Back... sortof (TSR's Top Secret)

[kasen03]

Greetings all.

I've finally had the casts removed.  Still in braces.. and very sore.  I'm looking to set the foundation for a game (and my return to Elliquiy)

I was just a small group, who will be willing to post frequently.  (I'm not going to say once a day..but it would be nice :D)  As before..right now my genre is alittle up in the air. 

I'm still with one foot in the past, so I'll put forth the classic spy game TSR's Top Secret.  Are there any agents out there who want to give this game a whirl?  Don't worry if you don't know the game mechanics - I will be glad to help you out there.  I'm looking for 2-4 players.

[GolGol]

I would be interested ^_^

[Natalie C. Barney]

Question are these the OLD rules or the ones they did in the second rate revised ones?  ???

[kasen03]

Well.. the game will be mostly Rules-Lite (being online) but this will be the Classic Top Secret.. circa 1980.. not the Top Secret S.I. 

I always felt that the original game was great for capturing a more realistic game.. none of this Orion or Web nonsense :)  But that's my personal bias :) 

Also..I'm curious.. have either of you played before?

[Natalie C. Barney]

Yes but don't have the rules, but I liked the original game set in the Cold War.

[Hunter]

Okay, count me as interested as well.  I rather like the spy games.

[kasen03]

Ooh.. filling up fast.  I'm going to be limiting this game at a MAX of 4 players.  Unfortunatly that's only to keep the game flowing.  If once we get going..we lose players then slots will open up.

[Natalie C. Barney]

Well thats fine but I like the whole rolling everything randomly under the original rules, you can get some pretty unusual characters like most agents should be. Could we do that? I mean you do that :)

[Hunter]

Would you be willing to get things rolling?  I suspect that finding a fourth will be rather easy.

[Xerial]

Rules avaliable online and randomly rolled characters? That could be interesting...

[kasen03]

Unfortunatly I've not found a source for characters online.  I have found a nifty character generator.  I'm still debating how to actually generate the characters..whether it should be entirely DM driven.. or entirely Player driven..or a mixture of both. 

I do like some cohesiveness to my players.  Realistically.. a secret agent needs to be of a certain calibre.  The agency would not send in duffus.. (duffi?) nor would they send in a team with debilitating interpersonal squabbles.  They would cover all the basics (have investiagors, assassins and support) and would give the team the benifit of what they could.  None of this 'ooh..well..that's need to know..and you don't need to know

I'm considering modifying and running some of the pre-existing modules.  One of my favourate modules of ANY game system is for Top Secret.. and I'd like to know if people are familiar outside the game.

Also I need to know if anyone would object to me having their email address - so I could email game aids.. or perhaps have some hosting.  Natalie is correct.. about 90% of the character generation was entirely random.. although agents could at times choose their AOK's (Area of Knowledge) which was more or less hit and miss anyways.  Once people got their Mil Sci in (so they could get martial arts) people would just take whatever :)

[Hunter]

May I offer a suggestion?  Perhaps we could have a list of AOKs and let us pick the one (or whatever) that we want and let you do all the dice rolling?  Personally, I tend to lean toward assasin/sniper types.

[kasen03]

I like that idea.  Players can also do some of the background.. stuff that would influence gen such as languages spoken.. profession..etc.

I am going to be changing another aspect too.  Upon some reflection..the game will be set in 2005.. but it will be a slightly differnet 2005.  Communism never fell.. so the cold war is as cold as ever.  For the most part other events (such as 9/11 and Gulf War/Iraq War) happened..but the would have been heavily influenced by a strong opposition by U.S.S.R. / China.  Just to have the old feel of 'good guys vs bad guys' 

Since we have three players..it would be good if each person was from one of the different Bureaus.  Do you think that everyone could decide it nicely.. or does everyone want to be assassins? :)  They would be:

Investigation, Confiscation and Assassination.

[GolGol]

Nope, I have not used the rules before :D Altough I think it will work out anyway.

[Natalie C. Barney]

I think first what kind of team are we going to be? In real life Espionage from books I've read they do specialize so a team working in the Eastern Block collecting intelligence would be different than a team that starts insurgencies or takes out targets. General Ops teams are unheard of most have some focus and usually would have trained together so languages and some other facets are likely determined by the specialty of the team and the region to work in. For example in Russia we would all need to be fluent in Russian, in Eastern Germany both German (principle) and Russian. In Panama Spanish is handy.

Example: In Under Siege the bad guy took out targets and installations for the CIA. In Tailor of Panama the sleazy agent collected information. In 24 the agency just took out terrorist threats and did domestic security of the highest level but even there they had smaller speciialist teams.

So GM I suggest pick the setting, location and purpose of the team that will guide a-lot such as languages and I strongly suggest the same agency and nation, the National Security Agency has the broadest powers operating inside and outside the USA and has more secretive stuff than anyone.

