One of my projects has born fruit - Realms

[Narf the Mouse]

One of the ways I refine my RPGs is to write character sheets. So, one day, I had this idea hanging around my head - So I started writing a character sheet for it.

And about halfway through, I thought 'Hey, this is pretty cool and I havn't seen anything quite like it!'.

So, after some more character sheet refination and some thought, I have an outline. What I'm wondering is, do I actually have something here? I think I could sell this, but do I have something here? What are your 'first thoughts', to quote the forum title? What does the forest look like, outside of the trees?

I've forgone a Power 19 as what I put in the Power 19 has a hit-or-miss chance of being how I write the game. However, one thing I know is this is High Fantasy; not high-power fantasy, but - Well, one thing implicit in the rules is the more you are connected to the setting, the more power you have.

There are no equipment rules because my brain just hasn't come up with any and I think my creative side is saying the're irrelevent to this game. Plus, when I try to envision equipment rules, I don't seem to get anything relevent to the game. And when I try to picture characters in or from this game, equipment doesn't seem to be important beyond flavour.

The file is Here.

[Narf the Mouse]

I've realized that I need to explain something here and that is that I don't understand social interaction.

I have learned how to socially interact; I have learned what people say and what they expect, but I have done all that largely by disecting what they are doing and looking at how they act, as well as reading explanations of behavoir. But to me, the way most people understand interaction is like watching some 'magic osmosis'.

But while role-playing does include social interaction, how does that relate to asking for input on a RPG? Well, to try to express things...I have difficulty expressing things. To put it simply, I ask myself 'What are the questions I should ask?' and I don't know, because I don't know how the picture I've got in my head of the game relates to the picture you'll have in your head of the game.

Which is why I asked, essentially, 'What is the picture (After reading the document) that you have in your head of the game?'.

Perhaps I could get more mileage if I asked myself 'What are the questions I would like to have answered?', though...

...And that does seem usefull.

1) "Is Fortune a comprehensible replacement/substitute for Hit Points (Physical, Mental, Social, Magical)?"

2) "Do Domains and Banes seem like a usefull substitute for skills? Do they add sufficient flavour to make up for being a certain amount of awkward?"

3) "Are Allegiances/Alliances/Vassaleges clear? Is it easy to understand the function of each and how it relates to the numbers on the character sheet?"

4) "Does the flavour Dreams and Delusions add to the character match with their mechanics? Should Delusions cost character points? Is it easy to determine if something is a Dream or a Delusion? Who should decide if something is a Dream or a Delusion?"

5) "Vows are somewhat mechanical - Should they be more fluid? If so, how?"

6) "Boons and Curses are somewhat fixed in their relation - Should they be loosened? If so, how? What else could they be used for? What else should they be used for?"

7) "Should Favours be one-shot? If not one-shot, should they be folded into Allegiances/Alliances/Vassaleges? Favours are too close to Allegiances/Alliances/Vassaleges - How can they be changed to be more unique?"

[Narf the Mouse]

I don't want to be annoying, but am I going to get a response here? Is there a point to keeping this up?

[Raymond Caleatry]

I have not read it all yet, but as i think of things i will post.

One thing i would suggest is to have a CP multiplier for the purchasing of Allegiances, Alliances and Vassals.  The more powerful the group, the higher the multiplier.  This would get arround the power issue you talked about earier.  If you owe allegience to a begger, you are not going to recieve much of a benefit, however, owing allegience to a king will give you many benefices.  The same could be said if you have them as vassels.

Ray

[Narf the Mouse]

Yaay, post!

Good point. I don't want too many statistics, but adding a third to A, A and V shouldn't make it too awkward.
The multiplier would naturally be smaller for an Allegiance than for a Vassalage. But that brings up a third problem - What's the multiplier if it isn't one-way? Maybe just take the average?

[Raymond Caleatry]

I don't know if i would have A A and V.  I would probably leave it at A and V.  These would be like contacts, people you rely on or who rely on you.  Then each one can have a power level and a disposition to you.

