NTRPGCon 2012 Game Fest

More NTRPG posts

With so many interesting games each North Texas RPG Convention it is hard to choose. One must opt between trying new systems, getting in on games GM'd by industry legends, and sessions/GM's that ya know from past years are just plain darn fun.

This year my Saturday morning finalists were Cavemaster (a new system by Jeff Dee), Metamorphosis Alpha (DM'd the author, James M. Ward). But, I chose Star Frontiers (DM'd by editor, Steve Winter) cause it was the 2nd RPG I owned as a wee teenager and I've never played it!



I played a Vrusk technician (I hoped for a Drasalite cause they are rad). Our UPF team was dispatched to a remote system with a research station whose orbit has suddenly started to decay.  An hour and half (real time) into searching the surface for the previous team and source of strange energy emission.  The con organizers came in with a surprise!

Steve Winter - Star Frontiers

In this room three other games were going on at same time.  Each group of players left there characters as they were and moved together to another game.  Every hour and half we all switched games again.  Finally arriving back at our original, ready to wrap up the adventure.

I really dug this "Game Fest".  Pretty ideal for me, getting to play and try out four games for "price" of one.  It was a bit disjointed and had less "success satisfaction" for finishing original game as we didn't do the "hard" middle parts.  Kind of just swooped in at end to reap rewards ;)  If there were fewer games (3 instead of 4), time in each was longer 2.5 hours, and a max of 30min spent on learning / exposition at start of each "move" would improve any future Game Fests.

But, regardless, I really give props to Doug Rhea, Mike Badolato, and the other NTRPG Convention organizers for trying to innovate and keeping the convention new and interesting.

Favorite quote of the Game Fest right after Doug told everyone to leave characters, pencils, and their dice. "I'll leave my wife before I leave my dice."  Doug recanted, allowing gamers to leave only their characters.

Jeff Dee - Cavemaster

Cavemaster was next up after SF. I played Fire Hair, red headed, keen-eyed, cavewoman hunter.  Great system.  My Cavemaster play review.

Frank Mentzer - Boot Hill
Map Prop

Went from wearing bikini furs and throwing javelins at wolves to escorting  Sister Sarah's two prototype armored wagons from Dallas to parts further west.  Boot Hill is dead simple.  And deadly.  We left for next game with a big'o pile of Mexican soldiers with two Gatling guns having got the drop on us.  Hope the next group didn't get themselves all perforated.

James M. Ward - Metamorphosis Alpha
Starship Warden Levels 

Starship Warden Elevator Panel

Played the Starship Warden's crew.  Neat setup.  Oldest player played Lieutenant, the youngest "Sarge".  The LT gave orders *only* to the sergeant.  The sergeant was responsible for keeping rest of us privates alive inspite of the LT's orders.  Although, not everyone is suited to giving orders or interpreting them "creatively".  I ended up killing* the LT and myself with a death rifle I was not rated for.

* actually being put in cryostasis. Due to Game Fest James wasn't allowed to actually kill any characters, vexing him greatly ;)