Hello, and welcome to the weekly.
Scroll podcast brought to you by the adventure.
Archive, my name is Ryan and I'm Hunter and today, we will be
going over empty cycle from Rookie jet studio.
So if you are listening, Turning to this, in podcast land, this
would be the episode after the interview, we just had with
Corey Burns of rookie jet Studio.
Knew that is you are here in the podcast, it's weird that we did
an introduction right after rbob, but that is how it is.
So, right off the bat, what I do want to talk about or at least
show is like kick over to our physical physical changes ition.
I need to take the kick, start the podcast off of off of all of
this. Boom, like that, go away.
So this is a little bigger window I bigger in the window
now, if you're not watching smile Hunter and this is, this
is giant giant Ryan. So but a couple of things.
So both of our backgrounds if you're watching our art from the
book and they're stunning, but looking at, so I backed at the
tier for this, I'll print on demand, that's what we do with
Ricky jet are, that's what they do.
Um, to get, I have three books in my hand, I have the actual
like playing soft cover here. Beautiful looks fantastic.
I have the hard back of the plane one.
This it's a white cover. Its got the art that's behind me
right now. It's two figures.
It says empty cycle, along the side and then there is a red
limited edition cover with two, other characters on the cover.
And it's black and red and beautiful, and a little bit.
I mean I love the red giant limited edition cover.
Its a bright red is just got that like fly on it.
This doesn't. Yeah, it's very different.
I don't know why I was like, this could be red, giant Bob's.
I think it's just a black and white and red.
Yeah, it really gives that to me, but if you look in my hands,
you'll see that I ordered mine. The mail late because I'm bad
with ordering pod codes, but I did buy them.
So, so Mon Mon is artist twitter.com slash mon underscore
2501 beautiful fucking artwork. Keep talking about Christian
really good art. But I, you know everything we've
gotten from work each at is print on demand which has this
plus a minus is plus is that we have it in our hands right now
and the print on demand is getting better and better and
better, the only one I got so good.
It's gotten a lot better than it was way in the past, my only
knock on print on demand and I wish there was an option for it
was to make books that aren't so shiny. like, if there was It
does. What's hard to take a picture of
it to make it look pretty? Yeah.
What if the books were a little more matte?
Like can you imagine like a like a red giant in that cover in the
future? That's like even like a
clothbound one or like a like yeah.
But they're still absolutely stunning.
That's not really a knock at all.
It's just you're being picky and one even more.
There are usually gorgeous. Yeah, but um just like
everything from Ricky jet. You know got to have all of the
versions of it and they're stunning super worth it.
I highly recommend snagging the PO dies.
It is an incredibly well like Mo made book and as we said the Pod
is are getting better and better and interior-wise it looks
fantastic. Even with the red pages and
stuff like that is printed really well, it's beautiful.
I actually think that the first when we got we got red giant.
It was the first time we'd gotten like a pod.
We were like oh wow. This is like Really good, you
know. Yeah.
Yeah I do. I do agree.
I think I think right around that time they up their prices a
little bit but really updated the quality of the print on
demand from drive-through and and it showed and it looks I
mean the red giant one is absolutely stunning.
Like I said, I'm just being I just want to, you know, even
more but again, highly recommend.
Yeah, all this stuff, the print on demand is is absolutely worth
it and again, it gets in her hand super fast, but that is a
picture of the Or or a little, a little showing of the physical
books. And then this week, I don't I
think we just talked about a second ago.
I don't really think we have a spotlight this week.
Yeah, that really like we're just hopping right in.
If you have something, you think we should Spotlight.
You should send it to us. I feel like there was something
I wanted to do this week and I didn't write it down.
So fuck it. It is what it is.
Fucking. Yeah, so we're gonna hop right
into empty cycle, and guess what?
I actually before the pocket started actually set up the
window now, Nice. There it is.
So this is empty cycle. The cover of this PDF is the
standard cover. It is the mostly white
background with the figure with the two figures on it, on a red
background and on the right side, going down and says empty
cycle. And then I love this because I
am involved in mankind. Any man's death?
Diminishes me? Yeah, I know that.
Fucking eye at the center fucking slaps.
This is cool as shit. That's cool as shit because
actually, I was looking at the merch page, I love, Ricky debts
merch. I'm going to buy some.
The only I wish this was huge on a shirt.
Yeah, I actually looked at the chest.
Yeah. It's it's just, it's just one of
those like, over the left movie like ones with like, you know, I
think I want this back. I think I want it.
They have a, have a sweater that's A rookie Jets to use that
has it right here but I think I want the sweater with this on
it. Yeah, you know I just want I
have so many black crewneck. So definitely rock this on a
black crew neck but yeah, if there's a red giant, when I want
super fucking bad, it's the one that's got like, the, the
screaming mouth, I'll make a red background.
If it was, hopefully, if that was an entire full front panel
but in a second, I thought about it in a second, so I'm think I'm
gonna rock the, the, get the red giant.
One in the rookie jet one. But again, if that one just in
case we could just listening, hey Cory.
If this logo was huge on a T-shirt and then the screaming,
red giant mom was huge on a t-shirt snags in a heartbeat.
But again, as he just said, it says, any man's death diminishes
me because I am involved in mankind, circle circle, circle,
and it's got this open eye in the middle.
It's stunning. I love that.
It's like the only thing on this page and then just has the
credits in the bottom hurt burn. So we just spoke to Is game
design, a writer Jean Verne, great layout artist, follow them
on Twitter, they put out some amazing content.
Some fantastic layout and we already talked about Mom on the
artists in this very anime style really great art that.
I mean, like, I know, but like, there's not like a ton of heart.
This book, The Man, the pieces are really good.
Also you know, shout out this next page because you know,
we're going to point out that that is in this book hyperlink
this shit is fucking linked, you know, you know we love we go to
hyperlink. I love it.
I am and well you know what? I'm putting it on a Post-It note
so you know, it's got a 30% chance of getting done.
I am going to work on some merch for the weekly scroll, that's
just got our, our name across it, and then the the hand Went
on a PDF, it turns from like the the, you know, the little space
where you can title it does and then when you roll over
hyperlink, it turns into a hand, I want to create, I want to do a
share at this. Got the weekly scroll logo,
that's just got that hand over. It looks like the logo is
hyperlinked because we don't even have any.
I mean, we theoretically have merch on a store that no one
ever looks at and I, but I don't even have any so tws.
I had a glass. A hyperlink merch.
Oh yeah. My My wife made you.
Yeah. A double a-side.
You're not one of those. I drink beer on that thing so I
think the promise you made it she made is it black or white on
the writing white? Yeah.
I don't know why don't have one of those saying.
Hey, wait, maybe it's black, I don't know.
I gotta look, I don't know. I drink smoothies and beer out
of it. We I have it.
So there you go. Hey, yes.
Like you decide. So so it is hyperlinked.
Do we have? Bookmarks is another question.
We got them bookmarks know that is no, some Nails.
I know bookmarks, it's only 40 pages but you know, Yeah, I
mean, yeah, it really isn't mean a design that has hit about 38.
And so past that mean, like, you know, that's all, that's all
like, optional reading. You should always read this
thing. So, really, this is it's a very
tight concise game, he's tight so tight.
Um, so tie up hyperlinks. No, bookmarks will start their
love the hyperlink. So thank You intro, character
creation, parasite, creation, playing the game Enemy creation
and then the design notes in the back.
I really enjoyed the designer notes in this book too.
Yeah. You know, sometimes it feels
like a load of GM section and it's like if you run a gave me
run a game. But last time I read designer
notes where I was like, oh these are actually like really good to
read was when reread I think was Nova from Spencer.
There were some really good insights in the back of those
and I will say the book is not super long but there is some
there are some pages that are very dense and some pages that
are much more stylized and right off the bat.
Is this page? That is little bit more dense.
So I'm going to read, it's basically the entire premise of
the system. Yes, I think it's important to
go over parts of it. So empty, cycle on a red page.
All the pages in this are red so the white really pops off of it
which is really, really nice. Yeah.
So empty cycle, put on empty cycle, focuses on the mental and
existential issues of being a teenager and growing to maturity
in a boring town, where there is nothing to do empty cycle.
Draws heavily upon them Melancholy and existential
crises we face as teenagers in such a place and uses these
focal points of loneliness and uncertainty and sadness in order
to craft a meaningful and action-packed journey suddenly.
Everything changes when otherworldly, beings known as
parasites arrive on Earth, and begin to a fix themselves to our
protagonists in order to survive, parasites are humanoid
Planet hopping alien beings that are able to take on a new human
form based on their host complex emotions and desires.
Often using an attractive appearance to persuade and
influence our host for Mutual gain between the two life-forms.