[Narf the Mouse]

Could just combine the power level and the disposition to determine the cost - No need for a multiplier.

[Anders Larsen]

Hi

It is a bit hard for me to get a good overview of the system. It would help if you would make an example character and then give a small example of play. But I will try to answer your questions anyway

1) "Is Fortune a comprehensible replacement/substitute for Hit Points (Physical, Mental, Social, Magical)?"

For what I can see, Fortune is a scale that indicate when a character is taken out of the game. So it seems to me that it is not really a replacement for hit points, but it actually functions exactly the same way as hit points. If you want this to be something different than normal hit points, then you have to specify more about how changes in fortune will reflect in the fiction: What does it mean, in the game, to have low fortune?

2) "Do Domains and Banes seem like a usefull substitute for skills? Do they add sufficient flavour to make up for being a certain amount of awkward?"

I think that Domains and Banes could be very interesting to have instead of skills. I can not really say if they will work properly in a game - you will probably need a play-test to determined that - but it is certainly worth a try.

I just don't understand why you need to split them up as being positive and negative on a mechanical level. I would think that it would be more interesting if they all gave a bonus to the roll, but the effect a bane have in the fiction could be problematic. If you, for instance, use chaos to solve a situations, it can be an advantage for the current situation, but because it is resolved in a chaotic way it will have negative effect on succeeding situations. 

3) "Are Allegiances/Alliances/Vassaleges clear? Is it easy to understand the function of each and how it relates to the numbers on the character sheet?"

How does the values of an AAV change? What do you have to do in the game to change these relationships?

One of the most interesting thing that can happen in a story is when relationships changes in dramatical ways, so I see this as being very important to model in a game.

4) "Does the flavour Dreams and Delusions add to the character match with their mechanics? Should Delusions cost character points? Is it easy to determine if something is a Dream or a Delusion? Who should decide if something is a Dream or a Delusion?"

I can not right away see any problem with your rules for Dreams and Delusions. I think that it is easy to see that dreams is resolvable goals and delusions are unresolvable goals; it is usually not hard to decide which are which.

I have some question to this, though: Why do you want dreams and delusions to work different mechanically? And happen when a character changes a dream or delusion (ex. if he achieve a dream).



I will try to comment on the rest later.

- Anders

[Narf the Mouse]

Hi
[/qoute]
Hello

It is a bit hard for me to get a good overview of the system. It would help if you would make an example character and then give a small example of play. But I will try to answer your questions anyway

I have some example characters, but I'm somewhat uncertain myself of how the game is supposed to play.

For what I can see, Fortune is a scale that indicate when a character is taken out of the game. So it seems to me that it is not really a replacement for hit points, but it actually functions exactly the same way as hit points. If you want this to be something different than normal hit points, then you have to specify more about how changes in fortune will reflect in the fiction: What does it mean, in the game, to have low fortune?

Bit of a disconnect in that question between what I had written in the outline and what is in my brain, I guess.

In the expansion I'm doing on the outline, I'm currently pegging Fortune as being literally how fortunate your character is at that moment. So depending on your character concept, it would mean injured, out of luck, outmanuevered, low on resources or...otherwise less capable of success...?

...I'll have to think on that. Maybe make it a spendable resource?

I think that Domains and Banes could be very interesting to have instead of skills. I can not really say if they will work properly in a game - you will probably need a play-test to determined that - but it is certainly worth a try.

I just don't understand why you need to split them up as being positive and negative on a mechanical level. I would think that it would be more interesting if they all gave a bonus to the roll, but the effect a bane have in the fiction could be problematic. If you, for instance, use chaos to solve a situations, it can be an advantage for the current situation, but because it is resolved in a chaotic way it will have negative effect on succeeding situations. 

I used the Domain/Bane split because they are literal concepts that lend the character power or reduce their power. It's a bit of an 'Amber' type flavour, where a character with, say, 'Chaos +3d' literally thrives in chaotic situations and is better able to act and accomplish their goals in a chaotic situation...

