Fingerprints - second draft (long)

[Allan]

Fingerprints discussion started here.  First Actual Play is here, but this is still using the old rules.  I'll post AP using these new rules very soon. 

The only thing you should need to know from the old thread is that play is based on rolling dice directly on the evolving game map and character sheets (called Fingerprints).

So what's changed from the first draft is
1) a tighter structured sequence of play
2) dramatic Scenes (thanks to morgue)

I'll just post the new resolution system for now, and follow it up with some specific questions.
_________________________________________

All players should have 3 dice, of a distinctive color.

Order of Play
Action
Affected?
Roll
Effects
Veto?
Scene
Repeat, New Turn
Repeat, New Round
Endgame

Action
Active player describes an action.  Once per round they must act as their character, but on all other turns they may act either as their character or as any map element (NPCs, organizations, weather, etc.).  New map elements may be introduced by this action.

Describe the action and it's intent.  If the Scale of the intent is not immediately obvious, any other player may suggest the Scale required.  Any other player may also point out if the action violates the pre-established limits of the character's abilities, or has an Endgame effect (such as killing another character).
 
Affected
Each other player may declare that their own character, or any map element, is affected by the stated action.  They may create new map elements at this time.  Each player involved in the action rolls 1d6.  It may be helpful for each player to use a different colored die.

Players may choose not to narrate any effects of this action, and save their dice. 

Roll
The players involved all roll their d6s, either on their Fingerprint (if they were acting in character) or on the map (if they were acting as an agency of the world).  The number on the dice determines the Scale of effect.  1, internal and personal.  2, physical or social.  3, city wide.  4, nation wide.  5, international.  6, global.  The location of the dice on the Fingerprint, or the map, determines which words, concepts, characters or story elements must be used to narrate the consequences of the action.

Step Down
If dice land on a blank spot of the page, the player may "step" the die down towards the nearest word.  The die can can take a number of "steps" equal to the value rolled, and affects the narration at a reduced Scale (which is not reduced effect).  UnTouched characters with a lot of space on the page go through more internal personal changes, while Touched with complex powers are more likely to affect the global culture and environment. Any die rolled has a minimum Scale of 1. 

Effects
Each player narrates the domino effect of their own die.  Narration should include the characters or agencies which were called in as affected by the action, the word the die landed on, and the scale of effect rolled on the die. For now, narration should be made in broad strokes.

Start with the action die.  If the action die doesn't have enough Scale for the intent, then the character can take significant steps toward their goal, as appropriate for the Scale rolled, but cannot achieve their goal yet.  They may save the die, to reduce the Scale still required to achieve the final goal by another later action.  If the action die has greater Scale than the intent, the character may achieve their goal, but the player must also narrate how the action changes the world more than intended. 

After the direct effects of the action die have been described, all other players involved narrate the effects of their own Reaction/Affect dice, in descending order of Scale.  World-changing effects are described first, psychological changes last.  Each effect described can then take into account all of the larger Scale effects.

Veto?
Any player may veto any described effect.  Vetoes are appropriate for Endgame effects, as well as any effect that the player feels is silly, inappropriate, unrealistic, hurts the story, or makes any player uncomfortable.  If any player vetoes an effect, then all players should suggest alternatives.  The active player describes a new effect, possibly using one of the suggestions.  Or they may retract their effect completely, and reclaim their die.  (award bonus dice for taking suggestions?)

Record
Write a few words about each domino effect on the appropriate Fingerprints, on the map, or both.  New phrases should spread from the point where the dice landed.  As play progresses, the character fingerprints and the map grow and spread, making more possible outcomes of rolls, and making more large scale effects (as dice take fewer "steps" from blank areas).

Scene
After all effects have been described, the low roller gets to set a dramatic Scene depicting the events just described.  Ties go to characters over map elements, or smaller Fingerprints, or map elements, over large ones.  The Scene focuses on the low roll, but should cover as many of the effects just described as can be comfortably included.  Most Scenes will be at street level, focusing on psychological effects, within the context of the larger changes. 

