#// but i'd offer them crispin but -

[simantopia]

i saw one (1) person on an RP help / search blog that said they wanted to RP sims & they're strugglin 'cos nobody else writes sims and then they said they they want to write NERVOUS. and it's like fuck. if i'm here and they're here then who tf's flyin the plane??? 😭

[justaboutdead]

Why Escape the Dark Castle is pretty cool

Escape the Dark Castle is a 2017 1-4 player board game published by Themeborne, and its damn good. First shoutout goes to the artist, Alex Crispin, who did an amazing job. The art is all very reminiscent of old school rpgs or choose your own adventure books, and im here for it.

The art isn't the only thing that's inspired by old school rpgs. Everything about the game, from the campy dark fantasy writing, to the gameplay itself feels like an interesting take on the osr, and honestly works best when you treat it as such.

The mechanics are simple (its successor, Escape the Dark Sector is a better fit for people who want more complexity), but there's actually quite a bit of depth. Basically, you slowly reveal scenarios on cards that have been randomly set aside before the game, read them aloud and then roll dice to resolve actions. You loose health if you do bad, and if anyone in the group dies you all fail.

There's actually quite a bit of depth to the system, each character has different traits on their dice, which mean they are good at different things. Before you flip over each scenario You choose a player to flip it. That player is you for the duration of the scenario, and any effects that specify You affect that person. Encounters can award players with items that they can use and pass around to other players between combat. All of this results in a lot of micro decisions across the course of the game.

Combat consists of rolling dice, trying to match the dice the monster has. If you match them you can roll dice. Monsters attack every player after the players attack. If you roll a double, you block and take no damage. Additionally, you can place one character at a time, on rest, restoring 1 HP each round, but taking them out of combat.

While all of these factors individually don't account for much strategy, together they make a huge difference. The odds are stacked against you in Escape the Dark Castle, so every little difference count. In fact ive found that good planning and careful strategy can lead to fairly consistent victories even against some of the harder challenges we've attempted. The game also balances itself for more or less players, giving you less health and the enemies more the more players you have.

Here's the example they give of a monster in the rulebook. The bottom left shows the health of the monster, thevplayer simble meaning to roll s number of dice equal to the player and add that to the monster's HP.

The most important part of Escape the Dark Castle, however, is the mood. The game is all about mood, it even has an official soundtrack (here's it on spotify: https://spotify.link/MVbjH3GkZDb ). This is perfect for setting the mood, and I'd highly recommend it.

The game is packed with flavor text and lore. Every card has a flavorful description of what's happening, which are best read aloud in your best dark fantasy voice. There's also the lore book, which has 2-3 page descriptions of every boss and character, aswell as the Death book, which has unique death descriptions for every card in the game (that can kill you). This is all written with the tone you'd expect from the game's setting.

Due to the nature of the game, they've also been able to publish 3 similarly well designed expansions for the game. Also, if you feel overconfident after a clean victory, you can add more cards (or even more bosses) to your deck and play a longer run.

The game acomplishes a lot for its simplicity, and part of my love for it probably comes from my love for old school revival rpgs. It ultimatley offers a fast, pretty simple but satsfying, definitley quite tense gaming experience that does a lot with its simplicity. Randomizing the control of a dungeon crawl to a deck of cards isn't exactly a new idea but it is executed very well.

(Note: i kept bolding escape the dark castle bc thats how i say it in my head: w all the bravado of a mortal combat announcer)

[britishsass]

Psychonauts characters if I asked them to hold my drink

Razputin offers to help with the drink without me asking him. I don't give it to him because he needs a break.

Sasha holds my drink awkwardly as he stands off the side of the room

Milla is overprotective of the drink.

Hollis asks me if there's anyone that I'm worried about messing with my drink and offers to have a stern talk with them as she holds my drink. I trust her with it because no one would dare hurt her.

Truman is likely the one person who doesn't really do anything special. He just holds the drink and hands it over.

Augustus manages to do a cartwheel over to me with the drink, and yet still doesn't spill it.

Donatella isn't at the party because there's psychics there and she's not entirely ready for that.

Gristol isn't there because he wasn't invited. If he did show up, he'd throw my drink in my face.

Morry chugs it.

Loboto either sets it down and forgets about it or otherwise misses the point.

Crispin is in a straitjacket. Also I wouldn't trust him with my pocket lint, let alone my drink.

Fred holds it over his head. It still somehow ends up spilling all over him and the floor.

Gloria accidentally tries it before realizing it's not hers, and buys me a new drink while apologizing.

Boyd protects my drink with his life. A bit too much. I'm unsure if I can get it back.

Edgar is flattered that I'd ask him, and politely holds it with his hand over the top. It's very safe with him.

Sheegor panics because she's scared she'd drop it, so she begs me to ask someone else.

Ford is confused. Why am I asking the bartender to hold my drink? He still sets it behind him and protects it.

Otto has an invention idea designed for this and-- why are you laughing. This isn't funny. He wants to tell you about his idea. I give him my drink and leave. He just stares at it, completely awkward.

Compton accidentally spills it, curls up on the ground, and has a panic attack until I return and tell him that it's okay

Cassie holds it high up with telekinesis and shields it mentally while still holding a conversation.

Lucy drinks it in front of me and buys me a new one when I get back.

Bob asks me to ask someone else, because he's not entirely sure he can handle that right now. After I tell him it isn't alcoholic, he's fine with holding it, and calls me "kid" when I get back. It feels homey and friendly and sweet overall.

Helmut is too busy performing in karaoke to be asked. When he isn't performing, he's busy with others. I'd feel bad asking him but he'd be so happy to be trusted like that.