The Campfire

[Lukipela]

I figure instead of just endlessly extending the old topics, why not make a new one for the general chatter we have right now

I would really, at some point, like to do something like SC:BEL again. Does anyone know of any easy resources for automating something like that more? It involved a lot of manual labour on my side.

[Draxas]

Man, I loved the concept of that game, it still pops into my mind now and again.

I know there are some automated resources for things like mapping (eg. Some examples focused on D & D), so if that's what you're looking to automate you should be able to find something. If it's the gameplay itself, that might be a bit trickier (and I think that's pretty much the place we were in after a few play sessions, if I recall). Not sure if there is an easy way to automate that short of writing code (which sort of defies the term "easy").

[Alvarin]

Funny enough, there is a resource named "Campfire" that is organizing tool for writing. It can hold cross-referenced maps, characters info and so on.

https://www.campfirewriting.com/

[Lukipela]

That looks really cool Alvarin. Good to see you around as well. You're like the last warrior on guard in the moderation forum.

Though to be honest if I'm running a fanfic game I might not want to pay for the privilege with more than blood sweat and tears. But if I wanted to write something longer...

It is certainly cleaner than this old adventure setup that I stumbled upon. Did you know we can still access the old forums? A lot of old Heavy Space stuff there as well.

Having skimmed old threads, are you still making synthetic DNA Draxas?

[Draxas]

I've changed roles but still work in the same place. Full time analytical chemistry now, so I don't make the DNA anymore, just evaluate it for release. Still pretty closely adjacent though!

[Lukipela]

So is that a step up, or a lateral move? Any further career plans or are you in a good place?

[Draxas]

More lateral than up, to be honest, but it's something. As far as future moves go, only time will tell.

[Dyandod]

I figure instead of just endlessly extending the old topics, why not make a new one for the general chatter we have right now

I would really, at some point, like to do something like SC:BEL again. Does anyone know of any easy resources for automating something like that more? It involved a lot of manual labour on my side.

That stands for Behind Enemy Lines, right? And was that a dice-rolling story? I don't remember enough about it. I know back in "the day" I joined a couple roleplaying games on this forum but those were pure RP as far as I remember. Also I didn't always fulfill my promises to respond.... I promise I'm better at that now.

I've been playing an RPG with friends over on Discord, where we can hang out in voice chat. And now that I have more experience as a player I'm more interested in trying to DM again.... and making some sort of Star Control campaign for my non-Star Control friends. Oof, yeah that'd be a big project.

It is certainly cleaner than this old adventure setup that I stumbled upon.

I remember this! Very cute Pkunk slice-of-life or something-or-other.

[Draxas]

BEL is indeed Behind Enemy Lines, and it was nearly a board game in the way it was handled (and was in fact based in part on the old Hero Quest game system, if anyone besides me and Luki remember that). In execution, it ended up being a bit more like a skirmish scale wargame than a pure dice roller like D&D (at least, I assume that's how a lot of folks play D&D and the rules certainly encourage it, but YMMV since it is a pretty freeform system). In all honestly, though, the big draw for me was definitely all of the cool background details and universe fluff, for lack of a better term, that went into making BEL a unique experience. All of that was Luki's doing, to be sure, and really got me thinking about aspects of the SC universe that we don't see just by looking at comm screens and ship combats. That's why the game will always have a special place for me, at least.

[Dyandod]

Sounds amazing.