranded on a dead planet after their colony ship crashed 200 years ago. They are among the last survivors and must scavenge and salvage the wrecked colony ship in order to rebuild a Star ship to escape the planet before it cracks in half.


No pressure to join, just an open invite :)

In reply to Overseer (msg # 128):

Not familiar with Savage worlds...how does the system work?

SWADE (Savage Worlds Adventure Edition) uses a 'dice building' mechanic, being "terrible" at something gives a d4, adequate (or average) a d6, d8 is above average, d10 is expert, d12 is "Olympics/Genus" levels.  When attempting a skill/attribute check you roll your Skill/Attribute Die and a Wild Die, the Wild Die is always a d6.  You succeed if either dice rolls a 4+.  Dice explode on a max roll and are additive explosive, so a die roll of 8,2 on d8,d6, means you get to roll another d8 and add it to your previous d8 roll.  For every multiple of 4 above a base success, your success is increased in some way.  Roll double 1s and it's botch.

Humans max at d10 I think?  And if your stat goes above d12, it's just +1, +2, etc, you don't scale up to rolling d20s (thankfully).  It's very... old Deadlands meets the Windows as a system (which is not uprising considering the source for the system was Deadlands and the devs like the Windows rpg system).

They use Bennie Points which are kinda like FATE or Impulse points (in this game) but kinda not.  And Edges and Hindrances which are basically Advantages and Disadvantages.



It's... too fiddly but yet not fiddly enough for my taste.  Customizable PC generation, but just not customizable enough*.  Like it's straddling the line between the more fully Narrativist systems like FATE and the more Simulations/Gamist systems like GURPS Lite.  I don;t like it, but plenty of people do.


* Which I understand why.  It's a method to limit PC power, PCs can very easily become overwhelming if they get too many Edges and become too "skill bloaty/weak" if you have any more skills.  The systems isn't designed around "lots of distinct skills" like GURPS is, so it ends up feeling limiting and 'underpowering' to me, but it's the perfect fit to other people.  I can see why it's gaining popularity, it's relatively simple and flexible and does the Pulp genre really, really well (that's its inherent power-level, which go figure, it was initially built off of Deadlands which is Pulp Weird Western).

Excellent summary Assistant. My only note is humans are maxed at d12, it’s the beast races that can go to d12+1 and up. It’s not very “realistic” in that way.

I’ve made some house rules, namely in  regards to skills and “limits”. In Savage Worlds, everyone who shoots any ranged weapons uses the Shooting skill. I’ve broken the shooting and some other skills into subsets types kinda like “shooting (long arms)” to help differentiate player skills. The reason savage worlds only uses one skill is because it usually doesn’t matter what someone is shooting, what matters is “how good at shooting is this character” and so it doesn’t matter what gun your shooting, if your character concept is a marksman you’re going to be good at shooting things. But for my purposes, I wanted more granularity.

I’m also limiting everyone’s skill level during character creation. You won’t be seeing many d10 or any d12 skill levels, because those are basically Olympian level skills and again, doesn’t match the theme I’m going for

I've always like Savage Worlds, but never got to play it much. I might send an RTJ over.

My experience is from Supers and Weird Wars II games, 'average human' was limited to d10s in those games, Super Stats and supernaturals/non-humans could go to 12 and above.

I've played Savage Worlds a bit (half a dozen sessions, maybe more) and ran a one-shot with the system once (modern real-world scientific expedition finds out Arne Saknussem may not have been a complete crackpot).  Drones and a mule-bot, HK P90s PDWs for the security team, tablet computers, dynamite...and the occasional velociraptor.

Overall, I'd agree with Assistant's general assessment -- too much simulation to be a Fate or Apocalypse style storytelling game, not enough to appeal to the detail lover like me.  It's quicker to play than GURPS or Hero System, but less satisfying (IMO).

A really entertaining read guys.

Not sure what is in the cards for Walt, but it's nice to be able to follow along in the mean time.

Gotta wait maybe 2 more days Walter :) just gotta get everyone suited up and into the cryochamber and then assistant will begin your side part.


It is a great read though everyone, I love checking in throughout the day to see who’s posted

In reply to Tracy Tani (msg # 134):

Thanks. Does not sound like my kind of system.

I will be off work in 6 hours, I’ll most likely be posting in about 8. My next post will be a major cut scene, so that we can get everyone into the pods, and then woken up. I’m going to coordinate with Assistant some behind the scenes but I just wanted everyone to be prepared to wrap up any last conversational posts.

 Looking forward to it!

Before anyone says anything, yes, I know "first, do no harm" is not actually part of the Hippocratic Oath.  But allow me this one moment of cinematic nonsense eh?

No problem here.
I think, in a semi lucid moment, Lonnie is going to somehow dream a loading screen. ;)

Got caught up making dinner and usual, but will definitely be active tonight

In reply to Assistant (msg # 140):

I like the "no harm!" We should add it to the oath

There is actually a long ethical debate around that, which tends to come down to "it's kinda bullshit" because the definition of 'harm' and the implication of 'first' would be so watered and weakened and warped (we have to poison you with chemicals to kill your cancer) as to lose teeth.  The actual phrase, primum non nocere "first, do no harm" didn't even exist until the 17th century, and these days most schools have their own variation of the secularized Hippocratic Oath created in the 1960s.

But even when a doctor (in the US, can't speak for other countries) violates the "Oath", there's no reprimand.  It's just words spoken during graduation, and have only as much weight as each individual gives them.

Thread Location: Vault 111 is now closed. Please hold off on making any more posts. I am currently constructing the next big update. Then I'm going to give Assistant a chance to add anything they need to, and then I'll open the thread up again.

This will be the last foreseeable cut scene!

I have made the executive decision to cut Overseer's the last cut-scene into three parts, Into the Pods, Walter's Pain, and One More Thing... and then the Awakening (which is a separate, intro into you guys being off the cut-scene leash forever, I hope).

Between these scenes I'll be asking for some dice rolls, so bear with me a minute (or 30) as I double check that everyone is at the "can roll dice" stage, then I'll post ye olde "Please Roll Me Some Dice" post...

Vault 111 thread reopened for dice rolls posts.

