Finding Direction: Looking for a design partner
I’ve allowed this blog to lie fallow for some time for multiple reasons. I haven’t been doing as much gaming since I moved, and I haven’t had the energy to keep up with projects like the 3.5e D&D character designs. There are several games I would love to get into, including Pathfinder, Cthulhutech and Rogue Trader (when it comes out), and with my birthday coming up I’m hoping I might get a core book for a new game to help spark something.
Another primary reason has been that I tend to have trouble fully realizing a game project. I start with great enthusiasm and a plethora of ideas, but I start running into walls of perfectionism and unexpected necessities; I get bogged down in things, I try to do too many things at once, I realize things I need to be adding in that I hadn’t anticipated. My energy runs out, and I get stuck staring despondently at the unfinished project, never going back to it even though I say I will.
What I need is a design partner, someone to help out by working on the bits that frustrate me, keep me focused and motivate me when I get run down. There are certain aspects of game design that I find I have little taste for (equipment lists, fiddly spot rules for things like fire, falling and poison, etc.) and it would be great to find someone who enjoys or at least doesn’t mind those things, and also enjoys bouncing around ideas to watch something grow.
The person I’m looking for would be a full partner, of course. I’m not looking for a lackey or someone to mooch work from. Yes, at first I’d want this person to help me finish the projects I have started (my Game Fu games, and so on), but I’d also want to do the same for this prospective partner. After that, the sky’s the limit.
Ideally, I’d also like for this person to know or have some idea about publishing, even if it’s just putting stuff up on Lulu. Getting my/our stuff out there and deriving a little bit of income from it is a goal.
The question now is, where to begin? Do I go onto the RPG forums I visit and start asking around? Should I try to increase the visibility of this post and hope to attract the right eyes? I’m thinking a bit of both. Now I just have to get psyched up and do it. Not knowing where to begin is a real problem, but being afraid to try is an absolute killer.
Game Fu 6: Robotica
I dilly-dallied way too much for this version of the contest. Stormhunters was a great concept, but I kept picking at myself, trying to figure out exactly what I wanted the focus to be, and how I was going to do certain things. As usual, I started with far too grandiose a vision, and by the time I narrowed it down to Ghostbusters-style action in the wake of tornadoes, I’d burned far too much time and energy.
So I went back to the ingredients list and started again. I liked the idea of shapeshifters, but I wanted to do it in a different fashion. A friend had been talking about BattleTech a lot, and inspired by the idea of the Clan OmniMechs as well as the Alchemical Exalted and their modular Charms, I decided that the characters would be robots that “shapeshifted” by swapping equipment modules. I also kept the “archetypes” ingredient, and soon realized that I was looking at a very old-school setup, with four basic “classes”. The difference is that the robot’s archetype can be swapped, changing the basic stats. The game is all about the robot characters performing missions and gaining credits to buy better equipment and upgrade themselves. Straight to the essence of old D&D, if you ask me.
I had only about four days left when I actually started writing, and even then I couldn’t concentrate for more than an hour at a time. I did manage to squeak in a complete, if bare-bones, document, but a lot is missing. The document contains the basic concept, the dice mechanic (1d10, blackjack roll-under), the four basic archetypes, nine or ten modules for each of the four attributes, quick and dirty rules on mission and credits (which serve as XP and money all rolled together) and some stats for hazards. It is available for download in two places:
I was working at very high speed to finish the document late last night, so the prices for modules are instinctual and not anything resembling balanced. Ideally I’d like to go back and put some more work into it, preferably with some help. It’s an idea I’d like to share.
Game Fu 6: Initial Concepts
I had an idea before the contest started, but I didn’t think I could pick ingredients to match the concept. After staring at the list long enough, however, I found I could make it work. (Ingredients list is in this post. You can view the whole thread from there if you wish.)
Our three categories this time are system, setting and tagline. “Tagline” is a short phrase describing something about the game, a bit like you’d read on the back cover, and must be constructed from two individual phrases. With a bit of work, I came up with the following. This is the initial concept for my project, Stormhunters.
System
* There is a goal based system that gives experience for character improvement
* Character creation is based on archetypes, but characters may change archetypes during downtime.
