Tales [A Work in Progress]

[Vulpinoid]

To anyone who might be interested,

I've been writing a set of rules for an RPG over the last 15 years or so. It's seen various incarnations at conventions and over a string of campaigns. It has evolved into sets of miniatures rules, versions for live roleplaying and has covered a wide variety of genres.

The new version of these rules will be designed as a modular system that I hope to publish next year (in time for a product launch at the first Gen-Con Oz), but I hate games that are launched without decent playtesting. So here is a copy of the core rules set.

http://www.angelfire.com/psy/vulpinoid/TCRP_wPictures_.pdf

I'm developing a couple of modular settings for it shortly, which I'll post up here as well and if anyone else wants to develop settings for it, I'm working on a "developer's kit".

I've already noted a couple of continuity errors that have arisen when compiling details from different versions of the game (eg. Backgrounds and Connections are the same thing from different versions of the game). So if you notice anything that needs immediate attention, please let me know either through this thread or through PMs.

If I've posted this in the wrong place, let me know...

Thanks,

V

[Filip Luszczyk]

So, I think you could make a call for playtesters in the Connections forum below. Unfortunately, finding outside playtesters is rather hard.

However, you've been developing this game for quite a long time. Maybe you could write a report from some more recent inside playtesting, to show how the game works and open discussion about possible problems.

[vikingmage]

I've just downloaded and printed it off. I am sure one of my gaming groups (I run two a week for my sins!) will be up for a dose of this. I have a couple of rules rapists in one of my groups. I will see how open to abuse TALES is after they have created some characters!

[Vulpinoid]

Some rules rapists are exactly what I'm looking for.

My regular group have enjoyed the system, but that might be just out of politeness. Or it might be just because they are used to the way that I run a game.

I'll put together a "Power 19" for the game, to give people a better idea of my intentions with this project.

Note that at this stage, there are no specific settings for "Tales". I've been too busy working on [System in a Can] and general work to get them ready at this stage. The best genre/setting I'd suggest with the core rules would be a modern day action movie (no magic, no exotic races, but plenty of stunts, combat and puzzle solving).

V

[vikingmage]

Well perhaps I should tell them in advance you want them to do "their worst" to your system. I doubt they need much encouragment though.

Just a small point. The character sheet is lovely, but those subtle tones don't photocopy well. The type is also pretty small for an A4 sheet. I have used the Zoom function and upsized the lower portion of the character sheet so the Weapon/Manuoevre part fills an A4 sheet in itself. Sadly I have lost those shaded sections that seperate the different ranks (Attribute+Skill / Attribute+1/2skill etc) and I tempted to draw a few lines to divide them off. Maybe someone with access to a nice photocopier could do it justice. The old clunker I have here in the office is long due for retirement!

I will do a quick poll of what era they would like the game to run in. At the moment our group are obsessed with the 1980s (I suspect the old Glory Days thing ... we are all of that certain age!) so we might tackle some issues from 80's england. Miners strikes/Falklands war/Thatcher's Britain. ... shiver ... just typing the name Thatcher is enough to give me a nasty feeling!

[Vulpinoid]

Over the weekend I'll generate up an alternate character sheet that is simple black and white line-work, no subtle shading.

That's a good starting bit of feedback though, I'm just used to running off a half-dozen copies on the laser printer when I need character sheets for a new game.

V

[vikingmage]

Thanks. I appreciate that. I printed the original off on a laser printer (and lovely it looked!) however my ink level warning thingie has been hassling me so I took the sheet to the photocopier and thats when it all went toneless! Been reading through the system today. It is very very user friendly I must say. The test will be handing it to my daughter (aged 14) who has been gaming for just a year. I will tell you what she says. She is looking for a system to begin gaming with a group of her friends. I have been hiding all my WHITE WOLF games to prevent her from going all Vampire on me!

[Vulpinoid]

Hey VikingMage,

Thanks for offering to subject my system to a bit of testing.

Here's the Line-Art version of the character sheet, I'm not sure what happened to some of the boxes. They obviously need a bit of tweaking.

http://www.angelfire.com/psy/vulpinoid/CS_Line_Art_.pdf

If I can get a system that works with a relative newcomer I've never met, as well as a rules butcher whom I've also never met...then I guess that covers the two extremes.

Thanks for the initial "user friendly comment", that's a good start.

V