1st Transatlantic Setting Design Challenge starting NOW

[Ben Lehman]

I will spearhead a team submission for the Riddle of Steel.

Neat!

[neph]

I'll have to think about what i can put into 10.000 words, but I think I'm in with a little setting for the Fate-System...

[Mikael]

I am in for the pleasure of thinking about it. Writing it down will be hard and may be my downfall.

My system of choice is Polaris, and the setting will be completely different from the original, except it too will represent a journey of sorts. Naturally, a lot of the rules will need changing and terms renaming.

Oh joy.

Cheers,
Mikael

[StefanDirkLahr]

I'd like to give this one a real try - i might just be able to put a booklet together by the end of the month.

As for the system, i was thinking using Sorcerer, unless Ron has any objections.

- Stefan L

[TroyLovesRPG]

Hello Frank,

A new thread! I'm in.

I'm still love the D6 system and am working on two settings for it. In a week I'll figure out which one I want to complete for submission.

This is gonna be great!

Troy

[Ron Edwards]

No objections to using Sorcerer! However, I'm pretty sure that even if I did object, there's no way for anyone to stop you. Have a good time!

Best, Ron

[Andy Kitkowski]

Man, I've gotta say that the hardest part of this contest is that I'm spoiled on thinking that setting should have influence in the rules; that is, I've got like maybe an idea or two, and I am eyeing the Solar System to do it, but I keep feeling like I need to write some keys, or secrets, or skills or whatever, specifically for this setting.  Since those are "rules", it's much harder than I anticipated to get started on my setting. Right out of the box I want to tinker with or expand upon the rules. :-)

So, I have to take a step back and maybe consider an even more generic system maybe, one that I'm not so hot to configure. That will let me pull back from "tinker mode" and look more directly at creating the setting itself.

-Andy

[Eero Tuovinen]

Man, I've gotta say that the hardest part of this contest is that I'm spoiled on thinking that setting should have influence in the rules; that is, I've got like maybe an idea or two, and I am eyeing the Solar System to do it, but I keep feeling like I need to write some keys, or secrets, or skills or whatever, specifically for this setting.  Since those are "rules", it's much harder than I anticipated to get started on my setting. Right out of the box I want to tinker with or expand upon the rules. :-)

I'm extremely interested in getting to discuss this kind of issues with concrete designs at hand when the competition gets into judgement phase. I believe it'll be instructive for everybody. For now, let me say that your assumption above that keys, secrets and abilities would be rules design in opposition to setting design is highly contestable. I'll even say that I flatly disagree, and consider an effort to write a setting "for Solar system" highly suspect if it doesn't include any of the above elements. Considering Near, I'm sure everybody agrees that some key parts of the setting, like racial specialties, are rather impossible to express in any other manner than rules. Just imagine how weak throw-aways elves and goblins, for instance, would be if Past lives and Adaptation were just a couple of sentences of fluff wedged between notes on social and dietary habits.

In other words: I encourage anybody taking up Frank's challenge to step bravely into rules design territory as necessary. Not doing that is limiting yourself to only half of what setting design can be. Writing for Solar system and not making Secrets is like writing a setting for D&D without adding prestige classes, or writing a setting for Dust Devils and not re-defining abilities, or writing a setting for Sorcerer and not defining Humanity: in all those cases what you're doing might be "rules", yes, but that doesn't mean it's not setting. If you insist in finding an opposite and exclusive "thing" for the concept of setting in rpg book design, it's system, not rules. A crucial difference for this competition, I'm sure. One could even say (I won't, but still...) that anybody who claims to write a setting for a certain system, but fails to connect the setting and system via rules design is just writing prose.

[Ron Edwards]

Entirely subject to Frank's judgment - I would like to throw whatever influence I may have on this contest into full support for Eero's point. I strongly suggest not inventing hobbles for yourself through some kind of weird mental twists about what is and isn't setting.

Best, Ron

[alexandro]

I will participate with a highly unrealistic space-adventure setting (influenced by Flash Gordon, Barbarella, pulp novels, victorian science and saturday morning cartoons like Bravestar and Galaxy Rangers) for Capes! .

[Frank T]

Andy, writing new Keys and Secrets is absolutely cosher! I mean, hey, what is the Key of the Collector without the Zu setting bit? The Secret of the Moon Heart? So when I say that "tweaking" the rules is in bounds, that includes re-naming Polaris stats, writing up new equipment and weapons for d20, new Keys and Secrets for TSoY (so it's called the Solar System now?)... If, by your judgement, the system is still the system, then it's okay.

- Frank

[Jonathan Walton]

Andy, I'm also using the Solar System and I'm requiring the players to write their own Keys and Secrets along slightly different guidelines than what Clinton suggests.  I also created new conditions for Transcendence.  But it's still clearly TSOY, still mythopoetic Bodhisattva warriors despite the changes.  Have you read a really good d20 supplement lately?  Be Steve Kenson.  Bend the rules a bit make them accomplish what you need them to do.

Rename the Pools if you want.  Have six Pools instead of three.  Create a weird thing that combines Keys and Secrets where you can use a power as long as you don't Buyoff the conditions for its use.  Ignore Transcendence completely.  As long as you're messing with the components of TSOY, I'd say you're cool.  Again, are you doing this to win or are you doing this to create a badass game based on some fun guidelines?  Are you worried about the letter or the spirit of the limitations?

[Andy Kitkowski]

Again, are you doing this to win or are you doing this to create a badass game based on some fun guidelines?  Are you worried about the letter or the spirit of the limitations?

Hmmm. I see your (and others') point, I guess I wanted to make sure that I wouldn't (EDIT: "WOULD", not "wouldn't") be following the spirit of the contest.  It seemed to me to be, "The game rules are set; you have to come up with the Setting", and messing with the rules to make the setting work easier seemed a little more like getting deeper into messing with the rules to fit the setting- It would make my job easier, but I didn't want to break the spirit of the contest.

But folks seem cool with minor edits and the like, so I'll do so. I'm off to write then!*

-Andy

* well, this Thanksgiving Break, anyway.

[Mikael]

I guess I wanted to make sure that I wouldn't be following the spirit of the contest.

You the rebel, man.

[Hedgehamster]

If I could manage the time and find the patience for an english translation I would maybe join with an setting for TSOY, too.
The idea is great, but I think I wouldn't have enought time for writing an entire setting, include the rules, translate it and afterwards judge 4 other participants.

But maybe...