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Archive => Indie Game Design => Topic started by: Bryan Hansel on February 12, 2006, 01:38:54 PM

Title: [Secret Waitress] Power 19 and Setting
Post by: Bryan Hansel on February 12, 2006, 01:38:54 PM
Power 19

1.) What is your game about?**

It's about the struggle of deep cover agents or law enforcement who have to do acts that are against their sense of duty and motivations in order to accomplish their job of bring down the bad guys.  Do the ends justify the means?

2.) What do the characters do?**


3.) What do the players (including the GM if there is one) do?**


4.) How does your setting (or lack thereof) reinforce what your game is about?

Undercover officers, agents, spies have to face difficult choices that wander into the realm of morally offensive for the good of the whole.

5.) How does the Character Creation of your game reinforce what your game is about?


6.) What types of behaviors/styles of play does your game reward (and punish if necessary)?



7.) How are behaviors and styles of play rewarded or punished in your game?


8.) How are the responsibilities of narration and credibility divided in your game?

9.) What does your game do to command the player's attention, engagement, and participation? (i.e. What does the game do to make them care?)


10.) What are the resolution mechanics of your game like?

Players disagree with narration, or a conflict arises, stakes are set, dice equal to the number of points in Charm plus any Adornments that apply or Duty plus Motivation if it applies.  Favor Points are added as extra dice.  Dice are rolled.  Results of one signify a success.  Successful player narrates and has his/her stakes played out.

11.) How do the resolution mechanics reinforce what your game is about?

Adding more dice via favors increase the chance of success and guilt, which is the factor that overcomes duty and motivation.

12.) Do characters in your game advance? If so, how?

No.  One session is one game.

13.) How does the character advancement (or lack thereof) reinforce what your game is about?

Because there is no advancement, players must give their all to win the game during the session.

14.) What sort of product or effect do you want your game to produce in or for the players?


15.) What areas of your game receive extra attention and color? Why?

Character creation, because motivations and family ties will be used later in the game as core conflicts.

16.) Which part of your game are you most excited about or interested in? Why?

The choices between duty and favors, because this is the core conflict in the game and that the game should invoke in the player.

17.) Where does your game take the players that other games can't, don't, or won't?

Into the downward spiral of being overcome by a job that produces good results through questionable means.

18.) What are your publishing goals for your game?

Online pdf, and a Lulu edition.

19.) Who is your target audience?


Any opinions on the Power 19 would be appreciated.  During the rewriting of this game, I'm questioning the main setting of undercover agents as waitresses.  I think that game could work in many settings.  What's the best way to address this in the text?  By presenting several settings or by not having a setting in the game or other ideas?

Also, I think I need a new title for the game.  I haven't been able to come up with any good ones.  Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Bryan
Title: Re: [Secret Waitress] Power 19 and Setting
Post by: Troy_Costisick on February 14, 2006, 07:11:38 AM
Heya,

I think having a single, focussed setting like you do now is the way to go.  Keep that.  IMO, for games like this, a very focussed setting works best.  BTW, how did answering the Power 19 help you progress towards finishing your design?  If it helped at all.

Peace,

-Troy
Title: Re: [Secret Waitress] Power 19 and Setting
Post by: Bryan Hansel on February 14, 2006, 12:03:43 PM
Thanks for the suggestion Troy, I think I will keep the setting as is.

As for the Power 19, overall it focused my thoughts to help make the design tighter.  It helped me address some issues that I was overlooking in the rewrite.  Questions 8 and 9 really helped me think about the new GM-less system that I'm writing and that was used during the play test.  Questions 5 and 15 helped with character creation, which needed more focus in order for the game to work.  Especially, the motivation section.  Question number 4 made me think about the setting and wonder if other settings would work. 

I think that the Power 19 is very good tool, very helpful, and thanks for writing it.

Cheers,
Bryan