Game in the Brain

Blog Post: Preparing for Fading Suns 4 and Refocusing on Mneme Core Lite

Dumping My Thoughts: Fading Suns 4 Prep
As part of my preparation for running Fading Suns 4th Edition on January 25 (moved from January 18 due to our ongoing Mutant Future campaign), I need to organize my thoughts into a YouTube video format. This will allow me to focus on getting back to Mneme Core Lite writing after finalizing my Fading Suns prep.

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Next Step: Character Creation

I’ve simplified Fading Suns 4 character creation to the point where I’m confident a freelancer could build a web-based character generator in JavaScript for $200–400. This would be a massive time-saver, enabling GMs to generate multiple characters on a click.

For me, creating NPCs distracts from the most enjoyable aspects of game planning. I prefer NPCs that feel organic and fit the world. Procedural generation, tailored to the world’s demographics, provides the randomness and uniqueness needed to tell compelling stories without micromanaging every detail.

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What Comes After

After wrapping up character creation, my focus will shift to explaining Theurgy/Hubris and Psi/Urge mechanics in detail. These systems are complex but fascinating, and breaking them down will help me and my players understand how they function. Following that, I’ll dive into a sample combat walkthrough to ensure the mechanics flow naturally in-game.

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Lessons Learned from Preparing for Fading Suns

1. Make Systems Accessible with Podcasts or Summaries
   I’ve realized the importance of having podcasts or listenable summaries for game systems. With my worsening vision and work pressure, digesting game mechanics visually is getting harder. Videos or audio content make complex systems easier to absorb, especially for others in a similar position.

For Mneme Core Lite and Mneme Core, I plan to create these tools:

LibreOffice docs and templates that are easy to copy and share.

An audiobook version of the game system, with me reading the mechanics using 11labs or Turtle Text-to-Speech LLM.

2. Automate Procedural Game Assets
   Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on books, minis, or other materials, my focus is on creating tools for Game in the Brain. Procedural generation of NPCs, scenarios, or other assets at the click of a button streamlines the GM’s workload and makes the experience more immersive for players.
3. Dystopia in Games Mirrors Reality
   Preparing for Fading Suns has reinforced how closely its themes mirror our reality. The serf-like control of the masses, tech distractions, and the grinding of the human spirit into dust through modern systems of control feels eerily familiar. Combine this with the military’s alignment with power grabs, and we have the Neo-Nobility—an oligarchy entrenched in naked displays of power.

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Designing Mneme Core’s Default Setting

When I return to writing Mneme Core, the default setting will focus on crushing poverty and humanity’s enslavement. It’s a stark reflection of a dystopia where resources are controlled by a few, and hope lies in the ability to pick up and leave.

The ultimate freedom is the ability to escape oppression, to leave the suffering behind, and to build something new. Scarcity for one’s own people forces hard questions about morality and ethics. What happens when you remove scarcity for your group but leave others behind?

This philosophical backbone will be at the heart of Mneme Core. The power of humans lies in their ability to escape each other and create their own worlds, breaking free from systemic oppression and forging their own destiny.

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Final Thoughts

As I juggle these projects—running Fading Suns, preparing for my campaign, and refining Mneme Core Lite—I’m reminded how critical automation and accessibility are to game design. These tools make gaming more inclusive, allowing us to focus on what truly matters: telling great stories, exploring thought-provoking themes, and creating a space for freedom and creativity.

What are your thoughts on automating NPC generation or making game systems more accessible? I’d love to hear from you as I refine these ideas!