However, there is another set of beings known as the parasites
and epic agency known as Reapers, these Reapers much like
their parasite counterparts look.
Remarkably human and almost Angelic if they possess
extraordinary abilities much like their parasite,
counterparts, a Reapers goal seems to be solely to eradicate
the parasites while the parasites resist and find
suitable host in order to utilize their own parasitic.
Oddities once a parasites arrived.
Strange events. Begin to happen within the town,
ranging from a robot attacking you through TV screen to a giant
hand falling onto your town from outer space.
No one knows what causes these events but you have a feeling
that something to do with the parasites and Reapers presence
in your world. In a way parasites, represent
the characters maturity or desire for maturity or Reapers
and other elements. When we represent the things,
these characters suppress within themselves, empty cycle is a
short but deep-seated game that aims to incorporate symbolism in
every turn and action. Boom.
Boom! Can you know what?
I know where our I'm already? You know we go through we go
through, okay? James and I said hey I'm like
what what anime series cuz I run this because it like it's very
they are very open formats like different like they are
definitely and a games that he's really good about not putting it
down like this, is this one anime game and we talked about
this of the, like, a must like hot man.
You know, this is really corny old manga called DN Angel and I
could totally see it being ran this.
I don't know if anyone knows it Ryan you hate to shove it, but
your it's a kid who liked transforms into the Steep at
night and like, dude, I like I could see that being run in this
sounds perfect for that. I've no idea what you're talking
about. But yeah, it's cuz it was really
low level like Yeah manga from the 90s late 90s early 2000s but
yeah yeah I don't know. Just looking at the yeah I don't
think it's quite mine. You know what I thought right
away was I mean I know it's very obvious because it's parasite
but parasite. Well yeah, fucking whole animal
like you can set up having it be like a very pretty like whatever
like this thing like in the fucking anime, it attaches to
them but they can like wore their shape with Like you could
easily run this as like parasite.
Kind of whore like anime as well, but as you said like that
at all, you know, it's I actually really enjoyed it.
It's um, it's pretty good, its gory which I fucking love.
Like a lot of times like you'll if you look at my anime search
history, its top ten, goriest enemy's top 10 darkest enemies,
top 10. Like, you know, most depressing,
anyways, uh, animes. You know?
Yeah, yeah. Yes.
But But like, like we're talking about in the interview, a lot of
it, is it maybe like red giant for example, you could easily
Run vampire Hunter to you can easily run.
Berserk. Obviously those are Inspirations
for it. But I think somebody said in
chat Claymore is such an incredibly underrated manga
would be because the anime is was was done dirty at the very
end Nolan and but Claymores like one of my favorite Manga style
time, it's got some of my favorite characters of all time.
It and I I would love to run that style and that but but yeah
but yeah, so move forward. Yeah.
I'll do the next page. I'm here.
You know, I'm gonna get it. So in a cycle players will need
the following. Obviously you're going to need a
blank paper for character sheet or you or Printed character
sheet a set of polyhedral dice. I don't know if he'll ever heard
of those or obviously, that's wrong at pencils, 12 players and
one GM. Interesting is one and two
players. It's like very small group, you
know? And this works like other rookie
jet games. If you've heard us go over them,
you're in here. Cover again, you will players
make use of d-46, d8 to begin a game.
Each size of the assigned to individual status.
How stats work in this game. Player characters and parasites
respectively or I'm sorry for both player characters in
parasites respectively, in order to make various checks, these
stats can be used interchangeably or together as a
junction to surpass everyday. Obstacles enemies.
Otherworldly events. Empty cycle is very adaptable
and can be used in a myriad of ways to suit your tabletop game
as the core of the system. Allows you to control two
entities as one character empty cycle also comes with A decent
amount of information that will be helpful in aiding both GM's
and players and understanding the inner workings of De Cycle
Systems purpose throughout this book.
I mean, seriously, like parasite.
Yeah. You could do like a Mac thing
where it's like a living neck that you have or transform into.
There's a, there's a world that you can get into some stuff at
us. Stop, you know, like you said,
it's interesting that it's only the you could, this is one of
those ones you do GMO. One player we've seen each other
games that are doing that lately.
Other kind of Berserk inspired even sacrifice, or it is Claire,
but, um, it's interesting because you're not even if with
one player you're not just one character like, it's
specifically supposed to be to really fleshed out characters
between the the teenager and their parasite and the ability
to flip between and use both. So even with only one GM, one
player, there's two characters and even went to players.
There's up to four characters which is which is really neat
because that's kind of a whole party right there is just for
folks. Characters.
Yeah, so it's interesting that, that that's the kind of
Direction I went. Because I also imagine if you
had four players, you have eight fucking characters at the table
and start to get to be a lot. Especially, since there are two
personalities talking to each other.
It's like, we have for people with their, to First aliens
talking to each other. So, yeah, there's times where
the GM can take over the parasite, so, right in order to
kind of Corral everything, I think having like a much smaller
party would really lend itself into that.
So, I mean, obviously, Only one player, but, you know, having
to, to give kind of like a, you know, a little bit of balance,
but like different personalities and stuff would be awesome.
So, I definitely would love to play the like three people.
Yeah, absolutely. So, moving into calculation,
starting the book. The way every good book is
started with starting with character creation.
I always forget which side I'm on until we start.
And then I'm like, now rules. But again, a different and
beautiful piece of art here. I just love the style.
It's gorgeous. It's very sketchy.
But refined, I don't know how to describe it besides that, and
then even the layout itself. I really enjoy the way.
It's done with specifically this page for podcast.
Land. The piece of art is this this
girl Girl in a dress with cutoff sleeves from about thighs up,
you know kind of in an anime pose taking up like 2/3 of the
right of the page. But on the left has his black
block size characterization but it's aimed up.
And then underneath it is, some is some writing, it's just very
Graphic design. I guess it's not two columns.
Listen. It looks fucking good.
Okay, it does. It does.
It's like it's laid out really well.
I enjoy that since we do score layout in this podcast, I like
the layout. It looks really fucking good.
So, do you want to take care of creation, or do you within an
T-cells players assume the role of the teenager?
Your character can do all the normal, all the things.
A normal teenager can do nothing more and nothing less when
creating your character you will Begin by generating York.
Your stats and then choosing to two traits, that best describe
your character. The character you want play,
right, characters, characters in anti cycle should take on the
role of a common teenager with their own personality.
The core of any RPG is the character, you'll be
personifying in this game, you'll design a character using
your own imagination. Apply different traits, and
stats them based on your selection answer.
Some of the questions below at the table, to get the game
going. When designing your character
for use and if cycle is important to make them feel like
they truly exist and live within the town, this can be
accomplished by answering a few questions and write down the
results. And so, basically like the core
of this is that you're making it a teenager Slice of Life that
actually exist. Like you the questions are, you
know, when did your character move this town have?
They always lived there? What their Social Circles are
like, are they popular? They reclusive, what kind of
hobbies and they carry on. They part of school clubs.
Like if you have watched any animes where they're in high
school, like, this is exactly that.
And I it's very interesting because I feel like it, maybe
this is my own personal experience in high school.
There's less School clubs in my own experience in high school
and I do see an anime and I'm like, damn that actually.
Looks like a lot of fun. What does look like a fun?
But we live in fucking America. Whether even get rid of gym in
school much less having fucking clubs and absolutely engine like
this. I really am.
Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
Like they have a school. Cool clubs or anything.
Like and moving on, like, what kind of insecurities your hair
too? Had what do they feel confident
about like what are their lifelong dreams?
Were they scared of what their family life like?
What are their secrets? How do you ground this teenager?
In their small town? Yeah.
And moving on, in the following Pages, you can find additional
steps in order to finalize his character.
On your character sheet. You will sign a d 4, d 6, D to
each of your characters, three stats.
As you see fit, Begin by assigning your highest.
I value to your most desired stat gives you On if you're
already familiar with empty, cycling me, go ahead and
assigned. I value to your parasite as
well. So real quick before, moving
forward, this is the thing we're going to hit but there is
multiple times in this book where they specifically say this
is what they imagine this game running is to really, really,
really personify. Your character like role play
the character. Get deep into the teenager is.
It's not Yeah. Yeah.
Can obviously you can third party whatever but it sounds
like the the intent from the Creator is to literally like try
to play as teenager or eyes your parasite as much as possible and
really go in depth in your RP and really get a sense of who
they are and what they are as a teenager because a lot of us
aren't anymore. But we were, you know, and just
because we're also in our 30s now doesn't mean we don't have
excess tension crises so we can really funnel that but I really
feel Eight to really get the most out of this game.
There are some games were, like, everyone can play this, but to
get the most out of it, I think it takes kind of a really
specific group of people. So I would definitely want to
play this game of the people that are like, just going to go
fucking hard as shit. Like I would rock it, like the
fucking school, uniform and fucking everything.
