|
Mirage posted:I missed the memo that the games we design were supposed to delve into the deepest recesses of humanity's ubermind through an applied mandala of Jungian archetypes or something. Gotta step it up. It´s a contest about making fun of Monte Cook. If anything that makes it an entry-level requirement  
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2016 21:55
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 26, 2024 14:08 |
|
|
Mr.Misfit posted:It´s a contest about making fun of Monte Cook. If anything that makes it an entry-level requirement If we were really making fun of Monte Cook all the deadlines would be last year.
|
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2016 22:05
|
|
|
LuiCypher posted:I am reserving this space, however, for coming up with shameful characters of my own design. They call him Johnny... Six Aces
|
|
#
?
Sep 8, 2016 00:07
|
|
|
More Aces = More adventure. I like it.
|
|
#
?
Sep 8, 2016 00:52
|
|
|
 A game of ambition, ego, desperation, and catastrophe for 2-7 players. Hungry For You is a game about chasing after that One Thing. For your characters, life’s too short to play it safe; there's a prize at the top of the mountain and they'll do anything to climb it. Powered by the Hunger, the characters endure heartaches and betrayal in search of the One Thing that will set them up for life. They'll follow leads, make deals, and do everything they can in pursuit of the dream, law be damned. But ambition has a price, and sooner or later their judgment will betray them. It's up to you where the story goes, but remember... You’re always hungry. The World Is Mine Setting Details The world of Hungry For You is black and white and shades of grey. The people we love are few, and the people that are out to get us are many. The mob runs the streets, the cops are keeping us down, and somewhere someone gets away with the perfect crime, gets paid and gets out of town. At least that's what everyone's talking about. Why couldn't that have been you? It could be. That's the Hunger. Hungry for money, for drugs, for sex (or is it love?), and all you gotta do is hunt it down. Or maybe you already are. Or maybe it's been thrust upon you, like a wager with god. But either way, this is your meal ticket. This is the One Thing you've been dying for. Now you just gotta live long enough to make it real. But you gotta keep the Higher-Ups happy while you're sitting on your golden egg. You answer to someone, and they're keeping you on a leash. They just need you to do one little thing, or two, or three. Doesn't matter. There's a light at the end of your tunnel, and on the other side is freedom. Just need to dodge the proper (and improper) authorities. What you're doing is probably illegal, so there's the cops. You'll probably piss off someone with some deep connections, so there's the mob. And you've got someone counting on you, or maybe it's the other way around. Who all is going to be left standing in the end? Did you think about that? Do you even care? I Won It In A Card Game Mechanics Details Gameplay will require the following items:
The Setup Each player gets a character sheet and allow them to peruse the archetypes or create their own character and two NPC's. Once they've decided, use the SAMS Origin Point Stamps (included, or you can use a pen or marker) to mark the origin points of each character's three Traits on the SAM Grid. A round of play consists of the following:
The SAM System To simulate the ascent and descent of your characters, your sheets contain a blank 9x9 grid, called the SAM (Stat Array Modifier) Grid. The three Trait Markers will be placed on this grid, and will slide between squares as your characters progress through the game. The X-axis corresponds to your character’s Attitude, ranging from Negative (left) to Positive (right). When your character’s emotions or outlook are affected by something, your trait markers will be sliding left or right. The Y-axis corresponds to your character’s Tension, ranging from High (up) to Low (down). When your character’s energy or ability is affected by something, your trait markers will be sliding up or down. Three Traits Your character uses three things to get what they want: Actions, Words, and Thoughts. Each trait has a Marker to place on the SAM grid. Some characters are more specialized in some traits than others; that's just how life works. The seven provided archetypes either have +4 in one stat and -2 in the others, +2 in two stats and -4 in the other, or zero in everything. These are your options. The Deal Characters in Hungry For You act simultaneously, but the resolution of their actions are determined by The Deal. After each player has described their action and assigned a Trait, the Narrator will deal the players two cards each. The players will be playing a hand of Blackjack, with one addition: their chosen trait will be added to the total of their hand. The Narrator will also be dealt one or more hands to represent the NPCs in opposition to the player characters. They will follow the rules of a blackjack dealer (i.e., hit until 17). Blackjacks always count as a success, regardless of the Trait modifier. Whoever wins the hand gets the best outcome for their character, and success declines with lower totals. Busts are then resolved from lowest to highest. And Now I Couldn’t Give A drat Character Creation and Archetypes It Was Won Too Easily Being The Narrator But We Can Do What We Want Example Characters and Gameplay, Included in Bonus Challenge 1A I Would Always Be Hungry Setting Secrets, Included in Bonus Challenge 1B For You Index, Appendix, and Character Sheet Double May Care fucked around with this message at 07:07 on Sep 10, 2016 |
|
#
?
