Role Playing Game -- Without a GM!

[mratomek]

I have working on a game for some time now--the public beta of the game will be posted on monday for everyone who is interested--which allows gamers to play fun and interesting table-top adventures without a GM. Think of it as a mix between a traditional RPG and a Minis game.

The game is called Monster Rules (think more Monster Truck than Dracula, Frankenstein and company). The game is a multi-genre point-based system that allows you to create any type of game you can imagine.

The game's framework creates a level playing field so that any two players can sit down and game against eachother. Monster is a robust system that includes over 300 different powers, skills and special abilities. So the games don't always have to boil down to destroying your opponent.

A game could include infiltrating an enemy base, interpreting the runes of an artifact or creating a master work piece of art--besides combat.

We have successfully used the game to play modern sci-fi, super heroes and fantasy games.

So where is the GM?  Well when you create custom scenarios, you are the GM. You can build just about anything you want using the system and the adventure framework.

I have posted elsewhere a recent 3-part fantasy game that included all sorts of traps and tricks for my opponent.

When you are building the adventure, you are a GM. However, when you play the game, you are a player. The framework makes sure that the point-spread is even. The more points you spend on surprises for your opponent, the fewer points you have to build your own characters. So it works out.

The game was specifically created to solve a few problems that seem to plague todays gamer: It doesn't require a regular gaming group or session. You can play when you want against any body else. And all you need is a single opponent.

I was wondering if anyone else had approached the idea of a GM-less RPG and if they had any comments, suggestions or questions about my approach?

The really tricky part is the guidelines for custom scenario creation. Balancing the creative with the fair is a bit tricky, but so far we have managed to do it.

Matt

[Jason Morningstar]

Hi Matt,

There are a number of GM-less roleplaying games out there, although it sounds as though your approach may differ substantially.  You might want to check out Polaris or Capes. 

[TonyLB]

And, of course, Jason's own Shab-al-Hiri Roach, as well as Breaking the Ice, Under the Bed and Universalis.

[Callan S.]

Hi Matt,

This is a difficult question. If both sides are equally balanced, what breaks the balance? Like, if both sides have an even chance, that's a 50% chance. You could play with lots of rules or flip a coin. What breaks the balance, so its worth using all those rules? Is it like how chess breaks it, where you can fail to look see certain moves being made and thus the other guy gains more than a 50% chance?

[mratomek]

Hi Matt,

This is a difficult question. If both sides are equally balanced, what breaks the balance? Like, if both sides have an even chance, that's a 50% chance. You could play with lots of rules or flip a coin. What breaks the balance, so its worth using all those rules? Is it like how chess breaks it, where you can fail to look see certain moves being made and thus the other guy gains more than a 50% chance?

It's definitely more like chess. At the beginning of the game, you have both spent the same amount of points on your characters, equipment, etc. And you have both been handed your objectives.

Now, it all depends on how you spent your points and what strategy you have devised to defeat your opponent.

For example, an opponent created a character called the Mad Bomber. He abused the Equipment special ability to allow him to squeeze extra powers and special abilities into his character by making everything Equipment (think Iron Man).

However, Equipment has an inherent flaw. In Monster, it can be damaged and destroyed.

At the beginning of the game, he was blowing the crap out of my characters with his Mad Bomber. Eventually, I adjusted my strategy and used a few well placed hits to destroy his bombing mechanism and effectively remove him from play--it was his only offensive capability.

I would definitely say that it is your choice of powers and abilities and how you build a well balanced team that ultimately gives you an advantage.

Matt

[Callan S.]

For example, an opponent created a character called the Mad Bomber. He abused the Equipment special ability to allow him to squeeze extra powers and special abilities into his character by making everything Equipment (think Iron Man).

Do you mean abused as in it wasn't something to be celebrated?

I would definitely say that it is your choice of powers and abilities and how you build a well balanced team that ultimately gives you an advantage.

That would depend on the opponent you face?

[mratomek]

For example, an opponent created a character called the Mad Bomber. He abused the Equipment special ability to allow him to squeeze extra powers and special abilities into his character by making everything Equipment (think Iron Man).

Do you mean abused as in it wasn't something to be celebrated?

The rules are what the rules are. They do have some measure of power-gaming prevention, but no to the point that the "fences" become painfully obvious.

For me, I enjoy facing someone who attempts to squeeze every once out of the gaming system, because there are so many inherent character flaws with Monster--no one character can be supreme at everything. There is always a chink in the armor, You just need to figure out what it is and exploit it.

I would definitely say that it is your choice of powers and abilities and how you build a well balanced team that ultimately gives you an advantage.

That would depend on the opponent you face?

Monster is a head-to-head game. It uses a point-based system for character and scenario creation so that the playing field is level. It's a miniatures game--you can use any mini, toy, etc. for your characters--but the system is more robust than the average table-top game, so you can create more in-depth and challenging adventures.

For example, you could create an adventure where you opponent must infiltrate an enemy headquarters, hack into a computer and steel a codec of some kind--without ever getting into a fight. You would control the enemy bases security systems, define the difficulties of the passwords and bio security systems and some of the key characters.

Your opponent would create super spy.