The player who sets the Scene can introduce other characters, PC or NPC into the scene as appropriate, which can be role-played by any other player.  NPCs can be added to the map at this point.  Player Characters can only ever be played by their player, while NPC map elements can be played by anyone. 

Scenes consist mostly of dialogue, monologue, and some description.  Scenes may contain descriptive action, but no action that would cause significant change in the world.   

End the Scene when any player feels that an action described would cause significant change, when the Scene can progress no farther without significant action, or when continuing the Scene would require significant change in place, time, or characters present.  You may also choose to end a Scene at any dramatically appropriate moment.  The player who set the Scene should get the last word in the Scene. 

Next Turn
After all effects have been recorded, play passes to the next player, who may choose to narrate their action as their character, or as any other agency on the map. 

If a player has used all their dice, they may not act or claim affect by any action until the end of the round.  If only one player has dice, they may act without any other player claiming affect, and may thus describe the only effects of their action, and set the Scene.   

Next Round
At the end of the round, all players retrieve their 3 dice.  Saved dice from incomplete actions may be held, to contribute to those actions again, or may be returned to the player's active dice pool.   Once per round each player must act as their character, but on all other turns they may act either as their character or as any map element (NPCs, organizations, weather, etc.). 

Conflict
Characters can always win over map elements.  When you act on another character, you can succeed in having any effect on them, short of killing them or denying them action.  When you act on a map element, you can kill any individual NPC, but the map element itself is only removed if all players agree. 

So conflicts should have a lot of descriptive effect, but the opposing side still comes back just as strong on their next turn.  Avoid any actions or effects that are permanent or absolute, because they can always be overcome by a later action. 

Endgames
During regular play, no action or effect can cause any of the following Endgames:
 
Killing a character (or imprisoning, enslaving, crippling, exiling, or negating their powers, etc.)
Destroying life on Earth (or dominating, enslaving, mutating, etc.)
Leaving the Earth (space, time, or dimensional travel, or taking significant action off the map)
Resolving the Mystery of the Loa (introducing living Loa, or their reasons for creating Earth)

Players may choose to allow any of the above Endgame effects, especially if the map and Fingerprints are getting full, or your play session is almost over.  Play out the action as normal, with the low rolling player setting the final Scene where the Endgame plays out dramatically.  You may wish to play out the rest of the turn, or round, with Endgame actions and effects now available for everyone.  If this round ends the story in a satisfying way, then it is over, and next session you may begin a fresh set of Fingerprints. 

[Allan]

So far this is working very well in playtest, but has raised a couple problems.

1)  Large scale effects are often harder to narrate than small scale effects, and may come up too often, even with "stepping down"
2)  There is so far no way to block another character's action. 
4)  For that matter there is no winning or losing, or much gamist strategy that I can see.
3)  I'm not sure about the following rules.  They're not essential to the core of the system, and I feel they may cause unneccessary problems, but it seems too simple  without them. 

All players should have 3 dice, of a distinctive color
Players may choose not to narrate any effects of this action, and save their dice.
If the action die doesn't have enough Scale for the intent, then the character can take significant steps toward their goal, as appropriate for the Scale rolled, but cannot achieve their goal yet. They may save the die, to reduce the Scale still required to achieve the final goal by another later action.
If a player has used all their dice, they may not act or claim affect by any action until the end of the round. If only one player has dice, they may act without any other player claiming affect, and may thus describe the only effects of their action, and set the Scene.
At the end of the round, all players retrieve their 3 dice. Saved dice from incomplete actions may be held, to contribute to those actions again, or may be returned to the player's active dice pool.

It's the dice ecconomy I'm really not sure about.  I want spending dice to be significant, so they should be a limited resource.  I don't know.  Maybe it would be better without these rules, every player can choose to participate in any action.