Character Creation versus Character Evolution

[bigcape]

I am looking for some feedback on my choices in creating the A+ Fantasy game system:

http://www.1km1kt.net/rpg/A_Plus_Fantasy.php

I have decided to focus my questions a little bit in the hopes of generating more specific feed back. I'd like to start with character creation. My system is designed to make character creation very simple and fast and I have narrowed this down into a few simple decisions.

First, the player has 4 Attributes. The starting values of these are fixed. The player simply chooses how to arrange these. The player chooses a few skills based on the previous Attribute choices and they're done. This is simple and fast. Is it too simple? Too limiting?

If Dungeons and Dragons provided a beginning set of 6 fixed numbers for Ability Scores and then simply requested that each player arrange them, wouldn't this be better than random generation? It means that every starting player begins with the same opportunities. It's not an effective simulation of real life but games need to be more fair than life.

One problem I see with this kind of thing, in the case of D&D, is that in D&D Ability Scores are reasonably static... so everyone would not only start out the same but also end up that way... character advancement in my system focuses on improving and increasing attributes. So those fixed numbers that you are stuck with in the beginning change very soon.

I like to think that characters in my system are not actually created, but simply initialized. That the character itself is created (evolved) through play. For this reason the initializing of a character is very simple... the starting character sheet very sparse.

This approach seems contrary to all of the game systems out there that provide page after page for character creation and try and produce a very detailed and complex model for the player from the offset. Personally, I don't like this. Often a player really doesn't know what they want when they start. They need to grow into the character. What happens when you start to grow into the character and it turns out to be very different from its detailed foundation?

So, goal number one of my system: emphasize character evolution over character creation.

Ways that I accomplish this:

Character creation involves a few simple choices so players are in and playing quickly.

Character advancement will change choices made during creation, so that the character can evolve into something different from its inception.

Does this kind of approach work? Or do players see the small number of choices at the offset and dismiss the system for its lack of detail?


Your consideration is appreciated! Thanks!!


Jeff

[TonyLB]

Yes, that kind of approach works.

Vincent Baker has a nice thread on this topic over at "anyway."  It starts from yet older commentary by Ron.

The trick is... your character evolution mechanic has to be compelling, and interesting, and give a lot of choices and always, always, always give "right" (i.e. interesting and provoking) results.

[Andrew Morris]

Welcome to the Forge, Jeff.

My system is designed to make character creation very simple and fast

If that's your focus, then go with it. Anything that doesn't support your design goal should be tossed.

It's not an effective simulation of real life but games need to be more fair than life.

Says who? If "fairness" is some goal of yours for the system, then great, go for it. If not, what does it matter? One of the best GMs I ever played with ran an In Nomine game and stated quite clearly up front that anyone at the table could be anything from a bad-ass Infernal to a plain old human. It added a lot of spice to the game, knowing that different power levels were at the table. Personally, I don't think there's much point in "fairness" or "balance" (both terms aren't that useful, by the way, since they mean so many different things to different people), unless the focus of the game is on competition, and even then, there are times when you might not want to go in this direction.

So, goal number one of my system: emphasize character evolution over character creation.

Ways that I accomplish this:

Character creation involves a few simple choices so players are in and playing quickly.

Character advancement will change choices made during creation, so that the character can evolve into something different from its inception.

The character development system you outline seems fine for meeting your stated goal.

Does this kind of approach work?

Beats me. I think it has the potential to work well, assuming (like anything else) that it is well-executed.

Or do players see the small number of choices at the offset and dismiss the system for its lack of detail?

Who cares? If they think that, then they're not going to play your game. Why waste time catering to people who aren't your target anyway? Do what you like, and you'll attract the players who agree with you.

Also, you might want to check out Mike's Standard Rants, which are quite useful and interesting:

Mike's Standard Rant #1: Designers! Know your hobby!
Mike's Standard Rant #2: Species/race/culture
Mike's Standard Rant #3: Combat systems
Mike's Standard Rant #4: Stat/skill systems
Mike's Standard Rant #5: The myth of opposed rolls
Mike's Standard Rant #6: Concepts are a dime a dozen
Mike's Standard Rant #7: Designing for Gamism ain't easy
Mike's...uhm...other...Standard Rant #7: You can't sneak up on mode