Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE

@squadronuk.bsky.social

890 followers 380 following 6.6K posts

Created/co-wrote Golden Heroes (it’s in Wikipedia). Write/publishes various other TTRPGs on an iPAD in his bedroom. Easing back into my gaming & TTRPG con addiction ATM. My games: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/721/Simon-Burley-Productions

www.drivethrurpg.com

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE @squadronuk.bsky.social · 37m

4)

But ours me in a position to press the pace in the final act.

Failing the above, I’ll look for the single
braincell character.

I’ll continue after lunch. Gotta play now.

4)

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE @squadronuk.bsky.social · 37m

3)

….a second string to their bow to stop them being boring. Often popular with NPCs and socially.

C) The second in command. Never the leader. I don’t like to think for the first 3/4 of a scenario. This lets me sit back, do things, carry out the bosses orders and be supportive of other PCs.

3)

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE @squadronuk.bsky.social · 43m

2)

A) The Amazon woman. There are still some man boys that put in a female pregen to show how modern they are. They then proceed to overstat her to make their feminist principles clear.

B) the healer/cleric. Always needed. Looked after by the rest of the party but designers normally give them…

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE @squadronuk.bsky.social · 1h

#TTRPGTHOUGHTS

1

Firefly pregens, who do you pick?

I’m at Furnace so a simple pick off the pile.

When I’m selecting a pregen for a con game I no longer wait until last to see what‘s left cos I can plaything. Nope. Too old now. Past that.

Nowadays I look for one of three things.

1

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE @squadronuk.bsky.social · 16h

Either:

1) You’re JOKING! I haven’t shut up about it on here

or

2) you’ve just proved my point. I mean you and me follow each other and we both post about what we’re designing all the time.

More in the week when I’m not at a convention.

1 1

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE @squadronuk.bsky.social · 16h

My “Code” System started as a Superhero game - The Comics Code - before branching out into other genres. It’s high octane fast play & cinematic. It’s designed to be player led. Hijinks usually ensue.

It’s a LOUSY match for horror. It’s not deliberately comedic but emergent humour tends to happen.

Front cover of The Code of the Spacelanes Sci-fi TTRPG. Black female in spacesuit with blaster front and centre, flanked by a white male is spacesuit and small green robot. In the background an evil genius with a rocket pack and a three vaned retro spaceship.

Front cover of The Comics Code Superhero TTRPG. 6 assorted Superheroes and one poor goon being punched aside.

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE @squadronuk.bsky.social · 21h

2

You wouldn’t believe how long it took me to find it.

Apparently I haven’t been banging on about as much as I’d thought.

2/fin

1 1

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE @squadronuk.bsky.social · 21h

#TTRPGTHOUGHTS

1

Promote your stuff more than is decent.

I’m away at Furnace so on my phone not my iPad.

I was replying to a “promote your stuff“ post to mention The Code of Cthulhu. Realised I didn’t have the cover on my phone.

No probs. I’ve promoted the game on here enough.

1

Front Cover of The Code of Cthulhu TTRPG featuring a picture of a Star Spawn (probably Cthulhu) in some kind of undergound space.

1 2

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE @squadronuk.bsky.social · 1d

I am at the FURNACE TTRPG convention in Sheffield. Feels like putting On a comfortable old coat that’s been patched. I’ll be a bit late for my first game cos I’m waiting for the queue for badges and stuff going down.

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE @squadronuk.bsky.social · 1d

The Code of Cthulhu. The unholy mating of the 2d6 shenanigans of my award nominated “code” system with the horror genre. More like “The Evil Dead” than “The Exorcist“.

You never said we couidn’t post a cover. ALWAYS post a cover!

1 1

Reposted by Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE

mbbendt @bendts2cents.bsky.social · 1d

Pretty sure that when you have giant frogs everywhere, God is very disappointed in how you are treating immigrants.

The Oregonian @oregonian.com · 2d

Things are happening at Portland's ICE facility tonight.

