I need questions to answer

[CrookedBroomstick]

Well, I'm just trying to get people to ask the questions about my system, because I know how my system is going to be.  I know which direction I want to take it, how I want it flow, and other such things...  The problem is that I want people who have never heard anything about it to ask questions about it so I know what parts to define better.  I my write out a few pages about what rules are "if X happens to Y".  I may think that's defined enough, because I know what my system is.  Now someone poses the question, what happens "if X happens to Y, but Z is also occuring?"  After some thought, I realize that is a very valid concern.  So I now I have reference and goal to work on to better define that section to meet player requirements.  I'm trying to amass enough questions about the material at my site www.bestwithstuff.com, to form goals that guide me to what exact information the masses want to know, so that I can best relay my knowledge of the system to them without wasting time going into extra details about sections that no one really cares about.  I don't want to wander about aimlessly with the rules.

-Bryan

[Miedvied]

He's looking for us to examine the nitty-gritty of his system so as to help him in better finishing it off, in other words. I think Bryan has quite committed himself to his preferred system of play, and I don't think we ought to keep pushing in the opposite direction. The man loves what he loves, be it love born in ignorance of other types of games or not.

Okay, yes, he's brewing up the standard Heartbreaker to the tee, but if he's that sure it's what he wants...

Bryan, I can offer you no helpful nit-picking. Oh, I mean, I'm sure I can, but there's no way in hell I'm going to sift through the details of one more DnD system, and frankly, I'd be stunned to the floor if anyone here started looking through your system for game-breaking mechanical loopholes; I just can't imagine there's a huge population of people here who are going to give a damn if they find something like the "dwarf bomb" bug (cap on falling damage and all that), or who will bother looking for it. If you really want some nitpicking of your system, though, I imagine no one would mind if you asked for playtesters. Most, if not all, of us have had experience with DnD, Shadowrun, and all those other systems you list as being your experience and inspiration, and could probably get a grip on your system quickly enough to run it through a playtest or two. It should give you a better stress-test of the mechanics than having people browse through your website.

Even if you have no intention of changing your current system at all, I do have to recommend you (a) read the rant presented by Mike, because it's a good one, and correct, and it applies to you* and (b) check out some of the games you'll notice are being forever discussed here. Sorceror, The Shadow of Yesterday, Burning Wheel, Dogs in the Vineyard, etc. You might like them (hah, might) and you may want to venture further afield with your next attempt at designing an RPG system.

I do hope that, whatever your current preferences, you take the opportunity to expand your RPG horizons. It'll just give you more varieties of fun.


*Seriously, you've only played five games. That's really, really, a very small segment of the RPG population. You really ought to try your hand at some more stuff, just to see what other mechanics have been floated, whether they were successful, in what regards they were successful, et al. I doubt anyone's implemented your specific mechanics precisely before, but a huge variety of "Fixed DnD" systems have been made, and with generally the same goals and same mechanical "philosophy." If you look up Ron's article (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/articles/9/) on "Fantasy Heartbreakers", you'll even have a nice long list of "Fixed DnD" systems to start looking at. 

[CrookedBroomstick]

Oy,,,  I'm done.  Got the information I needed.  Thanks for posting.