PLAYTEST: Naked City Blues - A Hard-Boiled/Noir Detective RPG

PLAYTEST: Naked City Blues
Naked City Blues is an in-development Powered by the Apocalypse role-playing game that tells hard-boiled detective stories as seen through the lens of film noir. The game is also “Carved From Brindlewood,” meaning that it shares many mechanics of Brindlewood Bay , including an emergent mystery structure. I’ll send a copy of the latest version of the rules to players a few days before this session.

This is a four-part series, running Thursday nights in January (8:00 PM EST). Attendance in all sessions is encouraged, but not required: You must sign up for each individual session.

Sessions will run three hours. We will be using the GM’s Zoom for video chat, a shared Character Keeper on Google Docs, and Roll Dice With Friends as a shared dice roller.

If all players agree, the session will be recorded and posted for public viewing.

This series is a playtest. The game is very early in its development cycle. While I hope that this will be a fun series in and of itself, I am primarily looking for honest feedback on the rules: I expect there to be rough edges and parts that don’t work as intended. I also expect to make changes to the rules as needed during the course of the series.

Safety Tools : We will be using Open Door, the X-Card, and Lines & Veils. Lines & Veils will be collected anonymously. This game complies with the Gauntlet Community Code of Conduct.

Breaks: We’ll take a five-minute break near the top of each hour, plus any other breaks as requested.

Session One: Thu Jan 7, 2021, 8:00 PM EST
Session Two: Thu Jan 14, 2021, 8:00 PM EST
Session Three: Thu Jan 21, 2021, 8:00 PM EST
Session Four: Thu Jan 28, 2021, 8:00 PM EST

1 Like

And the main reason I’ve put this on the calendar is as impetus for me to actually finish writing a playable draft of the game!

Found it! Funny, but your playtest is on the same time as my Good Society games this month, so I couldn’t have participated this time, anyway.

But would love to hear the results, and if you do another, I’ll definitely look to sign up.

I’ll also be interested in how you handle the multiple character issue, since most Noir is tightly focused on a single (usually male) character who is defined by autonomy/independence and separation from society.

How that translates into multiple players who all want to be the protagonist… seems like a challenge.

Hello, I just RSVP’d for the second two sessions. Is there any way I can sit in on the first two? Not to play, but just to watch (are you LIVEstreaming?)
Thanks! I super look forward to it; this will be my first Gauntlet play