So after playing the Torment video game I'm getting really interested in Numenera. Does anyone have experience with it? Is the system similar to the video game, spending points from three pools to perform tasks and a focus on exploration rather than combat?
Also, if anyone knows, what is a better introduction to start with for a group of new players, the starter set or the Spire of the Hunting sound free adventure?
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How did Tides of Torment actually interest you in the setting? Any curiosity I had was completely snuffed out by that garbage game. The lore, mechanics and story did nothing but turn me off of it.
I'll save you the memes and tell you now that the system is bad. Very bad.
I wanted to like it a lot, but it feels weird to play. Like someone dropped two different homebrews on the floor, picked them up and didn't bother setting them apart.
I wish I had a ballsack head too.
I guess we have very differing opinions then. The mechanics were simple, but I like simple but effective (combat mechanics weren"t very good, but I hardly engaged in combat).
The main story wasn't great, I guess, but not bad either. Also, it gets a lot better if you engage in it,through extra dialogue and sidequests.
But the main selling point for me was the atmosphere, it was very unlike anything I've played before. The out-there concepts, the great details in the item descriptions, the art style, all of that is what made the game great for me. I really value atmosphere in games.
Damn. I really wanted to like this system/setting. Would the core books/bestiaries still be worth getting if you like the setting and art?
My main issue with the video game was the completely retarded way skill use works.
>you unlocked two doors today
>this means you're now somehow worse at all dexterity-related task because your arbitrary skill pool is empty, better go to sleep before you try to pick any pockets
Wow dude stop being stupid. You can use the setting with any system. Some work is needed but you could play this setting using (modified) D&D rules if you wanted to.
>Does anyone have experience with it?
I GMed my first Numenera campaign recently and I had a great time with it. System is pretty simple and elegant. Setting is very multifaceted and was fun to interact with.
My party loved it, I loved it. I don't really care about all this memery surrounding Numenera and Monte Cook, and I would definitely advise to check it out.
>Is the system similar to the video game, spending points from three pools to perform tasks and a focus on exploration rather than combat?
Yes, game is mainly about exploration. Combat is rather simplistic. Pools are used to lower the difficulty level of task.
As for starter, I do not know, as I did the whole campaign by myself.
Numenara is terrible; here's an example of some numenara gameplay:
>John is fighting enemies
>John throws a "grenade"-styled artifact, which does ~20 turns worth of damage to all of them
>All the enemies are defeated
>John scavenges the bodies and discovers a quirky artifact with a cute description and niche use
>John fucking throws that garbage off a cliff because it takes up a limited slot that could be a grenade
and that's about what you'll be doing for the 4 to 5 sessions you try playing it.
>tried to play a cinematic experience as skirmish level wargame
You fucked up all on your own, don't blame the system.
Okay, in that case it does cinematic experience gameplay infinitesimally shittier than any of the three Star Wars RPGs
For a game trying to be a cinematic experience, there's an awful lot of focus on the wargame bits.
Really? Combat is pretty simple. A big portion of artefacts is aimed at usage outside of combat. Same for the abilities from descriptors.
Are we talking about the same game?
>There are lots of rules on the least freeform part of literally any game, so that must be it's focus!
Pic related should be you
If you're going to outright lie, then there's no point in arguing with you.
Not an argument.
It most definitely is an argument, you just want to be contrarian to gain le internet cred.
By your definition, every game is combat-focused. L5R, an intrigue game? Nah, it has more rules for combat, so my tiny rollplaying mind can't comprehend how I'm supposed to do "social combat" without my ebic nat20s.
Please extricate yourself from this website and put a bullet down your gullet
Thanks :)
>If you're going to outright lie, then there's no point in arguing with you.
thealexandrian.net
Here is the summary of all game mechanics, including combat. Part of those rules is optional. What's so complicated about them?
When I GMed Numenera for the party of players, who experienced almost nothing but D&D, their only complaint about the system was simplistic combat. That's about it.
I don't like the pretentiousness of the system.
OOOOH! Event he GM can't know what most of the crap in the world is, because how can YOU comprehend alien cultures from THE FUTURE?
I think it's less about not being able to comprehend weird stuff from the future, and more about leaving a lot of freedom for GM. And I personally like this a lot. I'm not a big fan of settings with every inch mapped and described, I prefer when the game gives me tools to play with.