And remember several AOK's may need to be added like Computer Specialist (web junky, programmer and hacker) was not around in the original game I think and the www did not exist so maybe I'll take the tech savey hacker/surveillance role, no Military Sci she will fight her battles with a computer and lots of nifty electronic bugs placed by other agents. I'm sure not every CIA agent knows martials arts or weapons besides maybe a basic self-defense course and basic handgun training, but hers would be a lower risk job. Saw Golden Eye and the sexy nerdy woman with a souped up lap-top is quite appealing to me as an archetype.

[kasen03]

Well.. we're going to go abit from real life.  The point of the RPG was to have multifaceted groups that could be used as a 'response' team.. thus have a mixture of skills.. not the long term teams who are acclimatized.  Think in James Bond.. he's not suited to any one theatre of operations, but rather works world wide, connecting up when need be with the local talents.

The sexy computer hacker is good..but Natalie..would you mind broadening the scope alittle.  not everywhere has computers.. sure in the Western world they are very prevellent.. but there are places that wouldn't be as useful.  How about a mixture Computer / Forensics. (Yeah..watch too much CSI as well) That would round out the team's Investigator.

Another intersting thought.  Since combat would be wieldly under a play-by-post.. I propose that for combat situations, it's handled using the Chat window..players involved would make schedule and we run through the combat.  And if we truely cannot make time (conflicting timezones) then I'll NPC the fight on behalf of the player to keep the game going.

So.. we're looking at

Natalie - Computer Specialist / (Investigator? Medic?)
Hunter - Assassin
Golgol - ?
Xerial - ?

Another interesting question.. should this game be in Normal or Exotic.  Exotic opens the door for such aspects as torture / rape  and so forth..when captured.. or we could just fade to black.  Anyone have objects on either side?

[Natalie C. Barney]

How about Computer Specialist (with wireless uplinks to Satellites she never has to be without one for basic research, we are spies after all and even the military can use them in field battles now the same way- an agent for a major agency should have this even better)/Electronics/Medical should cover the basics. Computers, bugs and wiring into surveillance cameras and knowcking out/bypassing electronic security and the medical investigation/medic thing.

[Natalie C. Barney]

I will not play this game until its all worked out by the way, it sounds nice but I will insist on significant game development and NPC placement before I do anything. Another game I'm in Star Trek: Visions is failing partially due to bad planning and the GM not having everthing worked out to be a sustainable game, things to keep the game moving forward. So spend a couple weeks working the world out THEN get back to me.

[kasen03]

Heh heh..

I was looking at that game.. To be honest my biggest worry is hoping I get good players.  The only other game I ran here was going fantastic until my player dropped away.. (Still hoping and praying she comes back)  Before the accident..the other games I was in were.. well.. exactly what you described.. very little direction or cohesiveness :(

I'm going to be viewing this game as a tabletop game.. hopefully we can get over the handicap of needing to wait on posts for play.

Natalie.. I'll keep you in the loop as we set up..then you can figure out where you go.  I'm already starting to work on the game aid for the first mission :) Woot woot.. maps.google.com is useful *winks* Along with photoshop.

BTW..does anyone have some spare space hosting for some aids?

[Natalie C. Barney]

Its fine I just think a game has to be worked out somewhat before starting, like in this one some geo-politics and some serious agency information since we need to know that. So I likely will play just want the board to be thought out enough. And that the take in my game I want it mostly player driven but keep some outside factors under my control, I want it be reasonably thought out with enough player to pull it off. More of a fun beer & pretzels game than serious.

And give players a chance to hone their creative sexual descriptions and dialogue since that is a big thing in determining money and star power verses the rest of the market.  ;D

[kasen03]

Creative sexual descriptions and dialogue?  You got your games mixed up hon :)  This is spies..not making porno.

Sexual content is not the focus of the game.  It may happen..but the game is a serious RPG.. not a porn-fest :)

I have no problem with player-driven..as long as the player's drive within the world.  There were other games I saw players just running rampant because the GM extended no control over the 'world'.  I'm not going to be like that.

Just needs some time for the group to gel.. and yes there will be background information coming :)

[Hunter]

Creative sexual descriptions and dialogue?  You got your games mixed up hon :)  This is spies..not making porno.

Sexual content is not the focus of the game.  It may happen..but the game is a serious RPG.. not a porn-fest :)

*nod nod*  After all, James Bond got into much more fights then he got laid.

[Natalie C. Barney]

No I was pointing out in my game I plan to start only when its worked out, so expect the same in any game I join including this one. I want the game figured then decide if I'll play based on how well its worked out. But mine is going to be less serious with descriptive porno action.  ;)

[GolGol]

Well is it okay to play a soldier type of character? I have not read the rules...Yet. But would a character in the way be alright?

[Natalie C. Barney]

Well I plan to take three required AOK and roll the rest randomly, as well as roll all the stats according to the rules I like things random so could end up being pretty interesting. Ask the GM he can help locate some rules.