Sep 8, 2016 01:40
|
|
|
I'll be a little late getting mine in, but I have the next two days off so I should be good for it. Glad somebody else is using a a Cootie Catcher mechanic, I was thinking of that until I came up with something slightly more sane.
|
|
#
?
Sep 8, 2016 04:04
|
|
|
LuiCypher posted:oh god what am i doing and what have i done? I ran a Zybourne Clock PbP adventure in TG a loooong time ago (archives needed). Normally I wouldn't bring it up, because this is your game and it should be all yours etc., but I'm still absurdly proud of the OP I wrote for that thread and want more people to read it.
|
|
#
?
Sep 8, 2016 05:47
|
|
|
Bonus 1A) Thomas Rockefeller Esq. Ltd.- Rockefeller suddenly claimed the position of CEO over Zaibatsu LLC in some indecipherable internecine struggle some two years before the Electroverload. Now he is holed up in the only arcology tower that was successfully isolated from rampaging robots and AI which now serves as the defacto headquarters of the crippled corporation. From his ivory tower the aging former gigillionaire issues cryptic demands to scavenger teams usually in exchange for the security codes they need to dig deeper into the companies lost mega-structures. What does he seek? Well, money, of course. Is he trying to recover the results of any of the unethical and dangerous but extremely profitable experiments Zaibatsu was rumored to have been conducting in their most secret labs? Yes, extremely yes. Entropy- One might surmise that the unknown programmers who named an AI 'Entropy' may have had an inkling of the possible ruinous futures that might have been in store for humanity. The nominal master AI of the arcologies has made it's goal to restore them to their former glory. Regrettably, It has gone mad on a level that isn't even comprehensible to humans. For instance, in order to accomplish it's goal it is determined to force out or kill any humans who infiltrate the arcologies because it sees them as corruptive influences. Fortunately, it tends to be stymied by a combination of conflicting AI minds, massive structural damage, and it's inability to access any of the higher level user functions. The greatest influence it can usually muster is berating scavenger teams and occasionally sending a couple of broken security robots to chase them around. Ace Baynun- Clad in his (her?) signature motorcycle riding gear with a helmet always concealing her face, Ace Baynun is said to have been one of the few humans to fight their way out of the central arcologies alive while the Electoverload was occuring. He has rose to an almost mythical status as a famed scavenger being known for such things as destroying over 100 security robots with a single rocket launcher, or recovering a totally intact geothermal extractor core, or resetting the flight path of the aerial weather control arcology (although the weather doesn't seem to have improved that much). Maybe if your lucky she will appear in your time of need and rescue you from some impossible situation, and then vanish as quickly as he came as a haunting, whistling song plays in the background for some reason. The Chimera King- This gorilla has the head of a bull and the brain of a different gorilla. Clearly the result of an unspeakable Chimera experiment, the Chimera King has declared himself ruler of most of his arcology complex. Served by dozens of other Chimeras which have apparently achieved similar sapience, either due to his meddling, or the previous experiments, the Chimera King metes out his curious form of justice like a despot from his throne in the middle of a labyrinthine section of the structure. He usually views scavengers as petty thieves of his kingdom, but has been occasionally been known to negotiate as long as he is treated with proper respect. Needless to say, his continued existence really pisses off Entropy, which seems completely incapable of reclaiming any of the Chimera King's current domain. Edit: Greeting to all my Backers, I know a lot of you have been eager for more information about the Zatch Billfold. Good news, I just received the first prototype from our Chinese manufacturer, and it looks great. The first batch should be ready to ship as soon as the game is ready in about three months. 
DalaranJ fucked around with this message at 06:08 on Sep 8, 2016 |
|
#
?
