There will be spoilers for Friends At The Table’s season 2 three-part finale! I’ll be analyzing the finale from a game perspective, and touch a bit on the effect on narrative!

First off, I love Mobile Frame Zero: Firebrands. I played a few sessions of that sometime around the start of lockdown last year, and it was fun as hell. One of the other players mentioned that FATT used it for one of their finales, and that’s what cemented COUNTER/weight as something I would eventually check out (I might also listen to Road to PARTIZAN and PARTIZAN someday, we’ll see). I started C/w awhile after that, but because I was listening in 10-20 minute bursts during commutes, it was hard to keep track of everything. I picked it up again more recently, starting at where I left off around ep10 and marathoning to the end.

Also, bias on display: I’m obsessed with Sokrates.

Anyways, as for the breakdown of the finale game from the perspectives as a Game and as a Story:

MF0: Firebrands is one of many great games that draws system inspiration from The King Is Dead, a GMless conversation-based roundtable game with guided minigames to help direct the flow of the roleplay. The base game has its own setting from the Mobile Frame Zero wargame, and focuses on the character-level and faction-background and history for 3 very different factions. Without getting into specifics, there is one faction for local rebels/revolutionaries, one for landed aristocrats, and one for colonizing capitalists. These tropes easily map onto various characters and factions within COUNTER/weight, and so it was likely easy to adapt the faction prompts for the various player characters and their factions used for the finale.

The biggest adjustment, besides reflavoring the setting and factions, was Austin adding “political points” and “crisis points,” which the rest of the FATT crew agreed to assign after each minigame to the respective player, if they had met certain thematic/narrative qualifications during that game. If the scene involved preparing for the Rigour threat, a crisis point was assigned. If the scene increased a player character’s power or faction influence, a political point was assigned. If neither of those things happened, no points were assigned. This added element gameified the stakes of the finale: If player characters focused on preparing for Rigour, they would have more offense against Rigour during the final fight. If they focused on their own faction, said faction would have greater power in the sector after Rigour was defeated… if Rigour was defeated. This gave a concrete, material weight to the choices in scenes and the decisions that player characters made. If they were selfish and focused on their own faction interests, they would possibly secure that faction’s destiny, but that would risk the sector not being prepared for the Rigour threat. Conversely, focusing on the crisis but not one’s own faction would protect the sector, but might leave that faction vulnerable to destruction.

One con of this method is that having more crisis points, because of how the final interlude worked, also meant having to sacrifice more NPCs in order to use them. The way the “Tactical Skirmish” game was heavily modified to fit the Rigour fight shifted the power dynamics of that game heavily. Whereas the base game involves, for example, Player A asking Player B to surrender or else something horrible will befall one of Player A’s characters, the Rigour fight was adjusted so each Crisis Point could only be used to damage Rigour if each player said “No” to “surrender or Rigour kills [npc].”

While the base game asks, “how far are you willing to hurt your friends’ npcs in order to win this game without any other consequences besides those you agree on narratively?” the adjustment for the Rigour fight asks, “are you willing to sacrifice this NPC in order to keep fighting this threat to every NPC and the entire setting this season has been dedicated to?” Because if any player chose not to sacrifice one of the NPCs Austin threatened, they could no longer use any Crisis Points, and were effectively out of the game until the final conclusion.

In my view, there are pros and cons to this game design decision. A pro is that it reflects and represents the weight of sacrifice to fight against Rigour, the divine embodiment of capitalism. It is a cold, harsh reflection of beloved characters having to throw themselves into a meat grinder to stop a threat. A con is that it can feel narratively unsatisfying to have character death be decided by simply “does this character die or not?” as opposed to other methods, such as leaving things up to dice rolls, or scenes played out by the “Meeting Sword to Sword” game, where the action unfolds before the decision for a character to be killed is made.

The Rigour fight could have been adjusted further to add a little more nuance to the decisions to sacrifice characters or not, rather than frontloading the decision before playing out the death scenes.

Other possibilities besides the one by one, each player takes a turn sacrificing to the meat grinder:

The battle is laid out per faction, with Austin describing one battle per Crisis Point. Each player Whispers to Austin which NPCs will fight to the death and utilize that Crisis Point. The Whisper means that the players who go last don’t get to “cheat” by assuming the players who went first sacrificed enough.

The battles could also have used more influence from games like A Chase or Meeting Sword to Sword and played out action and choices turn by turn, with some decisions leading to a use of a Crisis Point, effectively hurting Rigour, others leading to the death of an NPC, and others perhaps leading to both.

