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Old 01-16-2019, 02:55 AM   #11
philreed
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Default Re: Roleplaying experiences without a GM in Car Wars?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue Ghost View Post
Otherwise, yeah, Convoy is pretty much the only offering by SJ Games. I think there's one or two others in ADQ, but I can't remember their names.
This one immediately comes to mind. I cannot remember a second.

http://www.warehouse23.com/products/...mber-6-slash-3
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Old 01-16-2019, 03:26 AM   #12
swordtart
 
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Default Re: Roleplaying experiences without a GM in Car Wars?

If you are playing with another person then you only need a GM for secret motives/moves etc. You can probably jointly come up with negotiated outcomes and decide with a D6.

E.g. you have just killed the first bandit in a 6 bike pack attack. Discuss it between you and decide what the best, worst and most likely outcome could be. They have to be balanced. You might decide that the best outcome is that the rest of the bikers skedaddle (which begs the question why did they attack in the first place as no pack attack can reasonably expect zero casualties - maybe this one who died proposed the attack and no they don't feel compelled to follow through?). To balance this, the Worst outcome is that they all fight to the death (but this wouldn't be the norm as anyone this single-minded would likely be dead long before now, maybe the one who died was the gang leaders daughter and if they abandon the attack, the leader will likely kill them for abandoning her). The most likely outcome is somewhere in the middle e.g. that they will fight until it is clear they can't win and then break off.

You can either dice off on a D6 with 6 being best outcome, 1 being worst outcome and anything else being the most likely outcome.
OR
You can just agree to accept the most likely outcome.
OR
You can raise the stakes and dice off to try for the best outcome. If you do that however then there is an equal chance of the worst outcome occurring (i.e. 4-6 Best outcome, 1-3 worst outcome. If you choose this option you can't get the most likely option.

Part of a DMs job is to ensure that narrative doesn't suffer from bad luck. Bad luck that creates a good story is GOOD, Bad luck that kills the party and ends the story is BAD. In the campaigns I run I do allow players to negotiate better outcomes if it will improve the story.

e.g. "Does the Bandit kill me outright or will he put me up for ransom instead?" - "Hmmm, good question, make a good argument and I'll consider it".

You have to be careful however not to molly coddle the players and failure needs to have consequences, they just don't need to be digital.

If you think about it the purpose of Roleplaying is to create a story, writers create stories and they have no GM either ;)

Last edited by swordtart; 01-16-2019 at 03:36 AM.
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Old 01-16-2019, 11:04 AM   #13
Blue Ghost
 
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Default Re: Roleplaying experiences without a GM in Car Wars?

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Originally Posted by philreed View Post
This one immediately comes to mind. I cannot remember a second.

http://www.warehouse23.com/products/...mber-6-slash-3
Yeah, our group did that one. Good cover art.
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Old 01-16-2019, 02:35 PM   #14
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Default Re: Roleplaying experiences without a GM in Car Wars?

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Originally Posted by philreed View Post
This one immediately comes to mind. I cannot remember a second.

http://www.warehouse23.com/products/...mber-6-slash-3
"Green Circle Blues" from _ADQ 2/1_ was a solitaire.
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Last edited by 43Supporter; 01-16-2019 at 02:43 PM.
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Old 01-16-2019, 07:52 PM   #15
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Default Re: Roleplaying experiences without a GM in Car Wars?

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Originally Posted by Blue Ghost View Post
Good recommendations. I have all of the Autoventures, and they provide some real good play material. I think the only one that requires a GM is Ultraforce.

Otherwise, yeah, Convoy is pretty much the only offering by SJ Games. I think there's one or two others in ADQ, but I can't remember their names.
Did you miss Mean Streets: Battle and Intrigue in the Ruins of Houston?

I myself never got or played it.
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Old 01-17-2019, 06:15 AM   #16
philreed
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Default Re: Roleplaying experiences without a GM in Car Wars?

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Originally Posted by 43Supporter View Post
"Green Circle Blues" from _ADQ 2/1_ was a solitaire.
Aha! Wasn't that also a TSR gamebook?

