Preparing to GM the Alien RPG: Some tips from the worst YouTube channel ever.
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- čas přidán 4. 07. 2024
- Look, I'm not claiming to be the best GM ever. But here are some tips from your favorite boring caveman CZcams channel on running your own Alien RPG. Brought to you with the same technical expertise and video interruptions that you all have come to expect and enjoy from the worst CZcams channel on the internet. WARNING SPOILERS!
Links to sample videos:
Nostromo Ambient: • SPACESHIP NOSTROMO SOU...
Alien Isolation Soundtrack: • Video
Alien Covenant: Medbay: • Jed Kurzel - "The Medb...
You self-deprecate a lot, but this is actually one of my favourite videos on the topic.
Videos about RPGs are often somewhat monotonous in the way they're delivered, whereas I could feel your enthusiasm here.
As a huge Alien fan, I can't wait to play this game at some point.
That computer is also a vet.
Thank you for the video! Especially the prep of the NPC's and how to emphasise the mood :)
Great tips for new GMs! I've only GMed "Chariot of the Gods" once online with some friends as a play test in Tabletop Simulator. Hoping to do this in person soon. Thanks a bunch!
Great info! Look forward to more videos. Subscribed! 👍
I really like the lantern idea!
That sounds very good. Thanx for the info. I think, I will buy some lanterns and get the ambient music.
I am new to table top RPG's and I love ALIEN. I want to GM and do a campaign. I have a few questions.
Is ALIEN a good game to start with?
How would you incorporate the player motives into a long campaign?
As a person new to table top RPG's how difficult will it be for me to run a campaign? Should I try being a player first?
Do you feel the frequent deaths that occur in Cinematic play be carried over to Campaign play?
Throw a noob a bone man. I subbed lol.
Hello and welcome to our hobby! There are TONS of videos of actual gameplay out there online you can sample to get a feel on how Alien should run. Most that I have seen are the cinematic episodes, but you get the idea. Further, there are TONS of other videos of other RPG's out there to give you an idea on what an actual campaign looks like. (I suggest checking out videos of the Coriolis RPG to inspire Alien ideas. It uses the same system and is a dark, campaign driven, hard sci-fi setting.)
Alien is a great game to start with. It is VERY different from most RPG's, but that's what sets it apart. Alien emphasizes mood and story, rather than character progress and advancement. Personally, that is what draws me to it. I think you will adjust well to the Alien setting as a new player, more than say an experienced DnD player who has formed habits of chasing XP, combat, and treasure.
The motives in cinematic play are brilliant the way the game sets characters against each other. Secret motives and back stories are something I always work into my games, because my players love the intrigue. The way I do it is by running a major plot that all the players are involved in, (such as exploring an outpost in which contact has been lost) and layer in several sub plots involving 1 or more characters, (one character has had terrible nightmares involving enclosed spaces, while another is a corporate spy for a rival faction, and yet another is looking for a crew member of the outpost that wronged him several years ago...). Help your players create their back story, and give them opportunities in game to reveal or act on their agenda. The same strategy can be used for a long campaign. Just stretch it out and slow the reveal. Use notes and sidebars with players to tell them secrets and things the other player don't know about. For instance, your player looks around the corner. Pull that player aside and tell them what they see. Then let them in real time tell the other players what their character saw in their own words.
I only GM, so I say go for it! Learning to be a good player will definitely help you be a better GM, but if you want to jump right in, DO IT! I love telling stories, so again, I prefer to GM. And as I said before, there are a lot of great videos on CZcams of gameplay. Look to those for inspiration and ideas!
The game system is deadly for certain. As long as you and your group understand that, I think you could do a campaign centered around a marine unit or a corporate troubleshooting team. Although the characters will die, certainly not all at once. So even though the ongoing campaign will take some losses, it will still move forward with replacement characters. Also, you may want to insert "victim" NPC's to help with PC survival.
I have run several cinematic scenarios, but have not tried the campaign yet. For us, the cinematic scenarios are what really capture the feel and mood of the movies, as well as sets this game apart from its competitors. If you wish to run a dark sci-fi epic level campaign, you could certainly run Alien, but I recommend Coriolis. Coriolis is dark, epic, uses the same rules engine, can be deadly, but is so rich in setting it is perfect for campaign play.
Anyway, good luck and enjoy! And welcome to the adult table of RPG's. ;)
@@blandgaming6222 thanks for the advice. I was actually planning a scenario where the players are all the "Kid" class and they have to survive until the Colonel Marines arrive. Kind of a "Nute" simulator.
