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Author Topic: Zona alpha  (Read 5720 times)

Offline Dentatus

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2257
    • Stalker7.com
Re: Zona alpha
« Reply #15 on: March 20, 2020, 12:31:08 PM »
That's a fair assessment...  bearing in mind I

1. had to avoid stepping on IP toes, having neither the license nor space to create a specific and accurate (let alone exhaustive) representation of the Zone in the Stalker-verse. It's a 64 page Osprey Blue Book. Not Mordheim, Necromunda, or Zweihander.

2. I made no claim to developing outstanding or novel mechanics. In fact, I took pains to state otherwise in the intro and the conclusion of the book. 

3. It's a skirmish war game. Of course there's emphasis on combat.

4. Cooperation is optional. Allowed. Not actively encouraged. Don't know where you got that.

5. The decision to offer a scaffold and bare bones campaign for gamers to hang their own narratives, inspiration, level of depth and detail was deliberate and also clearly stated.

7. I appreciate GMG, their time and attention in the playthroughs. The YouTube channel is a tremendous resource to the community. I own my mistakes and take full responsibility for any omissions and or contradictions in the game.
Having watched the videos however, I'll note many of the issues rose from their own misunderstanding/misreading/misapplication of the rules and intentionally exploiting technicalities/loopholes, stacking Armor to virtual invulnerability the prime example. Not only was that immediately clarified, but doing so shifts individuals into the armor category of vehicles - a distinction stated in rules that was never intended, and is obviously contrary to the spirit of the game. 
Zona Alfa is certainly breakable but I reject the notion it's broken.  If anything, I've learned I need to be far more precise and vigilant in my wording in the future. Even then, I suspect there are and always will be those who use the rules to break the game.
« Last Edit: March 20, 2020, 01:11:33 PM by Dentatus »

Offline DegenerateElite

  • Bookworm
  • Posts: 55
Re: Zona alpha
« Reply #16 on: March 20, 2020, 06:41:37 PM »
If all the book can offer is  non-outstanding mechanics, a campaign system that requires the players to write everything themselves, and no specific information on actually recreating it's inspiration, then it's reason for publication is pretty questionable.

And you are right that it's just another Osprey blue book and gamers should know better by now.

Offline Dentatus

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2257
    • Stalker7.com
Re: Zona alpha
« Reply #17 on: March 20, 2020, 07:16:02 PM »
I would think the title, series info and publisher would be a dead give away that it's an Osprey Blue Book.

And if that's not your cup of tea, it sounds like you should write the STALKER rules you want. Best of luck.

Offline Sinewgrab

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2907
  • All to all, by my mustard!
Re: Zona alpha
« Reply #18 on: March 21, 2020, 01:40:19 AM »
If all the book can offer is  non-outstanding mechanics, a campaign system that requires the players to write everything themselves, and no specific information on actually recreating it's inspiration, then it's reason for publication is pretty questionable.

And you are right that it's just another Osprey blue book and gamers should know better by now.

If you are looking for handholding/no room for creativity in a system, you'll pay more than the 20 bones an Osprey book gives you.  Go play 40k - that's nice and spelled out for you.
"There is no known cure for the wargaming virus, only treatments with ever increasing doses of metal."

Offline Storm Wolf

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 892
Re: Zona alpha
« Reply #19 on: March 21, 2020, 07:42:58 AM »
Well I for one am going to give the rather excellent free solo rules a try this weekend.

Thanks Denatus

Going to be a English/Western zone for me as befits my collection lol

Wish me luck

Glen
Only the insane have strength enough to prosper. Only those who prosper may truly judge what is sane.

Offline Chimpfoot

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 562
  • Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all
    • chimpfoots tavern
Re: Zona alpha
« Reply #20 on: March 21, 2020, 09:15:32 AM »
Storm wolf where are you finding these free solo rules by the way?
chimpfoots-tavern.blogspot.com

Offline Sir_Theo

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1266
Re: Zona alpha
« Reply #21 on: March 21, 2020, 09:59:51 AM »
Storm wolf where are you finding these free solo rules by the way?

I think he means these:
https://ospreypublishing.com/blog/guest_blog_zona_alfa_2/

Offline DegenerateElite

  • Bookworm
  • Posts: 55
Re: Zona alpha
« Reply #22 on: March 21, 2020, 02:02:43 PM »
If you are looking for handholding/no room for creativity in a system, you'll pay more than the 20 bones an Osprey book gives you.  Go play 40k - that's nice and spelled out for you.


Right, because there's no middle ground between having hardly any flavorful rules and having a mapped out full setting with army lists and fluff books.  This game may as well be Serbian gang skirmish.

If you have to write everything yourself, why bother buying a book in the first place, even if it's cheap.