Even still, the game as played facilitated some amazing scenes, such as Lazer Ted’s starry death, Aria choosing love and a life with her girlfriend over securing Weight, Orth watching the Kingdom Come and AuDy fall, and Cass’ long, long day. The Crisis Point/Political Point system and final, secret decisions lended a sense of true sacrifice to Art’s choice with Cass, and a heroic, bittersweet tragedy that stretches beyond the second season.

FATT’s willingness to experiment and weave different game systems together to form stories results in some truly unique tales with very different energy, opportunities, and pacing. It’s no wonder they’re indie game devs’ darlings lol. These experiments are fantastic on their own, and also provide a great example for listeners such as me to figure out which pieces might work for my own campaign purposes, and which perhaps I would change.

(There’s a lot of inspiration to be drawn both for APs and homegames from the method of campaign-building that FATT uses as a truly collaborative experience that allows multiple systems to lend their story potential, and players to build the world as much as the GM, which also gives much more freedom to the GM to not have to carry so much.)

That’s enough of that! I might post some more stuff analyzing other parts of COUNTER/weight eventually.

I’ve had a novel, story, something in the sort-of works for awhile. The setting is Asian-Mesoamerican-ish with a focus on the forces of destiny and empire. The plot for the main one involves a group of adventurers or revolutionaries, two of which are destined to be lovers, but the interparty dynamics are a little more complicated than that.

Here’s some Run River North songs for the main characters, whose names change all the time so I usually just call them by description:

The Heretic – Lying Beast, One For Me, Ghost

The Artist – Growing Up, Can’t Come Down

The Weapon – Superstition, Pretender, Banner

The Spy – Hands Up, Rearview, Elam

The Alchemist – Wake Up, David Robinson, Fight To Keep

It’s good to keep track of series that have inspired me creatively, especially if I ever do publish something with any level of plot or worldbuilding.

An unorganized and possibly ongoing list:

Machineries of Empire, Haven: A Land Reclaimed, The Tensorate Series, A Conspiracy of Truths, 3 Will Be Free, Hades, Spiritfarer, Moonhunters, Friends At The Table (COUNTER/weight, PARTIZAN), Caravan, The Bright Sessions, The Magnus Archives, Dimension 20, The Black Veins.

List of Unfortunates:

Finn from Star Wars (he was so, so robbed), Michonne and Glenn from TWD (both robbed), Cr*tical R*le (a great lesson on how to screw over good potential, and a cautionary tale on how not to do anything)

I had fun putting together my playlist for 2010-2019 to commemorate the decade last year, so I figured, why not do it again this year? Music was particularly important in 2020 for keeping my brain intact.

Too Close – Next

Although “Too Close” is a sexy track about teasing and build up, the meaning of this nostalgic track went over my head in my youth, and it was pretty easy to twist it around for a pandemic catchphrase during lockdown. It was a, uh, welcome relief to contrast with the stressful start of the year.

Fantasmas – Ambar Lucid

While largely a somber tune, Ambar’s heartful delivery of “Aquí nunca hay soledad /Mil fantasmas gritan a encalmar / I’ve seen somewhere in between / Mil fantasmas gritan en soledad,” sparked a creative realization for one of my projects. To me, it evokes the feeling of never being alone, but that not always being comfortable, even unsettling.

Hummingbird – Run River North

They’re my favorite band and so no surprise they show up on near every music list I make. Hummingbird was released late into 2020, and like many of their tracks, it got its teeth in me.  

“I can’t explain how much it hurts / Every second’s getting worse / I can’t stand to see you falling / There’s not a next time, just a flat line / You’re losing more than what you’re worth.”

I’d rather not get into specifics, but if these lines were penned with something I know of lead singer in mind, that might explain why they also resonate with me.

Heteronormative Horseshit Blues – Shilpa Ray

I mean, yep.

how will i rest in peace when i’m buried by a highway? – Kenny Hoopla

The YouTube algorithm tossed this one my way awhile back and it absolutely got stuck in my head. I take it as no longer having anything to lose anyway, so you might as well pour everything into a bitchin song. At one point, pretty much everything I played/read/watched could’ve had this as a theme song.

Make Me Feel – Janelle Monaé

This feel-good, sexy song from openly pansexual Janelle Monaé makes me feel…well, good. And “powerful with a little bit of tender.” It’s fun, euphoric, and celebratory of just how damn sexy people are.

Sing to the Moon – Laura Mvula

I first encountered this song from a friend in an old fandom, in association with our mutual OTP and favorite character. It certainly fit said character then, and now it’s a beautiful reminder for me of those times with my friends. I think I also connect to the song and the subject of the moon and the stars, which always captured my imagination and whatever heart I have for spirituality.

