[Power 19] Phaethos RPG

[Bomb Cat]

Power 19 for Phaethos RPG
(Phaethos is a tentative name, at least for the title.)

1.)   What is your game about?
The setting is a world similar to 19th century America mixed with magic, fantasy and primitive robotics. The world is called Phathos.

Phaethos the RPG is about the world of Phaethos that was decimated 1,000 years ago by trans-dimensional beings known as the Loarigog. Nearly 2/3 of the worlds population was devoured by the Loarigog. Before the Loarigog vanished they laid eggs which hatched and created all the beasties in the world.

The mass killing of humans released an essence known as Kore which saturated the world. Kore is similar to mana and is used to produce magical and psionic effects in those who have the ability to harness it.

Because of this mass killing 1,000 years ago, the borders of the world were redrawn and new kingdoms came to power. The religious kingdom of Shoan is the major power in the world, but its power has limits and it is a kingdom on the verge of collapse. Those in charge struggle to hold on to the power...

2.) What do the characters do?**
Characters live their lives in the world. The characters choose to battle on the side of good or evil. They fight against the causes that hold them down such as slavery, religious tyranny, beasts and warlords.

3.) What do the players (including the GM if there is one) do?**
The players make their way through life. They exist as complete individuals with ever developing personalities and pasts that continue to create the story of their lives. Players can be either good or evil, they can adventure, steal, kill, create an empire, gain power, develop skills, try and overtake the powers that be and eventually become godlike.

The GM sees that the rules are followed and lays out the scenarios. The GM asks the players what they wish to do and describes the surroundings. The GM creates the mystery in the game, acts as a god type overseer and enforces the game engine the game is designed around.

4.) How does your setting (or lack thereof) reinforce what your game is about?
Phaethos is an immersive world with a rich history. Each character has a past and a future tied directly to the world ofg Phaethos just as you and I have a past and future tied to this world. The setting is designed to open opportunities for players ranging from adventure and mystery to all combat to moral decision making. As the players grow and advance their lives begin to shape the world around them (exploits, fame etc).

5.) How does the Character Creation of your game reinforce what your game is about?
The character creation in Phaethos is somewhat involved. There is no alignment and players decide what path their character will take in life. Players create pasts and personalities for their characters that evolve and change as the game is played. Personality, past and future are just as important as stats in Phaethos and the two are used to compliment one another in order to create deep characters.

6.) What types of behaviors/styles of play does your game reward (and punish if necessary)?
All behaviors are rewarded or punished. For example, characters who rely on the use of Kore experience negative effects from the abuse of the power. Over time these characters (Psionics for instance) can go insane, become physically weak or reclusive etc.

Characters are awarded XP based on several conditions which include, how the characters plan and behave (do they stick to their personalities or do whatever they want, how well does the player roll dice or not roll dice, how well does the character plan and reach goals, how does the character interact with other characters etc.)

7.) How are behaviors and styles of play rewarded or punished in your game?
Did question 6 answer this?

8.) How are the responsibilities of narration and credibility divided in your game?
(I'm not sure how to answer this but...)
The GM and the players decide on where they wish to start, what type setting, who their characters will be and how powerful etc. The GM is the central narrator who lays down the story and places the characters within. After a brief explanation of what's going on the GM asks the players what they wish to do and the players take it from there. The GM is used to answer questions concerning the narration as the characters play and experience the world.

9.) What does your game do to command the players' attention, engagement, and participation? (i.e. What does the game do to make them care?)
The players create characters that are well defined and explored (pasts and personalities, goals etc.). Players are encouraged to find a cause to strive for, something that fits the persona of their character (this cause may be not caring). 

10.) What are the resolution mechanics of your game like?
The resolution for most events in the game involve the rolling of dice and the playing of the characters persona. Dice are used to measure random events or outcomes such as combat the use of skills or magic or powers etc.

11.) How do the resolution mechanics reinforce what your game is about?
The resolution mechanics are simple and easy to use but in-depth and flexible allowing them to be easily learned by the players for ease of game flow and at the same time allowing that the story of the game itself be the central focus for all involved instead of the rules.

Combat is designed to be deadly (especially for the unequipped). This is deadly combat is created to make players think as opposed to simply swording it out. 

12.) Do characters in your game advance? If so, how?
Characters advance physically mentally by means of XP. Characters are awarded certain amounts of XP which can be used to purchase character upgrades. Everything from attributes to skills to powers can be purchased with XP allowing the player to create an open character that is focused in the direction the player wants.
Characters also evolve as people. Their personalities, boons, flaws, likes and dislikes evolve as the story evolves. The characters are part of the world and subject to the stresses and realities of the world.

