Everyday Scenes

An Everyday Scene from 1984. The year, not the movie.

This is post number 9 in the series “30 Days of Tales from the Loop,” a celebration of the game set in an 80s that never was.

Tales from the Loop encourages gamemasters to provide a mix of two different scene types: those involving the Mystery (your weird adventure idea) and those involving Everyday Life. In addition to varying the action to keep things interesting, providing these different types of scenes also highlights the weirdness of the Mystery scenes by contrasting them with the mundanity of Everyday Life.

Everyday scenes are easier to come up with when you are familiar with your players’ Kids—and the resulting scenes will likely be more memorable for the players. But I don’t KNOW your players, so here are some general ones to get you started (in addition to the ones you’ll find in the rulebook).

Everyday Scenes Without Apparent Trouble

These are some relatively simple scenes from a Kid’s life that don’t require any dice rolls.

  • All the Kids participate in a Spelling Bee.
  • Mom takes Beth to shop for clothes.
  • Dad and Kara make snow angels in the back yard.
  • Jenny’s grandparents show up in time to see her dance recital.
  • Jaclyn’s boyfriend buys her the new Michael Jackson album.
  • Haylie’s essay wins a school-wide competition.

Everyday Scenes With Trouble

These scenes involve some element of challenge, potentially involving dice rolls and suffering negative Conditions.

  • The neighbor nearly runs over Joe’s dog, and doesn’t seem concerned about it.
  • Mom caught Dad smoking again, after he promised he’d stopped.
  • Dad is awake and waiting when Marie comes home late at night.
  • Grandma hasn’t been taking her medication, and now she’s starting to say (and do) strange things.
  • Jason’s swim is interrupted by his big brother, who loves to dunk people under the water.
  • Greg’s big brother breaks his boom box and says he’ll beat Greg up if he tells Mom.

I’d love to hear YOUR Everyday Scene ideas!

Swedish 80s Pop

This is post number 8 in the series “30 Days of Tales from the Loop,” a celebration of the game set in an 80s that never was.

While I feel I have a solid knowledge of American 80s pop music, the fact that Tales from the Loop is set in Sweden made me curious about native Swedish songs from the period. So I dug up this sampling of popular Swedish-language 80s songs. I really like all of them, and I hope you do too.

“Just nu!” (“Right Now!”) by Tomas Ledin (1980). “Just nu!” was the Swedish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest of that year. Watch for Ledin’s microphone to come unplugged between verses! (Spoiler alert: he recovered without incident.)

“När vi två blir en” by Gyllene Tider (1980). A song about young love.

This song had an English re-release called “Beating Heart,” by the same band, but calling themselves Modern Times.

“Vill ha dej” (“I Want You”) by Freestyle (1980). Also about young love, with mentions of school.

“Dover–Calais” by Style (1986). A love ballad set on the English Channel.

“Joey Killer” by Magnus Uggla (1986). About a heavy metal superstar and his mom.

“Tänd ett ljus” (“Light a Candle”) by Triad (1987). This is a Christmas song that has become a standard of the season in Sweden.

“Canelloni, Macaroni” by Lasse Holm (1986). Let’s finish this up with a very popular, very silly song featuring pasta. (Thanks to Nils Karlén for introducing me to this one! Nils says the song also made a cameo appearance in Simon’s Tales from the Loop art book.)

Know of any Swedish-language songs from the 80s that belong on this list? Let me know!

New Types: Valley Girl & Skater Dude

Image: Max Pixel

This is post number 7 in the series “30 Days of Tales from the Loop,” a celebration of the game set in an 80s that never was.

Tales from the Loop has a great collection of Types for players to choose from, but I wanted to add some of my own—ones that really scream 80s to me.

Valley Girl

(This is a Popular Kid variant. Note that characters of this Type don’t have to be girls; we’re just using the most recognizable term. I’d also like to add that my valley girl wife helped out with this one.)

Some call you clueless, others say you’re spoiled or self-absorbed, but that’s just because they’re, like, totally jealous. You’re stylish, sassy, and blend in easily with the more well-to-do folks in town. And as for brains, if you were as ditzy as some people assume, would you be able to memorize credit card numbers or find the mall blindfolded?

Key Skills: Contact, Charm, Lead

Iconic Item
Choose one or make up one of your own:

  • Designer purse
  • Fishnet gloves
  • Compact mirror

Problem
Choose one or make up one of your own:

  • I’m flunking social studies.
  • My over-spending is about to catch up with me.
  • My mother/father was recently fired.

