I'm trying to design a universal roleplaying system with the following design goals in mind.

Simplicity in execution at least

Intuitiveness
– limited searching for info
- slowdown limited as much as possible

Transferability
– skills and attributes usable in any setting without replacements or additions.
- Universal Special Effects System based on skills and attributes and dependent on using power rather than manifesting it.
- No fundamental changes to the system to fit setting.

I'm not sure how to attain such lofty goals, so I'd like some suggestions.

Thanks in advance.

Here is what I have coome up with so far...

Randomization Method
Universal RPG uses the same randomization method to resolve everything in the game which roleplaying cannot resolve. Roll one ten-sided die (1d10) and add the character or creature’s appropriate Attribute score, Skill rank, and weapon Damage (if applicable) to the result.
If you roll a 10, re-roll the die and add the new result to the total. You may continue to do so until you roll anything other than a 10.

Skills & Attributes

FITNESS
Fitness measures physical strength and toughness.

Brawling
You can make basic unarmed attacks (Punch and Kick).

Climbing
You can climb trees, ropes, walls, and other difficult-to-climb objects or surfaces on a success. You make no progress on a failure. Your climbin g speed is 1/4 your walking speed.

Endurance
You can increase the amount of time for which you can spend engaged in a prolonged activity such as running or swimming by one time period per Endurance rank.

Jumping
You can make vertical jumps, horizontal leaps, and combinations of both.

Lifting

Martial Arts
You can make advanced unarmed attacks.

Melee Weapons
You can make attacks with any melee weapon, such as a Sword, Club, or Staff.

Resistance
You have the ability to resist adverse physical conditions.

Running
You can increase your running speed by 1 meter per Running rank.

Swimming
When you attempt to swim, your swimming speeds are half your land speeds in calm water or one quarter those speeds in rough water, but the times for which you can swim remain unchanged.

COORDINATION
Coordination measures aim, balance, and equilibrium.

Acrobatics
You can execute dives, rolls, flips, somersaults, and other extraordinary feats of agility.

Dodge
You can avoid ranged attacks.

Hide
You can avoid visual detection by positioning yourself behind cover, around a corner, under a table, etc.

Open Locks
You can pick locks.
Piloting
You can operate any vehicle.

Ranged Weapons
You can make attacks with ranged weapons, including archaic weapons (flintlock pistol, musket), artillery pieces (Howitzer) energy weapons (laser pistol, laser rifle), firearms (pistol, rifle, stun gun), heavy weapons (missile launcher, law rocket), thrown weapons (dagger, grenade), vehicle weapons (tank cannon, chain gun, and missile weapons (bow, crossbow, sling).

Reflexes

Riding
You can ride any living mount.

Sleight of Hand
You can conceal objects, such as weapons, on your person.
You can also use Sleight of Hand to remove items from someone’s person without their knowledge.

Sneak
You can move without being heard.

INTELLIGENCE
Intelligence is the measure of a character’s mental aptitude, learning ability, and capacity for abstract thought.

Bureaucracy
You know how to handle all aspects of dealing with and running businesses, companies, governments and organizations.

Craft
You can build and repair things.
You can use Craft to make explosives. Failure often results in detonation.
You can use Craft to create false copies of documents, forms, licenses, identifications, signatures, personal seals, and so on.

History
You have knowledge of past events.

Knowledge
You have general knowledge, book smarts.

Languages
You can speak, read, write, and comprehend non-native languages.

Legend Lore
You have knowledge of myths and legends.

Science
You have practical knowledge and of the sciences.

Survival
You can survive for a limited amount of time, but longer than anyone without this skill, in any environment.

Technology
You have practical knowledge of technology, how to use, program, or hack computers for example.
PERCEPTION
Perception measures a character’s wisdom and ability to notice things, such as changes in his or her surroundings, hidden opponents, concealed objects, and even the threat of danger.

Analysis
You can analyze data, tactics, and forensics. Analysis can also be used as a , Spellcraft-like skill.

Appraise
You can evaluate the true value of saleable objects, such as books, real estate, collectables, ship parts, weapons, gear, etc.

Awareness
Awareness can be described as passive observation. It represents your ability to notice things.

Innuendo
You can send and interpret hidden signals or messages.

