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Some time ago, I designed an RPG system to use in a forum-based play-by-post RP. For that purpose, it was designed with the intent for use in forums and other communication media focusing on one-on-one encounters, so many details favor more abstraction and combat between single characters or at least small parties. I have written the rules in a Google Docs which I will link below, and though I am somewhat satisfied with what I have written so far, I would like some review of it from outside parties as well as suggestions for features such as Traits and Powers. Also, I named the system "True Self RPG" though that was primarily based off of the RP I intended to run in it. I want to design the system to work as a general system for multiple settings and scenarios or can at least be easily adapted for other settings. Rule Book
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Aug 5, 2015 19:30
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Keep in mind this is based on a fairly cursory skim. I think it's awesome you've managed to write enough to have a playable system, that puts you ahead of 99% of rpg players. So keep it up! Why are strength and endurance separate attributes? IE If I want to make Kramtok, Strongest Barbarian of Atlantis, I need to sink all 10 points into maxing my strength and endurance, but if I want to play niceguy92, smartest man on /MRA, I only need to sink 5 points into mind. On top of that, what role does it realistically have in the skill system? Constitution/endurance/toughness is pretty much always a reactive thing, any instance of actively using it pretty much can be handled just as easily with strength or whatever counts as your "has a lot of willpower" attribute. By way of analogy, splitting strength into strength and endurance makes as much sense as spiting agility into agility and reaction time. All of this is doubly an issue because you also have a trait that lets you take more damage in a fight. I'd also argue the character creation stuff can go at the end of the document, after we've learned how all this stuff works. Start by telling us the goals and intent of the system and what features are used to reach those goals and fulfill those intents. Since you are using 3d6, a curved rolling mechanic, a little sidebar that explains some of the basic probability features (stuff like your first +1 being worth a different amount than your 4th +1) would be really helpful too. A system built around play by post is sorely needed, good on you for tackling it. On that same note, I'd have really liked to see the rules engage with one of the key features of the medium: long passages of expository and descriptive text. I didn't come across any text that was garbled incomprehensible nonsense. That's something you've got over a fair number of published popular systems. Keep doing that it's really important.
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Aug 5, 2015 20:37
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wallawallawingwang posted:Keep in mind this is based on a fairly cursory skim. Thanks for your response. It seems mostly supportive which I particularly appreciate. My main intention of splitting Strength and Endurance is to make a difference between how well you can deliver a hit and taking a hit making it possible to make the equivalent of "glass cannons" with high Strength and low Endurance and "stone walls" with high Endurance and low Strength. Though I do have a friend who also created his own system and created a "body" stat that covered the two roles, I'd prefer to keep the two separate, and unless I can consider Spirit to be the resistance equivalent to Mind, I'd consider coming up with an alternative as a sixth Attribute. Also, your "barbarian" concept can still work with 5 Strength and 5 Endurance with still something substantial in one or two other Attributes if he took a penalty to another to make up for it such as Mind if you don't mind him being dumb. The reason character creation is combined with introduction in the first chapter is because of my previous experience with other systems that do pretty much the same sort of format. It quickly gets the player into designing their character without wasting time researching the whole book, though it references where to find information they might become curious about in the process. Regarding further explanation on 3d6 rolls, I had previously generated a graph of the bell curve distribution the dice creates and could incorporate it into the rule book. Your comment on how certain modifiers change the probability rather than a flat +5% from d20 systems is also noteworthy. I also didn't expect details and possibly rules on dialogue and such were particularly necessary, though I did include a section on Destiny Points which are generally rewarded for good roleplay such as if the GM or other players collectively consider someone's contribution was particularly entertaining or relevant.
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Aug 5, 2015 21:17
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I recently added an introductory chapter at the beginning of the rules book as was suggested by someone else I shared it with. I mainly explained the purpose of the system for use in play-by-post style as well as a couple features of it for that purpose. If anyone else has any suggestions on what else to explain regarding that, I would appreciate it. I also intend to add another chapter for some suggestion of methods of role-play outside of encounters such as simply players dumping a bunch of narrative in a post or methods to get players to interact together that I have seen in other forum RPs I've been in.
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Aug 12, 2015 04:15
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wallawallawingwang posted:A system built around play by post is sorely needed, good on you for tackling it. On that same note, I'd have really liked to see the rules engage with one of the key features of the medium: long passages of expository and descriptive text. As suggested, I added a chapter (Chapter 7) detailing guidelines for posts and role-playing between encounters. Though these aren't quite rules as they're mostly suggestions. There have also been other modifications to the rules as well.
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Aug 15, 2015 07:54
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