[dLITE] Power 19, First Draft

[visioNationstudios]

Allow me to preface this Power 19 list with a note that this game is primarily intended for play over the internet, via chat-based systems such as OpenRPG.  Also, it may have been too early to try to answer some of these questions, which could show in a little bit of vague generalities, but I thought it was a good exercise to point us in the right direction.

1.) What is your game about?
"The struggles of five factions as they each vie for more power within the city of (name)."
_____

2.) What do the characters do?
"Gain personal power, strive for positions of influence within one of the factions, and assist in its attempts for power. Characters are assumed to have some personal agenda or ambition and are not simply floating through the world."
_____

3.) What do the players (including the GM if there is one) do?
"Players play a role in making the world the living, dynamic entity that it should be, by contributing more to the game then simply the existence of their character. This can be done by the creations of new skills, abilities, spells, additions to the world beyond the city, even stepping in as a Narrator. Narrators usher in creative storylines to both direct the characters down certain paths and stir the pot of unrest and conflict between factions."
_____

4.) How does your setting (or lack thereof) reinforce what your game is about?
"The setting *is* the game, and is created to promote what the game is about by its very nature. It's a post-medieval setting; advances in technology and enlightened thinking have turned many of the typical racial stereotypes on their heads."
_____

5.) How does the Character Creation of your game reinforce what your game is about?
"The game centers on roleplay and community involvement, and character creation is loose to promote the creation of concepts, not rules manipulation."
_____

6.) What types of behaviors/styles of play does your game reward (and punish if necessary)?
"The game works to promote characters who contribute to the world feeling real and alive, so rewards are given to characters who are played as real people with real personalities, goals and ambitions, while punishing those who seek only to kill things and take their stuff."
_____

7.) How are behaviors and styles of play rewarded or punished in your game?
"The Narrator, and all the PCs, have a number of tokens they can give out each session to players who exhibit the type of play the game wishes to promote.
Tokens are used to provide bonuses for actions and even improve the character."
_____

8.) How are the responsibilities of narration and credibility divided in your game?
"Any player can become a Narrator. If a Narrator is not fulfilling their duties, is not up to par, or has lost credibility, it will show in the lack of players showing up to play in their sessions."
_____

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?)
"Firstly, the game provides a unique spin on many of the traditional game concepts, such as the various traditional races, even the traditional sword and sorcery setting. Players are encouraged - even expected - to contribute their own ideas to the game, thus adding to the whole while allowing the players a way for their ideas to have an impact on the game. This concept extends to the ruleset as well, where skills and abilities are almost entirely left to the creativity of the various players."
_____

10.) What are the resolution mechanics of your game like?
"Aside from the basic combat mechanics of hit/resist, those are decided entirely by the player. Its a skill-driven system where the skills are created by the player, so they are whatever the player wants them to be. Beyond that, the system is diceless with an action point-like mechanic for improving your chances of chosen actions, so its geared towards the abilities of the player and the character, not the whim of the dice."
"Mechanics are first resolved by answering "how reasonable is it to think that character X can perform action Y? From there, you can use your action points, tack on skill specializations, and organize a format for determining more difficult actions/attempts."
_____

11.) How do the resolution mechanics reinforce what your game is about?
"The game is all about the freedom to do, say, and be whatever it is that you'd like. By removing the vast majority of all statistics, this frees the players up to shape their characters into exactly who they wish them to be, not what their stats say they are. Basic actions are treated as part of RP instead of a skill check, and anything beyond that is created by the player, so the character literally can do whatever the player wishes. In essence, the system is built to cater to the players concepts, not the other way around."
_____

12.) Do characters in your game advance? If so, how?
"Characters advance by earning motes, which are something akin to experience, except they're spent directly on creating new skills/abilities, or to raise your combat ability, either to hit, or resist, attacks. Motes are earned mostly through good roleplay, both from the Narrator, but also your fellow players, thus separating the concept of advancement from 'kill things and take their stuff'."
_____

13.) How does the character advancement (or lack thereof) reinforce what your game is about?
"Since motes are earned for good roleplay, and are used to purchase concept-specific skills and abilities, they reinforce the creation of characters, instead of min/max uber munchkin characters made to exploit the system."
_____

14.) What sort of product or effect do you want your game to produce in or for the players?
"Simply, a living world. The ruleset is designed to be extremely light, so as to handle what needs handling and then get out of the way. The focus should be on the roleplay, so in that way its designed to be largely free-form. In everything except actual courtroom legalities, we want the players to feel as if this is their game. We're providing the framework, but once the wheels start to turn, it should be their city, their factions, and their library of spells/abilities."
_____

15.) What areas of your game receive extra attention and color? Why?
"The setting itself is the star of the show, the ruleset is designed to be simple and focus the attention on the world. Its purposely designed to be different then most things out there, so its really for people looking for something new and different."
_____

16.) Which part of your game are you most excited about or interested in? Why?
"In essence, this game is in a perpetual state of 'work in progress', where aspects are left empty to be filled in by anyone and everyone, all over the world, to add their own unique touch. Be it a new city somewhere on the map, or a collection of skills/abilities for creating their own personal character concept, the game and its setting truly is a global community project."

17.) Where does your game take the players that other games can't, don't, or won't?
"The freeform nature of the system, the community involvement, the fact that the setting sets the races on their head compared to typical stereotypes, even the setting itself breaks away from the typical sword and sorcery setting... most every aspect is designed to be at least a little different then much of what is out there."
_____

18.) What are your publishing goals for your game?
"The project will be largely free, but the rules and setting will be available in a PDF compilation for a small fee. As well, as we progress skills, abilities, even new locations in the world setting will be published as small, inexpensive supplements. As well, the game is designed with certain aspects of vNs intellectual property, so as to offer a free (or extremely inexpensive) inroads into the more commercial products offered.""
_____

19.) Who is your target audience?
"Simply, those who want the focus shifted away from rules-heavy systems, those who wish a departure from the standard sword and sorcery, as well as the stereotype Tolkien racial types, as well as someone who wants something free, open, and constantly in development from a worldwide community, or don't have an active local gaming community and need an online alternative."

[Vulpinoid]

This idea of interactive internet based roleplaying seems to be underexploited. A lot of stuff our there really isn't very oriented toward getting into character, but more about the competitive aspects.

I've been trying to work up some ideas along those lines myself.

Good luck.

V