Twilight at Genghis Con

[Neal5x5]

I ran two sessions of a Savage Worlds version of Twilight (updated for 2020) at Genghis Con in Denver over the weekend and had full tables each time. The players were a mix of everything from former military with Cold War experience to teenagers who had only played Call of Duty. However, everyone enjoyed the adventures and was able to get into the apocalyptic setting, the tension of constant danger, and the moral choices that come with it.

The weekend solidified my belief that the stories that come from Twilight: 2000 (or 2013 or 2020 or whenever) are timeless and anyone can enjoy them. The individual setting may mean changes to the names and places, but the conflicts that create the adventure are universal and entirely rooted in the human condition.

[Tegyrius]

Excellent! How well did Savage Worlds work for that? I've played the Space: 1889 port in that system and it seems to support more of a comic book style of combat than any T2k engine.

- C.

[Neal5x5]

I took advantage of the Gritty Damage and Skill Specialization setting rules and that gave a lot of the same feeling. I also incorpoated some setting rules from the Wierd War II rules (artillery bombardment and building damage) and that helped. It was still more cinematic than the 2013 rules, but very much on par with v2.2. I was surprised at how well the vehicle damage system worked when one group fired a salvo of RPG-7 rounds at a few BMPs and BTRs that were engaging in a massed attack.

[Adm.Lee]

I've been thinking about just such a conversion, I'm glad to hear it worked.

[Saulster]

Hey there,

I ran a Twilight 2013 game at DunDraCon a large gaming convention in N. Cal. I had a full table of 8 plus three crashes. Luckily one had double booked and so that left one seat for three crashers. In the end I had 9 players and I ran from 6 pm to 2 am. It was a pretty mixed group of guys. It was a lot of fun. I wish I had play tested the adventure so I could be better versed in the game. I ran one adventure with my gaming group about a year before and it was fun but most of my group doesn't like learning new mechanics and Twilight 2013 is rule heavy.
All in all it was a good game but I am left thinking that this rules set is a difficult game to run at a con. Even with canning the more difficult rules it was a bit more clunky than I wanted it to be.. but everyone at the table thought it was a good game and am thinking of running at another local con.
I know a guy that ported the Twilight game to FATE but I like my games a bit crunchier than that. I love the FATE system but for Gritty games it doesn't fit. I was looking at Savage Worlds. I love the idea but have not played in many S.W. games, and have never run the system. I was also looking at porting to the Cortex system, but thinking of giving "Reflex" system another shot. I am pretty spoiled we have four large Cons in Northern California and quite a few smaller cons also. Any ideas of what rules to leave out for Con games.

Saul

[kota1342000]

As one of the players at the tables, yes, Savage Worlds is a bit like a comic book system, but thats the end of the spectrum where I come from. I think combat should be fast and cinematic in a rpg; if we want to go for realism (but lack of speed) then thats where T2013 Stage 3 rules come in. So it worked out great as far as Im concerned.
To elaborate, I think Savage Worlds is perfect for short games and convention modules. I think Im going to keep using a T2013 modified Stage 1/2 system for the campaign stuff, where there is a little more time to get into more detail.

But as far as post-apocalyptic game scenarios are concerned for the T2K genre and all of its versions and modifications, its a game that wont die. I think we had a discussion about that somewhere at the convention...by the end I was trying to write up so many ideas floating around in my head that I was in a near coma LOL

In any case, Neal ran an outstanding game at Genghis, and once again Im provided with bragging rights, though like Rob's games at Tacticon last year, I hesitate to mention it since it may be a HUGE spoiler.