If I'm going to play this game, you know what I mean?
Yeah, I sugar agree. I think this is a, it's like,
you go over some of the games where it's like, specially
because we're so part of the 0s are seen.
And so it's that scenes. Like you gonna fire a roleplay,
I'm gonna kill this guy here pretty soon the guys name.
Yeah, yeah, it's me his name is Jim.
Bob the third, because the second guide and that last trap
the app, so I do like that, it is cool to lean into actual role
playing. I think there's space in the
space for that, to still exist, you know?
Absolutely, absolutely. Yeah.
Moving forward as we always are in life.
You know, same brother fish, determine characters.
Likelihood to accomplish a task, right?
We understand how stats were consistent top game year old?
I totally makes sense, kind of a thing where you're going to
incur, the risk of failure is when you're going to accuse
stat, your character stats are Fizz, which physical mind, and
soul every launch York. Archer and complex, desire and
emotion belong to your parasite. Your character is able to use
soul in order to create Junction checks or enter spill state
which we'll get to. Yeah, it's a physical, is your
physical status quo guilty. It's going to be any physical
tasks, me, physical. It's amazingly well names that
you're mine. And so is her.
Oh no, keep going. Your mind stat is is for
anything. You use your mind for if you're
witty smart, intelligent solving puzzles, mentally, demanding
tasks. Once again, miss riffle body and
mind have 21 times that I'm SOL. SOL is unique with this that
determines. How many times you can summon
your parasite? It is the the yeah.
That's where does to assist you in seeing her combat?
Soul is never used for checks it.
Lee is just the it it's something you use just for
summoning, it's a gauge I think is how yeah, it says, right
here, it's like a gauge of how much power you goes.
Any value. Saudis olsat is doubled.
Soul is recovered. Any time your character gets a
full night's rest. You spend it.
It's a spendable thing to summon your parents.
Yeah, it's a pool is a pool, you really have.
So so you get you really get to stats in a pool.
So you get loose. Oh baby love.
You get your body, you get your mind.
So Body and Soul are classic. Three stats.
It's interesting that you really just have physical and mind and
a pool, but it's you still assign add ice to it as if it
was a stat. It's cool that it's kind of like
stat that really only acts as a pool which is going to do it.
I think that there are stats in the other rookie jet games.
It's also like you assign a die to it and you just double that
as and it becomes the value of that set.
It might be like health and stuff, but I'm pretty sure
that's a consistent theme. Within rookie Jets like
structure for die. I mean, I really like how he
structures, how dice for you? And I know we talked about it
being pulled from the game. I've never, I've never played
through time or right? Yeah, yeah, it's funny every
time. Yeah, and I really, I really do
have some moving forward. Complex complex.
This that represents the underlying ego within your, your
character that the parasite has drawn their personality from
complex is used in conjunction with your characters stats in
order to bring out their inner ego and channel this into
succeeding their task. Yeah well I think we get two
Junctions here in a little bit but yeah it's the using I'm I'm
Zoom, I'm telephone. Blurry boy.
Here we go. Hello, I didn't really blurry
you that I was going on. It's just, I'm an emotional
state and very blurry desire or exert.
This that represents the secret wants and needs that dwell
within your character. That the parasite draws their
parents from. So whatever Desiring to draws
their sexy appearance from your parasite.
And my waifu and desire is used in conjunction with your
characters stats in order to manifest these desires and Oil
this and to succeeding their tasks.
Emotions or emo, I do. Oh, come on, bring back the
glory glory, huh? Non Hillary Hunter.
I don't know what's going on. I'm like, moving all that much
anything. Um, yeah, so emotion or emo the
same. I'm wearing a lot of t-shirts,
the same this that represents the raw feelings and fragility
that sleep. Inside your character.
The parasite has drawn their own feelings from emotion is used in
conjunction with your characters stats.
In order to manifest, these feelings and channel them into
succeeding their tasks. Cool personality and appearance
on your character sheet, make sure to fill in what your
character, what you want, your character to look like, and how
your character pays maybe your character is stylish but shy,
maybe they dress softly but there and are there loud like
me? I'm in this book.
These details, you would like and use this as a reference at
the game to introduce your character to the rest of the
group. It's like to take over.
Yeah, so getting into traits traits, determine your
personality and quality their traits, their trades.
They Define anything that is explicitly stated whenever you
are in a situation where you have an owned trait, you
actually get to add, you get to gain Advantage.
So, your order check twice. So, there's a list of traits
here on the page, you could to check two of them.
They're interesting. So very, very varied.
But obviously, When you hear them make sense.
So you could be athletic, slide oppressed uptight, nerdy
motivated, curious, angry, any of those things.
So it's a plethora of teenage emotions and and a little bit of
Mr. Tree. It's like you're the athletic
kid, you're the nerdy kid, you're the bad guy, you know,
you're whatever it is. I'm so pick one or come up with
your own. I'll be you get to and again, if
you have traits that this will come up again, later you get
Advantage anytime that trait is there.
So, if you're flirty You're gonna vanish when you flirt, if
you're athletic, you get Advantage when your athlete
eating. So it is what it is.
So there are a couple of interesting Pages like the next
one you can make anything sound kind of dumb.
Listen, I agree. So there's a couple Pages like
this. I like these Pages or
interesting. It's a little it's a little
quote really. It's the only thing on the page.
There's a little bit layout aspects to it.
Read some white. This says, myself and bigger.
Writing and I need it says will I be able to fulfill the one who
waits for me. Now in spite of me being unable
to understand, I'm selfishly disappointed.
Yeah. Sounds like it was a teenager.
Yeah. So parasite creation.
This is similar to. This is a new heading page, the
same layout as the last one, but it is a different piece of art.
It is a great piece of art, this is one of my favorite.
I mean, it's hard. There's like five six pieces of
art that are used over and over again.
It's hard to pick a favorite because they're all really well
done. Yeah, they're really wanted to
like this like made kind of looking girl with a giant pack
of something on her back. Back I assume some type of
weapon or whatever. I always pictured the I picture
this as a parasite in the in the game.
So parasite creation you you play two roles, right?
So the who you are as a teenager you only get to do what
teenagers do but it's a parasite.
You get you to extraordinarily think extraordinary things to
the limit of what they are capable of doing and then.
But the character creation is the same Baseline for a
parasite. It's just a different set of Of
stats that we talked about in the last one.
But we'll go over. There is again, there is a whole
page here about parasites that. I'm just going to kind of sum up
as we go through. So parasites.
Are they try to cross the Kosmos fleeing from planet to planet to
get away from the Reapers? Not much is known but epic
agency concerning either of their existence has one thing I
will say is the we give what parasites are pretty early but
you are reapers are pretty early but Epoch or epic agency.
Is not really explained until much later in the book.
I think an explanation earlier on of Epic agency would have
been nice and as far as I understand, it is the kind of
like Global government such police force of, of where you
are. So they're basically the people
on Earth that understand that protect us from like alien
invasions and shit, but that doesn't come up until later.
I think maybe an InDesign knows being before that.
A little bit of an explainer of that earlier would have been
nice. Even in this section here, or
maybe it is in the section here, on the end, is so parasites.
Take the human forms, they're super contagious, even a simple
handshake kiss cough, anything like that.
Can get one of these parasites inside of you.
They want to live within you and try to avoid the Reapers.
But in order to do that, they will often try to befriend their
host or even flirt with them or offer assistance or in some way,
shape or form, be a good pair of sight.
Basically. What's it called?
When you have a symbiotic? Erotic relationship, with these
parasites to be beneficial for both of you.
Is what they try to do, it is possible for the parasite to
break free or you to break free from your parasite.
If there is a minced Rama mental or physical, but for the most
part, they are where they are and they can't travel far from
you. They, as I said, they will try
to help you. They have superhuman abilities.
They utilize your raw and emotional and mental energy in
order to do those. In order to use, Superhuman
abilities and they can manifest at times to help you in bad
situations and during empty cycle, the GM, and the player
will interchangeably control, the parasite, depending on the
situation. So if it's at a point where the
parasite would be taking over or doing something kind of outside
of the players control, the GM could take over and see what
they're doing. But for the most part it feels
like the player will control their parasite.
Still trying to make sure that the parasite and the player are
distinct entities. Within the game and that's why
again there's fewer players, I got a job for somebody who's
newer the role playing for sure. That's what I'm saying.
Are you have to talk to yourself?
That's like you. And I could probably swing that
like, why am I a bunch of friends that could?
But maybe if your first like, step into this tabletop
role-playing space like being two, distinct different
characters, might be a lot. I think it will be.
