[Q&A] John Wick & Mark Diaz Truman (7th Sea 2nd edition)

[20:01] <+JohnWick> Hi! I’m John Wick and I’m the owner of John Wick Presents, author of many games and lead on 7th Sea 2nd Edition.

[20:04] <+MarkDiazTruman> I’m Mark Diaz Truman. I’m the Business Manager for John Wick Presents. I’m in charge of making sure books make it to your door!

[20:05] <~Dan> Thanks, guys!

[20:05] <~Dan> Ready for questions?

[20:05] <+MarkDiazTruman> Yup!

[20:05] <+JohnWick> Let’s do it!

[20:05] <~Dan> Okay! So let’s start with the basics… For those unfamiliar, can you give us an overview of what 7th Sea is about?

[20:06] <+JohnWick> I like to call it “swashbuckling and sorcery.” …

[20:06] <+JohnWick> It takes place in a fantasy version of 17th century Europe called “Théah”—at least, first edition did—and players take the roles of Heroes trying to foil and thwart the plots of Villains.

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[20:07] <+JohnWick> But that’s not really what the game is ABOUT.

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[20:07] <+JohnWick> It’s really about, “What does it mean to be a hero?” 😀

[20:07] <~Dan> Really? Huh… I wasn’t aware of that aspect of the game. Cool. 🙂

[20:08] <+JohnWick> Really!

[20:08] <~Dan> Now, I’m told this edition expands the horizons of the world? As in, literally?

[20:08] <+etaoinshrdlu> A hero is a person who gets other people killed.

[20:09] <+JohnWick> That’s _one_ definition of a hero. A little too cynical for my tastes. 😉

[20:09] <~Dan> (eta is our local cynic. 😉 )

[20:09] <+Guest44> A lot of the source material, Dumas in particular, has very grey morality. Is that thematically supported for PCs?

[20:09] <+JohnWick> One of the things I really looked forward to was expanding the game out beyond Théah to other continents and cultures.

[20:09] <~Dan> (Question pause after Guest44’s question.)

[20:11] <+JohnWick> Guest 44: I disagree with you about Dumas. Some characters—like the Cardinal—do have “ends justify the means” morality, but in the end, his protagonists are always trying to do the right thing. And that’s my evaluation of a character’s actions.

[20:12] <~Dan> So you’ve added analogues of the Americas, Africa, and the Middle-east, I believe?

[20:12] <+JohnWick> Yes. Although, I should say that the key design direction I’ve given people is, “Our world is a compass, not a map.” We don’t want _direct_ analogues. Montaigne is not France. It’s inspired by France, but it isn’t France.

[20:12] <~Dan> Right, right.

[20:13] <&Silverlion> (I may have missed it) any changes/improvements to the magic system?

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[20:13] <+JohnWick> Lots of changes, and I feel, improvements. For one, it doesn’t cost half your points to be a sorcerer anymore. 😀

[20:13] <+etaoinshrdlu> (nah, I was just quoting Serenity)

[20:13] <+netobvious> Question. The Samaritan Commonwealth players were requesting accurate Polish names. Why if they are not direct extractions of the real world?

[20:14] <~Dan> To piggyback on Sil’s question, I’m given to understand that magic in 1e was actually destroying the world. Is that still the case?

[20:14] <+JohnWick> But Porté is still there, Fate Magic is still there… you’ll recognize everyone. But the systems are also a lot easier to use.

[20:14] <+Lee> I heard you say you’re doing the New World without slavery or manifest destiny; how hard is it to reconcile the histories?

[20:14] <+JohnWick> Magic is no longer destroying the world, no.

[20:14] <~Dan> (Question pause after Lee’s question.)

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[20:15] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, Guest87!)

[20:15] <+JohnWick> Like I said before, we’re not doing direct analogues. We’re not copying European/American history. It’s a guide, yes, but we’re not on a railway train, bound for an inevitable destination.

[20:15] <+JohnWick> The Church of the Prophets condemns slavery, so it only makes sense that Théans would be a whole lot less likely to enslave other cultures.

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[20:16] <+Crazy-Cabal> I saw that sorcery is a background now, are Swordman schools going to be a point cost or a background?

[20:16] <+JohnWick> But there are still Villains in the world. (That’s a game mechanic.) And they’re capable of all kinds of wickedness and evil. So, yes, there are still awful people doing awful things. It’s your job to stop those things from happening.

[20:17] <~Dan> So the PCs are the Big Damn Heroes, eh? 🙂

[20:17] <+JohnWick> Yes, sorcery is a Background (another game mechanic) which means characters who have it as a key to their concept get it “for free.” Membership at a Fencing Academy is the same. You can pick the Swordsman Background and pick up membership, or you can buy it as an Advantage.

[20:17] <+JohnWick> PCs are indeed Big Damn Heroes.

[20:18] <~Dan> Awesome.

[20:18] <&Silverlion> Cool stuff. Are stunts easy to pull off?

[20:18] <+Motulev> speaking of mechanics, what are they like?

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[20:19] <~Dan> Let’s tie those questions together, if you don’t mind. What’s the core system mechanic, John?

[20:19] <+JohnWick> oh boy…

[20:19] <~Dan> (Howdy, Lin_Chong!)

[20:19] <+JohnWick> It’s still Trait+Skill. But, it’s T+S, Keep Everything.

[20:19] <~Dan> Whereas before, it was roll everything, keep the Trait, IIRC?

[20:19] <+JohnWick> That’s right.

[20:19] * ~Dan nods

[20:20] <+JohnWick> Rolling handfulls of d10s, making sets of 10. Every set is a Raise. Skills give you various dice tricks.

[20:20] <+JohnWick> So, the higher your Skills, the more Raises you get.

[20:20] <+JohnWick> And you use Raises for 3 things:

[20:20] <+Lee> What are the ranges for Traits and Skills?

[20:20] <+JohnWick> 1) Accomplish your Intention: which is what you want to accomplish in this Scene.

[20:20] <+JohnWick> (Lee: 1-5)

[20:21] <+JohnWick> 2) Overcome Consequences: which are the things that will hurt, harm or hinder you to gain your Intention.

[20:21] <+JohnWick> 3) Take advantage of Opportunities: little bennies in the Scene.

[20:22] <~Dan> Hmm… I think I’m missing something here. If the Traits and Skills range from 1-5, how could getting a set of 10 be possible for most people?

[20:22] <~Dan> Let alone more than one?

[20:22] <+JohnWick> I like using John McLane in the room full of broken glass. His intention is to get across the room. The Consequences are: Getting shot and getting glass in his feet. He gets enough Raises to get his intention and avoid getting shot, but he still gets the glss in his feet.

[20:22] <+JohnWick> Both Traits AND Skills go from 1-5.

[20:23] <~Dan> Right, but… maybe I’m misunderstanding what you mean by a set of 10. I thought you meant 10 dice that come up the same.

[20:23] <+JohnWick> No.

[20:23] <~Dan> (Sorry. Long day.)

