[psi run] conflict resolution

[chris_moore]

Previous psi run posts:http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=23540.msg231790#msg231790

                                 http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=23579.msg231992#msg231992

Okay, we're in a scene.  Character Aaron Zinn, with the question "Why can I stare at people and make them love me?" wants to charm his way into some free gas for his group's getaway car.  So Player Chris states that for a goal.  The GM decides that's a fine goal; not too big.   Chris then rolls five dice,  plus any bonus dice he wants to spend (to be explained in Rewards, later). 

Chris then places his dice on a mat which shows five categories.  The number on the die that he places determines the outcome in that category.
Goal.  if die reads 4-6:  Character achieves goal.
                  if die reads 1-3: Character fails goal.

Safety.  5-6: Character is unharmed.
                        4: Character is hurt for this scene only.
                        3: Character is hurt for rest of story.
                        2: Character is permanently hurt, somehow.
                        1: Character is dead.

Brain Storm (only rolled if character is using a psi power during conflict)
                     5-6:  Power causes no trouble
                     3-4:  Power is wild;  either injures people or breaks things
                     1-2:  psi storm; people are dead and things are destroyed

Reveal  5-6: Character has a "memory" that answers one of her questions, player narrates
                       4:  Character has a "memory" that answers one of her questions, anotherplayer narrates
                    1-3:  Character has no "memory"

Chase   5-6: Bad Guys make no progress towards players' scene
                     3-4: Bad Guys move one scene closer to players' scene
                     1-2: Bad Guys move two scenes closer to players' scene
Chase is tracked on a "trail" of index cards with previous scenes labeled on them.  So, if the players are "at the bar", the bad guys might be "at the laundromat", which is where the characters were two scenes ago.  Bad Guys can even move ahead of the characters, which means an ambush scene. More later

Chris rolls 1, 2, 5, 3, 5.  He chooses Reveal 1, Brainstorm 2, Safety 3, Goal 5, and Chase 5.  So, he narrates how his character, Aaron, uses his power to get the gas, but he gets hurt pretty bad, and people die and things are destroyed because of his power going crazy. 

My questions:
Is it weird to have immediate scene fallout categories next to more "meta" categories, like Chase?
Can you understand what this mechanic would look like in game?
Any other comments would be lovely.
Chris
                     

[chris_moore]

I forgot to add:  This mechanic is an homage to Vincent Baker's Otherkind dice categories, from which my group has derived hours and hours of amazing fun.  Lay flowers at the man's shrine.

Chris

[Ken]

Hi-

This system idea sounds very cool. I like that the players get an opportunity to effect the flow of the story. I also like the players can choose negative plot complications for success in other areas. In an other game, this system may prove too clunky, though with your tight game concept and loose rules dynamic; I think it works.

Do the extra dice allow you to discard the lower rolled die result?

-Ken

[chris_moore]

Do the extra dice allow you to discard the lower rolled die result?

Exactly.  And they get those dice by narrating "Reveals" (see dice categories above) that weave into other characters' stories. So, if one character narrated (as an answer to one of her questions) that her mother was killed, another player would receive a bonus die for "remembering" that he witnessed the mother's death, or killed the mother, etc.  I hope that, by rewarding this behavior, I will keep the players from having their characters wander off from each other. 

Thanks for the feedback,
Chris

[Troy_Costisick]

Heya,

You've got a really interesting set of mechanics there, Chris.  I do like the catagories that dice must be allotted to.  It will make any conflict meaningful for both the protagonist and antagonist.  I do have a few questions for ya.

1) What can I, as a player, do to change rolls I don't like?  Do you give the players any currency or mechancis for rearanging the die results?

2) Who plays the opposition?  What can they do about the rolls?

3) Besides the immediate effects, are there any long term consiquences for success and failure?

Is it weird to have immediate scene fallout categories next to more "meta" categories, like Chase?
Can you understand what this mechanic would look like in game?

I'll address these now.  I don't think it's "weird" to have fallout mechanics with meta catagories.  You might choose a term more appropriate to a variety of situations than "Chase", but at the moment I don't see any real problem with it.  I can definately envision how this would work in real life.  Would you be including the die mat or a page that can be photocopied in your book to serve as the mat for the game?  I think that would be pretty necessary.

Peace,

-Troy

[chris_moore]

Troy's questions:

1) What can I, as a player, do to change rolls I don't like?  Do you give the players any currency or mechancis for rearanging the die results?

