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Post by rick krebs on May 14, 2012 8:03:44 GMT -6
Welcome ! This will be the thread where I post my thoughts on the original design of GangBusters.
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arcadayn
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 236
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Post by arcadayn on May 14, 2012 8:35:21 GMT -6
Sweet. Looking forward to your posts!
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Post by smokestackjones on May 14, 2012 13:33:26 GMT -6
Fantastic! I'm planning on trying to run GB in the near future and these will help a lot.
(ding) Concierge? This man needs a sub-board please!
-SJ
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Post by Finarvyn on May 14, 2012 13:48:41 GMT -6
Hmmm. Arcadayn and Smokestackjones managed to sneak in before I could create a "holding spot" for my posts, so I guess if I have any attachments I'll have to hijack Rick's post and put something in there.  |
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Post by rick krebs on May 14, 2012 15:28:29 GMT -6
OK, a little background. This is going to be a free form and free flowing series. Don't expect many lists, but please feel free to jump in and ask questions and provide your comments. First, I like simple rules. Second, I like simple rules. The majority of design for Bloody 20's (GangBusters) was done while I owned and operated a game store in Pennsylvania named "Gamer's Guild". Playtesting was easy. Now, about the playtesters, because they always influence design. A sizeable number were fans of Runequest. B20s was destined to be a Skills influenced game. Now, about the Judge/designer. Did I mention I like simple rules ? For those who understand Myers-Briggs personality testing. I am in the 1% of 1% of Intuitives. I was born and made to be a story teller. Recently, I had a chance to read various accounts of the legendery "Braunstein"games. Dang, it was exactly like a B20s session. Though no player ever asked me what they needed to roll, they knew better  If you keep your players busy enough and the action going, they automatically roll the dice and keep the story going. The trick as GM/Judge is to get the players to forget they're playing a RP game. |
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Post by rick krebs on May 16, 2012 5:56:17 GMT -6
Contacts, expanded to Street, Administrative and/or Political Contacts in later versions of Bloody 20s were a very important part of play in the Bloody 20s.
Contacts were the highest rewards for the players. They were exchangeable, sometimes reusable "get out of jail free" cards, or just about anything a creative player could devise. The only limits were that the Judge was the final authority on how far a player could go in using their Contact. If Luck checks were a form of "saving throw", using a contact was dependent on how well the player justified their desired effort to the Judge and/or their fellow players. Contacts were also transferable between players. Wasn't it Vito Corleone's refusal to provide the use of his political contacts that resulted in his being shot in "The Godfather" ? Or, they could be used to attempt to block another player's use of a contact. There's a guaranteed way to start a series of ingame vendettas.
Why not try and incorporate Street, Administrative or Political contacts into your GangBusters game ?
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Post by Sean Michael Kelly on May 16, 2012 7:47:53 GMT -6
Contacts, expanded to Street and/or Political Contacts in later versions of Bloody 20s were a very important part of play in the Bloody 20s. Like I always say, "it's all about the network." This is a fantastic aspect of play that I've never considered! |
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Post by Finarvyn on May 16, 2012 8:53:31 GMT -6
This stuff is gold, Rick! I'm doing a copy-paste and will eventurally post a file that puts it all together. |
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Post by rick krebs on May 16, 2012 11:48:29 GMT -6
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Post by Sean Michael Kelly on May 16, 2012 15:32:38 GMT -6
ooooooooooohh.......shiny! |
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Post by rick krebs on May 18, 2012 6:20:08 GMT -6
When there were only a couple gamers around the store (Gamer's Guild), I let folks roll up some new characters using the various charts in the Original rules (found here odd74.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=downloadattachmentpage&board=gangbusters&thread=7150&post=95155) . I always liked how "Traveller" provided rules for character generation and backstories. I had even started to do my own rules for D&D character generation and backgrounds, but I was never happy with them. But, it seemed a good approach to introduce players to a new game. It was easy as they were rolling, to provide them some commentary (snarky optional) on their characters and help flesh out their personalities. Nicknames came easy. Tatooes and scars were given backgrounds. Even a rival might be revealed or groundwork layed for future problems. Before you knew it, there were lots of laughs and enough players to start up a "street adventure". Usually, the focus of these nights were unscripted and involved their first day in (if I can make it here, I can make it anywhere) or first day back in (for those who spent time in prison) Lakefront City. |
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Post by rick krebs on May 18, 2012 13:45:14 GMT -6
Weapons rules for B20s. Just 2 words here: "Bio One". Jim Muscala's "must have" 12 page rules set. That would be my base rules for any realistic gun fights. We used them for the majority of playtesting and also for Boot Hill games.
To me this TSR published rules book is the most under appreciated document that was ever published by TSR.
I certainly hope this document isn't lost to the Hasbro locked game vault. That would be a major loss.
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Post by Sean Michael Kelly on May 18, 2012 16:22:30 GMT -6
Weapons rules for B20s. Just 2 words here: "Bio One". Jim Muscala's "must have" 12 page rules set. That would be my base rules for any realistic gun fights. We used them for the majority of playtesting and also for Boot Hill games. To me this TSR published rules book is the most under appreciated document that was ever published by TSR. I certainly hope this document isn't lost to the Hasbro locked game vault. That would be a major loss. This is the first time I've ever heard of Bio One..... must find the Preciousssss. [edit] now that I've seen a picture of the cover, I think I have seen it somewhere, just don't remember where.... |
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Post by rick krebs on May 21, 2012 5:52:48 GMT -6
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Post by Sean Michael Kelly on May 23, 2012 12:31:50 GMT -6
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Post by Sean Michael Kelly on Jun 3, 2012 6:20:40 GMT -6
Great list! Be sure to add "The Untouchables" book by Eliot Ness. (The historical account... not the movie) Wow, what a fun and gameplay-evocative book! |
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Post by Sean Michael Kelly on Jun 21, 2012 17:08:37 GMT -6
With every conversation, my appreciation for both the game and its original author grows deeper. Rick, you're a gem. Thanks for this game and the fun it has produced.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2013 15:09:39 GMT -6
Rick
I purchased Gangbusters in the Early 80's and am glad to be able to read about the history of the game from the designer. Please keep posting more information. Thanks!
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Post by Sean Michael Kelly on Feb 10, 2013 7:18:23 GMT -6
Rick,
We need to schedule a "Google Hangout with Rick Krebs" for some day in the not-too-distant future. It would be a lot of fun!
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Post by rick krebs on Feb 13, 2013 8:46:04 GMT -6
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sammarlow
Level 2 Seer
Playing: Max's Gangbusters: Michael Walker (FED AGENT); Danny Sullivan (Criminal); Jim Holland (PI)
Posts: 26 
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Post by sammarlow on Sept 27, 2013 1:56:53 GMT -6
thanks for the links. Played Gangbusters in the 80's with my high school friends. have recently returned to it this year to play with my kids.
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If you keep your players busy enough and the action going, they automatically roll the dice and keep the story going. 