Read more of our protest coverage here: www.oregonlive.com/crime/2025/1...

40 690 3.1K

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE @squadronuk.bsky.social · 1d

That said, it IS one of WORST matches of source material to system EVER.

I’m playing in a Discworld game tomorrow night using Daggerheart as the rule-set. Should be interesting…..

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE @squadronuk.bsky.social · 1d

Actually, Phil Masters (the author of GURPS Discworld) does a pretty fair job. I’ve played with him in a handful of his scenarios and it doesn’t descend into the usual “Silly Underpants” role-playing that humorous games tend to - especially at conventions.

1 1

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE @squadronuk.bsky.social · 1d

As long as my final scene is crawling out the maintenance hatch of some big brute of a spaceship moaning about its energy distribution system, I’ll be happy.

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE @squadronuk.bsky.social · 1d

“This game is based upon the original trilogy. Nothing from the prequels, sequels, streaming series, canon novels, no-longer-canon “extended universe” novels, graphic novels, comics, radio plays or TTRPG sourcebooks.

“This game is based upon the original three films.*”

* Unremastered cuts.

2 1 5

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE @squadronuk.bsky.social · 1d

And then there are the creators who won’t license their IPs because they don’t want anyone else writing anything for them.

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE @squadronuk.bsky.social · 1d

Cool! Have you got the stetson to go with it?

1 1

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE @squadronuk.bsky.social · 1d

Ah!

You mention FASERIP? I’m duty bound to mention Golden Heroes. Like that.

We actually got an advance copy of the Marvel Superheroes game for “reasons”. Some of the first people in the country to read it.

1 1

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE @squadronuk.bsky.social · 1d

Oh I know about FASERIP. I’ve played it. I’ve read it.

I’ll leave it there.

1 1

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE @squadronuk.bsky.social · 1d

Perfect rebuttal of my previous repost with a long list of Games which obviously were written by fans of their source material which took that source material as the starting point for their design.

Dr Who’s Talk/Run/Fight hierarchy being a perfect case in point.

David F Chapman @autocratik.bsky.social · 1d

As there seems to be some talk online about how licensed TTRPGs are bad, I’d like to reshare my old rebuttal:
I love licensed TTRPGs and here are some great examples why -

www.autocratik.com/2022/05/your...

Your Licensed Game Is Awesome!

Roleplaying gaming blog with movie reviews TV nerdery and geek content #RPGaDAY

www.autocratik.com

1 5

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE @squadronuk.bsky.social · 1d

Oops. Thanks!!! Delete!

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE @squadronuk.bsky.social · 1d

FASERIP?

I am duty bound to say this. If you play Golden Heroes out of the box even though it isn’t licensed it will feel EXACTLY like those Bronze Age Marvel comics.

Duty bound. Sorry.

Front cover of The GOLDEN HEROES Superhero Role-playing game. Beneath the title is a starburst in front of which are six Supheroes hurtling towards the viewer. Unbermensch male front and centre, clenching fist, flanked by an armour figure and lightning wielding female. Mysterious cloaked figure behind and up above a flying female and leaping acrobat.

2 1 7

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE @squadronuk.bsky.social · 1d

You know, the one who maintains and upgrades your space equivalent of the Sherman Tanks. Please.) 2/2

1 1

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE @squadronuk.bsky.social · 1d

As I was late signing up for Furnace (I was lucky to get in at all and I’m not staying at the Garrison 😢) I’m not Refereeing. So, for once, I’m not getting those jitters. But I know exactly what you mean.

(I’ll play the space equivalent to the right hand man of your space equivalent of Oddball. 1/2

1 1

Simon Burley 🔜 FURNACE @squadronuk.bsky.social · 1d

…he could use her quote in an upcoming book. (Clearly she was role-playing the older sister to perfection.)

(I played the Grandfatherly ex-colonel keeping an eye on the gals since the loss of their parents.)

I wish I’d kept notes so I could tell you the books and game system. Perfect match. 3/fin