Jackals & Hounds (Game Chef 2005 Entry): Impressions

[ADGBoss]

Hello all, I wanted to share my 2005 Game Chef Entry here at the Forge now that the competition is officially over. You can find a link to the PDF for Jackals & Hounds here. 

I receved some great feedback during the competition and what was best it was not all positive.  The hard criticisms were the best ones and I am taking them to heart as I revise the game.  I wanted to bring it here to try and get some impressions about a few specific questions.

First, a little about the game -

Jackals & Hounds is an RPG conecpt that is a mix of traditional and more modern ideas. It is set and plays in three distinct time periods throughout History:  4th Dynasty Egypt, Modern America, and a future colony world. It is in essence an action / conspiracy / immortals game although I think I was not entirely clear about that in the draft I submitted.

Play

Essentially, the Players are Hounds or the Immortal Children, who exist simultaneously in the three time frames. Through the use of conflicts and the changing of Time Frames, the Hounds try to subvert the power of the Jackals, who have been their advesaries for millenia. In the process the Hounds gain and lose personal Power (a mystical essense) which essentially keeps them alive and going. Jackals are controlled by the GM who is both Advesary and impartial judge. The GM is encouraged to be an active participant in the game and I think it could be a very challenging position.

However, Players do have a great deal of control. For instance, when they want to steal the scene, they must announce what new Time Frame and the nature of a new conflict that they are interested in resolving.  This can be done even in the middle of another Player's Conflict.  The idea there was for dramatic cut scenes as it were.

Questions

1. Critique #1 - In essence, the game felt unfinished to most of the reviewers and they were right. So what aspects of the game would you consider incomplete or need more things answered about for it to be complete? I understand thats broad, but just a few aspects that need more.. well MORE anything would be fine.

2. Critique #2 - Skills & Abilities needed to be more robust. This I knew was an issue but they were the one aspect I concnetrated on least. Mostly Skills and abilities are there to help in the various conflict resolutions so suggestions in this regard are welcome. What skill smight be useful to powerful souls who can survive for millenia?

3. Critique #3 - More or Less setting. I went a bit light on setting mainly because I felt that people generally wanted less structured settings. Well maybe this is not true and looking at J&H it is very dependant on these compelling settings to add color. So, an idea of what more information about the settings would generally be useful for players without making the various Time Frames too restrictive.  This could and probably will also include more information about the Jackals and their agents as well

I really dug Jackals & Hounds a lot when I was writing it and plan on finishing this one this year. Hopefully before October if playtestting goes well. (If you want to playtest it contact me offline). It does need an dextensive re-write and testing though. So any first or second impressions are welcome.

Thanks all

Sean