[20:23] <+MarkDiazTruman> For example, if you have Panache 3 and Athletics 4, you’re rolling 7 dice. You might get 5, 6, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10

[20:24] <+MarkDiazTruman> That’s 4 raises (5+5) (6+4) (7+3) (10)

[20:24] <+JohnWick> Yes, what Mark said. 🙂

[20:24] <+MarkDiazTruman> They don’t have to be exactly 10.

[20:24] <~Dan> Ah! Okay, I see now.

[20:24] <+JohnWick> 7+7 is a Raise.

[20:24] <+netobvious> Question: Someone on Kickstarter mentioned Ships as characters. Is a hero sailing a ship two characters or are both combined into one for that scene (and if so, how)?

[20:24] <+Lee> Are there any exploding dice in the new rules?

[20:25] <+JohnWick> There are exploding dice. But it’s a dice trick: you get it through Advantages and high Skills.

[20:25] <+JohnWick> I said I wanted to treat Ships like characters, not that they would _be_ characters. 🙂

[20:25] <~Dan> “I’m playing a schooner.”

[20:26] <+JohnWick> The Enterprise “is a character.” The Black Pearl “is a character.” So, Ships have Backgrounds (like characters). And Advantages (like characters).

[20:26] <+netobvious> So heroes on a ship, how do we treat them? Does playing with ships remove heroes from that scene?

[20:26] <+Motulev> you’d have to stop playing a ship schooner or later

[20:26] * ~Dan golfclaps

[20:26] <+Lee> Like in a good Film Noir, when the city is said to be one of the characters.

[20:26] <+JohnWick> Exactly.

[20:26] <+JohnWick> And players build the history of the ship together. And the history gives you the Ship’s Backgrounds and Advantages.

[20:27] <+Lee> “It’s the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs!”

[20:27] <+JohnWick> Yup.

[20:27] <+netobvious> If you combine backgrounds for a ship’s character, and the Captain is missing, does the ship lose a bit of background (and thus stats) during that scene?

[20:28] <+JohnWick> No. Doesn’t work that way.

[20:28] <~Dan> Do you have a character sheet posted that we can see?

[20:28] <+JohnWick> Not yet. 🙂

[20:29] <+MarkDiazTruman> But there is a Quick Start.

[20:29] <~Dan> No problem. Can you tell us what the Triats are and give us some idea of how broad the Skills are?

[20:29] <+JohnWick> But when we do, it’ll be on (Link: http://www.johnwickpresents.com)www.johnwickpresents.com and (Link: http://www.sailthe7thsea.com)www.sailthe7thsea.com 🙂

[20:29] <+Crazy-Cabal> Has the setting changed much? Has the revolution happened or is the metaplot of 1st being ignored?

[20:29] <+netobvious> How about scenes of pirates jumping on ships? Do we have hero and ship in one scene then?

[20:29] <+MarkDiazTruman> If you want to see a draft of the rules, you can grab it from the Kickstarter page by pledging $1. (And you can cancel the $1 if you’re not happy!)

[20:29] <+JohnWick> The Traits are the same from the old game: Brawn, Finesse, Panache, Resolve and Wits.

[20:29] <~Dan> (Question pause after netobvious’s question.)

[20:30] <+JohnWick> We went through about six or seven drafts of the Skill List. It was one of the hardest parts of the design.

[20:31] <+MarkDiazTruman> Skill lists are tough!

[20:31] <+JohnWick> The original game had *too many Skills*. It was easy to throw the old list out and start new. 😉

[20:33] <+JohnWick> And we didn’t want the Skills to be too narrow or too broad. And, of course, if you get ten people to make “the perfect skill list” you’ll get ten different lists. 😉

[20:33] <~Dan> Indeed.

[20:33] <+JohnWick> And if they put some serious thought into it, they’d all be right.

[20:33] <+JohnWick> Which is the real challenge with Skills. 🙂

[20:33] <~Dan> Depends upon how competent you want the typical character to be, I’d think.

[20:33] <~Dan> How broadly competent, I mean.

[20:34] <+JohnWick> See… that’s the very beginning of an argument. 😉

[20:34] <~Dan> Ah. Well, I’m not trying to start an argument. 🙂

[20:34] <+JohnWick> Because you just listed YOUR first qualifier for “what makes a good skill list.”

[20:35] <+JohnWick> “I want it to be realistic.” vs “I want it to represent competence” vs “I want it to only include physical actions.”

[20:35] <~Dan> Oh, no — I didn’t mean broader is better, necessarily.

[20:35] <+JohnWick> I know. 🙂

[20:35] <~Dan> Ah, I get your point.

[20:35] <+netobvious> Any idea how the fluid skills will affect my Pirate Captain boarding a legendary Ship? I am curious to see who the two types of character dice work in a scene Hero vs Ship?

[20:36] <+JohnWick> There is no difference.

[20:36] <+JohnWick> Boarding a ship is just another Action Scene.

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[20:37] <+JohnWick> Ship-to-ship combat is an Action Scene. A duel is an Action Scene. Escaping a burning building is an Action Scene. The ship only gives you specific advantages when it’s present. Just like another character would, except it’s a character everyone can access.

[20:37] <~Dan> So regarding the scope of the individual skills, then, let’s take the specific example of hand weapons. Is the skill “Melee Weapons”? “Bladed Weapons”? “Swords”? “Rapiers”?

[20:37] <+MarkDiazTruman> The ship is like the set on an action movie. It matters, but it’s not going to define success or failure… unless something about the ship is relevant in a specific, narrative way.

[20:37] <+netobvious> Ah! Thanks for this. We have not had much talk of ships. This is useful indeed!. 😀

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[20:37] <+JohnWick> Re: Weapons…

[20:38] <+JohnWick> A friend of mine just gave me a poster with Errol Flynn on it. It says, “What Would Errol Flynn Do?”

[20:38] <~Dan> 😀

[20:38] <+JohnWick> So, when we asked questions like, “Can a Fate Witch use a sword?” The answer was, “Yes. Of course she can. She’s Errol Flynn.”

[20:39] <+JohnWick> So, we didn’t want individual weapon skills. Like Weapon: Epee. And Weapon: Saber. Because while that may be “realistic,” it isn’t “cinematic.” And that’s the goal of the game.

[20:39] * ~Dan nods

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[20:40] <~Dan> Do you make any allowances for specializing, though?

[20:40] <+JohnWick> We have three “fighting” skills: Aim (for ranged weapons). Fencing (for swords, etc.). And Melee (for heavy weapons). All weapons fall under those three categories. You can use any of them. You just get bonus dice if you have the right skill. And if you have the right Advantages, you get all kinds of cool stuff.

[20:41] <+JohnWick> And yes, you can buy specializations as Advantages.

[20:41] <~Dan> Gotcha. Cool.

[20:41] <+Lee> What about brawling and unarmed combat?

[20:42] <+JohnWick> There’s a Brawl Skill. 🙂

[20:42] <+Guest87> With the Vesten/Vendel distinction gone, does Theah 2.0 have a not-Netherlands anymore?

[20:42] <~Dan> (Guest87: You can set your name with the /nick command if you like; e.g., /nick Dan 🙂 )

[20:42] <+Crazy-Cabal> How are guns handled in the new system?

