MORX...

[greyorm]

...or, "More Orcs."

Ok, I've got the system all hacked out, and now I'd appreciate some hard-core feedback on the mechanics and clarity of the document.

Anyone who wishes to comment on the layout, please be aware that I am .pdfing the final product and the webpage and associated layout are just placeholders. Or in other words, ignore the layout, please.

My main issues right now are mechanics and clarity:

What do you think of the mechanics?  Workable?  Fun?
I've attempted to make the balance of power in the mechanics fairly equal through the use of Fate dice, Complications and so forth, and I've tried to make the mechanics reflective of the intent of the game: humor and tragedy.

I can see Complications being used to add humor to the game in some instances, as well as a variety of other things.  However, I note I forgot to include the bit about Complications adding scene elements -- be they creatures or objects -- in this update.

As for Tragedy, the way the system is constructed should help; frex, the more Descriptors you have, the more Fate dice the GM gets; the more dice you have, the greater the chance of your being injured during success.

What about the writing style?  It's intentionally flippant, but more importantly, is it clear?  Are my explanations understandable?  I'm particularly concerned with whether I have managed to convey the meaning of a "scene" and "tasks."

Most importantly: what have I forgotten?
What have I assumed you as a reader know that you don't? (that is, what glaring omissions need to be added/explained/detailed?)  What concepts do I need to reinforce?

I plan on playtesting the game myself, perhaps this coming Monday for Indie gaming night on IRC, to see how it runs and what problem areas I stumble into.  If anyone else would play a session or two and let me know the results, I'd be grateful!

[greyorm]

Alright, more info on what's changed from the last version I noted to everyone, hopefully to inspire some discussion: Mainly, I've added Fate Dice to the mechanics and a scene building "system."

I think the Fate Dice really give the game its kick, since they are a resource that is controlled by and usable by both the players and the gamemaster.

The GM recieves a small number of Fate Dice to use at the begining of the game, and recieves more whenever the players fail to complicate the game for their fellows during a scene. Taking Descriptors (skills/traits/etc...should I change the name? It seems non-intuitive) means you ultimately end up giving more Fate Dice to the GM.

Players can take Fate Dice out of the GM's pool for any roll they wish, though it adds a point of Fate to their character (moving them closer to the possibility of death...but also giving them the ability to add more skills, increase stats and other additive actions).  

The GM can also always roll Fate Dice for scene elements.  He only needs to discard them from his pool if he spends them to give a permanent die value to a scene element, or rolls it to try to kill a zeroed orc.

The GM is given 24 "sides" of dice to build scene elements with at the beginning of the scene.  This usually isn't going to be enough (it provides a d6, d8, and d10 or other similar combination), so they should also be spending Fate Dice to add more elements.

Scene elements don't have attributes, like characters do (or usually don't), they get diced based on how much of an impediment they offer to the characters in pursuit of their goals.

So, them's the basics of what was added.  

Though I believe I might have altered the Crippling Loss rules since last time, as well, so that whenever you roll a "1" on a die, any die, even if you reroll it thanks to Fate or a Descriptor, you suffer a Crippling Loss.

[Stuart DJ Purdie]

d4 -- d6 -- d8 -- d10 -- d12 -- d20

The set of dice scale nicely, but run out between d12 and d20.  It's a large leap between the two.  I'm not sure if there's a good solution (unless you've got a d14 and a d16 :-), but it's quite a blip.

However, failing a contest temporarily lowers the stat used by one.

Is that lowers a stat by one dice catagory (from the list above?)  I think so, but it's not transparently clear.  If so, then dropping from a d20 to a d12 is a huge drop.

I like the conflict based, roll first, resolution mechanism.  It could possible do with a little bit of furhter explanation.  

The player of the orc who adds the complication gets to increase a stat of their choice by one die-size for the remainder of the scene

I can't follow this - does this mean the player rolls another die (rolling two dice, and, presumably chosing), or rolls a larger die (stat of d6, rolls a d20 instead by givine a complication)?  

Either way, I can see nothing that would disincentivise always using d20, as there is no limitation on what size of die they pull.

The fate point mechanic seems a little off.  You gain them for using a Fate die, and then can spend them to get Stuff.  Consider:  A player grabs as many fate points a possible, and spends none.  Then they die (unsurprisingly), and thier next orc has a huge fistfull of descriptors.