Players, first, choose into what categories the dice go.  Second, they can get extra dice by narrating "Reveals" (see dice categories) that weave into other characters' stories. So, if one character narrated (as an answer to one of her questions) that her mother was killed, another player would receive a bonus die for "remembering" that he witnessed the mother's death, or killed the mother, etc.  I hope that, by rewarding this behavior, I will keep the players from having their characters wander off from each other. 
Question:  1) I'm worried that there won't be enough reward dice.  Agree?
                2) With all the fallout categories, what the heck is the scene conflict (or Goal category) about?  Survival, maybe? 
Still thinking,
Chris

[Majidah]

I like the Otherkind system (and thus this adaptation) and wish it well, but it always seems to put a hefty strain on the social contract between the players.  This arises from the fact that depending on creative agenda certain result catergories are far more desirable than others.  Brain Storm, for instance, makes no difference to gamist or simulationist agendas because it only changes the outcome of the story about the conflict resolution, not the outcome nor the consequences.  G&S will always put thier lowest die there.  Conversely, Goal is unimportant to narrativists, and pursuit may actually be desireable for them (side note, I love your pursuit mechanic and I plan to bogart it!). 

When you add a layer that players can use to affect the die roll things get even more wooly.  In Otherkind, a GM who sees the game as a competition should always put all of his iron on success (since he can't kill the characters, and narration doesn't matter so long as they fail) to ensure that the players get nothing done. 

All of these issues will of course, resolve themselves via the social contract that exists between the players, but that means that the mechanics aren't really in themselves pure resolution mechanics, more so description generators.  Depending on situation, they may not settle crediblilty disputes between players.

[chris_moore]

(side note, I love your pursuit mechanic and I plan to bogart it!)

I happily receive praise and credit.  That one was all mine.

but that means that the mechanics aren't really in themselves pure resolution mechanics, more so description generators.  Depending on situation, they may not settle crediblilty disputes between players.

Exactly.   We also have a player vs. player mechanic using the same categories, for those kinds of conflicts.  I'll post that soon, and I'd appreciate your feedback on that, too.

[Troy_Costisick]

Heya,

Question:  1) I'm worried that there won't be enough reward dice.  Agree?
                2) With all the fallout categories, what the heck is the scene conflict (or Goal category) about?  Survival, maybe? 

As for question #1, I really don't think you will know that until you playtest.  Have you run any simulations by yourself?

Question #2 hmmmm.   The Goal catagory is binary.  Either you made or you didn't.  I like the simplicity, is that what you want?  As for its relavance to the conflict, is this where stakes are set?  It looks like it.  But really, I have to question how important making or failing the goal is.  You have four other catagories that describe what goes on during or as a result of the conflict.  It's obvious that's the more interesting part of the game (or resolution system in this case).  So the goal is *necessary* for the resolution, but it's not the *point* of the resolution.  Which is just fine.  Let me ask real quick tho, am I nailing your intentions for this?  Am I on the right track?

I'm asking a lot of questions because I want to make sure I understand what you want for your game

Peace,

-Troy

[chris_moore]

The Goal catagory is binary.  Either you made or you didn't.  I like the simplicity, is that what you want?

Usually, our Goal category is nuanced, more like this:

6 - Character succeeds
5 - Player narrates how character almost fails, but succeeds at the last minute
4 - Character succeeds, but some lateral complication happens, too
3 - Character fails, but some "saving grace" happens, too
2 - Player narrates how character almost succeeds, but fails at the last minute
1 - Character fails

But, in psi run, I don't know that this level of nuance is necessary, since all the other fallout categories so thoroughly encompass the situation of the game.  Any ideas?

So the goal is *necessary* for the resolution, but it's not the *point* of the resolution.  Which is just fine.

Exactly.  Which led me to the question, "what types of conflict would there be in a scene, other than  what is already categorized?"  My current answer is, "I don't know, but I'd better leave it in there for playtesting."

This is most helpful.  Thanks!

Chris

[Troy_Costisick]

Heya,

The Goal catagory is binary.  Either you made or you didn't.  I like the simplicity, is that what you want?

Usually, our Goal category is nuanced, more like this:

6 - Character succeeds
5 - Player narrates how character almost fails, but succeeds at the last minute
4 - Character succeeds, but some lateral complication happens, too
3 - Character fails, but some "saving grace" happens, too
2 - Player narrates how character almost succeeds, but fails at the last minute
1 - Character fails

Actually, I think I'd keep the Goal binary.  A lot of what you have here is "fallout."  All that is really covered by your other catagories in the resolution system.  The goal should be pass/fail so the other results have a solid context for their effect on the game.  It's tempting sometimes to go. "You can't just succeed or fail; there's gotta be something more!"  It's kinda what we've gotten used to with all the new fangled resolution systems out there.  But you already have the "something more" with the Safety, Brainstorm, Reveal, and Chase catagories.  In my mind, you're good to go on that!

Peace,

-Troy