Sep 8, 2016 05:57
|
|
|
Landlord despair. scarcity. hope. Overview Mascus is the darling of the whole country. It may not be the capital, but everyone who's anyone wants to live there. Undead and the still living commingle freely and work in harmony. And yet, everyone is a slave to the almighty dollar. You've recently moved to Mascus and even managed to score a rent controlled apartment, but your Landlord doesn't seem too happy about you moving in. You take the role of either the Tenants or the Landlord. As Tenants, your goal is to maintain Hope and make Rent. As the Landlord, rent control means you are losing money every month, as such your goal is to Evict the Tenants before you run out of money. Chapter 1 'Too many homeless on the streets at night' But, as Tenants, you won't be counted among them. Choose a Tenant Archetype. Try and keep from running out of Hope. Maybe even try to make Rent so your Landlord doesn't have a legitimate reason for evicting you. Chapter 2 'You deal in poverty, you buy despair' That's you, the Landlord. Your Archetype tells you how you can buy Despair to make your Tenants lives miserable, reducing their Hope, so they'll move out and you can finally convert their rent controlled apartment into a profitable luxury condominium. Chapter 3 'I ain't moving 'till the bailiff comes' But the Landlord can't call him while you can still make Rent. This chapter details the laws of Mascus and how they impact both the Tenants and the Landlord. STRETCH GOAL 1 - A Guest Author You've Never Heard of Writes Essential Game Content Chapter 4 'I've got no weapons, gonna get me some' When a Tenant runs out of Hope the games over for them right? Not anymore! Now you can transition from a hopeful Tenant into a jaded Squatter. As a Squatter you too have learned to deal in Despair, and its now up to you to make your Landlords life more miserable than they made yours. Stretch Goal 2 - Material That Gives The Game a Meaningful Context Chapter 5 'You earn your living like the other rats' So who are the other rats? Find out the big and small players in Mascus. More importantly, find out how they can be persuaded to help you! Will you ally with the New Vampire Order and their goals to make the city a vampire paradise? Petition the dreaded City Council to right the wrongs you've suffered. Or dabble in forbidden lore by learning of the cities oldest laws? BONUS CHALLENGE 1-A: ICONIC FLAIR City Council The oldest undead in the city form the city council. They closely guard the secret to undeath, but share its blessings with everyone, whether they want it or not. As such, there is no lack of manual labor in the form of the weak willed zombies. In spite of this, they are relatively benevolent to the living and hope more will come to the city everyday. New Vampire Order Mascus for Vampires. That's what the New Vampire Order wants. They and their bloodthirsty Ghoul sycophants want to rule the city with an iron fist as they force the living into servitude doing the only things they see them as capable of: breeding and bleeding. They would overthrow the City Council if they could make more Vampires; but that power is still solely in the hands of the City Council, so for now they keep their defiance deniable. Unity Humans and Undead living in harmony: its the Mascus city way! Unity is the City Council's astroturfed campaign to draw the living to the city of Mascus so that they can, eventually, be turned into the cities cheap zombie labor force. Still, there are many true believers among living and unliving alike and if they could overcome the City Council's yoke they would likely be a force to be reckoned with.
|
|
#
?
Sep 8, 2016 06:13
|
|
|
Still kinda working it out, but here goes: You are a Hero of The Ages! You’ve won thousands of battles, defeated hundreds of Evil Empires (each one more evil than the last), and been reincarnated over and over again. Every time your people needed you, you rose and fought for justice and the proper way of life! You are powerful, unique, and the most special snowflake of them all. This time though, there’s a problem - you’re sharing a skull a number of other individuals, and that’s what everyone else in here thinks. In Voices Inside My Head, you and your friends all play various heroes, all abnormally reincarnated into the same vessel. Instead of being in control of your bodily functions all the time, you and everyone else you play with must decide by committee what actions to take! No longer will you have immediate gratification with the actions you take, now you’ll feel the greater, lingering satisfaction from proving to your friends that your way is the one true and best way to proceed. Do you want to grow wings and fly away from your foes? Channel your inner rage and turn your enemies to ash? Start sparkling and prance around while ribbon dancing? You can do anything, as long as you can convince everyone it’s the right thing to do! Voices Inside My Head is a game for 2 - undefined players, with one player narrating encounters and events (The Super-Ego) and everyone else playing one of the multitude of personalities trapped in the body. Actions are made by committee, and only when the majority of players agree (60%) can one be taken. Having trouble getting to agree? Take your arguments online, to our specially designed MPD forum and engage with other players worldwide, where each decision’s merits will be weighed with things like your h-index, your posting habits, and just how drat good your hair looks today. In addition, by pledging at our higher levels, you unlock our custom made Duplicate Counters, which add one extra vote per counter! Duplicate Counters will be hand crafted to look exactly like a picture you send us of yourself as long as that photo is the same as those we've already used to make the items. Will your opinion be lost amongst the shouting of everyone else, and leave your vessel a gibbering lunatic? Or will you strong-arm your friends and foes, and go on to be the hero everyone needs? The choice is yours.
