Adventure Poll: Skills
3 months ago
– Fri, Sep 06, 2024 at 07:18:53 AM
Skills
In Netcrawl there are three broad categories of skills: Security, Investigative, and Code Execution.
Every Avatar in Netcrawl RPG can attempt to perform these skills in the metaverse.
The exact mechanics of being trained differ based on the type of skill.
Security Skills
Security skills require difficulty checks vs a target number or DC. If the skill is trained, the character rolls 1d20 for the check. Otherwise, they roll 1d10.
Breach Security: This skill governs breaking into secured systems without proper permissions. Plainly put, the character is attempting to break into secured systems.
Falsify Identity: The art of spoofing or otherwise appearing to be something one is not. Successful use allows the character to blend in with the surrounding system and produce proper identifiers. Being able to provide many false identities that pass cursory examination is key to a successful system raid.
Null Trace: Artfully removing one's trace or logged records is a paramount concern of raiders. This skill allows the character to delete access records, remove/prevent trackers, or evade active pursuit.
Investigative
Investigative skills are special in that they automatically reveal information or clues. That's right - as long as the PC is trained and can afford to spend a turn information is revealed. Stressful situations, limited time, or extremely difficult clues may call for a roll (if the skill is trained, the character rolls 1d20 for the check. Otherwise, they roll 1d10).
Data Analysis: The ability to quickly scan data for patterns or information. This skill allows an avatar to discern the difference between real and planted data or find an exact piece or collection of information. Data analysis reveals the basic meaning or subject of a piece of content, but also goes beyond simple interpretation into determining veracity & provenance of data and locating specific data from tera-bytes of other information.
Intuit Architecture: A computer system is its own environment and avatars have gained enough exposure to those ecosystems to allow them a hunch about what the next system element (aka - hex) might contain or in which direction their quarry (likely some information somewhere) lies. Successful use of this skill gives a character a clue or outright knowledge about surrounding nodes or levels including things like backdoors or other hidden facts.
Code Execution
Any character can attempt to execute code. The code must be accessible in the form of a recorded program or script (kind of like reading a scroll in a fantasy TTRPG). Code can exist inside a device, creature, or fixture (e.g., a control panel or whirling vortex of machine code, etc.).
Trained characters receive roll a 1d12 to activate the code; untrained characters use 1d10. A Cybernaut is already trained (rolling 1d12) in this skill. So it will not be in our campaign's poll.
Vote in the poll to give our Cybernaut a trained skill!
Each avatar may declare one skill that they are considered trained in (except Grifters who are skilled in all the base Netcrawl skills).
Call them by their name: B@TB0!D v01ds33k0r
Day Two Digest
3 months ago
– Wed, Sep 04, 2024 at 06:27:23 AM
Oh My!
What a surprise to wake up and see that overnight all the current stretch goals for the Netcrawl RPG were reached! Wow. Thanks everyone for getting us here!
We are looking at our list of goals that we want to add to the campaign. An announcement will be made later in the week. Until then, feel free to comment with any suggestions you might have. Who knows, maybe your suggestion will get the green light.
Music and Netcrawl
I don't often think about writing and music together and that is due to my own compartmentalization and stupidity. Both are extremely important to me. I of course write RPGs and other fictions. I also have a huge collection of vinyl.
Back in March I reached out to
Loot the Body about doing a song for the Backerkit video. Even then I was still just thinking about it as something to have for marketing purposes and less about my own personal enjoyment of music. Like I said, I'm a little thick in the head when I'm deep into something.
I was thrilled to recently sit down and complete an interview for
Critical Hit Parader. Critical Hit Parader is a newsletter that provides weekly content on the intersection of music and tabletop roleplaying games. Most importantly, the interview finally connected the dots on Netcrawl and music for me.
So check out this week's interview with me over there. There's of course a link to the full song by Loot the Body and there's also a nice little audio surprise over there for you. After you're done over there come back here and tell us what you think!
Artist Statement
It's no secret there are more people than just me helping to make Netcrawl RPG. Several times during this campaign I'll be letting them tell you about their contributions to Netcrawl. First up is Loot the Body impresario Levi Nunez. Loot the Body has contributed a ton of music to OSR and DCC RPG games. He is also about to launch a crowdfunding campaign of his own later this month on Kickstarter.
Against the Cult of the Hippie Commune is
not his latest album but
a 0-level funnel for DCC RPG! So go over to Kickstarter and sign-up for the preview.
Artist Statement: Levi Nunez
Music for TTRPGs is world building. The players should close their eyes and feel like they're in the game world. In this instance the task was tricky because I wasn't writing a sparse ambient bed. I really wanted the feeling of a journey with movement across different locations.
I made myself a list of "vibes" I felt this piece should evoke. I knew I wanted retro sounds reminiscent of the early days of computer hacking when things seemed a little more tangible and the cyber-world was there to anyone who dared venture within it. I wanted the concrete experience of leaving the mundane world and going to the game world. I wanted that feeling of things ramping up to light-speed (with old-school tech). The player isn't just a person at a keyboard, they are inside the system so there should be the feeling of traveling through circuits where other signals are whizzing by. I wanted them to feel like hot electrical currents that made it impossible to sit still. You need to move quickly or you might get fried!.
The melody needed to evoke a sense of danger but also coolness. Somewhere in the middle there should be a change, a hint of wonder and perhaps beauty. Finally, there should be a feeling of a ticking clock and ramping up to a dangerous conclusion. All of it within the time limit. I hope folks get everything I'm going for and maybe imagine some other details of their own as they listen to the song.
Funded! Thank you so much!
3 months ago
– Tue, Sep 03, 2024 at 03:42:36 PM
Thank you for showing up today and breaking all kinds of records for Horse Shark Games!
We've never produced such an ambitious project (7 books!) and we've never had a pledge total this high. And it's still just the first day!
And The Neon Lord and I will also be making our Cross Collab Adventure - Token Collect! 8 books!
It makes me feel good that you're here and enjoy my books. This project is a love letter to what I do professionally and you have a huge part in making it a reality. I couldn't not have done this alone and thank you for your support. I'm humbled and I appreciate you all so very much. You guys are awesome!
Next up: I'm looking forward to getting to those
achievements:
- First up is full color interior for Arcologies. If you've seen the pdf of Netcrawl (download it if you haven't), I'm excited about bring that color esthetic to the book.
- Then there's a color poster of the map of the WorldNet. A great reference for your campaigns.
- The last achievement (so far) is a Token Reward Board to use with Token Collect.
But that is not all I have planned for you all! So start sharing the news and bringing your friends to the party! It's going to be great!