Drive
Choose one or make up one of your own:

  • I’ve realized I need higher-quality friends.
  • People underestimate me and I want to prove them wrong.

Pride
Choose one or make up one of your own:

  • Nobody dresses better than me.
  • I find the best deals.

Relationships to Other Kids
Choose one for each other Kid or make up one of your own:

  • I tease a lot but secretly like him/her.
  • I need to always outdo him/her.
  • We’ve been classmates forever.

Relationship to NPCs
Choose two or make up two on your own:

  • Some of my old friends have started bullying the younger kids.
  • The Phys Ed teacher doesn’t seem to like me, and I don’t know why.
  • A shop owner in town, Birgit [Beverly], keeps me informed about the latest fashions.

Anchor
Choose one or make up one of your own:

  • Daddy
  • Principal
  • Stepbrother

Typical Names
Choose one or make up one of your own:

  • Girls names: Britta, Kristin, Clara, Hedda [Becky, Christi, Cindy, Heather]
  • Boys names: Clemens, Konrad, Njord, Tim [Chad, Kyle, Nathan, Todd]
  • Nicknames: Barbie, Candy, Goldie, Vanity

Skater Dude

(As with the Valley Girl, characters of this Type don’t have to be gender-limited; we’re just using the most recognizable term.)

There’s nothing better than feeling the wind in your face and the rumble of the pavement flying by underneath your wheels. You rarely stay in one place for long, and you seem to perceive life differently than most of your classmates. And you probably spend as much time racing toward danger as you do speeding away from it.

Key Skills: Sneak, Move, Charm

Iconic Item
Choose one or make up one of your own:

  • Skateboard
  • Surfboard
  • Roller skates

Problem
Choose one or make up one of your own:

  • I have (or a friend has) a problem with drug abuse.
  • My brother is missing.
  • I am reckless.

Drive
Choose one or make up one of your own:

  • I love new experiences.
  • I want to prove what my generation can do.

Pride
Choose one or make up one of your own:

  • I ride skateboard better than anyone.
  • Nothing ruffles my feathers.

Relationships to Other Kids
Choose one for each other Kid or make up one of your own:

  • We were friends when we were younger but we have been separated for some reason.
  • He thinks I’m an idiot, but I’ll prove him wrong.
  • She is way too serious, and I’m going to teach her to laugh.

Relationship to NPCs
Choose two or make up two on your own:

  • Sometimes I see men in suits watching my friends and me skating at the park.
  • My uncle said he had something important to tell me the last time I saw him, but he hasn’t been back in a while.
  • One of my teachers pushes me harder than the others.

Anchor
Choose one or make up one of your own:

  • The guy who owns the skateboard shop
  • Older brother/sister
  • Groundskeeper at the school

Typical Names
Choose one or make up one of your own:

  • Girls names: Anna, Rakel, Lena, Erika [Amber, Rachel, Laura, Erin]
  • Boys names: Mats, Jan, Tage, Simson [Marty, Jason, T. J., Sean]
  • Nicknames: Bluejay, Lightning, Speedy, Wheels

New Character Type Details

This is post number 6 in the series “30 Days of Tales from the Loop,” a celebration of the game set in an 80s that never was.

In Tales from the Loop, every character Type has a few details about the Kid beyond their attributes and skills. These are the Kid’s Iconic Item, Problem, Drive, Pride, and Anchor. (Each Kid also has details about relationships to other kids and to non-player characters, but those are a bit more involved and I’d rather not go that deep in this post.)

Each of the game’s built-in Types list a few options for each of these details, but I thought I’d provide a few more.

Iconic Items

An Iconic Item is a special piece of equipment that serves a dual purpose: in addition to granting a bonus to any die rolls involving the item, it also tells you a bit about the Kid. Examples in the book include skateboard, boom box, and pocket calculator. I think these would also work:

  • Back pack
  • Surfboard
  • Superhero mask
  • Portable tape recorder
  • History book
  • Running shoes
  • Binoculars
  • Tap shoes
  • Roller skates
  • Remote controlled car
  • Dad’s old briefcase
  • Swiss army knife
  • BB Gun
  • Polaroid camera
  • Bubble gum
  • Chemistry set

Problems

Even Ferris Bueller had things he had to deal with every day. Your Kid’s problem might be…

  • I feel like people only like me because of my looks / money / status.
  • My brother terrorizes me.
  • People tease me because of the way I talk / dress.
  • My mom/dad might be getting a new job in another city.
  • I’m flunking a class.
  • My cat has been acting strange.
  • I’m starting to have trouble reading things at a distance.
  • I’m terrified of talking in front of a group.
  • I’m tired of living in my brother/sister’s shadow.
  • I hate being the new kid.

