Hey, I just stumbled across Summerland on IPR's front page. I haven't heard anything about this game, but it looks kind of nifty. Anybody got details besides the (verbose) product description?
I am intrigued. It has many of the kind of mystical-facing post-apocalyptic view that I so loved in Tribe 8. And as its a .pdf, I think I shall buy it and report back in a week or so.
I concur. But what are its systems? SHOW ME UR SYSTEMS. I have this cynical feeling I got 80% of the game's value just from reading the (awesome) blurb.
Edit: Well I couldn't go and post that without at least tracking down a playtest AP post from the CE forums. I don't know if there are any more recent APs out there, that was the first one I saw. Edit: And a slightly earlier design thread describing the system.
I've got it, but haven't played it. It looks like a pretty straighforward, almost traditional game with a mission-based feel, but with some descriptor-y stats and an "overcoming trauma" personality mechanic that facilitates the characters' goals of acceptance while opposing their goal of survival.
I think I like it. I just wish I'd realized I could get a print copy at Lulu before I bought the PDF at IPR, BTW, FWIW, BBQ.
My initial skim says the game is less "traditional traddy" and more "traditional storygamey" -- its got a form of stake setting (describe your desired outcome, GM describes what happens if you fail, then you roll to see which comes true, winner gets narration rights), a fairly light dice system with lots of narrative color from descriptors, and so on. However, the real guts of the system seem to be in the Trauma system, which drives the game, and I've not had a close enough look at that to say if I think its going to burn with gas or not.
The cover of the book is lovely. Its got that slight sheen like computer generated graphics, but manages to sell it to my ludite ass anyway.
Other than that, I'm quite liking the central concept of angst filled trauma survivors wandering the wilderness to try to help their community that they can never be part of because of the DEEP PAIN OF THEIR DEEPLY PAINFUL PASTS. It's got that fine high melodramatic angst that White Wolf games shoot for (and occasionally hit and often miss) with a slightly tighter, more storygames style focus. (I also like that the game puts the onus of the problem on the character, rather than on the community -- which is the place WoD games often go wrong.)
I wrote Summerland, and I think the comments so far, especially from Brand, are pretty much on the button (love the DEEP PAIN OF THEIR DEEPLY PAINFUL PASTS!).
Any questions I can help with, ask away.
The cover by the way is from the deeply talented Paul Bourne.
Summerland is a nifty game. It isn't awesome or ground breaking, and it has a few points where it feels a bit vague, but all in all it knows what it wants to be and focuses on it decently well.
The system is light and quick, using a form of basic stakes setting (describe intent, describe failure, roll, winner gets narration rights), and a neat little method of using "tags" (narrative descriptions) to add both color and mechanical weight to conflicts. The real heart of the game, however, is in the trauma system, which encourages characters to face the trauma of their own past, but makes doing so too quickly or cavalierly dangerous because it can bring about emotional breakdowns and loss of control.
The best parts of the game are in the color, and Summerland is refreshingly upfront about what its doing for a color heavy game. For example, we get told straight up that there is no given reason for the global cataclysm that destroyed the world. Groups can make it up themselves, or decide that it doesn't matter -- whatever will be, will be. (Since reading Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" I'm inclined to go with the latter.) The game addresses what the various setting bits mean in terms of theme, play potential, and character situations directly rather than trying to make a travelogue of a fictional world. All of which is good. The one thing is that though many of the ideas are cool, there weren't a huge number of places (past the initial concept) where the setting jumped out at me and demanded that it be run.
So all in all I'd give it a B.
(That's all I've the energy for ATM, however if folks have questions I'll try to answer them.)
Thanks for the overview, I think you summed it up pretty well! Certainly in my games of Summerland, the 'why' of the event has never been important - it's all about the consequences, dealing with what happened and how that has affected society and the player characters.
Anyway, if anyone has questions for me, feel free to ask. For the objective view, ask Brand!