FG Con 7 - The Sky Key Solution five simultaneous tables event

[Trenloe]

Well, we've just finished this 5 table special - the first time we've ran a multi-table special at FG Con.

The players were soooooo close to having an "Impressive Performance" success, however the one requirement to allow them to escape the impending doom wasn't quite carried out - with one group very close but just running out of time.

For those interested, here are some screenshots of the spreadsheet I used to track the game.

The table success split:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39085830/Screenshots/FG%20Con%207/Sky%20Key%20Solution%201.jpg

The success total tracked against time (0:15 into the session to 4:55). The little spike at 3:36 is the end of part 2 (I had two successes reported bang on the end of that part):

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39085830/Screenshots/FG%20Con%207/Sky%20Key%20Solution%202.jpg

Victory point tracking for each table:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39085830/Screenshots/FG%20Con%207/Sky%20Key%20Solution%203.jpg

[damned]

Well done to everyone involved! Whats that? 25 players and 5+1 GMs?

[Trenloe]

Whats that? 25 players and 5+1 GMs?
Yep.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39085830/Screenshots/FG%20Con%207/PFS%20Sky%20Key%20Solution.jpg

[lachancery]

Good job organizing our very first multi-table event at FG-Con!

Nice to have stats by table. Looking forward to doing it again!

[cmdisc]

Thank you to those that put all their time and energy into getting this thing organized. You guys did a lot of work. This was my first multi-table event and I'm proud of everyone I had the chance to game with through it.

Thanks Trenloe for making this a reality. :)

[Victor]

That was very cool! I can hardly wait til the next one!

Thanks Trenloe and to all the GMs for putting this together and handling all the ins and outs. I loved the multi table interactions and in game decisions we had to make loosely based on rumors of the other groups. Very Cool!


[Edit: I think the charts above show that the 7-8 group was the clear winner.]

[HoloGnome]

Trenloe - thanks for all the time and effort to put together the special for FGCON! I hope we can run another special next year! It was a fun, interesting and challenging experience! Good job to all my fellow GMs and players!

(Our table had 4 anchor successes - 2 successful time storm combats and influence over 2 harbingers.)

[cmdisc]

[Edit: I think the charts above show that the 7-8 group was the clear winner.]

I see you must be a Common Core fan. :p

[lachancery]

(Our table had 4 anchor successes - 2 successful time storm combats and influence over 2 harbingers.)

Our group found success using the peaceful social route with the first anchor. They then spent extra efforts to avoid violence with every other anchors too, and though they nearly lost patience a few times, all anchors were spared. Our table reached Lady Arodehth, but the stress from lack of time (less than 10 mins left) and her most recent communications led to fighting at first sight, and we didn't have time to finish the combat. I'm sure with 10-15 more minutes, and less time-based pressure, our table would have completed the last objective, perhaps even peacefully...

I think our table will remember how sooooooooo very close we were! I think it will be a memorable scenario for us, which is epic in my view. Hope other tables had similar experiences.

[Lord Kavos]

combats at 10-11 tier take a long time to defeat - we had a really action efficient table, I thought we stayed focused and quick on our goes & we completed the penultimate encounter but ended before we could start the last.

i dont know how we could have gone much quicker as a group, so dont think it was ever going to be our table that would save the day...

In any case, even with the failure at the end it was an absolute blast.

Well done to all involved.

[Zacchaeus]

Indeed, the organisers and DM's have to be congratulated for even attempting this, and for somehow managing to get through it. From what I can gather the module is an unwieldy massive thing and given the options very difficult to prep for and to follow through during the game. I would say however that it perhaps should have been made clear to those of us that hadn't played PFS before or this kind of event that this was a race. Our table spent far too much time in retrospect on trivial matters when throwing caution to the winds and getting stuck in was the only way to go. It was bitterly disappointing to get to the end of 5 hours to find that we had achieved nothing and couldn't even finish the adventure.

