Psyonics in Sciror and SoW
Design notes on using Wizards, Psykers, and other Magic-Users within the Sciror setting, and how the Spheres of War ruleset deals with these powerful beings. I'll not be covering the rules for using these powerful characters. Instead, I'll be discussing the underlying meta.
Within Sciror, all those who can use any form of 'psionic' or 'magical' power are said to be 'psytient' and has 'psytience' (the next step in sentience) . This term is used from a god's eye view of the Sciror settings, including the fantasy setting of Twistasy. There are many different types of Psytient beings; Wizards, Sorcerer, Mage, Demon, Avatar, etc. Collectively these powerful beings are called 'psycrats'. All humans are Psytient, but not all humans are psycrats. Psycrats are not 'aristocrats' as 'aristo-' means 'best', and psycrats are not all the best of us, but they do have power.
Terms used; Infinity is the magical power of creation. Psyonics is how a person controls that power. Psytient is the state of being for one who can use Psyonics. Matter conjured or manipulated through psyonics has sub-atomic particles within it called psyons. A living supernatural being created by psytients is called a 'psyant' (like 'servant') and is often controlled by the psytient that created it, but may lack psytience itself, or even sentience. An area affected by a psionic manifestation, where reality is distorted or remade, is a psycosm.
Psyonics is derived from 'psychic' and is closely related to that power. Normally psyonics are very low powered, as there is a lack of Infinity to drive the psytient's powers. The noun for a human being that is psytient is 'human', as all humans are psytient, so it is built in!
Read the rest of this entry »Fragment 1 - Tactical v0.2b
After having a chat with Bolter & Chainsword veteran Brother Tyler (you'll have to log in to see this profile), I've revised the first draft of Fragment 1 for the Tactical Sphere. The discussion we had can be found at the end of draft v0.1f (reproduced from our PMs, with his permission). This second draft addresses a number of issues, with a reworked combat loop, clarifications, and more specific language as to what this game is all about (putting in reference to 28mm miniatures!). All changes from the first Fragment are marked in red.
Download now; sow-tactical-frag1-v0.2b.pdf
A Fragment: is a bite-sized chunk of rules, usually a single sheet of A4, that is easy for new players to run through and digest. It is not a complete game, more an illustration or example of the core concepts, to ground the players. Later Fragments build upon the first. This first Fragment deals with the basic structure of the turn, movement, and combat within the Tactical Sphere. It is very simple and not a complete game! When all the Tactical Fragments are complete, I'll collect them all together into a single Tactical Sphere Rulebook. This will be offered as a free PDF, and a paid for Print on Demand and ePub books. If you wish to support this endeavour see Connect.
Aim: Introducing new Reapers to Spheres of War. Reapers is the name for SoW Players, a play on words derived from the tag line 'as you SoW so shall your reap". The first Fragment covers the basic structure of SoW, giving a rough overview of the system, and how it fits together. It is a foundational block, upon which all the later rules are built. Later Fragments further define the system, adding detail.
SoW - 40K Mod
I'm also planning an unofficial 40K mod of Spheres of War. The focus will be on the Space Marines, using modified rules used for the Legionary power armoured troops. Rules play-tested for the Marines can be transferred over to the Legionaries, and vice-versa. Killing two birds with one stone, or bolt in this case. (Though a exploding bolt would take out several!) Of course you can use Marines as stand-ins for Legionaries. I'll be targeting the 'true-scale' gamer.
Power-Armour will be handled the same for both, and I'll introduce a couple of variants for the bolter, including my Philverse 'Octo-bolt' which is a multi-mode ammo for the bolter. A bit like Judge Dredd Lawgiver but it does not use different ammo. It is not the gun that has modes, it is the ammo.
Read the rest of this entry »Fragment 1 - Tactical v0.1f
This is the first Fragment of the Spheres of War (SoW) ruleset, part of the Tactical Sphere which deals with tabletop wargames with miniatures. A Fragment is a bite-sized chunk of rules, usually a single sheet of A4, that is easy for new players to run through and digest. It is not a complete game, more an illustration or example of the core concepts, to ground the players. Later Fragments build upon the first. This first Fragment deals with the basic structure of the turn, movement, and combat within the Tactical Sphere. It is very simple and not a complete game!