[20:42] <+JohnWick> RE: Vesten/Vendel. They’re all still there. It’s just that they’re all working together.

[20:43] <+JohnWick> You don’t have to choose: Viking Raider or Merchant Prince? Now you can be a Viking Merchant Raider Prince. 😀

[20:44] <~Dan> (Great. Now I’m hearing “Viking Merchant Raider Prince” to the tune of “The Camptown Ladies”.)

[20:44] <+JohnWick> Funny you should ask about guns. Mike Curry and I are hammering that out.

[20:44] <~Dan> (“Viking Merchant Raider Prince, Doo-Dah, Doo-Dah…”)

[20:44] <+netobvious> So do complex weapons like guns pose negative challenges for the untrained? Shooting a ships’s cannon blows up in the face of the villain? Or the pistol fails to fire when a brutish thug tries to use it?

[20:44] <+JohnWick> We want guns to be _dangerous_. We’re figuring out the best way to do that. In the movies, you have fisticuffs, then swords… then someone pulls a gun. And things get *real*. We want that trope in the game.

[20:44] <+AnonAdderlan> Given that matched sets are the mechanic, why stick with d10?

[20:44] <+AnonAdderlan> Also, why male models?

[20:45] <+netobvious> Male gun models?

[20:45] <~Dan> (Question pause after AnonAdderlan’s question.)

[20:45] <+JohnWick> I like d10s. I like the math. That’s why. 🙂

[20:45] <+JohnWick> Male gun models? I don’t understand.

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[20:45] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, Guest99, Guest50!)

[20:46] <+Motulev> (now I have that song in my head, thanks Dan)

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[20:46] <~Dan> ( 😀 )

[20:47] <~Dan> Actually, while we’re on the subject, can you give us an overview of how combat works?

[20:47] <+netobvious> Not me John, it was AnnoAdderlan that mentioned “male” it after we talked guns?

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[20:47] <+JohnWick> What does “Why male models?” mean? I’m curious now. 🙂

[20:48] <+MonkofLords> Reference to Zoolander I presume?

[20:48] <+AnonAdderlan>

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[20:48] <+AnonAdderlan> Yes.

[20:48] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, Guest03!)

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[20:49] <+AnonAdderlan> So combat…

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[20:49] <~Dan> (For those Guest## folks: You can set your names with the /nick command; e.g., /nick Dan )

[20:49] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, seventhbeacon!)

[20:49] <+Xenesis> JohnWick: Definitely a zoolander reference

[20:49] <+JohnWick> What do you want to know?

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[20:49] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, Glamourweaver!)

[20:50] <~Dan> JohnWick: How are attacks resolved, and how is damage figured?

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[20:50] <~Dan> (Welcome, Guest98!)

[20:50] <+AnonAdderlan> Also, how are you making sure one sword school is not ‘overpowered’ vs another.

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[20:51] <+JohnWick> All Action Scenes work the same way: you roll dice, make Raises and apply them to change things in the Scene. In the case of a fight, you use Raises to give your enemies Wounds. If they take too many Wounds, they become Helpless. Outside of dice tricks, that’s pretty much it. Fast, easy and cinematic.

[20:51] <+JohnWick> Picking a lock is the same mechanic as sailing a ship is the same mechanic as a sword fight.

[20:52] <~Dan> How are weapons rated in terms of damage? Do they add to the Wounds that you do on an attack?

[20:52] <+JohnWick> With cosmetic differences based on the narrative elements of the Scene.

[20:52] <+netobvious> Do the players know the enemy strength? Like if they spend all raises on wounds and miss out something cool later in that scene?

[20:52] <+JohnWick> Everything about the Scene is up front, so players don’t “miss out something cool.”

[20:53] <+Crazy-Cabal> Would there be a raise for knocking over a candlestand and setting the room on fire? Or would that be a complication? It certainly happens alot in swashbuckling movies!

[20:53] <+JohnWick> The GM can create Opportunities in the Scene, but players can do that, too: they do it with their own Raises. They create Opportunities for other players to take advantage of. For example, I can use a Raise to disarm a guard and create an Opportunity: Gun on the Floor. Another player can use a Raise to get the gun.

[20:53] <+AnonAdderlan> How are raises limited/focused by the skill that generates them?

[20:53] <+JohnWick> Crazy: EXACTLY!

[20:54] <+MarkDiazTruman> Or I could knock over a candlestick to create an Opportunity like “On Fire” 😀

[20:54] <+JohnWick> Is it a Consequence or an Opportunity? Generally, the GM creates Consequences and the players create Opportunities.

[20:54] <+JohnWick> Markdiaztruman gets it. 🙂

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[20:55] <~Dan> JohnWick: Did you see my weapon damage question?

[20:55] <+netobvious> Thanks John for clarify the Opportunities (players) and Consequences (GM). Is that the standard template newbies should follow?

[20:55] <+Lee> Cutting the traces of a team of horses to create Opportunity: Loose Horses.

[20:55] <+Crazy-Cabal> Ah so if as a player I wanted to set the room on fire for…PC related reasons it’d be an opportunity.

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[20:56] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, DrewWendell!)

[20:56] <+JohnWick> Generally, objects don’t give you bonuses. YOU are the badass, not your sword. But if the item is really special, it can give you bonuses. Nobody cares about Wesley’s sword in The Princess Bride, but Inigo’s sword is REALLY @#$% IMPORTANT!!! So, Inigo has an Advantage for his sword, but Wesley does not.

[20:56] <+AnonAdderlan> How is ‘on fire’ any more a consequence than an opportunity? Is it all dependent on who causes it?

[20:57] <+JohnWick> Anonadderlan: Yes. That’s exactly right.

[20:57] <+AnonAdderlan> 🙂

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[20:57] <+netobvious> So consequences and opportunities are just narrative placehoders, for “strange things happen in the scene”

[20:57] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, Mental-Mouse!)

[20:57] <+seventhbeacon> Is Hero progression similar to non-level games where you use your XP in a point buy system to improve skills and get new abilities? How much emphasis would you say is on progression in terms of mechanics that support narrative character arcs?

[20:58] <+seventhbeacon> (Such as backgrounds from 1st ed.)

[20:58] <+JohnWick> The only way to get XP is through “Stories.” Each player chooses a Story for their character. Mine, for example, is “Become the King of Thieves of Five Sails.” That’s my goal.

[20:59] <+Glamourweaver> Setting question: does the Creacent Empire rule any religiously/culturally Theahn territory ala Ottoman Grrece/Balkans/Hungary/Romania?

[20:59] <+seventhbeacon> So that’s front and center! Excellent!

[20:59] <~Dan> JohnWick: A wise guy on TheRPGSite wants to know if we can use 7th Sea 2e to play Tomb of Horrors.

[20:59] <+AnonAdderlan> So how do you get xp in PURSUIT of that goal?

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[20:59] <+AnonAdderlan> NO DAN, NOT NOW!!!