[Victor]

I think our table will remember how sooooooooo very close we were! I think it will be a memorable scenario for us, which is epic in my view. Hope other tables had similar experiences.

I couldn't agree more.
I kinda like the fact that it was so close and yet we lost, it really builds up the anticipation for next time. No way we fail again! Do we have to wait for a Con? :)

[Malkavian_Andi]

Do we have to wait for a Con?As far as I know, we only need a date when we can get enough people together to have the required number of tables (or more). That can get a bit tricky, requiring at least 4 players per table (or 3 if the subtier allows for a pregen NPC) plus 1 GM per table and 1 Overseer GM, who can all agree on a date to play.

[Trenloe]

I would say however that it perhaps should have been made clear to those of us that hadn't played PFS before or this kind of event that this was a race.
This is where players need to listen to the boxed text. Especially a briefing from a senior "agent" on the ground. The last paragraph read to the players before they start making choices in the final part of the adventure reads as follows:

Shaine looks worriedly up at the sky. “We will need to work together to uncover the vault and cut the tethers that anchor this time period to the Harbingers’ spellcasters. We must do both so we can use the Sky Key to escape.” A crack of thunder sounds overhead as the dome of green light twists and arcs down to the surface with a thunderous crash, and strange, hairy beasts stride where it struck. “And we would be wise to move quickly.”
Plus, a bloody big asteroid heading straight for you should be a bit of a spur as well! I also visited each table and told them when there was one hour to go, so everyone knew how long was left.

I'm sorry that you felt disappointed at the end and that you'd wasted 5 hours. You did "finish" the adventure, just not in the way most people would have wished. You were very close, but no cigar. ;) A lot of the people I've been speaking to have said this was a great and very memorable experience - because they didn't quite make it. Disappointing, yeah. But if you always succeed where's the fun and challenge?

I hope the experience makes any other such events people play in future that much more exciting (as Victor mentions above) knowing that it's up to you to succeed, that you aren't going to be spoon-fed and won't win through in the end no matter what you do.

Play some Call of Cthulhu, that will get you into the mindset that coming out on the wrong side at the end of scenario can still be entertaining and enjoyable as a player. ;) See this post for how we ended up in a FG Con Call of Cthulhu game: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?26453-Screenshots&p=235086&viewfull=1#post235086 and it was great fun!

[Malkavian_Andi]

From a character-percpective, this was really great. You don't get to experience Earthfall first-hand every day. The only downside for my character is that he didn't have enough time to visit Thassilon :P (He would have loved to study the Cyphergate in its prime.)

[lachancery]

I would say however that it perhaps should have been made clear to those of us that hadn't played PFS before or this kind of event that this was a race. ... It was bitterly disappointing to get to the end of 5 hours to find that we had achieved nothing and couldn't even finish the adventure.
I do remember my bitterness as a player the first time a PFS scenario ended on a timer. It's a surprising concept when you've never encountered it before. There isn't any ambiguity at physical conventions that scenarios are being played on a timer. At a virtual con, many players play multiple games back to back, so the need for timers is still required.

There were more timer reminders in this multi-table event, both in character/in game and from Trenloe, than I've ever seen before (it was my first multi-table event though). Of all timed scenarios I've played so far, I have appreciated this timer the most; it was integral to the story as it happened.

Convention play is different, and multi-table events add another layer to timers. I hope you'll jot down your bitter surprise as experience. In the future, I guarantee you will pick up on the timer constraint.

[Zacchaeus]

I don't think it was the fact that there was a timer that was the problem it was that I didn't know what the consequence of not finishing was; but you are right I wasn't listening enough to what was being said. I was concentrating too much on the game mechanics because I hadn't played 3.5 for quite some number of years and of course hadn't read enough background information beforehand to comprehend what was actually going on, and had no idea really what PFS was all about. Don't get me wrong though it was fun being on the player's side of the table for a change and the experience has prepared me for next time. In fact it's probably better to have lost this one; it's a more valuable lesson for that.

