The games that were played at Go Play 2023
Click on the game titles below to read more about each game!
Role Playing Games (RPGs):
Ethical Investment Mining is hiring multiple scientists, teamsters, androids, and security personnel to onboard for an exciting opportunity at the Titan colony Alpha Facility. Competitive rates of pay for the right candidates!
Location: Xanadu Labyrithe Lake Complex, Titan.
Purpose: Extraction of biotech plastic and pharmaceuticals. Scientific research.
Atmosphere: Nitrogen-methane, acetylene, hydrogencyanide.
Travel Time From Earth: 13 months in cryosleep.
Life Forms: exotic telepathic methanogenic biochemistry incompatible with human life.
Previous Workcrew: REDACTED
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Players will not need previous experience in the genre or game system. Plenty of pregenerated characters will be provided, and although they may not last long you can quickly pick up another to continue playing. This scenario involves possible industrial accidents, body transformation horror, isolation, and scary space horror themes. The tone will be similar to M rated movies.
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About the GM:
Joshua is a school teacher who facilitates the Dungeons and Dragons club at his school. He enjoys roleplaying, boardgaming, and bushwalking. Joshua has a scientific background but lately he has been learning to create art. He enjoys worldbuilding using roleplaying rules as a scaffold. Occasionally he runs a game set in one of his worlds. A Change of Shift will be the first time he will run a game at a convention. He has chosen to use the Mothership rules because they are easy to learn and use, and are inclusive and accessible to a wide audience.
Your long journey has brought you to the small town of Backwater. Soaked to the bone by the raging storm, it’s just a pleasure to get out of the rain. Who cares if it’s a tiny town where nothing interesting ever happened.
The local inn, named The Lonely Tadpole, welcomes you in with food, drink, an open fire and the strong possibility of a tavern brawl. Then there’s the young man bursting in, covered in scratches and telling tales of wild wolves. Not to mention the magic ring that needs tracking down in the swamp.
And don’t get me started on the ominous moo-ing.
Turns out there’s more to Backwater than you first thought. Much more …
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Ideal for beginners, Adventures in Backwater is a low-level romp through a quaint small town with many different story threads to follow. Players are welcome to bring their own level 3 characters (subject to DM approval); pregens will also be available.
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About the GM:
I'm Heidi. I'm twenty four, and I've been playing ttrpgs since 2018. As an ex-game store employee and forever DM, I've had experience with all kinds of groups, genres, and games. I love telling stories and entertaining my friends. One of my favourite things to do is introducing new players to the wonderful world of ttrpgs. I look forward to playing with you!
One wrong turn is all it takes for anyone to find themselves lost in the Backrooms.
Noclip out of your everyday life and take a guided tour through the hopeless wasteland of reality's beta test. A rules-light journey to the banality of evil* and back (if you are unlucky enough to survive), guaranteed to ingrain impairing psychological disorders and maladjusted, anti-social coping mechanisms. Fun for all the family**!!! Book your ticket today and come to comprehend the futility of your impotent existence.
*Evil may or may not be banal. The promoter accepts no liability for death, permanent injury or trauma, acute or otherwise.
**Participants may experience fun only in a vicarious sense, through the delight of entities to whose whims they may be subject.
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Liminal Horror is a modern cosmic horror system, with a focus on story over complexity, where death is not the worst of possible fates. Players can make characters quickly on the day or use a pregenerated character. Either way, patrons will have an experience that leaves a …very …lasting …impression.
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About your GM:
TJ (he/him) was first exposed to tabletop roleplaying in his teen years, mainly playing Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, and Mage: The Ascension. In fact he ended up falling into the GM role in his first gaming session, and has preferred to be "behind the screen" ever since. He mainly runs Pathfinder 2E at the time of writing, but enjoys a wide variety of other systems, including DCC, Mothership, Delta Green, Dungeon World & OSE.
He believes that the relationship among players and arbiters should be a collaborative process that evokes positive experiences and strengthens connections between individuals. TJ subscribes to the philosophy of "yes, and...?" as closely as possible, and believes gaming tables should be places of safety & inclusivity, that scaffold stories that fulfill and amaze those telling them.
He is currently bursting with anticipation for the Dolmenwood kickstarter to be fulfilled.
They came as you rested, figures cloaked in mist that clouded your thoughts, blurring the lines between consciousness and dreaming. There was no malice or hatred, no mention of an old score. Only quick capture and the promise of grim deeds to come.
Now you are trapped, held against your will in an unknown dungeon. You and your companions have been separated in cages with your captor making frequent visits for “more experiments”. He says things like, “The pain will only be passing. You should survive the process.”
But now something is happening. Your captor is under attack and this is your chance to make a break for it. Track down your captor! Go for the eyes, Boo, go for the eyes!!!!
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Shadows of Amn is a nostalgia-fueled D&D 5e session based on Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn. Pre-made characters based on the original game’s party members will be provided. Over the top roleplaying highly encouraged – chew upon the scenery and make your escape!
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About your GM:
Hi there! My name is Ryan (he/him) and I’ve been playing and running games for 5 years now, predominately D&D 5e. I’ve been running an ongoing home campaign for friends that has hit the 4 yeah mark now, based on the Sword Coast in Faerun, though the party is now exploring SPACE! I work in the education industry and I’m a strong believer that gaming increases your knowledge base and strengthens your emotional intelligence through shared storytelling and experiences. My games focus on storytelling and creating the world around us through imagination and action. Everyone is equal at my table, let’s build a world together!