Download now; sow-tactical-frag1-v0.1f.pdf
Aim: Introducing new Reapers to Spheres of War. Reapers is the name for SoW Players, a play on words derived from the tag line 'as you SoW so shall your reap". The first Fragment covers the basic structure of SoW, giving a rough overview of the system, and how it fits together. It is a foundational block, upon which all the later rules are built. Later Fragments further define the system, adding detail.
Features: a fast tactical table-top wargame based on Historical Western Martial Arts, using consecutive matches, simultaneous movement, chained combat, and single roll combat actions.
Notice: This is not a full game. This Fragment is a component part of the full rule-set. The full rule-set collects together all the component parts (Fragments) for a Sphere and compiles them into a single volume. In this case that will be the Tactical Sphere ruleset. This single volume will be offered as a Print on Demand book with explainers, and a simplified PDF. All content will be duplicated on my website, and the simplified PDF will link back to explainers on my website.
Read the rest of this entry »Business - Plan 2
I'm reorganising my websites, with the aim on turning my hobby into a business, and produce Sciror (game background) and Spheres of War (ruleset). This is a follow up from Plan 1 from a while back. I'm streamlining so I am not spread so thin.
As always, I'll post everything I create for Sciror and Spheres of War on my websites for free. I'll create PDFs for download (edit: SoW Tactical Fragment 1 is now out), and compile related PDFs into eBooks and Printed Books for sale. For example: all the SoW Fragments will be collected together into a rulebook.
I've put up a Patreon account, which I add rewards to later, probably free eBooks? At the moment I think of my Patreon as a 'tips jar', to support my work. At the moment I have an empty hat, but with a bit more busking I hope to change that. Here is what I am planning;
Read the rest of this entry »Patreon
I've set up a Patreon account to support what I'm up to. I'll be progressing the Sciror and Spheres of War projects. My aim is to create free PDFs of both products, and sell hard copies through a print-on-demand service. Sciror is my Philhammer background remade without any GW IP, and Spheres of War is a table-top and RPG rule set.
I've also added the Patreon button to the Connect page, and added the "subscribe | patronise" button below to all posts (which only shows up in single page mode, if you are wondering why you cannot see it from the main blog page).
BuddyPress - Spheres of War
I've been pondering social networks and online communities and how to take best advantage of these system to help development of Philverse ideas (get feedback) and work up the development of WarSpike. After reading this post: Use of internet to promote TFM and Warspike? by malika over on Troll Forged I thought about it and while looking as the functions of BuddyPress had an epiphany. We are all wanting the same thing, and this is how we can do it. I'm also reminded of discussions with Kage and the nature of community, I think the last one was on Anargo: Bloggarizing a forum.
However this idea is a bit of an expansion to what I previously thought was possible with my skills and only really sunk in looking at BuddyPress and the way it works. I was considering the main blog of BuddyPress would be for all things WarSpike, the main official blog for big news. Then (working) 'groups' could be made, each with their own group forums for each of the Spheres: Technical, Tactical, Strategical, and Political. Simple enough, but then we could have groups for combinations like Technical-Political to form an RPG, and onto of that we could have groups for Augments. But this is missing the power of BuddyPress and what is can do, the WordPress.com which is based on WordPress MU (Multi-User) install and runs millions of pages.
Then my brain went ape shit as the possibilities flooded my mind. What if Troll Forged made a group?
Troll Forged could make a group, and that group could have a dedicated forum for the Troll Forged group, it could have a full WordPress blog to run as it's main website with a news blog and static pages, just as I am using for this blog and the WarSpike blog. Not only that but the TF group would have the wire, where all members of the group can post news and links, and all while being signed in to this BuddyPress install.
In that instance, I thought to myself, what if Blood Moon (on the TF forums) had a group, or Anargo?
A full BuddyPress install could handle hundreds of groups, hundreds of forums all while linked together, each member can have a full blog.
With 'Spheres of War' being used only for the combined edition (all four Spheres) of WarSpike on POD, I was thinking I could set it up under Spheres of War. I could move the Philverse (this blog) over to Spheres of War. All linked together with everything else.
In regards to WarSpike, the main rules and Augments could be held within Spheres of War along with miniature companies that use the WarSpike rule set (they could set up an Augment group too).
Makes me wonder if it should be done...
What are you thoughts?