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General Forge Forums => Playtesting => Topic started by: John Wick on January 29, 2007, 01:35:47 PM

Title: Houses of the Blooded Character Creation
Post by: John Wick on January 29, 2007, 01:35:47 PM
Hey guys.

Over at my LJ,, I'm putting up the character creation rules for Houses of the Blooded, one step per day. By the end of the wthe week, you'll have a complete character. Feedback is welcome, of course.

Enjoy!

http://wickedthought.livejournal.com/612127.html
Title: Re: Houses of the Blooded Character Creation
Post by: Troy_Costisick on January 29, 2007, 10:00:55 PM
Heya John,

I have a question for ya.  Regarding risks you write:

QuoteTarget Number
To determine a character's success or failure, the GM uses a target number: a value set between 5 and 50 (sometimes higher). If the player's roll is equal to or greater than the target number (TN), his character succeeds. If his roll is lower than the TN, his character fails.

What is the effect of failure in your game?  I'm particularly interested in this.  Does the character simply fail to achieve his goal?  Is there a consiquence for failure?  I'm interested because when I design a game I look at failure as an opportunity for something else to happen.  So what happens in your game when a player isn't able to hit the TN with his rolls?

Peace,

-Troy
Title: Re: Houses of the Blooded Character Creation
Post by: contracycle on January 30, 2007, 07:34:02 AM
Firstly, bravo on your stated goals, and I sincerely hope that that you succeed in achieving them.  I could not agree more with your sentiments.

I wonder if you might want to explore clothing too?  This is often an expression of class, and can convey specific identity, so it unites some of the effects of name and some of the effects of class proper and some of the effects of economics.

System questions:
Are you distinguishing between "risk" and "task"?  Task carries implications of initiation, purposefulness; risk is something that can just happen to you.  Do you intend anything unusual in terms of taking actions and so forth, determining when and what to roll for?

What happens if, in a contested risk, the losing player has wagered dice, and has beaten their own TN; are there any consequences to pushing a winning effect rank into negative values?  It strikes me that this offers the potential of a third outcome.
Title: Re: Houses of the Blooded Character Creation
Post by: John Wick on January 31, 2007, 12:16:01 AM
Quote from: Troy_Costisick on January 29, 2007, 10:00:55 PM
Heya John,

What is the effect of failure in your game?  I'm particularly interested in this.  Does the character simply fail to achieve his goal?  Is there a consiquence for failure?  I'm interested because when I design a game I look at failure as an opportunity for something else to happen.  So what happens in your game when a player isn't able to hit the TN with his rolls?

I've always believed that failure is enough of a penalty without additional consequence.
Title: Re: Houses of the Blooded Character Creation
Post by: John Wick on January 31, 2007, 12:29:49 AM
Quote from: contracycle on January 30, 2007, 07:34:02 AM
I wonder if you might want to explore clothing too?  This is often an expression of class, and can convey specific identity, so it unites some of the effects of name and some of the effects of class proper and some of the effects of economics.

System questions:
Are you distinguishing between "risk" and "task"?  Task carries implications of initiation, purposefulness; risk is something that can just happen to you.  Do you intend anything unusual in terms of taking actions and so forth, determining when and what to roll for?

What happens if, in a contested risk, the losing player has wagered dice, and has beaten their own TN; are there any consequences to pushing a winning effect rank into negative values?  It strikes me that this offers the potential of a third outcome.


Yes, clothing is going to be important.

There's only one reason to roll dice: if the outcome of aan action is in question. That makes it a "risk" rather than an action.

Pushing into negative values sounds like too much math for my meager mind.
Title: Re: Houses of the Blooded Character Creation
Post by: Troy_Costisick on January 31, 2007, 05:27:28 AM
Heya John,

On contested risks you write:

QuoteSometimes you have to roll dice against another character. This is a contested risk. The GM determines the TN for both characters and they roll. The player who rolls higher wins the contest.

So does that mean who ever rolls highest regardless of the TN wins?  I may be reading that last sentence too literally, but what happens if both players do fail to make the TN?  In that case, does victory go to the highest roller?

Peace,

-Troy
Title: Re: Houses of the Blooded Character Creation
Post by: John Wick on January 31, 2007, 06:33:28 AM
Quote from: Troy_Costisick on January 31, 2007, 05:27:28 AM
Heya John,

On contested risks you write:

QuoteSometimes you have to roll dice against another character. This is a contested risk. The GM determines the TN for both characters and they roll. The player who rolls higher wins the contest.

So does that mean who ever rolls highest regardless of the TN wins?  I may be reading that last sentence too literally, but what happens if both players do fail to make the TN?  In that case, does victory go to the highest roller?

If both players fail, both characters fail l.