Team games
These are the most ancient and honourable form of roleplaying game. The table is optional but traditional. Some are system-based games, others systemless. But the Great Sages Pheno, Morph and Stuff guarantee that they’re all good.
- Angels vs Mittens – by
Stephanie Matthews (1-session systemless) - Balls of Steel – by Adam Reeve (1-session Heroes Unlimited)
- Being There – by Liz Argall (1-session systemless — one of the triptych games)
- Draca! Draca! – by Shane & Sharon Dowling (1-session D20 D&D)
- For Love or Money – by Barbara Kearins (1-session GURPS)
- Killing De Villefort – by Joe McNamara (1-session systemless – one of the triptych games)
- Rebirthing Eden – by Ingrid Bean (1-session systemless — one of the triptych games)
- S5: The last, best hope of graduating
– by
Tim Smith (1-session Teenagers from Outer Space)
- Unclassified Realities – by Hugh Fisher (1-session Paranoia) - WITHDRAWN (apologies)
- While Mum and Dad were Gaming... – by Peter Trueman (1-session GURPS)
- (Back to the main games page)
Angel vs. Mittens
By Stephanie Matthews
The Sky Marshalls™ are back once again to save the day. Whether they want to or not.
This time they’re up against their most dangerous opponents: Their sweet but ruthless secretary, Angel™, and their cute but maniacal team mascot, Mittens™. Who, each for their own reasons, have decided to take over the world.
Their timing sucks, however, as they have decided to go for it at exactly the same time. And the Sky Marshalls are caught square in the middle.
What can a small kitten and a young secretary do? If you have to ask, you haven’t been paying attention.
The Sky Marshalls know this much...
Whoever wins, we lose.
Angel vs. Mittens will suit 5-6 players.
| Pheno ratings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Characterisation 5 | Genre 1 (Pulp Adventure) | Rules knowledge 0 |
| Story/plot 2 | Seriousness 1 | Advisory rating PG (Silly violence with optional naughty bits) |
Balls of Steel
By Adam Reeve
The most important things in the world have been stolen from the original super human. In the wrong hands, this could mean a toppling of the current world order, the loss of every gain for which super heroes have fought and sometimes died, and the world being plunged into a new dark age. Frozen with terror, the worldÍs great powers argue while precious time drains away. Only a select few, with the resources of super humanity, the boldness of rebellious youth, and the willingness to risk all for the greater good that is the essence of heroism, can confront this shameless evil in the hope of preserving what innocence and beauty still remains in the world — by getting their hands on the Balls of Steel.
Take up the hood and cape of the hero and stand proudly forth against an unnatural evil, heedless of the mortality to which even the most super of humans are heir! Summon forth your uncanny powers in the service of life and liberty! Five novice heroes answer the clarion call to duty, tradition and dignity cast to the wind, wagering their pride, their flesh, their very lives in a single cast of the dice to deny the goal of a great and aberrant evil to enslave the very world.
A single-session game for five larger-than-life heroes, using the Heroes Unlimited rules.
| Pheno ratings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Characterisation 4 | Genre 2 | Rules knowledge 2 |
| Story/plot 3 | Seriousness 1 | Advisory rating PG |
Draca! Draca!
By Shane & Sharon Dowling
Too late to call for your mummy now!
You and your friends decided it would be great to show everyone just what mighty dragons you are. I mean, really, you're nearly 5! You can do anything, right?...
Every year a number of hatchlings participate in a great competition to earn honour for their clan, and fame and fortune for themselves.
Surviving the Labyrinth is no easy task however, and would not attract nearly as much attention (or sponsorship) if it was simple. While failure brings death and disgrace, success will bring treasure and bragging rights. Mummy might even let you play with some elfies, or have crunchy toasted humie for dinner!
