WRETCHED WASTES: WHAT IS IT?

 

I began the Discord and blog due to my love of the 1988 Wasteland computer game and everything that evolved from it (the Fallout franchise, the Wasteland sequels and Encased, just to name a few.) My hope was to run a campaign that captured the flavor of the original game.

I love post-apocalyptic stuff, whether it's Mad Max movies (maybe not so much the new one coming out,)  the string of 80s knockoffs, Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn, the Thundarr the Barbarian cartoon, all of it.

I was looking at the nuts and bolts of the original Wasteland to figure out what system would serve it best. That led me to the Wretched games (including Wretched Apocalypse) by the Red Room (Miguel Ribeiro and Silvia Clemente) which I was already familiar with. I spoke with Miguel and he's graciously allowed me to post a modified, pared down version of Wretched Apocalypse on the Discord when it's all done.

I also had the idea of a shared campaign setting, where various players are interacting with and shaping the world, even if their characters have never met. This goes back to the idea of TORG, the RPGA and the original D&D Westmarches campaign style. It wouldn't strictly be a 1:1, "real time = game time" affair, but character actions and sessions would sync up to simulate a living world and timed events. No one would be playing the same scenarios either, because that's.. pretty lame.

Along the way I decided that this campaign world should be a bit different than Wasteland and similar inspirations. It should have grungy vehicle combat and other things going on. It should have its own aesthetic that sets it apart, inspired by post-apocalyptic comics of the 80s. Wretched Wastes was born.

CAMPAIGN PLANS

Session Play

My plan is to have at least one kind of regular session game going on, played online or in-person when feasible. Other GMs are free to run sessions that take place in the same shared setting.

Downtime, PbP and Solo Adventuring

Aside from regular sessions, the thought was that characters could engage in downtime activities in between sessions or when players were not otherwise available for a regular session. My friend who once ran custom Fallout games used downtime to great success to both break up time and give ongoing goals and tasks.

Play By Post allows not only for downtime resolution, but also for players to participate who cannot otherwise commit to regular sessions. Perhaps a character works as an outpost guard, a scout or a courier. That character can have a smaller role and possibly intersect with other groups as needed.

Solo Play is an idea I'm still developing. This would essentially be a single PC (possibly with tagalong muscle if chosen) manuevering through a certain mission like a more sophisticated Choose Your Own Adventure scenario. Briggsbob Joe must get a hostage back from the Gaptooth Gang. Does he fight them? Negotiate? Try to sneak in, grab the hostage and run? Something else?  You decide.

Do I need to read all of this lore?

Nope. It may be helpful to know some of it as a player, but characters will begin play knowing only general information based on their region of origin. The world ended, life is hard and you're trying to survive. If you've ever watched a post-apocalyptic movie, you'll get it. 

A Collaborative Sandbox

PCs will be shaping the world through their actions. Players and GMs will be helping to define the world. There will be plots, storylines and NPC characters, but the focus is on character choices. Threats will exist and challenges will arise. It's up to the players to decide how their characters respond. Life is cheap and resources are scarce in the Wastes. Are you just a survivor? Are you a hero who inspires others? Or do you seek more for yourself?

Activity Reports

Major events and discoveries will be listed. Aside from starting locations, new locations that come into play will become part of the greater setting. Relations with various factions will also be tracked. PC groups from different factions may decide to keep some information secret. They may work with other factions, against them or independently.