[Syaoran0503]

I really enjoyed the multi-table event, even though the outcome was detrimental to my character. It was fun to be challenged and pushed, and even see that our characters can fail. I was happy I was able to save my character ultimately, and to me the cost makes sense because we failed. The fact that I can walk away from that failure should be considered the reward, in my mind.

Now that that initial shock of the outcome has passed, I can honestly say that this was a highlight of my convention weekend. Even if I had lost my character I would still have had a great time and would gladly take part in another event like this. I look forward to future games with this group. Everyone I've played with on FG has made each table a great experience.

I'm am very thankful to all the GMs and organizers for putting this together, and hope that we can do another event like this in the future. Furthermore, I would like to extend a big thank you to the GMs that give there time to run tables between cons. I always look forward to those new game announcements and hope I can find a spot at the table.

[kwarner1986]

I really enjoyed the game despite the negative outcome. I know this might come out wrong or kind of blunt, but it should be said, "The players are the one's ultimately responsible for the failure of the mission. The following isn't necessarily blaming anyone who's under level 3, so don't take it as I'm blaming you."

As Players we take WAY too much time on our combat turns. I know the spotlight is on us and we want to shine for our moment, but veteran players/FG users, should only be taking 30 seconds for their turn once the bell hits on them. Players can sometimes take up to 2,3, or even 5 minutes to complete their turn. I understand as mage we have lots of options compared to fighters, but let me break into something more reasonable for everyone to understand. I'll use Lach's table as an example who needed just 15 more minutes. Let's say the table had 5 combats, that lasted 3 rounds each, and each player took 2 minutes for their turn.

6 Players x 2 minutes each = 12 minutes per Round
12 minutes per round x 3 rds per combat = 36 minutes per combat
36 min a combat x 5 combats = 3 Hours (That's just the player's Turns, not including any load time, text reading, Skill Rolls, or more importantly (The GM's Turn).

If every player trimmed their turn by 30 seconds. We would save 45 minutes, which guess what wins the mission.

Sorry if this came out as preachy and if you are new to FG or Pathfinder. Then this doesn't apply to you. I understand you are still learning the system or the game and that's fine. If you are a veteran player and you are taking more than 2 minutes in a turn. You are taking too long. We get through turns quicker, even if the game isn't timed. No one wants to wait 10 minutes for their next turn. If we can just use the following, everyone's game will speed up.

- Plan your turn, when it isn't your turn. Figure out what spell your going to cast before your turn comes up. Don't wait until the bell hits your turn to then start planning. "Fail to plan, plan to fail."
- Hit the Next Turn button when you are done. We don't know if your done or not?
- Don't afk in the middle of combat, between turns isn't time for break. Guess what happens, your turn comes up and you aren't there.
- Avoid meta game talking, yes it's good to plan, but ultimately these out of character chats slow down the game.

Again, mission was very fun and I enjoyed it. I hope we do another one real soon.

[Victor]

As I said already, I loved this event! Outcome Schmoutcome, it was great!
Also, it was my fault we 'failed'. I was in the 7-8 tier, one of the ones able to take down Arodeth for a success. Now while I did try to make my moves with all due alacrrity, I was also enjoying myself so much I was blabbing and socializing the whole time.
So as cmdisc said in chat, "Oh good, we can blame you."
Blame me, praise me; You know the next one will fill up quick. :)

[Lord Kavos]

At least we know the real culprit now...

Lol

[cmdisc]

We were joking around at the time when I said that, but knowing you, Victor, you really wouldn't care if anyone took us seriously. :p

[Victor]

We were joking around at the time when I said that, but knowing you, Victor, you really wouldn't care if anyone took us seriously. :p

Of course and of course. :)
*flex*

[kwarner1986]

So as cmdisc said in chat, "Oh good, we can blame you."
Blame me, praise me; You know the next one will fill up quick. :)

Somehow I can see you doing something like this.

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