* Damage in combat is not random.
Setting
* “Monsters” are not real life forms. They condense out of the air / some other medium to attack people when it is disturbed.
Tagline
* The threat of Nature over all forces us to ask: what is Evil?
Concept
In our world, intrepid men and women seek to understand the forces of Nature in order to better predict the coming of violent storms. In doing so, they hope to save lives. These stormchasers put their very lives at risk in order to advance our knowledge.
In a world just a short step away from ours, the forces of Nature are not blind and dumb. They are possessed of will and desire, and what they want is often at odds with human wellbeing. Storms seek out and destroy human habitation, leaving spirits and monsters in their wake to further the havoc after the initial strike. Ordinary people are helpless against them; indeed, ordinary people do not know these things, and would not believe if told. Only stormhunters — men and women dedicated to protecting humanity against these forces — stand in the way of the destruction. Posing as stormchasers, the stormhunters exist in a twilight world between the mundane and the paranormal, both equally dangerous.
Stormhunters live a life of constant travel across the heartland of the United States and mind-numbing boredom punctuated by episodes of thundering fury and blinding terror in battle against a storm. To those who float through life untouched by the power of the storms, those who do not believe in the danger of the storms or the spirits that spawn from them, the stormhunters are useless drifters. To those who owe their lives to a stormhunter’s diligence and courage, the stormhunters are heroes.
Stormhunters draw resources from groups scattered throughout the country, but the bankrolls are never enough. They can count on support from some individuals throughout the nation’s heartland — former stormhunters and their families and friends, people saved by stormhunters in time of need — but even then they must carefully husband their resources and make difficult choices. The larger a stormhunter group is, the more effective it is, but the more expensive it is to maintain.
One question lurks in the mind of every stormhunter, however: are the storms and their monsters evil? Is nature malignant, or is it simply uncaring of human suffering and dreams? The question may not matter. Every human life saved by the efforts of the stormhunters and their stormchaser compatriots is a victory.
Game-Fu 6: Here We Go Again
Rather surprisingly, the group perked up suddenly and wanted another go. We’re starting tomorrow at 4 PM GMT / 10 AM EDT, and running until September 6th. I’m looking forward to actually being able to compete this time, without any stressful distractions.
A Totally New Take on the Old World
Fantasy Flight Games have let loose something of a tempest with their announcement of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 3rd Edition. In a nutshell, FFG are taking WFRP in an almost completely new direction, one that resembles the choices made by D&D 4th Edition in some ways.
The response was immediate and has been somewhat predictable: strong resistance to the edition shift for multiple reasons, and a rising tide of criticism of the resistance. We’ve seen this all before (the D&D 4e wars most recently) and we’ll see it all again, of course. In this particular iteration of the battle I find myself straddling the line.
(For a look at the “old-school” community reaction, check out Grognardia. Also note the reaction to the reaction.)
I’ve never been invested in WFRP, let’s make that clear right from the start. Most of my negative response comes from two areas: dislike of the premature termination of an edition in order to produce a fresh cash-cow, and the shift toward board game elements and away from a traditional RPG setup. WFRP 2nd Edition was widely hailed as an excellent refinement of the initial release with good production values and solid content. The line was progressing well, but was lacking several important books that were eagerly anticipated by the fanbase. The termination of the line leaves that material unwritten, potential unrealized.
Secondly, I have come to realize that I am a staunch traditionalist when it comes to RPGs. Character sheets, numbered dice and books, those are the tools of the trade to me. Power cards should be an optional accessory — I recognize their usefulness (Exalted sure as hell could use a nice professional Charm Card set!), but I shouldn’t have to have them if I don’t want them. Custom dice belong to games like Dragon Dice; Throwing Stones didn’t make the cut, so why try to emulate it now?
In addition to the change in tools, the style of the game itself is being manipulated. WFRP is supposed to be a dangerous and gritty game of dark fantasy, not a 4e-like stage for heroes to blaze about with nigh-impunity. I respect that, even though I’ve never played it, because these days it’s actually quite different. WFRP 3e will change all that. While this shift in tone is in line with the current trend toward epic heroics, it comes at the sacrifice of part of Warhammer’s identity.
