[Canindar: Primordial Saga] A Fresh Power 19

[clayton_mcfarland]

After furthering my developement on this system I have compiled a Power 19, to give people a better feel for my system.

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1.) What is your game about?
My game is about heroic characters struggling against a mysterious and powerful demonic force that infuses the planet they inhabit.  Players collect cool powers and abilities that are excellent weapons they can use against their demonic foes. There is a cost for this power however; their own humanity.

2.) What do the characters do?
Characters are caught in the midst of a great struggle as hideous demonic tribes and armies are closing in on the few remaining human towns and cities.  The characters go on epic quests to determine the cause of the latest incursions, defend villages from the demonic legions, and search for a solution or weapon that will allow them to finally ride themselves of this menace.

3.) What do the players (including the GM if there is one) do?
The players control the thoughts and actions of their characters in traditional gamist fashion. They are also responsible for helping provide several character driven plot hooks that the GM can use within his primary tale.  The GM is responsible for the control of NPC's, monsters and the world as a whole, as well being the primary driving force for the main plot.

4.) How does your setting (or lack thereof) reinforce what your game is about?
My setting is a planet far from earth, which the last remnants of humanity have crash-landed a colony ship upon.  The world is rugged, primal and dangerous.  The geography and imagery for this world is based loosely on our concepts of Pangea.  Because the land is so rugged human settlements are very isolated, which has resulted in groups of humans from all the various tech levels, and the interesting development of many sub-cultures (some areas will be quite advanced with modern technology and weapons, while others have degenerated over the centuries to a very primitive technology level).

5.) How does the Character Creation of your game reinforce what your game is about?
Character creation is points based.  A skills and talents system is used so that the players can create exactly the character they want to play.  All special powers are earned through a tech tree like advancement table that the players can use to customize their advancement.  Each player also has the option of purchasing several starting abilities as well.  This creation system really supports the highflying, action adventure level of play I was trying to capture.

6.) What types of behaviors/styles of play does your game reward?
The system rewards risk takers and creative thinking in a stressful dangerous environment.  The rules are tailored for fast easy resolution and allow players to concentrate on the action itself.  Players are rewarded for brave combat maneuvers, heroic action and completing objectives for each session.  There are several tools the GM can use to influence players into more action orientated sessions (the last thing I want is for combat in my game to become a tedious dice roll-a-thon with little or no consequences for creative quick thinking.

7.) How are behaviors and styles of play rewarded or punished in your game?
Players receive CP (character point) bonuses for capturing the proper feel of action, and for excellent thinking or strategy.  They also have a Humanity pool, which they can risk to increase their chances of success on tests, or to power their demonic abilities.

8.) How are the responsibilities of narration and credibility divided in your game?
They a really are not. The GM is primarily responsible for the narrative and credibility aspect of the game.  The players of course have input and decide their own actions and reactions, but the game GM'ed in a very traditional fashion.

10.) What are the resolution mechanics of your game like?
Everything is resolved simply and quickly.  To resolve a task, simply roll a pre-determined number of 10-sided dice (determined by your stats) and add stat and skill modifiers.  Compare either to a target number or an opposed roll, the highest result wins. 

11.) How do the resolution mechanics reinforce what your game is about?
By removing any complex resolution issues, and providing a firm set of examples and guidelines these mechanics allow the players to concentrate on the action and drama that make the game great!

12.) Do characters in your game advance? If so, how?
They do.
Each player has an advance scheme.  A table of attribute, skill and ability advances that they can purchase with character points.  Each player can customize these advance schemes based on the type of character that they've created, so that they can build their character and control the upgrades to exactly their preference.

13.) How does the character advancement (or lack thereof) reinforce what your game is about?
The game is about heroes.  These are powerful warriors who fight for the very survival of the human race.  As such the rules lend themselves to creating powerful warriors who can wade through hordes of foes in a cinematic and action packed fashion. 

14.) What sort of effect do you want your game to produce for the players?
I want the game to allow players to create and take part in epic action adventure sagas where they stand as a last desperate defense of humanity, which may cost them their lives, or the very souls that make them human in the first place.

15.) What areas of your game receive extra attention and color? Why?
The Combat, Powers, and Setting received special attention, because frankly those are the parts that I found the most interesting to develop.  As well the Humanity rules and details section is quite well done.

16.) Which part of your game are you most excited about or interested in? Why?
I am most interested in developing the humanity and demonic powers rules further and working on a greater balance for these powers.  I am most excited about play testing and developing the setting further with my excellent group of players!

17.) Where does your game take the players that other games can't, don't, or won't?
My game will (hopefully) take players to a new fresh unique world, and leave them excited and yearning for more action and adventure.  It will challenge their morals, and their determination, as well as tempt them with powerful dangerous demonic manifestations, which may consume their souls.

18.) What are your publishing goals for your game?
I plan to offer the product as a .pdf download.  I am undecided as to whether or not I will charge for a download (perhaps $3-$5 in Canadian Funds).  I also plan to have a few copies printed, which I will sell at cost (I have a fantastic artist, so it would be a shame not to print at least a few copies). 

19.) Who is your target audience?
People who are already familiar with RPG's and are looking for a fresh new setting in which to set their games, and people who are looking for a complete system all in one resource book.
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[Troy_Costisick]

Heya,

Players receive CP (character point) bonuses for capturing the proper feel of action...

-How does one "capture a feel" and what does "proper" mean in this case?

but the game GM'ed in a very traditional fashion.

-Is the GM compelled in any way to gear the game towards aspects of the player characters?

Each player has an advance scheme.  A table of attribute, skill and ability advances that they can purchase with character points.  Each player can customize these advance schemes based on the type of character that they've created, so that they can build their character and control the upgrades to exactly their preference.

-Interesting.  Does this mean the player chooses the character's advancement path during the character generation phase of the game?

People who are already familiar with RPG's and are looking for a fresh new setting in which to set their games, and people who are looking for a complete system all in one resource book.

-As you go further in your design and its overall picture becomes more clear, I'd encourage you to develop your answer to this last question a bit more.

Peace,

-Troy

[clayton_mcfarland]

"How does one "capture a feel" and what does "proper" mean in this case?"

Well, I am attempting to design the rules to encourage players to take risks and put their own skin on the line in order to save / benefit others.  So I am writing guidelines for the GM to award bonus Character Points and Humanity bonuses to players who perform such acts of valor.  My hope is to provide proper incentive to drive players towards these behaviors.

Is the GM compelled in any way to gear the game towards aspects of the player characters?"

Not necessarily.  I have developed setting and left areas in character creation for players to detail basic beliefs and habits, as well as encourage a good background / personality development, but it is an entirely optional process.

"Interesting.  Does this mean the player chooses the character's advancement path during the character generation phase of the game?"

It certainly does.  Players can plot out exactly which attributes, skills and abilities they want to concentrate on.  There are a lot to choose from in the abilities category, so a well thought out upgrade path is an important part of character creation.

"As you go further in your design and its overall picture becomes more clear, I'd encourage you to develop your answer to this last question a bit more."

I certainly will thank you.  At this moment my primary concern is getting to a play test stage and getting the background developed more fully.  The system itself started as a project to create something for myself and my friends to enjoy, but now I getting much more interested in providing it for others to enjoy as well.

Thank you very much for your interest.  If there is anything else you are curious about please do not hesitate to inquire!  I am very open to ideas, feedback and suggestions from you folks who know your way around the Indie RPG universe.  Thus far the forge has been an invaluable resource for me through this design process.