Fiasco, anyone?

[wander]

Fiasco is a GM-less game for 3 to 5 players that takes inspiration from cinematic capers that go wrong, a game of people with powerful ambitions and poor impulse control... Of big dreams and flawed execution in chasing those dreams!

Hows it work?
The players narrate scenes with their characters, either establishing scenes with someone else's character or helping to resolve the scenes established by others, creating a sort of collaborative ad-lib narrative. Other players when they don't have their character involved in a scene can throw in suggestions, cameo as important NPCs and generally have as much fun as possible doing so, Rule of Fun and Rule of Cool are in full effect when playing Fiasco!



So, here's the deal... You won't need to own Fiasco to play if interested and it's perfect for those who like freeform over systems. Whilst some dice are involved in the game, players don't roll them for performing actions, instead they're used to help set up the various acts by deciding certain factors of character relationships or specific locales, needs or Macguffins in the story as it'll play out.

I have a whole bunch of playsets (genre settings for the game) available to play. I'll list them below and if any peeks your interest, let me know... The playset with the most interest will be the one we'll play.

Interested? So what do I need from you right now?

Just state you're interested for now... If I get enough interest, I'll make the game and we watch the chaos ensue!  ;D

Playsets:

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Cyberpunk;
10 Minutes in the Future (Blade Runner/Neuromancer cyberpunk)
Hard Wired (more generic Gibson styled cyberpunk)

Films;
Colonials (ALIENS pastiche)
Hell's Highway (Mad Max pastiche)
There Can be Only One! (Highlander!)
Jedi Purge (Original SW trilogy)
Wretched Hive of Scum and Villiany (SW; Tatooine Cantina hijinks)

Lovecraft;
Alma Monster (Lovecraftian University comedy)
Unausprechlichen Klutzen (Lovecraftian vengeance!)

Misc;
Dragon Slayers (murder hoboing / swords and sorcery ^^)

Heroes of Pinnacle City (supers)

The Big Anime Con (hijinks in a convention)

Touring Rock Band (parts 1 and 2 of a past-it band seeking past glory)

Zombie Apocalypse (nuff said!)

Living Dead (an add-on to add zombies to any other playset!)

General Inspirations of cinematic clusterfucks we'd be aiming for;

Filmography

The Big Lebowski
Bad Santa
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Spinal Tap
Shaun of the Dead
Day of the Dead (the original, with Bub)
28 Days Later
Interview with a Vampire
Tetsuo: The Iron Man
The Vengeance Trilogy
Minority Report
Firefly (TV series)
Game of Thrones (TV series)

[AmandaWho]

I'm interested. I've wanted to try a Fiasco game, and this sounds like fun.

I'm going to pick two genres, so please let this count as a vote for both since I am good with either: Zombie Apocalypse, and Unausprechlichen Klutzen.

Thank you :)

[wander]

Cool, thanks for showing your interest!

Hopefully some more people will come by, I'd like to get a good circle going, the more the merrier when it's Fiasco. ^^

Also, if there are any questions (both to yourself or anyone peeking in this thread and maybe on the fence about playing), let me know and I'll do my best to answer them. :)

[Flaming]

I'm in for a game of Fiasco.

I'll vote "10 Minutes in the future" and "Unausprechlichen Klutzen"

P.S. Wander where did you find those Playsets, I have a bunch, but none of those

[wander]

I got them from this website, which posts all the fanmade and free Bully Pulpit playsets here;

http://www.fiascoplaysets.com/

That said gang, if any of those in that link sound better than the ones I've offered, I'll look into it. ^^

At the moment it looks like we'll probably be doing the Unausprechlichen Klutzen playset for some Lovecraftian hijinks... I'm hoping for one or two more people, just to make things that little more interesting. :)

[Batman4560]

Doesn't this game have a tower of blocks like Jenga? Either way I remember the game and if I start playing again I'll get used to it real fast. I'm interested in playing.

[Flaming]

The one with Jenga is called Dread, this one uses just a bunch of dice

[wander]

Yep, like Flaming said. :)

The dice here in Fiasco are mainly used through the game as Tokens, taken by players to represent how well their character is doing through the narrative, the only time they're rolled is pretty much between Acts (There are two in each game) to sort of give a random basis for the narrative to go around.

Because the game's general setting, MacGuffin and how characters are linked to one another are generated randomly, a single playset can get miles of replay value.