[20:59] <+JohnWick> In order to accomplish my goal, I need to take Steps. If a Story has five steps, you get XP for each Step: 1 XP for Step 1, 2 XP for Step 2, 3 XP for Step 3, etc. Once you resolve the Story, you get bonus XP equal to the number of Steps it has. Then, you choose a new Story.

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[21:00] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, Mordae!)

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[21:00] <+Motulev> kind of like solar system

[21:00] <+JohnWick> What’s Tomb of Horrors. (looks at Mark) Is that a thing?

[21:00] * ~Dan chuckles

[21:00] <+DrewWendell> Is there going to be a log of all this somewhere? That would be lovely for the many people piling in an those who miss it.

[21:00] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, iSpy!)

[21:00] <~Dan> DrewWendell: Yes there will be, and posted moments after it ends.

[21:00] <+seventhbeacon> *I put my head in the statue’s mouth so I can peer inside.*

[21:01] <+DrewWendell> Stunning, thanks

[21:01] <~Dan> (Link: https://gmshoe.wordpress.com/)https://gmshoe.wordpress.com/

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[21:02] <~Dan> (For those just joining us, the floor is open to questions! Ask away!)

[21:02] <+AnonAdderlan> Are there any mechanics you’re still unsatisfied with?

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[21:02] <+JohnWick> I’m never 100% happy with anything.

[21:02] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, kckrupp!)

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[21:02] <+JohnWick> You always wake up every day, finding a way to make your game better. That includes the day after you sent it to the printer.

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[21:02] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, kirby!)

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[21:03] <+AnonAdderlan> so, what are they?

[21:03] <+Kei_Kenobi> heya folks

[21:03] <~Dan> (Howdy, Kei_Kenobi!)

[21:03] <+DrewWendell> I had a few questions… but first I wanted to say that modeling your dice system for this game has officially been deemed a “non-trivial problem in computer science” by some people who ought to know.

[21:03] <+Crazy-Cabal> More of a tone question: Are secret societies going to be more grey organizations and conspiracies (Shadowy church assassins and ancient plague bearing cults aside) or heroic in general?

[21:03] <+Guest03> Just joined, so not sure if it has been asked, but, is there a developed monetary system, or is money used abstractly?

[21:04] <+JohnWick> Secret Societies… are secret for now. 🙂

[21:04] <+seventhbeacon> Does 2E get an optional Sorte-driven character creation like in 1st Ed? My usual groups always loved adding a bit of randomness to flesh out their characters.

[21:04] <~Dan> (Guest03: You can set your name with the /nick command, if you like; e.g., “/nick Dan”.)

[21:04] <+kirby> Same question with ammo, will it be an abstract system?

[21:04] <+JohnWick> I have lots of plans for SS… but all of them involve surprises. So, I don’t want to give too much away.

[21:04] <~Dan> (Question pause after kirby’s question, please.)

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[21:04] <~Dan> (Thanks, Steven!)

[21:04] <+netobvious> Following Crazy-Cabal’s question. Will pseudo-African socities in Ifri like the Ogboni society be featured in the Secret Societies book?

[21:04] <+JohnWick> But if you’re a fan of the Rose & Cross, the Invisible College, the Rilasciare, the Explorer’s Society… you won’t be disappointed. 😀

[21:04] <+Steven> thanks /Dan

[21:05] <+AnonAdderlan> Secret Societies remain a secret. News at 11.

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[21:05] <+MonkofLords> Invisible College 4 life

[21:05] <+kckrupp> 😀 re: Explorer’s Society.

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[21:05] <+Mental-Mouse> Will there be situations that raise the base TN of 10 without use of Danger points or will Danger Points be the sole resource/manner in which the base 10 TN is raised?

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[21:06] <+JohnWick> Ifri is being developed by Jerry Grayson. He’s got a lot of plans and he’s building an outline. Right now, I don’t know *anything* about Ifri other than, “Jerry’s on it.” And that’s MORE than good enough for me. 🙂

[21:06] <+netobvious> But we already know most of the European ones. Some of the Jaguar brotherhood or ayahuasca shamans will be cool to have too.

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[21:06] <+kckrupp> Of all the things you’ve put together on for 2nd Ed so far, what are you most excited about?

[21:07] <+AnonAdderlan> And that doesn’t tell us anything NOW.

[21:07] <+netobvious> One thing I love about what I am seeing of Ifri, is that it gives a nice shout out to my father’s tribal roots. 😀

[21:07] <+JohnWick> Mental-Mouse: Right now, whether or not DP can increase the TN is in flux, so I don’t have a good answer for your question.

[21:07] <+AnonAdderlan> Ohh.

[21:07] <+Mental-Mouse> Curses! -fist shakes-

[21:07] <+Lee> Any plans for the Fidehli (the Gypsies of Thea)?

[21:07] <+seventhbeacon> +1 Lee’s question! Love them!

[21:08] <+JohnWick> kckrupp: Honestly? Places like Ifri and the New World. Bringing more diverse cultures into 7th Sea is really exciting. 🙂

[21:08] <+AnonAdderlan> Can Danger pints be called Peril? I like Peril.

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[21:08] <+JohnWick> anonadderlan: we’ll see. 😉

[21:09] * +AnonAdderlan lights a fire to create opportunities for peril.

[21:09] <+netobvious> I actually got most excited about 7th Sea because of Ifri. Never played the 1st edition but now a full time advocate for 7th Sea 2e. Thanks John Wick for making me a fan.

[21:09] <+JohnWick> hhahahah. 😀

[21:09] <+Crazy-Cabal1> Are there going to be more strange creatures on the prowl in places other than Eisen?

[21:09] <+kirby> After the community achievements, how many cards are in a sorte deck? Does it include the typical tarot cards or will they be reskinned for 7th sea?

[21:09] <+kckrupp> That’s really cool to hear, and it’s exactly those places that have me most excited for 2nd Ed as well.

[21:09] <~Dan> (Question pause, please.)

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[21:09] <+JohnWick> One of my first goals with 7th Sea was opening up the rest of the world so everyone could play. It’s something we wanted to do with 1st Ed., but felt constrained because of… reasons. 🙂

[21:09] <+Guest91> Hi all…John I have an extensive 1st Ed library and I am wondering what can be ported over to 2nd ed or is it all obsolete?

[21:10] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, Komandi!)

[21:10] <+JohnWick> crazy-cabal1: The other day, MarkDiazTruman told me, “Eisen feels a lot like Ravenloft.” I told him, “You’re not far off.” Hope that answers your question.

[21:10] * +AnonAdderlan catches fire, decides peril might be overrated.

[21:10] <+JohnWick> LOL

[21:10] <+seventhbeacon> Wasn’t the Wall of Fire just sort of drawing a line in the sand back then? Invisible walls? And does it still exist perhaps in a different form in 2E?

[21:10] <+MarkDiazTruman> @Netobvious – that’s awesome to hear! We’re interested in bringing all new communities to 7th Sea. 😀

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[21:10] <+JohnWick> No walls of fire in 2nd Ed. 🙂

[21:11] <+netobvious> It is strange how what I see of Ifri is really close to my father’s culture and grandfather who was a shaman.

[21:11] <~Dan> JohnWick: I think you missed this question: [21:07] <+Lee> Any plans for the Fidehli (the Gypsies of Thea)?

