Denoument: 2024

As I write this, the year is almost ending, and like most of us I am cursed to have so many games and so little time. With that in mind, I'd like to take a look back and forward at the games I ran and would like to run, as well as some reflections on the year in general.

• I spent the first chunk of the year (up to June) running a game of Dungeons and Dragons 4E (and the back half playing in a second one). It was a lot of fun, except for when I tried to implement a pointcrawl structure into my game, at which point it became a slog to run. I think Powers are honestly my favorite way of handling special abilities in these kinds of games because they do exactly what they say they do, which is something that put me off of 5E. Rip to my Warlord, killed by me getting more stable employment. 
• I also ran Worlds Without Number. The worldbuilding side obviously works fantastically, and my players are enjoying it plenty. On the running it side, it's taught me to Give Less of a Shit (which imo is one of the principles of OSR design, in a good way) but the process of inventory tracking (rations, gold, etc) that I saw as core to the experience was frankly disappointing. (Also a character sheet for a game with spells needs to have space for said spells). 
• I tried and failed to run an open table of Traveller, also a casualty of getting a 6:30-3. 
• I did a bit of housesitting this year, and Kal-Arath helped keep me company with a bit of solo gaming. 
• Finally, I joined a game of 5th Edition, playing through Call from the Deep. We've only had one session because of the holidays, but I'm looking forward to posting about it more. 

Now onto games I'd like to play in the new year. 

• Swords of the Serpentine is an absolutely gorgeous game using the Gumshoe engine to tell sword-and-sorcery type stories. 
• The Mayfair DC Super Heroes game is getting a reprint, and I'd love to try that out. Whether I'd use the DC Universe or make my own starring public domain characters is up in the air at the moment.
• While I don't have a system for this yet (maybe Savage Worlds?), I've been enchanted by the idea of a game where the players are the support staff to some pulp hero (Doc Savage, the Shadow, etc.) who then dies, leaving everyone else to pick up the pieces. 
• I got Black Sword Hack for Christmas, and despite not reading much of the source material I can confidently say its cool as fuck. I'd love to swap out my WWN game with this one.

2024 also saw the launch of this blog and Sunk Cost. I'm a bit ashamed to say I haven't really worked on it since then, despite having ideas for stuff I'd want to do. 

• Clayton Notestine at Explorer's Design pointed out the game needed smaller-scale factions for players to interact with.
• I have half an idea for a mechanic involving setting up a line, which is an important part of cave diving, but I don't know if it would be too fiddly. 
• More monsters would be a fun plus.
• The Grotto Master section needs to be written.

On a more personal note, 2024 was a mixed bag for me. Setting aside more ahem national political events, I came into the year recovering from a broken arm and struggling to find work. Oddly enough, those political events kinda gave me a kick in the pants and helped me find a sense of purpose again (granted, that purpose is "Get the hell out of this country" but whatever). I've landed a job that's given me a lot of isolated reading time (good for grad school) and the folks in the Prismatic Wasteland community have helped me become more creatively fulfilled. My New Year's resolution, then, is to make more stuff. 

Anyway, I'll see y'all on the other side. Take care, and be excellent to each other.