Also, I personally find Fiasco gets really good when using those randomised elements to make the story interesting, even if it screws over your character, rather than trying to win. Can you win a game of Fiasco? Yeah, you can do... But it makes a better game to generate as much chaos and backfired plans as you can, at least I think so. :)

[Flaming]

I got them from this website, which posts all the fanmade and free Bully Pulpit playsets here;

http://www.fiascoplaysets.com/

that's an awesome site!

thanks

[LuckyLukin]

Interested, and there was one that I was particularly interested in. The Cobblestone Beat, simply because its set in Ankh-Morpork. Just remember, don't curse the gods while standing on a hill wearing copper armor in the middle of a thunderstorm. XD

[wander]

Great, I'm still looking for reliable players, I think I can count on Flaming, so I'll wait some more to see if anyone else is down and probably look into making a game up if you're down. :)

Also, just to check but if anyone else above mentioned interest, can I get confirmation you'd still want to play? Also, if anyone knows anyone else who likes Fiasco, please do pass the word around. :)

[LuckyLukin]

I'll look into some of the other systems that were mentioned by the others, I'd love to see how this game works.

My posts would be restricted mostly to later, round 9-10ish. How often are you expecting us to post in this?

Alpha Complex is another that I'd be c urious to do as I've played a session of Paranoia and really enjoyed the hilarity of it.

[CirclMastr]

Never played Fiasco but I'll try anything once.

[wander]

Oh I'm not expecting daily posts, but if you can be active in some capacity, that'd be awesomes. :)

[LuckyLukin]

Oh I'm not expecting daily posts, but if you can be active in some capacity, that'd be awesomes. :)

Wundebar! Then certainly count me in!

[Flaming]

So? Do we have a table?

[wander]

I think we shall! ^^

I'm gonna be going with the Unausprechlichen Klutzen set, as that the one that got the most interest... I'll be rolling dice up for four players? If Circlmastr is still playing?

I'll roll 16 and we can get to placing them, if we are at three, then the other four dice can be wildcards and we won't count them for the rest of the game. The playset can be found in the link upthread if you don't have it...

To clarify the rules for those who may be reminding... I'll roll the dice and we take it in turns to pick one to first decide the Relationship to the next player, the next die picked clarifies that. With that done, I'll talk about Objects, Needs and Locations, but once done with Relationships, we should have crossed off six dice for three players or eight for four.

And the dice are as follows;

6, 3, 6, 2, 2, 5, 5, 2, 6, 6, 2, 2, 1, 2 (wild), 5, 2

Ordering as follows;

Wander - Mysterious relationship with Flaming: I'm writing to invite you to a peculiar event
Thing: Inexplicable: Shining Trapezohedron of interesting insights.
Flaming - Friendship with Lucky: Correspondants who up until now, have never met.
Need: To be happy: by getting the hell outta here
Lucky - Crime relationship with Circlmastr: Crime-boss/second in command
Location: Town: A restaurant that smells of damp and bile
Circlmastr - Mysterious relationship with Wander: I have an offer for you, which you may find surprising...
Need #2: To figure out: What the letters mean (linked to Wander)

[CirclMastr]

I'm still interested, just so you know.

[Flaming]

Wasn't there Amanda too?

[LuckyLukin]

Still have interests, so my pick is: that second 5.
Has to be the second one, not the first or the third. :D

[wander]

If Amanda does post again and shows def. interest, I'll roll another four dice for her. I'm keeping sorta things at a minimum atm as it's been a while since a few people posted in this thread.

Okee dokey, so we don't get all chaotic with the die picking, Flaming it's your turn to sort out a Relationship link. :)

Lucky, was that a 5 to link a Relationship between you and Flaming or you and Circl? I'll edit my above post to show what dice are drawn and what they represent, y'see. :)

[Flaming]

Sorry, didn't see your pick after the line...

I'll detail with a 1 "I am writing to invite you to witness a peculiar event"

[wander]

And edited. :)

Whose the Crime relationship going to be with Lucky? Is it Flaming or Circlmastr?

[LuckyLukin]

I'm not entirely sure what you mean but I'll go with Circl

[wander]

*nods*

I'll explain a little...

Fiasco is usually played around a table and at the start when picking dice for your relationship to another character, you pick either the person to the left or right of yourself. In this imaginary table, you Lucky would be between Flaming and Circlmastr, so your dice would set up a relationship between yourself and one of those two.

Now that the relationship is locked between you and Circlmastr, the next die that Circl chooses can either be to explain what exactly the Crime relationship is (via the six dice numbers and what they represent under the 'Crime' heading in the playset) or they can choose a dice to set up a relationship with myself.

