Newest Issue of SoRoPlay GamTools, Horror Ref(erence). In this issue, there is new material never published including rankings, a horror generator tool, a brief history, and horror definitions.

 

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/333448/SoRoPlay-GamTools-Zine-Horror-Ref

Now available, the latest issue of SoRoPlay GamTools focusing on a Horror Reference issue available at an introductory price 30% off until the end of October.

55-page PDF, with some illustrations

This issue is a Horror Reference (Ref). It has new material built around several questions.

• What is horror?

• What fiction sources my serve as a companion to horror RPG gaming?

• What type of random d100 tool may help to create a horror story?

• What is a brief timeline of highlights for horror novels, movies, and videogames by decade or century?

• And what horror novels, movies, and video games might serve as inspiration for horror gaming?

Those were a few of the questions and topics for this issue of SoRoPlay GamTools Zine.

This 55 page Horror Ref(erence) zine PDF brings together several rankings to create an average horror novel, movie, and video game ranking. It also awards medals to the most frequently cited works: gold, silver, and bronze.

A section at the beginning explores the horror definition and related words.

A brief history of the past decades and centuries of horror novels, movies, and video games highlights major titles and works.

It has a horror tool, d100 random horror noun, verb, adjective, and adverb table.

This PDF is illustrated with some images.

This PDF has the following sections and/or tables.

• Is horror a genre?

• What is horror?

• How is horror distinct from a thriller, suspense, or mystery genre?

• Parts of Horror Definition: Fear, Dread, Abhorrence, Aversion, and Repugnance

• Intense Dislike: Distinction between Antipathy, Aversion, Repugnance, and Disgust

• In a state: Frighten, Scare, Indimidate, or Cow

• In a state: Fear, Dread, Fright, Dismay, Consternation, Panic, Terror, or Horror

• Brief History of Horror – Highlights from the Past (novels, movies, video games)

• Grammar Fuel: Horror Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives, and Adverbs (100 each)

• Top Horror Novels (26 core books, 135 ranked books, many more unranked books)

• Top Horror Movies (54 core movies, 215 ranked movies, many more unranked movies)

• Top Horror Video Games (10 core video games, 26 ranked video games, more unranked video games)

7-core set now available

Last year, I bundled the then-current 4-core set of RPG tools for the end of spring and summer 2019 gaming. This year, I'm doing the same. This time it is a 7-core set! It is 520 pages of 100 RPG gaming tools for US $ 46.48 (or less depending on how many of the pieces you already own).

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/311357/RPG-Tools-Character-Setting-Story-Words--Violence-BUNDLE



Added to the 5-volume set of last fall are the two new volumes from Grammar Fuel series.
Grammar fuel is sets of random tables separated by part of speech, phrase, or idiom and alphabetized in mostly d1000 tables (one is d10, one d20, two d100).

These Grammar Fuel tables have the American English most common and frequent words all on tables to help build any open world.

Grammar Fuel: Parts of Speech

Grammar Fuel: parts of speech (POS) tables have 2,000 verbs, 2,000 nouns, 2,000 adjectives, 1,000 adverbs, 1,000 interjections, 250 prepositions, 100 pronouns, 100 subordinating conjunctions, 100 determiners, 20 correlative conjunction pairs, 8 coordinating conjunctions, and 5 article/plural combinations.

So, it is like a 8,583 random word table divided by part of speech. However, speaking styles influence which words are generated somewhat.

In addition, the POS book has a dialogue style engine which five differing dialogue styles of thinking, doing, feeling, discussing, and formal use the various parts of speech in different proportions.

The POS book also has a dialogue style question-word table, which an NPC or gamemaster surrogate ask 17 different types of questions beginning with 17 different question words (who, what, when, where, why,.....) either randomly, triggered, or both causality.

I use this and the 2nd book to roll up 1 to 3 keyword to be used in a dialogue for solo gaming.