Gah, sooo tired.  It's almost 5am I needed to be asleep by 2 to get up to met the landlady about a leak in the attic by 8am.  Oh well, I'm not working tomorrow, so it's all gooo.

Oh yeah...

Looks like nobody is coming through this unscathed yet.

I might change my mind about not spending a point, if EVERYONE whiffs it!

"Unscathed" was never an option.  I have a Wandering Damage Table Waking From Cryo Table and 'Unscathed' isn't on there... though a success or critical success does mitigate the suffering (I'll share once everyone has suffered from it).


I updated the "ONE MORE THING & AWAKENING" post for context, and for a bit more context, picking on Walt and Boris since they posted first:

08:55, Today: Assistant rolled 4,6 using 1d6,1d6.  Walter and Boris, Waking From Cryo Table.

04:48, Today: Walter Bjornberg rolled 11 using 3d6.  HT (13).  One More Thing.
04:49, Today: Walter Bjornberg rolled 7 using 3d6.  Will (11).  One More Thing.

Walter will have an amazingly positive, but likely still nightmare inducing, One More Thing cut-scene.  (Just because he maintains control, doesn't mean he'll enjoy any of it!)

04:49, Today: Walter Bjornberg rolled 14 using 3d6.  HT (13).  Awakening.
04:49, Today: Walter Bjornberg rolled 14 using 3d6.  Will (11).  Awakening.

Walter wakes up feeling Nauseated (failed HT) and Disorientated (le Random) with 4 Stress (HT MoF -1, Will MoF -3).


20:53, Today: Boris Ivanovich rolled 14 using 3d6.  HT vs poison 1.

Boris sleeps through his One More Thing scene. (Yay, less work for me!)

20:55, Today: Boris Ivanovich rolled 14 using 3d6.  HT [13] vs poison 2.
20:56, Today: Boris Ivanovich rolled 8 using 3d6.  Will [11].

Boris wakes Nauseated (failed HT) and Hallucinating (le Random)  with no Stress (HT MoF -1, Will MoS +3).

Francis almost made it through about as well as can be hoped, but not quite. I didn't really expect any of us to make it through well, though. Francis, with high Will, had perhaps the best shot.

Good to know.

So Walt's bio line should read like it is now?

Looks like Minji may have to fend for the rest of us! Pretty good rolls there! Yay!

In reply to Michiko McManamy (msg # 153):

I had three elevens in a row, which made me wonder if the dice roller was broken...

Yes, if you don't want to spend IP to turn a failed HT or Will (or both) roll into a success.  But wait on that, we (Overseer and I) are still consulting on how long y'all will be suffering cryo-fatigue (the Nausea, Disorientation, and Hallucinations).  And that suffering might also be able to be alleviated by an IP expenditure.

Some might want to cut those short, some might be 'comfortable' waiting them out.  Also, you have up until you post your "Wakey Wakey, Eggs and Bacey" post to make that decision, as the description of the interior of the cryo bay may change some people's minds...


I expect we'll have that sorted by the time everyone finishes putting up their rolls.


If people are satisfied with their "One More Thing" scene HT and Will rolls (no, I'm not going to elaborate further, except to say the Will roll is a Fright Check) please post a "I'm good with (not) having a One More Scene private scene" (or your phrasing) and I'll start working up the private scenes (they'll be in thread in Private Lines, so not readable by everyone until the thread is Archived).




Oh aye, RNGesus is a whacky boi sometimes.

Spent 2 IP to avoid the Dreaded Lurgy when we wake up, so at least everyone's got someone to tell you if what you're seeing is part of the hallucination or not.

I'm fine not having a One More Thing scene. (I was gearing up to have Lonnie half-dream a version of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de7A9Vlh3xg&t=232s while he was out, but... yeah. :D Plans change.)

I'm good with Walt's rolls.

Going to try to hold onto those IP for now.

Think I'm good boss

Should be good. Noted one item in a OCC under his rolls.

I'm good. Going to have some serious nightmares. Should be interesting...

I'm good with having a One More Scene private scene. I am actually curious about that one.

I'm not saying "not to", but this is what spending 2 IP to succed at the rolls will get Lonnie:

Before IP, Lonnie is suffering from Nausea and 2 Stress from a failed HT roll.  He's suffering a Migraine for [TIME UNITS] as secondary effect, the time is dependent on his HT, not on rolls.  He's also suffered 5 more Stress from a badly failed Will roll.

Lonnie will recover from the Migraine in [TIME UNITS] and can shed 1 Stress per 10 minutes once his Migraine is gone (so 70 minutes without therapy or morale boosting activities) and he's in an area he feels is safe and non-stressful.  Other actions could also reduce Stress without being safe (such a a quick therapy session, actions to improve morale, etc), but those only shed a few Stress (usually another Will roll+bonus in MoS - so if Lonnie did something that makes him feel 'safe' or 'good', like finding his Dad's toolbox and tools, fixing something to make the area 'safer', etc - he could roll Will + a bonus and if he succeeded the amount he succeeds by would shed that much Stress once).

Spending 2 IP (not a bad choice) to succeed at both of those rolls, reduces him to only suffering a Migraine for [TIME UNITS].  He might still gain Stress from the environment as a result of further events, but he's not freaking out just from waking with the worst hang-over ever in what for all appearances could be a set-up scene in a Saw movie...



When you post your "Wakey Wakey" post, y'all can have your characters shaking off whatever dreams/nightmares you want.  If you want that to be a part of why you're suffering so much Stress (for those that are suffering considerable Stress), I'm fine that as well.



That is also a perfectly good choice*.  While your Characters are not in a safe location, the threats won't be immediate.  We're giving you guys some time to start 'shaking it off', but not much time.


* Notice that a single IP expenditure can turn a "not critical failure", like Lonnie's Will roll (had he rolled a 17 or 18, it would have been a critical failure), into a success.  Even if he'd have needed to roll a 5 or less!

/Yoda "Oh, you will be, you will be..."

Oh, sorry, I thought you said "I'm not afraid".


And wow, Adam, that is possibly the best combination of rolls.  Sleeping through an intimate horror and waking up practically ready to go?  He had a lot of practice with college frat parties didn't he?

