[MULRAH] First Playtest

[Simon C]

Theory discussion on rpg.net is not going to clarify matters. 

In the thread you link, Vincent says

"I think that "in conflict resolution, we say what's at stake before we roll" is a great way to put it, far better than how I've put it in the past."

That seems a pretty clear statement that the critical factor of conflict resolution is that we resolve stakes, rather than finding out how well someone performs a skill.  Now, more recent discussions have criticised explicit stake setting and have moved to more implicit models of conflict resolution (and in fact Sorcerer uses this model), but that's not relevant to your game or to the discussion you linked to.

Also probably best that we leave GNS out of this, since it's not useful to this discussion at this stage.

Here's what I think would be a good idea:

Play some of the games you're referencing.  I don't know Risus and PDQ very well, but I suspect they have rules for conflict resolution that lay out the process clearly.  Follow the rules closely, and let the rules take you where they will.  Experiencing some fun moments of play and some unfun moments of play will help you decide what you want your game to be like.

I'll return to the question I started this thread with:

a) What do you want the experience of play to be like, and

b) how will the rules help you get there?

[Chris Flood]

Theory discussion on rpg.net is not going to clarify matters.

In this case, it did clarify matters, at least for me. I agree that stakes are the focal area of conflict resolution, but it is not enough to say that conflict resolution = task resolution + stakes. You can have task resolution with stakes that is not really conflict resolution.

Also probably best that we leave GNS out of this, since it's not useful to this discussion at this stage.

Fair enough.

I don't know Risus and PDQ very well, but I suspect they have rules for conflict resolution that lay out the process clearly.

Both of these games focus on task rather than conflict resolution. Since my game needs work on defining conflict, I'll take your advice to heart but with different games.

I'll return to the question I started this thread with:

a) What do you want the experience of play to be like, and

b) how will the rules help you get there?

The point of MULRAH is to avoid the first question, leaving it up to the GM and provide a toolkit of rules that the GM can turn on or off to make the experience of play however she wants. While I'm somewhat satisfied with what I have so far, I'm not sure that a generic framework is possible for conflict resolution. Therefore, as soon as I refine this aspect of the game, it's no longer MULRAH, but, if I don't refine it, then MULRAH is somewhat incomplete.

Regardless, my players want something I don't think MULRAH as a collaborative story-telling game can deliver right now, so I am going to find a game that can engage the players in solving a mystery or recast MULRAH so it can handle that itself.

Simon, thanks again for all your input!

[Chris Flood]

After playing a round of Pantheon and Primetime Adventures, both of which the player I'm trying to please preferred to MULRAH and Savage Worlds, I'm putting MULRAH's development on hold. I provide a more detailed assessment on my blog, and I welcome comments there or here, especially from Mr. Simon C, who has been kindly following MULRAH's development thus far.

In the future, I will either use MULRAH as a minimalist non-system in the vein of PDQ to create my own lavish setting, or I will completely restart MULRAH as monumental endeavor to create a toolkit for Forge-inspired game design. Both seem equally unlikely in the near future, especially with our impending CSI: Bob Jones Prep Primetime Adventures series...

[Simon C]

Hi Chris,

I think that's a brave decision.  Don't think of it as wasted time though.  I think designing a game, whether it ends in a successful printed product, or a half-finished .doc file in the depths of your hard-drive is a worth-while thing in itself.  I know that my appreciation of playing games is vastly improved by the experience of designing games, and talking to other designers. 

Conversely, playing some really successful non-traditional games has really opened my eyes to the possibilities in design. 

I think you'll be able to come back to this project, or to another project, with a whole new range of ideas and experiences.