[Coraçao Selvagem] Power 19

[imago]

Hi, I'm new to the Forge and English isn't my native language (however, I speak it very fluently), so, if I'm doing something wrong, I apologize in advance.

I have been playing, GMing and, more importantly, creating RPGs for years – and all sort of games before that. I was that kind of child.

This time I wanted to create a fully functional RPG, a real game, playtested and all, because, as far, I've designed the games we (our gaming group) play. And that's good, because if there is something to change or adapt, I can do it on the fly AND they trust me. But they're rather fudged games than good ones.

So, to start, I decided to go with the Power 19, which was great because it really helped me to nail several aspects down.

I'm really looking for comments and questions about the aspects I've outlined and, even more importantly, whether it looks like a cohesive, coherent product. Of course, I'll have to expand about some of these in other threads – mechanics and the Regent Pentacle, for instance.

Coraçao Selvagem (Wild Heart) comes from the eponymous song from Wolf's Rain soundtrack, by Yoko Kanno, one of the inspirations for this project.


1.) What is your game about?**

Coraçao Selvagem is about a group of special people trying to survive a hostile, supernatural, horrific world that's actively after them, the bonds they share, the things they do to shape the world and accomplishing personal goals.
It's about Tension (as a result and theme), not only on an individual level but a collective one too. It's about Horror with Hope. It's about Commitment to oneself and the people you care about.
It's a game of mystery, as well, but that's secondary.


2.) What do the characters do?**

PCs are the Selvagem, people who found themselves being werewolves, that their condition isn't quite like in movies and that the Universe seems to hate them. PCs are driven people and being a werewolf makes them but more passionate even. They deal with Tension, undergo Wanderings into the Strange Lands (which often bring more troubles upon them) and, generally, live under constant threats while trying to fight them back. They'll have to socialize, fight, investigate and even meditate to gain the information they'll need. They might perform rituals and certainly prepare ambushes for their enemies.
NPCs can range from other Selvagem to normal people, from mages to Spawns, each of them with an agenda on their own.
Some characters can try to shape the things go up in our world, sometimes even unknowingly.


3.) What do the players (including the GM if there is one) do?**

Players take the role of one Selvagem each. There's a single player taking the role of GM doing (mostly) traditional work (being referee, narration, developing plot and story, NPC management and roleplaying...)
All players (even GM) have the chance to shape the world by modfying a game feature named the Regent Pentacle; this can lead to endgame, if it's agreed thus.
PC's part of Bonds are modified by player's choice. GM adjusts NPC's Bonds.
GM also has to approve Goals.


4.) How does your setting (or lack thereof) reinforce what your game is about?

The world is after the PCs, both on the Strange Lands and Motherland. Such hostility demands the most (for better and worse) of them. This and the horrific creatures (and their realms) reinforce Horror.
The fact that they can win the war (and not just the battle) reinforces Hope. And PCs are regenerating monsters. That's Hope and Horror right there.
Also, they don't have a huge array of versatile powers, and they aren't 9-feet tall killing machines, either – this low-powered kind of werewolf is better suited for guerrilla warfare and hunting through ambushes. So they will be in serious trouble when open battle erupts (yes – I said "will" and "when" instead of "should" and "if". that's because it should happen at least once in a campaign; however, I acknowledge that players are creative enough and GMs are free to do otherwise). This is about Tension.
The existance of Bonds (I consider it part of the setting) reinforces Commitment.
They make normal people uncomfortable and/or excited. They have restraining issues. They have Gifts. They are Special.
Lunar phases (full moon) rise Tension – even if characters have a happy, quite life, it's only matter of time until they must go on a Wandering. There's no such thing as "rest".
And the Regent Pentacle is a metagame track for setting dynamics and it's closely tied to themes and other more tangible effects.

5.) How does the Character Creation of your game reinforce what your game is about?

Characters must choose Goals, which will make them interact (and conflict) with the world, building up both tension and Tension.
Bonds are also chosen at Character Generation, thus linking this stage to the Commitment theme. They get to choose their side of them (since Bonds are bilateral mystical links with their Packmates), reflecting their dependance and ties with other PCs (and some NPCs).
And Selvagem have different traits than normal people.


6.) What types of behaviors/styles of play does your game reward (and punish if necessary)?

It rewards having Goals, since they may help characters on scenes. It charges them with rising Tension if they neglect Them. Besides, fulfilling Goals is the only way to gain Experience.
Characters shouldn't be open about their condition, specially about using their Gifts during the day; therefore, there are costs for it.
Isolationism isn't quite the option, because the setting is too hostile for one character alone and Bonds depend on having at least functional relationships with Packmates. Besides, PCs don't want a Packmate go Outrage, since they will go hunting their ex-fellows, the closest the first.
Selvagem have a hard time restraining themselves, so players are encouraged to loose (even unleash) them up (a bit).
[added later] On sum up, it rewards commitment and sticking to characters' nature (tension issues, secrecy, Goals)


7.) How are behaviors and styles of play rewarded or punished in your game?

