This is the Out of Character thread for the Ghostbusters RPG.
First off, a little about the interface we’re using, Roll20.net. Ignore this if you aren’t playing.
You each have a character sheet, and an icon used to represent you on the map. If you have an icon you prefer, please send me a link and I can use it instead of the default. The icon has a green bar, which represents Brownie Points and/or general health. It will diminish as you are injured or use up Brownie Points in-game; if you run out of points, you are not dead but are incapacitated and probably hospitalized for some time. Clicking on it will give you a numerical indicator for this, as well as an opportunity to add colored dots or tags to your icon. Don’t use those yet, we’ll work out what they’re for later. Dragging your icon allows you to place it anywhere on the map; please limit this to locations that are visible, allowing me to reveal hidden areas as game play progresses. For now, movement limits are irrelevant, with that exception.
The maps may run large, depending on your monitor’s resolution and settings. It is easy to adjust the view: Scrolling with your mouse wheel while holding Ctrl is one way, another is with the magnifying glass icon on the game’s menu bar. A combination of the two may be needed for ideal viewing size.
Also on that menu is an option to open a dice roller. IGNORE THAT!
In the upper-right is a button labeled “Journal”. Clicking that will open your character sheet; under Attributes and Abilities, you will find macros set up for all the dice you are likely to roll during this game. PLEASE USE THESE MACROS. You will note that the first one listed is the Brownie Point. If you intend to use brownie points for your action, click this once for each point you intend to use BEFORE clicking the macro corresponding to your action. For example, to add two brownie points to a brains action, click the brownie point button twice then the brains button once. If the points are not clicked first, they will not be counted!
If you like, under Options can be found the choice to put these buttons directly on-screen, saving the trouble of having to open the character sheet each time.
As for the game itself:
Each day, decide on an action and post it in the game thread. If it requires a dieroll, or movement, use the roll20 interface to do so. Then simply wait for a response. It’s possible I may need to clarify something before the dice are rolled; if so I’ll try to let you know in time to get it done by Midnight.
All actions posted between 12:01 am and 11:59 pm CST are considered to be one ‘tick’ of the clock, and will be executed as simultaneously as possible, within my limitations.
Any questions, comments, ideas, or the like should be posted here; the other thread is to be entirely In-Character whenever possible.
OK, so if I roll using the dice in my journal, where does it display the results?
Look in the game’s chat log window.
There’s also an option to move the dice to the main window:
Open ‘My Settings’ (upper right, gear button)
First checkable box says “Show Macro Quick Bar?” Check that to ON.
In your Journal, near each Ability is now an checkbox for that ability. Check each one you wish to have more readily available.
There should now be a button for that particular ability at the bottom of the map screen, saving you the trouble of opening your Character Sheet for each roll.
I may have taken the wrong card for my proton pack, as I didn’t take the one closest to my character. I meant to take a fully working one. Anyway, feel free to rearrange the cards to make the most sense logically.
Nope, you did it perfectly. The one you say you took, is the one you took.
ps: nice shot!
For fun, I just looked up the price of a portable cellular phone in New York in 1986.
Category 1985 1986 1987
Average price of cellular car phone $2,300 $2,000 $1,400
Average price of portable cellular phone $2,900 $2,700 $2,300
Basic monthly rate plan in New York City $29 $29 $29
Cost per minute, in New York City (peak rate)* $0.55 $0.55 $0.55
Cost per minute, in New York City (off- peak rate) $0.35 $0.35 $0.35
Average phone bill, in New York City $150 $150 $150
In the rule books, it mentions that the mobile phone is installed in the Ecto-1, and cannot be removed. This implies that player characters aren’t intended to have one for personal use; it would be out of character, as only the extremely wealthy would have such a thing.
However, Johnny Bravo’s character is obsessed with “Coolness”, that’s his primary motivation as I read it! So, since one of the top things on a list of cool things to have, in 1986, would be a personal mobile phone… it makes perfect sense for this particular character to have one.
Of course, there’s the financial issue. The game intends, and I do too, for the characters to have a problem with money; this reflects the scenes in the movie when Ray gets a third mortgage on his home, and such extremes, in order to afford the initial setup for their business. Opening a franchise costs… let me look here… ah, here we go.
