[Gifted] 24 Hour Submission for Critique

[SlurpeeMoney]

Alright. So I've been kicking this idea around for a lot longer than 24 hours, but I got sick of it sitting in my head and gave myself a definite timeline in which to finish it. This is what I've come up with as a sort of quick-start rules; I plan on fleshing the game out in the future, particularly in defining the setting as it differs from the Real World, and making Gifted abilities, skills and such much more concrete. Let me know what you think.



Gifted

Introduction[/size]

The subjugation of Nature's forces to man, machine... What earlier century had even a presentiment that such productive forces slumbered in the lap of social labor?
Karl Marx/Friedrich Engles
The Communist Manifesto

   In the shadows and under the streets a Secret War rages. Those Gifted with incredible abilities far beyond the human norm fight a never-ending campaign to bring balance, and in so doing establish a new Age of peace and prosperity. From the dark places in which they are forced to hide, they try to steer mankind to this New Age. The Revolution, though, is still in its infancy, and there are many forces that would see it put down before it damages the precious status-quo.
   You are one of the Gifted. Will you take up the Revolutionary's mantle, and try to bring Balance to the world by any means necessary? Will you play the intrigue game, bringing down one corrupt one Corporation at a time? Will you fight in the political arena, using the systems already established to affect change? Or are you perhaps one of the enigmatic Watchers, looking for front row seats to the End of the World?
   Let's find out shall we?

Creating Characters for Gifted

Character Points: Characters are built using 25 points called Character Points. These points are divided between Attributes and Skills however the player likes. It is possible to have an Attribute rated at zero, but this implies a sever deficiency in that area, and likely a disability. A score of zero in a skill implies no training or practice in that skill, though the player may certainly attempt to perform an action related to a skill by rolling on the applicable attribute.

Attributes are inherent areas of ability that all characters are born with. All of the characters in Gifted have the following four attributes:

Physical: A rating of constitution, strength, speed and agility.
Mental: It's all in your head; intelligence, wit, resolve and perception.
Social: Public speaking, acting, persuasion, charm and mojo.
Mystical: Your connection to the metaphysical world.

Skills are abilities that the characters have gained through training and/or practice. Not all characters have the same skills. If you would like to select a skill that is not on this list (such as Demolitions), feel free to do so at the Game Master's discretion.

Sample List of Skills
Acrobatics
Art
Combat
Computers
Crime
Driving
Combat
Guns
Influence
Knowledge
Languages
Repair
Notice
Mysticism
Science
Sports
Appraise
Concentration
Composure
Survival
Streetwise
Escape
Hide
Prowl
Perform

Each Gifted character also has a special power, called their Gift. Gifts cost 5 Character Points, and your character may only have one. This is something that is typically beyond the human range of ability. A strong man can lift a car; some Gifted can fly. Player character Gifts should be as unique as possible, reflecting the character's expected role in the Revolution, her personality, etc. She doesn't just burst into flame; she bursts into flame in a shower of sparks that start from her feet until she's entirely engulfed.

Health Points:
   Combat is inevitable in war, and where there is combat, people get hurt. Health points are a way of keeping track of the damage your character has suffered, and measuring how much hurt your character can take.
   A character has as many Health Points as his Physical attribute added to his Mental attribute. When his Health Points reach zero (0), the character dies.

Gift Points:
   If the Gifted could use their Gift every time a conflict arose, most of the civilized world would be in ruins. Most Gifted can only use their Gifts a few times per day (if that often) and some are unable to use their Gifts at all.
   Each time a Gift is used, it costs one Gift Point. Gift Points are determined by adding together your Mystical and your Social attributes.

Affiliations

   Not everyone looks at the revolution the same way. Even within the Revolution forces, there are divisions, factions built in an attempt to rally Gifted to their own special interests. Most Gifted youth join one organization or another, if for no other reason than protection; it is easier to survive as a group than as an individual. Below is a very brief description of some of the more prominent Gifted Factions.

The Indigo Children – Perhaps the best recognized of the Gifted Factions, the Indigoes have been pressing for peaceful revolution since their inception in the late 1990s. Political and public manipulators, the Indigoes affect change through the systems already established in the communities in which they live. Many Indigoes hold low political offices, or own prominent businesses and promote Gifted ideals through these venues.

The Obsidian Children – Polar opposite to the Indigoes, the Obsidian Children prefer direct action to obscure political maneuvering. Terrorist action, assassination and urban warfare are the hallmarks of Obsidian activity, and though other Factions point to their methods as blunt and juvenile, none can refute that they have been, thus far, quite effective in furthering the Revolution's cause.

