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Katherine Rosland
Norway
Stavanger
Rogaland
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Alright! I can't believe my rolls! But, actually, if you look at what I really rolled, over 50% are 1's... I'm glad we keep the highest!
So, Amy finds a few useful thing-a-ma-bobs in her box, an old motion sensor from a burglar alarm, an infrared light and a laser pen set a good basis for her little doohickey.
She fashions the thing onto an old paintball gun as a handle with the equipment in the old ball tank. She saw's off the front of the gun and places the two lights at the front with a filter that will spread the beam. Above them she places the sensor and uses a whole load of duct tape to hold the thing together.
Finally she adds a little wave printer that will give a reading of the motions invisible to the eye, and that can be analyzed later for good data.
It may not look too pretty. but it does the job!
Coming out of the back room she holds up the doohickey and says in a small meek voice:
I call it the 'Did-Something-Move?-A-Tron'!
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bob weaver
Estonia
tallinn
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OK let's get the company gear loaded up, just a reminder any equipment worked on while an employee is considered company property, you know ... for liability and insurance reasons. Let's swing by and pick up my other new gear, I mean the professor.
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bob weaver
Estonia
tallinn
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Interview some cadets and trainers at the training ground using my Contact 4 and talent: size up. (I think the professor can explain his gear to Amy so we know what we have?).
Russel steps out of the van and Sizes Up the situation. The professor and Amy have been talking non-stop about their gear.
I'm getting a headache. Pops open a diet Tab from a small portable cooler (his only gear). He is looking for those who will provide the most honest account, no exaggerating (person looking for the spotlight), no downplaying (out of fear of seeming foolish). Time is money he needs answers and his cooler has no ice.
So looking over the recruits and trainers:
5d6l[4] = (3 + 3 + 6 + 2 + 2) = 6
He finds his man.
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bob weaver
Estonia
tallinn
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Alright guys just got done grilling some of these yocals. Lot a stories contradict, but there's some threads. The "occurences" are after lights out, which just so happened to be recently moved to its current location, down in the valley the noise doesn't get to the neighbors, or apparently to the barracks.
The problem with getting info is that everyone is supposed to be in at lights out, so how can you see and hear something if you're not supposed to be there?
Well somebody is seeing something so I laid into one recruit telling him we have been on this for the past month and we have video evidence of him and his buddies sneaking into the firing range after lights out. Of course he crumbled and came clean.
It seems at first it was all fun and games. They would sneak off have some beers and it all started off pretty innocently. One night one of them had too much to drink decided to take some target practice. Apparently after the gunshot some lights started going back and forth above the firing range. Well this went on for several weeks, with each night the lights getting brighter and brighter and taking form. He stopped going but some others kept going. Apparently one of them, I think the ring leader, has been placed on psychiatrict leave, seems he has gone a little insane. Two others have gone missing.
Oh one more thing, there are three large circles worn out in the grass in the firing range. Nobody knows how they got there.
I'm tired and out of Tabs. I'm gonna take a nap in the truck.
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Dave Wilson
United States
Pleasanton
California
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Oh, and by the way: If you're having fun here, or really, even if you're not, but want the microbadge anyway...
I love RPG Geek Play-By-Forum Games - Free Micro!
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Ash Ketchum
United States
Pallet Town
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Have we got a job? I've rounded up the company car so we are good to go!
Haha, I'm a bit lost here. Sorry guys! I have been following along though.
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Dave Wilson
United States
Pleasanton
California
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Sorry about that! How can I help? What can I clear up for you?
Here's a summary of what's happened so far:
1. We created characters. Here we talked about skills and talents.
2. We created the franchise. We practiced the skill checks some, as we created the franchise (getting the office, getting the truck, etc.)
3. There was a media interview with Chip Newsome, of News Channel Six, primarily to introduce the characters as a group.
4. Officer Byrd visited, and contracted for your services, to investigate and address strange noises at the police officer training grounds,
5. The office exploded in a flurry of activity (  ), with the Professor doing some academic research, and Amy some computer research, and Russel interviewing some of the police trainees. (I wouldn't have minded a little more roleplaying there, but it's all good.  ) The Professor and Amy have also put together a couple of devices, a Did-Something-Move-A-Tron, and a plasma trap that the Professor has yet to debut.