13.) How does the character advancement (or lack thereof) reinforce what your game is about?
Characters are individuals and as such they grown and learn and become better (sometimes worse). The advancement of characters through XP and personality help the character evolve and create a story central to the character. Phaethos is the setting, not the story. The history of the world and everything else is secondary to the characters wants and needs (usually).

14.) What sort of product or effect do you want your game to produce in or for the players?
The game is designed to be an immersive experience where one becomes attached to their character through the evolution of the character. The overall effect is intended to be the creation of a world in which the players feel a part of.

15.) What areas of your game receive extra attention and color? Why?
The details of the world receive extra attention as do the mechanics involved in combat, evolution and social interaction. These things receive a bit more attention because they are primary focuses of the game.

16.) Which part of your game are you most excited about or interested in? Why?
I think the story and the world is the most exciting part for me personally. The immersive world of Phaethos is designed to be a canvas and the characters stories add life to the blank space creating a larger story and continuing the saga of the world.

17.) Where does your game take the players that other games can't, don't, or won't?
The game is designed primarily to lead people into an immersive world so that they actually feel part of the world. The depth of the character and the setting is vitally important to making the player feel the experience.

18.) What are your publishing goals for your game?
Basically the publishing goals are to release high quality pdf books with beautiful full color artwork which are sold cheap (like impulse buy price). We want to create books that are not only rulebooks but also books of art and stories so that players feel the world when they see it upon the pages. The goal is to expand the world and create a framework so that GMs can continue the process of creation and further expand the world to become their own.

19.) Who is your target audience?
I suppose the target audience includes all role players but the focus is mainly on those interested in fantasy, sci-fi, old west and magic.

I would like to know what you think...

[Bomb Cat]

Can anyone give me some pointers or offer criticism of this idea. I would like to know how its sounds and what should be fixed. Is the whole thing a cliche or boring? What can I do to make it better.

[Krippler]

Are the sides good/evil absolutes? Your text isn't entirely clear about it since it mentions good or evil several times but also that there are no alignments.

[Bomb Cat]

Are the sides good/evil absolutes? Your text isn't entirely clear about it since it mentions good or evil several times but also that there are no alignments.

Good and evil are not absolute across the board in the world. The children of Loarigog are (for the most part) creatures which must feed. This makes these creatures appear to be evil to most humans but it doesn't necessarily make them evil. The same with the religious kingdom of Shoan. For many involved "the church" their is nothing evil about it, but for thsoe oppressed by the institution it is regarded as a great evil in the world.

Don't get me wrong. There is good and evil, right and wrong, honor and dishonor. The idea I want to really get across in the game is that the characters decide. If they make decisions which society views as evil they can be penalized (or rewarded). The same goes if they make decisions which society deems as good.

I would like to (If I have such capacity) have the characters act out on what they see as good and evil. The characters view of the world is very important in Phaethos and is intergral in the mechanics of the characters development. I kinda want characters to be little world unto themselves.

This is my idea behind no alignment. I don't really want a mechanic to dictate good or evil but rather the players and the GM.
Does this make any sense?

[dindenver]

