Previous Topics
In RPG Theory

3/1/2004 Doctor Xero: thesis : the two approaches to RPG player enjoyment goals
After reading (and participating in) the various posts involving cooperative and competitive gaming, the purpose of fantastical races in FRPGs (and SFRPGs), and some of the G/N/S concerns, I think…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Doctor Xero, RDU Neil, Mike Holmes, John Kim, greyorm, contracycle, Ron Edwards, ethan_greer, Andrew Norris, Valamir, clehrich, Itse, Alan, Christopher Kubasik, Gordon C. Landis, M. J. Young, Walt Freitag, Caldis.

3/1/2004 RDU Neil: Simplistic GNS examples...
As I've attempted to plow through the varioud GNS articles and the like, I find my non-academic brain needing some clarification. (I have to look up words like brachiate and…
In RPG Theory
Participants: RDU Neil, Ron Edwards, Valamir.

2/29/2004 Wenlock: No limit ?!
Hello, I'm a newbeee and I wondered a short time in which forum I could put this thing...... Well, in case I made a mistake, let me know. Here's the…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Wenlock, Jack Spencer Jr, Ron Edwards, Noon, Lorenzo Rubbo-Ferraro, Doctor Xero, M. J. Young, Nathan P..

2/27/2004 sirogit: Obtrusive mechanic details?
It's to my understanding that several games have considering using certain mechanics, but didn't include them in the game as it would slow the game down to a certain degree.…
In RPG Theory
Participants: sirogit, Doctor Xero, Harlequin, Mike Holmes, John Kim, coxcomb.

2/27/2004 Tomas HVM: Like a symphony...
[b]A roleplaying game should be played like a symphony.[/b] [b]It should start quiet and calm,[/b] like a single cello. The opening scenes should be played in a deep and protracted…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Tomas HVM, M. J. Young, Mike Holmes.

2/27/2004 Doctor Xero: The Role of Fantasy Races in FRPGs
[quote="Zak Arntson"]Tying into the third category, you have races representing an exaggerated aspect of humanity. Does this ties into the suspension of disbelief? Can players can more readily accept a…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Doctor Xero, Jonathan Walton, Ben Lehman, pete_darby, contracycle, Ron Edwards, Wolfen, Scourge108, John Kirk, Itse, coxcomb, M. J. Young, greyorm, Henri, John Kim, arwink, Argetlamh, komradebob, madelf, Walt Freitag, Valamir, Brother Adso, simon_hibbs, Cemendur.

2/26/2004 clehrich: Setting seeks System, for long walks, cuddling....
So I’ve got this setting and campaign concept, and I wonder if anyone can think of a system that would admirably suit my goals. I’d rather not redesign from scratch;…
In RPG Theory
Participants: clehrich, Valamir, erithromycin, Shreyas Sampat, John Kim, Loki, Mike Holmes, M. J. Young, cruciel, Jonathan Walton, Harlequin, Rob Carriere.

2/26/2004 Nathan P.: Interesting NYT Article
Hey all For you online NYT subscribers (its free to sign up if you're not already), this is an interesting article: The Ivy-Covered…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Nathan P., John Kim, Mike Holmes, contracycle, Loki, Vishanti, Eric J..

2/26/2004 RyuMaou: Are non-humans neccessary in FRPGs?
I was thinking about this the other day and it occurred to me that I don't know of any surviving, or even dead-but-once-popular, FRPGs that didn't involve elves, dwarves, or…
In RPG Theory
Participants: RyuMaou, Lxndr, Jack Aidley, Loki, clehrich, Ron Edwards, Alex Johnson, timfire, Zak Arntson, Mike Holmes, J B Bell, Mr. Sluagh, Wolfen, Doctor Xero, Shreyas Sampat, M. J. Young, contracycle, hitsumei, Scourge108, neelk, talysman, Itse, bcook1971, AnyaTheBlue, Walt Freitag, komradebob.

2/26/2004 Noon: Quick questions on illusionism
A quick question or two on illusionism. Okay, say our hero gets to a T intersection. One way looks like it goes to a dangerous forest, the other a graveyard.…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Noon, M. J. Young, Ron Edwards, Mike Holmes, Doctor Xero.

2/26/2004 Noon: Rules that back source
This is a condensation of the 'Rules that outsource' thread. I'd give a direct link, but that might give the idea that you have to read through it before tucking…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Noon, M. J. Young, Ian Charvill, Itse, Valamir, John Kim, Mike Holmes.

2/25/2004 Jinx: Team creation / social contract questions
I've been thinking a great deal about group character creation and social contracts for players in a team, potentially with team/party-oriented PCs designed to work together - specifically, in this…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Jinx, Mike Holmes, Ben Lehman.

