Delta

I am not sure whether this is a unique premise for a RPG or not.  Actually, I am hoping it isn’t unique, so that I can save myself some work :)  Any links to systems that do something similar is appreciated!  What I have below is just a brain dump - consider it Delta beta!

Premise

Delta is not a roleplaying game within itself.  It is a modifier for existing RPGs, and you therefore need another RPG to act as its base.  Think of Delta as an overlay or template.

Delta offers advice, guidelines, tenants, and rules, which can be made mandatory or optional.  Which rules or guidelines you use is really dependant on the base RPG - adopt those that make sense.  RPGs are so varied that it is difficult to make overlay rules that would make sense for all RPGs. Therefore Delta consists mainly of advice and guidelines, and has a minimal number of rules.

Terminology: Read “the Delta” as "the modifying rules".

Core Rules

1. The theme of the Delta should be made clear to all players.
2. All players should agree to stick to the theme/mood of the Delta, e.g. for a “Delta Horror” game, humour will be kept to a minimum; for a "Delta Anamorphic Fairy-tale" game, sexual innuendo would be taboo.
3. Any character action that does not fit in with the theme/mood of the Delta can be vetoed by the Game Master.
4. Delta rules, once decided upon, override the base RPG rules.

Example Delta

Delta Cool

Delta Cool transforms a game into one that all about being cool and performing memorable, cinematic stunts.  At no time will a character do something that is un-cool.  Even at the moment of death, characters will be the epitome of cool.

1. Cool trumps realism.
2. Any action that is considered cool, cinematic, or a stunt, should not be penalised due to its difficulty.
3. Any action that is considered cool, cinematic, or a stunt, should receive a substantial bonus. This has the effect that dare-devil manoeuvres are easier to perform than standard manoeuvres, and will therefore encourage players to use such manoeuvres.
4. Any stunt that has a result that could have been replicated by a mundane (i.e. boring) action, automatically succeeds, no matter how outlandish, e.g. if Giselle could easily run down a staircase for her action, then she can also slide down the banister, using her sword like a skateboard – in both cases, the result is that she gets to the bottom of the stairs.
5. Being cool is all about performing astounding feats successfully.  To simulate this, each character gets 10 Cool Points per day, which is only reset after a full sleep.  A Cool Point can be used to maximise or minimise any action by that character.  It effectively acts as an instant success.
6. To simulate the fast pace of cinematic action movies, decision resolution should only be used for interesting or pivotal actions.  All other (relatively trivial or boring) actions should be counted as successful.  This applies to character actions.  But may also apply to non-character actions as well, at the discretion of the Game Master.