I have been wanting to play a character who was a able to change his bodily form at will. I played around with the concept some and came up with a setting exploring the concept with the question "How much are you willing to give up to get what you want?" To further development I'm submitting this power 19. I have some holes to fill in and would appreciate any comments.

1.) What is your game about?**
Characters are hosts to symbiotic microbes, henceforth call The Symbiont. The Symbiont alters the host to ensure the hosts survival and therefore their own.

2.) What do the characters do?**
Character attempt to live life as their physical form changes and gradually ostracizes them from society.

3.) What do the players (including the GM if there is one) do?**
Players choose the actions of their respective characters in response to other character actions and scenarios put forth by the GM. the GM creates two types of scenarios. One in which the characters are temped to exploit The Symbiont possibly further removing them from human norm. The other requiring social interaction with normal humans.

4.) How does your setting (or lack thereof) reinforce what your game is about?
the setting is the here and now with the exception of a governmental organisation to control infected individuals and a terrorist organization comprised of infected individuals. both are included to give the GM a way of stirring up character's lives and make hiding harder.

5.) How does the Character Creation of your game reinforce what your game is about?
Character creation focuses on the character before infection so that the character have an attachment to their old life. thereby giving a reason not to court extreme physical alterations available to the characters.

6.) What types of behaviors/styles of play does your game reward (and punish if necessary)?
[To Do]

7.) How are behaviors and styles of play rewarded or punished in your game?
[To Do]

8.) How are the responsibilities of narration and credibility divided in your game?
Primarily narration will fall upon the GM, however players will have control over narration of thoughts, feelings, and actions of their characters

9.) What does your game do to command the players' attention, engagement, and participation? (i.e. What does the game do to make them care?)
[To Do]

10.) What are the resolution mechanics of your game like?
a fate based mechanic for contested actions and a negotiation mechanic for any activity The Symbiont may take.

11.) How do the resolution mechanics reinforce what your game is about?
the aforementioned negotiation mechanic is in place to give the players and characters a sense of partial control over the bodies of the characters. It will is based on the current level of stress the character experiences. With more stress The Symbiont will allow bigger changes and comes to the bargaining table with more command over it. versus a low stress period when The Symbiont will not want to change anything and the host has the upper hand. The Symbiont will always make demands that affect appearance or mental status of some kind.

12.) Do characters in your game advance? If so, how?
skills may be improved by in game use or by off camera training. see 11 for physical advancement.

13.) How does the character advancement (or lack thereof) reinforce what your game is about?
the physical alterations are at the core of exploring the question "How much are you willing to give up to get what you want?"

14.) What sort of product or effect do you want your game to produce in or for the players?
I want the players to be proud of what their characters have done but, saddened by what they have become.

15.) What areas of your game receive extra attention and color? Why?
As most of the setting is normal life all the differences between our would and the characters need to be fleshed out.
Mechanically a large amount of focus needs to be on the negotiation mechanic.

16.) Which part of your game are you most excited about or interested in? Why?
the exploration of #13 as I think it could lead to some engaging stories.

17.) Where does your game take the players that other games can’t, don’t, or won’t?
[To Do]

18.) What are your publishing goals for your game?
free pdf released under CC. somehow.

19.) Who is your target audience?
roleplayers who like science fiction.

thanks.

Sounds interesting!  Could you say more about the physical change?  On the one hand, it sounds like people are gradually becoming more grotesque, but if they can change their body form at will, doesn't that mean that they can look normal?

Greg wrote:

Sounds interesting!  Could you say more about the physical change?  On the one hand, it sounds like people are gradually becoming more grotesque, but if they can change their body form at will, doesn't that mean that they can look normal?