The Year is 1941. The place, Europe.
Nazi Germany is at the height of its power. You are called upon to join a small group of daring individuals to investigate rumours of ancient and mysterious artefacts that have caught the eye of the Nazis.
The Lost Imperial Fabergé Eggs are rumoured not only to be treasures of untold fortune, but contain hidden secrets to a great inscrutable power. They must not fall into enemy hands.
We take our inspiration from Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones Jr and events in 1936 as we Investigate, Sabotage, Steal, Rescue, Discover…and Misdirect. This pulp action-adventure heist story is inspired by true and fictional characters. If roleplaying suspenseful scenes in a highly story-focused and collaborative environment is what you’re all about…We need you. New players to the game are warmly welcomed.
In this War…your greatest weapons will be your wits and discernment. Remember that you must not be caught.... Behind Enemies' Lines
Right now, right this moment, right as you read these words…humanity is struck down by an alien force from beyond the limits of our understanding. It is the first blow of a terrible war. Seven years later, armed with a technology you cannot understand and can barely operate, you will strike back. This is how.
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Bliss Stage is a narrative role-playing game about teenage pilots fighting back against alien invaders with giant robots made of weaponized love. This non-traditional system centres on the relationships and conflicts between characters. Do you enjoy character-focused games or media? Want to tell a dramatic story about love, war, and the future of humanity? No knowledge of the system is required, only a shared goal of collaborative story-telling.
Rated MA15+ for violence, drug use, sexual references, and adult themes.
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About the GM:
As for me ... I'm mostly interested in obscure indie games, with a focus on systems that aim to create dramatic stories as a group and have mechanics to back it up. I used to run games for weekly oneshot meetups with a new system each week, and am a big believer in the wham-bam oneshot that gets straight to the point.
The Pleasant Glades Strip Mall consists of four stores: Anchor Hardware, King Pawn Store, Gatehouse Storage, and Red Talk Phones. It is located near the highway on the outskirts of the city and does just enough business to justify its existence. Nothing interesting ever happens here. Well, not before tonight.
The staff at the Red Talk Phone shop asked for your help setting up a bunch of burner phones. Huh, it was a chance to make a bit of easy cash in hand, of course you said yes. Open the box, activate the phone, program in the numbers. Easy peasy.
Right up to the moment the woman started banging on the door. After that, easy peasy took a flying leap off a skyscraper ...
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Burner throws the PCs headfirst and stumbling into the paranoid, conspiracy-theory driven world of Delta Green, where broken people do their best to stop the Cthulu mythos from ending the world. Pre-gen characters will be supplied. My advice? Don't get attached. It's another day in Delta Green ... the player characters just don't know it yet.
Nations have borders. Police carry badges. Dragons breathe fire. You work for money.
That’s the world we expect. But what if some of those things were different?
Together, let's make and explore several worlds. In each world we can question the status quo and imagine alternatives.
We'll start by picking a topic to explore, like Nations, Education, Music, or Pets, and together discuss how it works in the real world. Simple facts that we expect and accept: Nations have borders. Nations have citizens. Citizens can renounce their nation. Nations have sovereignty. Nations are places. Nations fight wars.
And then we take a tiny step by asking, "what if, in this world, one of those things wasn't true?" What would that look like instead? Once the ball starts to roll the other players use the same process to add details and explore the consequences. Together, we make up a world!
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In This World is a fast game of imagination and creation, where you hold a mirror up to the real world to create something new. Designed by the creator of Microscope.
It's your first semester at the wondrous Thornwood School of Magics and your magical education has finally begun. You've been learning spells, making friends, and finding secret paths around the school.
But all is not well. A series of mysterious disappearances has put everyone on edge. First a wand, then a finger, then a second year’s pet rabbit. What will go missing next? A first year like you perhaps?
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There’s always something dangerous brewing in the halls of Thornwood School of Magics, and somehow the players’ characters always find themselves in the middle of it all. The teachers and other adults around them are too busy underestimating the students, not believing them, or trying to protect them to really help. It’s up to the players to try to save the day, and still get their homework done in time for class tomorrow.
Thornwood School of Magics is a rules light game of young wizards getting into trouble at a magical boarding school. Players can make their own arcane student player characters quickly at the start of the session. Spells can be created on the fly in a fun descriptive way.
Thornwood School of Magics was featured in the PAX Collaboratory in 2018.
Note: This game is listed as 2.5 hours.
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About the GM:
Rhys is a longtime RPG nerd, improv comedian, writer, and game designer. From humble beginnings with D&D 3.5e, Rhys has since explored as many nooks and crannies of the RPG hobby as he can. From heavy mechanical games like GURPS, to fun improv games like Fiasco, and even thematic solo games like Thousand Year Old Vampire. Rhys loves them all! He's just started a new home game of one of his favourite games, Blades in the Dark. He likes his games to be fun, friendly affairs, not too serious but still filled with exciting story and stakes.
The world of Avatar: The Last Airbender, many, many years before the coming of Avatar Aang.
It is a time of strife in the Four Nations. Rogues and bandits plague the land while the government lies inert in its own corruption. This is the time of Avatar Kyoshi, this age’s human embodiment of light and peace through the connection to the Avatar Spirit. Kyoshi and her companions fight to make change, to make the Four Nations a better place.