And I think that just in general, that's that's how a lot
of these teach RPGs are, like, whenever I taught, let's It
takes a fifth edition, for example, you know, early on, I
always had people just do the standard array, because if
you've never played the game before, do you know the
difference between eight wisdom and 12 wisdom?
You know, I mean, I know, I know we can trust actually a modifier
and not the actual number itself.
So exactly it's a modifier. So, like the understanding of
what the numbers mean, and how you should act and stuff like
that. One of the things I enjoy about
this game. 2 is D. 4068 are the, the dice that you assigned.
Into the stats. But I don't feel like that
really necessarily gives a huge emphasis on who you are as a
player outside of the. Number one, it specifically says
in the beginning, give the highest one to the one you want
to emphasize them. Yes.
So yeah, if you give it and really outside of the Soul,
which really is just a pool that you can use for your parasite.
It's just physical and mental really.
So it's like do you want to be a athletic kind of like
skill-based character? Or do you want to be like a
smart potentially nerd? A character and they dig deep
into that, but you don't have six tax.
You don't have a score Plus or modify, you don't have all that
other bullshit. So you can really dig deep.
I think you mean the Andy would rock the shit out of this game.
I think we need Andy would actually Rock the show this.
Yeah, I'd be interested to see what Andy made for this.
I'm pretty sure we do Handy. Andy was a theater kid, and he's
a fantastic role player and he plays in general, he's an
awesome has girls. That's okay.
I got something I got to do. Like two fucking years.
It has great awesome player. I love Annie to death.
Let me tell you, when I make a character in this game I'm gonna
make a guy who's wearing glasses and goes, you know, all the time
sometimes they'll turn the head slightly and they'll just be
like white it out with absolutely something that
doesn't doesn't transition well into movies, and that's why Sin
City looked fucking terrible. Um, so talking about parasite
going on, too. This is a great piece of art, it
is and I think the same person that's on the cover, right?
This person here, who I always assume is a parasite because
this little girl figures looking up kind of like I don't know,
questioningly / lovingly /, something at this character, but
in this picture they look kind of evil.
Like they're looking down kind of at you.
Like the chin is tilted up, they have the smirk.
Work on their face hairs. All crazy.
Yeah. The even the way that is shaded,
has this kind of like burst underneath them?
So they definitely have this relation here.
Yeah, there's like a malevolence to it.
That I really love and eyes are red which they are in the other
one too. But for some reason, it just
like, since you only see the top half of it, looks fucking
bad-ass and it says Paris, I don't need it.
So this is my assumption of the parasite.
So we talked about the the stats a little bit more in-depth
actually not the stats for the parasite.
But again, the stats for A site, our desire, complex and emotion.
Those are the things that the parasites feed on you, in order
to power themselves, right? And again, your character has
physical mind and soul. So on top of that, you get three
other things for your parasite. You get a personality you're
going to item and you get goals. So the personality that you
create in the beginning is really important in how they act
and how your teenager, who's just a fucking teenager with no
special abilities. Acts around a parasite, been
determined Thinking your parasites personality, you
should take a look at your character that you've already
created and what they wish to be because don't forget the
parasites feed on. You, your desires, your
complexes your emotions. So whatever you want, the, most
your parasite. Might get that again, anime
waifus. So, look into that.
And you can also look in some into some shapes or forms or
some of that your character ultimately despises as well.
So base your Your parasite off of what you think your character
would want. Which I do also think is going
to be difficult for newer players.
If you like not only do I need to create a character.
I need to create a parasitic character off of those character
traits in order to create that. So you also get an item so that
you can kick around is supposed to be useful to you, in combat
in symbolic of what the character desires to be.
Again, feeding off of the character to build this
parasite, the atom can range from a guitar skateboard or even
a traditional a fan of the choice is yours.
Love the concept of guitar obvious.
Now to fool Cooley really, really cool.
This item provides no additional benefit mechanically but is used
narratively in order to provide a deep dive into the character
psyche. Again, your parasite is just
these drawn-out kind of embodiments of what your
teenager wishes, they were and then goals.
Each person has a goal of living, a quiet life.
Look from living a quiet life too.
Conquering the Galaxy but also fleeing the Reapers that are
after you. So he's character should be just
as unique as your character or each parasite should be with
underlying goals of their own. And these goals can be simple or
complex. You record the results in a
character sheet and then you move on to creating your bill
which is interesting. So there are four types of
parasites which are interesting aside type is a data type and
upload the type Mills is the sigma, you know.
Yep. Yeah.
I'm glad that beta Alpha M. Sigma are not in here just
because it might be almost like my design you know.
Well I think the most interesting thing is the whole
concept of like alpha wolf which were album L came from has been
scientifically disproven Generously over and over again.
And the whole concept of Sigma is just the dumbest shit I've
ever fucking. It's just it's not based on
anything it's real at all. It's just a bunch of white dudes
with podcast talking themselves fucking douchey.
Why do those gorgeous did you see the new Joker movie?
That's totally me. I'm Sigma beta dick.
You fucking do some when he shot those guys because they were
making fun of him that really spoke Tom and that's totally me.
Fucking it's so the side type is compared side, the threads of
knowledge and intellect they inherently gain advantage to any
checks involving intellect. So there's a list of all the
there's accuracy died, damaged eye, and a specific spill which
is a nobility will go over each time in the future.
We'll go over in a second. So for this one on the side type
the calm intellectual type. Its mind and desire for accuracy
mining complex were damaged. You spill you ignored Trauma
when active, which will go over, which is interesting.
Zeta type are feisty. They Thrive off emotions and
strength, they get Advantage for persuasion, their accuracy.
I is physical and desire, and the damaged Isis fiscal on a
motion. I like that there are basically
its fizz fizz or mind mind for just about all of for all of
them but it's interesting how it's a little bit different in.
So example, the damaged Isis physical plus emotion, because
what is your character stat, physical one?
Is your parasite. Yeah, so then applying type
their carefree and they Thrive off ego and dexterity the
advantage on acrobatic. So their accuracy is physical
and emotion. The damage is physical and
complex, but your spill is your attack always hits when active,
which is another neon and then delta type is a calculating
parasite. The throw is off wit and greed.
So this is another mine type, you get an advantage on deceit
checks and it's mine. And complex for accuracy mind
desire for damage and your spillage.
You ignored damage when active really interesting it's really
neat how they tweaked the two stats.
You have to physical to mental to mind.
Yeah but it's neat how the very subtle sounds like it does.
Yeah exactly. Yeah.
The advantage you get from it this way, you get from a to it's
really well done. It's really well-crafted
obviously well thought out. So it's really it's really.
Saying do you want me to keep going with it spill spill?
Yeah, I'll do still spills and cycle are performed one player
characters and their respective parasites, synchronize and
temporarily fuse together into a being that reflects the current
state of the character psyche. When performing your spill, your
character in Paris. I fused together into being as
able to take the form of anything, from a humanoid robot
to a gigantic plush animal. The choice of appearance is up
to the player. Hours and the GM a spill occurs,
when the character is in great danger and can be activated by
the character. Announcing, they would like to
perform a spell once it had been announced the parasite turns
into a liquid like substance and consumes the character from the
ground up, we getting the fusion between the two beings still is
only possible. He is only possible when you
have more than two Soul because as your gauge, Age right for
doing these for taking section, for each turn, you remain in the
spill State, you will duck to Seoul from your tolaram Azle,
Texas coast ate the player must first.
Make an exit check. Because, that's right, you can
get stuck by rolling their highest character stat.
And their highest parasites, that against a target number of
eight, until they match or surpassed this number.
They must remain in spills are just sorry until they mattress
past that Target number, they must remain in the still State.
There's example, if you have 12 soul and into the spell State
you lose or I will lose to Seoul for six turns and will
automatically exit, The Spill State on the end of the 6th
turn, unless I can escape this Pillow State by making a
successful exit, check. So you basically just run down
the gauge until you have none. Unless you can exit during still
State, your character possesses General superhuman abilities
like that of a parasite, but greatly Amplified, in addition
to this each pair of site type has a special ability like we
talked about for example, being like the Devil Type which in
still ignores damage it's active.
This is no way I like it. Yeah, it's super cool.
I would put a period right right here though because it kind of
it was a little confusing for some I read it.
Or two to say that to Exodus Bill State, the player must
first, make an exit, check by rolling, their highest character
stat, and highest parasites, heck against Target.
Number of eighth period, until the match has passed.
This target number. They must remain this bill
state. So how I read this and tell me
how you want your on? Let's say that you have, let's
say, you have like 12 Soul, you put a 6 there, right?
Okay. So, if you go into your spill
state, every it takes two to do that.
And then for each turn your main, the supposed to You deduct
to. So every turn that comes around,
if you start with 12, you automatically go to 10.
