Best Place to Start on Game Design

[SaintSinner40k]

So I have been mulling over this idea for a sci fi horror game for a while, & have even wrote up some basic background & system ideas for it, but am having a hard time figuring out exactly where to start doing the big work at.

I'm a big player of White Wolf games so I am sorta leaning on writing up the background for the factions & universe as a whole first before really fleshing out everything else. Where do you guys normally start when you really throw yourselves into a project?

[SaintSinner40k]

And I suddenly realize this may have not been the best part of the forum to post this question. >_< My apologies if its not the right spot.

[Kyles Games]

Nah, this is the right place, just be sure to put a link to some of the stuff you're working on.

I always start with the mechanics- I find that there are so many games from so many different genres that the setting is going to be a reflection of something else, but the mechanics are a nice way to stand apart.

[SaintSinner40k]

Thanks kyle!!

Heres some more information on what I am working on. Sorry I forgot to post it in the original post.

The setting is a futuristic space exploration, sorta like star trek if you yanked out alot of the high tech they have & put them using more unreliable tech. Then throw in a bit of the exorcist & ancient mind boggling horror to the mix. Mankind has expanded outwards from their own galaxy & spread into a series of system & planetary governments, overseen by a galactic federal government. Those make up the first two factions & the other two are Outlaw Space Criminals & a galaxy spanning "evil corporation" that not only controls but invented modern space travel.

The idea behind the setting is to take a civilization where a huge chunk of people think everythings been explained away & throw them into situations beyond their understanding. Supernatural horror that is unexplainable.

Ive decided to go with a set of class like archetypes for the system which are listed below in four category's & each aligned(at least in background) with a faction for how they where trained.

Combat
Galactic Govn- Marine( weapons specialist, master of 1 type of combat)
Outlaw - Mercenary (more versatile fighter, able to become proficient with multiple types of combat)

Travel
Evil Corp -Jump Specialist(able to pilot any ship & specifically wormhole ships)
Galactic Govn-Space Combat Specialist(naval warship & fighter pilot, vast knowledge of space combat)

Knowledge
Planetary Govn - Engineer(build/fix anything)
Planetary Govn - Scientist(research, study figure things out)

Crooked
Evil Corp -Executive(money & corporate pull)
Outlaw -Brigand – 1 part criminal , 1 part charismatic leader(criminal & underworld connections)

The tech level is going to be a gritty Alien movies style depiction I believe. Cybernetics will be present but very dangerous & horrid looking in some cases. I am still reading up on some of the types of sci fi tech I want to use, but this list would be what I have so far.

Levels of Technology
Space Travel
   Wormhole Generator Engines(for system jumps)
   Plasma Power Engines(for regular travel)

Weaponry
   Bullet & Shell Based Weapons Still In Use, though in a much more advanced form. Most common type of weapon
   Laser Weapons are still uncommon outside military grade groups
   Plasma Weapons though powerful, are rare outside of starships




 

[Thriff]

Hey SS40,

KG mentioned it and I'll remind you, you'll be asked to add a hyperlink with an external document that lists some or all of your current work. Keyword external.

As for starting location? My game began as a book so history, culture, governments, events, and characters were where I first invested my energies. But once I found my passion for RPGs I began working on character creation "CC" rules. The pre-established setting was a great boon, but if I were to begin again I'd split my focus between Setting, Character Creation, and Resolution Mechanics.

Setting includes variables as listed above.

I think Character Creation "CC" is a very important because it forces you as the designer to consider what statistics and details will be important for your players' characters. This will implicitly create the characters' link to the setting and begin codifying your setting as a system.

Resolution mechanics are also very important because they will be arbitrating any event that warrants the mechanic's use. For some games resolution will be used to resolve picking up a pencil, for others it is reserved for very important decisions or conflicts. Recognize that I use the term Resolution to apply to both tasks and conflicts. Tasks are character vs. non-sentient resistance, Conflicts are character vs. sentient (usually PC or NPC) resistance. You'll encounter other terms that describe the same principles.

Despite these being the written components for a game, it is also (astronomically!) important to always consider how you want the game played and what you want the players to be doing during play. Knowing why you want to design an RPG is also helpful .

T

[stefoid]

So I have been mulling over this idea for a sci fi horror game for a while, & have even wrote up some basic background & system ideas for it, but am having a hard time figuring out exactly where to start doing the big work at.

I'm a big player of White Wolf games so I am sorta leaning on writing up the background for the factions & universe as a whole first before really fleshing out everything else. Where do you guys normally start when you really throw yourselves into a project?

If its the setting thats most important, concentrate on that, and use some existing rules you like.

If there are things you want to say/empasize about the setting, that you think you are going to need your own rules to back up - make a four or five point list of them, and work out how your system design will support those things, starting from the most important one first.