Space Madness or Ressurection

[anansi]

Some more random thoughts. Workin workin.

BLUR THE LINES
so... the void
maybe it's the space inbetween on your character sheet, between your two lines.
INNER LINE on the left line is who you think you are
OUTER LINE on the right line is how you are perceived
when characters are created, you go around the table round robin style, and describe your character, who you think you are. this is created by the person playing the character.
then there is how you are perceived. everyone at the table has a relationship with someone else. so you all have to be tied together. write down the PC you're tied to, and how you feel about them. you also determine how they are perceived.

Starting out, you only have two descriptors. But you can gain them and your character can change and grow as you continue. So you start having more on each side. If you have equal amounts, you're stable. If you start to trend one way or the other, you start gaining madness. If you have too many, but they're balanced, you're starting to BLUR THE LINES and soon your character will be out of play.

In order to gain new descriptors, you must relate to your fellow players and build relationships. Have scenes with them. At the end of the scene, determine if you get a new descriptor or not.

In order to take any action, you must wager a descriptor. If a descriptor is at risk, you roll a D10. Each wager gives you a +1 bonus, and you can wager multiple descriptors at a time.
On a 1-4 you fail. Move all descriptors you wagered to the void.
On a 5-7 you fail. Move half the descriptors you wagered to the void. One may be assigned to the person you have a relationship with.
On a 8-10 you succeed. Add a new descriptor, on either side of the void.

Descriptors can be rescued from the void, but at a cost. You have to do something for someone else on the ship that wagers all your descriptors. If you succeed, you get your lost descriptor. If you fail... you lose them all.

When you have no descriptors left what happens?


OK, so for character things so far I have:
Strength
Weakness
Connection
Relationship
LINES - who you think you are, who others think you are, the void, descriptors
Descriptors

[dmkdesigns]

Sweet. Thanks for the feedback on the darkness of the setting and game and the ideas I've had so far. Encouragement and support are probably the BEST motivators for me. That and questions are great cause they help me work shit out.

On the topic of what David has said:

Anansi, is your formulation above meant to imply that madness results from a failure to face facts, make tough decisions, and accept sacrifices?

So many indie RPGs put emphases on "which will you choose, what decision will you make?", whereas I think avoidance is under-addressed.  A game that produces interesting consequences for refusing to make tough decisions is something I'd find interesting.

As per your subtext notes about how a popular trope is secretly bullshit:
I quite like the idea of priming the characters to accept the idea that madness is a huge risk, then handing the players the ability the ability to pretty much avoid madness at will, and seeing how "roleplaying my character" addresses that gap.

I think that madness might come from denial. Like... you want to accept the status quo, or what the situation is feeding you, give in to your Weakness. The clever part about the choice that I'd like to present is that there isn't a correct one. Madness is equally as valid a choice as Sanity is (if that's the dichotomy I'm going to work with, although it's forsure treading on Cthulhu ground if I do.) I get what you're saying about "what decision will you make, choose your destiny" being an indie game essential. Maybe the no good choice thing I'm thinking about makes it more interesting, like you're suggesting?

I'm not sure how this dynamic will work with your subtext idea though, because the gap is TOTALLY what I'm aiming for, the Madness/Sanity thing is just a veil or vehicle for that discussion to occur. I think this is something that will come about once I begin needling into to design a bit more. Which leads me to...

This is a rich premise. Any mechanics/implementation thoughts yet?

Gah, no. I've been pondering how to do this. This is my weak point in my attempts at game design so far. I get this really neat idea, set up a really cool conflict, make it pretty accessible and something I would want to play, engage the themes and imagine how play would happen... but then I get trapped in "shit, should I use 2D6 and not even worry about the mechanics, or should I make it this really clever combination of wordplay choices, should there be careers, what would the character sheets look like" and I get totally overwhelmed and hesitate. I realize that the simple solution to this might be the same one that I use in my artwork... make something, anything, and creative magic will start to happen. I feel like maybe it's my newness at trying to make game systems that chokes me up though. I have a BFA in artmaking, with all the history, mistakes, practice, and formal training that goes along with it. I have a hobbyistic obsession with gaming, and none of the support my art knowledge affords me.

Any suggestions on how to get past this roadblock would be super welcome. In the meantime, I'll just keep writing and see what I come up with.

I like the tension created with denial in this setup. The darkness and guessing can create a really interesting playground. And I don't usually enjoy playing a game where there is no hope to defeat the opposition at all either. I think you have some interesting features to explore in this kind of game.

-David-

[anansi]

SHIT IS COMING TOGETHER. I'm excited. Hyper excited. That's excitement from the future.

That is all.

Expect an awesome game tomorrow! There's pictures of space, references to the Saturn V rocket, and so much unreality!