Hi!
  I have some suggestions, please don't take them too harshly:
1) 6 and 7 are very different questions and I don't think 7 was sufficiently answered. 6 is asking about what YOU want the characters to do. 7 is asking how you want to encourage/discourage certain behaviors. Also, I noticed that you are discouraging the use of Magic/Psi. If you don't like it or feel it is unbalancing, why include it? I get a sense that somehow you feel like it is a required part of a fantasy game, but it really isn't and some players might even find a fantasy game without magic to be refreshing and/or a great change of pace.
2) You have this really great romantic setting, but you don't describe any mechanics or even props that would get the players to support or be supported by this setting. For instance there is a great clash between good and evil (with bad guys that are clearly just bad and heroes willing to fight them no matter what), but there is nothing to support good vs evil mechanics (that is what alignments are for BTW, that's how you know which characters are effected by protection vs evil spells for instance). And nothing to encourage them to take a side except GM pressure I guess...
3) One line kid of rubs me the wrong way, "the characters exist as individuals." Now this can be taken one of two ways. You could take it as a good thing, my char will be unique, because he is not a cookie cutter character. Or it can be taken negatively, to mean that my character is so free to do what they want that there is no reason for him to act as part of the team that is formed by your roleplaying group. See what I mean? What exists in the game to prevent 5 players from making a char that hates the other 4 characters. There is no unifying theme that is drawing the characters together to fight against a common enemy? This is not necessary for every game, but I think that it would be a great addition to your game (if its not already in there).
4) Question 8 involves how much authority does each player have over the story told. Some games support story telling and authority equally spread across all players. Others support a model where well over 50% of narrative authority is held by the GM. And of course there is everything in between.
5) 11 is a critical question. It is asking, how does the mechanics reinforce the proposed in game fiction? In other words, if the game is about making the hard choice between the difficult path of doing good and the easy path of doing evil, does the game give you a penalty to your die rolls when doing good and a bonus for doing evil? See how just a simple mechanic like this all of a sudden makes it easy to be evil and hard to be good?
6) Also, I think that deadly combat and involved char gen are not compatible. By and large if you character can die in one roll, then it should not take more than 15 mins to make a character. And that is 15 minutes for a noobie, not 15 minutes for the designer. It shouldn't take you (as the designer) more than 3 minutes to make a completely fleshed out character if you want the combat THAT deadly. The reality is no mechanic can prevent combat in an adventure RPG. And quite honestly, I have known some players who feel like there should be a fight every session or two. So, the question is, what kind of adventure is it if there is no "Action"? And if there is the expectation of action, how are you supporting the genre and the players by combining deadly combat and long char gen? Now it may be you already have an answer to this, but I haven't seen it, so I have to ask.
7) Again, 13 is about focused design. In other words, if the game is about choosing sides in a battle of good vs evil, then shouldn't the characters advancement be tied to being more good or more evil?
lol, your answer to 19 is kinda funny if you go back and look at it. Exactly who would that exclude? I guess that should be your design goal is to make a game that rings true to the core players that will want to buy your game. So, what kind of person is a role player that is interested in Fantasy, Sci fi, Wild west and Magic? How does identifying that person or persons modify your design goals? That's for you to decide, there is no way I can answer it better than you can, right?

  Anyways, I just want to say, this is an interesting setting and you have a pretty good handle on what you want the characters doing, now you just need to polish off the design to match that intent, right?
  Good luck man!

[Dan Svensson]

Had a look at he different power 19's on the first page and yours was the most interesting so i added some comments.
We interpreted the questions somewhat different perhaps but hopefully my comments will be helpful.

Power 19 for Phaethos RPG
(Phaethos is a tentative name, at least for the title.)

1.)   What is your game about?
The setting is a world similar to 19th century America mixed with magic, fantasy and primitive robotics. The world is called Phathos.

Phaethos the RPG is about the world of Phaethos that was decimated 1,000 years ago by trans-dimensional beings known as the Loarigog. Nearly 2/3 of the worlds population was devoured by the Loarigog. Before the Loarigog vanished they laid eggs which hatched and created all the beasties in the world.

The mass killing of humans released an essence known as Kore which saturated the world. Kore is similar to mana and is used to produce magical and psionic effects in those who have the ability to harness it.

Because of this mass killing 1,000 years ago, the borders of the world were redrawn and new kingdoms came to power. The religious kingdom of Shoan is the major power in the world, but its power has limits and it is a kingdom on the verge of collapse. Those in charge struggle to hold on to the power...

Looking at what you written you have 3 main themes in the game which i tried to summarize with some questions about them. Words in Caps are one word summaries completely based on my limited knowledge and they might be completely off from what you see the game as being about.

Too much setting here and not enough what it is about although the setting sets off my imagination. What you wrote here should have been put in point 4.

* The beasties that the Loarigog left behind. How do they affect the world(are they just weird fauna or are they a major impact on the world)? Are they intelligent? Will the Loarigog return? ANCIENT LEGACIES have they been ignored for too long? Is there something history has left out. 

* Kore. There was a time without Kore. Can Kore disappear? Is it neutral or is some faction more attuned to it than others? How powerful is it? Does Kore affect the user or does the user affect Kore... maybe both? Is it just "the enabler of magic" or is it something more eg.does it change the world depending on how it is used?  POWER CORRUPTS?!

* The status quo is on the verge of being drastically changed. Why is the major power collapsing? Redtape, corruption, decadence, narrowmindedness, new popular ideologies, outside rivals etc.? REVOLUTION

It all sounds very EPIC

2.) What do the characters do?**
Characters live their lives in the world. The characters choose to battle on the side of good or evil. They fight against the causes that hold them down such as slavery, religious tyranny, beasts and warlords.

