Families Rewrite and Objectives Issues
Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2021 4:21 am
So I've been drafted in to do some rewrites on Families lore-wise (mostly with the goal of making the references less blatant, and excising some of the cringier (for lack of a better word) flavour text), and in doing so I've run into some issues with the objectives. I figured I should post this with my interpretations of the flavour text for both the creator (that's you, Goof) and players to chime in with both how the objectives are meant to be played (or your interpretation), and how rounds involving them have gone down. With this feedback, my rewrite should go much smoother.
(Disclaimers: I haven't played Families, I just take issue with the flavour text. That's why I'm asking if these interpretations are correct, and for how rounds involving these tend to go down.)
So, my interpretations of the objectives:
1. Goodfellas (Russian Mafia, Italian Mafia)
From what I can tell, the point is to collect protection money and deal with the other gang. Seems simple- does this tend to turn out violent?
2. The Big Game (Sybil Slickers, Basil Boys)
Playing football, I guess? With the lack of mechanical rules I feel like this seems difficult, so I'd invite people to say how this tends to go down.
3. Level 10 Arch (Monarch, OSI)
This one confuses me. Based on the flavour text, this just feels like a battle between two teams where each team is also required to inconvenience an entire department as a side goal.
4. Real Shen Megumi Tensei (Jack Bros, Phantom Thieves)
By my reading, this feels like it turns into diet revs with both sides having to deal with the heads of staff. This is also probably one of the worst for OOC referencing.
5. Wild West Showdown (van der Linde Gang, O'Driscolls)
Stealing the gold from the vault, makes sense enough to me.
6. Construction Audit (Yakuza, IRS)
Is the entire point that the Yakuza are meant to waste the station's resources while the IRS attempts to arrest (or more likely kill them)?
7. Wild Wild Wasteland (Lost MC, Powder Gangers, Tunnel Snakes)
I looked over this one and it just seems like there's no real reason for the gangs to interact with one another. The Lost just want vehicles, the Powder Gangers need to blow up the brig(!) and the Tunnel Snakes just need everyone to wear their outfits- this feels like a grab bag and there's no real overlap in the objectives.
8. Popularity Contest (Saints, Tunnel Snakes)
This one sounds alright as a roleplay suggestion, but it seems too open to interpretation by the teams to make for a good objective.
9. Steelport Shuffle (Saints, Morningstar, Deckers)
All teams generally compete for the AI- I think this one should work fine.
10. Space Rosa (Saints, Morningstar, Yakuza)
Another clean and simple one.
11. Third World War (Allies, Soviets, Yuri)
Just seems to me that this is intended to be a TDM, possibly with some revs thrown in as you need to assert your control over the station.
12. United States (Allies, OSI, IRS)
This also seems exactly the same as Third World War, but with different gangs?
Apologies if this is a bit wishy washy. Again, I'd like to hear both from Goof and players as to how these are meant to and actually do go down.
(Disclaimers: I haven't played Families, I just take issue with the flavour text. That's why I'm asking if these interpretations are correct, and for how rounds involving these tend to go down.)
So, my interpretations of the objectives:
1. Goodfellas (Russian Mafia, Italian Mafia)
From what I can tell, the point is to collect protection money and deal with the other gang. Seems simple- does this tend to turn out violent?
2. The Big Game (Sybil Slickers, Basil Boys)
Playing football, I guess? With the lack of mechanical rules I feel like this seems difficult, so I'd invite people to say how this tends to go down.
3. Level 10 Arch (Monarch, OSI)
This one confuses me. Based on the flavour text, this just feels like a battle between two teams where each team is also required to inconvenience an entire department as a side goal.
4. Real Shen Megumi Tensei (Jack Bros, Phantom Thieves)
By my reading, this feels like it turns into diet revs with both sides having to deal with the heads of staff. This is also probably one of the worst for OOC referencing.
5. Wild West Showdown (van der Linde Gang, O'Driscolls)
Stealing the gold from the vault, makes sense enough to me.
6. Construction Audit (Yakuza, IRS)
Is the entire point that the Yakuza are meant to waste the station's resources while the IRS attempts to arrest (or more likely kill them)?
7. Wild Wild Wasteland (Lost MC, Powder Gangers, Tunnel Snakes)
I looked over this one and it just seems like there's no real reason for the gangs to interact with one another. The Lost just want vehicles, the Powder Gangers need to blow up the brig(!) and the Tunnel Snakes just need everyone to wear their outfits- this feels like a grab bag and there's no real overlap in the objectives.
8. Popularity Contest (Saints, Tunnel Snakes)
This one sounds alright as a roleplay suggestion, but it seems too open to interpretation by the teams to make for a good objective.
9. Steelport Shuffle (Saints, Morningstar, Deckers)
All teams generally compete for the AI- I think this one should work fine.
10. Space Rosa (Saints, Morningstar, Yakuza)
Another clean and simple one.
11. Third World War (Allies, Soviets, Yuri)
Just seems to me that this is intended to be a TDM, possibly with some revs thrown in as you need to assert your control over the station.
12. United States (Allies, OSI, IRS)
This also seems exactly the same as Third World War, but with different gangs?
Apologies if this is a bit wishy washy. Again, I'd like to hear both from Goof and players as to how these are meant to and actually do go down.