One of Kyoshi’s companions, the renowned Firebender Rangi, has given you a mission and you desperately want to impress her. A tough and rapidly growing daofei (the Avatar version of yakuza or triad) must be stopped before it dominates the land.
Can you protect the region? Can you even protect yourselves? And most importantly, can you gain the favour of the famously hard-to-impress Firebender Rangi?
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Avatar Legends is a powered by the apocalypse game set in the Avatar universe. Players take on the role of benders, martial artists and technologists as they work hard to help people in a world of danger and strife.
https://magpiegames.com/pages/avatarrpg
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About your GM:
Hi I’m Lachlan (he/him). I’ve been GMing since 2007 (and GMing well since 2012). I enjoy playing games that act as frameworks for collaborative storytelling, as if the rules are an audience drunkenly shouting prompts at an improv show. My games aim to be as heartfelt and emotional as they are action packed and exciting. Let’s have a sword fight and talk about how we feel about it.
I’ve been GMing games at GoPlay since 2015 and love the chaotic energy of conventions so I am thrilled to get back at it after a couple of years off.
You stand on a picturesque, golden beach, a lush jungle just up off the shore. There was a storm, you remember, pieces of your ship now litter the beach. Pieces of the crew too. Something isn’t right. The sand is swallowing your feet much too fast, the jungle seems like it’s watching you, and the smell of rotting flesh blows in on the wind.
You have to get out of here. Now!
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Eaten Alive is a survival/horror adventure for 3rd level characters, where the main goal is to escape a sinister island without perishing in the process. You can bring your own character (subject to DM approval) or use one of the pregens supplied on the day.
Note: This game is listed as 6 hours (not 3.5 hours). Do not schedule any games for Sunday afternoon, as this game will cross over both sessions.
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About your GM:
Hi! I’m Cadan, I’m 22, and have been playing Dungeons and Dragons since I was about 14, DMing since I was 16. My favourite thing about the game is the rich role play and storytelling aspect, I love being able to craft meaningful experiences for players and help them navigate their characters’ feelings and development. I would describe my DM style as quite relaxed, and I don’t always rule by the book. I encourage diversity, creativity and positivity at my table.
Dangerous faeries lurk in the forest just outside of town, wicked men and ferocious monsters are a constant threat, and sometimes dark forces find their way into your neighbours’ hearts. You and your companions are young and untested, but ready to protect what matters.
Come with us beyond the wall.
Beyond The Wall is a rules light RPG about adolescent adventurers finding the wits, skill, and bravery to defend their village from danger, drawing inspiration from coming-of-age fantasy fiction.
Join me in this truly improv, truly collaborative shared storytelling experience! “Masks” (Powered by the Apocalypse) allows you to step into the shoes of a Teenage Superhero with all the perks, pitfalls, and drama. Fight villains, save lives, all the while trying to figure out who you really are. The game that asks the question: “What happens to your secret identity…when you’re having an identity crisis?!” We’ll open with quick character creation (15 minutes) and then using our character's connections and backstory, establish an exciting adventure. ZERO rules knowledge or prep required. What happens next…? Let’s play to find out!
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About your GM:
I’m Mark (he/him) and I’ve been running RPGs for over 25 years. My favourite games are story/narrative driven and rules light, particularly PbtA, Fate, and indie titles where players have a huge say in the story – including many GM-less and Stat-less games. I moved to Brisbane 7 years ago and am one of the creators of the Brisbane Social RPG group which promotes a diversity of games and players and is very active in running frequent, accessible, and exciting games across SEQ, particularly aimed at the new and/or casual gamer.
Join me in this truly improv, truly collaborative shared storytelling experience! “Masks” (Powered by the Apocalypse) allows you to step into the shoes of a Teenage Superhero with all the perks, pitfalls, and drama. Fight villains, save lives, all the while trying to figure out who you really are. The game that asks the question: “What happens to your secret identity…when you’re having an identity crisis?!” We’ll open with quick character creation (15 minutes) and then using our character's connections and backstory, establish an exciting adventure. ZERO rules knowledge or prep required. What happens next…? Let’s play to find out!
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About the GM:
I’m Mark (he/him) and I’ve been running RPGs for over 25 years. My favourite games are story/narrative driven and rules light, particularly PbtA, Fate, and indie titles where players have a huge say in the story – including many GM-less and Stat-less games. I moved to Brisbane 7 years ago and am one of the creators of the Brisbane Social RPG group which promotes a diversity of games and players and is very active in running frequent, accessible, and exciting games across SEQ, particularly aimed at the new and/or casual gamer.
Bound and shackled, the Traitor King’s men captured you and unjustly imprisoned you in this dungeon so foul. However, the forces of honour and chivalry are not so easily snuffed out! You and your brave companions have been making plans, biding your time and waiting for your moment.
And now that moment is upon you. As a mighty dragon assails the castle where you are imprisoned, it’s time for a jailbreak! Do not tarry: there’s your freedom to win, a true heir to the throne to save and the land of Avalon to be saved!
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Knight is a rules light game of fantastic chivalric adventure. Its adaptive rules allow the players to easily create unique characters at the start of the session. Perhaps you are a valorous tourney knight, skilled with the lance, or a master of occult lore. Perhaps you are a manipulator in the courts, with your spies whispering secrets in your ear, or a battlefield commander, ready to protect the realm.