And then next turn you did up to 8, make sure you duck 26.
Extra new directive for next turn.
You duck to to next, to next to zero.
If you don't want to literally wind all of your soul down for
the entire day. Because once you hit zero you're
kicked out of this bill. Stay until you get a full
night's rest. Yes.
But if you if you say three turns in right?
You don't want to be in spill State anymore, you want to go
back to regular. You could do an exit check Jump
out and then still have like, you know, some leftover six or
eight Souls so that you can use again, a future.
That's my understanding. Did it say that took two to
enter? Because I did say that you
needed at least sentence in your, oh, maybe it doesn't.
It doesn't say the first term because you needed to for that
turn. So, yeah, I think it right
there. You don't lose to right off the
bat. You just have to have to because
at the end of the first turn its gone.
Anyway. Yes, so you don't look okay.
But yeah so that's that's that's My understanding is that it
takes to every round to maintain it.
You can run it all the way up to 0 if you want.
But you've no, so left for the day, and if you ever want to
exit it early, you have to, you have to succeed on that check.
So you don't wait, you don't spend it all in one shot and
then have nothing till bedtime, right?
Okay. All right.
I'll I think that's great because I think I fear is like a
really shitty situation. My other my question too, is
though, what if you like you in combat?
My thought is that I would keep making the player roll control
absolutely shit off. Yeah, and just, and basically
just be like, oh, you only have six left.
All right. Three checks or are you were
just like listen, bro. That's right, I got 50 right
there. A dog that's rules is grandbaby
and try to end. Just imagine someone are peeing.
Like finishing the combat beating the final guy or
whatever. But then like trying to get the
go back to their normal form, get this thing.
Go back to liquid and go back to whatever and just like failing
and doing whatever or like succeeding and have like a whole
like you know, moment with it. Yeah, yeah.
It's just, yeah, cool II. Dig this bill say, I think I
think she was getting really, really cool really well done.
We have another one of those pages that has like a quote in
the center and it's kind of like stylized and instead of like
kind of the round white areas, it's got these sharper right
triangle white triangles in this with the red background.
You I'm saying the other Barefoot.
I can't walk through the crowd, even though I put on some shoes
and try to jump a little, there's too many of them.
Does the asphalt still remember who I used to be every day?
It's like the sun is even higher and brighter.
Tick tick. Yeah.
So now we're at playing the game and we have the same art piece.
That was at the top of parasite chapter.
Oh, you know what, I kind of noticed about this too and maybe
I'm completely wrong. Tell me.
Is it love of neighbor taken damage on their right shoulder?
They look like that shoulders. Like blast it off like
something. Yeah, I could see.
I could see that. Yeah.
And almost looks like cause it's red coming off of it to it looks
like it's almost been blasted and like you know forward, I
love that. Yeah.
Um, yeah you want to take over a role player playing?
Yeah, playing the game. The subsequent Pages contain
information on how to play the game and expands Concepts on the
Epic agency GA Reapers, Etc. First time, here by GA, which
are really neat when starting the game, you play the game.
So roleplay, this is what I was talking about earlier.
ER, T RPG? I am.
I is rookie jet. Someone I noticed who always
writes this like this, when I write tabletop role-playing
game, I felt like TT RPG but I've always noticed that they
write T RPG. Do you see that a lot ever
anywhere else? Nope, I mean, it makes sense
because tabletop is one when I was one word, but I do always
right TT RPG. Anyway, it says the tabletop
game, as you may know, is a game in which you act out your
character simpler, believe it is make-believe.
So that is that is what a rope Game is, but we talked about a
second ago. A lot of us are games is a lot
of it's more focused on the play in the mechanics.
Like I love when you play Victory basic where I was just
like, okay, you're you don't really need a name.
You just be Hunter the Rogue whatever like, you know, keep
going. But I still enjoyed role play
and I think this would be fun. So empty cycle, highly
encourages you to roleplay as your character and parasite to
add more depth of the game. This can be speaking and unique
voices or simply staying where you character pair.
Ascites doing or how they are, relaying information to another
in the game. So like the emphasis on first
person RP, but, you know, obviously can do third person if
you want. I'm a huge fan of first-person
RP, third person really takes me out of it.
If you're playing a whole play, a whole game of, like, for
people that are doing voices and accents, and one person that's
there, you know, 3:00 p.m., yeah, take a little bit.
So before starting the game, each player should have an idea.
Of how they can role play. As both of their characters.
You'll generally play is both, but when making a junction, it
requires their characters help. So if your characters trying to
impress a classmate, but does not have the required traits or
stats to do, so you can make a junction with the parasite to do
so during. So during this time, your
prayers have my enter a enter the scene, provide a scenario
for your character to impress, a classmate, by faking a fall, for
adding reassuring, whatever. So again, you have physical mind
and soul but your character has complex emotion.
You're like all those kind of things so you can use your
character stats by making this Junction.
There's another example about sneaking, maybe sometimes in a
site, should not emerge or make themselves known.
This could provide players with the sense of risk to actually
using the parasite in some certain situations.
So if everyone's looking at you and your parasite just happens
to pop out. Could be embarrassing, good D,
could be weird. Don't walk up to the board.
Um so possibility on influences. Your parasite.
Timid, I'm going mischievous. Did it take us like it?
Did you get it took me a second. I got there.
All right, is your parasite 10-minute outgoing mischievous,
you could influence influence. Your parasites interactions with
the character timid parasite. He has a date.
I'm glad you got it. Yeah.
So basically really think about what A parasite is what the
influence is and how that your parasite who is really built off
of your desires, affects your character in Reverse.
So, there are four game phases to two empty cycle, there's a
social phase, the object of in Phase, the combat phase, and
conclusion phase, and they can be flowed in any order.
That doesn't have to be in that order.
They are just the four phases that you could possibly be in.
So we're going to go into those a little bit more.
Here's, I think this is a section.
I saw that was potentially a typo.
It says, like, without using the game faces structure, this and
then there's like half an empty pair line and then it goes down
one. But this may help players on all
skill levels, determine what they need to accomplish at the
given moment in the game bump on.
Is that the physical Oh, I don't know.
Is it in the physical physical? I'm looking at something inside
of a over aren't real quick. I'm just trying to pair.
It is, this is him. So here are the explosion
explanations of the four phases. So, social phases, obviously,
when you're being social, you're speaking to another person,
whether it's one of the various NPCs, or something like that,
characters can travel around asking about recent events for
meal plans. Do what it is?
It is when you're being social and talking to other people,
that's what it is objective, it is interesting.
I'm an object event phase is used when an object event has
created an imminent threat to the town or people within it.
So, like I said earlier like a giant hand falling out of the
sky or guardian, angel coming down or something like that,
those are object event. It's when there is not
necessarily combat but your something big is happening and
you're trying to figure out something devastate is
happening, just like the plant and the middle of the city
starts bunch of steam comes out and like a giant.
Robot comes out of your head and starts attacking you.
Exactly like that. So character should focus on
eliminating the threat. By any means possible by
utilizing the parasites ability and power.
So this is more of like a like a like a metal threat here as
opposed to combat which is more like interpersonal situation.
Yeah absolutely. The next phase is a common face
and it's when you fight stuff. You know it's confrontation and
the conclusion phase is used typically after a major
Revolution or when ending the session during that phase, the
GM is expected to narrate the event so far and allow players
to To give their own recap. If needed this phase allows
players to know that they have hit a milestone and or moving
forward to the next chapter. So it's kind of like the it says
a conclusion but it's also kind of transition, what's up?
It's like is I have over arms open which also has four phases
but instead of the object phases investigation because it's a
little bit different game but it's like is the conclusion
phases? Like word for word exactly the
same, which totally makes sense and I have no issue with that.
But it's funny because I was reading it here.
As you were saying about was like a conclusion phase is
typically use after a major Revelation is it Like, oh yeah,
it's exactly. This is exactly what is great
for this. These styles of games with these
aren't exactly same. But like, they do have some
Hallmarks of like game and it may ask games.
I think these structure works incredibly well especially if
you're doing slice-of-life games that you need to have that
delineation between this thing happened in this thing happen.
Absolutely, I think so, everyone knows combat.
I love like you said that game is definitely more investigation
based this one definitely feel like the object event is such a
good example of Of what to do because I feel like there's a
lot of investigation and more. It's like reaction to this like
crazy shit happening. But but again, we've talked
about this already, you know, a lot there's this core kind of
pulled from, or Utama, but a lot of the rookie Joe game so far
have like at its core, very similar, dice mechanics and
systems and stuff like that. So if you play one rookie Joe
game, it's really easy to pick up another one, but they're all
easy to pick up by themselves. Yeah.