As you said, in your response to Krippler, good and evil in this game is relative. This means you will always fight on the side of "good" unless circumstances dictate otherwise. Is there really a meaningful choice here?

What is more interesting here is the last sentence. Causes and rebelling against that which inhibits them.

3.) What do the players (including the GM if there is one) do?**
The players make their way through life. They exist as complete individuals with ever developing personalities and pasts that continue to create the story of their lives. Players can be either good or evil, they can adventure, steal, kill, create an empire, gain power, develop skills, try and overtake the powers that be and eventually become godlike.

The GM sees that the rules are followed and lays out the scenarios. The GM asks the players what they wish to do and describes the surroundings. The GM creates the mystery in the game, acts as a god type overseer and enforces the game engine the game is designed around.

The first paragrah should go in point 2 Not what does the players characters do but what does the players do. e.g. Roll dice, play certain NPC's, give guidelines to the GM etc.

You say the GM asks the players what they wish to do. To what extent? How big a part is this.
The GM creates mystery. Any special significance of the word mystery? Is it integral to the setting?

4.) How does your setting (or lack thereof) reinforce what your game is about?[/b]
Phaethos is an immersive world with a rich history. Each character has a past and a future tied directly to the world ofg Phaethos just as you and I have a past and future tied to this world. The setting is designed to open opportunities for players ranging from adventure and mystery to all combat to moral decision making. As the players grow and advance their lives begin to shape the world around them (exploits, fame etc).

The setting being immersive and with rich history doesnt tell me much and the rest is interesting but doesnt answer the question.. should have been in point 5.

5.) How does the Character Creation of your game reinforce what your game is about?
The character creation in Phaethos is somewhat involved. There is no alignment and players decide what path their character will take in life. Players create pasts and personalities for their characters that evolve and change as the game is played. Personality, past and future are just as important as stats in Phaethos and the two are used to compliment one another in order to create deep characters.

I dont like alignments personally and i'd rather see that the character have personal goals instead of just being another cookiecutter lawful good whatever. You say that personality, past and future is just as important as stats. Does this mean that past, future and personality will have game mechanics? Will character generation allow players to change setting history? Will there be destinies enforced by gamemechanics?

Characters seem to have strong connections to the setting. Lots of backstory for the characters but how is this generated? What if you get a player that does not want to read the history and just says i'm a fighter and my parents were killed by Orcs/Loarigog beasties.

6.) What types of behaviors/styles of play does your game reward (and punish if necessary)?
All behaviors are rewarded or punished. For example, characters who rely on the use of Kore experience negative effects from the abuse of the power. Over time these characters (Psionics for instance) can go insane, become physically weak or reclusive etc.

Characters are awarded XP based on several conditions which include, how the characters plan and behave (do they stick to their personalities or do whatever they want, how well does the player roll dice or not roll dice, how well does the character plan and reach goals, how does the character interact with other characters etc.)

All behavior? Really? Very general but then you are very specific in taking up two examples. I'd like to see something in between the two.
Why punish magic users and psionics? Because they can push their power i'm guessing. Can non magic/psionic users also push themselves? More options and decisions are good but what does the fighters get?

How much detail will the xp system have? Standard level of detail could be D&D or WOD. It looks like you will be going for more detail than that though. Are you afraid it will get tedious doing xp bookkeeping? The xp bit should have been in point 12 and/or 13.

you could also ask yourself what types of adventures/campaigns will be fun to play in your game. Fun is a reward after all. You do say that its up to the players what they want to play but what way of playing do YOU think your game/setting is best for?

7.) How are behaviors and styles of play rewarded or punished in your game?
Did question 6 answer this?

I guess you could have split it up into "WHAT behaviors give rewards" and "HOW are they rewarded".
Why use power 19 if you wont follow the template? Im not saying its wrong to deviate but it was designed like this for a reason.
The how and what might or might not deserve separate discussions but thats really up to you. and sometimes a template can restrain the way you think.

8.) How are the responsibilities of narration and credibility divided in your game?[/b]
(I'm not sure how to answer this but...)
The GM and the players decide on where they wish to start, what type setting, who their characters will be and how powerful etc. The GM is the central narrator who lays down the story and places the characters within. After a brief explanation of what's going on the GM asks the players what they wish to do and the players take it from there. The GM is used to answer questions concerning the narration as the characters play and experience the world.