[21:11] <+JohnWick> guest91: There’s no such thing as an obsolete book. Game book or otherwise.

[21:11] <+Glamourweaver> In case it was missed: will the Creacent Empire include regions corresponding to Ottoman Europe (Greece, Hungary, etc)

[21:11] <+Komandi> Yay Ifri!

[21:11] <+JohnWick> glamourweaver: *ding!* you hit the bell. 🙂

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[21:12] <+netobvious> And if you need any insights on Africa, John Wick, I am happy to help. 😀

[21:12] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, g0ld0!)

[21:12] <+MarkDiazTruman> @Netobvious – We’ll be doing an open call for writers. We hope you apply!

[21:12] <+JohnWick> Jerry’s on it, netobvious. If you’d like to check out his work—and I suggest you do—check out Khepera Publishing.

[21:13] <~Dan> Jerry rocks.

[21:13] <+Guest91> good to know John….good to know….will there be a book sometime in the future on armies, navies, fortifications or in general…warfare?

[21:13] <+JohnWick> But he’ll be pulling in other writers to help, so when we put out the call, send us a resume!

[21:13] <+Komandi> I have high hopes for Ifri and I agree….Jerry Rocks

[21:13] <+netobvious> Thanks John Wick. The Ogboni and Okonkwo will make great Secret societies (well known in those parts of Africa even today.

[21:14] <+JohnWick> The current lineup of books can be found on the Kickstarter page. The game really isn’t about armies and navies fighting. It’s about heroes. That would better fit a miniatures game… which we may do one day! 🙂

[21:14] <+Glamourweaver> Thirding the Fhideli question.

[21:14] <+DrewWendell> Combat/Equipment: This is the one place where a ‘crunch-light’ system can bog down. Are weapons or weapon types going to have distinguishing features or is all of that going to be handled via combat oriented advantages?

[21:15] <+JohnWick> There are currently no plans for the fhideli. That doesn’t mean they won’t show up later, but they aren’t part of the core book.

[21:15] <+netobvious> Question on the Arcana. Can any Tarot work or is the 7th Sea Arcana special? I backed a specialty Voodoo set of Tarot which I would love to use with 7th Sea.

[21:15] <+Lee> I assume the only non-human characters will be NPCs?

[21:15] <+AnonAdderlan> Speaking of insight, I’m technically Lithuanian, and yet the most I know is that they have a tradition of stoicism and a shrine to Frank Zappa.

[21:15] <+JohnWick> Combat: already answered this in detail, so I’ll make it quick: the system is fast and cinematic and doesn’t concern itself with the differences between a saber, rapier and epee. 🙂

[21:16] <&Silverlion> Yay.

[21:16] <+JohnWick> The Arcana are specific to Théah. 🙂

[21:16] <+Mental-Mouse> But what about a Claymore, Rapier and Sharp Pointy Stick?

[21:16] <+DrewWendell> thanks, I came in at the very end of that I think

[21:16] <+JohnWick> That’s okay. 🙂

[21:16] <+AnonAdderlan> And out of the Eastern European countries, they’re the hot blooded ones.

[21:16] <+JohnWick> Non-human characters are NPCs, yes.

[21:17] <+Crazy-Cabal1> Are the Villians going to be in line with something the PCs can in theory handle if confronted? I remember 1st edition had many folks of evil note be a grandmaster in a few schools and a 5 finesse!

[21:17] <+Lee> So the Fey are still around?

[21:17] <+JohnWick> We’ve got nine nations of humans, five other continents of humans. I think your choice is pretty diverse without the need for non-human characters. 😉

[21:17] <+AnonAdderlan> so… SWORD SCHOOLS!

[21:17] <+Lee> What about the Drakon or the Syrneth?

[21:17] <+JohnWick> The Sidhe are still around, yes.

[21:17] <+JohnWick> The Syrneth’s ruins are still around.

[21:18] <+seventhbeacon> So what I’m hearing is no kobolds. >.>

[21:18] <+DrewWendell> So, speaking of Lituva, is the Samatian Commonwealth Lithuania-Poland or Austria-Hungary?

[21:18] <+JohnWick> Villains have their own mechanic. You can read about it in the Quickstart. That’s the bare bones outline, but you’ll get the idea. 🙂

[21:18] <+netobvious> Ruins? I like that. I was not happy to hear of the aliens being part of a renaissance style game. 😦

[21:18] <+JohnWick> The Sarmatian Commonwealth is Poland-Lithuania, yes.

[21:18] <+Glamourweaver> Are there Djinn in the Crescent Empire?

[21:18] <+JohnWick> 1) NO D20. 2) NO ALIENS.

[21:19] <+kckrupp> Since we’re talking mechanics, will heroic NPCs be handled similarly to Villains with Influence and Strength or will they be fleshed out as if you’re creating a hero as was the case in 1st Ed?

[21:19] <+DrewWendell> The Lithuanian beside me is thrilled.

[21:19] <+AnonAdderlan> What about alien D20s?

[21:19] <+JohnWick> We’re still building Théah. Questions about the other continents show “Outcome murky. Try again later.” 🙂

[21:19] <+JohnWick> Tell the Lithuanian beside you that s/he can make deals with deiva in the dark woods. 😉

[21:20] <+netobvious> And smart thinking pushing 7th Sea: The East for another project.

[21:20] <~Dan> JohnWick: A question left by a chatter who had to leave pre-Q&A: “System conversions. JWP did them with Wicked Fantasy, has that been considered with 7th Sea? If not, why not? Examples: Dungeon World and Savage World got a conversion with the Wicked Fantasy Kickstarter”

[21:20] <+JohnWick> It was a hard choice. But, in the end, the smart one, I think.

[21:20] <+kirby> Will 7th Sea: The East complete the world or are there other continents we haven’t heard of yet?

[21:20] <+netobvious> Kickstarters sometimes fail to deliver when they grow so big. Have you planned all you can deliver with this one? So many books, so much art? Like the Ifri cover was done so quickly, you must have artists on standy.

[21:20] <+JohnWick> We haven’t considered other game systems just yet. We’re busy finishing our own. 🙂

[21:20] <+seventhbeacon> Any tidbits you can give us about the new Ussuran sorcery?

[21:20] <~Dan> Fair enough. 🙂

[21:21] <+JohnWick> 7th Sea: The East will include other continents, yes.

[21:21] <+Steven> Also, will 7th Sea the East be another Kickstarter or Devloped in house without croudfunding?

[21:21] <+JohnWick> Ussuran Sorcery: Be nice to Matushka, and Matushka will be nice to you.

[21:21] <+AnonAdderlan> East?

[21:21] <+Mental-Mouse> Also, Just where is this 7th Sea Located?

[21:21] <+MarkDiazTruman> @Steven – We love Kickstarter. Not only does it get us the money up front we need to make big stuff happen… it also connects us with fans early.

[21:21] <+MarkDiazTruman> The feedback we’ve gotten from our fans is amazing.