This is the return of an ongoing D20 Dungeon & Dragons campaign based
vaguely in the 'Council of Wyrms' setting. New teams welcome. Standard characters
available for modification on the day, or email Draca <at> homemail.com.au
for character generation guidelines.
| Pheno ratings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Characterisation 3 | Genre 3 | Rules knowledge 2 |
| Story/plot 2-3 | Seriousness As you make it | Advisory rating PG - You're baby dragons... |
For Love or Money
By Barbara Kearins
Princess Deberah has only her final graduation exam to pass in order to graduate from St Tyrants. It's such a simple exam on the face of things — all she has to do is marry. Of course there's a catch. Her betrothed is Stuart, the most hated student teacher in the history of St Tyrants, and her sister Princess Dehira has stated that she would be very grateful if someone could intervene to stop her twin's foolishness. Princess Deberah has offered the princely sum of 500 gold pieces to you and your friends to help ensure that she graduates...
Or of course you could see how much Dehira wil pay to see that she marries someone else.
A Gurps 4th ed. St Tyrants Game for 5 enterprising students.
| Pheno ratings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Characterisation 3 | Genre 3 | Rules knowledge 1 |
| Story/plot 2 | Seriousness 1 | Advisory rating PG |
S5: The Last, Best Hope of Graduating
By Tim Smith
"In the year 2007 the planet Earth was discovered by the warring forces of the galactic emperium. Earth convulsed in panic as to what the aliens would do. Conquer them? Destroy them? Enslave them? The truth turned out to be more horrifying still. They sent their kids here.
Warning: in order to play this game you must A) have been a teenager B) be a teenager or C) be about to be a teenager."
No, scratch that.
"The first School was destroyed by an alien dreadnought during its construction (learner driver). The second School was devoured by an alien monster 400ft high (who was subsequently expelled). The third School was sabotaged during its construction. The fourth School vanished 24 hours after it opened (during its first science class).
This is the story of S5, the fifth and last Southern Springvale Senior Secondary School."
Still not quite there...
"Sick of defeating dangerous, damp, dank dungeons?
Bored by combatting crazy Cthuluhu cultists?
Tired of stopping squadrons of suicidal space soldiers?Face the most horrfying challenge there is: High School.
PS. There are aliens; did I mention that?
PPS. Teenage aliens!
PPPS. You get to play teenage aliens too."
Oh well, back to the hypermathematics homework.
A Teenagers from Outer Space romp for 5 (plus or minus 2) alien teenagers.
| Pheno ratings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Characterisation A | Genre B- | Rules knowledge D- |
| Story/plot D+ | Seriousness F | Advisory rating MA 15+ |
Unclassified Realities - WITHDRAWN
By Hugh Fisher
Note: The Computer will not be able to present this game at Pheno 06. Apologies for any inconvenience.
A darkly humorous investigation into the nature of reality and identity in a transhuman computer mediated world ... or a bunch of people shooting each other over who gets to wear the stylish sunglasses. Players choice. Heck, we can do both if that's what makes you happy. If you must know, a team of Troubleshooters are sent out to discover who is running Alpha Complex. Is it really the Computer? A whole lot of AIs using humanity as batteries? A giant medical spare parts consortium?
A single session tabletop roleplaying game for 4-6 players. Cartoon style violence and action at manic pace, PG rating. Roleplaying and characterisation is encouraged and does happen in Paranoia, although also at manic pace. Rules and setting knowledge not required — Paranoia is an easy game to learn. For those who have played before, it's Paranoia XP and there has not been and never will be a Crash. Costumes not required, but if you want to dress up as an agent, terminator, or Bouncy Bubbly Beverage vending machine, feel free.
| Pheno ratings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Characterisation 3/5 | Genre 2/5 | Rules knowledge 1/5 |
| Story/plot 3/5 | Seriousness 1/5 | Advisory rating MA/PG |
While Mum and Dad were Gaming...
By Peter Trueman
A bunch of roleplayers get together on a Saturday night for their favourite game. Books are consulted, dice are rolled, characters live or die. Everyone knows that story, right? Well, this is not that story. This is the story of what their children get up to while the parents are occupied with their favourite hobby. Experience a different dimension in gaming while roleplaying a 9-12 year-old child with no special abilities.
Mechanics: GURPS 4th Edition (but, hey, you're gonna fail at most tasks anyway, so why bother rolling?).
| Pheno ratings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Characterisation 3 | Genre 2 | Rules knowledge 1+ |
| Story/plot 4 | Seriousness 3 | Advisory rating MA PG (scary themes) |