Offline Dentatus

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2257
    • Stalker7.com
Re: Zona alpha
« Reply #23 on: March 21, 2020, 02:12:01 PM »
You want to use it to play Serbian Gang skirmish, go for it. Zona Alfa has 64 pages worth of basic rules, simple fluff, game prompts, and a campaign structure already written out for you. The Solo and Co-op guidelines were just posted at Osprey. (I imagine you do a lot of Solo gaming.)

Offline Dentatus

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2257
    • Stalker7.com
Re: Zona alpha
« Reply #24 on: March 21, 2020, 02:12:59 PM »
Well I for one am going to give the rather excellent free solo rules a try this weekend.

Thanks Denatus

Going to be a English/Western zone for me as befits my collection lol

Wish me luck

Glen

Good luck, Glen. And good hunting.

Offline Chimpfoot

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 562
  • Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all
    • chimpfoots tavern
Re: Zona alpha
« Reply #25 on: March 21, 2020, 03:59:01 PM »
Crikey only started this post as a query about new rules.
Seems to have got a bit heated.
Firstly
Sir.Theo thanks for pointing me in the right direction for solo rules

Degenerate elite :guess you're not happy with you're purchase, eh?
I'm sorry you feel that way.
 
But if you do feel the need to thoroughly critique someone else's work please try to find a more amiable tone. criticisms given in a friendly and constructive manner are better received and lead to far more constructive outcomes, whingeing and lists of complaints rarely achieve anything more than bad feelings. Fine you have your opinion and you're entitled to it.
Looking forward with great interest to the release of your 'stalker' rules by the way, I am right in thinking you have purchased all the necessary copyrights?



Dentatus: didn't realise these were your rules, well done. Creation looks far easier from the outside.

Am I right in thinking you were playing these rules and blogging them for a while before osprey  approached you?
Anyway
Not having read (or played) picnic stalker or the metro series I am woefully unfamiliar with the material you built your game around, quick read of the plotlines on wiki is as far as I got so far.
That said my interest was piqued enough to buy the rules .
I was looking for a fast paced action orientated skirmish game for a handful of figures per side in an unique now/near future setting and guess what? I got one! And not a bad one either.

Are gunfights deadly, you bet. Do people die in the zone? They better.
If you can just walk through and blast anything and win every time then that would mean that the game was broken. It's not.
That said I was hoping that the background experience tables and artefacts would have guided me through the unfamiliar territory of the zone a little more, but nobody said you can't homebrew a few tables if needed right.

At the very least I'll have to go out and buy a metro book or picnic to read up on more inspiration, more good books to read (just finished 'triffids' for about the twentieth time so there's room on the reading shelf. Hang on, triffids in the zone? Why not? Best check in the rules first seeing as I'm incapable of independent thought (joke)

Keep up the good work there will always be nay sayers in what ever you do, just tune them out.
Was going to make a joke about 'corona alfa' to lighten the mood but don't want to get kicked off for bad taste
Thanks again for the great rules my ten year old thoroughly enjoys shooting the s**t out of me! As usual.
Cheers all






Offline Storm Wolf

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 892
Re: Zona alpha
« Reply #26 on: March 21, 2020, 04:34:20 PM »
Good luck, Glen. And good hunting.

Cheers Mate I will need all the luck I can get as the dice gods hate me I`m sure lol

And Sir, Theo you are indeed right.

As for everything else its just toy-soldiers, so no worries. Use it to escape the very strange outside world for a few hours at least.

That is all, stay calm and play wargames :-*

Glen

Offline Chimpfoot

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 562
  • Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all
    • chimpfoots tavern
Re: Zona alpha
« Reply #27 on: March 21, 2020, 09:18:05 PM »
Haha! Just downloaded the solo rules from the osprey website thanks dentists and redheads.
Playing with my self again...in the zone!
Cheers all

Offline Dentatus

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2257
    • Stalker7.com
Re: Zona alpha
« Reply #28 on: March 21, 2020, 10:55:31 PM »
Correct, our Exclusion Zone games were featured in the S7 blog posts for years. The earliest iteration of the core rules was titled 'Cleared to Engage' and they started life as a generic SF/NF skirmish game more than a decade ago. Turns out Phil S. at Osprey is a fan of the Stalker/Metro-verse, had noticed the bat reps, and here we are.

If you join the S7 FB Group, one of the members posted a very cool list of specific artifacts and Anomaly effects that really adds another layer to the game.  I've got to shrug off this low-grade Covid19 anxiety, organize my work schedule to this current norm, and carve out some time to play test them.

Offline Chimpfoot

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 562
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    • chimpfoots tavern
Re: Zona alpha
« Reply #29 on: March 21, 2020, 11:18:37 PM »
Re: c19 anxiety

You me and everyone both.

Looks like we will have a few weeks 'off work'
Will have plenty of time to 'destruction test' the solo rules.
Thanks for giving me something to do.
Cheers out