HalluciGen's Christmas parties are the stuff of legends. :)

"With Hallucigen Every Party Is A Two Coyote Party!"

Not exactly a winning slogan with the teetotaler crowd...  but college students, the military, and most Senators agree that Hallucigen is totes lit!


(That's what the kids say these days right?  'Totes lit'?)

I think I'll stick with it. I can afford it, I think.




Nah. I'll just do something else, it was supposed to be random and WTF, not stressful. :)

Having a rough day. I'll try to get the rolls in later tonight but it might not be until tomorrow am.

No worries.

In reply to Assistant (msg # 168):

Yeah I will be stingy with points and take what comes. He has seen a lot, and has a lot of bonii for fright Checks...

Well, not really being sure where things stand with the rolls I made and failed, I decided to save my IP -- seems likely I'll need them later, especially with my disads.  And now I'm wondering (as one who has successfully avoid all seven -- or is it eight? -- Saw films) what I'm going to dream while going under (sedative dreams, oh boy).

Actually, the last two times I (the player) had sedation leading into anesthesia, it's like my memory just switched off the record head and tape drive.  I've been told (from my heart surgery) that my partner and her mother came in and talked to me while I was waiting for surgery, but the last I remember was being a little disappointed they weren't going to make it before I went under -- and then I was waking up in the cardiac ICU, being asked where I was and who was president and how much I hurt.  ("Cone Health Hospital, Barack Obama, and about a six out of ten -- all in my back?")

In reply to Tracy Tani (msg # 170):

I have to plead ignorance with regard to the Saw movies...are they the Various chainsaw massacre films?

Fortunately passed all will rolls, so if it is relevant, I am going to need a description that does not require having seen such movies!

The very first Saw movie is really good, I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn’t seen it. It’s on a cheap budget but they did a really good job. The movies steadily get worst as excepted, but I loved the series.

I will warn, it’s graphic torture porn in a sense. Basically “bad” people are kidnapped and forced into “traps”, and the only way to survive is usually though brutal body mutilation in some way. It’s twisted for sure, but lots of twists and cool traps.

That's the only one I've seen too, it was really well done as psychological horror.  I was mostly referencing when the two guys first wake up, dismal lighting, grimy tiles, they're kind of out of it trying to figure out what is going on, etc.


[EDIT]
/reads Vault 111 thread...

*sigh*

RNGesus, why you gotta be like this?  That's more success rolls against 10s in one day than I've seen on here in 8 years.  And a crit?  You're doing this on purpose aren't you?  You just want me to have to type up a whole bunch don't you?
*sigh*

Bloody RNGesus.
[/EDIT]
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:34, Wed 13 July 2022.

Heh. Oddly, when I saw the movie "Circle", it felt kind of like a big old Vault Tec experiment. :)

Sounds interesting, tossing it on the pile (which doesn't mean I'll ever get around to watching it, the pile is quite large already, but sometimes I watch a few weird ones instead of the more 'blockbustery' ones).

Made every roll, for good or bad. (Yeah for Poison Resistance).

Just barely for Awakening.

In reply to Armand Villeneuve (msg # 176):

Fit normally adds to poison resistance. Should it be included (Not that I have it)?

Yes, Fit adds to all HT resistance rolls.  I included Fit for those who have it.

Okay, and with Nicky's rolls we have everyone, I'll be writting those One More Thing scenes this afternoon, before I do so though, something important:

As I mentioned above...



Now some of you know what this means, some of you don't:  In a nut shell when you make a Fright Check and fail, I roll on the Fright Check table, 3d6 + your Margin of Failure.

Two of you do not sleep through your scene and failed your Fright Checks:

Michiko MoF -3
Sarah MoF -5

Now, no one critically failed (on a crit fail I double your margins), so it's not that bad except for Sarah (and maybe Michiko if I roll really badly for them).

Sarah, the Fright Table is pretty sedate on a roll of 4-11*, a 13 or 16 will give you a Quirk about the events, like a very mild Phobia, a 12, 14, 15, 17 or an 18 or more will be rather bad as that could be a -5 point Disadvantage (normally it's just FP or HP loss before a 22 result, but as that's not applicable due to [SPOILER], I'm shifting it as 12+ is supposed to be rather bad).

Now you can't spend IP or Luck on my rolls, only your own.  So the time is now if you want to change your failed Will roll to a success.  Or, inversely, if you really don't like the results (Disadvantage of some sort), you can spend several IP after you find out to avoid taking it.  (I kinda hope you say "Roll them bones and let's see what I get!", but no pressure.  ;)  )

Same for you Michiko.

And for the two of you, if you do get a Disad result, I'll work with you to find one amenable to both the scene and your tastes.

This time.


* For these purposes, in combat or while running from monsters being Stunned In Fear is bad.

[EDIT]
Sorry Minji, forgot your +2 versus Fright Checks. Updated.
[/EDIT]
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:32, Wed 13 July 2022.

And the upcoming Fright Checks for "Wakey Wakey, Eggs and OMG!"

Walter -3
Michiko -5
Marco -1
Tracy -1

As above, Tracy and Marco, you're probably safe to not bother spending IP to alter your rolls...

Walter a -3 is 'risky', but not too terrible.  Michiko, a -5 here isn't as bad as the One More Thing scene, I'll need to roll a 17 on 3d8 to hit "taking Disads", but you are likely to be Stunned, possibly injured, or maybe even panicking uncontrollably.

While your Characters are not in immediate danger, you are not in a safe place...

I will allow you guys to wait up until I make the "Wakey Wakey" post (probably tomorrow afternoon) to make this decision.  If you chose not to spend IP after reading the room description, post an OOC Spoiler note saying you're risking the Fright Table, I'll roll and post your results and you can post from there.

If you chose to spend the IP to have made your Fright Check, just post your actions and add that as an OOC Spoiler text.

I'm all about the adventure. Roll them bones. Do I have to do anything other than put my fate in your diabolical hands?

A solemn invocation to RNGesus is never remiss...

"Oh RNGesus, hear your supplicant!  Make this INTERESTING!"



14:11, Today: Assistant rolled 12 using 3d6+5.  Sarah's One More Thing Fright Table.