[21:22] <+DrewWendell> All-Call: Any idea what you’ll be looking for or looking at? Writing samples, something original for 7th Sea? In part, I write for a living, but up until now the pesky ‘earning a living’ part means my RPG portfolio is a bit thin…

[21:22] <+JohnWick> (go mark go) 🙂

[21:22] <+MarkDiazTruman> We’re going to be looking for a few things:

[21:22] <+MarkDiazTruman> – a strong, short (<2,000 words) writing sample.

[21:23] <+MarkDiazTruman> – an interesting response on a short writing test (responding to some prompts)

[21:23] <+netobvious> My second background is Ussuran. So I am now thinking of an Ifri-Ussuran character for my pledge, like Alexander Pushkin the great Russian poet. ❤

[21:23] <+MarkDiazTruman> – previous experience writing. We’re going to work with new people, but we can’t work with ALL new people.

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[21:23] <+AnonAdderlan> 7th Sea is is in East Michigan. They’re either optimistic or misinformed.

[21:23] <+MarkDiazTruman> We’re not looking for people to have a 50,000 word novel on hand, but we need to see that you can write to spec.

[21:23] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, PlaysWithSwords!)

[21:24] <+DrewWendell> @Mark: Makes perfect sense to me. Thank you. I am sure there will be more details to follow as the time draws near.

[21:24] <+seventhbeacon> We in West Michigan claim the 7th Sea is over here. @AnonAdderlan

[21:24] <+JohnWick> The 7th Sea is *everywhere*.

[21:24] <+netobvious> And nowhere…

[21:24] <+g0ld0> Any headway made towards translation into other languages as of yet?

[21:24] * +Mental-Mouse takes that as an extra-dimensional thing -nod nods-

[21:24] <+AnonAdderlan> Yeah, and Elvis is everypne.

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[21:25] <+JohnWick> Elvis is EVERYBODY. Elvis is still the King. Man oh man, what I want you to see, is that Big E’s inside of you and me.

[21:25] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, RobJustice!)

[21:25] <+kirby> Will all continents be revealed between this campaign and The East or will something be left unexplored?

[21:25] <+JohnWick> Oh, crap. RobJustice. Who let that guy in here?

[21:25] <+JohnWick> 😀

[21:25] <+open_sketch> (Link: http://i.imgur.com/VNdRlvp.jpg)http://i.imgur.com/VNdRlvp.jpg

[21:25] <+DrewWendell> Also, when can we look for official forums, “7th Sea: The Lunchbox,” and other opportunities to give you money?

[21:25] <+AnonAdderlan> Will Elvis be in 7th Sea?

[21:25] <+MonkofLords> Dan

[21:25] <+netobvious> He found an opportunity.

[21:25] <+RobJustice> I hear you hired some real jerks to write 7th Sea? Why?

[21:26] <~Dan> 😀

[21:26] <+JohnWick> Because I took pity on their miserable lives.

[21:26] <+RobJustice> Yeah, Mike’s life is pretty horrible.

[21:26] <+etaoinshrdlu> you people… xD

[21:26] <+DrewWendell> @AnonAdderlan: I thought he said no aliens 🙂

[21:26] <+seventhbeacon> Creation is conflict? 😉

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[21:26] <~Dan> JohnWick: How powerful is sorcery in 7th Sea? What can a powerful magician accomplish?

[21:26] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, WunderWerks!)

[21:27] <+WunderWerks> Thanks!

[21:27] <+RobJustice> Oh no. Ben now too…

[21:27] <+AnonAdderlan> Elvis isn’t an alien…

[21:27] <+MonkofLords> Will Alchemy be more usable in 7th Sea 2nd?

[21:27] <+Komandi> We are all here now:)

[21:27] <+JohnWick> We’re re-working all the sorceries. Been through a few drafts. But I can say that sorcery is one of the most powerful mechanics in the game. Depends on how you use it.

[21:27] <+AnonAdderlan> …just becauyse he was abducted by them…

[21:27] <+AnonAdderlan> …and cloned.

[21:27] <+MarkDiazTruman> Translations are definitely coming. We’re working on getting 7th Sea translated, but we need to have a process to get the licenses established.

[21:27] <+JohnWick> Alchemy works completely differently in 2nd Ed.

[21:27] <+MarkDiazTruman> This is a big line of books… so we need to make sure that the folks we’re licensing the property to can actually do the job.

[21:28] <+Mental-Mouse> If Danger Points being usable to raise TN is in flux does that mean that other aspects of Risks are also in flux? Such as Risks having all the same difficulty?

[21:28] <+RobJustice> John likes to say that everything is in flux until it goes to the printer. 😉

[21:28] <+JohnWick> What I tell Rob and Mike: “Nothing is final until it gets sent to layout.”

[21:28] <+RobJustice> BOOM!

[21:28] <+JohnWick> Yep.

[21:28] <+JohnWick> 😀

[21:29] * +AnonAdderlan looks around in a panic.

[21:29] <+MonkofLords> Well, I do want to try my action alchemist again, so I look forward to it

[21:29] <+JohnWick> The game was originally pitched as “Isaac Newton: Man of Action.”

[21:29] <~Dan> 😀

[21:29] <+RobJustice> I’m only here for a few minutes. Quick, someone ask me about something I wrote so I can feel important. Like about Glamour… or Backgrounds… or Stories… or… Uhhh… Hook-Hand.

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[21:30] <+MonkofLords> How does Glamour work Rob?

[21:30] <+netobvious> How has feedback from the early Playtests influenced your thinking about the game and its mechanics?

[21:30] <+Mental-Mouse> Does that mean that one hard night of hard drinking could up end all the work system-wise done thus far?

[21:30] <+WunderWerks> Isaac Newton, Man of Action!

[21:30] <~Dan> (Welcome back, KingCarnival!)

[21:30] <+Crazy-Cabal1> Is glamour still really amazing at high levels?

[21:30] <+DrewWendell> I’m your huckleberry… Backgrounds….

[21:30] <+RobJustice> I pitched a REALLY cool Alchemy system that was really really super not fun. haha

[21:30] <+JohnWick> True.

[21:30] <+AnonAdderlan> RobJustice. WHAT DID YOU WRITE?

[21:30] <+JohnWick> #truth

[21:30] <+Steven> Question about the Maps: WIll they be printed on a heavier paper or will they be printed on something like wallscrolls are, cloth, etc.?

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[21:31] <+JohnWick> That’s a Mark question. 🙂

[21:31] <+seventhbeacon> 12 books in 2 years is a very prolific output. If you do open a swag store I’d love to pick up themed bookends I know I’m gonna need! (Also, has AEG mentioned any movement on the card game they licensed from you considering the Kickstarter’s success?)

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[21:31] <+AnonAdderlan> How are Secrets and Revelations a part of play?

[21:31] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, Blusponge!)

[21:31] <+RobJustice> Glamour: Pick an avatar, you are the embodiment of that legendary character. There are only 20-ish or so of you in ALL THE WORLD and you’re one of them. The avatars are older than mankind, but their most famous recent embodiment were the Knights of King Elilodd.

[21:31] <+WunderWerks> Rob, tell us your story hook-handed glamour character?

