Hey there, I've been thinking about putting together an RPG for a setting that I have worked out and ran across Fate. I think it'll fit my setting really well, especially if I tweak it a bit. But first, I wanted to check if that sort of thing was okay? I have no plans to sell it or anything, just wanna make a game :)

So, assuming that, I'd like to use Fate as the engine for my game, which is a sort of urban fantasy pulp/punk fusion. It's called Crystalpunk. It takes New Age mythology (crystals, ascended masters, our Space Brothers, Indigo children, etc) and makes those real, but repressed by the darker factions of humanity. So it has that sort of black-and-white feel, but with a rage-against-the-machine element that I think will work well with Fate 3.0.

Excuse me while I do a little stream of consciousness peppered with questions...

I have a mechanic I'm fond of for chargen/skills that I thought I'd ask for comments on. I want every character to have a 'star chart' (very New Age thing). I've divided the 12 Zodiac signs up into areas of action and I'm going to draw up a skill list for each.

Aspects are 'planets'. Each has a theme (Mars is conflicts, Mercury is Learning or Communications, etc).  That'll be 11 Aspects, (10 Astrological planets plus the Ascendant point). You place a planet in a sign and the aspect you choose should have to do with that sign and that planet (Ex. Mars is about conflicts, and Aries covers charisma and leadership, so aspects there could be "Master Debater", "Argumentative", "Military Leader" or even "Reincarnated War Hero from Ashtar Command").

My worry here is that this might be a little too limiting in terms of character creation. Do you think that would be too 'cookie cutter' in terms of distribution of Aspects?

Another idea I had for the planets was that the planets had a mechanic effect in the area of the sign it's in that fits the theme of the planet (if Venus is in a sign, you get a +1 if you are working with others, or the Sun, all skills in that area are easier to advance or some such). Aspects would either be separate or just attached to the planet without a theme. I'm not sure I like this one as much, however.

The phases of chargen will be a mix of current life and past lives, I think. Or at least, that will be one option. I am thinking I might present several options dependent on either the type of character or the specific campaign in question.

In terms of systems for mystic and supernatural stuff, I'm a little unsure. I want the supernatural elements to reflect the chaotic syncretism of the New Age movement. Mashing up old and new concepts, borrowing ideas. Creative combination whould be rewarded somehow. For the pseudoscience, 'sacred science' and more traditionally occult, I think the Gadget rules in the SotD SRD will work very well. I've been trying to brainstorm creative mechanics for things like Psionics and less ceremonial magics. Either stunts or something like the Martial Arts idea from Fate 2.0. However, if anybody has some ideas in this area (especially that capture the feel I mention above) I've love to hear them.

Um, so anyway, thanks for looking at my rambling monologue....any additional comments or critiques are welcome.

You've got some pretty interesting ideas that need to hit the table to see if they stand up on their own.  I'd definitely recommend giving your limited aspects idea an actual playtest whirl -- I really like that one, but I'd want to see how it operates in play.

I strongly recommend you bring your idea over to the FateRPG group, where the bulk of the (enthusiastic) community lives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FateRPG