Players can also contribute to the world building as well, adding details and defining scope. Maybe Avalon is a land of magic and fairies, maybe it’s a mostly historic setting. Knight’s rules allow you to set up and play in whatever world takes your fancy.
Strap on your armour and fight for glory. May your name go down in history.
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About your GM:
I'm Mark of Armoured Games, and I wrote KNIGHT. In terms of games, I love games that achieve two things - engagement of players with shared storytelling and world creation, and the investment of the players and the characters within that shared world - something I hope you'll see a snippet of in KNIGHT, even if the normal game is designed for campaigns.
GMing style: First of all I try to be supportive and safe with players, and work to keep things fun for all. I'm also pretty loosey goosey - I take on player input and try to work it in the game whenever I can.
Other games I enjoy: I like PBTA and other story based games, Cthulhu Dark, the Trophy games, and other relatively rules light systems. I also like games from the OSR style of play, such as Into the Odd for their clear and simple mechanics that facilitate player (and character) interactions in the game.
Embark on a high-stakes adventure through the turbulent cosmos of the Jovian-Titanian Peacekeeping Division (JTPD) in this thrilling tabletop role-playing game!
As a spacefaring Agent, you’ll navigate political tensions, unravel strange mysteries, and engage in intense espionage across the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. With every roll of the dice, the gravity of your choices will shape the fate of the Union. Will you become a master of subterfuge, a tech-savvy hacker, a fearsome combatant, or a diplomatic genius?
Strap in, as JTPD invites you to explore a world in the shadows of giants, where danger lurks around every asteroid and alliances are as fragile as the vacuum of space.
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Jovian-Titanian Peacekeeping Division is a new rules light and freeform system designed by Hannah Ford Morgan. The gameplay focus is primarily on storytelling, character development, and player choices rather than intricate mechanics and dice rolls. Players can make their own characters at the beginning of the session or use one of the supplied pre-generated characters.
The year is 1988 and the forces of evil are once again rising to bring about untold and totally bogus devastation! "The Guardians of Space-time" have once again called upon the amazing talent of the current era's “League of Extraordinary Gentlefolk”!
This totally tubular team of talent, draws from pop culture properties of the decade, including the amazing roster of...
Connor MacLeod
Carmen Sandiago
Mcguyver
Major Dutch
Ash Williams
Scarlet O’hara
Jerica Benton (Jem)
She-Ra Princess of Power
But even this RAD, bodacious and totally excellent to the max 80s league might be in over their heads with the gnarly threat they must face.
Prepare for a neon-soaked, hair-metal-scored, action-adventure romp through 80s nostalgia using the Fate Core system.
Grab your boombox and hair gel and let’s motor dudes!
No experience with the FATE system, or roleplaying games required
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About the GM:
Hi my name is Tom, and my pronouns are he/him. I’ve been running tabletop roleplaying games for over 35 years (a scary thought to be sure). I love GMing a variety of games for a wide range of people, across all experience levels.
There is an amazing diversity of games (and people!) in our little hobby, and I’m always on the lookout for new gaming experiences. One of the best ways I’ve found to experiment with different games is through running them at conventions like Go Play!
I’ve been involved with Go Play for well over a decade, and it’s consistently been a true gaming highlight of my year. The welcoming and fun-loving community and the mind-boggling selection of awesome systems on offer never disappoints. Hope to see you all there!
The situation is dire! For the first time ever the “Guardians of Space-time” have come to the League of Extraordinary Gentlefolk for help. Mysterious villains are looking to capitalise on mankind’s fear of the millennium bug to end the world as we know it at the stroke of midnight 1999. The very multiverse is at stake and only the brave members of the “current” league…
Buffy Summers
Blade
Lara Croft
Harry Dresden
Agent J
Sarah Connor
Tommy Oliver
Sailor Moon
...Can stop it!!
Using the amazingly flexible Fate system we will create the ultimate crossover, action-filled 90’s era nostalgia romp! With heroes, villains and locations drawn from 90’s film, television and even video games. Revisit your childhood, teen years, earlier adult life... or that crazy decade your parents won’t shut up about.
Get ready to Kick-butt, take names, and giggle at fashion.
No experience with the FATE system, or roleplaying games required
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About the GM:
Hi my name is Tom, and my pronouns are he/him. I’ve been running tabletop roleplaying games for over 35 years (a scary thought to be sure). I love GMing a variety of games for a wide range of people, across all experience levels.
There is an amazing diversity of games (and people!) in our little hobby, and I’m always on the lookout for new gaming experiences. One of the best ways I’ve found to experiment with different games is through running them at conventions like Go Play!
I’ve been involved with Go Play for well over a decade, and it’s consistently been a true gaming highlight of my year. The welcoming and fun-loving community and the mind-boggling selection of awesome systems on offer never disappoints. Hope to see you all there!
You are a masterspy, a badass of the highest calibre. It should have gone so much better than this.
Your mission was to attend the International Philanthropist Masquerade Gala and gather information on the notorious Dr. Badfella and his plans to blackmail the UN for control of the world.
As if that wasn’t enough, they threw in a secondary mission too. You had to make contact with Agent 009 from MI6 to recover the information she gathered from her time in deep cover as Natasha Fakename, the girlfriend of General Narcissist, corrupt leader of the third world country, Liáre.