Table would be:

Me, who is linked to
Flaming, who can link to
Lucky, who is linked to
Circlmastr, who can link back to Me.

@ Circlmastr;

As stated above, please pick a die from the ones listed, either to explain what relationship your character has with Lucky (under the Crime relationships heading in the playset) or pick a die to represent a relationship between your character and mine. :)

[CirclMastr]

I'll grab the last 5 (not the first 5) and say I'm a crime boss and Lucky is my second-in-command.

[wander]

Alright, cool... I'll edit that in. :)

I'll also go ahead and form a Relationship between you and me, Circlmastr...

I'mma picking a 6 and going with another Mysterious Relationship. :)



Flaming, it is your turn to pick a Relationship with Lucky's character. :)

[Flaming]

Sorry for the delay, I was sick.

I'll take a 2 : Friendship

[wander]

Okay, I'll edit that in. :)

That means it's now Lucky's turn, to pick a dice to decide what that Friendship manifests as. :)

[AmandaWho]

It looks like your ship has sailed, so I will bow out.

[wander]

Sorry, Amanda.

In the future I'll likely do another Fiasco game, so please do come by if I get to do so.

[LuckyLukin]

Friendship: 3

So I'm going to go back over how Fiasco works and what these things could mean. :p

[wander]

Basically you're building links between the other player's characters, each six type of relationship noted in the playbook has a list of six ways that relationship comes across. Everyone has a link to the next person along, so everyone comes together for specific reasons, which we're working on. :)

Part of the fun of this phase of Fiasco to think of ideas (feel free to state thoughts on your character as things develop!) and think how that could add to the coolness of the story and how conflicts can arise from these things... Things will start to look more clear when we decide on the object, need and location and because there's a fourth player, there's gonna be two of one of the above. :)

But I'm getting ahead of myself! ^^

Circlmastr, your turn to pick a die to consider what mine and your character's Mysterious Relationship is, then we can move on to the Object, Need and Location so we got a macguffin, motivation and setting for our story of one big messed up situation. :)

[CirclMastr]

I'm going to use the last 5 (which is actually the first 5) to make it "I have an offer for you, which you may find surprising"

[wander]

Alright, so that's the relationships all formed up!

It'd be cool to hear any thoughts anyone might have on how these relationships work, for example between me and Flaming, who wrote to who and what's the peculiar event? Why is Flaming meeting Lucky for the first time? Is it because of this invite to the event that they're going together? And of course Lucky and Circl's characters are involved in organised crime... Is the offer being given by me to Circl or vice versa?

Okay... Needs, Objects and Locations... There's mainly 2s left, so we should get through this quick, though the last die is always wild, so it can be whatever that person wants it to be, which will fall to Circlmastr to decide.

There has to be at least one Need, one Object and one Location. So, as we go round, we'll each pick one different one now and then Circlmastr can pick a doubler of whichever they feel the game needs, a Need, Object (called Things in this playbook) or Location.

Going first, I'm going to go with a 6 and pick the Thing as Inexplicable.

Flaming, your turn to pick a Need or a Location!

[Flaming]

Can I detail on the Object instead?

I would take a 2, A shining Trapezohedron of strange insights

Here's my idea:
I'm the stereotypical nerdy student with a crush on the hot girl in school (wander). For some reasons they are on speaking terms (maybe he helps her with math or she thinks he is a cute harmless guy, I don't know...) but he would like something more, so he wants to impress her.
He didn't have a chance, until now.
Of lately he had been studying and researching strange topics about occultism and other stuff, maybe something can give him superpowers, or maybe there is a magic formula he can use to be fearless, or super charming...
Most of the stuff he has been reading was suggested to him by some guy over the internet (Lucky) he has become a tutor for the boy and even sent him some interesting stuff (why did he do this?).
Now my character thinks he has found something worthy, he might have cracked the code of this strange gimacahedron he received, tonight he wants to open it in front of (wander) and show her some cool stuff...

I just want to tell that, from personal experience, at this stage people should brainstorm whatever comes to mind and throw it on the table, you never know what it could lead to. don't be afraid to toss ideas, or speak out of turn, the messier and more chaotic it gets, the more ideas will be available on play.

[wander]

Yeah, I do suppose you can do that. :)

I'm cool with that idea... What would be your thoughts on my character being transfemale? Your guy doesn't have to know that aspect about her, of course. I'm also interested to hear how this may link up to Circlmastr and my own character. Is their character more linked to the magic or is Lucky? What offer is happening between my student and Circlmastr's criminal character?
I like what you did there Flaming, very good!

