I know dice mechanics for task resolution are the RPG equivalent of stupid pet tricks, but...
Just thought of a new dice mechanic...if it works I might use it in octaNe.
Roll your six-sided dice (usually a number of dice between 4 and :cool:...
You're looking for a "straight" (consective numbers) -- the hitch is that the straight must start with 1. The highest die in the straight is your number for that roll.
1 = 1
1, 2 = 2
1, 2, 3= 3
Etc.
If you roll doubles, you can count the doubles as two numbers in the sequence but only to link to a higher die.
So, 1, 2, 3, 3, 5 is 1, 2, 3, (4), 5 for a total of 5. But 1, 2, 3, 3, 6 would still be 1, 2, 3, (4) so its total is 3.
Does this make sense?
Is it simpler than what I have already?
What happens if you don't roll any 1's ?
Brutal, bitter failure. That's a big 0.
That's a lot of dice.
How does the mechanic fit into a system?
Oh, I dunno. You roll dice, you try and score the highest number in a 1-x straight. It's kinda meaningless...probably set it aside.
Here's a wacky thought:
The "scene" starts. Based on some set of factors, each "side" (perhaps more than 2?) gets a number of dice, and rolls 'em.
Highest strait (as Jared described) goes first, starts describing the scene.
Others can "spend" some aspect of character currency (if I understand what Ron means there) to reroll some of their dice, in the hopes of achieving a "higher" strait.
If succesful, they can modify what the previous "top man" was claiming.
hmm. . . this is starting to sound like Hero Wars bidding with a different mechanic . . .
Anyway, just a thought.
Gordon C. Landis