A Strange Damage Progression

[Callan S.]

Hi Christian,

I think the mechanical-tactical nerve is set off by the capacity to lose (or having already lost), rather than complexity. Along those lines I think the damage progression is neutral in terms of losing - it doesn't contain anything that gets you closer to losing in itself, it just deals with numbers another part of the game provided. Those numbers deliver your capacity to lose - so whatever part of the game provided those numbers is what will provide whatever amount of mechanical-tactical nerve trigger the game will have.

Currently char gen is providing those numbers. Can you win or lose just at char gen? It's something to check, because if you can then the games conflict will center at char gen - regardless of how funky the damage progression mechanic is.

[xenopulse]

Hi Callan,

There is a difference between tic tac toe and chess. Both are games without chance/randomizers, purely strategic. But one of them provides complexity through choices. There are different pieces and a larger board with many possible combinations. That's the thing I'm after here, and the complexity is a core part of it.

So obviously, the moves in this game need to not have an optimum, that is, you don't always use the same powers, but you have strategies, positioning, prioritizing, resource management, and so on.

I do NOT want the char gen to be more fun than the game itself (which is my experience with most D20 incarnations).  That's going to be somewhat tricky, but I'll see what I can do

[Callan S.]

The tricky thing about chess is that it is not a complex game at all. Play chess against a four year old and it's a simple game, almost as simple as tic tac toe.

The other thing about the example is that when the other person doesn't really have the capacity to make you lose, all the choices, options and such don't improve the game above tic tac toe.

In the example, that's because of a lack of mental discipline. But just as easily, the rules determine how much of a capacity the other person has to make you lose. The damage progression doesn't effect that either way by itself, it just uses the numbers plugged into it. Where those numbers are coming from will determine how much the other person has the capacity to make you lose and by that, how complex the game is.

[FzGhouL]

Hey,

I like Crunchy games and made one a few years back.

Couple of questions:
       -Have you play tested? You might find a strategy that always works regardless of the opponent.
       -Do you have players willing to go through the labor of play?

I say, stick to it but play test a ton. Once the roles have been hammered well, go in and start creating standards to baseline against. These standards can be used to aid memorization as well.