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[21:32] <+MarkDiazTruman> @7thbeacon – Yup! We’ve got an aggressive timeline… and we’re recruiting a team big enough to get it done.

[21:32] <+MarkDiazTruman> We’ll look into those bookends. 😀

[21:32] <+JohnWick> Secrets and Revelations are currently not game mechanics.

[21:32] <+RobJustice> Ben: I like to think Pæga was hook-handed….

[21:32] <+JohnWick> You like to think a lot of things.

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[21:33] <+RobJustice> Crazy-Cabal1: Glamour is pretty baller at “high” levels… though levels don’t really work like that anymore.

[21:33] <+AnonAdderlan> How does the game encourage cooperation and interaction between the characters?

[21:33] <+seventhbeacon> Oh, also… is that Bloody Bonnie on the new Core book’s cover?

[21:33] <+WunderWerks> There goes Rob, all thinking again. Geez.

[21:34] <+JohnWick> That is not Bloody Bonnie McGee. That’s a new character.

[21:34] <+JohnWick> The game encourages cooperation through various Advantages and other mechanics. Specifically, through Hero Points.

[21:34] <+Mental-Mouse> When the East Comes out, Will I be cursed forever if I translate 7th Sea into a One Piece game for my anime obsessed friends?

[21:34] <+RobJustice> Oh! That’s all the time I have. Gotta go watch Ru Paul’s Drag Race Untucked!

[21:34] <~Dan> Bye, RobJustice!

[21:34] <+WunderWerks> It’s Jennie Todd and Fabien Badilla, Action Couple!

[21:34] <+JohnWick> If you spend your own Hero Point, it gives you a bonus die. If you spend it for someone else—helping them out—it’s worth 3d10.

[21:34] <+AnonAdderlan> RobJustice, can Glamour ever create something ‘real’?

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[21:34] <+RobJustice> Thanks for humoring me! John, Mark, have fun. 😀

[21:34] <+WunderWerks> Have fun!

[21:34] <~Dan> (wb, blusponge)

[21:35] <+MarkDiazTruman> Adios, Rob. 😀

[21:35] <+JohnWick> Bye Rob!

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[21:35] <+netobvious> Nice, mechanic to encourage cooperative, play.

[21:35] <+JohnWick> It’s what Heroes do. 🙂

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[21:35] <+AnonAdderlan> NOOOO! Ru Paul is more interesting than me!

[21:35] <~Dan> JohnWick: If weapons don’t have stats, why bother with a weapon at all? Or why use a sword instead of a pocket knife?

[21:36] <+netobvious> No selfish munchkins power-maxing. Ha ha ha!

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[21:36] <+WunderWerks> @mental-mouse – I like your idea, but don’t tell John. He has a mental block against anime. He might summon a Masonic curse or something.

[21:36] <+seventhbeacon> @netobvious – Munchkins will always find a way if you give them wiggle room.

[21:36] <+JohnWick> I don’t design for munchkins.

[21:36] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, Guest21!)

[21:36] <+JohnWick> “breaking” an rpg is easy. child’s play.

[21:37] <+JohnWick> “Congrats, you broke an RPG. Did you tell your mom? I’m sure she’ll be proud.”

[21:37] <+AnonAdderlan> Wait…there’s no Anime based on Masons?!?

[21:37] <+MonkofLords> How about the other residents of Oz?

[21:37] <+Motulev> theres an anime for everything

[21:37] <+AnonAdderlan> You’re thinking rule 30something.

[21:37] <+seventhbeacon> There’s even anime about anime fans watching anime.

[21:38] <+WunderWerks> There should be, there’s an anime where battleships are literal girls, so there should be. Now I want to see a Magic Girl Masonic transformation.

[21:38] <+JohnWick> “Why use a sword instead of a pocket knife?” See “Chess is Not an RPG.” Just wear a flame retardant suit.

[21:38] <+AnonAdderlan> {kids these days}

[21:38] <+Mental-Mouse> @WunderWerks I will best than keep is secret or else Incur his wrath. If harming his dog is any indication…

[21:38] <~Dan> Will the inhabitants of the lands outside Theah have equivalents of swordsmanship schools?

[21:39] <+netobvious> Fortunately, we have no Animie in the 7th Sea, not even the Sailor Moon variety. Is that right, John Wick?

[21:39] <+JohnWick> Yes, there will be international “fighting schools.” 🙂

[21:39] <+WunderWerks> Exactly, and he has all the gold coins and a standing reservation at the Continental, just remember, it was actually a corgi and Lithuanians.

[21:39] <+Mental-Mouse> If not in the game, I’d just be adding advantage and disadvantage tags to weapons. -nods-

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[21:39] <+JohnWick> If someone dumps a truckload of money on my lawn to make a 7th Sea anime, I’m good with that.

[21:39] <+Mental-Mouse> Future KS -nods-

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[21:39] <+AnonAdderlan> Don’t tell Kayne West.

[21:40] <+DrewWendell> The math on raises can be pretty tricky; when doing your play tests, what did you find that there were general rules of thumb for scaling encounters and the like? I know it sounds nit-picky and “D20” considering the wide open, narrative feel of the system, but I am very curious about how you arrived at, for example, 8 wounds as the number in the castle escape

[21:40] <+WunderWerks> John, Mark, can you tell us about any cool setting things that are new?

[21:41] <+AnonAdderlan> But seriously JohnWick, which part of the system are you LEAST satisfied with so far, and what horrible problem do you hope to banish by fixing it?

[21:41] <+JohnWick> Scaling encounters relies on knowing your players, their characters and their capabilities. Just like any other RPG.

[21:42] <+JohnWick> I really don’t have anything I don’t like. If I didn’t like it, it wouldn’t be in the game.

[21:42] <+netobvious> Following up @DrewWendell, to help newbies, will you have lots of examples? Many people find examples easier to follow than rules explanations written as if by lawyers.

[21:42] <+JohnWick> TONS of examples.

[21:42] <+netobvious> Excellent! Those always help. 😀

[21:42] <+DrewWendell> *is a lawyer* I will accept rules explanations too…

[21:42] <~Dan> How long does character creation take, generally speaking?

[21:43] <+JohnWick> Less than 5 minutes.

[21:43] <~Dan> Seriously?

[21:43] <+JohnWick> Assign values to Traits, pick two Backgrounds, spend 5 points of Advantages, and you’re done.

[21:43] <+JohnWick> Seriously.

[21:43] <~Dan> That’s pretty impressive.

[21:43] <+JohnWick> Oh, and you can pick or make a Story. That’s probably the longest part.

[21:44] <+netobvious> Great for convention play, that.

[21:44] <+blusponge> That sounds great!

[21:44] <+seventhbeacon> 5 minutes unless you’re like me and terribly indecisive. I take at least a good hour to pick a name. 😉

[21:44] <+Motulev> same here

[21:44] <+Glamourweaver> Is Elaine still following the Arthurian Cycle?

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[21:44] <+blusponge> Where do Hubris and Virtue fit into that?

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[21:45] <+JohnWick> Elaine: Yes.

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[21:45] <+JohnWick> You still pick a Hubris and a Virtue.