You risked life and limb to save the world. Now Mission Control won’t stop asking questions, pointing fingers and filling out forms. And the other members of the team keep trying to steal your credit and dump their mistakes on you. The mission was a chaotic mess but the debriefing was where your troubles really began ….
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Mission Accomplished is a TTRPG system about the side of spy work no-one ever sees... the HR debriefs. This is a highly roleplay-heavy system that focuses on collaboration, improvisation and tounge-in-cheek humour. If you enjoy Archer, Get Smart or any form of spy comedy show, then this is the system for you.
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About the GM:
Hi I'm Ash! I have been playing TTRPGs for over 10 years. I love how they promote storytelling, collaboration and make friends out of strangers. I love my magic users but also am known to play a bard or barbarian from time to time.
My DM style leans heavily into theatre-of-the-mind, RP heavy style of play, I keep my games on the lighter side but am not afraid to tackle difficult topics with my players as long as everyone consents.
I can't wait to meet you and run your game!
The Sight. Is it a blessing or a curse? To see the creatures that lurk in our world that the common populace cannot? Some days you’ve got to envy their ignorance.
Whatever your opinion, in the early 1900s the Sight has drawn you to the town of Upsala in central Sweden, a hive of supernatural activity. You’ve joined The Society, a loose alliance of those with the Sight, those who observe the mysterious creatures of town and countryside. And who take up arms against those creatures if they must.
Returning from your ordeals in the countryside you find unwanted visitors at your gates. The townspeople are questioning your purpose and mission. Why do they need the Society running around when everyone knows there’s no such thing as monsters? Maybe you’ve been doing your job too well?
And all the while, the Vaesen laugh and choose their next targets …
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Vaesen is a game of occult investigators in the mythic north of Sweden, protecting humanity from hidden, supernatural horrors. Protecting humanity from the Vaesen.
Pregenerated characters will be provided and no knowledge of the system is required. Mysteries in the City is the second of two Vaesen scenarios at Go Play, this session focusing on urban adventures. Players do not need to play both sessions, but players who do will benefit from some character progression before this session.
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About your GM:
Hi there! My name is Ryan (he/him) and I’ve been playing and running games for 5 years now, predominately D&D 5e. I’ve been running an ongoing home campaign for friends that has hit the 4 yeah mark now, based on the Sword Coast in Faerun, though the party is now exploring SPACE! I work in the education industry and I’m a strong believer that gaming increases your knowledge base and strengthens your emotional intelligence through shared storytelling and experiences. My games focus on storytelling and creating the world around us through imagination and action. Everyone is equal at my table, let’s build a world together!
You are agents of the Program, a clandestine organisation that protects humanity from mind-bending unnatural threats. A child was reported missing from Yosemite National Park more than 40 years ago and the case was never solved. Yesterday, the child was found in the park again, showing no signs of aging. Your case officer has sent you to investigate and neutralise any dangers you encounter.
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Delta Green is a cosmic horror thriller, drawing from the X-Files and Cthulhu mythos. Players don't need previous experience in the genre or game system.
Cyprus, 1962.
In 8 hours high ranking military officials from both sides of the iron curtain will be meeting in a top secret location to discuss the fallout from the Cuban missile crisis.
In 9 hours they will all be dead.
In 9 hours and 30 minutes World War 3 will start.
That’s if the fabric of spacetime doesn’t rip itself apart first.
This is Operation: Pocket Watch and you’re the only people who can pull it off. You are soldiers of fortune who don’t fit into modern society. You are a disposable guns for hire, caught up in the death and destruction of pointless proxy wars and oppressive establishments. You may also be people who can turn into a ghost or control bees with their mind.
Welcome to the world of Freelance Infantry Strike Team. Welcome to the world of F.I.S.T.
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FIST is a tabletop roleplaying game about paranormal mercenaries doing the tough jobs no one else can. It’s a rules light RPG that takes inspiration from Metal Gear Solid, Lovecraft, and The A-Team. Operation: Pocket Watch is a one shot FIST mission full of Cold War espionage, high stakes action, and time travelling assassins.
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Hi I’m Lachlan (he/him). I’ve been GMing since 2007 (and GMing well since 2012). I enjoy playing games that act as frameworks for collaborative storytelling, as if the rules are an audience drunkenly shouting prompts at an improv show. My games aim to be as heartfelt and emotional as they are action packed and exciting. Let’s have a sword fight and talk about how we feel about it.
I’ve been GMing games at GoPlay since 2015 and love the chaotic energy of conventions so I am thrilled to get back at it after a couple of years off.
“OK, you son of a bitch. I’m in.”
You’ve got a lead. You’ve got a plan. It’s time to put a crack team together. Maybe a close combat specialist, a hacker and a demolitions expert - just what you need to pull off the heist of the century..
What could possibly go wrong?
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THE SCORE is an all-new kind of collaborative story game that lets you create the world's greatest heist movie with just 18 cards in under 18 minutes of game time. It's a revolutionary take on shared storytelling that needs no GM, no complex rules, no hefty rulebooks and gives you all the idea prompts you need to be the mastermind.
The Score, written by Steve Dee, was featured in the Indie Showcase at PAX AUS 2022.
You’ve been watching the star for some time now. It glows unnaturally bright in the night sky, growing and growing in intensity. At its peak it glows so intensely you have to look away.