It’s a beautifully hopeful song. Even when things are hard, when you’re on your own and “shattered in a thousand pieces,” the moon, the stars, and heaven are there, you just need to sing for them.

Monsters Calling Home – Run River Home

This is the song that introduced me to RRN. I was looking up songs about monsters for whatever reason, and came across this all-Korean-American band singing about their ancestors who first came to America and the trials they faced.

Among other things, this was the first song to really prove to me how powerful it was to hear some reflection of your own history in music, written and arranged and performed by people directly related to the subject matter (by which I mean, while I’m not Korean-American, I am East Asian, and we all have some overlapping immigration stories somewhere in our past or family history). I’ve been able to relate to music that wasn’t “about me” before, but this was something that was very close to me, wrapped in imagery that I had always felt myself. Something something, finding humanity in the monster something something.

Ring of Fire – (cover used for Caravan’s S1 finale)

Take Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire and make it even more gay by having it sign off on the end of Caravan. I did rewind to listen to it over and over again. Caravan’s plotline brings the song to new heights (or hellish depths).

Pursuit of Happiness (Extended Steve Aoki Remix) – Kid Cudi

The 2009 version of the song was on my 2010-2019 list, and it feels fitting to include the remix here. It’s a timeless hit, as far as I’m concerned, and looping “I’m screaming out, ‘fuck that,’ fuck that fuck that” was a Choice. The Wear Your Voice article on this song & mental illness was also a welcome balm.

Someone To Spend Time With – Los Retros

This sleepy track was released early last year, yet captures the tired loneliness and yearning for connection of this year pretty damn well. 

Paper Throne – Phum Viphurit

Not to get Deep, but a song about defying and rejecting papery offers where the price is control, and an actual play show about throwing off the yoke of imperialism (and also mechs and dinosaurs), were very much what I needed, so shoutout to All Nerds Here’s Haven: A Land Reclaimed. 

I love how the song is fun to listen to, catchy, and while the lyrics tear apart bullshit promises of drowning in gold, it’s also dismissive of the power of those promises – like its not even worth the anger.

“No, I don’t need your paper crown / For it won’t be long ’til your world comes crashing down / I won’t trade my soul for your paper”

Fast Car – Tracy Chapman

A few months back, I happened to be listening to this song when I came across a thread about how great this song is! It’s a moving and well-loved song, and there’s a few different versions and remasters available, and countless covers (My personal favorite is the 1988 Oakland Coliseum recording).

Tracy Chapman’s performance carries you with her through the story of the song, and the love and the desperate wish to just drive and feel something, to escape poverty, to dream and plan for freedom and security elsewhere. The lyrics have connected to a lot of people in a lot of circumstances where they feel trapped and long for more than what they’ve been given.

MANGO – KAMAUU (ft. Adeline)

I talked a bit about this song on Tw*tter already, and it’s stuck in my heart like glue. It’s a joyful breakup song, all about the selflessness of love. As much as I do love messy, angry breakup songs and the catharsis that brings, MANGO stands out as a funky song that presents a warm, vibrant kind of love that grows and grows.

“If you found some other dude / What do I do? / If he loves you truly, yeah / How could I not love him too?”

Boys Like You – Tanérelle

This song is devastating and so, so good.

“Even from a distance / You find a way to be the bane of my existence / I hear ’em whisper I should leave / but I don’t listen”

The cover art also suggests its about uhhh monsterfucking, so uh 👀

Actress – Hana Vu

‘Actress’ is a poppy and ethereal cascade of sound that needs to be on a character playlist.

Letter to my younger self – Ambar Lucid

A sweet and hopeful song for the sad kid in the past.

Oh Raven (Sing Me A Happy Song) – Unlike Pluto

I was looking to fill my Machineries of Empire playlist, and this got stuck in my head for Raven Stratagem and Glass Cannon. I like the energy, so it’s good to work to as well. I definitely have an amv in my head for Cheris and Jedao.

Hold On – Alabama Shakes

My 2020 really benefited from this throwback and the power behind Brittant Howard rocking out, “You gotta hold on,” and “Yeah, you gotta wait / But I don’t wanna wait!”

Grow – HOAX

It feels like a heartening way to end the year with “Grow,” an upbeat and energizing song that acknowledges that the world isn’t perfect, but wishes the best for you, to grow, baby, grow, and also asks, “Don’t you want to go outsiiide?” The song is 3 years old, and the question has a different context now, but goddamn, don’t I just?