Hey best dad ever Bonus + 3 on the Smart gun means that player gets three more base dice to roll if he is at long range right?
I have the game. I am currently learning the rules. Tough going at this as GM first time. But I am trying to tackle it! But the rules are fairly straight forward. When I tried to learn D and D I was swamped by so much information I didn't know where to start.
Bro can I say thank you man. I just picked up Alien RPG this honestly helped a lot. I hope your channel grows huge man your doing good work.
Thank you sir. I'm afraid work and family keep me very busy lately. I will certainly turn my channel into a full time job after I retire. I appreciate the comment and the support! Right now I'm reading the Dune RPG. Hope to post a review soon. I'm also planning on a Coriolis GM tips video soon as well.
@@blandgaming6222 I just got the Dune one too and reading that too.
Helpful video, never gm'd anything before, so this was great!
That was surprisingly honest and actually very useful!
This comment pleases me.
Would love to join one of your games!
Will this work over zoom? Also how can I get get files to my computer, so you just screenshot and send it over?
I'm not a fan of online role playing, and I am blessed with a large group of players where I live, so I am not the best person to ask about that. Most lockdowns are allowing small groups right now anyway. As far as the files, all I did was take screenshots from the PDF. You could easily take them from your camera phone straight from the book if you don't have the PDF. Lastly much better handouts are available for download from the Free League website here: frialigan.se/en/games/alien/?downloads
Bonus points for being the best dad!
thanks for tips, tomorrow is the day so I am looking for any tips
I agree you need the screen. I did a trial combat by myself while prepping and bought it straight away. You'll lose too much time flipping between pages otherwise..
Just found your channel and I must say excellent content. Really enjoyed but please clean your keyboard it looks like a bio hazard. No offence intended
Have no fear. I have since replaced said keyboard with a fancy light up one that is for now, cleaner. :)
ok that lantern idea is aces
My group loves them. We use them for Alien and Delta Green. We use candles for Cthulhu or Vaesen.
I have a sneaking suspicion that your Alien games are extremely well done,
If you ever plan to do an online Alien game, think of inviting the guy from the "Alien Theory" channel,
not sure he's ever played an rpg, but I'd like to see him play one, and I suspect you would do it justice
BTW subbed
Thank you sir. I have watched and enjoyed Alien Theory, as a big fan of the franchise myself. However, I am still GMing in person, and have not ventured into online Gming. I am very blessed with an extended group of local friends that are fantastic players. In fact, the abundance is so much that I am running two games at once right now with two separate groups. (Admittedly we are somewhat stalled due to covid, but are slowly getting back into our groove.)
@@blandgaming6222
(I was watching your Genlabs video when this reply popped up)
I was just throwing the idea out there,
(due to the bogus bug many are playing via online)
I can tell you have above average standard of play, that only comes with years of experience, Your team is lucky to have you as GM,
I'm guessing you started on Basic D&D?
Btw, Have you seen "Seth Skorkowsky"'s channel?
@@Tony-dh7mz I started with the old red box of DnD from the 80's. As much as I respect DnD for being the RPG flagship, I have lost interest in the setting. Conan, Mouse Guard, and Symbaroum fulfill my fantasy needs now.
@@Tony-dh7mz I have seen Seth's videos. I find Seth has great insight and good advice.
@@blandgaming6222
D&D, the same, ha! 80's kid that started out on basic, LOL
Nope i don't play DnD, went from that to Traveller (skill based yay!) then to Runequest (2nd ed) then Star Trek and Twilight 2000
Its been down hill all the way since then,
I'm not addicted, no, no, I could give it up anytime, yeah....just don't wanna....yeah, yeah thats it...
I have a rather large collection....
Love me some Irish death! Even better that it’s brewery is in the same state as me 😁
Nice tips to run the game. Face to face games much better!
I agree that jokes and levity needs to be cut down. It murders the immersion.
I ran a Call of Cthulhu game a few years back that was killed by the non stop one liners from one of the players. Not a bad player, it was just his style. Nonetheless, it was so distracting that it ruined the experience for the other players. Horror RPG's are not for everyone, and that's ok.
Nice video! Hey, I got a Discord I play ALIEN on if you ever want to try it out. Working on my own Cinematic Module that takes place on a terrestrial asteroid.
Your not bland or boring to listen too at all. You should think about changing your name 😅
Well thank you sir. I just want any potential viewers to have low expectations so they are not disappointed. ;)