Interested in reviews for Valtyr Chronicles - a new RPG system and world

[thedragonking]

Hello all,

This is my first time posting here, so I hope I am following protocol correctly.

I am the designer, writer and publisher of a new RPG system caled Valtyr Chronicles. Set in a world of high fantasy, with a blend of classic and new fantastic elements, Valtyr Chronicles is my first game to be published. I have spent over 10 years working out the mechanics and playtesting with various groups. After enlisting some great art and graphic design, I published the system in Dec 2009. Valtyr Chronicles is aimed at a casual rpg audience, focused on ease of entry into role playing, but with the ability to be scaled to more advanced levels if the group so desires.

I am looking for honest reviews of the world, races, history, game mechanics and pacing from any and all interested in this new indie rpg. Feel free to e-mail any comments you wish directly to valtyrchronicles@gmail.com as well.

I also maintain a blog dedicated to further developing the world, creatures, cultures and mysteries of Valtyr itself. You can visit it at http://thehiddenobelisk.blogspot.com as well.

Thank you in advance to any who undertake to provide me feedback. I have been an avid gamer for over 20 years of my life and love role playing games as a passion. Good gaming to you all and good luck to all indie rpg makers out there.

Thanks.

-Chuck D. Yager

[thedragonking]

My apologies. I forgot to include the link to get the book.

You can find Valtyr Chronicles at lulu.com, or follow this link: http://bit.ly/7a4PP4.

Thank you.

[Fuseboy]

Well, it certainly looks pretty - from the preview, it seems you've put some effort into the layout and interior art.

[thedragonking]

Thanks. I spent a lot of time on it and has professional artists do the work. The layout is mine, but it's a labor of love I find I enjoy. Hopefully it will entice people to try it and offer feedback.

[Fuseboy]

I'd love to hear why you made the game, what you were aiming for. It looks like you've thought about the setting a fair deal, what have you done with the mechanics?

[thedragonking]

I engineered the mechanic to work with either a D10 or D6 system. I published it with the D6 since it's a little more common die for casual people. It is skill based and revolves around a pool of dice you roll, with 5-6 being a success (or 8-10 using D10 rules). The number of successes vary according to difficulty. It's a take on the established genre of that mechanic, but with fewer skills, so that each is very important. This also enhances character skill development because you make strategic choices with a limited pool of advancement points as you increase level.

There are some derived stats for combat, but not many. It uses HP like D&D and a talent point system to manage your special abilities. Unlike many other systems, you have a pool of talent points to spend each combat as you see fit from amongst all your powers. You aren't locked into using a power just once or artificially limited to once a day, unless you are out of points. Again, the thought was to give players the maximum tactical choices each time they play.

Character creation is entirely derived by points and how you wish to allot scores. No predefined classes, just a system for assigning points to skills and choosing your talents, which in essence help to define what it is you are gifted in (i.e. you special abilities).

[thedragonking]

I wanted an approachable system, one that was both advancement worthy and simple to learn and run. I wanted one book, with everything there. I liked the storytelling aspect and skill based rolls of Whitewolf with the fantasy flavor and power system of old D&D. I wanted to combine all that under one die mechanic. I challenged myself to create a magic system that mirrored a combat one and to still have modifiers that could work for both if the GM wanted.

In short, I am a lover of RPGs and spent over a decade playing other people's games and liking it, but wanting to take what I considered some of the best elements from each and put them together. Valtyr Chronicles http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/valtyr-chronicles-%28color%29/6288339?productTrackingContext=center_search_results just sort of evolved from that and I am happy my gaming groups like it, cause they too are a mix of casual and hardcore gamers.