Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Commentary On The ViewScream 2nd Edition by Rafael Chandler Kickstarter


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So yeah, I kinda admire the writer/designer of  Viewscream second edition, he's right within the body horror science fiction bracket with this kickstarter. I was asked to take a look at the Kickstarter page before launch and I can honestly say that I liked what I saw. What is Viewscream? And why is there is second edition?
ViewScream is a live-action role-playing game designed for play with video-chat software like Skype and Google Hangouts. For $10 USD, you receive the PDF of the core game, all custom overlays, all audio files, and all stretch goal materials; the 10 backers who pledge the most will also be able to commission custom adventures to their specifications You can see what I'm talking about when it comes to ViewScream second edition with this bit of play from the Dunwich Hauler mission



If you got in with the first edition of View Scream there have been some major overhauls to the system.
These include the following:  played the first edition (released in early 2013)
  • The player who portrays Bridge is now the game's GM, but still plays in character 
  • Emergencies can be solved by any member of the crew, instead of a specific character
  • Emergencies are shorter, and directly connected to the adventure's narrative 
  • Solutions have predetermined success or failure; they're also longer, containing more information about how they can be used 
  • Some Solutions are optional, because they are dangerous or unethical 
  • The fate of the Bridge depends on the decisions made by other player characters 
  • Some adventures are accompanied by a soundtrack, and key events are prompted by the audio file at specific moments
But its really the missions that hooked me on the concepts and execution of the ViewScream game itself.
ViewScream includes 25 adventures. 15 of these are finished (and we'll get to the other 10 in just a moment): 

  • A Maculate Conception: "This is a distress signal from the bridge of the exploratory vessel Sycorax. There's something on our ship, and it's laying eggs. But they're not hatching; they're empty. I think we're supposed to go into them."
  • Billions of Scars: The denizens of this planet uploaded their minds to an exabyte drive and waited. Your crew accidentally released them. These disembodied minds are full of hate, and they have been waiting... 
  • Black Widow, Brown Recluse: Recluse, the artificial intelligence aboard the starship Black Widow, has just gone antipathic. Most of the crew died within the first few minutes. You’re next. 
  • Culler Out of Space: When colonists begin to display anomalous behavior after a meteorite impact, a nearby debris-culler is ordered to investigate the crater. Horror ensues. 
  • Destiny Rising: "Fuel line’s all tore up, particle vents are bent sideways, and there’s something wedged in the capacitor. Reckon we best get the Destiny fixed, or you’re in a mess of trouble."
  • Dunwich Hauler: “Whatever it is, it’s aboard the Lavinia. Sensors can’t detect it, weapons can’t stop it, and if we don’t get to an escape pod right now, we are dead.” 
  • Golgotha Station: Guerrilla forces have destroyed Golgotha Station. Your small crew is all that remains of the once-mighty Dominion Shock Troops. Will you go down fighting, or flee like cowards? 
  • Ligature Marks: After a nightmarish first contact with an alien race, everyone aboard your ship committed suicide. After that, the vessel’s A.I. awoke you from cryogenic stasis. A pity, really... 
  • Neongeles: From the gene-traders of Melrose Avenue to the flesh-printers of Anaheim, you’ve seen it all. But tonight, with one botched heist, you’ve changed Neongeles forever.
  • Optimal Virulence: "Hailing on all frequencies. I'm aboard the Imperial Hellebore. A horrid infection wiped out most of our crew. They have risen, and they are hunting us. They hunger--" 
  • Saint Bartholomew: A skinless man walks among you. He knows what you did. He is cheerful and silent as he strides through the blood-spattered corridors of your ship. He will save your soul. 
  • Summervox Whispers: The job was simple: swipe herdsourced data and use it to build a better mediabase. Only problem: no data. Just a sentient cloud of information that hates humans. 
  • The Call of Kullat Nunu: “This is a subspace emergency broadcast. We’re aboard the science vessel Emma, which left the Auckland system on 022025. In God’s name, please help us.” 
  • Vade Retro Satana: They should never have agreed to deliver that prisoner. And as soon as they found out what he was, they should have killed him. But it’s too late, and the ritual has begun. 
  • Yellow Sine: “This is an SOS from the crew of the Camilla. We are trapped in the Hyades cluster, and nearly everyone aboard has been murdered. We few survivors feel compelled to unmask.”
    You start looking into the back plays of ViewScream and suddenly realize how much homework, time, and research that the author and designer has done with his product and ideas here.

    The author has a top notch team of artists and marketing consultants on this Kickstarter! Seriously here he's got Pär Olofsson whose work has to be seen to be believed.

One of the exciting things about this project for me is the inclusion of Tariq Raheem whose artwork I've admired for years. There are a few artists whose work I've admired over years and he's one of them. I love his slime dripping, tendril induced, weird generated stuff! Along with his slick and nasty stuff as well.


He's assembled marketing, voice talent, etc.,etc. because this author and designer cares about the product he's got going out and system he wants to put into your hands. This is the reason that Kickstarter was created in the first place. Top talent for a top flight product being brought to marketplace. And the list goes on and on.. So do yourselves a favor and get on board this and play this one with your friends. Support this kickstarter and get aboard the ship of your nightmares in Sppaacce!

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