Not sure if this should be in this section or not but if not ... sorry
Some of you already know that i am working on creating my own RPG ... working title ... The 8th Outpost.
I am sure every long time RPGer has done this or thought about doing this so it is nothing new.
However i am interested in getting some feedback from actual players as to what it is they look for in a RPG system. What they like ... what they dont like. Positives, negatives etc.
At this point i dont want to say what the RPG is about ... what the world is about nor what teh setting is since this might colour your responses (if i get any) ... i ask any of you that do know about the world it is set in to keep it to yourselves for now.
Thanks for listening
Q.
It really depends on what people look for, different systems cater for different settings... Dungeons and Dragons is made with dungeon crawling and paths to godhood for example and therefore allow people to have really powerful items and abilities, A Song of Ice and Fire implements a fairly heavy political system and BRP is intended for maximum realism (IE, not wading into a barrage of gunfire and still surviving).
I'd have to say I'd need to get familiar with the setting before I can make my mind up on what the system requires.
(This is further to the message concerning this you sent earlier btw mate
)
what i like in a system
1) rules i can understand , that dont bog down game play
2) rules that make sense
3) a magic system which doesnt make the mage useless until hes reached a high level
4) if a fantasy game , then i prefer high fantasy , if sci fi , then space opera . starwars beats 2001
5) a system were fun is more important that realism . i dont role play to play the real world , i have life for that .
Wayne
Likes:
Systems that do not impose strict classes on characters (not everyone is an archtype)
Realistic damage modeling for weapons (most attacks don't hit, but when they do "ouch")
Systems that have a exciting and fleshed out background that has a distinctive flavour.
Free background abilities (like a randomly gened first career in WFRP) that give character depth.
Dislikes
Clearly defined good guys and bad guys!
Random stat generation!
Stupid sentient enemies!
Vampires (in anything)
Level division (where high level characters do not have to worry about low level stuff, WOW style)
I suppose what I look for in a RPG depends on the genre, more cinematic when it comes to fantasy more realistic when it comes to modern and sci-fi (I prefer to read hard sci-fi over space opera, but that can be a bit problematic in a game).
Like Troy I think that free form character generation over classes and roled stats are better. Not a big fan of levels at all, prefer progression to be based on spending exp on improving specific skills/abilities. I have a pet hatred of any system that is based on a film/book I don't want to play in a universe where I know that the big exciting things are being done by NPCs.
In many ways the background is more important than the actual rules system.
What Dave says pretty much echo's my sentiments. (Apart from the space opera bit)
Slowly ... creating a new combat system takes time but ultimately i think will be worth it. I want it to be simple but realistic and using my own almost 30 years of martial arts experience as well as referencing a few others i hope to create a system that is as close as possible to the real thing whilst not getting bogged own in rules and rolling dice.
I hear your own system is pretty awesome also ... but then max says that about everything that catches his attention ... we should change his name to maggie ... short for magpie
Would be interested in chatting about your own system and what issues you have had to face etc.
Q.
(11-08-2009 12:54 PM)Blaq Sun Wrote: [ -> ]Slowly ... creating a new combat system takes time but ultimately i think will be worth it. I want it to be simple but realistic and using my own almost 30 years of martial arts experience as well as referencing a few others i hope to create a system that is as close as possible to the real thing whilst not getting bogged own in rules and rolling dice.
I hear your own system is pretty awesome also ... but then max says that about everything that catches his attention ... we should change his name to maggie ... short for magpie
Would be interested in chatting about your own system and what issues you have had to face etc.
Q.
i Started doing my system ( high fantasy with some sci fi and chuthulu type elements) back in my first year at secondary school about 22 yrs ago . Over the years ive gone back to it and changed things and to be honest it no longer resembles the game it started out as , except everything is percentage dice .
The main problems i have is getting everything translated from the ideas i have in my head onto paper and making sense . i probebly need to stream line the amount of gods ive thought off and trying to write a spell list has been a bugger becouse i find it tedouse and boring . i currently have a 260 page beastery containing descriptions but no stats becouse i find ttrying to work out the creatures statisitcs tedouse as well .