Intuition
You seem to have a sixth sense. You can use it to sense danger, estimate the strategies of others (tactics), a criminal’s MO, the possible outcome of a situation (predictive modeling), etc.

Medicine
You have extensive training in the fields of medical practice, from first aid to major surgery.

Navigation
You can orient yourself by terrestrial landmarks, such as the stars. This skill also includes the ability to plot space/star travel courses (Astronavigation).

Observation
Observation can be described as active awareness. It represents your ability to make observations.

Profile
By observing behavioral patterns in others, you can judge a person’s emotional state, intentions, motivations, truthfulness, etc.

Search
Your ability to actively search for and find what you are looking for is determined by the Search skill.

GUILE
Guile measures a character’s physical attractiveness and ability to influence or manipulate others.

Animal Handling
You are adept at the handling, and training animals.

Bluff
You can deceive others.

Command
You can lead others, such as military troops, construction teams, college students, etc.

Diplomacy
You can make deals, negotiate contracts, settle disputes, etc.
You can use Diplomacy to haggle over the price of almost any item. You can use Diplomacy to use the proper patterns of behavior in any given culture, organization, or society.
You can use Diplomacy to deal with the darker aspects of society. This allows you to use illegal means to find unsavory people, acquire weapons, stolen items, or drugs, and get things done illegally.

Disguise
You can disguise yourself as someone else, not only in appearance, but in mannerisms, voice, etc.

Gambling
You may attempt to try your luck, so to speak, by engaging in activities that have a risk of great monetary loss, but a possibility of an even greater monetary gain.


Interrogation
You can get information out of unwilling subjects through such techniques as “good cop bad cop,” temptation, coercion, making deals, the threat of physical violence, or anything else you can think of.

Intimidation
You can make others do what you want them to do out of fear.

Perform
You are particularly talented in the Performing Arts (Dancing, Oratory, Playing a musical instrument, Singing, Storytelling).

Willpower
You can resist adverse mental conditions, such as temptation, the power of suggestive drugs, unconsciousness caused by mental weakness or extreme pain. Willpower is used to resist the use of Presence skills by others against you.

Hello Jammer, and welcome to the Forge.

I have some comments, but I want to preface by asking why you want to do a generic game. What's wrong with GURPS that your game will solve? Or the Action! system? Or Risus? If we know what goals you have for your game in terms of making it superior to these, then we can see what you're going for.

Universal RPG uses the same randomization method to resolve everything in the game which roleplaying cannot resolve.

Universal Special Effects System based on skills and attributes and dependent on using power rather than manifesting it.

Roll one ten-sided die (1d10) and add the character or creature’s appropriate Attribute score, Skill rank, and weapon Damage (if applicable) to the result.

Hi!

Intuitiveness
– limited searching for info
- slowdown limited as much as possible

Transferability
– skills and attributes usable in any setting without replacements or additions.
- Universal Special Effects System based on skills and attributes and dependent on using power rather than manifesting it.
- No fundamental changes to the system to fit setting.

Roll one ten-sided die (1d10) and add the character or creature’s appropriate Attribute score, Skill rank, and weapon Damage (if applicable) to the result.

To begin with, you have Fitness, Coordination, Intelligence, Perception, Guile. One good move could be to reduce these stats a bit further. My suggestion: how about three stats? Physical, Mental, Social. (My thinking is that Fitness, Coordination, Perception and Guile are certain presentations of the Physical; Coordination, Intelligence and Guile regard certain representations of the Mental; Intelligence, Coordination and Guile represents aspect of the Social, especially if you consider skills that are socially expected (such as arithmetic and driving in our own)).

I had thought of using those exact three attributes before. Perhaps I could use a prioritization system for determining scores. Something like primary =3d6, Secondary =2d6, and tertiary =1d6.

The rest of what you suggested sounded interesting, but I don't fully undersand it. Could you elaborate on that?

Something like primary =3d6, Secondary =2d6, and tertiary =1d6.

Welcome to the Forge.

First thing. What do you mean about Universal? Universal here has no meaning. Your RPG has to opperate for a basic purpose. I would guess that you already know the premise. Is it a set of basic rules for action roelplaying that can be added on to to fit different types of play? You already said that you wanted intuitive rules. What kinds of play do you want to see with your game?

I'm not trying to be pushy. I just want you to ask yourself these things if you already haven't. If you understand all of that you will have a MUCH easier time making your game.