Higher Goal levels grant more bonus but rise more Tension if the character can't (or doesn't) advance them during sessions.
Long-term Goals are benefits that last longer; short-term Goals imply faster advancement. Neglecting them rises Tension.
Bonds are good for Tracking someone and allow to sense Packmates' mood and state, specially if they're in danger, so it's useful to have good relationships within the Pack.
Restraining a character from an impulsive reaction rises Tension a bit.
Daytime use of Gifts (other than their Prefered one) rises Tension. And showing supernatural features to normal humans grants a World Shaping event on the Supernatural Taint of the Pentacle Regent.
Getting involved (through effecting the Regent Pentacle) affects both Goal fulfillment and endgame.


8.) How are the responsibilities of narration and credibility divided in your game?

Traditionally (GM above players), but each player has full control when narrating World Shaping.
(possible vetos are up to the playing group and are left to Social Contract. and I rather leave it at that since I can't offer a better solution)


9.) What does your game do to command the players' attention, engagement, and participation? (i.e. What does the game do to make them care?)

Goals, on a personal level. Bonds keep characters in touch with each other, so players will pay attention even if their characters aren't on scene.


10.) What are the resolution mechanics of your game like?

Fortune in the Middle, roll (2 dice, 3 under special circumstances) high but below trait level, (here's the catch) pick before rolling which (lowest, single highest, sum, two highest of three and all three of them) dice are counted. Some checks demand rolling above certain number; others, that you take higher dice (harder checks) into account.


11.) How do the resolution mechanics reinforce what your game is about?

There is risk on choosing which dice are considered beforehand. Risk is about Hope and Tension, reinforcing both of these themes. Since Tension (trait) can buy the third die, wanting a better dicepool (and I think I've given enough reasons why players would do this) reinforces Tension (theme).


12.) Do characters in your game advance? If so, how?

Yes, through Experience (points), which can only be gained from fulfilling Goals.


13.) How does the character advancement (or lack thereof) reinforce what your game is about?

Since it's dependant on Goal fulfillment, it's all about Commitment.


14.) What sort of product or effect do you want your game to produce in or for the players?

I want players genuinely caring about other players' characters as much as their own, caring about the gameworld and enjoying a game about exploring realms beyond our world.
And scaring them (or, at least freaking them out) with the weirdest stuff I'm thinking of.


15.) What areas of your game receive extra attention and color? Why?

The Regent Pentacle, because it's something I haven't seen in any game. Its Taints are connected, dependant of each other and not only shape the gameworld but also are key to endgame.
Spawns, because that's where the horror comes, both as creatures that freak out and antagonists that should make characters take horrific courses of actions
The mechanics (see answer 11).


16.) Which part of your game are you most excited about or interested in? Why?

I couldn't pick just one.
I love wolves and I want a game about the lupine, gregarious nature. Wolves are predators and territorial, but they were hunted by men and almost extincted. Wolves are a powerful symbol, and very much the reason why I made a horror, supernatural game where protagonists are neither merely human, nor almighty monsters, nor occult scholars or mystic sorcerers. I wanted wolves in Man's disguise.
The Regent Pentacle is a nice feature I really want to see in play.
And the principle for Spawns: take something slightly uncommon or straight uncomfortable, and imagine a twisted creature (better, a lot of them): the Outrages, Victims, the Broken, the Tormented, Parasites, Pariahs, Lost, cults, the Ash Crawlers, the Silent, the Blind (yes, I've noticed that the article "the" makes everything look more impressive. learned that from Metal Gear Solid 3), the Carnivores. I haven't thought of all of these (and certainly don't see it as necessary) but I will have fun designing and imagining most of them.


17.) Where does your game take the players that other games can't, don't, or won't?

To the Strange Lands, of course  :p  . But seriously, I hope to come up with really cool locations and Spawns, cool enough to be part of this answer.
Most games don't have mechanics for characters and even players to modify their gameworld. Most games don't have mechanics to link characters. Coraçao Selvagem has both of them.
Both Werewolf: the Apocalypse and Werewolf: the Forsaken feature high-powered characters, focused on the spiritual realms of their respective gamelines; Coraçao Selvagem wanders into the weird, instead, and has the spiritual as something that can be tapped yet not accessed, because the spiritual is part of all realms, specially Motherland.
And it has an optional endgame on top of it.


18.) What are your publishing goals for your game?

Getting the whole thing finished up and, if it's good enough, publish it as a pdf (no other practical option, since I'm in Chile and I'm going to write it on English – and local market is too small). If it happens to be good enough to charge for it, I will; otherwise, I'll just release it for free, being satisfied with myself.


19.) Who is your target audience?

My friends, of course. But less than my other games, because this time I'm not making a game suited for our gaming group – I'm making a game that anyone can play. Which is why I'm taking the professional approach to design it (this questionary being the first step in that direction).
Also, gaming groups who play on a regular basis. Players who enjoy horror games and are willing to try something new. Players who enjoy playing (with) characters' relationships.
And players who match all of the above.


Thank you (just for reading this).

[Eero Tuovinen]

Thanks for posting, seems interesting. I can't say that I'd parse the P19 format very well, but I'm sure it's useful as a design tool. I'll look forward to further developments with your game.