Okay I'd like to announce that my game of Frontier is now available for consumption by the masses. Please remember it is still a work in progress so it is still a little untidy. I have a small yahoo groups site for it and it is available for downlaod under the files section. It is located at;http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/LostHorizonsRPG . Unfortunately you have to have a yahoo ID to get to it, but it's a free site so I can't complain much. I'd appreciate any feedback I can get. It is a multiverse system that I will add on settings for as I complete them. Hopefully soon I will also have a forum for it so that I dont bog down anyone elses talking about it. So please feel free to have a look at let me know what you think. Any critiques will be greatly appreciated.

Sylus

It is in a word.doc format so you don't need anything special to view it and art work will follow as I get it completed. Like most everyone else I'm a one man show.

Sylus

Sylus Thane wrote: I'd appreciate any feedback I can get.

Hi Sylus,

You weren't kidding when you said it was a WIP. From your post it sounds like you are designing a universal system that you can adapt to different settings. No offense but it looks to me like you're doing things a little backward. I would suggest that right now you concentrate on developing the system. As is, you kind of have a hodge podge of setting info (races), character stats and unrelated rules. You do have some interesting bits mixed in here and there but honestly, because of the layout, it's kind of painful to read over and I can't get a good feel of what you're trying to accomplish---what dice are you using, how are tasks resolved, how is combat resolved, etc.

Also, you might get more feedback if you post things directly here rather than expecting people to navigate the web.

But assuming you are attempting to create a universal system, post the basic system when you get a chance and I can give better feedback.


And Andrew,

The abbreviation: "G. O. D." doesn't seem to be defined in the text prior to being used. It's also offensive to at least one of my players in my play group. It's also likely to offend others as well

Can I suggest you make the archives and file download area open to people who aren't members of your Yahoo Group?

I'm sure you intend otherwise, but you're not exactly going out of your way to make it easy for people to have a look at what you're doing. I routinely don't subscribe to groups unless I can have a look at the archives or files section first to see if I'm realy interested in it.


Simon Hibbs

Hey guys, thanks for the replies. They are greatly appreciated and helpful.

The abbreviation: "G. O. D." doesn't seem to be defined in the text prior to being used. It's also offensive to at least one of my players in my play group. It's also likely to offend others as well.

Can I suggest you make the archives and file download area open to people who aren't members of your Yahoo Group?

You do have some interesting bits mixed in here and there but honestly, because of the layout, it's kind of painful to read over and I can't get a good feel of what you're trying to accomplish---what dice are you using, how are tasks resolved, how is combat resolved, etc.

Why should I use your game instead of, say, Alternity, GURPS, Traveller, Fudge, Rifts or Fuzion?

Thanks for your comments about the game could anyone suggest a better forum to use as I agree that the yahoo forum is a problem.

Cheers,

Rog

We have now put a web site up so the people can download the files with out going to the yahoo forum I hope that will help.


Rog

Sylus Thane wrote:

Why should I use your game instead of, say, Alternity, GURPS, Traveller, Fudge, Rifts or Fuzion?

I left this one for last because it puzzled me. I'm looking yet for people to say they'd prefer my game over another yet, it's not nearly complete enough for that. I just wanted to put it up for people to get some feedback to see how well I am doing and what I may need to change to improve the layout and other things.

Andrew wrote:

Do you really need to design a generic system to support your settings, when there's all ready plenty out there?

Sylus Thane wrote:

Why should I use your game instead of, say, Alternity, GURPS, Traveller, Fudge, Rifts or Fuzion?

I left this one for last because it puzzled me. I'm looking yet for people to say they'd prefer my game over another yet, it's not nearly complete enough for that. I just wanted to put it up for people to get some feedback to see how well I am doing and what I may need to change to improve the layout and other things.

This is a point that we wanted to be answered from the start , what would the public want out of a game.
From reading your posts it seems to be that a setting with rules included instead of a generic rules system with settings extra is the way to go.

If anyones had a look at the settings overviews in your opinions which do you like.


Rog

Well here's the reason why I did it. I've played alot of the other generics out there excep for Alternity and d20 and they always seemed to have something missing. Now I don't know if it was something ruleswise for sure, but almost almost always there was the same thing lacking. I think it was player friendliness. Almost all of them weren't all that simple for new players to learn quickly. I mean Gurps is okay, but it takes awhile to make a character usually, unless of course you've been playing it for a long time, same with Traveller. Most of the generics also required tons of books to play, as is the case with most games. I guess all I wanted to do was design a game that was quick and easy for a new person to learn to play. Just like has happened everytime I've handed a new person mine and had them easily grasp the rules and character creation, generally all within twenty minutes. I wanted every supplement following the main book to be just that, supplemental. You don't need it unless you want it. And if you did it would easily slip in to its appropriate spot and blend seamlessly with the rest of the system.

So all in all, besides the fact I made it from the ground up, is that I wanted to make a game that was easy and quick to learn. Especially to new gamers. I wanted it to be quick and functional, and realistic as you wanted it to be. In a nutshell, quick, easy to learn, and flexible.

Unfortunately alot of the confusion may be do to my writing ability but I'm taking my time and it will get there eventually. Besides, if I just wanted to be like everybody else and use someone elses system I would just jump on the d20 bandwagon. :)

Hope that covers things. Wasn't trying to stake my claim in the gaming universe...............yet. Just looking for some feedback. :)

Sylus

Have you looked at systems like FUDGE, Risus, CORPS, and Plainlabel? And a bout a dozen other generic systems that are more "player-friendly" than GURPS?

FUDGE is especially player-friendly (by most people's esitmations) generic system and has the advantage that you can contact them and make your game (for profit) using their system most times. It's also a system that is designed to be tailored to the gameworlds that it's played in. So there's lots of suppoort available for just how to convert your worlds to this system.

Take a look at what's available. Even if you decide not to go with any of them, you'll at least have a head start on what other people thnk are viable mechanics. And you'll have an idea of what sort of systems you'll be competing against.

Mike

I am just writing to let you know that we are now using a new forum

http://pub35.ezboard.com/blosthorizons22536

You do not need to be a member to use this forum and so is easier for you all to use.

Rog

vestinious wrote: I am just writing to let you know that we are now using a new forum

http://pub35.ezboard.com/blosthorizons22536

You do not need to be a member to use this forum and so is easier for you all to use.

Sylus Thane wrote: So all in all, besides the fact I made it from the ground up, is that I wanted to make a game that was easy and quick to learn. Especially to new gamers. I wanted it to be quick and functional, and realistic as you wanted it to be. In a nutshell, quick, easy to learn, and flexible.

I have a new revision up its available are my new web site. Its really easy to get and the rules are cleaned up so they are easier to read and follow. So far it is just basics but setting specific things will soon follow. Its available at http://losthorizons.freewebspace.com/index.html . I also now have a new forum which I believe may have already have been posted about but here is the address http://pub35.ezboard.com/blosthorizons22536 . Please feel free to look it over and tell me what you think.

Sylus

At the moment, rather than asking people to comment on the whole thing, I think you'd be better off asking specific questions about aspects of the game you might be having trouble with. If you ask for comments on an incomplete game, the only comments you're likely to get are just variations on "it's incomplete".

I did find the game a bit confusing. It doesn't realy lead you through the game and creating the character in a very clear or logical progression. Strange science-fantasy and swords & sorcery stuff is all mixed up. The descriptions of the races don't tell you how to generate their stats - you have to look up a seperate table.

You seem to have already picked "the low-hanging fruit", i.e. the parts of the game system and background that are the most interesting and easiest to write up. Most home grown games get little further than this, and my own games are no exception.


Simon Hibbs

Thanks for the suggestion Simon,

If anyone could tell me what they think of the character creation and how they feel it could improve I would greatly appreciate it, There is a new revision up that I hope is easier to read and more direct.

Thanks,
Sylus