Other uses might include rolling for random setting features (noun + adjective, determiner, or preposition), descriptive pronouns (pronoun + adjective, preposition, or noun), descriptive verbs (verb + adverb or preposition. If used as a GM surrogate, it may be used to indicate that the GM is asking the player an important question or adding an important detail.

127 page PDF with bookmarked side navigation, hyperlink table of contents, and a hyperlinked navigation page accessible quickly from every page by clicking on a link on the bottom of every page.

Examples from the included 16 parts of speech tables.

Verb Fuel #73 beg

More Verb Fuel #78 attempt

Adjective Fuel #74 benevolent

More Adjective Fuel #94 battle-scarred

Noun Fuel #95 brother

More Noun Fuel #143 coin

Adverb #78 barely

Pronoun #18 he

Preposition #113 to #116 as for

Article nouns.
Article 1to 2 the [singular]

Determiner #12 all
Coordinating Conjunction #6 but
Correlative Conjunction #6 just as...so...
Subordinating Conjunction #6 although

Interjection #78 best wishes

Grammar Fuel: 12,000 Phrases & Idioms

Grammar Fuel: 12,000 Phrases & Idioms is a 12,000 phrases and idioms on 12 tables alphabetized and numbered for d1000 rolls. The idioms are mostly American English based.

I use this second book to take the place of any one part of speech roll, whenever desired.

146 page PDF, bookmark navigation, hyperlink table of contents, and a navigation page which may be accessed quickly from every page by clicking on a link on the bottom of page.

These are just features found in the two newest PDF books

Plus the Prior 5 PDF books

This character mechanism book has tools to help create PC and NPC characters, character behavior, dialogue topics, voice qualities, character motivation, character sensory data, emotions, body language, human physical descriptions, character knowledge, careers, subconscious dreams & interpretation, and circles of relationships. The basic NPC AI is included focusing on personality archetype, moods, emotions, body language, motivation, dialogue engine, behavior engine, and relationship circles (the next volume, CM2 has character thinking, relationships, and reaction (emotion) engines).

This character mechanism II book has tools to help create descriptive character traits, flaws, thoughts, reactions, and relationships.

This story mechanism book has keyword(s) tools to help create story plots, twists, theme, mood, motive, foe, story seed, scene action, transition scenes, narrative, and work with the main conflicts.

This environmental mechanism book has tools to help create brief descriptive mostly outdoor setting, weather, terrain, natural disasters, Earth-like animals, and even fantasy worlds. The focus of the tools are to create description in brief-but-unique sentence descriptions made with keywords. Each of the tools focuses on using specific biome, terrain, type of environmental event, sensory experience, or life type keywords or details.

This remnant RPG tools book has tools to help have more descriptive violent combat. One strike kills and limb severence are possible with this tool. Because of this, this book is for more mature gamers. This also brings together a revised and slightly expanded combat system from the minimalist system, three descriptive combat critical tables, minimalist skills, minimalist elemental effects, minimalist: fear, disgust, & madness, and minimalist: ghosts, angels, & demons.

World of the Fifth Sun progress 2014 to 1018

Summer of 2014

Everything really began in 2014 when during the summer I came across NaNoWriMo. Sometime around the mid or late summer I decided to try writing a novel during November. I remember checking out several books and taking notes on how to write novels.

I created Song and Fire, a short novel set in a world that I called the Ea, the World of the Fifth Sun.

2015

For a more complete look at 2015 summary, see my 2016 year end review of 2015 post.

I remember revising Song and Fire during January of 2015. While this first novel only sold a few copies, it spurred me to return to tabletop RPGs after 20 years. This book's mythology is that Ea is on the third planet on the fifth sun or 'sol' in a series of worlds, each proceeding world having been destroyed in a war of gods. I can actually easily move this story into an Aioskoru human region if I wanted to.

I began World of the Fifth Sun blog on March 13, 2015.

Exploring into RPG engine source documents

I created several documents which would inspire generator and engine products this year in 2018. 

Much of my Character Generator and flaws was initially created in the Stories vs RPGs series and resulting book.

July of 2015 my nephew in my family was tragically killed by a drunk driver.