So but this one is definitely the the sleekest, you know, the
most minimal compared to Over arms which is more and red giant
which is I think he's easily the densest one.
Yeah, absolutely. Yeah.
Getting into checks and this is also very similar with the
target numbers and stuff like that.
So yeah, check Susan Sherman. If you succeed or fail, that's
some checks work. If you play the game before, you
know checkmark the this one is a little different.
Oh because you do add the, the two dice and this one is based
on The two different characters like the character and the
parasite versus something like red giant.
Where it's two traits that are being used to come up with
something from the same person. So it's a way to use my system.
I think it over arms. You also it's like I think you
can do checks where it's your, your anima and yourself as well,
whatever the major differences and we were talking about this
before we actually got a podcast, like Greta, I forgot to
ask again, is like in over arms, the animal has no personality.
Now, like it is like, it's your Punchy, do Spirit like, you
know, yeah. But in this it's supposed to
have a very distended parasite in the living entity that has no
motivations and personality out, which is cool, which is great.
I can't really think of another game where, and maybe you, you
know, usually no more than I do. But in another game, where,
like, in your made to make a two distinct characters that work
together, but have their own I feel like there are and it's
just like, on the tip of my brain and I can't think of one
but not like this. And, and in a way that it's so a
lot of it is more just like maybe hirelings that become that
can be involved, but not really like this where it's literally
based like you create a character and then create
another character based on that character, you know?
I mean, well, yeah, the depth Yeah.
Um, but yeah, so when a player makes a check they may roll for
their character alone or use a junction in order to roll higher
at the cost of Soul. Whenever a character attempts to
do something without the parasite.
As a junction, they were roll their mind or physical stats and
apply a trait for advantage of a pool.
We talked about you get to those at the start so there's times we
can roll two dice times where Well again, so if it's just you
without the parasite is Junction, you roll both your
sets together and then add your advantage.
But if you are trying to do a junction because you're using a
stat that your parasite has better, you do that.
So you always roll two dice, no matter what I mean, that's a
Hallmark of the system here, but it's whether you're using your
parasite Stat or two of your own stats to do so.
So the GM ask for checks, there's Target numbers.
You can get advantages advantage in different situations,
especially based on your training.
You rolled everyone knows advantages or disadvantages.
You roll your dice twice and take the higher number.
So there is a table here of listed Target numbers, simple
Target number is just too. You don't even need a role for
simple. I think it says that earlier
because it's impossible to not release of to, when you roll two
dice, because that's how numbers work.
But easy is Target number for annoying is six Troublesome,
eight difficult, 10. Very hard 12 and impossible 14
because As if you think about like your average dice, you have
a 4 6 and 8, write the highest you can get on a 6 and an 8 is
14. That's how math works.
I felt dumb for one second that I was like, no, I don't like
myself. It's 14.
So, the only way to get this impossible check is to roll the
highest on two dice on the two highest possible number statue,
have, I guess you could theoretically roll a 16 because
you can have an eight on one of the parasite stats and an eight
on one of your sets and shoot. No, yeah you can theoretically
roll 16, you're too high stats possible, Right?
But I guess that's what's interesting about Exit check to
since it is a target number eight and you use your to High
stats from both your character and your parasite.
It should always be 28, is what is what it should be.
So there are some check examples here below are various check
examples. You may reference when making a
requesting, a check first that listed for each represents a
character. The second set represents the
parasite if you do an injunction.
So if you do something athletic physical and emotional, right?
Persuading mind and desire intimidating, Physique in desire
and Hey Dean Susan, thank you so much for the raid for coming in.
We are reviewing empty cycle from Rookie jet Studio Sandra
real quick exercise right here. If your character is acting
alone they'll make the check by Rolling the stat associated with
their side of the example. 07 you just roll one die, I do.
So when we go up to this section, when the GM request a
check, it is encouraged for the gym to assess the task can
determine Target number. No, no one more.
When a player makes a check, they may roll the character
alone or use a junction or to roll higher.
Whenever a character attempts to do something without their
parasite. As a junction, they were roll
their mind or physical stat, you're right?
Yeah. So just one one day makes the
rules a little bit harder. So there are times in this game
versus the other games where I because I don't think any of the
other ones you really only roll one, die, you always roll to
die. I can't think of over I'm trying
now. But yeah, I mean, I mean, red
giant. Yes, you're correct.
Yes, yeah. So interesting.
It does make it a lot harder. You theoretically could roll us
on us and I know which makes sense.
A regular human sucks at things. So, Yeah, you know.
No, you're fine. Yeah.
So I thought was interesting. So basically if you're just
doing, if you're doing your own thing, it's just physical or
mind. But, you know, using parasite.
You have a lot more complexity involved with it, which is,
which is me, considering that the I think these are most of
the possible combinations that are listed here.
Physical my physical, my physical mind, emotion desire,
complexes Aria, it's pretty much everything you can possibly do.
So, it's really interesting and I do like the complexity of
really just using And three different things.
Adding them together and finding out what like intimidating,
physical desire. It is just a great way to do.
It is really interesting on the nuances involved in that.
Do you want to hit combat? You?
Let me go? Yeah, absolutely.
Combat. Sorry, I scroll down, I was
reading something else, come in and recycles, usually rare and
typically occurs when engaged or fate, or facing with AGA or
Reaper to begin combat. The GM will roll one T6 for each
player at the table and add the total between them.
Then the players, each roll, 1 D6 and add the total between
them from here. Both parties will compare their
total results and the part about the highest result will move.
First, I'm gonna tell you right now, I'm not doing that.
I'm a roll a D6, Y'all Gonna Roll a D6.
Never has hired goes, because that's too many died for for all
Hunter during combat characters. Must call must is a good word
call upon their parasite to fight alongside them by
performing Junctions. If they have any hope to live is
important for players to take advantage of using their
parasite spill, while monitoring their soul in order to make
enough combat alive in order for a character and their parasite
to deal damage. They must first make an accuracy
check which will above during character ordering parasite
types characters and their parasite will roll The die
values associated with your accuracy die and add the total
to make an extra check to die together.
Once this is complete, the GM Will Roll their own accuracy
check and add the total to determine if the attack is
successful or not whenever a ga or Reaper attacks for their
sorry, attacks for their turn, simply repeat this process
characters cannot make accuracy or damaged checks against AG or
Reaper without their parasite. You need your parasite, man.
You go into combat and you got no soul, you're beautiful.
Even if I actually important man.
If you use your spill and then end up failing, all of those
checks until this completely gone.
You done, did fucked up. Yeah, upon successful accuracy,
check the target, made enroll their damaged.
I associate with the parasite type when characters and their
parasites deal, any damage to GA or Reaper, the GM will remove
the total HP from Target. The G8 or Reaper reaches zero.
They are defeated when characters and their parasites
take damage from GAO Reaper. They will instead take damage in
the form of traumas that will influence the character lives
when role-playing and subsequently determine how close
they are to perishing. And I believe that there is a
parasite type that lets you ignore trauma when actress So,
trauma, trauma in empty, cycle can be thought of like status
effects from other games that occur.
When the character takes damage from Jo Reaper, trauma can come
in several different forms an individual different forms in
individually sir period right there.
No, my friend can come in several different forms and it
will show up now. Yeah, you just now trauma.
I can even stack if not properly resolved.
Gwinnett whenever a character, accumulates five or more trauma
at, once the parasite within them goes berserk turning on
their host. Consuming them in the process
pom, pom pom, when a trauma is inflicted by an enemy.
The stats of both the character in parasite may be effective.
It will be up to the player to determine what has happened to
them. Here are some examples below.
Did they fall from a great height?
They feel abandoned by their parasite, they've grown close
to. Are they scared of the thing?
Happening to the town? Are they injured?
They still have the will to fight.
Trauma place, has a great importance on the narrative as
the only way to recover from the trauma.
Aren't you work them out? Narratively with your fellow
characters? Once a character has resolved,
the traumas role-playing, they may remove The Afflicted trauma,
and the resulting effect, very cool, very roleplay heavy like
reminds me of I'm blanking on the name, but we're coming out.
Ryan Cowboy Bebop Game or Blues. There we go over the blues
because like that's the way I like your character work.
Through trauma to get strong, you know, they work their blues
and all that kind of stuff and their Blues.
Yeah, so very cool, not not one-to-one.
Reminiscent below is a table of trauma and their effects on
characters and parasite. Feel free to create your own as
well as as well, but be mindful of your players boundaries.
That's a good note for this, one by discussing, what you're all
comfortable with before. Playing in the cycle that is
true and you can get into some touching on trauma in.
This is definitely a good idea to have a Russian before this
one because, yeah, it's Louis ocean safety tools.
You know. Yeah.
Talk to your table. The trauma table below fear as a
trauma. Lowers a physical fist that by
one died sighs loneliness - have I went.