Normal result: 12 – Lose your lunch. Treat this as retching for (25 - HT) seconds, and then roll vs. HT each second to recover; see Incapacitating Conditions (p. 428).



Eh, RNGesus could have been worse, like it could have been a really low roll... I mean a high roll!  A high roll would have been worse, definitely... worse.  But interesting.

I'll see you in PMs after the scene goes up and we can convo over your new Phobia Quirk or whatever sounds good...
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:31, Wed 13 July 2022.

Yayyy!! I'm so excited! ::claps::

Likewise, let's do it!

A -1 failure on this isn't that big a deal (she says while waiting for Assistant to roll that natural 18), and I'm still certain I'll want those IP more later.  I'll take my chances.  Am I correct that this will also add SP "damage"?

Don't worry about rolling low, I'm sure there will be able opportunity to traumatize us in the future :P

I'm guessing hanging onto 2 IP in case of a critical failure is probably more important that turning a regular failure into success here. Maybe I'm wrong. But I'll see what happens as is. Thanks.

Yea whats the worst that could happen. Let's see the roll.

It's almost scary how good the dice roller has been to me lately*. I'm just waiting for it to turn nasty.

*Made all four of these rolls and a 5e game I rolled 18,17,16,16,15,12 for stats(roll 4 drop 1 reroll 1's, but still...)

If something bad happens, that's just a good option for some roleplaying. ;-)

In reply to Minji Jackson (msg # 190):

Yep!

In reply to Sarah Deitrich (msg # 191):

I passed all my fright check, but I have a level of fearless and combat Reflexes, both also giving a +2 to fright Checks, plus two levels of courageous to take advantage of it... which were not taken into account, but are worth noting for future reference.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:25, Wed 13 July 2022.

In reply to Boris Ivanovich (msg # 192):


 Awesome. If we get into trouble, I'm standing behind you.

Yeah, so he dodges successfully and you get hit. ;-)

In reply to Minji Jackson (msg # 194):



Hmh! Good point. Looking for big rocks

You guys are gems.  Give me a few minutes to hit the roller and see if I need to make any edits...

Hang on, what were those rolls again...

Why thank you Quote-sama!



I noticed it on the replay and it's been accounted for actually... I'll have full results before the first scene of Chapter one in a jiffy!

Also, let me know if something got borked and you can read more than your scene in the "One More Thing".
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:26, Wed 13 July 2022.

O.o

That would be wise. He is SM-1, and at 4' bigger all, things might just go over his head...and still be a problem for you!

Yeah, if you're going to hide behind someone, Walter's your man.  About my height, but twice as wide.  Probably room for Sarah, Michiko, and Boris behind him...

18:30, Today: Assistant rolled 7,7,9,4,12 using 3d6-3,3d6-3,3d6-5,3d6-1,3d6-1 ((4,5,1,2,5,3,5,5,4,2, 1,2,3,6,4)).
18:30, Today: Assistant rolled 7,7,9,4,12 using 3d6-3,3d6-3,3d6-5,3d6-1,3d6-1.  Michiko - OMT; Walter, Michiko, Marco, Tracy - Chapter One.

*sigh*  The state of my brain, those are supposed to be pluses... hang on, mathing...


Michiko - 4,5,1+3 = 13 - Acquires new Quirk!  Oh, grrrl, meet me in PMs in a moment.

Walter - 2,5,3+3 = 13 - Struggles free of pod, Stunned at the state of things, acquires a new Quirk!  Oh boy!

Michiko - 5,5,4+5 = 19 - Slides out of cryopod unconscious! (Fainted) Takes 1 HP injury from bashing on floor plating.  Please make "HT 11 to regain consciousness" rolls (Fit does not apply), tell me how many before you succeed (you awaken on the floor that many minutes later if no one helps you).

Marco - 2,1,2+1 = 6 - Stunned at conditions and horror he just witnessed.  Manages to crawl out of cryopod and huddles against the pod for a handful of seconds in fear before he can shake it off.

Tracy - 3,6,4+1 = 14 - Tracy just huddles in her pod as her heart races erratically and her head explodes with agony (Lose 5 FP).  It takes a handful of seconds before she can even look around, let alone move or contemplate existence.  Do not forget your Slow Riser, it compounds with everything else...
18:46, Today: Assistant rolled 5 using 1d6.  Tracy, FP loss to Fright Check. 1d.


To everyone's absolute horror, you do not smell coffee brewing.

Now I know we're in a horror/survival game.

And I've got a quirk for this, on top of Slow Riser.

Also, bio and character sheet updated...
This message was last edited by the player at 23:06, Wed 13 July 2022.

I find my mental image of this way funnier than I should. Maybe because my mind plays the sound of the bell from Taco Bell commercials when Michiko hits the ground...

Ah, the face of someone who has just read their little slice of Private Hell scene.

I know I did well...


(And for everyone who slept through it (and didn't get a scene because sedatives worked for you), when this thread eventually gets archived those scenes will be available for all.  Right around 980+ posts in thread...)


;)


Yeah, I kept laughing too as I read the Chapter Opener I just posted for you guys.  I kept hearing Wiley E Coyote splat noises.


If you have questions, ask!

If you now hate me, know that I have done my job.

@ Sarah: Nice touch, describing Sarah's hands roughly in the position they are in your portrait.

Game Map thread added.  Tell me if you can see it!  Ask if you have questions!

Also will toss most current maps in the Game Map for Groups 0 and 1, will try to keep that updated with the most current useful maps.

Thanks! I wish I could say I meant to do that.

So with 1 Stress the Bio should read like this:

H 00 F 00 L 00 S 01 L 00

Correct?

I believe that's correct, Nicky.

Exactly!

So everyone knows, I'm here, there is just nothing Michiko can do for a little bit so there is nothing to post IC.

"Michiko lay there like a slug, it was her only defense."

Should Minji and I roll first aid or something to help her come to?
This message was last edited by the player at 13:39, Thu 14 July 2022.

Yes, certainly.

However First Aid for shock, or treatment without immediate assistance drugs or devices, takes 30 minutes.  badnageing can take 10 seocnds to several minutes depending on the severity of bleed.  I'm allowing a "Put person in rescue position" as a "don't bother rolling, everyone knows it" no-nuisance roll IQ maneuver.

