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Experiences with Risus

Started by Monster Manuel, January 29, 2013, 03:32:00 PM

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Monster Manuel

January 29, 2013, 03:32:00 PM Last Edit: January 29, 2013, 03:46:31 PM by Monster Manuel
I posted a somewhat similar thread a few days ago about aspects, and in doing research on them I found a game that doesn't quite use them, but which has a similar loose style of play.

Risus. http://www222.pair.com/sjohn/risus15.htm

Instead of aspects, it uses the similar concept of "Cliches", which work like old school character classes. I won't hash out the rules because they're brief and at that link.

What do you guys think of the concept of the game and the rules as written?

Have you played it, and if so, what did you think of it?

How suitable is it to longer, more serious campaigns?

What rules have you found to expand the core rules to make it more useful?

Thanks.
Proud Graduate of Parallel University.

The Mosaic Oracle is on sale now. It\'s a raw, open-sourced game design Toolk/Kit based on Lurianic Kabbalah and Lambda Calculus that uses English key words to build statements. If you can tell stories, you can make it work. It fits on one page. Wait for future games if you want something basic; an implementation called Wonders and Worldlings is coming soon.

Philotomy Jurament

#1
January 29, 2013, 04:25:28 PM
Quote from: Monster Manuel;623007What do you guys think of the concept of the game and the rules as written?

I think it's a good match of approach and system.  That is, a very simple system paired with a lighthearted, not-so-serious approach that just focuses on fun (and humor).

QuoteHave you played it, and if so, what did you think of it?

I have an actual play thread describing my first time running Risus.

I thought it was fun, but it's not a system I'd adopt as a frequent-play game.  More of an occasional one-shot thing.

QuoteHow suitable is it to longer, more serious campaigns?

I'm sure somebody could do it, but it wouldn't  be my choice for longer/serious games.

QuoteWhat rules have you found to expand the core rules to make it more useful?

Can't say that I've explored it beyond the core rules.
The problem is not that power corrupts, but that the corruptible are irresistibly drawn to the pursuit of power. Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito.

Phillip

#2
January 30, 2013, 01:47:22 PM
The basic idea of 'cliches' is nifty, but I find the mathematics of Risus irksome.

One way to loosen up the spread of outcomes is to do things a la Hero Wars, i.e., keep the chance of winning a round the same (not reducing the number of dice rolled) while deducting from a tally of points for a lost round. There are other ways as well.

Risus seems to me as if someone had taken the couple or so (digest sized) pages of combat tables from the original D&D Book 1, added several pages about complicated ways of tossing dice, and then called that a "role-playing game".
And we are here as on a darkling plain  ~ Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight, ~ Where ignorant armies clash by night.

Monster Manuel

#3
January 30, 2013, 02:17:45 PM
Quote from: Phillip;623231One way to loosen up the spread of outcomes is to do things a la Hero Wars, i.e., keep the chance of winning a round the same (not reducing the number of dice rolled) while deducting from a tally of points for a lost round. There are other ways as well.

Can you explain this a bit more? I'm not familiar with Hero Wars, and don't get what you mean by deducting from a tally of points. My only guess is that you mean that a challenge should have a number of HP of sorts. If so, how would the number of points for a challenge be determined?
Proud Graduate of Parallel University.

The Mosaic Oracle is on sale now. It\'s a raw, open-sourced game design Toolk/Kit based on Lurianic Kabbalah and Lambda Calculus that uses English key words to build statements. If you can tell stories, you can make it work. It fits on one page. Wait for future games if you want something basic; an implementation called Wonders and Worldlings is coming soon.

Votan

#4
January 30, 2013, 02:25:44 PM
I have played Risus in a campaign.  It can be very fun but you really need to have the right attitude. Cliches are very dissociated and imagination can make up for the complete lack of anything relevant on the character sheet.  

I would do it again, but it is not my favorite system.

Phillip

#5
January 30, 2013, 02:32:24 PM
Standard Risus: You start with, say, 3 dice vs. 4 (already grossly bad odds), then go down to 2, then 1, then 0. The chance of winning the whole protracted process is next to nil once you're at a one-dice disadvantage, so some may wonder Why bother?.

The alternative I referred to: You start with 3 "hit points" (to borrow a familiar game term) in that particular contest. If that tally goes down to 2, etc., you still roll your 3 dice for your cliche -- or however many you get if you switch to another.

However, whoever gets down to 0 points is out of the contest.
And we are here as on a darkling plain  ~ Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight, ~ Where ignorant armies clash by night.
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