[Grande Finale] Console style gaming, Problems with Conflict Resolution

[Mark Causey]

So, I'm working on a game I've been calling Grande Finale. You can find the alpha doc here or here.

So, I have two main mechanics in the game for resolution: Active Battle System and Minigame. ABS is not solely for combats, but is for any intense scene. Minigame is for light scenes. They both should really be able to resolve situations and should be used when thematically appropriate.

I'm currently working on ABS. Here is the basic concept, so you don't have to research:

Let's say you and I are in a classic battle scene. We get the deck of cards in front of us. I'm red and you're black and I go first.

I describe what is going on. I have about a sentence worth of action to narrate. I then draw a card.

If it is red, I get to continue on. If it is black, you get to start describing things. Whomever has narration has the temporary advantage in the scene and describes accordingly. Hopefully this rapid back and forth will be fun, representing the swords clashing and spells flying in a crazy cool fashion.

When we've drawn five cards, we see who had the most cards that matched our color. The "winner" dishes out some damage to the "loser", in the form of a reduced Aspect and a trauma Aspect added at the same value. Aspects are used differently in Minigame, where their value actually affects cards drawn. In this situation, they're basically hit points. There are three core Characteristics, that, if depleted, will knock a character out. These core Characteristics become available to attack when they have no Aspects to defend them (Aspects are tied to the core Characteristics).

So, I want the players to be able to say, "This conflict matters to me" in a way much more powerful than fighting over it. But, at its core, the ABS mechanic doesn't allow for it. Even if I have some rules about holding cards up your sleeve, you can win the battle but not he war. I want a player to be able to make a sacrifice that makes a major statement and could, when used properly, win the battle and the war.

I'm thinking that a player could be able to "sacrifice" an Aspect to attack with more power than normal - maybe when they've won a five card volley they could sacrifice their attacking Aspect to use its full power, hopefully breaking through the defending Aspect on the other character. This would deplete this arena for them for the battle, and force them to change it after the scene in some way. Kind of like buying off a Key in TSOY.

Any thoughts?

[Callan S.]

If it's about sacrifice, perhaps do that right from the very start. When the players card comes up, they don't describe a cool attack, they describe something they are either sacrificing now (taking a blow to the guts that'll make them shit blood tonight), or sacrificed in the past (beaten by an old master until they learned move X).

[JohnG]

I'm a little vague on your game but if we're talking sacrifice in your ABS system, how about we consider how people recharge their Aspects on the fly.  If a character gives up his narration to his opponent, maybe he could earn himself a recharge to an aspect or get to have the next narration no matter what the color of the card is?  Or perhaps they could burn through aspect to force a redraw and hopefully get the next card pulled so they can narrate, giving some sense of control and strategy to the system could help draw the player in even further.  That's just the ideas coming to my head though, which could be totally off base, but I figured I'd help heheh

[Mark Causey]

Thank you both for your help. I've added a resource system that the players can use. It is pretty much a rip off from Pools in TSOY.

[dindenver]

Mark,
  Have you looked at 3:16? Seems like Strengths and Weaknesses from that fit both thematically and mechanically.
  Basically, characters have a limited number of these. The way they work is, if you play them, you character either wins or loses, gets to narrate that and then exits the scene. That is a hypersummary, but I think its close to what you want/need...

[Mark Causey]

I haven't, but if I can find it I will take a look.

Thanks!