2/25/2004 Bankuei: Let's talk Design!
Hi folks, We tend to go through a cycle here at the Forge. New folks come in, and there tends to be a little rustling as folks get adjusted to…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Bankuei, clehrich, Shreyas Sampat, Autocrat.

2/24/2004 Dr. Awkward: RPGs driving an interest in history?
Is anyone aware of any studies, surveys, or articles that address how RPGs can increase an interest in history among players? I've been contacted by someone who is doing some…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Dr. Awkward, Valamir, M. J. Young, Scourge108, Mike Holmes.

2/24/2004 Nigel Evans: Autocracy U-turn. Probably.
First real post here - I'm not sure this is the place for it but here goes. The situation: I'm running a game called Pathways. It's a homegrown in both…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Nigel Evans, Mark Johnson, clehrich, coxcomb, Ron Edwards, M. J. Young, montag, Noon.

2/23/2004 ksarith: Major Methods of Mechanics
When I went looking to choose the attributes, I forgot to start at the very basic level of a system. I am just BS'ing my way through this fraction of…
In RPG Theory
Participants: ksarith, M. J. Young.

2/23/2004 Nuadha: How many skills do you prefer?
I've a question for everyone here. How exhaustive of a skill list do you prefer in a game? From games with no skill lists (like Amber) to games with skills…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Nuadha, Ron Edwards, Valamir, John Kim, orbsmatt, coxcomb, Scourge108, clehrich, M. J. Young, RDU Neil, contracycle.

2/23/2004 Eric J.: Pyron's first Rant (Which isn't very good)
I would just like to rant for a moment: And I'd like to start with a quote from Shapesphear: "This, above all else, to thine own self be true." I'd…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Eric J., james_west, Noon.

2/21/2004 Autocrat: Skills:- What types and how many?
Yeah, yet another one to pick you brains and preference sticks with! OK, post apaoco', loads of variety for the technnology, potential goldmines of info for Characters to locate and…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Autocrat, Taina, Ron Edwards, Valamir, Shreyas Sampat, M. J. Young, Ole, clehrich.

2/21/2004 Autocrat: Item & Equipment Details ????
OK then, lets see how fast this one goes...... So you have a huge list of potential equipment, (to cover your post apoc setting with umpteen types of skills and…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Autocrat, anonymouse, erithromycin, Ole, Shreyas Sampat, Valamir, Noon.

<< more previous topics

Subsequent Topics
In RPG Theory

3/2/2004 Zak Arntson: Characterization of Monsters?
This is split from Are non-humans neccessary in FRPGs?. To keep this thread on topic (the race threads keep diversifying, which is no bad thing, so long as new…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Zak Arntson, jdagna, pete_darby, John Kim, Mike Holmes, Jack Spencer Jr, Ron Edwards, Scourge108, Sean, james_west, M. J. Young, timfire, jrs, Valamir, erithromycin, b_bankhead, Latigo, quozl.

3/2/2004 ShaneNINE: Suggest a game system for me PLEASE!
First, I'm not a regular here so I'm not up on all the vocabulary and lingo y'all use. So bear with me. Please, please, please, for the love of all…
In RPG Theory
Participants: ShaneNINE, ethan_greer, John Kim, HMT, Mike Holmes, RaconteurX, Nuadha, cruciel, adamsmith, Lorenzo Rubbo-Ferraro, Ron Edwards, Shreyas Sampat, clehrich, Peter Nordstrand.

3/2/2004 Sean: Tarot-based mechanics
Weekend before last my buddy and I were playing around with a supplemental tarot-based mechanic for our game. We're still hammering out some details for how the major arcana work;…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Sean, quozl, John Kim, Paul Czege.

3/3/2004 John Kim: System for a Star Trek Game?
After good responses to Chris' Setting seeks System thread, I thought I'd pose my own dilemma. So I am planning a new campaign which will be based on…
In RPG Theory
Participants: John Kim, AnyaTheBlue, RaconteurX, Valamir, komradebob, newsalor, Nuadha, Doctor Xero, Mike Holmes, clehrich, lumpley, jrs, Alex Johnson, cruciel, erithromycin.

3/3/2004 komradebob: A product fantasy-One Consumer's POV
I have a fantasy that one day, I'll walk into a game shop and find a very special gaming product one a shelf. The product is sort of like this:…
In RPG Theory
Participants: komradebob, timfire, quozl, ethan_greer, M. J. Young, Jack Spencer Jr, Alex Johnson, Michael S. Miller, contracycle, brainwipe, Paul Czege, Walt Freitag.

3/4/2004 AnyaTheBlue: Teenage Isolation and RPGs
This is kind of an off-topic post, but I'll try and make it as relevant to the Forge as possible. First, a pointer: Why Nerds are Unpopular One of…
In RPG Theory
Participants: AnyaTheBlue, John Kim, Loki, Noon, Scourge108, M. J. Young, Christopher Weeks, Sean.