I began my Rolemaster beta testing experience around this time as well.

In October, I began creating Aioskoru.

October 28 I began trying to build Aioskoru using online random content generators and learning to expand map techniques. 

November I wrote my 2nd novel, a collection of short stories for the World of the Fifth Sun which resulted in two of the short stories being released Worn and Lanic. Although only those two stories were ever published in one small volume, I still have the remaining stories unedited in my collection. I might be able to do something in the future with this old unreleased content.

I ended the year with more map creation techniques which resulted in techniques used in Quick free maps series and book in 2016.

2016

For a more complete look at 2015 summary, see my 2016 year end review of 2016 post.

2016 began by finishing my map making techniques. 

I then switched to fantasy constructed languages. 

Dice, card, and probability brought me to ABS12 creation series. This was actually my 3rd RPG game attempt after a WotFS Fudge and FAE versions which are actually inspirations for One-Roll Fudge RPG, which were never published anywhere. While A Basic System 12 (ABS12) V1.08 may not be great in it's entirety, pieces of that game are great and are actual pieces such as the Plot Generator and Fact Generator. 

In mid 2016 summer, I began selling products on DriveThru and RPGNow. First, maps were my topic. It quickly switched to Aioskoru and the Solo Game Engine and Fact Generator (which are pieces of ABS12).

In late that year, I began creating Fairy language, which is a test into the possible content of books such as Elvish Language. I've had words written for Elvish since earlier this 2016 year but have changed much of it in it's current form. It is based, however, on the same words. Fairy would be published first since I knew that I owned the rights to this invented language.

5e x 5 was really the emphasis at the end of this year 2016.

Comparing open gaming systems during this year also fueled my more recent Parallel Open Gaming Systems products.

2017

2017 began by finishing 5e x 5 products for a few months. Later, Character Gen (based on Stories vs RPGs) vs, Description Gen (item focus), and Motivation Gen  (based on Stories vs RPGs) were released. 

In the blog, I began with finishing my Fairy Language which I would release a year later in PDF.

My Aioskoru Myth Making series created early 2017 has yet to be published anywhere except on my blog.

The Star Frontiers blog series helped inspire me to complete 5e x 5 Future Characters later during the year. 

In the middle of the year 2017, my MERP Collectors Edition series helped to quench my RMX anger.

Next post

Tomorrow, I might look at some goals that I wrote at the beginning of 2017 and see if there is any inspiration there.

Character Mechanisms - creating character profile instructions (part 7)

This is part of a series of posts to create a character using Character Mechanisms using the Character Profile sheet.

From the last post, I created body language and character behavior character profile information. I'll focus on the dialogue first, skip the combined action for now, and do the communicator. I hope to return to the combined action later.

√Group A Important

Group B Reliant

√Character Behavior Engine

Character Dialogue Engine

Skip -Character combined action engine

Character Communicator

1. Character Dialogue Generator

How does my character's speak at first meeting?

It's time to generate vocal qualities to help imagine how the character speaks.

Already having the character personality, I begin with the volume of speaking.

1

1 Quiet

This character speaks in a quiet vocal tone most of the time. Okay, an opposing skeptic that speaks quiet.

I'll roll for two more qualities randomly.

2	6
6	6

2, 6 resonance comes from chest
6, 6 speaks in complex sentences

So, having a chest resonance but speaks quietly may mean that the overall range might be low as well. Certainly, either the character is educated or hangs around educated people and has picked up complex sentence dialogue.

With vocal qualities, now for the beginning general mood for any character interaction. I don't have any main character interaction, so there will be no modifier for this instance, just random dice.

2

3

2, friendly conversation mood
3, opening scene or conflict, See FRPG conflict or Plot Generator = Speak about the opening scene or conflict/plot.

So, whatever opening scene or plot that the main characters are doing, this unnamed quiet-speaking, chesty-toned, dark auburn long haired, hourglass shaped, charismatic & skeptical character will have something to say about it — most likely opposing or questioning either the main character(s) goal, a popular view, or an proposed action though civilly initially.

