We have EXCITING news!!!

In March (next month) we are going to be doing a special Q&A episode with Sam Stewart, the mastermind and product manager behind the Genesys RPG by Fantasy Flight Games. We know you have questions (as do we) and we want to include them in the show!

So, if you have a question that you would love to get Sam's thoughts on, please let us know via commenting on this post, sending us a message or emailing [email protected].

Questions must be submitted by 5.00pm on the 3rd March 2018 EAST (Eastern Australian Standard Time) to be included.

Will we see more generic Genesys products in the line (such as a Genesys GM screen to match the rulebook) or will everything outside the core book be tied to the settings?

Also, will there be a Terinoth Beginner Game?

1 - When designing or deciding what expansions to release for Genesys or any FF game, how much attention is paid to the work that’s done by fans and shared in the forums?

2 - Has there ever been talk of an app for Genesys that is deeper than just a dice roller? I’d love and integrated app that lets you create and share characters, communicate with players over the internet and of course roll dice.

Thanks.

I'm guessing that Sam can't and won't talk about upcoming products or potential products that haven't been officially announced. Is that the case, @GM Hooly ?

You would be correct @SavageBob .

10 hours ago, GM Hooly said:

You would be correct @SavageBob .

Sad, but expected. Might be worth mentioning this in your first post on this thread, since nearly all the questions so far have been about what's coming.

Mine would be: What are the best tips for designing an enjoyable RPG campaign and keeping players interested and engaged in seeing it through?

The Genesys Core Rulebook doesn't include any advice on creating custom Careers. Any reason this was left out? What advice can you give us on creating a Career and keeping it balanced?

I myself would have waited until after Terrinoth came out, so we would have more questions and maybe by then an announcement about which is next Android or Twilight Imperial? Which I think it will be Android since they have us drooling over Hacking rules.

Just means we will have to have him on the show again!

Thank you for creating Genesys, it is my favourite rpg system.
The spine of the book says Genesys "Core" Rulebook, will there be any other books that will be part of the "Core" set?
For example Core Adversaries, world building, GM tools,etc.

The Archetype cost breakdowns are causing some confusion. Can you shed some light on the design thinking here? Or are these maybe errors?

@GM Hooly

Personally I am a fan of the way in which Genesys has turned magic-in-RPGs on its head, doing away with decades-old dogma around prescribed spell names, spell lots, and tomes to learn them. It is a challenge for players to undo their thinking and familiarity with a list-based format, and the forums are full of examples of people trying to reinsert the old order to Genesys rules. Magic is probably a whole show in and of itself, for you guys.

But my question to Sam would be - what inspired such a radical take on magic? Was it in response to a specific source, like a series of books, video games, or similar? Or was it just a sense that the mechanics better supported a "base magic skill with advantages to trigger effects" approach? In other words, did you want to emulate something in particular, or did you just look for a way in which the mechanics could be engineered into the concept of magic?

1 hour ago, Endersai said:

But my question to Sam would be - what inspired such a radical take on magic? Was it in response to a specific source, like a series of books, video games, or similar? Or was it just a sense that the mechanics better supported a "base magic skill with advantages to trigger effects" approach? In other words, did you want to emulate something in particular, or did you just look for a way in which the mechanics could be engineered into the concept of magic?

To continue on from this; why where Setback dice not used for some of the additional effects? Obviously Difficulty is capped which is a core limiting factor in Magic. But if an effect is minor and limited to only one activation on a Spell then it would seemingly add a nice layer of granularity to the system.

@GM Hooly , I'd love Sam to elaborate on the magic system especially in regard of the following points:

1) what would be Sam's advice about magic related talents?

• should/could they rather decrease the difficulty in certain circumstances or grant extra advantages like some area mastery granting two bonus advantages when blast quality is applied? Or maybe both?
• or rather should/could there be talents applying certain weapon qualities for free? Like said blast quality, so no two advantages are needed when that quality is applied to a spell?
• should/could there be talents decreasing the strain cost of casting or grating opportunities to regain strain in certain circumstances other then simply using advantages?
• should/could there be talents removing casting penalties?

