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[SteamPunk Crescendo] I think I have my mechanics down, what do you think?

Started by dindenver, August 20, 2009, 06:53:18 PM

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dindenver

All,
  Here is the basic outline of my mechanics (sorry it is so long):

  There are six possible outcomes that can happen when a player declares their character's actions:
1) Free narration - In other words, it happens as they describe it. This is the case for most actions. There is just no reason to believe that the character can't perform the action and no one is there to stop them.
2) Pure intentions - It happens as the player describes it, and their Purity track is moved one towards Purity.
3) Corrupted intentions - It happens as the player describes it, but their purity track is moved one away from Purity.
4) Leverage - The player can trade progress towards their goal for personal gain. Usually this is required if the action is selfish, but not particularly impure.
5) Advancement - If the character's action entails self sacrifice and advances their goal, move them one closer to their Goal.
6) Conflict - Someone opposes their actions. The rules for Conflict are used to see who gets what they want.
a) Players decide which characters are in the conflict
b) Players declare their characters intentions.
c) Mastermind sets the Intention Target Number for each character based on his OR and the context of the intentions.
d) Mastermind declares intentions for the antagonists (henchmen do not get to declare intentions) and set Intention Target Numbers.
e) Mastermind declares action type for antagonists.
f) Players declare action type for their characters. Action types consist of:
1. Action - Use a talent. select a Talent and get a bonus die.
2. Overpower - Activate a power, invoke a Ritual or activate a Gadget. Follow the Rules for that Power, Ritual or Gadget.
3. Exploit - Activate a weakness.
4. Pure act - Add your Purity to any one die before dice are assigned. Lower Purity by one.
5. Corrupt act - Add your Corruption to any one die before dice are assigned. Lower Corruption by one.
6. Selfish act - Add your Drawback to any one die before dice are assigned. Lower Drawback by one.
7. Inspired act - Add your Goal to any one die before dice are assigned. Lower Goal by one.
8. Feint - +2 to the Cunning Die, -1 to Ambition Die.
9. Brutal - +2 to Cunning Die, -1 to Vigilance Die.
10. Guard - +2 to Vigilante Die, -1 to Cunning Die.
11. Protect - +2 to Vigilance Die, -1 to Ambition Die.
12. Anticipate - +2 to Ambition Die, -1 to Cunning Die.
13. React - +2 to Ambition Die, -1 to Vigilance Die.
14. Defend - Select another character. When they take Abuse, they do not take Abuse, your character does. -1 Ambition Die, -1 Cunning Die.
15. Ambush - Player can change their Intention. they get a new Intention Target Number and keep their current Progress. they cannot accumulate Progress or cause Abuse to others this turn. They can still take Abuse though. -2 to Vigilance Die.
g) Calculate bonus and penalty dice.
h) Throw the dice! According to the rules of the bonus and penalty dice, choose which three to keep.
i) The Mastermind assigns dice to Ambition, Cunning and Vigilance.
j) The rest of the players assign dice to Ambition, Cunning and Vigilance.
k) The Mastermind assigns bonuses and penalties.
l) Players assign bonuses and penalties for their characters.
m) For each pair of players opposing each other, compare the following values:
i. Ambition Pool + Ambition Die vs. Ambition Pool + Ambition Die. Whichever player has the highest total, gains Progress equal to the difference.
ii. Cunning Pool + Cunning Die vs. Vigilance Pool + Vigilance Die. If your Cunning total is higher than their Vigilance total, they take Abuse equal to the difference.
iii. Vigilance Pool + Vigilance Die vs. Cunning Pool + Cunning Die. If your Vigilance total is higher than their Cunning total, you escape harm.
n) If your Progress total is equal to or higher than your Intention Target Number, you achieve your Intentions.
o) If your Abuse total is higher than your Obstacle Rating, your character is taken out of the conflict and your oppositiion gets their Intention.
p) The Mastermind narrates the action for the scene so far.
q) If no one has sufficient Progress to accomplish their Intentions and no one has taken enough Abuse to take them out of the conflict, jump back to step "e" and continue until at least one character is able to achieve their Intentions through Ambition or Cunning.
r) For everyone that has Progress greater than their opponent's OR, they get their intentions from the scene. If more than one character gets their intentions, players can take turns narrating one Fact for every 2 points of Progress. A Fact is one sentence with no more than one verb and two nouns. Facts cannot be used to cancel or negate any previously established Facts. The Player with he highest Progress goes first. Characters go before Antagonists.
s) Every character with Abuse takes some sort of harm or setback during the scene. Those with Abuse equal or greater than half of their OR should receive a penalty die on their next roll. Those with Abuse greater than their OR should take penalty dice on every roll in their next scene.

  Do you see any obvious flaws in this system?
Dave M
Come visit
http://dindenver.blogspot.com/
 And tell me what you think
Free Demo of Legends of Lanasia RPG

dindenver

All,
  Oops, it's been called to my attention that this is not very well described. In the text I am writing, all of these terms are defined before this section.

  The big questions:
What's this RPG all about in the first place?
  OK, the short version is, you play a human with a curse. Every time your character breaks a taboo, they can manifest vampire powers. It is set in a steampunk world with vampires, magic and Tesla-inspired super-science.

What's the point of the game?
  The characters exist in a harsh dystopia, they will battle for survival while adapting to a changing world and maybe affecting the direction of that change.

How do you create your characters?
 - Make sure that Ambition, Cunning and Vigilance add up to 9 and make sure that none of them exceed 6.
 - Pick 4 Talents.
 - Calculate your character's Obstacle Rating (OR) it is (Ambition + 2 x Cunning + Vigilance + Lowest Pool).
 - Select a Goal and a Drawback. A Goal should be both Epic and Achievable (e.g., My super scientist will find a cure for cancer). Drawback should be the character flaw that makes that hard to do (e.g., All my super scientist cares about is money)
 - Set your Purity to between +3 Purity and +3 Corruption.
 - Name them and pick a Clan.

How do your characters advance in ability?
  Advancement would be an Intention in a #6 style conflict

How is social interaction handled?
  This is a universal mechanic, social, mental, physical or combat conflicts are all handled with this mechanic. I have played several hours of just the mechanic with a friend and it seems to work as I intended.

How do you deal with Player vs Environment-type stuff?
  Six ways to resolve narration, which one is right for you?
1) Free narration - Try to really rely on this. If crossing a gorge gets the players into conflict with someone else faster, don't waste time trying to figure out the odds of the characters succeeding at crossing the gorge.
2) Purity - This is really just free narration with a twist. If a character's actions are pure, reward them.
3) Corruption - If players are taking the dark path, mark their progress on the Purity track.
4) Personal gain - The guiding star for this option should be the character's drawback. Any time the drawback is part of a scene, you should be ready to push the character farther from their goal.
5) Advancement - These moments are usually pretty obvious, be sure to reward them mechanically.
6) Conflict - Try not to overuse this. You want to limit this to times where someone has the ability to resist the characters and a good reason to exert the effort.

  Let's see, Ambition, Cunning and Vigilance are your stats, the Pools are static numbers that get added to the dice after hey are rolled and assigned. Talents are like skills that give you bonus dice when you use them (you get to roll 4 dice instead of 3, but you still only keep 3). Abuse is the harm you take from the conflict. After you assign the effect (penalty dice), it goes back to 0 before the next scene or conflict. Mastermind is the GM.

  Um, it's all clear in my mind, is this easier to decode for an outsider?
Dave M
Come visit
http://dindenver.blogspot.com/
 And tell me what you think
Free Demo of Legends of Lanasia RPG