Black Flag Playtest: Initial Reaction

Building A Black Flag Character The first PDF playtest of project Black Flag provides the basic rules of Character Creation. Classes aren’t released yet so you need to import one from a compatible system. If you are familiar with making RPG characters this will be familiar territory for you. Key Differences Lineage and Heritage One’s […]

Regarding the Recent Allegations

The Martian Muckraker would like to vehemently deny that we, any of the aliens we represent, or any of our subsidiaries and allies were involved in the four* unidentified aerial objects recently sighted in Earthling atmospheric space. When asked for comment C’therax, Editor and Chief of the Muckraker, calmly stated “WE SWEAR WE DIDN’T DO […]

Dev Log: We Solve it With Science!

We Solve It With SCIENCE I added a section to Under a Hostile Sun on the ways the currency system can allow for creative solutions for problems, and a table that gives guidance on how much a potion for different problems should cost. I added this to the Creative Commons SRD as well. The resource currency […]

Blood in the night

For a while I will be out of state and thus taking a short break from RPGing. Think that’s a very good thing – sometimes the soil grows best when it is allowed to lie fallow for a time. And the trip will be an adventure in its own right. Nonetheless, before I go I […]

Aquatic vs Terran Sports

I don’t undertand how three dimensional beings can stand the functionally two dimensional existence land enforces upon them. I confess that I often sleep during their terran sports which are often so . . . flattened from my point of view. Will the dribbler go left . . . or right? Only two options. Not […]

Playtesting and Other Extreme Sports

So the first Martian Muckraker playtest was a little rough. Maybe more than a little rough. A lot rough. It was rough. Solidly rough. So the first part of this post is to state that when you are designing a game: PLAY TEST PLAY TEST PLAY TEST. And be not discouraged. The chief areas of […]

Crisis of Faith

Written by Sp’Rark, Cultural Editor of the Martian Muckraker Nothing shook the religious foundations of Ancient Mars more than the discovery of Earthlings. For generations Martians regarded Mars as an Oasis in an otherwise uninhabited universe. Then scientists started hearing the transmissions from Earth. Two planets, Mars and Earth. Practically sisters. Each oblivious to the […]

Micro RPGs

Many people think of tabletop roleplaying games as requiring books and books of rules. However in recent years, there has been interest in rules-light systems. The limit case of this is the Micro-RPG or One-Page RPG. A Micro-RPG can cover its rules in four-pages or less and is designed when players want a quick-and-easy game […]

G-Forces

“Hello Muckrakers, this is Technology & Space Cruiser Reporter Sp’Rark!” “And this is Editor-In-Chief C’therax!” “And this sweet ride is the new and improved NeonNebula Optimex!” Sp’Rark said. “AHHHHHHHHH!!!” As Sp’Rark said the name of the starship, she fired its fusion thrusters, causing a sudden and heavy wave of G-forces to crash into C’therax. “CUT!” […]

Under a Foreign Sky

Many Earthlings recently had their people’s celebration of Fathers. That inspired our own Sp’Rark to reflect on hers. When I was little, my father and I would go under the stars and trade stories. Favula’s sky was a painting of heroes and monsters. Dad taught me them all . . . their names, their tales, […]