Hey Jared,

How about a quick lowdown on what the new octaNe looks like. As I understand, it will be using a variant on the system you used in InSpectres. What kind of changes? How much of the 1.0 version survives to the new version? Any mechanical or structural innovations you are especialy proud of? How will you handle action and comabt (seeing how InSpectres abstracts combat into the Stress system)?

Thanks

-Ben

Hey, Ben.

Forget about Version 1.0 -- the new game is virtually unrecognizable from it. Plot Points and Styles remain. Here's the "free" version:

Choose a Role from the list of 40+ (44 I think?). Distribute 3 points into any 1, 2 or 3 of the six possible Styles. Roles come pre-made with gear and skills.

When you wanna do something (and you have the skill), roll 3 dice, take the highest. Same Die Result chart as InSpectres (uh, 1,2,3 bad and 4,5,6 good). No skill? Then spend a Plot Point to gain one die (or augment a skilled roll with an additional die). More Plot Points may be spent as desired but you need to justify each Plot Point's use with some kind of in game fact (either created by the player or already mentioned during the course of the game).

You gain additional Plot Points when you roll a 5 or a 6. Roll a 5 and get as many PP's as you have points in the appropriate Style. Roll a 6 and you get that many, plus a bonus (which means you'll get 1 PP if you have zero points invested in a Style).

The GM-side of the game comes into play with Hazard Ratings. These cancel out Die Results on a 1:1 basis. The higher the Hazard Rating, the less likely the result will be in the player's favor. If the Hazard Rating is 3 or higher, the player will need to spend Plot Points to even have a chance. There are no hit points or anything like that.

There is a weird powers/magic system but it's pretty much the same as the basic system with a few wrinkles.

There are also 4 modes of play (Psychotronic, Grindhouse, Arthouse and Cinema Verite) -- each sets up a kind of social contract. The setting is sparse and is there to set up ideas for the players to expound upon.

Also, the first (free) supplement is a sword & sorcery variant called Blood & Steel. The major difference is how characters are created. I have other material "in the works" (and authored by contributors): a Pulp '30s setting and a future Japan setting.

There, saved yourself $10. ;)

Hmmmmmmmm....OctaNe.