In the blink of an eye you are elsewhere. You find yourselves on a jungle island with a large mountain looming in the distance, silhouetted in the sunrise. Welcome to Neverland, where there are plenty of things lurking in the woods to make sure you never grow old. And maybe a friend or two if you can find them.
And is that the sound of scurrying reptile legs and a ticking clock?
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Neverland is a setting for D&D 5e based on a darker and more dangerous version of the land of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys. Pregen characters will be provided with special Neverland backgrounds. It’s been a long time since the Darlings first flew to Neverland and a new story is about to be told. Your own.
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About your GM:
Hi there! My name is Ryan (he/him) and I’ve been playing and running games for 5 years now, predominately D&D 5e. I’ve been running an ongoing home campaign for friends that has hit the 4 yeah mark now, based on the Sword Coast in Faerun, though the party is now exploring SPACE! I work in the education industry and I’m a strong believer that gaming increases your knowledge base and strengthens your emotional intelligence through shared storytelling and experiences. My games focus on storytelling and creating the world around us through imagination and action. Everyone is equal at my table, let’s build a world together!
Unnatural storms and terrifying waves forced your ship to shore. Now you’re stuck here, in this dirt poor town, drenched in the smell of cheap whiskey and rotten fish. As poverty and politics consume the town, and folklore tales come to life, you will face harsh realities and even harsher choices. You and your crew must make deals, find answers, and pick sides. But believe me, you won’t all pick the same one…
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Sailing aboard our merchant ship in the 1800's, our crew will encounter myth and folklore creatures in this action-packed adventure game by Australian creators StoryBrewers Roleplaying. ZERO rules knowledge or prep is required for this game, as it uses the Powered by the Apocalypse (PbtA) engine for fast and fun roleplaying that is super rules light.
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About the GM:
I’m Mark (he/him) and I’ve been running RPGs for over 25 years. My favourite games are story/narrative driven and rules light, particularly PbtA, Fate, and indie titles where players have a huge say in the story – including many GM-less and Stat-less games. I moved to Brisbane 7 years ago and am one of the creators of the Brisbane Social RPG group which promotes a diversity of games and players and is very active in running frequent, accessible, and exciting games across SEQ, particularly aimed at the new and/or casual gamer.
Some time after an apocalyptic event caused an endless snowfall, Brisbane has become a ruined city full of danger. A group of adventurers from The Swich, a remote community, are sent by their leader to find a treasure in the city.
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Players don't need previous experience with Apocalypse World for this game. There will be mature themes and violence in this game.
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About the GM:
Hello my name I Riley. I’m a Brisbane native and have a lot of experience with GMing. I am social, friendly and easy to talk to. I’ve been obsessed with RPGs and writing since I was young. This, combined with my background doing youth drama means I find the potential of RPGs, and running RPGs invigorating.
I run RPGs as a collaborative story, so I often allow for players to contribute to description as much as I do. I also enjoy running social scenes and character stories and try to say ‘no’ to suggestions as little as possible. Despite heavy themes I use sometimes I try to cultivate an atmosphere of open communication and comfortability.
I am running an apocalypse world game set in a post apocalyptic version of Brisbane. It is a system I have learned a lot about from playing. While it can get heavy I am not one to focus on misery.
I hope you find me a good and fulfilling GM.
The Sight. Is it a blessing or a curse? To see the creatures that lurk in our world that the common populace cannot? Some days you’ve got to envy their ignorance.
Whatever your opinion, in the early 1900s the Sight has drawn you to the town of Upsala in central Sweden, a hive of supernatural activity. You’ve joined The Society, a loose alliance of those with the Sight, those who observe the mysterious creatures of town and countryside. And who take up arms against those creatures if they must.
It seems the countryside is teeming with rumours and strange stories. Like the local children missing after going on a picnic near the woods. Their teacher returned without them and is being held for questioning, and he has a strange tale to tell. Or there are the paw prints sighted around one of the farms outside the town, where the farmers are reporting missing chickens but no sight of blood.
Will it be these stories that you investigate or other strange tales? All you know is that asking the right questions always leads to darkness …
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Vaesen is a game of occult investigators in the mythic north of Sweden, protecting humanity from hidden, supernatural horrors. Protecting humanity from the Vaesen.
Pregenerated characters will be provided and no knowledge of the system is required. Taming the Wilds is the first of two Vaesen scenarios at Go Play, the first session focusing on wilderness adventures. Players do not need to play both sessions, but players who do will benefit from some character progression before the second session.
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About your GM:
Hi there! My name is Ryan (he/him) and I’ve been playing and running games for 5 years now, predominately D&D 5e. I’ve been running an ongoing home campaign for friends that has hit the 4 yeah mark now, based on the Sword Coast in Faerun, though the party is now exploring SPACE! I work in the education industry and I’m a strong believer that gaming increases your knowledge base and strengthens your emotional intelligence through shared storytelling and experiences. My games focus on storytelling and creating the world around us through imagination and action. Everyone is equal at my table, let’s build a world together!
"First time piloting a Gear? New to Terra Nova? It's an unforgiving planet, for sure. Lucky for you, the Tempest Arms have just what you need to get up to speed …”
Welcome to the world of Terra Nova, a planet split by warfare and intrigue where Gears (combat mecha standing between 3 to 6m tall) have become the face of combat to the planet's inhabitants. Between the old rivalries between the Northern and Southern Alliances, the various Badlands coalitions and now the predations of the invading Colonial Earth Forces (CEF), there's never been more powers trying to decide the fate of Terra Nova and her people.