Hemingway said, that you can still write a good story with a lot of details dropped out of the book as long as you know what you left outside. You still have to have at least some basic idea of what you're putting into the Ninth World. It doesn't have to be completely determined or have a ton of background material, but GM must have at least a slight glimpse of a bigger picture.
At least that's what my perspective on this system is like.
As this thread indicates, Numenera isn't for everyone. It is fun for those who get its goals and like the oddities found in the setting.
The resource exhaustion aspect of the game plays against the typical power fantasy expectations of most RPGers, and the combat mechanics are well short of the heavy tactical "god's eye view" favored by 3-5e D&Ders, instead being far more Referee dependent. The setting can be played anywhere from pretty bland fantasy to deeply weird, but that is *also* Referee dependent to some extent.
Having seen much more "normal" games ruined by deadpan prosaic Refs with no descriptive powers, I can readily understand why Numenera flounders for many people.
Reminder the creator of Numen Era, Morty Cock, is a known autogynephage who, along with numerous others, aided in the consumption of a human penis
>The setting can be played anywhere from pretty bland fantasy to deeply weird
This is true of, like, 99% of tabletop RPGs though. And you can have fun with a terrible game as long as you have a good GM.
Like... You've basically done a better job of convincing me that there's not anything fucking *there* than you have done a good job of convincing me that it "depends on your taste."
Please stay in /v/ forever.
I love how threads about narrative games always act like a beacon for low-test trolls.
DRIT.
>I love how narrative games always act like a beacon for low-test betas.
ftfy
I rested like 2-3 times the entire game, the skillchecks weren’t very difficult
I'm going to be the dissenting voice here and tell you I found the system very fun. It's incredibly easy to GM and combat moves at a breakneck pace. The monsters manual is incredibly creative too. The system is a good minimalist system, not too bulky but not TOO simple like a lot of them are, there's some good meat there.
The Numenera system is a blast too, earning your "spells" and items on a regular basis (and being forced to spend them on a regular basis) keeps things interesting and varied and encourages improvisational solutions to problems using your crazy, CRAZY-ass numenera items, (seriously look up the book on them, these things are a blast).
I say pick it up, the system is good, lot's of people like it, my group all liked it a lot, it just looks like only the guys who hate it were online today.
The system is quite good and ties in to the setting well, try it yourself before listening to these guys, trust me.
Good to hear a couple of positive opinions as well. If it's a love it or hate it kinda game, I'll at least give it a try (if my group is up for it of course)
Whether it's good or bad, if there's one thing I can say about Numenera, it's that its splat books have some actual, meaty content, unlike a lot of other modern RPGs.
Veeky Forums hates it because of monte cook. Go to a less biased forum to learn about it. You definitely won’t get fair opinions here.
The second edition is coming out next year so might want to wait. The ks for 2e numa ended a little while ago.
b-b-b-b-but it's TORMENT!!!
Next you're going to tell me that the original wasn't a classic. I mean, it had a main character with AMNESIA, man! And he like DOOMED EVERYTHING! Soooo good!
I just wish our hateboner for him was based on his actual sins, like McWOD, and not the stupid cannibalism meme that keeps getting repeated
>So contrarian that you dislike PS:T
Yeap I enjoyed gaming it for a year and most of my players liked it. Only people looking to cheese and do nothing but fight hate it.
As I said though 2ed is coming next year for backers first then general release. It features big expansion to rules for crafting and more goals other than pure exploration. Also settlement and vehicle building.
It’s even got rules for randomly generating dungeons now. Though I find that would be the weakest game a pure dungeon crawl.
Remember the one Veeky Forums truth. /v/ is ALWAYS wrong. Disregard the trolls. Especially if he is a v shitter posting on tg.
Man, this post reeks of self-righteousness. If this is the typical mentality of your average Nu Men Era player, I’m glad I stopped after a few sessions.
This is a good point.
The system was hit or miss for me. The actual gameplay I didn't like too much. Seemed like it was trying to be two different things at once.
But I liked the setting and high concept. Fantasy and sci fi never get weird nowadays. It's fun playing a setting the creators intended for weird, outlandish encounters and concepts.