Magical – A strange mixture of political faction and religious cult, Magical prefers mysticism to force or politics. All Gifted are inherently attuned to mystical forces, but only the Gifted of Magical push the mystical envelope in an attempt to assist in the revolution. Most other Gifted view those involved with Magical with a mixture of respect and trepidation; what they do is valuable to the revolution, but they're so... strange...

The Watchers – Even in a revolution, there are those who seek financial gain, and in the Secret War, information is an expensive commodity. The Watchers specialize in the organization and sale of information, and are not picky as to their clientele. They are as likely to tell an Indigo who his major political rivals really are, as they are to sell the Indigo's location to the Machine.

The Machine – Sometimes, Gifted go bad. Brainwashed by the Game Master into national service, or bought by corporate petty cash, the Gifted of the Machine work directly against the Revolution and everything that it stands for. In the Secret War, there is no enemy as frightening as the Machine; they know all of the secrets of the Revolutionaries, have all of their strengths, and often have the support of substantial government or corporate backing.

The Unaffiliated – Unaffiliated Gifted are both dangerous and impotent. They are dangerous, because they are unpredictable, an unaccountable element in the planning of the war. They are impotent because they do not have the support or the numbers to affect major change themselves. Most of the Unaffiliated wish only to be left alone, away from the war and all that it entails. Sadly, war is upon them whether they will it or no, and often they are dragged into the conflict regardless.

The Gifted Game System
   Whenever your character would like to perform an action, roll a six sided die. Add your Attribute number and the number of an applicable skill (if any). If the result is more than six (8), your character succeeds at that action. If it is lower than six, the action fails. The higher the end result is, the better the performance.
   Actions directly related to a character's Gift gain an additional +3 bonus on all action rolls.
   In cases where characters are directly opposed to one another (such as one person attempting to sneak past a watchful guard, or one brawler attempting to hit another), an opposed roll is made. Opposed rolls are made just like normal rolls, except that in these cases the higher (or highest) roll wins.

The Points of View System
   Pick up most novels, watch a television series or a movie, and one of the first things you may notice is that each chapter or scene involves a viewpoint character. It is from this character's perception that we experience the events of the story that are related to that chapter or scene. Gifted utilizes an optional view-point character system that helps regulate spotlight time, and at the same time simulates this chapter-by-chapter view-point character affect.
   Gifted is not a party-style game in the classic sense. Every player has as many characters as there are players. One character is a Gifted character, the rest are secondary, un-Gifted characters. Each cell of Revolutionaries typically has only one Gifted character. That Gifted is often the Viewpoint character (there are exceptions, where a normal un-Gifted character is the view-point), and often the protagonist of his Chapter/Scene (again, there are exceptions). Chapters last roughly 45 minutes of play time, at which time focus shifts to a different view-point character.
   In this way, each group can be attempting to achieve separate (perhaps even conflicting) goals, separate from the other groups. Players could, effectively, play their own nemesis.
   This system admittedly requires much more investment from all involved, but can result in a very rewarding experience at the end of the game. As stated before, it is completely optional, but is suggested for full enjoyment of the game.

Fear

   Those fighting the Secret War face fear every day, but that does not mean that they are immune to it. Even the most battle-hardened of warriors feels the occasional effects of fear, and how fear affects you can, and often does, determine the outcome of a situation.
   When faced with a situation in which fear should be taken into account (including combat), all characters involved in the situation should roll Mental + Composure. Success means that, while the character is experiencing fear, she is able to use its beneficial side-effects to her advantage. Failure means she is frightened, and unable to act at her peak because of it. Use the following chart. When the frightening situation is completely resolved, and the characters have an opportunity to relax (if even for a moment) the effects of Fear stop.

10+   +2 bonus on all combat rolls
8-9   No bonus or penalty
6-7   -2 penalty on all non-combat actions
4-5   -2 penalty on all actions
2-3   -2 penalty on all actions, including next Fear Check
1   Driven insane with terror

Stress   
   The survival stress reaction is a reality of all wartime situations. When a person perceives a direct threat to his person, his parasympathetic nervous system begins a series of changes that are meant to aid in his survival. Sadly, many of these effects can be as detrimental as beneficial. Fine motor skills go right out the window. Heart rate increases. Tunnel vision sets in. Hearing becomes confused.
   Most of the revolutionaries in the Secret War are untrained in combat methods. In this they are at a distinct disadvantage, as many of the forces working against the revolution have that training or combat experience that allows them to better deal with combat stress.
   Stress is rated on a scale, from one to ten. The higher the number, the more stress the character is feeling, and the stronger the effects of that stress on the character's performance. Every time a character fails a Fear roll, he gains a point of stress. Unlike Fear, when the frightening situation goes away, Stress remains with your character, and will continue to affect his ability to act. Only when the character is able to completely relax for a full day will Stress begin to fade. Every hour after that first day will alleviate one Stress point.

