Hi all, I'm new to the Forge & hope I'm not starting in the wrong spot.  I've recently began to push myself to My Own House System.  I prefer lighter rules and my goal is to work towards a system that is easy to learn and teach to new gamers, robust enough to keep veterans interested and easy to focus on forming your character's concept.

I'm very much inspired by Castle Falkenstein, Basic Roleplay & Interlock/Cyberpunk/Fuzion mechanically & Over the Edge in its spirit of simple character generation.  Commeercial publication isn't a primary goal, but is a distant possibility if I succeed.

I'm still working on settings.  I have Pulp, Modern Horror/Action, Science-Fantasy in mind.

Anyway here is what I'm starting with:

Attributes have specific functions--
Knowledge gives a player more skill points to build their character
Reflexes gives a bonus to Initiative
Strength gives a bonus to Hand to Hand Damage Rolls
Health gives a bonus to Hit Points/Wounds
Personality gives a bonus to Contacts/Favors
Proffession either gives a flat bonus to skills that "Fall Under" it or allow you roll bonus dice on those skill checks

My assumption is that PC's will have 2-3 points to spread in these areas, with most of them being Zero.

Skills are also Zero Average.  To resolve a skill, Player roll's a D10 & compare's it to a difficulty.  If its equal to more, the skill is successfull.  Most skills that are at "Average" level are Zero.  You can lower a skill to -2 for some extra points (probably not more than 1 or 2 times though).  I'm thinking Player's will have 10-15 points to spend on Skills With Int x 3 bonus points.  The skills would be listed out ala Castle Falkenstein.

Overall, where I'm hitting a wall is a)obviously this is a pretty standard mechanic, but is it too standard and b)I'm trying to decide between Attributes having specific functions OR letting them add D10's to be rolled as bonus dice, but not kept.  If I have Int 2, I roll 3D10(+2 from Int)+ Skill Level.  I only use the Highest D10 to add to the Skill Level.

I appologize for this being such a long first post.  I hope I'm not wasting anyone's time.

M

1) Welcome aboard!

2) Your post isn't long at all, I'd call it medium :)

3) It doesn't matter if it's standard, so long it accomplishes your goals. I also suggest taking a look at Risus, which can be called OtE's engine V.2.

4) Both adding Attribute as +1(or +3) or having it as an extra die rolled works fine. I do agree that the benefit needs to be major considering how few Attribute points one receives. Just make sure you're aware of the probabilities and that they fit your vision.

5) You're confusing Knowledge and Intelligence.

1) Welcome aboard!

Thank you very much!

2) Your post isn't long at all, I'd call it medium :)

Ok, I was trying to be brief.

3) It doesn't matter if it's standard, so long it accomplishes your goals. I also suggest taking a look at Risus, which can be called OtE's engine V.2.

I have looked at it.  I have the "My Own Game Rules" Bug.

4) Both adding Attribute as +1(or +3) or having it as an extra die rolled works fine. I do agree that the benefit needs to be major considering how few Attribute points one receives. Just make sure you're aware of the probabilities and that they fit your vision.

I'm working from the philosophy that characters are "farily normal" with either 1 or 2 areas of major to moderate talent.  Thanks for the tip on probabilities.

5) You're confusing Knowledge and Intelligence.

DOH!  Thanks.

M

Questions:
- What is the system for?
- What does play look like?
- Why would anybody want to play?
- How is it better than the systems that inspired you?

Answers:
- Whether your system is too common depends on your goals and audience. I know I'd have no motivation to play based on the stuff so far. I guess it could entice a Fudge-style audience, if it's sleek enough. Note, however, that my dislike is not because of the commonity of the dice mechanic, but because there's apparently no particular reward to ulitizing the system. There's folks who go for that kind of system (f.ex. the Fudge crowd), mostly because they like the system to get out of the way and already bring their own entertainment into the game. Just not me.
- Whether you want crunch in character attributes depends on whether you want your system to engage or get out of the way. From the other parts and the games you mention I guess that you want it to get out of the way, which I guess would point towards generic attribute mechanics. Note that it also points towards simplicity in general, so don't get excited and add a complex combat subsystem or stuff like that.