Quote from: flyingmiceThat would be silly, Dan! Keep talking, and reminding folks about the game! It's so easy to forget and see the next new shiny!

-clash

You're probably right. I might post up the table of contents some time soon. That gives a bit of an idea as to my progress too.

Quote from: James J SkachI'm with Clash.  Don't stop.  And don't take silence as distaste.  Between you, Spike, and trying to code a shell for the new site, I barely have time to work.

It's fantastic work!  I'm going to have to get the source material for some reading pleasure...

Cheers James. I guess it's just a bit awkward when it feels like you're speaking to yourself! I'm not going to stop the project, but thought about cutting back what i'm posting if interest wanes.

James is right. I do this all the time myself - taking silence for disinterest - and end up shooting myself in the foot. It comes from your reptile hindbrain saying "stupid mammal! You're the only one who would possibly care about this! You're embarassing yourself!" coupled with the voyeuristic viewing habits of most TV bred folks. If you're enjoying what's going on, a natural instinct is to sit back and watch rather than participate. This is especially true when someone has a much beter grasp of what's going on than you - you tend to "listen to the experts" rather than  - height of hubris! - intrude on the monologue.

Keep talking! People ARE listening!

-clash

Hi.  My name is Jim.  And I'm scared to talk about Stone Horizons because I don't know enough about the source material...

In all seriousness, what I've read is really interesting. I'd love to participate, but I don't think I have a good enough feel for the material. Hence, my silence.

Like I said, I'm definitely looking into the source - which gives me the opportunity to clarify - I will also be looking at SH when it arrives in final form!

Quote from: James J SkachHi.  My name is Jim.  And I'm scared to talk about Stone Horizons because I don't know enough about the source material...

Fair enough. My name is Dan and i'm scared...well, that's it really!

As promised, here are the tables of contents, along with a guide to my progress. I'll be popping along to this post to edit in new numbers every now and then so that you can check on my progress if you want to!

Where there is no 'pgs' notation next to the entry, i haven't started work on that section yet. If it has a number of pages next to it, i have finished that section and where it has a number of pages followed by a + sign, that means the section isn't complete yet.

This thread is a bit bloggy now, but i prefer a thread on the forum to using the blog feature here.

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Types of Game 3 pgs
Genre 1 pg
Environments 2 pgs +
Construction & Building Types 1 pg +
Flora & Fauna 1 pg +
Building Cultures & Communities 4 pgs
The View From the Horizon 4 pgs

Players Section - Character Creation

Statistics
Races 3 pgs
Master Feature Table 1 pg
Feature Entries 37 pgs +
General Skills 1 pg
General Special Abilities 1 pg
Affiliations & Rivalries 1 pg
Goals & Ambitions 4 pgs
Skills 6 pgs +
Combat 2 pgs
Scenes, Rounds & Movement 1 pg
Special Abilities 16 pgs +
Status 6 pgs
Character Advancement 1 pg
Equipment
The Horizon

Veiled Horizons – The GMs Section

The Architects 8 pgs +
Problems & Politics Master Table 1 pg
Vermin Table 3 pgs +
Special Features Table 2 pgs +
Night Terrors Table 1 pg +
Supplies & Resources Table 1 pg +
Structural & Environmental Table 1 pg +
Disease Table
Lurking Menaces Table 1 pg +
Politics Table 4 pgs
Unsolved Crimes Table 1 pg
Magical Table
NPC Generation Tables 5 pgs

Character Advancement

Your character increases a level in experience whenever his Status is permenantly improved by 1 point. This raise in Status can be the result of solving a problem in the area or by achieving one of your character's goals.

Once you have gained a level of experience there are two ways in which you can improve your character. The effect of these improvements depends on whether your character stays in his current feature or decides to join another feature. In Exploration type games, you are not restricted in your choice of features by the local area in which you find yourself. It is presumed that you pass through many features during your travels and can pick up the requisite knowledge needed to gain the skills and special abilities offered by your eventual choice.

Staying in your Current Feature

If you choose to stay in your current feature, spend 2 points on skills that your feature grants you. You cannot raise a skill by more than 1 point per level. You also gain 1 point to spend on a special ability granted by your current feature. Finally, increase the rating of all of your Rivalries by 1 point.

Alternatively, you can eschew the chance to improve your skills and special abilities, choosing instead to add 1 point to a Statistic that the feature already grants a modification to.  Raise the rating of all of your Rivalries by 1 point.

Changing Features

If you decide to move to another local feature, then you receive 3 points to spend on skills that the new feature grants. You also gain 2 points to spend on a single special ability granted by your new feature. When moving to a new feature, your Status score is reduced by 1 point (returning it to the rating you had before gaining a level and reflecting the sometimes rigid social structure of Stone Horizons). Do not increase the ratings of your Rivalries. You do not gain the Status score or the Stat modifiers of the new location. Changing features might require a Scene or two to arrange and can be the catalyst for gaining new Affiliations & Rivalries. Unlike your starting feature, you do not automatically gain an Affiliation with your new one and indeed, you might lose your Affiliation with your previous features.

Once you have made all of the adjustments to your character sheet, make a note of your new level.

Have you read Smallcreep's Day? It's set in an 'infinite' factory.

Also Jose Luis Borges had a short story about a library that contained every possible combination of the alphabet, I think.

Quote from: Age of FableHave you read Smallcreep's Day? It's set in an 'infinite' factory.

