[lame mage] Dr Null: Battle on the Bay Bridge - Free!

[Ben Robbins]

Dr Null: Battle on the Bay Bridge is a free adventure from Lame Mage Productions.

It's a short stand-alone scenario perfect for an evening of gaming, particularly as an intro for new players or for trying out M&M Second Edition. It also introduces the nefarious Dr Null, who will return in Day of Dr Null, an upcoming release from Lame Mage Productions.

We've experimented with a few elements in this scenario, mostly focusing on GM craft and how the game runs at the table: Action Shticks to increase dramatic heroic moments, maps with annotated game statistics for easy references during play, Silent Sound Effects to bring power descriptions to life, and a GM fast reference sheet with critical info all in one place so you don't have to shuffle too many pages behind the screen.





Much thanks to the many brave playtesters who helped refine and, um, debug Dr Null: Battle on the Bay Bridge. Hopefully their valuable feedback will mean that you and your players will have an even better game when you run it.

Download it, play it, and let us know how it works for you.

Update: Available at YourGamesNow, RPGNow, or skip the storefront and get it straight from our website.

[Sketchpad]

I think my only criticism on this is that I'd probably build Null differently ... especially based on his PL. Otherwise, this looks really keen

[coyote6]

It was great fun to playtest.

[mancerbear]

I've downloaded the pdf, and will have a read. Looks like fun at any rate.

DB

[Kakashi64]

I really liked the construction of the adventure, using action shticks and plot developments as ways of structuring, but not restricting, the story. Good stuff. I look forward to seeing more.

[Ben Robbins]

I really liked the construction of the adventure, using action shticks and plot developments as ways of structuring, but not restricting, the story. Good stuff. I look forward to seeing more.

Thanks Kakashi. I tried to expand on some of the structural concepts from Zodiac Ring to really give the GM an advantage during play. Stack the deck in favor of running a fun game.

[Ben Robbins]

I think my only criticism on this is that I'd probably build Null differently ... especially based on his PL. Otherwise, this looks really keen

PL for a mastermind is a little tricky. Dr Null is the source of trouble but not a direct threat. Instead his points go to pay for the Bugbots and Gamma Emulsifiers he brings into the scene.

In a way his PL is a rating of the total threat he can create, more of which we'll see in Day of Dr Null.

[Sketchpad]

PL for a mastermind is a little tricky. Dr Null is the source of trouble but not a direct threat. Instead his points go to pay for the Bugbots and Gamma Emulsifiers he brings into the scene.

In a way his PL is a rating of the total threat he can create, more of which we'll see in Day of Dr Null.

That's cool Ben. I'm just saying I would've built him a bit different is all He reminds me of a very Pulp-era villain (which is a good thing ).

[Black Mamba]

This was a very nice little adventure. Thanks for sharing it. The quality of this adventure has convinced me to purchase Zodiac, so it was good marketing on your part.

[mancerbear]

Ok,

Had a read of this, and I have to say it's a nice little jaunt. I too would redesign Null, but that's not saying that there's anything wrong with him, just not the way I'd design him.

Good stuff. though I won't use the adventure exactly as written, I will use the idea and elements from it.

[Ben Robbins]

This was a very nice little adventure. Thanks for sharing it. The quality of this adventure has convinced me to purchase Zodiac, so it was good marketing on your part.

Thanks Mamba! You've stumbled on to my secret plan...

[Ben Robbins]

I too would redesign Null, but that's not saying that there's anything wrong with him, just not the way I'd design him.

This is probably why he turned to supervillainy in the first place: people looking at his write-up, saying he's "okay". Next thing you know he's building his first death ray.

Good stuff. though I won't use the adventure exactly as written, I will use the idea and elements from it.

Which is just as it should be.

I wrote Dr Null: Bridge to be a shaped projectile, ready to run after just reading the scenario and no other preparation. An easy win for the overworked GM.

But it's also intended to showcase new concepts that can be used in other adventures, ideas like Action Shticks, outlined revelations, or even just annotating maps with stats. Things to advance the state of the art a little bit. If that leads to better games for other GMs and writers, I'm a happy guy.

[VIRTUE]

This is great is their anything for the future that is planned?

[Ben Robbins]

This is great is their anything for the future that is planned?

Next up is Day of Dr Null. Is Dr Null the kind of mad genius to take the destruction of his Bugbot army lying down? No, not really.

Day of Dr Null is a full length adventure (about the size of Zodiac Ring). More evil plans. More technological terrors. More big red buttons.

Because no situation can't be made worse with science.

(It hasn't even gone to playtesting yet, so it'll be a while)

[Ben Robbins]

Dr Null: Battle on the Bay Bridge is now also available for free download from RPG Edge and EN World.

You can leave a star rating or review on those sites to let others know what you think of it. You will have to download it from those sites before you can rate it -- even though it's free the stores are set up to only let you review things you have "bought."