Drives

These give your Kid a reason to go on adventures. (Why make the Gamemaster persuade you to get involved in the story?)

  • I want to make my mark on the world.
  • I like a mystery.
  • I don’t like a mystery.
  • I’m trying to keep up with the older kids.
  • I’m in the Junior Detectives club.
  • I’ve heard there are weird things in this area, and I want to see them for myself.
  • I don’t feel brave, but if I act brave, nobody will know it.
  • My life is SO boring.
  • The Lord helps those who help themselves.
  • I want to be a police officer when I grow up.
  • I need ideas for my stories.
  • I don’t want to be at home.
  • There’s someone I need to impress.

Prides

In addition to being something worth bragging about, a Kid’s Pride grants an automatic success on a dice roll when appropriate (usable once per session).

  • I’m the class clown.
  • I take good care of my brother/sister/mother/father.
  • My mom/dad is famous.
  • I’m an awesome dancer.
  • My friends can always count on me.
  • I have perfect musical pitch.
  • I was born in another country.
  • I’ve read an entire encyclopedia.
  • My dad lets me help him in his workshop.
  • I’m good at teaching tricks to my dog.
  • No one is better at sports than me.

Anchors

A Kid needs someone to rely on, and in Tales from the Loop an Anchor can cure negative conditions.

  • Aunt/uncle
  • Babysitter
  • Bookstore owner
  • Doctor
  • Landlord
  • Librarian
  • Candy shop owner
  • Local musician
  • Stepmom/stepdad
  • Lifeguard

If you have any items you’d like to add to these lists, please speak up!

Gaming Soundtracks: Island Tracks by Simon Stålenhag

This is post number 5 in the series “30 Days of Tales from the Loop,” a celebration of the game set in an 80s that never was.

Island Tracks is an album composed by Simon Stålenhag himself, the artist who created Tales from the Loop. The album was a Kickstarter stretch goal, consisting of “eight ambient tracks, recorded using synthesizer and piano.”

As I like to do here sometimes, now I’ll give a brief description of each of the tracks on the album, along with recommendations for how you might use each as background music during a game.

If you like this album, check out more of his music on Simon’s SoundCloud site.

FYI, I know I could ask someone what the track titles mean, but I thought you might enjoy it more if I try to puzzle them out myself. Here we go!

Track List:

  1. Karlskar. Calm, ambient music. Good for Kids who are exploring someplace new—before things turn threatening. (Karlskar is a village on one of the islands in Lake Mälaren, the default setting for the Tales from the Loop RPG and much of the Tales from the Loop art book.)
  2. Eldgarnso. Low-key piano music, with perhaps a hint of looming conflict. Use to build tension. (Eldgarnsö is an area near Stockholm.)
  3. Loten. Similar to the previous track at the beginning, then adding some eerie mechanical sound effects. This should unnerve the players. (Löten appears to be a town or farm north of Stockholm.)
  4. Oxelgarde. Reminiscent of synthesizer music from Stranger Things (which I’ll be covering later in the month). Kinda creepy, but not outright scary. Good background for investigation or exposition scenes. (I can’t find Oxelgarde, and Google Translate is totally letting me down on translating some of these Swedish map pages.)
  5. Goholmen. Somewhat melancholy piano piece. Useful for a sad or wistful scene. (Göholmen appears to be an island in Lake Mälaren.)
  6. Davenso. Another melancholy piano piece. Use as above. (Dävensö is another island in Lake Mälaren.)
  7. Sanga Saby. Continues our theme of slow-paced, somewhat sad piano. Maybe it’s just me that finds these melancholy! If you have a different experience, please let me know and I’ll seek treatment. (Sanga Saby is a hotel on Svartsjölandet, which is—you guessed it—an island in Lake Mälaren.)
  8. Stavsborgs Fabrik. Maybe I’m feeling better, but this one seems lighter and more fanciful. Good for exploring strange new settings, or perhaps talking about the Kids’ new experiences when they’re back at their hideout. (According to Wikipedia, this is a bus station in Färentuna, Sweden. Which is on Svartsjölandet. On Lake Mälaren.)

Hey, you know what it took me this long to realize? That all these place names from islands on Lake Mälaren are the reason for the album’s title, Island Tracks.

(In my defense, I never claimed to have a Rubik’s Cube-solving level of intellect.)