2) what would be his advice on adapting the magic system to non-damage spells like

• mind affecting spells like charming the target or creating illusions or the hold spell.
• raising the perception/awareness of the caster in regard of locating objects or detecting lies finding traps. Or would I simply use the utility spell but raise the difficulty if said trap is magically well hidden?

Should given magic actions be used and "twisted" or new ones invented when magic effects are not directly covered by existinng magic actions?

3) what would be his take to create permanent magic effects or effects lasting for longer periods like hours? Like for example casting a kind of alarm spell lasts a couple of hours while resting which will be triggered when the secured area is invaded? Or when placing an illusion that is supposed to last an hour after placed. Or I want to conceal something for days/years magically. The effects I see so far last only rounds and need concentration to sustain.

When creating your own weapons, how does one properly price out breach? Is it just 100 per rank (as "other positive qualities") or is it 1,000 per rank (10 pierce per 1 breach) or something else?

What about limited ammo? As the number decreases it should be worth more. Is it just a flat -100 ("other negative qualities" not caring about the number)? Something else?

Lastly, but most importantly, what would he do for a Klondike Bar?

My question to him...

What inspired you the most in designing Genesys?

1- I was planning on using the obligation rules from Star Wars for my Thieves World campaign. Is there any reason, mechanically speaking, why I shouldn’t?

2- When porting assets from Star Wars to a Genesys campaign is there anything I should keep in mind as far as the numbers are concerned?

Sam, please tell me every one of your thoughts on running a superhero campaign using Genesys. Every. Single. Thought.

It really seems like the developers want concentration to potentially cause additional strain. How does Sam feel about the following:

• For +X (most likely +1) difficulty, the duration extends to the entire encounter
• Allow a Triumph to "secure" a spell and extend its duration to an entire encounter

Or instead of eliminating the need to concentrate, at least allow either of the above costs to downshift concentration to be an Incidental. Then bashing the caster upside the head can still break their concentration and disrupt a spell short of formally dispelling it.

Since Sam is privy to the full history of actual playtest data instead of just theorycrafting, I'd like to know if these generalized means of extending buff/debuff/conjuration type spells would somehow undermine the system and make magic too strong/too easy. I really don't like the idea that spells can only be "easily" concentrated on if there's a specific implement on-hand for that purpose.

4 hours ago, Dragonshadow said:

It really seems like the developers want concentration to potentially cause additional strain. How does Sam feel about the following:

• For +X (most likely +1) difficulty, the duration extends to the entire encounter
• Allow a Triumph to "secure" a spell and extend its duration to an entire encounter

Or instead of eliminating the need to concentrate, at least allow either of the above costs to downshift concentration to be an Incidental. Then bashing the caster upside the head can still break their concentration and disrupt a spell short of formally dispelling it.

Since Sam is privy to the full history of actual playtest data instead of just theorycrafting, I'd like to know if these generalized means of extending buff/debuff/conjuration type spells would somehow undermine the system and make magic too strong/too easy. I really don't like the idea that spells can only be "easily" concentrated on if there's a specific implement on-hand for that purpose.

Are you referring to Magic or something else entirely. Just looking for context to put the question to him.

What would be his advice beyond the CRB on creating superpowers in a comic book world?

1 hour ago, GM Hooly said:

Are you referring to Magic or something else entirely. Just looking for context to put the question to him.

Yes, Magic. Sorry that wasn’t clear!

Another question:

Is there a fan created supplement you like or is there something specific you are secretly hoping to see the fans of Genesys create for the Genesys game system?

I know there are so many questions i want to ask that would be answered with, "I can't comment on that until a product is announced" (its like ive heard him a couple of times on Order 66 ?), but i would like to know if he can comment on the NUMBER of products they plan to release a year more than the leak of what's being worked on currently.