1-3   Increased resting heart rate.
4-5   Heart rate 115 beats per minute (bpm) Loss of fine motor skills. -3 on all fine skills requiring hand-eye co-ordination or fine hand control.
6-7   Heart rate 145 bpm. Loss of hearing, loss of complex motor skills (skills requiring 3 or more motor functions at once. -5 on fine motor skills, -3 on all perception skills requiring hearing.
8-9   Heart rate 175 bpm. Tunnel vision and critical stress amnesia set in. Visual tracking becomes difficult, and focus on close objects  becomes near impossible. Will tend to focus on one threat ignoring all others until the "main target" is eliminated. Utter lack of depth perception. -5 on all fine motor skills, -4 on perception skills requiring hearing, -3 on perception skills requiring sight. Heightened reaction time, though, provides a +2 bonus on reflex checks.
10   Heart rate 185-220 bpm. Hypervigilance occurs, commonly known as "deer in the headlights" or "brain fart mode." Person will continue to perform ineffective actions, or display irrational behavior such as leaving cover. In this state, a person may be unable to act at all. Once in a state of hypervigiliance, it can be incredibly difficult to get out; information related to the threat is reduced in the brain, which increases reaction time. This increased reaction time increases the rate of stress, which deepens the state of hypervigiliance.

Combat
   Combat is handled just like any other opposed roll. Depending upon the preference of the players, one roll could be used to determine the outcome of a whole battle, or a more detailed blow-by-blow system could be used.
   In the former case, the amount of damage a character takes is equal to the difference between the opposing character's roll and eight. For instance, if one character rolls a Physical Combat roll of twelve (12), his opponent would take four (4) damage to his Health Points. If his opponent rolled sixteen (19), the first character would take a whopping eleven (11) points of damage. Adjust the damage based on the type of weapon used in the attack, and any armor the defender may be wearing.
   In the latter case, use the following steps.

Initiative:
   Roll an opposed Mental + Combat roll. Highest roll goes first, with subsequent rolls going in descending order.

Roll to Strike:
   Roll an opposed Physical + Combat roll. If the attacker's roll is successful, determine damage. If the defender's roll is successful, initiative moves to the next highest number.

Determine Damage:
   Damage is equal to the difference between the attacker's roll and the defender's roll, with modifications based on the type of weapon (if any) used in the attack, and any armor the defender may be wearing.
   Initiative then moves to the next highest number.

Repeat:
   Repeat this process until everyone on one side of the combat either gives up (surrenders, runs away), or dies.

   Casualties in the Secret War have been high, though the casualties are seldom presented in the news or media. Often, they are shown as gang killings or the results of crime, terrorist attacks, or other fatalities unrelated to the war happening right under people's noses. Characters are likely to die if they engage in combat too often; some characters will die every time lethal combat is engaged. Casualties are, sadly, an unavoidable part of war, and with the Gifted heavily outnumbered and outgunned, it is unavoidable that a great deal of those casualties are Revolutionaries. This is not to say that the Establishment does not take heavy losses; only that those losses are less representative of the total forces the Establishment has at its disposal.
   Player character death is fairly common. Have a few backup characters ready when you start to play.

"Whenever . . . [the people] shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it."
Abraham Lincoln

If you want to make enemies, try to change something.
Winston Churchill

"Vive le Revolution!"
A lot of dead French people

[Adam Dray]

Neat idea. It needs some development though. But that's why you posted, right? =)

First off, can't you just make a character with 6's in all his four attributes, have one point left over and dump it in some useless skill, then be guaranteed success (>6) on any d6 + attribute roll?  You probably need caps on attribute scores at start.

I'm also convinced that 6 is the wrong target number. Imagine a basic character with a 3 Physical, a Combat 3, and a Gift of "super combat speed" or something. Any combat task he automatically succeeds even without his Gift bonus of +3. Is this what you intend? It might be that you want a superhero game where some actions are sure things. If so, you have that.

The Points of View section is what makes your game different from every other game. You should lead with that in the rules. Tell players up front to start thinking of the troupe of characters they will build. If they buy into the concept, they'll be excited about the prospects of making up 4-6 characters to play. If they don't buy into it, then they won't find out after reading a few pages of rules.

You'll need some guidelines for inter-Gifted conflict. If my Gifted plots to fight your Gifted, that drags those two universes together. Everyone could suddenly have two characters in play at the same time. Is this what you intend?  Anyway, I'd like to see the PoV section expanded. That's where the cool is.

With a little tweaking, you can genericize your Combat system so that it's a general Versus system (I don't want to call it a Conflict system because Conflict has a special meaning here on the Forge and that's not what I mean exactly). Essentially, by choosing the right attribute and the right skill, you could have a duel of wits, a public debate, arm wrestling, or any other kind of (little C) conflict resolved via your system.

