Street Wolves: Los Angeles

How to prepare

A microphone is essential. A webcam is also ideal, since I greatly prefer the level of interaction that is fostered by being able to see each others' faces, expressions, and gestures while in the game. If you have not used Foundry before as a player, I strongly encourage you to find one of the many excellent tutorials available on YouTube. This will help streamline things as we jump into play. Although Foundry VTT does have on on-board voice/camera capability, I have discovered that it is far less reliable than it should be. To that end, we will be using Discord for voice/camera communications. Those players without secondary monitors may find themselves needing to switch back and forth between the two apps. In terms of advance preparation... players should read through a Google Slides presentation that I have prepared, that gives a rundown of the essential elements of the setting that all players should understand. Links to the presentation will be provided once players sign up for the game. Otherwise, the best preparation would be to go re-visit some of these classic '80s movies and TV shows to capture the vibe: -Miami Vice -Airwolf -Knight Rider -Die Hard -Blue Thunder -To Live and Die in L.A. -Magnum P.I. -Wiseguy -MacGyver -The Equalizer -The A-Team -Riptide -The Greatest American Hero -Beverly Hills Cop

What I provide

The game will be hosted through Foundry VTT, with an abundance of custom tokens and content. As a GM, I enjoy putting a lot of work into enhancing the immersion effect that virtual roleplaying can provide, including (when connection bandwidth and processor power allows) using music, lighting, and sound effects when appropriate. I also enjoy making custom Hero Forge models for PC and NPC portraits/tokens. I have been playing Savage Worlds for decades and know the rules well enough that I am comfortable with modifying or discarding them on the fly in order to help encounters flow in a smoother and more exciting way. In other words, I tend to balance Rules as Written with the Rule of Cool, as it seems appropriate to the game and the overall enjoyment of everyone at the table. In terms of flavor, I tend to lean more towards the serious and dramatic side of things rather than the zany and whimsical, although I do appreciate the value of letting things go every now and then. In the context of Street Wolves, think more Miami Vice and Spenser: For Hire rather than The A-Team and Riptide, but not in a one-sided 'all or nothing' way. After all, every good '80s action show has to have at least one "everyone laughs" freeze frame before the credits roll.

Gameplay details

The campaign will have a Session Zero, where we will discuss not only game rules, setting, and character creation, but player safety concerns. While it is impossible to know and avoid all potential triggers, the GM will actively work to avoid any known triggers or unwanted scenarios that are communicated to them. If such situations do arise in the game, all players are encouraged to call for a pause so that the GM can appropriately handle it, including potential retconning, rewinding, and modification of future campaign plans to avoid such scenarios moving forward. If any player needs to step away for a while out of consideration for their own mental/emotional health and wellbeing, this will be blanketly embraced as necessary, with no consequences in-game or out-of-game. This game is LGBTQIA+ friendly, and any comments and statements that are hostile to this community will not be tolerated. Any player who makes such comments may be removed from the game without warning.

Content warnings

Safety tools used

How will character creation work

Since Street Wolves is designed to be an ensemble team style setting, character creation would best be done collaboratively, to make sure everyone's character has something that they do better than anyone in the team and can be called upon for their expertise. Players should come to Session Zero with a couple of concepts loosely-developed in their heads, but ready to shift gears if necessary. This will be especially helpful to any players who have never played Savage Worlds before, so the rules and options can be better explained.

Combat / Tactics

Medium

Roleplay

Medium

Puzzles

Medium

Experience level

Open to all