Zombie World uncertainties ^^;

#1

Hello ^^
I know some fine gauntleteers had play the game, and I can’t ask my questions on the kickstarter’s comment sections (I got my own through the retailers pledge)

I’ve got two different gaming sessions planned and one will be an actual play for my french podcast/youtube channel.
Sadly I have my fair share of uncertainties.

I’ve got doubts on how scarcities, gear and advantages works together^^
I understand that scaricites are mainly a source of inspiration for complications/objectives.
But does it mean that if my players avoid selecting weapons or food as scarcities, then they’ll never run out of those?
Does it also means that, for exemple, since they don’t have shortage or weapons, we should use the ‘foraging for supplies’ move in their own enclave to get some gear as weaponry?
(while having the armory advantage would spare them that trouble?)

Am i wrong? Thanks :slight_smile:

3 Likes
#2

Paging @RichRogers who has run the game quite a bit.

1 Like
#3

[quote=“Volsung_2d6plusCool, post:1, topic:4318”]
But does it mean that if my players avoid selecting weapons or food as scarcities, then they’ll never run out of those?[/quote]
Gosh no, but it means you should think of other scarcities (medicine, creature comforts, information, safety, a warm bed, privacy) and push on those for, say, five sessions before you even touch the things they’ve protected with choices. Remember, this is a method of communication. The players are saying, “We want to have weapons and edible food!”
(sekrit tip - ask the players what their enclave has to eat. You can still have some NPCs who HATE or are allergic to that food, but again, don’t do that for a while. Push on other needs for a community to be happy).

Me? I wouldn’t bother. Seems like a move that would annoy players. Trust me - weapons are a small comfort, things will still go baaaad for them with one unlucky draw of cards.

9 Likes
#4

I’d endorse @RichRogers on the weapon issue - they maybe make me feel safe when I play, but are actually not something you can rely on when the Z’s come calling.

Have a great time with the game and I’d love to hear the highlights here, @Volsung_2d6plusCool …

4 Likes
#5

Also, keep in mind that something being abundant creates its own problems, too!

Don’t make them regret choosing particular abundances, but do turn their advantages back on them occasionally when a ‘Hard as you like’ move is called for. Weapons aren’t a problem? Great, so everyone has guns.

Let that percolate.

Everyone has guns.

That never goes badly, right?

9 Likes
#6

Remember that just having gear doesn’t mean you have an advantage. You can have a first-aid kit, but that doesn’t mean you have an abundance of medical access, and it also means that people in the Encampment will be coming to that PC(s) for use of it. And in the world after, you can’t get some of that stuff easily!

As for scarcities and advantages, feel free to take 5 minutes and think about why and how those things interact. As many others have said, an abundance of guns means everyone has easy weapon access, which means problems when an argument breaks out, or if there’s kids around. If there’s a lack of water, what happens when some people just use it for watering their plants, or washing their hair, instead of just drinking and hygiene?

End of the day, both the PCs and the Enclave residents are people with needs, wants, desires, and selfishness, and that the zombies and the ruined world outside aren’t the main enemy, they’re a pressure that puts people who wouldn’t and shouldn’t be together in the same space. The real threat? Turns out it was man all along.

4 Likes
#7

Gauntleteers never dissapoint :slight_smile:
Thanks for all those tips ^^

I confess I intend to draw on your expertise until the Z-Days ^^
(Irl session on saturday 18th, and Actual play planned on thursday 23th)

I think i’m a veteran on classic PbtA games but I become quite jittery when I deal with a new one. I always aim to master them ‘by the book’. While I often houserule once i’m familiar with it.
(There’s always room to decide when a move is triggered or not… and to adjust hard moves)

Zombie World is an amazing game. I can feel its potential. But I think the manual is not at all ‘noob friendly’. It may need a guide (like dungeon world ^^ )
Until then here’s some questions :smiley:

When did you use ‘FORAGING FOR SUPPLIES ’ for real? ^^ How?

When does “TURN TO VIOLENCE” should not be triggered? (except against zombies)

Do you always draw on the bite deck when zombies are involved?
(That was the case on Mark Diaz Truman Ap. But not on Sarah Richardson one )

How did you handle a suburban comforts scarcity? ^^ Like lacks of hygiene, sanitary pad, contraception, clothes even smokes or something else entirely.

(By the way, any news about Airlock? Our Alien Rpg AP failed miserably due to technical issues. And we gave up after two tries. I’ve got a revenge to take ^^ )

Thanks :slight_smile:

(We only recorded the enclave/survivors building for now.)

vlcsnap-2020-01-13-10h12m42s107
vlcsnap-2020-01-13-10h12m42s1071280×720 756 KB

3 Likes
#8

Damnit. Maybe I should have asked my questions one by one ^^;

#9

Use Forage any time they go looking for stuff outside! Fuel, better weapons, a teddy bear for their kid a la Black Mirror! I often find that just hitting them with a scarcity up front will just lead to it: “OK the Doc has stopped by to let you know she’s only got 7 days of insulin left for the 3 diabetics. What are you going to do?” (Cue scrounging in the CVS across town or the section of the Hospital they locked full of zombies…)

I generally invoke Turn to violence in every instance where you want to harm an actual person. Even (especially?) they’re helpless I will generally still make them pull. In that case it’s not necessarily do they succeed but what’s the cost (including making a mess, being witnessed, attracting zombies etc in addition to them fighting back)

It’s always a possibility, sure, but I think it’s fine for different MCs have whatever approach they like. I tend to be more circumspect on the Bite deck- a couple draws per game works to keep those draws tense and meaningful. You’ll find a pace that works for you.

You handle suburban comfort scarcity same as anything else: people horde, people get angry at each other, people demand that you fix the situation. The specific kind of scarcity is a spice! It’s the characters bound to do ill-advised things to address whatever it may be that’s the meat of this game.

5 Likes
#10

Thanks a lot, It’s beginning to click in my mind.
Mark Diaz Truman helped me as well on Magpie forums :wink:

I’ve got another enigma for you gauntleteers!

“It does count as gear so that’s +1” during a fight the dead move ^^

(here https://youtu.be/URXI6hgz8KM During Sarah Richardson 's game for one shot podcast at 3:58:40)

I’m lost :grinning: I don’t remember gear giving some +1 ^^

2 Likes