Full Dark

Well I'm really close to finalizing the direction the mechanics will take & have a kernel on the hook of the setting.

Ruleswise its Either:

1)Dice pool system, where an even result is a success.

2)Variant Percentile system.

More later, work calls.

MC

Setting a Course

Well, I'm moving a little backwards in my thinking. I've spent the week really looking at wether I want a Minimal (roll high) system or a Maximal (Roll Below) system. A Max system is easy on the GM & I have a very simple solution to how to determine simple difficulty mods or opposed rolls. Essentially a player looks at their Skill Level...lets say its a 67%. On a Simple task he rolls & if he succeeds its a done deal. On an Everyday task, the GM simply asks if he has the skill. If the GM thinks its a little tougher he sets a Difficulty Number (DN) between 1 & 5. The player rolls, if he passes his roll, he looks at his One's die AND if its higher than the GM's DN, he succeeds. In an opposed roll, both player's roll, if both player's pass their rolls, the Player with the Highest One's Die, wins.

So Ahmed wants to punch Lassiter. Ahmed has a 81% in Punching. Lassiter has a 66% in Dodge. Ahmed rolls a 73. Lassiter rolls a 19. Both pass, but Lassiter dodges Ahmed's blow.

I like this system. The One's die is arbitrary, but why use a percentile if the one's die is so secondary?

HOWEVER, I like Minimal (roll high systems). They feel right to me. And if its my game it should feel right to me. I doubt I'll ever publish this. Its not my thing. And if I did, some of my ideas have some overtures to FUZION. So I might have to get a license anyway.

Here is what I'm thinking:

Skills will either a)Have very specific funtions (Int gives extra skill points, Ref gives a bonus to Initiative, Str a bonus to damage, Con a bounus to hit points, Personality bonus contact, and Proffession a bonus to skills that fall under your career) OR b)Let you roll extra D10's that YOU DO NOT KEEP.

Not sure how to go yet on that one. Its the next big question.

Basically the system is that your skills Default to a d10 roll. You can then go from -2 to +6 or more in them. Rolling a 1, means you have to roll again & another 1 is a critical failure. Rolling a 10 means you roll again, on a 1-5 you add that number & reroll 5's, you ignore 6-10 and stop rolling.

Thats the basics.

I have lunch with Todd monday. I miss going over this stuff with him.

MC

Road Blocks

Where I always run into road blocks are game mechanics. I can't focus. I have too many ideas.

I want a simple system for the GM to set Difficulty & a simple system for the Player to check for success. But I also want a cross between Castle Falkenstein's Skill System & Over the Edge's Dice Mechanic. And then there are the other ideas.

On one hand I want say a Default of 10 (with no limit) in Skill. The GM then sets Difficluty by the amount of Dice the Player rolls:
1D Simple
2D Easy
3D Average
4D Challenging
5D Hard
6D Difficult
7D S.O.L.

On the other hand you could have Skills Default to 2d & then the better you are, the more dice you roll. Difficulty on the Dice could be Standard of 4 OR the GM could set the number.

Then there is the lighter rules method.

Skills Default to 1D10, if you have a Skill the first level in it gives you 2D10, basically you & the GM or other player could simply dice off, with the high roll winning. However, additional Skill levels grant 1 automatic success either per scene or session.

So if I the Guns skill at level 5, it would look like this:
Guns (2d/4), I would roll 2d10 whenver I used it AND 4 times in a set period could automatically succeed

More later.

MC

Thinking...

I've been doing alot of thinking about FD. I want a simple, approachable system that allows you creat a character from a novel, quickly & easily.

I have some thoughts on character creation being some simple questions, with the answers being tied to the mechanics.

What do you do for a living?

Did you go to College or into the Military & if so, what was your major/specialty?

What are you interested in?

What is your hobby?

Are you Strong, Smart, Quick, Healthy, Wise, or Charming?

Are you Weak, Dumb, Clumsy, Sickly, Gullible or Mean?

From those questions I'd like to build a character set in a modern world.

Thats how I'd like character creation to go.

MC

Every. Single. Day.

Well I won't accomplish that. I just won't. I'd hoped to have spent some time working with Todd on Full Dark, but it hasn't happened. LGD is still me & Pris. Although if a certain friend has a falling out with someone, I might make an overture to right a wrong. Todd has a new love & he deserves to follow that right now.

I've decide to use this as a signpost for my gaming ideas.

I'm really infatuated with Green Ronin's True20 variation on the D20 system. Currently a friend is running Star Wars with it. I'm thinking of working something out for Full Dark with it.

More later.

MC

Past Imperfect

Ok, here we go again. Less (people) will hopefully be more this time. I'll start by posting about setting. Part of me really wants to tackle Full Dark. I think we could wrap & polish it quickly anyway.

Otherwise that leaves Swashbuckling Space Opera. Rocket Warriors. The Waywalkers. Cult of Chod'Xoth. The Terran Solar Republic. The Galactic Confederation of Commerce and Industry. Vsmularians. Sciborgs.

Then there is Conspiracy laden Post-Pulp SF. X-files meets Doc Savage meets Wild Cards. The Conspiracy wants me because I can start fires with my mind, but I'm the only stopping the Sasquatch from killing. Again.

Always too many ideas. Full Dark is farther along. Its still not too done. A hammer & some anviling and we can .PDF. And then wait. Who knows.

Todd?


MC