I went with a 10-dice job for this game primarily because we (i.e., the GMs who volunteered for all of these Play-by-Forum games) wanted an introduction to RPGs and play-by-forum games, but didn't want it to be a huge time investment to the folks who wanted to play. I worry now, though, that 10 dice might have been too short, because things have been happening so quickly. We haven't needed any stress rolls (  ); there haven't been any confessionals; and there's hardly been any time for any Action! So I can understand if there's some confusion.
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bob weaver
Estonia
tallinn
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Maybe some suggestions on how her character could jump into the action?
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Dave Wilson
United States
Pleasanton
California
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Here are a couple things she could do:
- The Professor mentioned strange happenings once the circus arrived in 1952. That'd be a good hook for Alizarin to do some research, or to consult with the circus performers with whom she had performed once before.
- She could head out to the site to look around and get a first hand impression of the place.
But I also think there are things I can do as well. Most notably, I think I can try to slow things down some. I have to say, you all have been really enthusiastic, and that's really cool! Play-by-forums can sometimes suffer from players drifting off, and slowing to a crawl. I have *no* concerns about that here.
I do have one request, though. Let's not be in such a rush to get to the skill rolls that we forget to interact with each other? When playing by forum, getting that player to player exchange can be harder to do, because it's just not an immediate mode of communication. I think, though, that it's important for any role-playing game.
And finally, I'm considering expanding the job beyond 10 dice, mostly because I want to see more action. If you would please, give it some thought, and let me know *via Geekmail* if you'd be willing to have this go a bit longer, or if you'd prefer to just end it at 10 dice (or, even if you'd rather it ended now).
Damn, you all roll really, really well. 
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Przemek Bednarski
United Kingdom
Coventry
West Midlands
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I would like to do a confesional in my next post, as I think I have a nice plot point, can include Alizarin in it, so there is some roleplay material there and I can introduce my gizmo - would you be OK with it Dave?
Also - can I take stress during a flashback? I would like to :P
Oh, and I will probably put few obstacles on our way, it is nothing personal guys, just want to stir the things up ;)
Dave, if You are online now and for few more hours (as I am writing from work I am not sure I fast I can respond) we could roleplay the confesional...
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Dave Wilson
United States
Pleasanton
California
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You can certainly do a confessional in your next post, sure. Remember the format: it's just the Professor sitting front of a camera, talking about what's about to happen next.
You can also gather the group together, display (with pride!) your plasma trap thingy. Probably should be separate from the confessional, since the format for that is just you + camera.
When you earn the right to describe your successes (i.e., roll 4-6 on your skill checks), you're welcome to describe whatever you'd like. Obviously, it should be a successful something, but if it leads to further complications, well, that's OK, too.
You can take stress whenever something stressful happens. Not much stressful happens in the library, unless you get stressed by a librarian "shhh!" -ing you.
Forgive me for oversuggesting how to play, but I do think that, in general, a good course of action would be to gather the group, display your gadgets, pile in the truck, and head out with your gadgets to hope that your research was accurate (or even that the police trainees' descriptions were accurate  ). A confessional can be thrown in; certainly.
And if you want to do a flashback, we can do that, too. It'll be a first for me in an InSpectres game. How far back would it be? Because stress can be relieved, with time. (It's another rule that I was planning to introduce at the end of the job.)
Oh, and I'll be in and out this evening; cooking (and eating) dinner, and guitar lesson will take up some time.
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Ash Ketchum
United States
Pallet Town
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Hey Professor... I might have some connections with some of the circus guys who may, or may not, know anything about 1952. I do remember when I was performing no one mentioned the 50s, not even the old boss man who was a star in his prime back then. I always thought that was weird. Just say the word and I'll fish around.
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bob weaver
Estonia
tallinn
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Russel roles over, breaks wind, let's out a snore and goes back to sleep in the van dreaming about Ho-Hos.
Dave how do I roll for stress?
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Dave Wilson
United States
Pleasanton
California
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Dave Wilson
United States
Pleasanton
California
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Is no one going to answer Alizarin? What kind of team is this? The police aren't going to take kindly to this sort of lackadaisical attitude.
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bob weaver
Estonia
tallinn
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Russel wakes up wipes the drool off his sleave and sees Ms. Red talking with the professor. The professor is so wrapped up in his new gadgets that he is ignoring her shy questions.