Okay, I'll edit that in the post detailing all our results and Lucky, I'd like it if you could choose between the storie's Need or Location and pick a dice to say what it will be. :)
Whatever is left (Need or Location), that'll be Circlmastr's turn to state what it'll be.

[Flaming]

Your character can be whatever you want, if it's something strange probably my guy doesn't know. Anyway, being this Fiasco I'm not counting on him getting laid, so whatever...
What you said gave me a couple of other ideas.
- Maybe she is female, but the ritual will give her a dick, or maybe tentacles (can't have Cthulhu without tentacles...)
- Or maybe her transfemaleship is a secret, but CirclMastr character, that is in same shady business knows about it and blackmails her

[wander]

Those are both really good ideas. On the second one, let's see what Circlmastr thinks when they pop in to post. :)

Still waiting on Lucky to pick a die and state whether it's a Need or a Location.

[LuckyLukin]

I think I'll go with Location and...
*Looks at remaining die*
That last 2.

Meaning we're in The Town.

Okay so I now have a better understanding of how Fiasco works thanks to Will Wheaton and TableTop on Youtube.

-----EDIT-----

I thought that a 2 on Object means that it's a literary object... or am I confused?

-----EDIT 2-----

This is what I have so far:
Wander > Flaming
Relationship: 6 Mysterious
1 I'm writing to invite you to witness a peculiar event

Flaming > Lucky
Relationship: 2 Friendship
3 Correspondents who, until now, have never met

Lucky > Circlmastr
Relationship: 5 Crime
Crime-boss/second in command

Circlmaster > Wander
Relationship: 6 Mysterious
5 I have an offer for you, which you may find surprising

Object: 2  Literary

Location: 2 The Town

[wander]

I picked a 6, to make the Thing an Inexplicable one, then Flaming detailed it with the 2. :)

The Town it is! I shall go edit that in to the post upthread. :)

Circlmastr, your turn... I'd like you to pick a die for a Need please, though you can detail the Town locale if you prefer.

[CirclMastr]

I'll use the last 6 for a need to be happy. Do I assign that to someone in particular or is it a general thing like location or item?

[Flaming]

It has to be attached to a relationship.

Guys, I'll be without a connection for a few days, see you later!

[CirclMastr]

In that case I'll attach it to the Friendship between Flaming and Lucky.

[wander]

I'll need to take a look and see where in the rules that it needs to be attached to a relationship... Anyway, I'll edit that into the post upthread and that means it's my turn to pick, so I snagged a 2 to make a second Need, which I placed between myself and Circlmastr.

Note on the edited post now I placed the details where we've mentioned them before now with players and they've matched quite well. :)

Flaming has noted they'll be away for a bit, so I'll say Lucky can pick up a die next.

Lucky: Because the dice remaining to you are 2s (the last one placed will be a wild sided die), pick which of the Location or two Needs you'd like to detail with said 2. :)

[LuckyLukin]

I'll go with the restaurant (Location)

[wander]

We're nearly done with set-up! ^^

Circlmastr, if you could please put a 2 to detail one of the Needs, that would be great. :)

[CirclMastr]

I'll say Wander and my need is to figure out what the letters mean.

[wander]

Okay, I'll go edit that in. :)

It's Flaming's turn next to finish with detailing the other Need, with the wild sided die. Hopefully it won't be too long a wait. *nods*

In the meanwhile, I'd like it if we could now more openly discuss who our characters are, a name and just what these relationships and parts of the game mean for them.

[Flaming]

Just got back.

I think I'll take a for on the need:
6: To be Happy 4: by getting the hell out of here.

This comes to my mind.
Lucky is feeding me strange codes to crack, because I'm one of those nerdy geniuses. For some reasons he needs those codes cracked so he can get out of his crime association. And for some reason he feeds me an ancient ritual...
Even more, maybe, the reason is that he is from another dimension, and needs the code to be cracked in order to go home...