Anything more however will require a roll, at penalties, (for Francis) -2 for Disorientation and -10 for Immediate Action.

I'll also allow a Passive 14 use, basically he just sits with her, checks her breathing, her pulse, makes sure she's properly in the rescue position, and calls it a day, because his skill is too low to wake her up (you're not allowed to even roll if your skill drops below a 3, and right now for Francis it's a -1).

The above "make sure she won't die if I leave her here" will take a bout a minute, so Francis would be occupied for a bit.


And with that, I'm off for the office for the first time in three years, so... see you guys around 4 or 5pm EST.

Too late, points've been awarded. :)



"Aw, cmon, fellas!"
This message was last edited by the player at 13:38, Thu 14 July 2022.

In reply to Assistant (msg # 213):

I see, thanks. I'm assuming (and hoping) some of the others have better medical skills than me. I didn't really stat into them. I'll leave Michiko in their capable hands and go play Zeta Invaders on the terminal investigate the terminal

In reply to Francis Lawrence (msg # 215):

There is a reason Boris is looking for the crash kit...as his post hinted.

I just asked Assistant some questions, once I get a response I will get the Terminal post up and then you guys will have more to go on!

I put his flashback in spoiler tags. He's the only one that see's it. So its nothing anyone else should react to.

Appreciated!

Now if only you had some water to take those pain meds with... especially everyone suffering from nausea.

My 1 point in first aid tells me in the event we don't have water, we should crush them up and snort them. Woooo

That will avoid upsetting your stomach...

Amazing work on the maps by the way Asst.

Great stuff.

Thanks, I realized I wasn't quite explaining the wheres very well... so I last minute improvised the map.  I love making maps when I have time (and don't have time apparently).  Luckily my MSPaint skills are stronk!

'raight' isn't a typo. Armand has a strong southern accent y'all.

Sorry, if anyone's waiting on me I'm going to be tied up for another couple hours here

Sorry I had to play so much catchup yesterday- three hours at the doctors, hardly any of it with a doctor

Same Lonnie, two days and a total of 6 hours in the hospital and we saw the doctor for quite literally 5 minutes.

No worries, I'll be doing that all next week, except my excuse will be "going back to working in the office so I can't post for 8-10 hours a day.

Also, Sarah give me a Will 10 roll.  On a success you're only at -2 for everything being "slight off" due to hallucinations, if you fail...

Roll against a 6 on 3d6.  If you roll 6 or less you're having a Flashback to the table, take 1 Stress and unable to do anythign for a minute until you calm back down.  7 or above and it's just "worse trippiness" from hallucinations for a -5 to your Search.

Your Search is a 14 before penalties.

Also, there is no desk, but there is a table with a crate and a lot of canisters stacked up on it.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:06, Fri 15 July 2022.

1000! I wanted to the first to say it. So now it's 1001

Where do I post the roll?

Nevermind here they are. To succeed do I have to roll above a 10? I don't know what my modifiers are.

15:45, Today: Sarah Deitrich rolled 10 using 3d6.  Will (10). (no mods applied)

If that fails

15:47, Today: Sarah Deitrich rolled 10 using 3d6.  Reaction
This message was last edited by the player at 19:49, Fri 15 July 2022.

Yea, quite the milestone! And y’all just woke up!

Normally in thread in a Spoiler Tag, but I'll go ahead and get it for you...


Okay, so Will rolls succeeds... so...


I'll go ahead and treat this as your Search roll, which was against a 12, so you also succeed here.

In GURPS all rolls you make* are "roll the number or under" to succeed.

* Except damage rolls, those you want to roll high.  And when I make Reaction Rolls for you, you want me to roll high.

Some 'table' rolls are neither high nor low, but those are infrequent and situational.

And a few 'weird rolls' like Flashbacks, which are also "roll high to not suffer them".

This could be really good. . . or really bad.

Well... someone is talking about turning on the robot that has been doing self-maintenance for over 180 years +(if Sarah is right abotu the numbers scratched into the canisters), so I just wanted to randomly to see how many critical system replacements it's missed...



Not quite.  The benefit for Artificer is on reducing penalties when improvising tools for other jobs, so if you use Machinist or Mechanic or something to quickly fabricobble a tool for a job, you can reduce the penalty for "not having the right Tool Kit" for some other job, either that you're doing or that someone else is doing.  Secondly (and a little less useful right now) it gives bonuses ont eh Enigmatic Device Table, should you ever find one of them little grey fellas spaceships...  or some piece of tech that's developed since you went into the freezer, that doesn't work in an intuitive fashion.

All Talents do cut the time for skill learnign, if time to learn skills is being used, which it is really not.  I mean... maybe it will.  We haven't actually discussed that yet, it is a 'survival' thing, but anyway, if we use Time To Learn Skills, Artificer cuts your time by 10%xLevel.


Your gonna need to move the table, the table that is covered in canisters (that Sarah was just sorting through) and a crate.

Get on that and we can talk Task Roll results.

Man, it'd be a lot easier keeping up and posting timely reactions if I didn't have to work 40 hours a week at the other end of an hour each way commute...  And no, I can't post from work, gaming sites like RPoL are blocked on the network there and I type about 3 wpm on my phone (the tiny screen doesn't help much either).

On the other hand, until there's coffee (or maybe adrenaline) Tracy's likely to still be a little slow.  The migraine and nausea aren't helping, either.

Hi guys, I wrote a few things that seem to have crossed. I'll edit them if need be,  but I had a really good roll on one, and spent an IP on the other, so if we could work out how it all fits together, I'd really appreciate that.

Also, Mrs Sheffield? I did have him ask.

What about Jasmine Sheffield in pod 8, and Jacob Osterheimer in 17?

I'm not finding the advertised PIPboy pamphlet illustration.  Was it at one of the background links given much earlier?

Click on the Game Map link above, then switch to Main Map.

Thanks, Minji.

That will be me starting next week so this madcap posting schedule I've just barely been able to keep up will slow.




