Masks: Retconned
A downloadable demake
You’re like most teenagers, with one small difference: You’re a superhero. Fight villains, be part of a team, save the day, and maybe, slowly figure out who you are.
Masks: Retconned is a game of teen superhero adventures, designed for 3+ players. Most of the players will take on the role of individual Heroes on a Team. Imagine these as the protagonists of your new comic book series. One player takes on the role of GM, embodying the superheroic setting, supporting characters, and villains.
This game is incomplete, partially by design and partially because I’m still working on it. The layout is currently minimal-bordering-on-nonexistent and none of the rules have been playtested at all. I'll keep updating as I take it out for a spin, and eventually add some layout and art. If you play the game and have any feedback, please share it!
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I have a question on the label increase mechanics.
As written, I read that some moves just increase labels, or decrease them, not shifting another. Is that intended?
That's correct! Unlike in classic Masks, the default is increasing or decreasing a single label, not a zero-sum shift. (The idea is that it's balanced by the risk of Crisis.)
I like this simple version of masks, I had a hard time getting into the original system.
Seems like this one has lots of shifting of those labels- in your experience how does having your stats change constantly make the game feel?
Thanks!
Full disclosure: I actually haven't gotten this to the table yet! I put it together for a jam and hope to playtest it soon with my (currently on hiatus) Masks group. So I'm not 100% sure how it shifts the feel, but I really like shifting labels in the game — I think it keeps things dynamic and creates an economy that drives play. I'm hoping that's how it'll go! If you give it a try, let me know!
I would love to know more about how this game relates to the original Masks game by Magpie. Thanks!
I've been in a Masks game for about two years now — I love the game and encourage everyone to check it out, but over time felt like a lot of the tools that provide valuable support when you're starting were more constraining than helpful. Inspired by the Game Explore Jam and other game demakes like World of Dungeons, I stripped the game down to basically just the Labels and built up the bare minimum needed, with an eye toward campaign play and high-trust tables.
Basically, it's 50% thought experiment and 50% the version of Masks I want to use at my table.
Very interesting! I'm excited to check it out. Thanks for the quick reply.
What has been retconned from the original?
I called it "Retconned" because it's inspired by "demakes" like World of Dungeons, imagining a simpler, slightly retro version of the game. I basically cut out everything but labels and the End of Session move and then added a bunch of my own material.
Check it out, though! It's free and short!