Power 19: One Roll Narrative Role Playing System (Long)

[CSBone]

Lordy, lordy I've been gone a long time!

Based on the comments of people on this forum I realise that what I was working for Space Ranger was just not going to work so I took the process back to the beginning and it's taken me almost a year to finally get back to a point that I'm ready to have y'all hammer away at a game. I think this one is much more solid than my first attempt and I have the comments from people from here to thank for it.

What this post is going to be is a draft of the Power19 for the One Roll Narrative Role Playing System. You will notice that there are questions I couldn't answer. With your help I hope to get them answered.

As a side note, I don't have an ego about this project. I'm looking for constructive criticism and if you can do it faster by being harsh please do.

I want the initial minibook of rules and character sheets to be ready for kicking out by the end of summer.  With your help I think I can do it.

Hammer away!

Thanks in advance.

C. S. Bone
Power 19: One Roll Narrative Role Playing System<

Things I have not resolved is:

• How big should the initial Pool be?
• How does the Pool refresh?

[northerain]

Hey Bone
Do you think you can post a small general description of the system, to get a better idea of how it works?

[Anders Larsen]

Hi

I think I can see what you are trying to do here. You want to make an "general" game and to do this you try to make the rules as simple and neutral as possible. I have some problem with this approach.

Before a rpg can properly start, there have to be a interesting situation that the characters can engage in. In this "general" approach you have your game does really not provide any situation. I know that traditionally it have not been the game, but the GM who should create the situations, but this is really not a robust solution; it depends very much on the GM. It is much better if this is build into the rules. I can see that you want to make some campaign worlds later, this could solve some of the problems, but not all.

An other problem is that "any story" is really not possible. There are some type of stories that need support from the rules to work consistently. If you then make support for these special types of stories, it will the get in the way of other types of stories. The thing is, you have to choose what kind of stories this game will focus on.

I actually think that you have a certain type of stories in mind with this game. I think you are going for the adventuring and exploring style of game. So focus on this, and try to add some rules that support it.

So, I have some question for you:

* What kind of situations will the characters face in this game?

* Which approaches can the characters (or players) use to solve these situations?

* And one last (slightly unrelated) question: Are you using task resolution or conflict resolution?

 - Anders

[CSBone]

Hey guys!

Sorry it took so long to get back to you. One new son (8 weeks old), one two year old son, a 55 hour a week job and leaving enough time for my wife is going to make my responses come a little slow.

northerain,

See #10 above. I'm adding to that the following:

Character Creation

10 Words
This is an introduction to the character and includes the name of the chartacter and a short declaration of who or what that person is with their occupation and history. No matter how long a name or title is it is considered 1 word. Also any adjectives do not count toward the total.

100 WordsAssign DicePlayer AdvancementAnders

Before a rpg can properly start, there have to be a interesting situation that the characters can engage in. In this "general" approach you have your game does really not provide any situation.

I've been told this before...fair enough!

I've always been facinated by how people react when put in situations beyond their understanding. I role-play to explore what I might do in those situations. One setting I want to explore is a Post Apocalypse High Tech High Magic Setting.

On December 26, 2011 the electrical constants changed. Not enough to stop the low level electrical activity that makes life possible but quite enough to stop all modern technology and bring civilization to a grinding halt.

If that was not bad enough, fate had one more surprise. It turns out that every story ever told of fairies and daemons, goblins and dragons, werewolves and vampires and all of those things that went bump in the night ...were 100% true. Whatever change in the constant had caused electricity to fail had also brought them back from wherever they had gone.

Some, it turned out, were us, encoded deep in our genes. Some had been there all along, living right next to us in society, just a single step away, not touching but not gone. Some, however, were from a darker place. Monsters.

One moment humanity was celebrating the holidays. The next moment we were fighting for our lives.

I know that traditionally it have not been the game, but the GM who should create the situations, but this is really not a robust solution; it depends very much on the GM. It is much better if this is build into the rules.

I've heard a lot of people say this is the way to go but I am unconvinced that the a game built to that paradygm is more robust. Replayability becomes an issue I would think. Any suggestions about how I might build the "situations" into the rules?

An other problem is that "any story" is really not possible. There are some type of stories that need support from the rules to work consistently. If you then make support for these special types of stories, it will the get in the way of other types of stories. The thing is, you have to choose what kind of stories this game will focus on.

Having done some intial playtesting I am finding you are right that not every kind of story can be done with this system. Horror is tough. So I have to say you have a good point.

I actually think that you have a certain type of stories in mind with this game. I think you are going for the adventuring and exploring style of game. So focus on this, and try to add some rules that support it.

You are definately right. So...what kind of support am I looking for...other than a campaign setting with "color" and "fluff" to bring the world alive?

Are you using task resolution or conflict resolution?

Conflict resolution. I intend to create a turn structure but it's going to be a bit coarse. Mainly a way to keep one Player from hogging the spotlight.
Gotta go. Your other two questions will require a bit more though to answer fairly. I'll answer them in another post.

C.S.Bone

[CSBone]

I realized after I posted my Post Apocalypse High Tech High Magic campaign setting idea, that it is a "Heartbreaker".

So I'm going to develop it as such...behind closed doors and wash my hands afterwards...

What I'm really looking for, however, is a campaign setting to give something to test my system with. Since I've been taking anti-histamines it doesn't surprise me that I couldn't do just one so here are the three concepts I'm going to develop.

Barsoom: Read Edgar Rice Burroughs ...then reimagine it without John Carter with Bruce Tim as the artist and a modern vibe.

Bithia: Neolithic high fantasy with animals that are people...and animals as well. Think American Indian and Australian Aborigine mythology mixed with Disney's Atlantis drawn by Dreamworks.

"High" School: Mix Tom Swift, Harry Potter and Tales of the Jedi with the Legion of Superheros cartoon. High school meets Star Fleet Academy drawn by Ben Caldwell.

I'm going to start a thread with each of them and see where they take the One Roll System.

It may take me a bit to pump them out so if you have a preference of which one you want to see first shout it out.

My goal is not really to develop the settings beyond that necessary to hammer out the system. If I get them far enough along that they start taking on a life of their own, great! If not, no big deal.

To me making a system that can handle playing in these worlds is the key.

C.S. Bone