You three (Armand, Minji, Tracy) stumbled past on your way to the boxes, but didn't look in pod #17.  Between the dimness and flashing lights and most people suffering -2 to -4 on checks, your Passive Perception isn't high enough to get info on pod 17 without deliberating looking (making declared checks) or having it in view for an extended period of time... at least not until the lights are fixed.

And no one awoke in position to see into pod #17, Nora's dead (Pod 16) and 18 and 20 were "empty".

And it was a complete fluke I put Osterheimer in pod #17...  I wasn't paying attention to details like "who's going to be able to see into it" until after I'd made the map and realized, "oh, no one will wake up to see into pod #17, oh my..."

Is there a map of what pod number we were in? Did I miss that too?

There is Sarah, the second one. You may need to clear your cache in order to refresh it.

We have 13 characters all discovering things, interacting, dealing with their personal priorities and generally contributing to overflow of information.

There are important things going on, there are just so many of them!

I have a feeling things will get slower and less chaotic when or if people start to split into separate threads.

That doesn't count?

No worries about post rate! It’s been a little crazy lately with all the excitement, but I do plan to try and hold myself to only updating threads Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. That should help anyone who has a full time job or just a busy schedule not be to overwhelmed. I know it can be a lot to log into a game you haven’t checked in 2 days and find you’ve missed 100 posts :D

For the players, everyone is cool right now but eventually I’ll start asking you guys to make sure to only post once, and then let everyone else get a chance to post before you continue. Once we get outside the vault, Assistant and I will try to make groups with similar post rates that those who check throughout the day can post back and forth with others and then those who play at a slower rate don’t feel like they missed so much.


Yes, there is a list of what pods you were in, Assistant posted it yesterday I believe. I will post it again here for easy reference-




I actually got that from the GM lounge, but I really thought he posted it somewhere…I’ll check

I took "help Traci look through the boxes" as the motivating action for the rolls.  But sure, while I did actually forget this roll you made (I was aiming it at "boxes", I didn't exactly completely blow it off).

The breakdown:
Observation 12 (Skill 17 - 3 dimness -3 strobing* +3 Night Vision -2 '5 yards to pod').  roll 15.  MoF -3

A 15 didn't quite get you there when you made the roll.  If Armand keeps looking around and keeps his metaphorical guard up (and doesn't do something that takes his total concentration), he'll notice something before the Twenty Minute Mark (call it about two-five more minutes if no one else start poling in every pod).

* Lights were still on the blink when you made the roll.



Note, I updated teh TEN MINUTE MARK as so:

The lights are working, or at least the one at the door is, the others clicked off once it stopped sputtering (Lonnie figures a local fuse in the second light tripped or the ballast in light #2 has burned out).  The whole lighting system for this room will need to be turned off to effect safe repairs on the other two lights.  Lonnie is mid-fixit on the terminal.

Not a big deal. I could have been clearer. It wasn't a great roll.

I just pulled the trigger on all three GURPS Bundle of Holdings. I already have a lot of it in hardback, but the value of all of what was included was pretty hard to pass on. Anyone else? There are 3 days left.

Hi Nicky. Do you have a link?

I actually own every GURPS book SJG currently offers and a whole bunch they no longer sell.  The only book I don't have for GURPS is one SJG will never sell again and went out of print a long time ago (Callahan's Crosstime Saloon).

And I don't care enough to make bids on it like I did for Fantasy 1st ed (which is also 1e Magic) and Magic 2ed.

But yeah, if you don't have the books in the Bundle of Holding (and want them), it's a great deal.

I’ll take a link!

https://bundleofholding.com/presents/GURPS4Essentials
https://bundleofholding.com/presents/GURPS4Fantasy
https://bundleofholding.com/presents/GURPS4Space

Link: https://youtu.be/N-5d7V4Sbqk


This is funny, New York City released it a couple of days ago. Such a useless video for any actual NYC citizen, since if I remember correctly New York is supposed to be targeted by like 12 thermonuclear bombs it’s predicted.

Mainly intended to ensure the bodies are mostly buried (in the ruins of the buildings that completely failed to protect them), so the very few who do survive (the ones who were already in a deep subbasement that survived collapse of the building above) will have one less thing to worry about when they give up on anyone coming to help them and force their way out of their improvised shelters.

Assistant, second to last pod is 17?

Thread updated:  Adam and Boris, HT recovery vs Cry Fatigue rolls please (not vs poison, but Fit applies if you have it)

Armand, you can go ahead and react to what you've seen however you want...



Please refer to the Game Map #1 or the Game Map thread post #3 (link to a message in this game)... but yes.  The pod closest to you is #20.  (I put you on the "south east" corner of the room on the platform near the boxes, basically where the 'lower' Objectof Interest Icon is.)


And for reference, "Middle of room" crew is all huddled at the foot of pod #10.


I'll be gone for about 4 hours, gotta go do my second job.  See y'all just before dinner my time.

In reply to Assistant (msg # 256):

Will try to post when I get a chance to catch up reading.

No worries, updated the TEN MINUTE MARK post, Boris is no longer suffering Nausea, still suffering hallucinations.

Waiting to see the result of Armand's fright check before he responds to Sarah and Walt.

Go, go!  Get back in that thread!

"So, there's been a nuclear attack."
(uh...)
"Alright? You've got this."

I am honestly wondering who picked the tone for this thing.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:00, Sun 17 July 2022.

All right already.

Post in two parts so people can answer the first and then react to  the second.

From what I know of New Yorkers... that's a very New York tone.  Probably been hearing from upper and middle class residents fleeing the inner city the occasionally saying*, "Ya, I really don't wanna live where there's like 12 nukes targetin the place all the time, uknowwatimean?"

So someone decided to do a "New Yorkers, we got this" message to, I don't know, make the poor lower class who are stuck there feel a bit less shitty for being stuck there?


* I mean with the Russia making the threats, and Iran before than, and North Vietnam occasionally getting woobly, and China every so often mentioning their massive stockpile just to remind the world that if it doesn't get ready for their boot on the neck, they've got ways to make the world kneel.  (I'm not worried about Russia or NK, but Iran and China?  Ehhhh...)

I haven't forgotten that Walt (okay, Minji) turned his PIPboy on... but I'm giving people time to deal with Armand's Pod 17 revelation before I pile on the next distraction...

yyyeah. Guess where I live, these days? :)

Hey man, you got this!