I so pretty much all these just lowered, I sides.
Yeah, and there's one for every stat.
Like, yeah, two for the characters.
And the three for the parasites. Yeah, I love it.
I love when. Like okay, so five, he's sucks.
But like a lot of the yeah, that's a lot of the, there's so
many fucking conditions and stuff, you know what I mean?
Like, everything out in the sun, I love when there are like this
game specifically in a lot of different ways.
It you have physical and metaphysical in mind, right?
So, you should have a character that's physical and mind, and
all of these traumas, there's one for every type of Dice,
because there's five total Akasha two characters as one for
each one. So the conditions all make sense
because it's specific to one stat that you've got the whole
time. I really like Ben games feed
into that. Where like if you're going to
have like, you know, for stats, right?
Then there is some type of condition that affects each set
individually or and character type that is exemplified by each
state individually. It's it feeds back into the
game. It creates a loop that that does
well with the game. Much agree.
So getting into the Reapers even less is known about Reapers and
parasites but they seem to be similar in many ways.
The goal is to eliminate parasites.
That remain in the cosmos and follow them and we'll follow
them to the ends of the universe to accomplish the scope.
Although reapers are said to look similar to angels with
somebody that possessing Wings Reaper, see themselves as
advanced life forms in a little to no regard for other sentient
life that are not Reapers. They will send a guardian angels
The two planets that they suspect their target has landed
on. And we use these guardian angels
to locate the Reapers targets and in some cases, destroy them,
Reapers possess, several extraordinary, unique abilities,
give them access to power, similar to parasites Rivers, do
not require host and can perform their abilities.
So they're incredibly similar to parasites, but they don't
require a host and they want to kill parasites.
Easy peasy. So ga also known as guardian.
Angels are sent through. Space-time Gateway is known as
NOS Domine. Which is an interesting choice,
the year of Our Lord, which can be summoned by Reapers there,
these and Adama negates reapers are able to pull these beings to
any location of their choice, make them a common threat to
parasite. So this is really a way to pull
in this greater threat from the Reapers, which it talks about
here in a second is a great way to do an object event.
So Guardians are equipped with weapons and abilities.
Although, these are usually weaker than the full potential
of a parasite, the used to make a strong With either a large
explosion somewhere in the town or by even blocking out the sun.
I really enjoy this. This is something that feels
very thematic. It feels very anime to yes of
traumatic. Like.
Yeah, absolutely. And they're super powerful, but
can be some identity time. It's a really, really cool way.
It feeds into the, the game, the themes in the system.
Well, I love this concept. It looks really fucking cool.
And I love the idea that like, You get taken over by this
parasite, right that generally likes to work with you so it can
accomplish its goals, right? And the reapers are the bad
guys. And, but they look like angels,
I like I love when things that look like, good guys are bad
guys. Yeah, it's just a cool Trope and
I really, really enjoy it. And the concept of like a
massive Guardian, Angel thing coming down and some people be
like, oh, this is so cool. And then if I can, Killing
everything. I love that love that idea,
getting into the Epic agency Epoch.
IT pocket, whatever. So this is what I was talking
about where we, for the most part Reapers and parasites are
talked about early on the first time you hit Guardian Angels.
The next section talks about Guardian Angels, but we talked
about a pig agency pretty early on in the game, little blurb
about it earlier would have been cool, but this is where it talks
about explaining it. This is a global government
funded organization that focuses on tracking down
extraterrestrial beings. Objects and monitoring abnormal
events. So, basically, you know, it is
the global police, the global government, the global funded
agency that worries about it's the fucking X-Files is what it
really feels like, um, and it tries to, but, you know, Global
funding, it tries to monitor all these events.
So this feels like something that you would worry about you
because you got an alien inside, you totally.
Yeah, absolutely. This seems like a problem for
you as well, everybody. Yeah, the ebbing agencies
presence of the Town increases residents the as epic as the
Epic agencies presidents. Don't increases residents may
become agitated or worried certain roads or sites might be
blocked. Emigrated to members can be
treated like any other MPC they can use him for what it is.
It's really interesting. Kind of like foil in PC.
Kind of thing you can use, really any time you want to add
a little bit of spicy reflects some stuff up, you could be
going about your business and suddenly there could be a block
road and you're like, oh shit, they're here.
What are they doing? Back to be a chance for a little
bit investigation, a ga could be coming down and it's just a nice
little plot point to throw into the game and I think it's a
really well-done. I think I'm going to vision and
they make sense they fit in really well.
You know. Yeah, there is a chart here,
which I really like like a role table for the threat of them.
And so on a 12-2, they're just remotely monitoring the town on
a 3-2 for their invest. They have an investigation team
on a five to six. They have a remote base in town
and on a 7 plus they control most of the town I really really
like that. Yes it's pretty good.
It's a cool way to like kind of on the fly or in prep have
something that really can alter the narrative, a lot pretty
easily. Jimmy do object eventually take.
Yeah I mean object events. Yeah.
Joey are unexplainable events that occur throughout the town
during the session object, Vince can come in many forms from a
toaster oven that comes to life and gross, massive overtime to
guard Dejah Guardian, Angel appearance.
Sorry. I held out on me while these
events do indeed remain to be unstoppable.
There are theories. Conveyed by the apoc agency that
their causes related to interference and reality caused
by both parasites and Reapers making reality field of said
area week by simultaneously existing near one.
Another also called the Play-Doh parallel, when object isn't
occur. They bring with them a wave of
panic and uncertainty when an object event occurs.
Nobody is sure of what they're about to witness the Events are
typically kept Under Wraps by epic agency and when they are
witnessed by the public, they're usually explained as a natural
phenomenon with a full media blackout of the event just like
any good shadowy government organization.
Yeah, it's kind of very Men In Black very a lot of different
anime organizations. Most object events can be
overcome by a character in the parasite working together, how
how this occurs is entirely reliant on.
The hand and how the player decides to approach.
The problem below is a sample list of different objects.
You can certain to your game, feel free to change, alter them
or create your own. So object event examples, you
got a meteor impact in the town in two days because of your
tremendous damage so you only have a short period of time
before it comes on. We talk to the small toaster
oven, begins to consume, smaller, electronics, and grows
exponentially with in the eyes, are destroying the town.
I don't know why. I've no idea what that's a
reference to you. I can tell you there's a whole,
a whole list of these and they're all really well done.
This is, these are a great adventure seeds.
One thing that I think is really done well, on this book for how
short it is, is a couple of sections of, is not a couple of,
there's like, one, like rolled table, but there's these
Adventure seeds like all throughout, so you can easily
roll it. You can easily, like just pick
one of these role to see what the Epi gate and she is up to.
There's a section here, a little bit about creating a bad guy.
You could roll up one of those and boom, you have a narrative
really built out the way you want, especially when you take
your characters into example. So this is the I think the third
and final quote page this is the them one them only the part that
I gave up has been distorted. I put my hand on the place it
was cracked somehow. The poison came out Pure White.
I'm laughing in the mirror really well done.
No, I lied earlier. I do have a favorite piece of
art and the game. It's this one.
It's one. You have is a background
badasses. Fucking cool piece?
Yeah, I love when there's like Like little anime girls with
giant weapons. I've eaten and badass fucking
Armor. It's so good.
And this one seems more refined than all.
There are some that doesn't have the sketchiness to it.
The color is, is really clear throughout this is he's on my
favorite piece. This is another header page like
the other ones, this is enemy creation.
So you get to generate enemies and empty cycle.
So it's not just like a list of enemies, you actually generate
them which is really cool. An enemy creation.
It comes to two forms, guardian, angels and Reapers.
Guardian Angels, the last threatening, but more frequent
reapers are more powerful and can be more by final boss style
when designing a giri / Sports, make them feel threatening
mysterious. This can be accomplished by
entering a few questions and those are listed below.
So it's like how tall is your guardian?
Angel are the mass of a small. What type of outfit are they
wearing armor clothes? What features do they have?
How do they stand out? What's a personality?
Those kind of things. Like how is the guardian angel
capable of affecting other things around them?
Those kind of questions. A really great list of
questions. This is another of those
sections. I love these questions where you
can keep filling out narrative and things like that.
Yeah, I guess. Ali for how minimal the game is
there a lot of tools to use to create a narrative and to keep
their native moving? So I really enjoy that.
So Reapers and JS, gain access to three different stats
strength, mind and power. So similar to the characters and
the parasites together. But different, they utilize
these stats in combat and against the players characters
to determine their accuracy. Each X.
So strength is obviously strength is determined by how
agile and strong and servers know the physical stat.