Hope this helps!

[SlurpeeMoney]

Yes, it has been a help, thank you.

The only thing I don't want to have happen is for rolls to take out good role-playing opportunities. If the (small C) conflict system begins to infringe on the witty reparte going on around the table, I don't think it's doing its job. And if I restict the rolls to physical-mental-mystical, it seems rather shallow.

The PoV system was one of three nifty twists I was batting about for this game, so I'm glad this one has garnered approval. I've thought about a few ways for inter-party conflicts to occur (NPC the non-PoV characters, let the players roll for both parties at once, etc). I can't think of a way that would please most parties though. NPCism takes characters out of the players hands while rolling for both parties seems a bit dice-heavy. Splitting the player group in two and giving each half one party sucks too. Any ideas?

[Adam Dray]

First, what is your definition of "role-playing?" Without getting too philosophical, I'd argue that just showing up and playing the game is probably role-playing. But maybe you mean "talking in funny voices sometimes but at least playing the part of the character by acting it out." 1st Person, Actor Stance stuff.

I've found that role-playing will happen if the players are motivated to role-play. What does your game do to encourage it? You've set up as a goal of the game design to not "take out good role-playing opportunities." Yes, you need to consider what might detract from that kind of play, but you should also think about what rewards you give the players for playing the way you intend.

Can you talk about your game's reward system?

[SlurpeeMoney]

Most of my play experience comes from the first-person actor stance stuff, so I suppose that's precisely what I intend to imply when I say "good role-playing." I like to see people getting into character and attempting to resolve inter-personal conflicts around the table before they reach for the dice, though I suppose such a system solves the "I'm socially inept, so I want my character to be suave and debonaire," problem.

As yet, my reward system is fairly underdeveloped. I intend to put a point-based dramatic editing system into the game at some point, which can affect die-rolls, some in-game events and PoV shifts. Perhaps regeneration of these points could come from role-playing that resembles the play-flow I'm going for? A good motivational speech (or a solid attempt at one); a witty verbal fencing match with a local politician; taking a hit you could avoid to add new, interesting complications; anything that could effectively add to the cinematic/literary feel of the game would garner the character a few more editing points.

I'm fairly certain I want to avoid traditional character development in favor of a system in which Character Points can be re-arranged. Even with Gifts, the Revolutionaries should be at a near-constant disadvantage against the Machine, and having characters that become veritable gods over the course of play wouldn't accomplish that. And you were right in your first post, Adam: six is the wrong number. I lost the original edit when my room-mate shut off the computer, and missed it in my second edit, but the target number should be ten with two as the "human average" for attributes. Attributes and Skills will, in my next edit, be capped at four.

-Kris

[Adam Dray]

"I like to see people getting into character and attempting to resolve inter-personal conflicts around the table before they reach for the dice." Yes, good, but that doesn't require 1st-person acting. These things can be done just as well through 3rd-person narratives and even metagame kibitzing. All those things are role-playing.

"I intend to put a point-based dramatic editing system into the game at some point, which can affect die-rolls, some in-game events and PoV shifts." Okay, now we're talking. This is exactly what I meant. I'd love to see more about how you can earn and use editing points. You're right to set up your game to reward the kind of play you want players to pursue. That's what game design is all about. Otherwise it's just freeform with stats.

Keep it up! This looks cool.

[Nathan P.]

Heya Kris,

I second Adam - Point of View is where the cool is. I'd say, make it default and work in some mechanical twerks that interact with it in fun ways, maybe in combination with a kind of dramatic editing system that you're thinking of. Something like, people can pay points to bring their Gifted into another's PoV scene, or take the PoV, or even to refocus the scene on one of the "supporting cast", creating a new Gifted!

Another thought is that you have this list of skills, and then say "or whatever you want, if the GM approves". So really, you can have any skill, as long as the GM approves, so it may take up less space just to say that, maybe give examples of genre-appropriate skills, and leave it at that.

Finally, on the setting level, I think it would totally appropriate and full of awesome to have a whole bunch of revolutionary factions, all totally committed to their goals, all of whom totally HATE the others. I mean, think of the left wing in the late 1800s - the german and russian socialist parties totally hated one another, different factions within each of those parties totally hated one another, and the biggest conflicts in the literature are between different left wingers, socialists, anarchists, communists, whatever, just lambasting each other and accusing each other of selling out to the right wing. You have a good start with the split between the Indigo and Obsidian, but I think it speak to your design goals just to have a bunch of factions, a short description of ideology (not just methods), and some examples of conflict between them. Right there you create reason for people to break into PoV's, work against each other, etc.

I hope some of that is helpful, keep workin'