Yep.

https://www.thriftbooks.com/series/c...mebooks/46975/
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Old 01-17-2019, 09:10 AM   #17
Blue Ghost
 
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Default Re: Roleplaying experiences without a GM in Car Wars?

Yes, Mean Streets was another really cool solo adventure by TSR with heavy CW flavoring. I enjoyed that and "Hell on Wheels".

SJ Games also put out some novels that were in the vein of "Choose Your Own Adventure" … I think "Fuel's Gold" was the first or second in that line up.
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Old 01-17-2019, 10:19 AM   #18
swordtart
 
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Default Re: Roleplaying experiences without a GM in Car Wars?

I thought Fuel's Gold was another TSR one?
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Old 01-17-2019, 12:30 PM   #19
owenmp
 
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Default Re: Roleplaying experiences without a GM in Car Wars?

Here is a list of all six Car Wars Adventure Gamebooks published.

Battle Road
Car Wars Adventure Gamebook 1
Author: Steve Jackson
Publishers: TSR Hobbies and Steve Jackson Games
Date: September 1986

Fuel's Gold
Car Wars Adventure Gamebook 2
Authors: Steve Jackson, Creede and Sharleen Lambard
Publishers: TSR Hobbies and Steve Jackson Games
Date: October 1986

Dueltrack
Car Wars Adventure Gamebook 3
Author: Scott D. Haring
Publishers: TSR Hobbies and Steve Jackson Games
Date: February 1987

Badlands Run*
Car Wars Adventure Gamebook 4
Authors: Creede and Sharleen Lambard
Publishers: TSR Hobbies and Steve Jackson Games
Date: September 1987

Green Circle Blues**
Car Wars Adventure Gamebook 5
Author: Scott D. Haring
Publishers: TSR and Steve Jackson Games
Date: September 1987

Mean Streets***
Car Wars Adventure Gamebook 6
Author: W.G. Armintrout
Publishers: TSR and Steve Jackson Games
Date: November 1987


* Badlands Run was originally published as an adventure requiring a referee in ADQ Vol. 2, No. 2.
http://www.warehouse23.com/products/...mber-2-slash-2

** Green Circle Blues was originally published as a solo adventure for the standard Car Wars rules in ADQ Vol. 2, No. 1.
http://www.warehouse23.com/products/...mber-2-slash-1

*** Mean Streets was also reprinted as a solo adventure for the standard Car Wars rules.
http://www.warehouse23.com/products/mean-streets-1
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Old 01-17-2019, 04:33 PM   #20
industrialchild
 
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Default Re: Roleplaying experiences without a GM in Car Wars?

Holy cow!!!!

@43Supporter, Blue Ghost, philreed, swordtart, Tom H. and owenmp- You guys are awesome!!!

First off, you guys inspired me to invest 47 buckaroos into some Car Wars PDFs at Warehouse 23! :D

Here's what I got...Car Wars Deluxe (gotta have that Compendium...the extra counters, roads and maps don't hurt either!) Convoy, Mean Streets, Car Wars Expansion Set 6 (me and my mother recently got into "adult coloring" and I can't wait to spend some time with her and some gel pens to give these counters the royal treatment!), The AADA Vehicle Guide, Expansion Set 8 (Chopper Challenge!), Autoduel Quarterly, 2/1 and 2/2 (thanks to Owen!)

I will later down the line try and seek out printed copies of those gamebooks that 43Supporter and Owen mentioned! I tell you, they had some amazing games back when. I'm glad there's been a resurgence in gamebooks in general and I own some of them. There's nothing quite like a good one! That's something that I, unfortunately, couldn't take advantage of in my youth but I'm glad to learn of them and partake in some adventures! Great stuff!

This new Car Wars stuff will definitely keep me busy for a good while and I can't wait to check out Convoy and Mean Streets! All of you have been extremely helpful with your knowledge and insights regarding this type of game experience.

I'm definitely new to this type of game but I'm glad I took the time to learn Classic and it's been very rewarding to say the least! It's amazing to me that a game like this and Ogre (which I also love!) exists and has so for so long.

Thanks everyone and if Convoy and Mean Streets sparks any ideas with how to do the GMless RPGish game, I won't be a stranger! :)

Last edited by industrialchild; 01-17-2019 at 05:17 PM.
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