Ideally i need someone who can take my descriptions , look at the rules and then work out the stats for me , based on how powerful i want the creatures or to put it another way, do thye boring bits .
Wayne
(11-08-2009 08:10 PM)lorddarkspring Wrote: [ -> ] (11-08-2009 12:54 PM)Blaq Sun Wrote: [ -> ]Slowly ... creating a new combat system takes time but ultimately i think will be worth it. I want it to be simple but realistic and using my own almost 30 years of martial arts experience as well as referencing a few others i hope to create a system that is as close as possible to the real thing whilst not getting bogged own in rules and rolling dice.
I hear your own system is pretty awesome also ... but then max says that about everything that catches his attention ... we should change his name to maggie ... short for magpie
Would be interested in chatting about your own system and what issues you have had to face etc.
Q.
i Started doing my system ( high fantasy with some sci fi and chuthulu type elements) back in my first year at secondary school about 22 yrs ago . Over the years ive gone back to it and changed things and to be honest it no longer resembles the game it started out as , except everything is percentage dice .
The main problems i have is getting everything translated from the ideas i have in my head onto paper and making sense . i probebly need to stream line the amount of gods ive thought off and trying to write a spell list has been a bugger becouse i find it tedouse and boring . i currently have a 260 page beastery containing descriptions but no stats becouse i find ttrying to work out the creatures statisitcs tedouse as well .
Ideally i need someone who can take my descriptions , look at the rules and then work out the stats for me , based on how powerful i want the creatures or to put it another way, do thye boring bits .
Wayne
Also as you may guess by my posts , my spelling is really bad when i type so its full of typos
Wayne
Heh ... i totally understand about putting things onto paper ... i have so much in my head that it would take ages to get it all down on paper and then even more time to redraft it until i was happy with it.
My system is also a D100 based system but i try to keep dice rolls to a minimum. One of the reasons i like BRP is because the dice rolls are done whenyou are in a stressed situation rather than all the time.
I hate systems where dice play takes over role play.
Also whilst there are aptitudes in my system, all characters start in the same place. Genetics provide some additional benefits and a random element is introduced to make sure that no two chracters are the same ... similar yes ... the same no.
I would like to actually make it so that the character generation is part of the initial role play ... that way everyone can choose what they would like to do without being forced to be an archetype. At the same time part of the RP is that the character may be chosen by certain parties to join them based upon, skill, aptitude and personality. These also provide additional benefits.
Part of the chracter generation (apart from the usual dice rolling) is to fill out a questionaire and hand it back to the GM who will then score it and decide upon bonuses/penalties ... as well as a path for you to tread along.
The final part of the character generation is to spend those skill points, as well as have the option to create skills.
Anyone can learn a new skill ... but to actually create a new skill that is unique to you is i think the way forwards. You might choose to impart this skil to others or you might jealously guard the secrets on ho it is done.
Going back ot the combat system ... as said before i want to make it as realistic as possible without making it oo complicated. I am working on a system whereby characters rather than just using initiative to decide who goes first and what they do etc. turn by turn ... actually have the option to react, respond, counter attack etc as well as the usual stuff.
martial arts is realistic and weapon use is also ... there are internal martial arts and external martial arts ... circular and linear ... and even should 2 people decide to choose the same path they might not be able to go as wide or as deep into a system even though they are equally proficient.
Think deep = fewer actual techniques but more effectively used
Think wide = more techniques but less effectively used
Masters are both deep and wide ... again some are more so than others. You also have the potential to create your own martial arts.
Bear in mind that a fight between someone untrained is like a bar room brawl ... eople might get killed or stabbed but basically they are thugs who use brute force and agression to win the fight ... they have few counters but because of their natures are less affected by pain and damage.
A trained fighter / martial artist has much more skill and finesse and many more techniques. However where they may lack against a 'thug' is in the lack of abuse they have suffered and subsequently they may not be able to handle pain as well.
Anyway it is late and i need to sleep.
More soon.
Q.