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[21:45] <+WunderWerks> Yeah, it’s five minutes of decision making or ten hours of me deliberating on my character’s complete life history.

[21:45] <+JohnWick> They’re customized to the Sorte Deck’s Arcana now, but they still work the same way.

[21:46] <+DrewWendell> @JWP The system is very loose overall, is there anywhere that you think it becomes particularly granular? This is the prelude to my inevitable dueling question…

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[21:46] <+AnonAdderlan> I envy you. I can’t look at any of my own designs without finding something I wouldn’t burn in peril, or fire, or whatever it is kids are calling it these days.

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[21:46] <+JohnWick> It never becomes very granular. It’s built around giving the players and GM room to improvise.

[21:46] <~Dan> Welcome to #rpgnet, mpark6288!

[21:46] <+AnonAdderlan> So about those sword schools…

[21:46] <+JohnWick> And there is no more “dueling system.”

[21:46] <+blusponge> I know I’m late to the party, but as anyone asked about hero advancement yet?

[21:46] <+netobvious> Why duel when you can “opportune” your way out. 😉

[21:46] <+JohnWick> Sword schools give you “maneuvers” you can use during Action Scenes.

[21:46] <+blusponge> Yay!

[21:47] <+DrewWendell> That is -just- what I was hoping to hear

[21:47] <+JohnWick> We couldnt find a way to make dueling exciting, quick and fun. It just turned into a mini-game. And I’m not interested in mini-games in RPGs.

[21:47] <+AnonAdderlan> Like?

[21:47] <+netobvious> John Wick is not even interested in extensive ship combat with cannons firing.

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[21:48] <~Dan> (wb, Lee!)

[21:48] <+JohnWick> Oh, I am! Just not in an RPG. 🙂

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[21:48] <+JohnWick> I ❤ ❤ ❤ Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag.

[21:48] <+AnonAdderlan> Because for a lot of people this will be be the meat of it.

[21:48] <+netobvious> Someone complained on a forum that we are seeing less of the vast blue sea in this 7th Sea RPG.

[21:49] <+AnonAdderlan> Becides the fire, danger peril, ex, something.

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[21:49] <+JohnWick> Well, considering they haven’t even read 1% of the book yet, I’d suggest they were jumping the gun a little. 🙂

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[21:49] <+xyphoid> so the important question, can I crossover Cat with 7th Sea

[21:49] <+DrewWendell> Set-piece stuff doesn’t seem at home in this system, but naval combat is something I’d like to see pretty well fleshed out… mostly because “Roll out the long nines!” has such a ring to it

[21:49] <+AnonAdderlan> SOMEONE COMPLAINED ABOUT BLUE?!?

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[21:49] <~Dan> Okay, so a few quick notes.

[21:49] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, DerrickKap!)

[21:49] <+seventhbeacon> I found that backwards. We’re getting much more land and therefore much more shoreline. A whole book on ships and sea battles would just become crunch, right?

[21:49] <+JohnWick> Smart, sentient, magic cats in Théah? Perish the thought…

[21:50] <~Dan> First, I hope that those of you who showed up for the Q&A will hang out with us in the future. We’re a friendly, flame-free bunch. 🙂

[21:50] <+JohnWick> What would a book on ships say, actually? “Here’s the different stats for 9 pounders and 12 pounders?”

[21:50] <+WunderWerks> Did someone say there wouldn’t be sailing in 7th Sea!? Keelhaul them!

[21:50] <~Dan> That goes for you, too, JohnWick and MarkDiazTruman. 🙂

[21:50] <+seventhbeacon> I figured those details and options would be scattered throughout all the current books.

[21:51] <+seventhbeacon> (Not stats, just ship types, rules to build a ship with “personality”, etc.)

[21:51] <~Dan> Second, while you guys are welcome to hang out with us and field questions as long as you like, is there anything we haven’t covered that you’d like to bring up in what remians of “regular time”?

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[21:51] <+blusponge> I would expect it to have Backgrounds and Advantages for ships. Maybe size classes. But you don’t need a whole book for that.

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[21:51] <+AnonAdderlan> Will you be writing scenarios based on the songs Rush wrote about boats?

[21:52] <+netobvious> Before John Wick leaves, the question of Secret Societies? Will they be mostly from Theah or will other cultures like Ifri will be in that last book?

[21:52] <+AnonAdderlan> It’s a secret. Duh.

[21:52] <~Dan> Oh, and if you enjoyed the chat and are so inclined, my online tip jar is here: (Link: https://gmshoe.wordpress.com/the-gmshoes-tip-jar/)https://gmshoe.wordpress.com/the-gmshoes-tip-jar/ 🙂

[21:52] <+DrewWendell> I just want to say Thanks. Seriously. I missed Theah… It will be very nice to go back…

[21:52] <+netobvious> The Theah ones are already known somewhat.

[21:52] <+JohnWick> Rush wrote three songs about ships: one on Caress of Steel, one on A Farewell to Kings and one on Clockwork Angles.

[21:52] <+JohnWick> But no boats.

[21:53] <+AnonAdderlan> Gangster Boats 😛

[21:53] <+JohnWick> The Gangster of Boats Trilogy doesn’t count.

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[21:53] <+seventhbeacon> Thanks for your time John, Mark! Thanks for the opportunity and hosting, Dan!

[21:53] <~Dan> Absolutely!

[21:53] <+JohnWick> Thank you!

[21:54] <~Dan> Any final questions for our guests?

[21:54] <+blusponge> I have two.

[21:54] <+JohnWick> Make ’em quick. 😉

[21:54] <+blusponge> Will there be monsters (mermaids, ruin beasts, etc.)?

[21:55] <+netobvious> The Secret Societies book, will it include the Ifri ones or the New World ones?

[21:55] <+JohnWick> Yes, monsters.

[21:55] <+JohnWick> No, Secret Societies only contains Théan stuff.

[21:55] <+netobvious> 😦

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[21:55] <+netobvious> But thanks for the answer. 😀

[21:55] <+blusponge> Does character advancement lead to “advantage bloat”?

[21:55] <+JohnWick> I don’t want people looking for an Ifri SS in a book that isn’t Ifri.

[21:56] <+netobvious> The name “Secret Societies” is not really Thean either. Every culture has secrets. Ha ha ha!

[21:56] <+JohnWick> All character advancement leads to “bloat.” Because character advancement assumes a character always gets “better.” The only way to avoid that is to avoid advancement.

[21:56] <+netobvious> But thanks. 😀

[21:56] <~Dan> Thanks for joining us, JohnWick and MarkDiazTruman!

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[21:57] <+JohnWick> Thanks!

[21:57] <+MarkDiazTruman> From a development perspective, we’re going to base further development on fan interest. If we sell out of Ifri books, we’ll be able to justify putting Jerry to work on more awesome Ifri stuff. 😀

[21:57] <~Dan> Can you hang on for a moment while I post the log and get you the link?

[21:57] <+JohnWick> sure.

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[21:57] <+MarkDiazTruman> Of coures!

[21:57] <~Dan> Excellent. One moment, please…!