[Zak Arntson]

I hate to not read something on account of graphic design, but the red on black is really hard on my eyes. Could you provide an alternate version or something? I'm interested in this thing, but I can't get past the first couple sentences.

[Mike Holmes]

The player of the orc who adds the complication gets to increase a stat of their choice by one die-size for the remainder of the scene

I can't follow this - does this mean the player rolls another die (rolling two dice, and, presumably chosing), or rolls a larger die (stat of d6, rolls a d20 instead by givine a complication)?  

Either way, I can see nothing that would disincentivise always using d20, as there is no limitation on what size of die they pull.

Read it again. The player can choose to increase any stat (not any die type). And he can raise it by one type. So if the stat that he wants to raise is a d10, he can raise it to a d12. Make sense now?

Mike

[greyorm]

Greetings Stuart,

In answer to your questions and the excellent points you made, a d20 is supposed to be big and mythic (which I don't think I've pointed out in the text), hence, I'm not concerned about the jump.

d8 is a the average, with two dice on either side.  d20 is "special" in that it is the "supernatural" die, above and beyond the realm of ability of most mortals.
I'm thinking, though, if it is a problem, gaining a d20 can require more Fate Dice, or perhaps I may just remove it completely, saving them to be used as Fate Dice only (so players could use them, but at the cost of gaining a Fate point).

When a stat is lowered, it goes down by one die category, ie: d10 goes to d8; d8 goes to d6; etc.  When you addd a complication to another orc's roll, you get to improve one of your own stats by one die size for the scene, ie: d6 goes to d8; d8 goes to d10; etc.

That's the currency, one die size = current die size +/-2 sides.
There is, of course, another currency in actual numbers of dice.

Either way, I can see nothing that would disincentivise always using d20, as there is no limitation on what size of die they pull.

Not sure what you mean, here...pulling dice from the Fate Pool? No, there isn't.  The disincentive to using Fate at all, however, is the fact that you get closer to death once you have it...however, I can see what you mean, there is a potential problem there.

Of course, the question is: How often will the GM have d20's?
An orc needs to have a stat at d20 and have no complications given to him in a scene in order for the GM to get a Fate die of that size.
Plus, why wouldn't the GM immediately spend the sucker at scene creation to keep it away from the players?

The GM will also want to get rid of them because he is required to use the largest dice in the Fate pool when rolling against an orc's Fate.

Hence, not only will the players want to make sure there is at least one d20 in the pool at all times (because it makes their chances of being killed less likely), but make sure the GM doesn't spend it -- and the only way to do that is to use it themselves, which results in them gaining Fate and moves them inevitably towards their doom!

The fate point mechanic seems a little off.  You gain them for using a Fate die, and then can spend them to get Stuff.  Consider:  A player grabs as many fate points a possible, and spends none.  Then they die (unsurprisingly), and thier next orc has a huge fistfull of descriptors.

Yep.  Considered...more descriptors = less complications.  Less complications = more Fate Dice for the GM.
Of course I could always change it to note that you gain one extra descriptor from your dead orc...or, hrm, more extra descriptors the more Fate you spend.

However, don't forget that more Descriptors (or more dice) for the player = greater chance of suffering a Crippling Loss.  That's the tradeoff.  Sure, you can be really good at something, but the level of personal danger increases as well since each extra die multiplies the chance of rolling a "1" and suffering the consequences.

However, the rule about handing out more descriptors based on Fate from your last orc was one of the things I was most unsure about, along with the way Fate is incremented.

Thanks for the comments!  Alot to consider.

Zak, I'll put up a version with black text on white when I get home this weekend.  So check back Saturday night.

[Valamir]

Of course, the question is: How often will the GM have d20's?
An orc needs to have a stat at d20 and have no complications given to him in a scene in order for the GM to get a Fate die of that size.

I thought the GM always started with a bunch of d20s.  1 per player IIRC.

[greyorm]

I thought the GM always started with a bunch of d20s.  1 per player IIRC.

Yes, sorry, thought I'd mentioned that in the post. The GM will have a few d20s at start, but after that..?

BTW, I have put a black-text-on-white-background copy of Orx up here, for anyone who found the red-on-black too difficult to read.

(Although I suggest that anyone who had difficulty reading the red-on-black needs to correctly optimize their monitor settings. If anyone needs help doing so, feel free to PM me.)