Also Jose Luis Borges had a short story about a library that contained every possible combination of the alphabet, I think.

Nope, i've missed those!

Here's one of the 60+ special abilities. Each feature provides 1 or 2 of them and quite a few are only available in a single feature. The (F) suffix denotes that this ability might only be suitible for a fantasy/sci-fi game of SH.

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Concoctions (F)

Features: Laboratories, Alchemists Tents

Description: Once per game session, you may attempt a Concoctions test to see if you have an alchemical preparation that will help in a skill test. If you succeed, then you can supply a concoction that bestows 1 bonus die to the attempt for each success achieved in a Concoctions test. These bonus dice are used in the skill test nominated. Example: Jonas Blackbread needs to open the lock to the storeroom in order to escape his captors. Luckily, Mixermatch the alchemist is incarcerated along with him. Mixermatch empties his pockets to see if he has a concoction that will help. He achieves one success in his Concoctions test. Success! He has a vial of his Miraculous Mechanical Insight concoction on him and hands it to Jonas. Jonas now adds 1 die to his open locks test, as he drinks the concoction and benefits from its properties.

I really like what you've come up with the -especially the flora and fauna, the rules on changing features, concoctions - Well done, keep at it !

Cheers.  Here's a little peek at one of the cornerstones of the system. I'm not letting much out of the bag with this one 'cos it's central to the game in many ways.

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Spending Your Points

Affiliations are ties of friendship, alliance in a cause, or the ties that hold communities and workplaces together. An affiliation gives you the benefit of the doubt when relating a controversial accusation or asking for aid. In short, an affiliation gives you an ally.

Rivalries pit a character against someone who disagrees with his views, sees him as a threat to his promotion or illustrates an irrational dislike. For each point of an open affiliation that the player creates, the GM creates 1 point of a secret rivalry and for each point of an open rivalry the player creates; the GM creates one point of a secret affiliation. In this way, there is a trade off to the process that creates a nice web of inter-connecting relationships; some that are known from the outset and some that will only be revealed during play.

It is up to you as the player how many affiliations and rivalries you buy, but 1st level characters are limited to a total number of 2 points. Add 1 point to this maximum for each additional level beyond first that you start the game with. You may want to spend more points in a local game in order to keep the smaller area interesting. Buying more than 2 points for the same affiliation or rivalry could create an unshakable alliance or hatred once you start increasing in level so should only be done with great care.

All characters start with a free open affiliation of 1 point with the feature where they are starting play.

A bit of flavour text from the laboratory feature now. I haven't done a great deal since last time. New job and trying to make sure i have a roof over my head are eating up my time.

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16Laboratories

The glassware was late. Without it, the sublimation of the essential oils could not take place and that wasn't...good. The laboratory had ground to a halt for Mizzlewish to conduct his experiments and now that his supplies were late he was the victim of a number of stares that could have cut glass better than any diamond - if he had any of the damned stuff, of course.

Normally, the Tunnel Wardens were prompt, so it occurred to Mizzlewish that something had happened in the transfer between the warehouse and the laboratory. There were miles of tunnels to navigate to get to the laboratory, miles of dangerous territory where anything could happen.

As if reading his thoughts, a boiling mass of coiling centipedes emerged in a terrifying tumble from the nearest tunnel entrance, heading straight for the labs. Without thinking Mizzlewish picked up his essential oils and lobbed the concoction at the swarm. It exploded in a ball of fire, frying the vermin to black ribbons and jetting a column of black smoke up the walls.

"What was in that beaker Mizzlewish?" asked the duty leader in hushed tones.

Mizzlewish's mouth was a silent 'o' of sudden terror. "Damned if I know," he sobbed at last. "Nothing important. Carry on." His weeping could be heard echoing up the corridor as he tottered from the laboratory towards the dormitory.

Quote from: One Horse TownA bit of flavour text from the laboratory feature now. I haven't done a great deal since last time. New job and trying to make sure i have a roof over my head are eating up my time.

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16Laboratories

The glassware was late. Without it, the sublimation of the essential oils could not take place and that wasn't...good. The laboratory had ground to a halt for Mizzlewish to conduct his experiments and now that his supplies were late he was the victim of a number of stares that could have cut glass better than any diamond - if he had any of the damned stuff, of course.

Normally, the Tunnel Wardens were prompt, so it occurred to Mizzlewish that something had happened in the transfer between the warehouse and the laboratory. There were miles of tunnels to navigate to get to the laboratory, miles of dangerous territory where anything could happen.

As if reading his thoughts, a boiling mass of coiling centipedes emerged in a terrifying tumble from the nearest tunnel entrance, heading straight for the labs. Without thinking Mizzlewish picked up his essential oils and lobbed the concoction at the swarm. It exploded in a ball of fire, frying the vermin to black ribbons and jetting a column of black smoke up the walls.

"What was in that beaker Mizzlewish?" asked the duty leader in hushed tones.

Mizzlewish's mouth was a silent 'o' of sudden terror. "Damned if I know," he sobbed at last. "Nothing important. Carry on." His weeping could be heard echoing up the corridor as he tottered from the laboratory towards the dormitory.

Awesome! I was just about to ask how things were going!  

-clash

Quote from: flyingmiceAwesome! I was just about to ask how things were going!  

-clash

Badly! I hate money, or the lack of. Hopefully i'll still have somewhere to live at the end of the month...:deflated: