Hey. I haven't posted on the Forge in months and months, but I have lurked and, as it is, I could use some input on a concept I have.

I'm planning on running a game this coming semester, in a futuristic setting (my own; its details aren't terribly relevant here other than that technology has advanced a great deal and become more pervasive - it's influenced more by anime "cyberpunk" works like Ghost in the Shell than anything else). It's a decidedly Narrativist game, as far as I understand these things; the entire game will be centered around answering the question, "What does it mean to be human in an increasingly technologized society?"

I'll be using Over the Edge as the rules basis for the game; I thought about The Pool but decided that, though I like its design, OtE is a little more solid and I'll be more comfortable with it. Also, while I do plan on using metagame elements, I don't want them to be as major of an issue as it is in The Pool.

Anyway, as far as integrating Sorcerer goes - I've decided that I really, really like the whole Kicker idea. It fits very well with Egri, who I've been reading for other reasons, and I'm very positive on it. The way I want to use it is this: instead of using the standard Over the Edge guidelines for distributing Experience Dice (showing up, good roleplaying, etc), I want to limit any distribution of Experience Dice to the condition "has significantly advanced toward resolution of the Kicker."

What I'd like to know is, does this seem like a sound concept? Does anyone have any suggestions for tweaking Over the Edge (I've considered something like the ability to permanently burn an Experience Die in exchange for unlimited Director power in a scene)? How about for what I've discussed above with regard to the Kicker?

I will only be able to check back sporadically over the next week, but comments are very much appreciated.

-Wayne

Sounds solid to me. Over the Edge is tailor-made to using relationship maps; in fact, if someone tried to run a more 'traditional' "here's-the-adventure-now-hop-to-it" type game with it, I think I'd find it quite jarring.

But that's me.

Ben -

I think I do agree about OtE not working well for a traditional RPG. But it seems like it'll do a great job of keeping the field open, and I am looking forward to the group character creation session (since a large part of it will be the process of determining what everybody's Traits and Kickers are). It seems like it's actually pretty much a natural choice for asking the sort of Premise question I am interested in. And yeah, the relationship map seems pretty much a natural thing to me - using one, I should be able to get an interesting, relevant (not necessarily the same thing) handle on how the NPCs should react in keeping this game centered around the Premise question of humanity.

Ironically, I think the one thing I was most tempted to use - but will not - is the Humanity stat from Sorcerer. Essentially...to use it, I'd have to answer the game's Narrativist Premise before play even started, and that would not work. I still consider The Sorcerer's Soul at least as relevant to my game as the Sorcerer core book (and the game really will owe a lot to Sorcerer), even though Humanity as a stat won't be an available resource.

Thanks for the commentary.

-Wayne

Hi there,

Actually, one problem with using the Kicker-resolution mechanic for experience dice in Over the Edge is that "resolving one's Kicker" (as in Sorcerer) is very easy to identify, but "advancing toward resolving one's Kicker" is not. If it goes by GM's judgment, then you have the problem that the player is rewarded for according with what the GM thinks is the best story, which lies perilously close to please-the-GM or tell-the-GM's-story role-playing.

I'd suggest a less pointed or driven use of experience dice. In fact, I'd do it very much like Over the Edge and let it be for anything the player wants - which then, ipso facto, becomes a more important story component.

Best,
Ron