I think he made it pretty clear what he means by universal. I know universal can refer to style of play, and a lot of other things. However, if you read into it, he makes a point of using the word "setting" in 2 out of his 5 goals. Both saying that the elements mentioned will not be altered based on setting. Also, thanks to games like GURPS, most people automatically assume univeral = any genre/setting.

MachMoth wrote: ...if you read into it, he makes a point of using the word "setting" in 2 out of his 5 goals. Both saying that the elements mentioned will not be altered based on setting. Also, thanks to games like GURPS, most people automatically assume univeral = any genre/setting.

[quote = Dev]

Do you like this general idea? It's a bit wierd, but it might have the transferability you want.

I'm glad you like. I think we're all still curious what you're looking for. Like:

1. A single game engine which is adaptable to any one setting, exemplified by GURPS but clearly what is intended by D20.
2. A unified game which blurs all settings into one world, in which characters may travel between the settings but are always in the same world. This gives rise to wizards in science fiction settings, ray guns being used against medieval elven armies, and other anomalies. Rifts is the poster child for this, although it has some limitations.
3. A campaign system which carries the same characters from setting to setting, genre to genre, adjusting the system automatically to balance various genre tropes so that characters remain whatever they are but settings are not thereby unbalanced. Multiverser is in this category. OAD&D had an effort in one of the appendices to make it do that, but it never found popularity.

Ok, based on what Dev has posted, hee is how the system looks so far.

Attributes
Physical, Mental, Social

Primary = 3d6
Secondary = 2d6
Tertiary = 1d6

Traits
Charm, Coordination, Etiquette, Ingenuity, Instinct, Knowledge, Reflexes, Style, Technique, etc.

Gimmicks
Military/Security, Religious Elite, Covert, Political, Independent, Mobile, Well-Traveled, Socially Common Skills, Economically Valuable skills, Crafts, Hobbies, Professional Skills, Civilian, Underground, Criminal, Lawman, Ethical Elite, Economic Elite, etc.

Roll Attribute dice + 1d6 per appropriate Trait/Gimmick.

As for what the roll should be compared to, I'm not sure. Perhaps I could use a difficulty table; something like...

Difficulty Table

Difficulty Target
Descriptor Number
Low 5
Below Average 10
Average 15
Above Average 20
High 25
Exceptional 30
Incredible 35
Awesome 40
Heroic 45
Superhuman 50

What do you guys think?

I anxiously await more replies.

See you tomorrow.

I would have to say that #3 is the type of universality (is that a real word?) that I want.

Hm, what else am I looking for?

A magic/psionics/superpower/gadget sysem that focuses more on how you use these abilites rather than creating the special effect that enables you to do it. ie, "I want to throw a fireball at the goul" as opposed to "I want to create a fireball and throw it at the goul."

I have more, but It will have to wait until tomorrow because I'm out of time. I hope that adequately adresses at least a couple issues.

Jam, it might help if you could indicate the universal systems that you've tried and rejected. As examples have you looked at Risus, the Window, Fudge, or Tri-Stat. All of them have certain pros and cons to them, all are pretty much widely available and free (well Tri Stat cost $1 for the core rules if they're still doing that promotion).

It would help to know what specifically in those systems failed your criteria. On the other hand, if you're not familiar with any of those, it may behoove you to investigate them before going through alot of effort to reinvent the wheel.

you've just come up with a fair approximation of WEG's Star Wars system. It was a good system, so don't fret.

However, I think you are in danger of losing sight of your goal. The direction you are heading in now is one of lists and lists of Traits and Gimmicks that are appropriate to only one setting and are not universal at all.

If you want true universality -- applicable to any setting or genre -- you need to stay very broad. If I'd my druthers (and I will someday) I would devise ten or so "compentencies" to simply describe the human condition -- a place somewhere between skill and stat. And just use these competencies to resolve all conflicts.

Anyway, I recommend taking a look at Sorcerer if you haven't. That system is pretty "universal" if I remember. Also, EABA/Timelords is definitely universal. Do a little research into what else is out there so you can figure out exactly what problems you want to solve.