|
|
#
?
Sep 8, 2016 21:34
|
|
|
Man in a Suitcase [Cue lovely 90s Example of Play Text, where people 'talk' like no human beings talk ever.] GM: You wake up with a pounding in your head – ugh, what were you thinking with that third dirty martini? You remember the bar and the nice stranger you met, but everything seems to blur together. How did you get back to the hotel room? Player 1: Who just said that? Player 2: Where am I? Who is talking? (Player 3: (I didn’t say anything!)) GM: As you open your eyes, light floods in, and everyone can see they’re standing in a room, empty except for a single suitcase, and your body. Breathing feels weird. And it seems like you can’t quite feel all of your extremities – like you’re still groggy and haven’t quite woken up. (Ok, I try to stand up.) Wait, I don’t see anyone else? Than who is talking? I think we all are. You’re all talking in my head. [Player 4: [Wait, just how many people are inside my head?]] (YOUR head?) GM: Voices echo in your head, a cacophony of sound, all claiming to be you and to hear you talking in your head - But that’s impossible, after all, you’re yourself, they’re quite obviously the voices. Might be best to just ignore them. Then again, you can’t quite control your body and you’re definitely sure you’re awake now… Man in a Suitcase is a cooperative RPG where a group of players play the Greek Chorus voices in the head of a travelling salesperson who has been drugged and abducted by a mysterious stranger. After being drugged and possibly given a nasty concussion, the poor salesperson has woken up quite mad with quite a number of voices in their head; but now they’re in real, serious danger. Your goal is to get them, who is after all you, of course, the other voices are just hallucinations, to safety. Each play session is presented as a set of scenarios that develop based on the danger the salesperson is placed in – after all, a SAW-esque deathtrap is going to be different from a haunted house and a haunted house is going to be different from being dropped in the middle of the wilderness with no food, water, or communication devices. The default setting of “Man in a Suitcase” presumes a SAW-esque deathtrap dungeon, but it can be easily adapted to re-enact The Grey/The Revenant man-vs-wild type encounters, as well as basically any scenario where an individual would be primarily isolated and alone aside from the antagonists. Individual parts of a scenario are referred to as scenes. Resolution uses a simple d4 system of risk and reward, with certain scenes in a scenario requiring you risk an amount of wellbeing and sanity to achieve an objective. Every time you lose a point of wellbeing, it makes physical tasks more difficult. Every time you lose a point of sanity, it makes mental tasks more difficult and makes Impulses stronger by the corresponding amount. At certain thresholds, however, the GM adds new voices to the mix as NPCs which must be entreated, cajoled, or shouted down, and generally are extremely unbalanced and out there. Your voice, of course, is perfectly sane and sensible. As voices, you need to try and guide yourself to safety, and to do this, you have Drives and Impulses. Drives are exactly that – an innate, biologically determined fundamental urge to attain a goal or satisfy a need. As the Man in a Suitcase is a social create, however, drives also represent the psychological needs and desires of self-actualization, achievement, belongingness, status, and other such motivations based on thought patterns and social influences. Each voice represents a specific Drive, chosen by the player. An expanded list of general drives would be: The need for food, the need for water, the need for sex, the need for companionship, etc. Each Drive has a set power level, lets say a power of 3 for basic maths, which represents that it rolls 3 dice to try and generate a positive outcome. Impulses are the inconvenient ride-alongs to your Drive. They represent, generally, the more naturally instinctive part of your Drive and the impulses that Drive would generate. A Drive focused on safety, for example, probably has the impulses of Fight and Flight – to either violently confront a threat, or to flee from it in terror. Whenever another voice uses their Impulse, a voice can choose to Arrest that impulse if it would interfere with their Drive. This acts as a veto and can only be used once per scene. The Arrested Impulse then gains a die to their pool – it is possible to ‘dam up’ an Impulse such a manner in order to suddenly release it to dramatic and extreme effect. To solve a problem, generally, one wants to use their Drives - but sometimes, the sudden explosiveness of an Impulse can be more beneficial, like if you want