On the other side, however, part of me likes playing games with funky dice, and these are funky enough to be novel while still resembling “real” dice. The art visible in the release is attractive (unless you dislike the over-the-top GW style), and the production values on the new edition should be high.
Also, part of the barrier between WFRP and me was the same tone I mentioned earlier. I do not like that kind of play; I don’t play Call of Cthulhu for much the same reason. I prefer being able to make a real difference if necessary, or the world not constantly being on the tipping point and held back from the Abyss only by the constant sacrifice of heroes. Being able to kick a little more butt could be a good thing.
The US $99.99 price point is painful, and I’m not sure I believe the contents of the box are quite that expensive. I certainly won’t have that much money to invest in a single RPG product any time in the near future. I would sit down and give it a try if I had the opportunity. Ultimately, I think this product would do better with its own identity instead of a new edition of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, but I’m not ready to sound the alarm at this early stage.
Words of Recall
The upheaval in my life that had prevented me from making entries in this blog is finally settled, so I look forward to getting back to talking about my personal gaming experiences and ideas. I wanted, however, to briefly address the fact that I will not be addressing a major issue which is shaking up the gaming community at this moment: the Wizards of the Coast Fan Site Kit debacle.
I have nothing to say about D&D 4e, which means I also have nothing to say about WotC at this time. I think their behavior is ludicrous, but this blog is supposed to be about my personal thoughts regarding RPGs. Other people are covering the story a lot better than I could in a lot of other places. I let myself get embroiled in the PDF/”piracy” brouhaha and though I believed I had something worth saying, and saying it brought people to read my words, I probably should have just left it alone.
Now that life is settling down I want to get back to working on Simfanad and my seasonal fantasy setting. I also have a d20 Modern/Future campaign I’m working up to run for a couple friends that I would like to talk about — Blade Runner-style action and investigation set against the backdrop of post-Masters Robotech. One of those friends is going to run a Macross-style BESM game with thematic elements pulled from that universe as well as The Mysterious Cities of Gold that feels like it’s going to be an amazing creation, and the other friend is thinking about trying to run a modern G.I. Joe game using Spycraft First Edition. So, lots to talk about in the upcoming days and weeks.
3.5 Resurgent
This blog is officially 3.5 Resurgent Certified.
Taken from Randall at RetroRoleplaying:
Is D&D 3.5 your favorite version of D&D? If your group is still playing and wants to show the world that not only is 3.5 still alive but there a lot of people still playing it, the 3.5 Resurgent graphic may be just what your campaign web site or your blog needs. As many old school gamers have found, community can really help keep out-of-print games alive.
Game Fu 5: Non-finish!
I just didn’t have what it took to handle the Real Life situation and complete a game, especially given the somewhat uninspiring ingredients list we were given this time. I did, however, get a great setting that is non-specific about system and could be used for games like Everway or Maelstrom Storytelling, and I’m happy with that. I’ve been wanting to do system-agnostic settings for a while. I can expand what I’ve got here in just about any direction.
I couldn’t get an answer on whether the two people judging wanted a third partner, so it looks like that’s that for me. I’ll read the entries, of course, but now my responsibilities are over. I would have liked to have an entry done, but life took the worst opportunity, as it usually will.
Quick Updates
I am still working on my Game Fu 5 project, temporarily and tentatively titled Seasonalis. I haven’t posted anything about it because I’ve been busy dealing with a hellacious Real Life situation which, fortunately, seems to be resolving well. I’m almost done with the basic setting information for the document and have pretty much settled on a “bid and win narrative control” system that will make it much more a story game than a traditional RPG. This is quite strange for me, given that I cling rather tightly to traditional RPG structure.
I made a quick Simfanad tweak this morning to resolve something that’s been bothering me for a while. During the customization stage of character creation, you may now spend up to two of your points on the “non-skill” ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom and Speed). This will help with differentiation so that not every starting Dwarf Fighter or Halfling Rogue is exactly the same in those areas.
If I make sufficient progress on Seasonalis I will post more updates, but I want to focus my efforts on getting it finished. I don’t know why, but I’ve decided not to take the “develop in the open” route this time like I did with 1914. Hopefully I’ll be able to get it done in time.
