Another Edition of Dead... And Back

[Chainsaw Aardvark]

It is getting about time to release a new edition of "Dead... and Back". I've always had a list of things to change, but with spring in the air, something needs to be done.

Most of what is changing this time is clarifications to rules and a bit of rearranging. Character creation has been expanded slightly, adding a discussion phase, as well as formalizing the ability to get a few starting altruism points if you create NPCs for the GM. Yet more optional rules will be included - as well as some insight on how to use them. Some examples are getting redone. The old character sheets apparently need revision - I apologize to anyone who used the second of the two provided sheets, which was missing a few data entry spaces. Some setting information about Oborous, Unit 2552, and the Anarchy Zones is present as well, though the AZ seems to demand its own book (possibly more than one, actually) at this point.

Perhaps the biggest change I'm considering is an alteration to combat. I want to come up with some basic hand to hand options to make unarmed combat a bit more useful. So far the options are Pin, Grapple, Throw, and Subdue non-lethally. Another possibility is altering how combat range and difficulty is determined. Rather than altering the number of dice rolled, or requiring extra successes, range and complication just increases the effective Sufficient Damage Index of the target - its harder to get bullets on target and hit vital points.

Another possible big change might come in the attribute derivation section. Right now, secondary abilities tend to be very similar due to the stats being averaged. So I'm thinking of having players sassing a few extra values (-2,-1, 0, 0, +1, +2) at this stage to change things up. A random table might be nice for starting occupation or derived attribute mods.

Currently, there are seventeen listed general skills, but I'd like to bring this up to twenty-five to give a little more variation in the possible character types.

So as usual, I'll ask the community - what else would you like to see in the rules, and are there any other stories you want to see, or technologies you wish to learn more about.

[Rob Lang]

I'm going to have to read it again because it's been ages since I've read DAB. I'll give it a read and then give some better feedback. I'm poisoned from reading the blog so often that I can't remember what I've read on the blog and what is in the RPG. This is cool if I was going to run it as a GM because I have a good feeling for what it's about. However, it's not much use for you as feedback. I'll get onto it pronto.

[misterecho]

it would be cool to see all the material correlated. There is lots of really cool stuff written for it.

[Rob Lang]

I'm still reading it, CA. I'll get back to you soon.

[Chainsaw Aardvark]

Thank You. An outside proofreader is probably the biggest help this project could have at this time.

Right now, I'm trying to get the game to a point where I feel the rules are aesthetically and mechanically presented properly to express the giant setting. Organizing and rewriting the stories is going to take a bit longer, and probably need an actual editor.

The current edition is over twice the length of the original rules from 2006, and the 4th edition is only getting longer as we speak. I'm getting a little worried that this is gong to start splitting up with "Dead and Back" core concepts and slightly customized versions for different settings. For example, augmented "Border Guards" in 2552 get the doubled combat ability (ie top two numbers on a die of given size), normal people do not. This is running slightly counter to the "Quick combat in target rich environments" and "Simple Zombie game" origins, though I am proud of the setting I've made.

I am wondering how much Anarchy Zone material to include in the core rules. There is an incredible amount of stuff, and most scenarios require at least some knowledge of the setting.

Ouroboros is just the modern world, except for a secretive cabal of agents named after firearms who keep following you around, releasing zombies every now and then for some shadowy greater purpose. This setting is more or less built around seemingly unconnected scenarios and changing rules. Unit 2552 is Russia in 1995, replacing "nuclear warhead" with "zombie" as appropriate. Both lend themselves to one-shot games and introductory scenarios a bit better than the AZ.

Now that I'm on G+, a video-chat game would be possible, but most of you are a bit too far out of my time zone to make that workable.

[Rob Lang]

I'm doing a sense check of the rules and a skim read. After you finish the mamoth version, I'll do a de-fluffing exercise - demonstrating loose sentences and so on to try and cut the weight without cutting the content. It's what I'm doing to Icar at the moment and it's going to make a big difference.

For example, I can't believe how many times I've written "quite, nearly, almost, sometimes" etc into the rules. I know absolutes can be bad but it seems that the entire background is uncertain! CHOP CHOP CHOP. Removing a lot of them.