[wander]

Cool, I'll edit that into the post upthread. :)

Okay, great thoughts there Flaming. ^^ Everyone jump in and lets have a brainstorm on characters, have a think on what we generated and gimme a name for you're playing and some thoughts. When we all have characters, I'll open up an OOC thread over at the boards and then we can start to act this Fiasco out. :)

Here's what the Fiasco looks like after setting it up;

Wander - Mysterious relationship with Flaming: I'm writing to invite you to a peculiar event
Thing: Inexplicable: Shining Trapezohedron of interesting insights.
Flaming - Friendship with Lucky: Correspondants who up until now, have never met.
Need: To be happy: by getting the hell outta here
Lucky - Crime relationship with Circlmastr: Crime-boss/second in command
Location: Town: A restaurant that smells of damp and bile
Circlmastr - Mysterious relationship with Wander: I have an offer for you, which you may find surprising...
Need #2: To figure out: What the letters mean (linked to Wander)

[LuckyLukin]

This comes to my mind.
Lucky is feeding me strange codes to crack, because I'm one of those nerdy geniuses. For some reasons he needs those codes cracked so he can get out of his crime association. And for some reason he feeds me an ancient ritual...
Even more, maybe, the reason is that he is from another dimension, and needs the code to be cracked in order to go home...

I love this.
So meet Erytrxalrkrrqwt. At least that's the closest spelling in the English language to how the name is spelled. (S)he is an extra-dimensional being that has managed to get pulled over to this place and is really just looking to get back. Granted not having a proper human body was something of an issue, driving many who looked on mad. (S)he has managed to gather a coherent look, not realizing that there is a difference in male and female features, that looks entirely genderless. Using the name Eryn (s)he has figured out now to get a gathering of people who is interested in the ocult. (S)he has a ritual that requires quite a bit of energy. Still needing more (s)he is drawing in more people like the impressionable [flaming].
Circlmastr is his first follower that manages to bring in others. (Where the offer comes in.)

[Flaming]

Any news?

[wander]

I was waiting on everyone to kinda talk and settle on their characters before moving on with the actual threads... ^^;;

[LuckyLukin]

I've set my character, unless there's something more interesting that someone suggests as an addition.

[Flaming]

As I said, mine is an awkward college student that wants to hit on a girl way out of his league.
He is studying occult things, and he thinks he has found something he can impress her.

[wander]

I guess we're just waiting on Circlmastr then... It's gonna be awkward if they dropped interest.

Hopefully they haven't. If that is the case, then I suppose I can change the thread title to show we're looking for a new fourth player.

[CirclMastr]

I guess I'm just confused about how all this is supposed to map out. I mean I thought my relationship with lucky was crime boss/underling and now it's cultist/mi-go?

[Flaming]

You are right.

Basically at this point people should brainstorm to fit all the pieces together (is much easier live), it is possible to ditch a detail if it doesn't fit, but I find more interesting trying to fit them all.

I see this: instead of being the first follower of Erytrxalrkrrqwt, Circl is some kind of gangster, with no interest in the supernatural, he searches only mundane profit, Erytrxalrkrrqwt is an affiliate of his/her, it is useful because its powers are helping Circl to gain power in the outlaw world.
For Erytrxalrkrrqwt the relationship is also beneficial, because, thanks to Circl's contacts/resources she can find obscure tomes and strange people...
The extradimensional nature of Erytrxalrkrrqwt could or could not be known to Circl, depending on what we think is best.

I can go further, but I don't want to build the entire setup myself.

[wander]

Yep, it's all about brainstorming really. It's a tiny bit awkward in a Pbp format, though go with Rule of Cool and what you want to play based on what's down, if something inspires you or think would be a good idea for someone else, say so! ^^

I'd like character names if at all possible too. Just a real quick kinda name, possible face-claim and a sentence or two on your concept. Once we all know who we're playing, we can get going. :)

[LuckyLukin]

Biggest question for me is whose need is it to get the hell out? If it's mine then I can still adjust the premise to maybe I'm the second in command of Circl's mob family and using that to attract a cult and continue that way. Maybe the cult is used to make money, maybe a magical drug synthesized from the ceremonies?

[Flaming]

The need should be attached to your relationship.
For this reason I was suggesting that Erytrxalrkrrqwt wants to get back to its plane, and enters Circl organisation to do so.

[wander]

Biggest question for me is whose need is it to get the hell out? If it's mine then I can still adjust the premise to maybe I'm the second in command of Circl's mob family and using that to attract a cult and continue that way. Maybe the cult is used to make money, maybe a magical drug synthesized from the ceremonies?

It's between you and Flaming's character, under Need to be Happy. So getting out is something one of you wants (maybe both) for a happy ending... Of course Fiasco is a very 'earn your happy ending' kinda game.  ;D

[Flaming]

Eugene, college student, major in pre-Columbian american history.