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Pen & Paper Roleplaying Central => Pen and Paper Roleplaying Games (RPGs) Discussion => Topic started by: Gruntfuttock on May 23, 2010, 05:12:43 PM

Title: Atomic Highway - thoughts?
Post by: Gruntfuttock on May 23, 2010, 05:12:43 PM
I seem to recall a few people here saying that they had picked up this game over the Christmas/New Year holidays. I was wondering if anyone has run it yet, and if so, what they thought of it.

I ran a simple 'pay the ransom and get the person back goes wrong' scenario on Friday evening and it went well. We all took to the rule system like ducks to water and had a good time. The players are keen to play again and soon.

I found the V6 engine simple but elegant and it does exactly what it sets out to do - provide competant PCs who are capable of outlandish stunts, just like heroes in the original source material. It's also one of the better writen rulebooks out there.

With it's focus on outlandish action, it would be easy to drop V6 into other sorts of games - any sort of pulpy-action hero style games would be an easy fit - and I've already had ideas for a modern day cop drama which is big on car chases and shoot-outs and easy on the investigation side of things. It could do 'Die Hard' standing on its head.

What are other people's experiences?
Title: Atomic Highway - thoughts?
Post by: Ghost Whistler on May 23, 2010, 05:56:44 PM
What is the v6 system?
Title: Atomic Highway - thoughts?
Post by: Thanlis on May 23, 2010, 06:07:51 PM
Quote from: Ghost Whistler;383108What is the v6 system?

Summary here (http://radioactiveapedesigns.com/v6main.php). Looks kinda clever, seems like it'd flow reasonably fast. I'd be curious to see a mathematical analysis.
Title: Atomic Highway - thoughts?
Post by: Gruntfuttock on May 23, 2010, 06:09:17 PM
V6 is the system that runs Atomic Highway. It hasn't been used for anything else yet, although the author, Colin Chapman has floated a few ideas on the Atomic Highway forum at http://radioactiveapedesigns.com

There is also an overview of V6 on the site.
Title: Atomic Highway - thoughts?
Post by: Gruntfuttock on May 23, 2010, 06:41:31 PM
There is a table of V6 Engine probabilities in the back of the rulebook, but it is not hosted on the website.

The average human with an average skill has a 75% chance of succeeding in a difficult task.

This is obviously very high and may turn off some people - but the idea is that heroes can and should end up trying some impossible stuff that does actually pose a real threat. The rule book points out the built in high chance of success at the start of the rules chapter, and says that if it doesn't suit a groups taste you can simply raise the number of successes to required for each level of difficulty. And it really is that simple to change the lethality.

Also, I should point out that it doesn't feel a wall in the park when you run it - it actually feels gritty (although that's probably more to do with the setting).

It's a game where you play Mad Max or Snake or Jack Burton - in fact it has quite an 80's feel - it's like something directed by John Carpenter and staring Kurt Russell.
Title: Atomic Highway - thoughts?
Post by: Cylonophile on May 24, 2010, 10:56:07 AM
All I had to hear was the Colin Chapman had written it...
Title: Atomic Highway - thoughts?
Post by: Insufficient Metal on May 24, 2010, 11:23:08 AM
Quote from: Gruntfuttock;383120It's a game where you play Mad Max or Snake or Jack Burton - in fact it has quite an 80's feel - it's like something directed by John Carpenter and staring Kurt Russell.

Hm. Well now I pretty much have to buy it.
Title: Atomic Highway - thoughts?
Post by: Silverlion on May 24, 2010, 03:30:50 PM
I'm rather fond of it and sad I missed out on the print book. It seems pretty simple and robust, plus I love the supplemental stuff he offers.
Title: Atomic Highway - thoughts?
Post by: Gruntfuttock on May 24, 2010, 04:38:00 PM
@ Insufficient Metal

Buy it - you won't regret it mate!

It's not just for Road Warriors.
Title: Atomic Highway - thoughts?
Post by: Xanther on May 24, 2010, 07:39:53 PM
Yes.  I think it's f'ing great, but not perfect.   There are some threads at Radioactive Ape Designs giving play reports of various level of detail.

http://forums.radioactiveapedesigns.com/index.php?topic=68.0

http://forums.radioactiveapedesigns.com/index.php?topic=105.0

http://forums.radioactiveapedesigns.com/index.php?topic=83.0
Title: Atomic Highway - thoughts?
Post by: RPGPundit on May 25, 2010, 12:30:17 PM
Looks interesting!

RPGPundit
Title: Atomic Highway - thoughts?
Post by: One Horse Town on May 25, 2010, 01:56:46 PM
Colin is a cool dude, as well as a veteran writer. Even if he didn't give me the nod on this game so that i could contribute! :mad::D