This character's motive has already been generated: social, acknowledgment; self-actualize, ugliness. After which one comment was "Very shallow."

Some common words are jotted down to help get into this character. I put two down for skeptic personality and one for relaxed state when the character becomes caregiver, such as very friendly situations. If of course the character becomes stress, striver words could be added, but for now this is sufficient.

Oppose	I don’t believe…
Question	Why should/would I/we (have)...?
Relaxed Caregiver	You/He/She/They should(n’t) have…

Next for some character communicator information.

2. Character Communicator

How (what function) will this character oppose, doubt, or question the main characters?

11

initial skeptic state, 11, analyze function; to examine details or entirety = stimulus response; questions and answers.

Click on image to enlarge

Having skipped the combined action engine, next post will move on to group C with Knowledge Generator and Career Generator.

A small note. I hope to write something for NaNoWriMo/NaGa demon/SGAM18/ if possible. So if I don't finish this series by that time then the final posts may be delayed until after writing a new project. This is why I initially set the deadline for the end of the month of October.

Character Mechanisms - creating character profile instructions (part 1)

Having added a character profile sheet to the Character Mechanisms book just after publishing the book, I never got around to making any sort of examples nor instructions.

This sounds like a good topic in the form of a challenge for a few posts.

Challenge

So, the challenge of this and maybe a few more posts is a challenge to create instructions and example of creating a character profile.

Character Mechanisms

$16 sold individually worth of tools.

I put the character profile as a free download, since it might help get some more people interested in either the separate books or the full combined book

Scope

So, knowing the challenge, it's time to focus on figuring out how much work will be needed.

Different types of story characters

One factor that comes to mind is that for many of my tools, I mention a different between background, minor, major, and main characters.

• I should probably mention in the instructions a way to generate the different types of characters for stories.

Full coverage

For a main character, I probably need at least to fill in every category with something.

• All types of data should be covered.

Hierarchy and Prioritize

Since one piece of information isn't as important as other piece, I should figure out what is more important that the other information.

• Prioritize character information.

Time Deadline

Ideally, having this done before NaNoWriMo would be ideal. 

• Complete before November 1st, 2018 target.

Summary of challenge

So, for a few posts I hope to create instructions and examples for using the new character profile sheet for Character Mechanisms.

• for different types of characters
• covering all of the types of data
• with prioritized character information
• with a goal of completing before November 1st.

What primary reason do you play roleplaying games?

Imagination is what brought me back to roleplaying games.

Decade of virtual worlds

Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs ) brought me a decade of limited images constructed by others. After a decade of socializing online and meeting others, from Everquest up until Lord of the Rings Online, computer role-playing games occupied part of my hobby time. Something was lacking. Something that I had before MMORPGs. To me, that was using my imagination.

All that I had from the computer gaming was pre-made settings and features.

Everything was handed to me.

Missing

What I was missing most was using my imagination.

Creativity first emerged in the urge to write a story. I hadn't written anything since putting down my rule and setting books decades earlier. I wanted to tell my own story, not participate in a limited story. The story I wanted is boundless, open, and free - not restricted by borders, pixels, reset times, and quest lines.

I had to write new ideas.

Writing

Two stories I wrote for national novel month.

Not long after the first novel and having written 200 pages of a new world, I wanted then to expand my long neglected imagination.

RPGs

I searched for my old system. MERP is gone.

I found newer, unknown to me, systems: Fudge, Fate, 5e, PF, among hundreds - maybe thousands.

Despite different rules that focused on different parts of gaming, my imagination remains a common thread throughout all of the games.

Imagination.

I posed this question in Lone Wolf Roleplaying which is a great community of gamers that focus on solo roleplaying.

Although there is a poll with numbers showing at this time some number from the poll and that many of the people list imagination as well, I assume that users have multiple reasons for playing the games. The comments show multiple reasons, although my questionnaire only allows one answer.

