"They'll have to pry X out of my cold, dead hands!"

beejazz · September 25, 2006, 02:58:16 PM

Quote from: VellorianAs an aside, I've been playtesting a dicepool mechanic that has two different kinds of success in a single role and where the goal is not to accumulate "as many dice as possible," but provides players the means to lower difficulty or gain extra actions by sacrificing attribute or skill dice. It's called "sliding" the difficulty.

I think you might like it.

As a side note, I'll have to check that out. I'm looking in to using dicepools for hit locations and/or tiered damage. It's fun what you can do with "number of successes."

And back to on-topic: Mechanic: Lots of options. If it's a point-buy game, I had better have OPTIONS. If it's a class and level game, there had better be at least 20 classes. If there are feats, there had better be a couple hundred, and the same goes for spells. I don't care *how* you handle character creation so long as I can create lots and lots of off the wall shit.

fonkaygarry · September 25, 2006, 03:01:38 PM

I'm so easy on mechanics and themes that it's a little crazy.

Dice pools or straight dice? Yes.

HP or Health Levels? Sure.

Levels or no? Okay.

So long as the game isn't so broken I can feel it radiating from the book in waves of dark power (see: Synnibar, also reference not a game: Wushu, et al.), I'll give it a shot.

Caesar Slaad · September 25, 2006, 03:03:06 PM

Quote from: VellorianMechanic: Must use dice, preferably a dicepool verses a single die. (And no none of this "add them all together" nonsense!)

Here:
Mechanic: Must use dice, preferably a fixed number of dice instead pf a varying dicepool. If it muse be a dicepool, prefer binomial to additive, and lots of fidgety little extensions like special colored dice, magic number combos on odd tuesdays, etc., are right out.

Nicephorus · September 25, 2006, 03:09:14 PM

Play must be reasonably quick. A simple combat shouldn't take all night, even with inexperienced players. You shouldn't have to consult more than 2 charts, perform complex math, or make more than 2-3 rolls to figure out what happens for a single action.

Otherwise, I can't think of much that I require to be present every time.

flyingmice · September 25, 2006, 03:14:55 PM

Quote from: VellorianAs an aside, I've been playtesting a dicepool mechanic that has two different kinds of success in a single role and where the goal is not to accumulate "as many dice as possible," but provides players the means to lower difficulty or gain extra actions by sacrificing attribute or skill dice. It's called "sliding" the difficulty.

I think you might like it.

That sounds a lot like what I've been doing with StarPool. I'm interested!

-clash

HinterWelt · September 25, 2006, 03:38:38 PM

Theme: Good and Evil often use the same tactics but for subtle differences in objective.

Mechanic: Ability to improve. I do not like iconic characters or games where I cannot improve.

Wandering Monster · September 25, 2006, 04:01:35 PM

Theme: Evil rarely, if ever, identifies itself as such. Those who are considered Evil often think that they are doing "the right thing in the situation."

Co-theme: There is no such thing as a malefic religion (I find it too hard to willingly suspend disbelief in that regard... a legacy of far too many years studying religion). Insane cultists, on the other hand, are always a good addition to any genre.

Element: Cinematic battles with an obscene number of "innocents" running around, screaming, and generally getting in the way whenever possible.

RPGPundit · September 25, 2006, 04:32:05 PM

Mine is almost certainly the absolute power the GM has over his game.

Hence my absolute sense of sickening revulsion at most Forge games.

For mechanics, there's really none that I am particularly tied to in a positive sense; though there are a few that I don't like at all (dice pools).

As far as themes are concerned: the significance of the individual and his power to make a difference, and the cyclical and inevitable corruption or incompetence of organizations unless kept in check by good individuals.

RPGPundit

Caesar Slaad · September 25, 2006, 04:41:05 PM

Quote from: RPGPunditMine is almost certainly the absolute power the GM has over his game.

"You dare defy my whims? I am the gamemaster. You are my pawns. I have created the world you see before you. I CONTROL YOUR FATE!" - Dexter, in Dexter's Laboratory episode "D&DD".

Bagpuss · September 25, 2006, 06:12:49 PM

Element: Balance and Realism.

Nah I'm kidding, if I needed them I wouldn't be playing any RPG.

More seriously, I'm not sure I have anything like that at least as a GM.

droog · September 25, 2006, 07:04:27 PM

I refuse to do without FUN!!!

Balbinus · September 25, 2006, 08:21:40 PM

Quote from: droogI refuse to do without FUN!!!

Meh. Much of life isn't really fun. I find to better enhance immersion and to create a real feeling of verisimilitude it's best generally to avoid fun only having it every couple of sessions. For historical games, to reflect the generally decreased leisure time available in most periods, I prefer to only permit fun every four to six sessions.

David R · September 25, 2006, 08:38:21 PM

Theme : I create a setting.

I allow the pcs to exist in it.

They rebel.....and they have a plan.

Regards,
David R

mattormeg · September 25, 2006, 09:11:31 PM

Theme: magic is erratic, sometimes weak, usually dangerous and corrupting.

Settembrini · September 26, 2006, 03:50:00 AM

Random Character Generation.