I was kinda hoping that enough discussion would ensue in the recruitment thread that this question would come up; in fact, I was expecting someone to create a ‘wealthy’ character to answer it!
Since nobody did, I’ve come up with an alternative: J.T.Roth. He… well, I’ll let him tell the story, but he paid for everything (so far) and is just hiring your characters.
In addition, since your characters were looking for jobs, that’s more evidence that they’re in need of money.
Now I’m not gonna be an asshole about it, but do keep that factor in mind!
And remember: in 1986… Debt was Cool! 
:D;)
Got in about 45 minutes ago, read the recent posts in the IC thread, and made mine. Also joined the game in Roll20.
If the franchise doesn’t already have a vehicle, Lou Cornwall probably knows where to get one on the cheap, or at least knows someone who knows someone who does.
A vehicle that meets the requirements, that is. Ambulance, hearse, Checker airport taxi, that sort of thing. Popular in the demolition derby circuit.
Welcome, Lute/Lou! I’m makin’ dinner right now, about to post (start writing) the TICK in half an hour.
Good to see ya made it. Swing by the Roll20 in the next couple hours, if you wanna learn more how it works. I’ll be there but my videoconferencing isn’t hooked up (irony?).
I will be going out of town for 1 week from Saturday June 22 to Saturday June 29.
I should have internet access, though, so I should still be active. Just be aware if I miss one or two 24 hours cycles or post briefer action descriptions. Really, it should not affect me too much.
Loving the game so far!
A God has summoned me here. At least when I asked him, he told me he was a god. … I still remember That one loser who told me he wasn’t a god…
Maha has asked me to play? Where do I slime up, er uh, sign up?
Come on DM, I ain’t afraid of no Host!
Hi Meeko!
Please read this carefully and follow the instructions (except #4). Recruitment Thread
Please also read the In-Character thread to see what’s going on; so far it has been primarily a tutorial on how to play, but the story’s being built up as well. In-Character Thread
Then we’ll see about putting you into the game. Looking forward to it!
Glad to hear you’re having fun; I am too. Love this stuff… never know WHAT you guys are gonna do next!
As every good GM knows, the players never do what you expect them to do, but nonetheless I expect that this ‘phase’ of the game should be completed this weekend or shortly thereafter. I hope it’s serving to introduce the various concepts and mechanics of the system enough that you, and those who come after you, understand it well enough for the ‘real’ adventure to come!
Once that starts, and you’ll know it when it does, most of the beginning of that adventure will be exploration and exposition, so infrequent access and brief posting won’t be a problem. At least, until the shooting starts… and it will! 
Possibly the hardest thing in gaming is knowing exactly how much information to give your players. If you don’t give them enough clues, they get frustrated and don’t know what to do next. If you give them too much, they feel railroaded or like they’re being led by the nose.
Especially online, this can be difficult to tell for sure.
Once this introductory phase is over, I’d like to get your feedback on this, and the game in general, so please keep that in mind as you play.
Thanks!
-Phnord
Seems fine right now. I’m leaning towards:
-
trying to talk to the ghost to get it to “move on” if that exists in this game.
-
investigating what happened in the past by going to the library/hall of records
Heh, not too long ago I was running a game for players where they, among other things, had to do a little detective work. I tell you, I was getting sick and tired of, “I pull out my cell phone and Google ___________.”
Next game I run like that is totally going to be set in the mid 80s.
ROFL!
I have a love/hate relationship with cellphone technology; on the one hand, it’s an amazing thing that humanity can now not only talk with anyone, anywhere, at any time, but also immediately access information in ways unimaginable by anyone except Douglas Adams back when I was a kid. On the other hand, it’s turned the current generation into zombies, who need texts and mindless chatter instead of braaaiinnns! On the gripping hand, of course, it’s not something that’s going away any time soon; guess I’d best get used to it.
I guess I’m lucky in that this is the first time I’ve had to deal with it in a gaming situation; 1986 is the most ‘modern’ I’ve ever run.
I’m actually also going out of town from Friday the 28th through the following weekend. I probably won’t have much internet access for a good chunk of that. I don’t want the game to pause, though, so I’ll just let Phnord dictate what I do and I’ll catch up when I get back.
I’ll keep it in mind!