3/4/2004 cruciel: Mixing Genres
First, the definition of the naughty word. Genre A category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, marked by a distinctive style, form, or content. Mixing Genres Taking elements…
In RPG Theory
Participants: cruciel, arwink, clehrich.

3/5/2004 Noon: True GM Vs players, with infinite GM elephants/resources
Ah, I don't know why I bought the AD&D monster manual and GM book. At first it was the crappy artwork to laugh at...but now they mezmerise me. Not in…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Noon, jdagna, Ron Edwards, Valamir, Walt Freitag, Scripty, timfire, anonymouse, JamesSterrett.

3/5/2004 Autocrat: Skills, the grouping and arranging of - Responses?
Alright then, second attempt, this one a little more detailed..... hopefully! SO, my questions are; *If playing this system, how do you think you would find the rules outlined below?…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Autocrat, montag, Shreyas Sampat, Walt Freitag, M. J. Young, komradebob, John Kim, cruciel, Eero Tuovinen, Rich Forest.

3/6/2004 hix: Establishing a Social Contract
A couple of recent threads here and in the Heroquest forum have started me thinking about the preparation phase for a game. Assuming that everyone in a hypothetical group was…
In RPG Theory
Participants: hix, Ron Edwards, Valamir, Mike Holmes.

3/7/2004 komradebob: Why so little Scenario Oriented Design?
Hello: I got a lot of great responses to an earlier thread, but I wanted to start this new one, to get feedback to a core question that occured to…
In RPG Theory
Participants: komradebob, Valamir, ethan_greer, Jasper, John Burdick, Eero Tuovinen, JamesSterrett, John Kim, Michael S. Miller, Andrew Norris, contracycle, brainwipe, willofgod.

3/8/2004 Jonathan Walton: A Brief Design Manifesto: Memory
I have a sneaking suspicion that Dungeons & Dragons will not survive the coming ecological collapse. When we are forced to live in caves, surviving off fungus and 200-year-old cans…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Jonathan Walton, Brother Adso, Mike Holmes, John Kim, andy.

3/8/2004 Jonathan Walton: New "Fine Art" Article on RPGnet
They posted last Friday's article today, since they had a hole they needed to fill and already had another article ready for Friday. This one's about the theories of Joseph…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Jonathan Walton, Sean.

3/8/2004 thelopez: Controlling Currency Hyper-Inflation
I have found, through my personal gaming experience and reading articles about the failure of CRPGs, that one of the many reasons why CRPGs fail is due to the hyper-inflation…
In RPG Theory
Participants: thelopez, Harlequin, Mike Holmes, Christopher Weeks, Noon, contracycle, erithromycin, Valamir, M. J. Young.

3/9/2004 timfire: Using Experience points as a resource for other effects?
This came up in another thread in the indie forum, but I thought it might deserve a little more discussion here. In the other thread, I proposed letting players spend…
In RPG Theory
Participants: timfire, anonymouse, brainwipe, Ron Edwards, komradebob, Valamir, John Kim, Mike Holmes.

3/9/2004 Grex: Calvinball rules
This may well be completely irrelevant to the Forge -- and if so, I apologize in advance -- but here are the rules for Calvinball: http://www.solitaryway.com/calvin/cb_rules.htm Is it even possible…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Grex, Walt Freitag, Valamir, Ron Edwards, xiombarg, gobi, Eero Tuovinen, Varis_Rising, clehrich, Ben Lehman, M. J. Young, taalyn, Ben-Ra.

3/9/2004 thelopez: Dynamic Character Missions
In the MORPG that I want to design I want to include missions that characters can attempt. There are several problems, IMHO, with the mission systems that have been implemented…
In RPG Theory
Participants: thelopez, Peter Nordstrand, Christopher Weeks, Mike Holmes, Tavish, Doctor Xero.

3/9/2004 RPGuru59: Diceless Combat Resolution
I am designing a storytelling game called SAGE (Story Advanced Game Engine) that uses diceless combat resolution. I use a point based system, allowing the characters to give away points…
In RPG Theory
Participants: RPGuru59, M. J. Young, Michael S. Miller, RaconteurX, simon_hibbs, Lxndr, Ron Edwards.

3/9/2004 John Kim: Got my Solmukohta Book
I just wanted to say that I got my contributor's copy of the book "Beyond Role and Play" that Jonathan Walton mentioned in this thread. Thus far, I…
In RPG Theory
Participants: John Kim, Jonathan Walton.

3/10/2004 Asrogoth: Streamlining Design
Since I opened the can of worms regarding "Streamlining the Creative Process" (see this thread http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?t=9943) and have accepted the challenge of making my "vision" come to life, I am…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Asrogoth, thelopez, lumpley, Mike Holmes, andy, Ole, timfire.

more subsequent topics >>