to run at full speed from a threat. In this case, an Impulse can be used, with its base strength determined by the current Sanity level, with an extra dice added from having been previously denied in any past scenes. Generally, an impulse is just that, however, and comes as it goes - you can only attempt to use an Impulse once per scene. Additionally, while Impulses can be quite strong, especially as the game goes on, using them carries inherent risk; indulging in Impulse generally weakens sanity and threatens wellbeing. “Impulse arrested spills over, and the flood is feeling, the flood is passion, the flood is even madness: it depends on the force of the current, the height and strength of the barrier. The unchecked stream flows smoothly down its appointed channels into a calm well being.”-- Aldous Huxley [Work in Progress] – Need to fill in the blanks more, develop these ideas a bit more. Will post later tonight. Basic concepts: Cooperative game, everyone plays voices in the mind of a salesperson. Salesperson has to escape SAW-esque death-trap dungeon with only the items of a suitcase - or else end up becoming the Man in a Suitcase (DUN DUN DUN!!!!). Kickstarter is for the totally unrelated food-catering based game component that looks like a weird Blue Apron ripoff, but comes with a FREE BOARDGAME/CARDGAME to play, despite the game not being a true boardgame/cardgame at all, its just that boardgames/cardgames are popular right now and RPGs are not. Laphroaig fucked around with this message at 22:29 on Sep 8, 2016 |
|
#
?
Sep 8, 2016 22:26
|
|
|
So while typing my idea I realized I made a sweet RPG/Deckbuilding game instead of a pure RPG. I'm unsure if I'll end up continuing because honestly I love my dumb idea and don't quite think it fits the bill for this contest. 
|
|
#
?
Sep 8, 2016 23:55
|
|
|
Steely-Eyed Heroes is a game unlike any you've ever seen before. There are no ancient ruins to delve, or lost 'Rome-analoge' empires to shape world politics. Instead, explore the young mountain Kingdom of Zunaib, where powerful Sky-Priests are rivals to the Granite King, but both must stand together against foreign influence and demonic plots. It is a young continent, with young kingdoms battling to control it. Chapter 1: Overview Zunaib is a fairly young kingdom, centered around Wakixta, the holy mountain. Living in this kingdom are about 50% humans, 30% Bunin, and the remainder a mix of Dwarves, Elves, and merchants from foreign races. All people in the world have some measure of magical power, typically small rituals that matter to daily life. Priest learn to harness ritual magic to bless their communities, while Soldiers & Adventurers typically learn magic more suited to combat and wilderness survival. Korgu is the ritual consumption of the heart of a person, typically mixed with special herbs, oils, and mushrooms. Each race has its own relationship to the Korgu ritual, but all partake in some form. Chapter 2: Mechanics All about them d8s 1d8 base + 1d8 per relevant skill versus a TN. Max 4d8 per roll. If one of the dice rolls an 8 you get a bonus, even if you miss the TN. Backgrounds can be negative too in certain circumstances?? Need to figure out Aid Another? Combat is based on 2d8+lvl vs defense. Roll on the crit table for each die that comes up as an 8. If you hit, can choose to keep adding extra die instead of taking the mere 1d8 chip damage against strong enemies. Largely crit-fishing, since damage will be low against armored enemies otherwise. Magic is just another weapon-type, just has its own crit tables. Need to figure out Grappling? Need to do the math for level-appropriate skill challenge TNs & enemy Defenses? Need to figure out player defenses & parries? Chapter 3: Character Creation Your character sheet is immutable facts about your dude's history. This goes onto the backer-special beer glass. Your equipment & allies sheet can change as necessary Chapter 3: Races of Zunaib Humans: The most common race in the world. Humans partake Korgu with their close friends within a few days of death. When they do this they can gain access to the memories of that person for the next few days. While under the influence of Korgu, they do their best to write down everything important. Shaman can recall any previous Korgu they have taken while under the influence of the proper herbs. While the common Korgu ritual only works with friends, the obscure and secret Korgu-ma lets its practitioners access the memories of their bitter enemies. Bunin are amphibians who grow to be huge, but must live near and lay their eggs in water. They have long claws on their hands, which they use in combat. More advanced Rules for Bunin Players will be found in the first supplement: Cities