-Luke

abzu wrote: you've just come up with a fair approximation of WEG's Star Wars system. It was a good system, so don't fret.

abzu wrote: The direction you are heading in now is one of lists and lists of Traits and Gimmicks that are appropriate to only one setting and are not universal at all.

abzu wrote: Do a little research into what else is out there so you can figure out exactly what problems you want to solve.

abzu wrote: If you want true universality -- applicable to any setting or genre -- you need to stay very broad. If I'd my druthers (and I will someday) I would devise ten or so "compentencies" to simply describe the human condition -- a place somewhere between skill and stat. And just use these competencies to resolve all conflicts.

Rather, I just wanted my own system so that I would have full ownership of any game I created with it. Call me greeady, but that's pretty much it.

I didn't want to use someone else's systems (a lot of reading and too much to remember and lack of creative freedom)

Valamir wrote: Now you need a hook. You need a powerful statement of "why you want to play my game". You need a powerful answer to the question "I guess your game's ok, but why would I use it instead of Fudge?" The "creative freedom, and not wanting tables, and not wanting to have to read a bunch of stuff" is fine for a reason for you and your own group. But its insufficient a reason to convince many others.

If you can't think of that reason...you probably aren't at the point of publishing. IMO...finding that reason...that key thing that would make me pass on Fudge and Risus to play your game instead...should be your #1 priority. Finding that reason is what is going to make your game more than a set of homebrew rules...cuz everybody's got their own set of homebrew rules already.

I've come up with a different task resolution method. It's more universal, or at least I think it is. Tell me what you think.

Attributes
Physical, Mental, Social

Primary = 6d6
Secondary = 4d6
Tertiary = 2d6

Task Resolution
Roll Attribute dice. Keep all rolls that equal or exceed the target number (4 for easy tasks, 5 for moderate tasks, 6 for difficult tasks). The default required number of successes is 1, but rolling more successes improves the result. 1 success = minor success (you just scrape by), 2 successes = moderate success (you do a good job), 3 successes = major success (you pass with flying colors). However, some tasks may require that you do more than just scrape by.

I also want to further address the issue of what I want my system to be.

I love action!

Action Adventure is the most common type of campaign I will be running with my system. I believe you could run an action adventure campaign in any setting. Therefore what I'm looking for is a universal action adventure roleplaying system.

jammmer81 wrote: I also want to further address the issue of what I want my system to be.

I love action!

Action Adventure is the most common type of campaign I will be running with my system. I believe you could run an action adventure campaign in any setting. Therefore what I'm looking for is a universal action adventure roleplaying system.

I made up three characters to use in various scenarios to illustrate how I imagine Eternal Struggle being played.

Caterina Dumont is a beautiful and athletic 21 year old Russian Italian Cat Burglar who prefers to use her nickname, Cat. Cat has High Fitness (5d6), Exceptional Coordination (6d6), Average Intelligence (3d6), Above Average Perception (4d6), and Exceptional Guile (6d6). Cat is skilled at breaking and entering and, although she prefers to avoid combat, she is quite capable of defending herself with a pair of light pistols that inflict Below Average damage (2d6) at a range of 10 meters per Perception die. Cat wears black leather pants and boots, a white cotton halter top and a black leather jacket which hides two concealed carry holsters at the small of her back.

Orlando Ortega is a charismatic 23 year old Latino Dilettante. Orlando has Average Fitness (3d6), High Coordination (5d6), Exceptional Intelligence (6d6), High Perception (5d6), and High Guile (5d6). Orlando uses Ortega money on everything a rich person could ever want and to pay for his obsession with computers and electronics. Orlando knows that every dilettante must always be prepared to defend themselves and so has armed himself with a gold-plated heavy pistol that inflicts Above Average damage (4d6) at a range of 10 meters per Perception die. Max wears a white Armani suit with a red shirt and a concealed carry shoulder holster in which he carries his gun.

Max, just Max, is a big, strong, and intimidating 35 year old African American Bodyguard in the employ of the Ortega family. Max has Exceptional Fitness (6d6), Above Average Coordination (4d6), Low Intelligence (1d6), Average Perception (3d6), and Exceptional Guile (6d6). Max’s weapon of choice is a pair of pump shotguns that inflict High damage (5d6) at a range of 20 meters per Perception die. Max wears a professional black suit and leather long coat under which his weapons are concealed.

I'll be using a modern setting.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what kinds of situations these characters could find themselves in?

I will run the characters through some of your suggested scenarios in order to show you how a game session might go.