Tempest Winds places the players in the role of trainee Gear pilots fresh out of their acceptance exams and into basic training. If this was boot camp in one of Terra Nova's many national armies, maybe this first day might be a cake-walk, but this is the mercenary company Tempest Arms, and well, they like to throw their recruits in the deep end and see what happens.
Sink or swim, buddy, what comes next is up to you.
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Heavy Gear is a RPG that mixes Mecha combat with personal stories. Players will be provided with pre-gen characters, all “ready” for their first day of action.
In the mining town of Runes End, the infamous Coal Syndicate uncovered a treasure trove filled with artifacts, including the long lost Runestone of the Golden Swan. Not long after its discovery, the Mayor succumbed to a mysterious illness, while a plague of rats bubbled up from the world below, invading the town.
As a group of heroes stumble across the aftermath on their way home from a harrowing adventure in Nerekhall, the Mayor’s wife and magistrate beg our heroes to help stop the calamities befalling the town, and discover the truth behind the Curse of the Golden Swan.
A distress signal has been received from the Research Station Styria-5... As the closest vessel in the area, you’re the best chance they’ve got for survival. Their rescue (or at least retrieval of the sensitive files on board) pays well too… You’ve accepted the job from Corporate, but there’s a complication… the contract requires you to have a Corporate Representative on board to oversee the mission.
Is this going to be a chance for easy money…or something else entirely?
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This highly narrative sci-fi horror game is not for the faint-of-heart. Join our crew as we explore the furthest reaches of weird-space, and try to navigate the horrors we find within. Survival is not guaranteed. Requiring a mature audience (16+), content may include elements of horror-related gore and substance use. Safety tools such as lines and veils will be applied for the safety of all. No experience is required in this fast-paced game with few mechanics. Are you our next Ripley or Dutch? Sign your life away.
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About the GM:
I have been playing since the early 90's, so about 30 years or so. Like many others, I started with the D&D Red Box, but I struggled a bit with regimented systems so moved to more narrative ones. It’s not unusual to have only 4 rolls in a complete game session with me. If you make a roll, it's usually because there are implications, so I use them sparingly and make them count.
I usually lean towards narrative and free-flowing systems like PBTA or Free Leagues, but every so often I enjoy the crunch (so long as it’s used as a tool, not the meaning of the game). Also, I am not Australian-born, but I migrated here about 16 years ago, so I do have an accent!
The Wastelands have spread far and wide across the enchanted land of Britain. Crops fail, the animals die and wells dry up as supernatural forces slowly invade the once fertile fields of King Arthur’s kingdom. The great heroes of the Round Table ride in quest of the Holy Grail, and other knights, such as you, go forth in imitation of them, seeking what high adventure may be found.
You have ridden far from home, deep into the Wastelands, where your horse is tired and your throat is dry. And now a remarkable castle surrounded by verdant green fields and undamaged roofs comes into view. Not even the best travelled of you knows of any keep that should be here … and yet the castle remains. Some strange magic is afoot.
And the castle is a hive of activity! Knights from all around have gathered for a mighty tournament of jousting, swordplay and feasting. If the chance to prove your mettle and your honour wasn’t enough, the tourney also promises a mysterious prize of great magic. Could this be your chance to win the fabled Holy Grail and write yourself into legend?
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The Tourney of the Eclipse is an adventure for Arthurian knights following the chivalric code in the innovative Pendragon RPG system. Pregenerated characters will be provided, each with their own strengths, passions and secret goals. CW: the scenario has heavy religious themes, but no religious agenda.
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About your GM:
Paul Douglas (he/him) had his first taste of tabletop roleplaying in 1990 (though now that he thinks about it, one of his colouring books from when he was six had a wizard explicitly casting gust of wind, so maybe even earlier) and ran his first game the day after he got the Red Box set the next year. It wasn’t very good, but he likes to think he’s gotten better since then. Quoth Paul: “I like to put my players in situations with plenty of interesting choices and consequences that carry some emotional weight. Oh, and bashing things! Everyone likes a good thing-bashing.”
The city of Portnelle’s most popular and wealthy socialite, the widow Zita Aztur, has frantically approached the PCs in a desperate plea for assistance. Zita’s sister Isobel has gone missing!
Iosbel is well known in Portnelle for her incredible beauty and her interest in antique weapons. She had recently become “entangled” with a mysterious suitor who may have enticed Isobel to seek out the fabled Moon Spear of Andoheb. Most who have searched for the spear have never been seen again. But those foolhardy souls never had your skills or confidence, and the widow is paying handsomely...
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Return to the glory days of fantasy with the Dungeon Crawl Classics Role-Playing Game. Adventure as 1974 intended, with modern rules grounded in the origins of sword & sorcery. Fast play, cryptic secrets, and a mysterious past await you.
This short adventure, inspired by classic Mummy films, challenges the players to brave the Tomb of the Savage Kings, a Dungeon Crawl Classics adventure for 2nd level characters.
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About your GM:
Brian (he/him) grew up during the Satanic Panic 1980s in the US but somehow managed to receive the Basic Dungeons and Dragons set from his parents as a 10 year old. He fell in love with D&D, playing this and moving on to other games during his childhood. He went into a gaming "deep freeze" after university and started playing again about 5 years ago when discovering 5th edition with his son.
