Dystopian Game - help me find my balance?

[TomTitTot]

I posted about my project "The Hammer Falls: A Game of Dystopia" some time ago, but have hit a snag that is doing my head in. Any suggestions or comments to help me think around this issue would be ever so appreciated!

Functionally, my current problem is that both Protagonist and Antagonist declare CharSheet resources (Hopes and Elements of Control) that they are risking when a scene begins. The dice rolled at the end of the scene (number of dice vary by scene and if you are willing to risk more resources) determine who wins the stakes. However I am having some trouble working out how I can make the in-scene actions bear weight on the result of a scene without becoming too obtrusive. I don't want dice to be rolled during scenes unless it can be helped.

I know that's a brief explanation, but it's late and I'm dying of tiredness. If you'd like, I can explain the mechanics in more detail tomorrow, just let me know!

Thanks!

[ADGBoss]

Well my first thought would be to have the actions occurring in scene to be worth die bumps.

A second idea that you might consider, is adding an in-scene only resource that resets every game session but it has a finite limit. Depending on how many scenes per play session the player might run out of said resource and be at a disadvantage in scenes. You could even combine the two perhaps?

Of course I have not (yet) read your previous post and the above may be total nonsense. Hope it helps though.

Sean

[TomTitTot]

I've really considered die bumps closely, but keep coming up against problems. I'll explain the system a bit more fully. It has other incomplete rules, but this in-scene ajudication stuff is what is holding me up.

Creation

1. Determine Type and Qualities of the Dystopian Setting either through group consensus or by rolling on d10 tables as suits your group.

2. Discuss inclusion of Recurring Themes for scenes - if your group wishes to use the rules for them or not. Recurring Themes allow a Theme to be worked into the story in any scene (for example, Fire) then, in any scene I find a clever way to include that Theme, I get +1 Potential. Something like that, anyway.

3. Determine concepts for Protagonists and Antagonists, either in a more traditional manner (each player makes a Protagonist and assists the player opposite them in making an Antagonist) or through a more collaborative effort (Protagonists and Antagonists designed together, then assigned to players by choice or randomly.)

4. Decide on Ideals for Protagonists, Control for Antagonists.

Ascending Play

1. Protagonists begin the game with a Potential of 2, Antagonists with 6.

2. Protagonist and Antagonist determine their Goal for the scene. The Protagonist chooses a Hope, the Antagonist an Element of Control.

3. Scene plays out (This is basically where my mechanics problems lie.)

4. Potential converts to d6s and is rolled to determine the "winner" of the scene.

5. Players may risk Ideals, Control, Hopes, or Elements of Control in order to get more dice (currently seen as dice equal to highest player Potential, or if yours is the highest, highest potential +1) but if they fail the roll, they lose that risked item. You may only risk one item each scene.

6. Winner gets their proposed Goal as a Strength, loser gets his as a Weakness. (For example, if the Protagonist proposed "I Hope I Can Protect My Family" as a Goal and won, that would get written on his character sheet. If he failed the end-of-scene roll, he would take it as "I Can Never Protect My Family" or something similar.)

7. At the end of each turn, the Antagonist gives one Potential to the Proagonist. Play Proceeds to the Protagonist on the left of the last Protagonist.

8. When the Antagonist has 2 Potential and the Protagonist 6, The Turning Point happens.

The Turning Point

This scene details the moment that is a turning point for the Protagonist - he or she joins the rebellion, decides to help his friends escape the country, or realizes that everything must change in some other fashion. The Antagonist may make suggestions or request involvement, but the Protagonist has all narration rights for this scene - it's his piece.

Descending Action.

1. Protagonists begin this half with a Potential of 6, Antagonists with 2.

2. Protagonist and Antagonist determine their Target for the scene. The Protagonist chooses one of the Antagonist's Elements of Control or Weaknesses to target, the Antagonist one of the Protagonist's Hopes or Weaknesses. If your opponent has none of these, you may target their Ideal or Control.

3. Scene plays out (This is basically where my mechanics problems lie.)

4. Potential converts to d6s and is rolled to determine the "winner" of the scene.

5. Players may risk Ideals, Control, Hopes, or Elements of Control in order to get more dice (currently seen as dice equal to highest player Potential, or if yours is the highest, highest potential +1) but if they fail the roll, they lose that risked item. You may only risk one item each scene. Hopes, Elements of Control, Ideals, and Control that are targeted automatically give the owner of those qualities a Potential equal to that of the highest Player's Potential. This does not count towards your one risked Item per scene.

6. The Winner of the scene successfully destroys the Target. If a Weakness is destroyed, it gives the owner -1 Potential for the next scene.

7. At the end of each turn, the Protagonist gives one Potential to the Antagonist. Play proceeds to the left.

8. When the Antagonist has 6 Potential and the Protagonist 2, The Hammer Falls.

The Hammer Falls

This is when a massive, cataclysmic change happens to the Protagonist's situation or the Dystopia. A massive Resistance raid on the government headquarters, a robot rebellion in full swing, or finally being dragged away to a cell at the ministry. The Protagonist once again has control over the scene as with the Turning Point, although the Antagonist's suggestions should be taken seriously. The Antagonist may feature heavily in this scene. Neither Protagonist nor Antagonist are required to appear in this scene, it may simply be a cataclysm not directly related to the Protagonist's story.

This is when your Protagonist and Antagonist sheets make a difference. If, for example, you risked and lost an Ideal, your character is subjugated to the Will of the Dystopia. He may have saved his family be agreeing to join the oppressors, (ie not risked his appropriate Hope) or his family was taken prisoner and murdered, but he kept fighting for his beliefs (lost Hope, kept Ideal) etc. Similar rules apply to the Antagonist: Was his Control lost? If so, the Dystopia is hobbled and crumbling at the end.  Control fine, but Elements lost? The Dystopia might be weakened, but is still intact.

Obviously, it's very difficult to best a Dystopia. As a Protagonist you probably want to defend your Hopes and Ideal, while an Antagonist will usually only be really bothered about his Control, for the most part.

Aftermath

1. A Final Scene, highlighting reprecussions of the story and providing an ending to the tale. Protagonist describes the scene.

Problems

1. Not yet sure how the actual scenes play out.

2. Wondering if Recurring Themes should actually influence Potential?

3. Not sure that Weaknesses affect play enough (perhaps the opponent can also invoke them once for +1 Potential in a single scene?)

I may not be explaining it very clearly, but if anyone needs clarification, please do ask!

Thanks for the suggestions, ADGBoss!

[matthijs]

What if all the mechanical issues were resolved before playing the scene? So that the result would be known before narration started?

[TomTitTot]

Wow. That's something I hadn't considered, but I can see the appeal. I like the idea but must consider the implications before I can be sure it fits.

Thanks so much. That gives me a new angle from which to consider the game, and is such a big help, even if I don't end up using it.