Tag Archives: The Nearside Project

by | August 31, 2015 · 3:33 pm

#RPGaDAY2015: Part Seven, Island of the Lizard King

Day Twenty-six: Favourite inspiration for your game?

Music.

I’ve had a few characters, campaigns etc sparked off by watching a particular movie (for example I think the recent NOAH film might make a neat Apocalypse World hack) but in the main I think it’s music that does it. There’s a different buzz for creation there.

Anything from Jethro Tull and Bob Dylan to Gary Numan and Heaven 17; not to mention everything inbetween/around/before/after.

I’m never sure if the music is the inspiration itself or if it’s simply making things coalesce.

Example: I’d planned to do some kind of superhero background, so that was very much in mind, and then I was listening to March the Mad Scientist by Jethro Tull and it clicked with what I had bubbling away in my head.

The lyrics of that song (“and March the mad scientist, brings a new change…”) added to Rage In Eden by Ultravox and a few other things, led to my MARBLE ARCH superhero campaign (“and they were the new gods, and they shone on high”), which appeared in slightly altered form as the DECEMBER STORM variant Earth in the original Nearside Project game.

Different music might have resulted in a somewhat different setting?

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by | · 2:46 pm

#RPGaDAY2015: Part Six, the Savage Horde

Day Twenty One: Favourite RPG setting?

Well, clearly there’s Glorantha, but on the other hand there is also what’s known as the NEARSIDE from Broken Rooms (the RPG formerly known as THE NEARSIDE PROJECT). It’s published by Greymalkin Designs who are also responsible for the ‘high fantasy brought low’ game DESOLATION.

Broken Rooms is mostly written by Stephen Herron, and deals with thirteen alternate versions of Earth, where things are going very badly indeed.

There’s a world struck by an asteroid, a world where aliens have invaded, a world turning into an icebox. I could go on…

At this point I should probably mention I am responsible for some of the stuff in Broken Rooms – some worlds and bits and bobs – but I do genuinely think it’s an excellent background for exploring anything from high adventure to subtle introspection, all wrapped up in a deeper undercurrent of story about grief and meaning and what’s all this stuff about the number 13…

Day Twenty-two: Perfect game environment?

I like a table and comfortable chairs. It’s not essential but I think people get more into ‘game mode’ (if there is such a thing) when they’re sitting around a big table and have enough room for their character sheets, pencils and dice, beverages and snacks. Plus enough space in the centre of the table for maps or handouts. Bonus points if the table is away from the television, passing non-player traffic and any other distractions.

Gold star if there’s a giant chalkboard on which to write down important stuff about plot etc.

Day Twenty-three: Perfect game for you?

Anything. Okay, almost anything.

It’s the players (GM included) that make the game, not trivial stuff like background or setting or system. Clearly there are settings I prefer – superheroes (in disaffected vigilante format), spies (worn down, world weary, post-cold-war looking for a new foe style) – but, whatever is on offer I’ll usually give it a try. I’m not a huge fan of unrelenting grimness, but even that can be lightened by the right group.

Everyone gets together and tells an entertaining story for a few hours/days/years. That’s the perfect game.

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