Now he mostly runs all sorts of D&D and D&D-like games, with a strong preference for the craziness of Dungeon Crawl Classics and the simplicity of Old School Essentials (B/X D&D). He loves to run "theatre of the mind" games with a heavy emphasis on player role playing and problem solving, giving them situations to create either sensational successes or fantastic failures. He definitely prefers "rulings" over "rules" when running games, allowing players to experiment and react to situations that make for better stories rather than continue to check conditions, modifiers, and extensive rule tomes on the fly.
Welcome to the land of Trollworld, where the last of humanity fights to survive.
The massive Arkship lies dead and dormant at the centre of your colony. You know this massive edifice once sailed between the stars; you don’t know where from or why. So much knowledge was lost when the Arkship reached Trollworld and the intense mana energies of the planet destroyed the electronics of the mighty starfarer.
Still, humanity could flourish here. There is breathable air and tillable soil. Your dead arkship forms the nucleus of your new colony. It provides a habitat and a verdant garden (named Eden after the legends), a defensive hull and is the source for some of your initial tools and weapons. However the growing population needs space, arable land and plenty of water.
If you are to survive on Trollworld, you humans need to expand and colonise. Unfortunately, that means coming into conflict with the Trolls of Trollworld. And their gigantic gods.
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The survival of the fledgeling human civilization on Trollworld is threatened by the great giants that call themselves gods. Join a special task unit on a diplomatic mission to one of the great giants. Befriend them or neutralise them as a threat – you must do what you think is right.
Pre-generated 8th-level characters will be available or you can bring your own character (subject to DM approval; sadly, no half-orcs or half-elves). If you want to make your own character, you can roll up stats as per any method in p12-13 of the Player's Handbook (and advance appropriately through the levels). Then take 1999gp and equip yourself for adventure – including standard equipment, and any magic items you can afford at https://www.kassoon.com/dnd/5e/magic-item-prices/; you can keep whatever you don't spend.
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About your GM:
Mark’s (he/him) story is probably very familiar – geek at school who read Lord of The Rings during a holiday break in high school. During another school break, his brother brought Mark to a Dungeons & Dragons game and his whole perspective changed. You could actually get to play in a fantasy world like Tolkien created, and you can play a game where the team (rather than a single player) wins, and you could play all sorts of amazing characters. Life would never be the same again.
This led to Mark researching mythology and folk tales, participating in adult storytelling, and is an actor in Brisbane Playback Theatre that does improvised drama based of people’s shared stories.
Mark loves epic fantasy adventures and worlds that weave in the various mythologies, cultures and histories parallel to earth. Mark loves when players are creative, thoughtful and work together as a team to face challenges and solve problems, and most importantly, enjoy themselves.
Mark has been playing D&D ever since it was known as AD&D and had no edition. He has been a games master on and off for almost as long. And life is still not the same again.
The workers of the modular asteroid mine Verdant Decree are done with these bleak conditions and pitiful wages. They’ve seized control of the facility and issued an ultimatum: pay us what we’re worth or we’ll vent your precious terraforming accelerant into space. So, the Company’s sending you, the nearest freelance crew, to recover the assets and suppress the insurrection. It’s another day of high stress in deep space for terrible pay.
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Mothership is working class sci-fi horror in the vein of Alien/Aliens, with light rules and high lethality.
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About your GM:
Dan Cameron has been crafting and running RPG scenarios since the 1990s, with a weakness for any combination of gritty science fiction, high drama, and weird horror. Over the decades, he’s run the likes of Wraith: The Oblivion, Cyberpunk 2020, Star Wars, Trail of Cthulhu, Nights Black Agents, The Sprawl and numerous home-brewed abominations. He likes lightweight, player-facing rules, long walks on the beach, and gazing into the abyss.
Live Action Role Playing Games (LARPs):
Join Springfield Gamers and get creative with miniature painting. Never painted before? Not worries! This is your opportunity to try your hand and learn a new skill in the relaxed, friendly environment of Brisbane gamers.
Are you an experienced painter? Bring your own minis along, share your skills, and enjoy the atmosphere.
Board Games:
Test your luck (and your memory!) with Boba Master, a bright, delightfully cute and engaging card game about making bubble tea. Be warned: This is not a game for a quiet library! This action-packed, easy-to-pick-up game gets rowdy very quickly. Steal from your opponents and force them to make mistakes. Stir up the game by swapping hands or even swapping bubble teas. Be the first to complete your bubble teas and become the Boba Master! No experience required, our mission is to get people into boardgames and interacting with each other in person, away from digital devices.
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Boba Master was kickstarted, successfully funded and fulfilled this year by local 2-time PAX Indie Showcase Winners (and brothers!), Jono and Ando.
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About the designer:
Quokka Jono is an award-winning games designer, a skilled graphic artist, a devoted board game enthusiast and a postgraduate from the University of Queensland. As a first-generation Chinese individual born in Melbourne to a family passionate about food, his artistic and cultural inclinations have been profoundly influenced.
The amalgamation of growing up in Brisbane, attending weekend Chinese school, Australian 90s television, immersion in video games, and observations of the mundane day-to-day, provided a diverse and enriching environment that significantly shaped his creative journey. Jono’s appreciation for both Australian and Chinese culture offers a distinctive perspective that shines through in his work.
Spend a session playing some casual board games from our board game library. All players, ages, and experience levels welcome.