What, what is this, oh yeah circus frea...end. Yeah you're a friend of the circus. Maybe you can dig up something, at this point even a rumor would help as we don't have much to go on. Well let's leave the two geeks here to sort things out. You mind driving?
Well all this work has given me an appetite.Swing by the Goodburger drive in first, they have a Tuesday two for one deal.
So what exactly did you do in the circus Ms. Red? And who can we talk to?
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Dave Wilson
United States
Pleasanton
California
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mr. assist wrote: Russel roles over, breaks wind, let's out a snore and goes back to sleep in the van dreaming about Ho-Hos.
Dave how do I roll for stress?
Ho-hos stress you out? 
I'll let you know when a stress roll is appropriate, and how many dice you'll need to roll. It's like skill checks, but you keep the lowest, not the highest. So, a 3 dice stress roll will look like this in the Geek Roller: 3d6h[2]
For example: 3d6h[2] = (4 + 6 + 6) = 4
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Katherine Rosland
Norway
Stavanger
Rogaland
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I just want to say that I'm still here! Just haven't thought that Amy had much to say in the situation, AND I've been busy with a Panto... But that's over with now, so next time we get a freeze I will do my best to help make the story flow instead of just letting it sit there!
Lotso fun this :)
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Ash Ketchum
United States
Pallet Town
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Russel. Oh great. I mean. Oh, great! Let's have fun together while frolicking in the wind holding hands and singing songs. I'll drive. We don't need to make more ghosts with your driving. And no burgers. If you want that, you'll have kill your own cow. And no, you cannot kill a cow.
Alizarin looking down fiddles with her jacket and takes a deep breathe
I did it all in the circus. I'm only tell you because... because we have to work together. Don't take this to mean I give a damn. I don't want your pity. I worked the rigs for the tight ropes and trapeze. I also performed them. I hung around with the clowns. I trained the animals... I took care of the animals. I tried to take care of them. Those bastards! We have to talk to Hensel and Carmine. They're the oldest members from this troupe. They'll know exactly what we are asking for. They've seen it all, done it all, been it all. They'll know.
Whenever you're ready, get in the car and we'll go.
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Dave Wilson
United States
Pleasanton
California
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Gee, Alizarin sounds stressed. Nothing too awful; just normal, run-of-the-mill stress. Can you please roll a 1-die stress roll for her? Just a simple 1d6 will do.
I'm going to assume at this point that the Professor and Amy are both hard at work on those devices they have designed, to let this upcoming scene play out.
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Dave Wilson
United States
Pleasanton
California
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Alizarin and Russel get back into the truck and head off toward the circus camp. It's an odd mix of old wooden shacks, even older canvas tents, along with some new nylon tent pavilions and the like. Of course, all of those structures surround the Big Top, the huge oval circus tent decorated with vertical stripes of red, orange and purple.
As you get out of the truck, the animal smells hit you. No surprise--it's a circus, right? Still, it's right there. You also hear the sounds of all sorts of activity coming from the Big Top. Some of sounds like equipment rattling about, but there's also a lot of shouting. It's not angry shouting (well, mostly not), but rather the sounds of coordination: "Ready? Hup!" "Go, go, go!" "Gotcha!", that sort of thing.
So, Jae, where to now?
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Ash Ketchum
United States
Pallet Town
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Stress Roll 1d6 = (6) = 6
Let's get going Russel. I think we should head over to the old shacks first. We might run into someone hiding out back there.
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Dave Wilson
United States
Pleasanton
California
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Score! I get to introduce a new rule!
This rule is not in the startup rules, but it's in the full rules. And...it's cool. Seriously.
Here's the result for rolling 6 on your stress roll:
full rules, p. 31 wrote:
Too Cool for School. You gain a point of Cool and
suffer no real stress.
So Alizarin has no trouble handling the stress of the situation. Additionally, she gains a Cool point. Here's what that point is good for:
- In future stress rolls, you may ignore one die result for each Cool point you have.
- You may spend a Cool point to add a die to one skill check. Of course, if you use it, then it's gone, and can't be used to help against stress rolls anymore, so..cost/benefit and all that.
- You may spend a Cool point to restore a lost skill point during the game. Again, "spend", so it's gone at that point.
I'll try to remind you every so often that you have that cool point available to you.
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Posted Thu Feb 2, 2012 8:02 am