Game Fu 5: A Sample Island
As an example of what an island will look like in this universe, I present a sample based on Chinese myth and ancient history.
The Mountain of Fruit and Flowers
The Mountain of Fruit and Flowers is a great peak covered in flourishing forests which gives its name to its island. It rises several miles as one passes inward, until its very top gazes outward over the clouds and an ocean of leaves and blossoms. On a clear day the sharp-eyed can see almost to the Winter from the crimson and gold palace that sits atop the Mountain.
Rivers burst forth from the Mountain and tumble down in great waterfalls, dropping into the lands below on their way toward the border. These waterways meander, rushing over rocky rapids or flowing sluggishly past fields and hills in a great variety of moods.
People: The inhabitants of the Mountain are a slender, black-haired and dark-eyed people who dress in colorful flowing embroidered silks. Their speech has a musical quality and is laced with poetic descriptions and allusions. The people of the Mountain are fond of song and literature, and they keep vast libraries of scrolls (both cloth and linked strips of wood). They are ruled by a Sage-King, who relies on his court officials to help maintain order.
Spring: The Mountain’s Spring encompasses the summit and upper slopes. Here the trees and flowers bloom riotously, filling the air with tantalizing scents and colors blowing in the breezes. The very top of the mountain is a plateau fully occupied by the Sage-King’s palace, a grand structure of many wings, squares and courts. Paths flow down around the mountain to the Sun and Stars Library, a vast repository of knowledge, and the Temple of Radiant Health, the greatest house of healing in all of the island.
Fruit grows and ripens on the trees and vines in easy reach, just waiting to be plucked. That which is not gathered and eaten falls to the ground and quickly passes back into the soil. Ever-replenishing blossoms fill the wind with fragrant petals, often accompanied by the music of a flute or zither and the calls of the many magical birds and beasts moving among the forests. These creatures are wise, crafty and often mischievous, with the intelligence and cunning of humans.
Summer: Further down, the Mountain broadens and the slope gentles. Beginning with cut terraces on the lower face of the Mountain itself and passing into broad fields and swimming rice paddies, the land gives way from exploding vibrant life to more ordered human settlement. The paths of the Mountain become stone and packed-earth roads which cut the countryside into sections. Bamboo grows tall on the Mountain’s feet, giving way to broad leafy trees further out. The animals lose the intelligence of those on the Mountain itself, but remain healthy and strong.
Settlements usually gather around communal farming, with towns sprouting up on crucial crossroads for trade among the people. Wayside inns line the long circular roads that pass around the Mountain, offering shelter, food and hot tea to travellers for a fair price.
As the Summer radiates outward, hardier grains appear in the fields and cleared lands are home to farms raising livestock and horses. These give way to school campuses and the homes and workshops of craftsmen, placed to take advantage of the flow of raw materials and trade coming in from the Autumn and outward for delivery to other islands.
Autumn: The Mountain’s Autumn is home to the training academies and barracks of the island’s fighting force. Mines dig deep under the hills and stone quarries which provide for the defensive walls change the face of the land. Carefully-maintained gardens provide a slow supply of gourd-like vegetables which can survive the frosts.
Here the leaves grow gold, orange, red and brown, and the fragrance of the Spring’s flowers and Summer’s fields is replaced by that of fall and evergreen. Game is scarcer than in Summer, but often quite strong; however, toward the outer boundaries, wolves and cats become malicious and devious, and even the deer are belligerent and willing to kill simply for being disturbed.
A great stone wall describes much of the circumference of the island, covering as much of the land as it can. This wall is in places thirty feet high, and can be twenty feet thick. It is dotted by square watchtowers and topped by a flat paved surface to allow troops to move along it in ease and safety. The presence of the wall and the watchtowers has formed a stabilized ring that the denizens of the Mountain count as the island’s border, even though the Autumn and Winter mingle for a distance beyond it.
In four places along the wall’s ring are trade ports, sheltered against the wall itself. Gestalts and the most intrepid of normal people depart from and arrive at the Mountain here. Each port bustles with merchants, representatives of the Sage-King’s bureaucracy, Gestalts, troops and more, despite the chill weather, the rain and the snow.