Mine is their version of the Mind stat and determines the
intelligence of things and how well they accomplished mental
tasks and power. Determines how willful violent
and calculated or intensity or Reaper is and functions much
like the Wild Card. Some all Guardian, Angel inflict
one, trauma and Reapers. If like to trauma /, successful
accuracy. Check on a Target character so
you get in trauma boy. Like they're you're getting
fucked up kind of? Yeah, I really like that.
I like that. You like your teenagers with a
parasite alien inside you. You got to be traumatized by
other agents, contract to kill you but fuck you up a little
bit. Once he actually has been made,
the ga will make a damaged. Check to see how much damage
they have inflicted upon the environment.
The higher the number, the more damage, Jason Reapers may be
created using the chart below. So it gives a standard array for
guardian, angels and Reaper creation with easy.
Simple difficult, challenging hard, struggle and a list of HP
for each one which is really cool.
So for example, easy gives you d-4d 66 to use for your stats
with an HP of 30 and the struggle, which is the highest
level gives you d-10 D12 D12 with HP 30, so fun, like who You
struggling. That's why it's got struggle.
Yeah, so there are four GA types and for Reaper types, just like
there are four parasite types. So there's a Titan type which
focuses on brute strength, their checks involve strength.
The Joker type is clever, their attacks are creative and
inherently gain advantage. On check to involving mind.
The m-type is Are they utilize, strange abilities and gain
advantage on checks using power and there's a night type which
is a well-rounded J. That goes all out when attacking
and they gain advantage on using power as well.
I like this, it feels Cool. I don't even know how to
describe it. Like I like night in Joker.
Titan are really cool. It gives you a sense
automatically have it. I feel ice, I assume their
armored. There's a little bit of like
that Western like medieval fantasy feel to it.
It's pretty neat. I really enjoy a little bit of a
card like play with it, too. Because I imagine the a almost
like a joker, you know, Titan almost like a king.
Well, that's really all. I mean, there's a really Jack
card play on the next one. So, oh yeah.
Yeah, well literally is all then.
There we go. Spade heart club.
Not a diamond and these are the reaper type.
So the speed type utilizes, cutting methods of attackthe
producer targets complex by a die size.
The heart type is a fiery Reaper, that's our passion, they
reduce the targets, Desire by a die size, the club type is an
energetic Repro that reduces the targets emotions and the diamond
type is a deadly powerful Reaper.
That goes all out and reduces the targets ol, you're getting
fucked up. I Reapers.
I mean, I really love That they're like GA you're going to
see a ton and really it's like check versus check but the when
you get hit by a fucking Reaper, dude, your die sighs.
Yeah. It's gonna get smaller small for
every hit. Yeah, you're getting like, it's
going to be really difficult to be Reaper straight up.
Oh, never mind. There was a fourth page, the
world. If I could pull out the thorn,
that Pierce's, my heart. If I could tear off the cowards
mask, if I could just undo these ropes, I have something I want
to tell you. So now we're getting to the
designers notes section. Black boys, boys.
We don't really need to go over this a ton, but it is a really
cool section to talk to the gym. It gives some more examples of
kind of like digging deeper into the the impetus behind the
system and really looking forward more into it.
Like I'm just like about being a teenager sitting in the empty
mall with nothing else to do with exploring the woods and
going against your parents order, it really just gives you
a lot more depth into playing the game talks about stress and
overflow The Duality of, you know, using these two characters
Oh fuck. I said there were three of those
five reality, even among friends, I feel lonely even
though they're nice to me. It's not enough.
I want to disappear into the empty night.
Do you understand what I am? And then that is the game,
that's all good game, that's it. I do like on the PDF, that
there's a Discord Link in a subreddit, both of which are
hyperlinked Love that. And then attach to the back, our
character sheets GA sheets and a Reaper sheets right on the back.
And then there's a final page, which is the back of the book.
It's got that do pass logo the any man's death?
Diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind.
A breakdown of the game into back of the book.
It's going back to the book stuff.
Looks cool. So um, Do you feel at this point
that this is big enough for a score?
I mean, we gave over, I'm just scoring this feels just like a
sleeker version of that, but it is over.
Arms is 100 pages and has far more art, but but how many of
those pages are literally just like anima Even how many other
just like and the examples are like any examples.
Yeah, I thought the whole like last, like 20 Pages was just
like enemy examples and stuff. Yeah, that's a little bit light,
I think, for how small it is. It's going to take some big hits
on some area. So it might not do it justice.
I just think it could take such big hits in some areas.
Yeah, and it's 80 pages and if we just if we had cut off.
Yeah, you're right. You're right.
So here's the thing is this is
38 Pages before the the narrator and there are A Pages where
there's basically nothing. Let me also is probably down to
30 pages it's almost the incised.
Yeah. So yeah.
I mean, I think as far as we're concerned, we're not going to
give this a score because I think it would be a disservice,
just because a house, and that's not a knock on the game at all.
It's just sleeping. Yeah, so but has more than what
you need to run the game. I have no knocks.
So what? Um, so then let's just do what
we do. Sometimes let's give like maybe
like a plus - what's your favorite thing about this game?
My favorite thing about this game is the push for the Dual
nature of your player, character player characters, two
characters that creates this really great role playing like
Realm and opportunity and the emphasis on vrp any auto small
party one or two. One or two players with the GM,
but really like digging in to create the character, really
play the character and then create this Other parasitic
character based on that character, that you really go in
depth on. I mean, that's a whole core of
the game but it is like the best part.
It's really fantastic for me outside of that compared to some
of the other stuff. I'll I think like I said earlier
the number of kind of tables you get for creation, like the list
of questions for the character, the list of questions on for for
helping you build a ga, the the list.
Most of what the Epic agency is doing for, like a roll table,
things like that, the knowledge event things.
I mean, you could literally easily go through all those
things and in five minutes maybe a little bit more, come up with
a whole Adventure, just by answering those questions going
through those events and doing those things.
I really like, definitely. I the book Feels a lot denser
than it is. And that's why I think I was
kind of hesitant on on, whether we're going to give it a score.
Not by page number, it's really small but to me it doesn't feel
like less than 30 pages of a game.
It feels like there's a lot more density to it and I don't know
if some it's because some of the pages are like densely written.
It's not two columns, it's one full page.
Yeah, move over and over again. So yeah.
So that's my favorite thing and and as far as like, I don't, I
don't really feel at home, Lot of negatives, bookmarks, maybe,
but that's being picky. Yeah, I mean bookmarks baby.
But yeah, I don't know. I think this is definitely one
that I want to play. And I think I may be husk note
after that, you know. Yeah, yeah.
I feel like I really enjoyed over arms.
I feel like I would enjoy this one more, maybe it might because
it is a little bit sleeker. You know.
It has a little bit less involved a little bit less but I
feel like has more involvement instead of like you.
Like we said, just like the anime kind of you're using as a
tool actually getting to play the two characters I think
totally And then again, I didn't watch all a ton of Jojo, but I
watch this shit out of Fooly Cooly, so I'm definitely want to
do it that way. I think.
I think it's all I got right? Yeah.
Hey, what are we doing tomorrow? Oh hey, oh, by the way, the we
have this thing called Creator Cuts.
Let me kick back to window where we got two beautiful faces on
us. We have this thing called
Creator cuts out. We're going to be doing episode
3, much like episode 1, or we were with Micah Anderson.
We actually got to play Troika using their hex drive system.
Episode 2, John Davies of Helm, he murdered All of Us.
Tpk, episode 3, bring and Myka back.
We are going to be running. Betray qian, what we won't be
playing in but tricky and swamps using bastards.
I can't tell you how excited I am.
I haven't read it. I haven't read a single page of
it having their hopes in the hopes that Michael would come
on, and not only run it, but running in bastards so to
actually get the creator of bastards to run bastards in
their sure that was written by not only them but also nature
May who is I know ingenious. I don't think we've done a
single nature May game on this podcast.
I think has a lot of them are really small.
I think, at some point, That we should have a day where we just
hit. We grab like haunted Almanac and
go through a couple of the games because total goons is one of my
favorite games of all time, we should fuckin do that sooner
than later. But anyway, drinking swamps
tomorrow. 5:00 p.m. Pacific, what 5-7 p.m. central
but Rick in swamps bastards. Mike Anderson, I'll post and
socials here soon. So it's brewing for like, you
know, a while very fucking excited for that.
That I am Ryan theft on her. We are the weekly scroll.
You can find us on YouTube at the adventure archive.
You can find us on Instagram and D that Weekly that scroll again.
I promise I'll update it eventually and we are on Twitter
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You can also I've been posting on Macedon.
So we are at the end at the weekly, scroll on Macedon.
I think I have a Tumblr. I don't know if I have a
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of our socials. I got nothing else.
You good? Are well, good-bye.
Everybody have a wonderful evening.