To be fair, getting inside is pretty smart in any “radioactive fallout” situation, I just thought they would focus more on where to go. I mean honestly, does anyone know where we’re supposed to go if nukes are inbound? I’m really surprised there isn’t more public discussion about what you actually should do in a situation like this. I get that there really isn’t much you could do, and there wouldn’t be enough shelters for everybody but seriously.

I’d like to think I have the basics down after being wrapped up in so much apocalyptic media most of my life, but in reality? I wouldn’t even know how to tell if I could drink water or if it was contaminated with radiation…pretty sure boiling it wouldn’t work. Stuff like that.



I’ve actually been watching India and Pakistan more closely, I’m pretty sure one of those two will be the first to launch a nuke at the other if Russia doesn’t strike Kyiv first. We live in a scary world

If it's contaminated with radioactive materials?  No, boiling is useless unless it's a part of your distillation process.

Water itself doesn't hold radiation, it's a shitty nuclear insulator, however the particles of dust, plant matter, etc in it do hold radiation.  Really well in fact.  So filter, filter, filter (even gravity filter if you know how), then distill (or boil) for bacteria and Bob's your Uncle.

If you're really worried, filter and then make a solar distillery, which is safer than boiling, but waaaaaaaaaay slower.


They've always been ready to end each other.  I can't imagine being so damned angry at another culture.

In reply to Assistant (msg # 256):

Has stress also reduced by 1 at this point? Or for some people? It's been long enough, but I wasn't sure about activity levels. Thanks.

Solar Distillery? I’ll have to google that one

No, because no one is resting in a safe or calm place.

In fact, some people have gained Stress... which reminds me, I need to go ahead and award that Stress damage, I keep forgetting to...




It's a fancy-pants way of saying evaporation with a plastic tarp method... though there are complex ways to do it to reduce loss of water to the surrounding air.

A gravity filter is "take one container of water, mix "clean" dirt into it (sandy clay is the best), mix thoroughly, wait a few days for the sediment to settle out, siphon off the top half of the clean water (or more if you're really sure of your method), boil/distill what you siphoned off, dump the rest.  The sand and clays mixed into the water will settle and draw the other impurities down with them, but you really should distill what you siphon off anyway.

This is also how you make clay from dirt, because clay is heavier than everything else but any metals in the mix.

Well, okay.  Boiling can help a little with a suspended solids issue -- which fallout in your water is.  How it helps is that boiling will tend to coagulate any organic matter, which can then be settled or filtered more readily (because now it's a solid precipitate, which has trapped other junk, instead of dissolved).  No, it won't make water contaminated with fallout safe to drink, but it will reduce the amount you have to filter out, which can speed your filtration and make your filter last longer.

There's another kind of basic filter that works very well -- unglazed flower pots (the orange/brown fired clay kind) have pores just the right size to be "garden store Brita" filters (lots of YouTube videos on how to set these up).  You need to tightly plug the drainage hole in the bottom and provide a lid (to keep additional fallout from landing in the water as you wait) and a clean receiver for the filtered water.  The pore size is such that you really only need to worry about genuinely dissolve matter or bacteria-size solids.  This is not ion exchange, so it won't remove, say, excess salinity or hardness, but it will filter anything that would settle with long standing, and do it a lot faster than a non-centrifuge settling as described above.  You still want to boil the water after filtering, for biological safety, since bacteria can pass the filtration.  If the filter starts to slow down or collects a visible residue, you can wash it with a mechanical scrub and restore about 90% of the filter rate.

A big pot can do a lot of water fairly quickly, I've seen these in garden stores big enough you'd have trouble getting them home in a small car.

A solar still (yes, potentially as simple as a plastic tarp, a small stone, and a catch vessel over a hole in the ground) can easily produce enough water for a single person with a tarp a yard or so across, and the water produced will be (single-stage) distilled, as biologically clean as the bottom surface of the tarp and catch vessel -- likely to be FAR better than what's just lying around.

This message was deleted by the player at 14:33, Sun 17 July 2022.

Yup... F3's entire premise made me soooo annoyed (not as angry as I was with Far-Cry 3 though)...


Because in F1 and 2 it was "done better" (no "irradiated water", granted... water wasn't a consumable in F1, 2, or Tactics, so there's no surety Interplay wouldn't have been just as bad).

Okay guys something I never think about anymore, but I just realized...

How many of you are still on the Old RPoL?  Are the images breaking the thread for you?

If you aren't sure which RPoL you're visiting through, look at the url if it's //r.rpol.net it's the Responsive Site (mobile) and if it's //rpol.net it's Original Flavor RPoL.

If so, I can start running an Images thread and move them over there to keep threads readable for you if it would help (no, sorry I'm far too lazy to make them smaller, I mean I guess I could but I'd need to know what size your monitor can handle, which sounds like a lot of back and forth work to figure out) and Spoiler Tags don't work on images, so that's no fix either.

I'm on old.

Images seem to be working okay.

Original recipe here. I can see images just fine.

I'm on the original site. The image on page 7 was pretty big. Didn't make anything unreadable, but it borked some of the formatting on my end (had to scroll to the side to read stuff)

Same as Francis here. I try to keep the images somewhat smaller but it’s not a huge deal. Joys of posting from my phone majority of the time.

Ah, I was afraid of that.  It's why I switched about two years back, had a GM who used super huge images that made me have to scroll sideways all the way to read anything.

I'll make an "Images" thread and start tossing them over there if I they aren't smaller ones.  Yeah that one and the PIPBoy Trifold I was worried about (that trifold is kinda big, even on my monitor - and that's the "cut down by 50%" version because RPoL yelled at me the when I tried to upload the original).

Not sure how it happened (well, probably from following Assistant's link to get here originally), but I'm apparently on the responsive site -- with a browser that gets broken by more web site features almost every week (dunno why, it's based on Firefox, one of the most standards-compliant ones around, albeit many versions behind current Firefox versions -- or is Chrome becoming the new IE, with web sites optimizing for it in ways that aren't standards compliant?).  Everything seems to work fine for me.  But then I guess it would, if it doesn't break my browser.

