GM: Sean Nittner
Players: Shannon, Daniel, Duane, Cassie, Brent and Maggie
System: A variant of Primetime Adventures.
See here for more information about how this game was set up: To Err is Human…
Travis and I ran our Gods and Heroes game again at DundraCon. This time with a few new twists. We introduced some new objectives for the gods (to rally favors from the other immortals) and a more codified means of gaining influence in the island. I also started the gods game off with a kicker, they were all preparing for a race across the Mediterranean when the fates came to Olympus to tell them that only the god with their golden ship would win the race. The fate cast out three golden ropes for the gods to squabble over… and squabble they did.
We also had the advent of bronze age technology on our wireless connections. The connection started slow and degraded for the first hour until it was totally unusable. I was very frustrated by this but it created some emergent properties, such as the gods in Olympus having to use other gods and messengers to find out what the heroes were doing… and the gods weren’t always all that honest… go figure.
What rocked
The new props (actual laurel wreaths, golden rope, a crown, etc) were great.
The game still delivered forth fickle, greedy, child-like lords of Olympus, as it should.
Explain explicitly to the gods that they needed the heroes influence to claim island territories was very good.
What could have improved
Don’t bring olives. Nobody but you eats them Sean.
Game prep is at least 90 minutes, not 60. Best to shoot for 120 next time just to be safe.
Without wireless, the game is very frustrating to run. Backup plan for next time: Speakerphone calls between the rooms (with Gods on mute), A very long USB extension cable going directly to the camera in the heroes room (if gives enough power to make that work), co-opting the inevitable people who hang out to watch the game to act as our messengers, cast clairvoyance.
Explain to the gods that if they hide out in Mount Olympus the whole time they may be safe from the pranks of the other gods, but they won’t gain the heroes favor they need to win. I.e. get them downstairs!
See, If I play, bring all the olives you want! I was bummed that they scheduled me opposite this one so I still didn’t get to play.
Glad the pile of prunings worked well.
Game prep, I’m guessing that shooting for extra time is particularly important when scheduled at the beginning and needing to track down someone to unlock rooms.