Wednesday, October 24, 2012

The Spear, the AK 47 of pre-modern times; Lessons on Tactics

http://goo.gl/aQEa5 this is a reddit discussion which I concur with, and want to save for use later on.

Been Playing Airsoft more, and learning more and more about tactical implementation.
I'm a bit of a slow learner, because I tend to be very uncertain and can't see all the datum very clearly. It takes me more tries than the average person to learn a particular lesson. It doesn't improve my understanding so much that I can perform better, but it does make it easy for me to teach and communicate.

I guess thats the draw back. Slow learner, but better Teacher.

Currently when it comes to tactics and flow of a skirmish, I find myself being predictable. Which is a good thing. In fact, I'm surprised how I'm exactly on the same page as my captain. There is this "second-thought" that has begun to happen when I realized I am predictable.

Before I act, I try to visualize what I'm going to do. I string the line of cover and displacement positions in my mind (as much as I can in a given situation; sometimes 2 steps, more depending on the complexity of the situation). Then the awareness of my predictability kicks in, it is a nagging voice that acts almost like an instinct.

But I need more data than most people, so I get pretty choked up what to do when I don't have enough information. Like when were were clearing a room, they were asking me to clear Left because I was right (cross fire position) and they were saying "clear left" to me :P which I figured out later meant I'm clear to move forward.

So i'm still struggling with predictability, but I'm getting there. I need more repetition and visualization. Even a chance to exercise buddy buddy movements with imaginary guns with my partner in an empty parking lot. I bet It looks weird but damn its satisfying when its executed well :P

Anyway I'm tasked to make the handbook for the team. Which is pretty sweet, and I'm converting stuff in my combat handbooks into meaning that is easier to digest for laymen... although they are rather easy to digest - those books are pretty straight forward but I'm the only one geeky enough to go through them (in my circle).

Still thinking my brothers would be awesome in this. One has already tried and joined me, when our parents were away (he drives them around on sundays). The other is a larp game writer.



Friday, October 19, 2012

Topics of a Multi-media RPG presentation

I'm currently working with some artists right now for the Map. Now, wondering what would be a fast way of introducing a setting and setting concepts? I was considering using both Video and Audio presentations for getting people to understand the setting.

I listen to a lot of history podcasts: I got Chinahistorypodcast.com, Byzantium (Lars Brownsworth, and Robin Pierson)... etc. So another medium by which people can learn about aspects of Low Tech Societies....

I also started checking out the RPG podcasts, first one I've tried is Happy Jack RPG podcast.

So i got to thinking wouldn't it be easier to have an audio or video presentation for setting details. Topics like:
Feudalism
Roman Imperialism
The Bureaucracy of China and Rome
Courtiers and they employ power* ( a mostly ignored element in settings).
Roman Warfare
Patron Client System - Roman, most politics, etc..
... oops that sounds like history, but stuff people need to understand to understand the setting. I'd rather give a historical overview and say: ...and this setting is just like that or its like that but with this twist.

Aspects that are important to a setting, in one date:
The Princes / The Dukes
Their Armies and Commanders
Their Cities and Holdings
Persons of Interests
The Geography (Going over the map)
Common Lore of the Realm

So I was wondering if I could make an RPG podcast of such broken down into 30 mins episodes. Anyway, I'll have the nitty gritty stats as part of the booklet, but the main points summarized. The idea is to make it easily accessible, and players to do their background reading.



Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Digesting a lot of Chinese History

Thanks to Laszlo Montgomery I found it easier to follow chinese history. As a filipino, i pretty much fall in between western and eastern culture... especially since our culture is weak and heavily borrowed.

I have to make a shout out to what Mr. Laszlo has done and the steadiness and frequency he has made his pod casts. I've tried the two other Chinese history lectures in the Teaching Company, and Mr. Laszlo's material greatly supplements details that are not tackled in the broad strokes.

It has gotten to the point that I want to adventure in: Modern historical China. Freaking eh, right?! I appreciate the risks, the challenges, the triumphs and the sufferings. The world is real to me, and thats what learning various histories do; they make the past more real and more remembered.

I feel strongly that people should check it out, especially since it gives a very well rounded world view. I have my own Philippine history, I get a lot of US history from the media, I got a lot of European history in gaming, through the Teaching company I got Ancient Empires before alexander and Human Civilization, because of Anime and L5R I got a lot of Japanese history, and now from mr. Laszlo I can get chinese history....

... funny is that I really have no one to talk to about chinese history... :P especially since its a controversial topic, I can get banned by the great firewall, and if I want to do biz in china I better keep my big mouth shut about my opinions about China :P

Like Scarborough Shoal or the Spratly Islands or Chinese fishing vessels entering Philippine waters...

I have to say, the amount of death, suffering and turbulence in China in ancient and modern history is equal to that of a whole continent. So in terms of wars, skirmishes, and tragedies few if there are any would meet a statistical and demographic equivalent. 

Monday, October 15, 2012

Mr Hooks Sketch Up of RPG 3d and 2d Maps

This is awesome. Structure wise they are HUGE, so perfect for fantasy. It would be nice to have the time to learn and produce some historical generic locations like this.

Friday, October 12, 2012

I have an artist already; patience is needed

I found an artist already. So this journey begins. Hoping for the best, and time must be taken.

Basically the project is a Mass Combat Map and RPG setting. Basically I make all the details that allow for easy Mass Combat and Political set up. Basically a lot of Fluff, and unofficially the notes that allow for the use of GURPS Mass combat, Social Engineering, and some of my own notes of how you can run this political war game with Telescopic Flexibility. Run it as a War game, or as an RPG, or somewhere in between.

The map will be broken into layers, and you will be free to edit and re-arrange it using your fractal mapping program or inkscape.

My target audience are GMs with a certain standard of Prep when it comes to economic and demographic, and military resource details. I will provide Carrying Capacity, metrics for training, population and demographics about screening and training.

Basically all of the details in GURPS that are too much work for most GMs in a modular manner (so they can cannibalize it or hack it into their setting).

Strangely all my experience in being an analyst in a company that does recruitment and placement, financial, training, fit-out and construction helps in making this. Also it allows me to exercise a lot of the skills I don't get to because of how work tends to focus on certain skills at a time.

I've yet to do a gant chart to forecast the amount of time it will take me to do all this. but once I have that chart and flow, i can produce more and more materials faster.

target price of the work is $7 at the most. Probably 100MB because of the map that is designed to printed in a tarp. And all the perphirals that would help. Notebooks for each Barony/House and all the background dressing each barony would need. The format is reusable for ones own setting.

The other funny part is that I can go to odesk and vett freelancers (in the philippines) to help other GMs find people to help them in their world building. :P