In reply to Tracy Tani (msg # 281):

On Firefox on the old site as well...seems fine to me.

From memory, our stuff was not stowed in this room. Correct?
This message was last edited by the player at 20:21, Sun 17 July 2022.

Firefox natively handles images better than Chrome for RPoL (and a lot of places, Chrome doesn't do autoresizing in thread anymore fro some reason), but thanks.

I'm going to just start using an Images thread so as not to bork the threads for everyone but you an me...



Did you bookmark it when you first came here?  Is it all RPoL games you're in or just this one?

And jase did a decent job coding the Responsive site, the only things that are broken on it are the ones that are still broken on Old RPoL, just small features he could never get to work right (like Spoiler Tags on images).

Yes, I think so, and no, it doesn't affect Northport.

I see it scaled of the newer interface, while I need to scroll in the older interface (my normal). Doesn't bother me to scroll a little, though. I'm on Safari on a Mac.

Instead of waiting for everyone to post their rolls and then doing one big update, I'm sliding an edit into each of your posts with the results...

Let me know if this experiment is working or if you prefer the "one big update" approach.  I won't be doing this for big stuff like combats or long tasks, but for little stuff like Resistance and Recovery rolls, this might work out.

This way it's easier to know what's specific to us.Sometimes I missed stuff in the long posts. But the long post made me read what was happening overall. So a mix

In reply to Sarah Deitrich (msg # 287):

Happy for the combination. BTW, did you miss the post below?

I missed the 'taking a few spare'.  How many spare?

In reply to Assistant (msg # 289):

Easy to do. A couple of handfuls. How big are they?

12 ounce bottles, so 0.35L for you furriners.

In reply to Assistant (msg # 291):

Ok, so six or seven in each hand plausible?

Not even for Walter.  With practice someone of normal size can carry three in each hand (necks between fingers) without undue risk of dropping one or more.  More than that gives a less secure grip on at least some.



Seems on the small side, but perhaps the Fallout world hasn't seen half a century (or a century and a half) of portion inflation.  Always amuses me when you buy a mini-can of Pringles and the label says there are two servings of 14 chips inside...

Only in a sixpack.

You could carefully refill a sixpack (or take the so far unopened Lime), but Walt was loading up his duffle with whatever people were leaving behind.  These are shaped like soda bottles (and also rockets, see below), imagine carrying 6-7 Bundaberg's* in each hand, just slightly skinnier and with longer necks.

Every one (except Boris) can comfortably fit 2 into each cargo pocket on their pant-legs and zip the pocket closed.  Boris you can fit one and close the pocket, or two (tightly) and have the pocket open.

These bottles are roughly 6 inches tall and 3 1/2 inches in diameter.

Old RPoL  link to a message in this game
Responsive  link to a message in this game



* Don't @ me, I just googled "popular Australian 12oz soda" and that seemed to be the most popular after Coke and Pepsi...



Inversely I see the "Family Sized" potatoe chip bags and wonder how small those families must be...  but then I admit, I can't just eat one chip, I devour a whole-ass damn bag in one go.

Which is why I don't buy chips but once a year or so as a treat anymore.


And with that, I must be off to the office... which I have successfully avoided having to work at for the last three years.  Today is going to suck (the next 3-6 months even).  See y'all in about 9-10 hours.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:45, Mon 18 July 2022.

Now I am picturing Walt having to rock Neddy back and forth like an old refrigerator all the way to the elevator, the "bubble" fluid dark and sloshing the whole time.

In reply to Walter Bjornberg (msg # 295):

Hey, not all of us eat that much...manufacturers are just getting us to cut back on our portions...pity that is not reflected in the pricing.

Bundy rum is probably a good pick, actually. But I was thinking of the pip boys. But will hand out the drinks too.

In reply to Boris Ivanovich (msg # 296):

I hate shrinkflation. It screws up recipes so much. I would rather see the same thing at a higher price. But I'm one of the relatively few who looks at the rates more than the actual prices.

I take a weekend away from the computer, and everything here explodes apparently (not literally, but there's still time for that).

Doing family stuff yesterday myself.

Assistant, I prefer the big post. It acts as a marker for a new scene/chapter/episode.

I can handle it either way fine, but Armand does have a good point about the marker. Those markers have made it easier to track things with so many posts written by players so quickly.

Oh, assembled PIPBoys.

Well you can strap one to each arm... you could probably carry a whole bunch by the "vambrace straps", once assembled. They weight about 3 lbs fully assembled, you can fit about 6 of the "mini-terminal pads" in each pocket, they weigh almost a pound each.  The "interface mounting" is pretty much exactly one pound and you could just squeeze one into a pocket by itself, anyone else could fit one and a vambrace, but none of you could close the pocket if you did so, and the leather and composite vambrace is just a hair over a pound.  You can't operate the PIPBoy without the mounting interface, you can operate it without the vambrace, but there are modules that won't be available if you don't hold it just so...  which will be revealed momentarily.

In reply to Assistant (msg # 301):

So I could feasibily have given one to everyone, and have a few left over? Could I have taken all assembled pipboys, handing them out and keeping the leftovers in my hands, by the straps?

Yes, easily.  I'm not sure exactly how many are left over... it's a Shrodinger's Number between 4* and 8* and I didn't need to know until just now, so I'll let you know later on today (early tomorrow) in thread.



* It's between 4 and 8 if someone straps one onto Jasmine Sheffield, which there will be revealed reasons for going ahead and doing so doing so in thread, but it's up to you guys at that point... if not, it's between 5 and 9.

Gunny, a full sweep of the room's nooks and crannies will take ten minutes, however, with your roll you can make the sweep for "obvious stuff" in about 2 minutes, but that's excluding "nooks and crannies", that's just a quick walk around and look behind and alongside the cryopods, and "uses up" your bonus for speed.

Or you can spend the rest of the time until the Big Update (after you guys maybe move 'Johnathon') continuing the Search and use that +4 MoS to find "smaller objects"...

Your choice.

Lets look for smaller objects

And Gunny thanks you. :)

Hell, Lonnie's been trying to look at her for two go-rounds, gimme one, I'll give him something to do. ;)

Copy.


You got it.