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In a week I'm going to run a one-shot of Metal Opera. My goals with the game is:

A) Have the game produce a very meaningful expiereince in the 2-3 hours it runs.
B) As "Coherent" as possible. It's understood why we're here and want we want to do.
C) Make the most out of every mechanic.
D) Ending on a very satisfactory note.

I don't think the game is played much, and I don't recall Zak being very active on the boards, so maybe people could give me advice about games in similar veins.

Some tweaks I'm planning:
-The lowest a score can be is 1. This takes away a certain element of the game, the strong sense of struggle at the beginning, but I'm guessing it's nessecary to have the game end in about 3 hours considering a 3 or so person group.

-The Power of Metal signified by kickin' riff. While I've been through several... poorly impleneted uses of music in an RPG, this seems like it would work great to me. I know some people*cough*aren't actually in to Heavy Metal, but I and two of my perspective players are so I think it should work really well.  

-Suggesting balanced group-balanced, so for every score there's  someone with a 5 in it, someone with a 3 in it, etc.

Quote from: sirogit
I don't think the game is played much, and I don't recall Zak being very active on the boards, so maybe people could give me advice about games in similar veins.

I just started checking back on the boards. Good timing!

My only measurement is play reports, so I know for a fact that it's been played at least two or three times. As far as advice, players are often very good at getting themselves in trouble. So just have a few events handy to throw at them if things slow down, and don't worry if you never need to use them.

Quote from: sirogit-The lowest a score can be is 1.

If you keep the lowest score at 0, start out with a concert, and have the players pull off all sorts of Style moves to get the sixes required. Remind the players that they can initiate a roll by using their Style; they don't have to wait for you to push them.

Quote from: sirogit-The Power of Metal signified by kickin' riff.

This is awesome.

Quote from: sirogit-Suggesting balanced group-balanced, so for every score there's  someone with a 5 in it, someone with a 3 in it, etc.

I wouldn't bother with that. In fact, your post got me thinking. I'd encourage you to use the following Scores instead the original:

Rock 'n Roll - Your finesse in all things. Complex guitar solos, fancy dueling with your Axe, jury-rigging a Magdaleen ship to transmit your latest track.
Kicking Ass - Raw power. Pound out deafening chords, stomping Legionnare heads, ripping a steel door off its hinges to free your loyal fans.
Metal Soul - Conviction, heart and steadfastness in the face of oppression. Soulful lyrics to turn a Grigoran toward your cause, fighting ten-to-one against a Tyrant's goon squad powered only by your drive for Metal, shouldering off a piercing hail of gunfire to rescue a comrade.

As you can see, each Score now allows for both music and fighting, the two things a Rocker is best at. So don't worry about balancing out those scores between them.

What game is this? Metal Opera? Tell me about it.

Metal Opera is an RPG with the express purpose of balls-out epic heroism with a heavy metal soundtrack. The design is to provide a gradual but inevitable rise from constant trouble to an epic (and triumphant) finale. Here's the intro:

QuoteMetal Öpera is a game of blunt passion given an electric voice. You play an angry Rocker fighting against the oppression of the State with violence both musical and physical. A Rocker is typified by the leather-clad bad-ass weilding a smoking shotgun (with a broadsword bayonet), sparking guitar slung over his shoulder. He stands atop a pile of downed foes, a rumbling storm approaching from behind lit within by fierce lightning and without from the hellish fires below.

You can take a look at Metal Opera webpage

Quote from: sirogitI know some people*cough*aren't actually in to Heavy Metal, but I and two of my perspective players are so I think it should work really well.

Everbody loves metal. They just won't admit it.

Mike "Sepultura-fan" Holmes