My other reasons for playing RPGs.
If I put my reasons in order, a second it would be setting (playing in interesting settings), and third would be action (exploring new and exciting types of action), followed by rules (trying interesting focused rules).

Through this past year, I've been using solo roleplaying techniques in my story writing. My first two novel month writings were done using built structures primarily Dramatica mixed with snowflake method of novel creation. The past year I've mixed in my rekindled interest in roleplaying games and found solo roleplaying games. They are a friendly community, unlike other communities I have encountered which are protective.

What primary reason do you play roleplaying games?

This informal question wasn't to find a right or wrong answer. In fact, I tried to mention that there is no correct answer since the reasons for playing are depend on the individual. It's just to create a discussion and see how why others say that they play roleplaying games. The other blogs had things like to improve memory, to use your imagination, for creative problem solving, for high action combat, and for socializing, for fun, fan of setting, the rules, or coerced into playing, etc.

Given only 5 choices and knowing that this is a solo gaming community, I chose five somewhat summary descriptions: action, imagination, challenge, setting, and rules. I didn't think this would cover everything, but there is also room to comment and add missing reasons.

The other choices and suggestions

I may in the future write about about the other reasons for playing roleplaying games.

Grammar for writing Writing, RPGs, & Stories: Plural

I wanted to start a stand alone series just looking at American English grammar. For this series, I'll be using both Turabian's A Manual for Writers (Cicago Style) and APA Manual

I took this sentence from the first part of the 5e SRD. From this sentence, I'm going to look into my APA style guide to look at their grammar and style rules. I first mark all of the nouns, the number, and the state of possession if need be.

Is a character (sing. noun) muscle-bound and insightful? Brilliant and charming? Nimble and hardy? Ability scores (comp pl. noun) define these qualities (pl. noun) —a creature’s (sing. pos. noun) assets (pl. noun) as well as weaknesses (pl. noun).

First it would be great to review rules for plural nouns.

Plurality of Nouns (Notes from Chicago Style guide)

• General rule: For most common nouns, form the plural by adding s. For words ending in ch, j, s, sh, x, or z add es instead: character, characters; creature's is singular; asset, assets; weakness, weaknesses.
• For singular common words ending in consonant + y, make it plural by dropping the y and adding ies: baby, babies; 
• For singular common words ending in consonant + f or fe, make it plural by dropping the f or fe and adding ves: dwarf, dwarves. 
• For singular common words ending in ff, make it plural by adding a s: cliff, cliffs.
• For singular proper words, add a s: the Wickhams
• For compound words, add s or es to the last noun. This is the case for ability scores.
• In a prepositional phrase or adjective follows, add s or es to the main noun.
• For letters and numerals, form the plural by adding an s alone: Rs, 2s, 2010s. (APA agrees thought it also mentions the spelled numbers like fours, sixes, and threes)
• For letters that might create confusion and lower case letters, add an 's: i's, x's, y's, A's, B's.
• For abbreviations, add s: DVDs, RPGs. (APA agrees)
• Add an 's if the abbreviation has an internal period or lower case letter: PhD's.
• Irregular abbreviation plural: p. page, pp. pages; n. note, nn. notes. (APA agrees)
• Science unit of measurements: 1 m, 5 m. (APA agrees)
• Terms in italics, form the plural by adding an s in roman type: Two Scrolls of Infinitys
• Collective nouns vary in how they are used compared to British English. Most of the time in AmE, collective nouns are singular.

JAGS: NPC list & skills

JAGS is a free downloadable universal role-playing game found at http://mchacon8.wixsite.com/jagsrpg. It also can be purchased in book form.

To go with the chart I made a skill list which has all the costs, grouped by stat or type of skill. I used the newer JAGS Archetype skill cost and mixed it with the level costs. Also I added a Tough type character to the template which might represent a farmer or smith - some that vary in reflexes. There is both physically or mentally tough.

JAGS human types
[Click image to enlarge]

JAGS Skill costs
These are grouped by type, expensive or standard cost, and stat. Towards the end are the eithor/or skills which can use one of many stats.

[Click image to enlarge]