Sounds like the GM will have to do alot on the fly. Do the players provide any help other than deciding where to start, making characters and setting.

You say "central" narrator as opposed to "only" narrator. Does this mean there are other narrators?

9.) What does your game do to command the players' attention, engagement, and participation? (i.e. What does the game do to make them care?)
The players create characters that are well defined and explored (pasts and personalities, goals etc.). Players are encouraged to find a cause to strive for, something that fits the persona of their character (this cause may be not caring). 

10.) What are the resolution mechanics of your game like?
The resolution for most events in the game involve the rolling of dice and the playing of the characters persona. Dice are used to measure random events or outcomes such as combat the use of skills or magic or powers etc.

So just playing a character according to the characters persona can resolve situations where the outcome isn't certain? Very interesting, tell me more. This does indeed reinforce the "player caring about your character" bit. Why not put this in point 9, 11 or 17?

Anything else than just rolling dice? e.g. percentile, dice pools, target numbers, difficulties, pairs etc.

11.) How do the resolution mechanics reinforce what your game is about?
The resolution mechanics are simple and easy to use but in-depth and flexible allowing them to be easily learned by the players for ease of game flow and at the same time allowing that the story of the game itself be the central focus for all involved instead of the rules.

Combat is designed to be deadly (especially for the unequipped). This is deadly combat is created to make players think as opposed to simply swording it out. 

Does this reinforce point 1?

12.) Do characters in your game advance? If so, how?[/b]
Characters advance physically mentally by means of XP. Characters are awarded certain amounts of XP which can be used to purchase character upgrades. Everything from attributes to skills to powers can be purchased with XP allowing the player to create an open character that is focused in the direction the player wants.
Characters also evolve as people. Their personalities, boons, flaws, likes and dislikes evolve as the story evolves. The characters are part of the world and subject to the stresses and realities of the world.

See my comments in point 6

13.) How does the character advancement (or lack thereof) reinforce what your game is about?
Characters are individuals and as such they grown and learn and become better (sometimes worse). The advancement of characters through XP and personality help the character evolve and create a story central to the character. Phaethos is the setting, not the story. The history of the world and everything else is secondary to the characters wants and needs (usually).

Story builds on setting so i dont see a conflict here or a need to state that the setting is king. IMO the people playing your game will decide how brutally they want to memorize your setting and what parts they will make up on the fly. UNLESS you build some rule into the system that penalizes them for changing the bits in the history that doesnt mesh with them.

I'm quite sure i've missunderstood everything you've written in this point. Its not clear to me what you want to say.

14.) What sort of product or effect do you want your game to produce in or for the players?[/b]
The game is designed to be an immersive experience where one becomes attached to their character through the evolution of the character. The overall effect is intended to be the creation of a world in which the players feel a part of.

15.) What areas of your game receive extra attention and color? Why?
The details of the world receive extra attention as do the mechanics involved in combat, evolution and social interaction. These things receive a bit more attention because they are primary focuses of the game.

I'd add character generation. I'm assuming evolution involves character improvement as well. If not add that too.

16.) Which part of your game are you most excited about or interested in? Why?
I think the story and the world is the most exciting part for me personally. The immersive world of Phaethos is designed to be a canvas and the characters stories add life to the blank space creating a larger story and continuing the saga of the world.

17.) Where does your game take the players that other games can't, don't, or won't?
The game is designed primarily to lead people into an immersive world so that they actually feel part of the world. The depth of the character and the setting is vitally important to making the player feel the experience.

Immersion through character. Why not specifically emphasize what i ask about in point 10. Resolution by playing your character according to his persona.
Are there any games out there that have this already as pure resolution system?

18.) What are your publishing goals for your game?
Basically the publishing goals are to release high quality pdf books with beautiful full color artwork which are sold cheap (like impulse buy price). We want to create books that are not only rulebooks but also books of art and stories so that players feel the world when they see it upon the pages. The goal is to expand the world and create a framework so that GMs can continue the process of creation and further expand the world to become their own.

Cheap is good what can i say
BTW are there any images out there that you find evocative of the Phaethos setting?

19.) Who is your target audience?
I suppose the target audience includes all role players but the focus is mainly on those interested in fantasy, sci-fi, old west and magic.

"fantasy, sci-fi, old west and magic" pretty much all roleplayers have an interest in at least one of those. Where did you get your inspiration from? Those specific works that inspired you might be the answer to who your audience is.