...And, hmm...Allow Fortune to be spent for dice, perhaps only if the character has no applicable domains?...

...And a character with 'Chaos -3d' is literally made weaker by the simple presence of chaos in the situation. This may be because they have trouble thinking, don't know how to cope or that concept literally makes them weaker.

How does the values of an AAV change? What do you have to do in the game to change these relationships?

One of the most interesting thing that can happen in a story is when relationships changes in dramatical ways, so I see this as being very important to model in a game.

I had a rough idea of the character spending or recieving CP by changing their AAV at story-appropriate moments. That doesn't sound quite right, now, however. On the other hand, neither does GM fiat.

Maybe the paying of CP for an Allegiance or recieving CP for a Vassalage is a literal, metaphysical payment of capability in return for service? It would fit the flavour of the game, I think and the Vows section...

I can not right away see any problem with your rules for Dreams and Delusions. I think that it is easy to see that dreams is resolvable goals and delusions are unresolvable goals; it is usually not hard to decide which are which.

I have some question to this, though: Why do you want dreams and delusions to work different mechanically? And happen when a character changes a dream or delusion (ex. if he achieve a dream).

Well, partly because of the duality of many of the game elements. But partly to preserve the story feeling of a character achieving a Dream - Or falling to the folly of a Delusion. The two are present in many stories and often present a major factor in whether a character succeeds or fails. For example, Gollums' love of the Ring is a delusion - That love drives him foward and gives him incredible strength of will. But in the end, it is a delusion, because the Ring is evil and will betray him.

On the other hand, Luke Skywalkers' goal of redeeming his father...

...That would be one that could go in either slot and I think would be up to the player and the GM to determine which it is.

I guess I just like the idea of the triumphant fullfilment of a dream counterpointed by the tragedy of failing by your own fatal mistake.

Hmm, yes, there should be some sort of reward. Maybe a Boon without an accompanying Curse? There would have to be some other downside/limiter, though...

...Maybe just have it be only magnitude 1 or 2? There would have to be some method to determine how much of a reuseable boon fullfilling a Dream would be worth...

I will try to comment on the rest later.

- Anders

Thank you for the comments; they are very welcome.

[Narf the Mouse]

A character; I hope this helps make the system a bit more clear.

Code Select Expand

Bran, Soldier
Character Points 0/0

Fortune: 6, 4CP

Domains/Banes, 16CP
Name, +Xd, -Xd, XCP
Violence +3d, 9CP
Subtle +2d, 4CP
Order +1d, 1CP
Chaos +1d, 1CP
Kind +1d, 1CP

Alliegences/Alliances/Vassals, -25CP
Name +X/-X, XCP
Soldier of Baron Gladys +0/-5, -25CP

Dreams/Delusions, 9CP
Description +Xd, XCP
Description Xd, XCP / 2
To become successfull enough to be worthy to marry his childhood sweetheart +3d, 9CP

Vows
Name (Given: Description. Received: Description. Subjects: Name, Name, Any other names. Curse: Description, X)
Soldiers' Oath to Baron Gladys (Given: Will serve Baron Gladys as a loyal soldier till death. Received: His family will be protected, sheltered and fed with the wealth and resources of House Gladys. Subjects: Bran of Highdale, Gladys of House Gladys. Curse: Let the luck of the oathbreaker fail and turn against the oathbreaker 5)

Boons/Curses
Name (Boon: Description. Curse: Description)
Keen Edge (Boon: Let his blades always be sharp. Curse: Let his blades never be clean.)

Favours, -4CP
Name (Term, Term, Term) +X, +XCP / 3
Name (Term, Term, Term) -X, -XCP / 6
Farren, House Gladys' Steward (Resourcefull, Cunning, Secretly traitorous) -5, -4CP

[Narf the Mouse]

So...*Whistles*...Anyone want to post something?

(If there's a piece of information I need to post before any real discussion can occur, please tell me. Although, I must note that I'm not sure how this should play, so I can't really manage a game story)