of the Coast, but interim rules are provided here. Bunin eat the still-beating hearts of those they have personally killed in their Korgu. Doing so hardens their skin, making them difficult to harm. The Sky-Priests come from old Bunin families who founded the city at the base of the Mountain. Dwarves are diminuitive eusocial tribes whose members are thick with hair. Their tiny stature means they tend to be hired to work in mines, but they are happy to take any job that involves hard physical labor. Only their Queens and Princes are fertile. The male and female workers are absolutely indistinguishable except medically, though the male and female warriors can be told apart by their stylings. Princes and Queens are enormous and not suitable for Players. For Dwarves, Korgu involves winning the right to eat all or part of a dried & preserved heart, and is a step that gradually leads to their growth into a higher tier. Elves are nomads from the far north, who grow no hair except on their head and are totally androgynous unless they are actively courting. They are relatively rare in Zunaib but their numbers are swelling because of two factors: first a series of hard winters and cold summers driving them generally further south, but second is the newly-discovered Korgu-ma of the Elves. For elves, a regular Korgu is the eating of a parent's heart to extend youthful vigor by a few decades. But the evil secrets of the Korgu-ma allow an decrepit old Elf to eat the heart of an infant Elf and steal its whole lifetime. Chapter 4: Equipment Equipment is relatively abstract. Armor acts as damage-reduction, sheilds help parrying, weapon type determines critical-hit table. Chapter 5: Bestiary Only four 'types' of enemies: The most common encounter is warriors from one race or another. Pig-orcs, tree-men, minotaurs, crab-men, and catmen are all in the setting. Their civilizations and Player rules to be detailed in another supplement. Second most common are wild animals, but they typically avoid combat unless forced into it. Third are the rare intelligent beasts. Animal-shaped but intelligent. Extremely rare. Fourth are the demonic spirits & their hosts. No undead or constructs, only demonic-spirits inhabiting forms. Weak spirits are very common. Chapter 6: Sample Characters Chapter 7: Sample Adventures Iconic Characters: The High Priest of the Sky - Residing in the sacred village near the top of Wakixta, the High Priest is the oldest Bunin alive. He spoke with the god Wakixta when he was but a pious young monk, and has eaten so many hearts that he never needs to re-enter the water. He calls sacred thunder from afar, and personally crafts the spears of the Sky Guard. If the players are particularly pious, he will no doubt invite them to climb the treacherous mountain and dine with him. Entano the Demon-Hunter - This Dwarf Warrior loves spicy food and smashing demons. He fights with a two-handed bronze mace and spiked gauntlets (rules conspicuously not included), and is said to know a charm to turn his breath numbing cold. His birth clan fell apart when two rival Princesses killed eachother before one could become Queen, and he keeps scooting out in the middle of the night before another clan can Korgu him into a Prince. He always seems to know what the weakness of a demon is, if the players should run into a dead end trying to stop one. Mishna the Red-Lipped is an ancient elven crone, nearing the end of her third lifespan and living secretly as a cook in a wealthy human's mansion. She is the one who discovered the Korgu-ma of the elves, and seeks to stamp out all knowledge of it before it totally destroys their society. She is powerful in her magic, particularly in brewing potions. Lor & Tor are twins from a poor farming family. After they lucked into killing a sleeping dragon, they came into ownership of a fabulous set of bronze and gold arms which were in its lair. They trade from week to week, the other one using a 'nice-enough' set they bought in the capital. They are famous, but are totally untrained and rely heavily on the enchantment of the magical armor. Fraaxur was a captain of the guard until his son was killed by a spiteful demon in his pet dog. Now he wanders from town to town wearing mourning clothes and killing bandits. Speleothing fucked around with this message at 04:32 on Sep 9, 2016 |
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2016 01:04
|
|
|
Bring on the Night Bring on the Night is a game about relationships. Friendship is the most powerful force, but can your body handle the strain? Bring on the Night is a GMless game of pushing your luck, your relationships and your life. Abstract The players collaboratively control a silent protagonist and individually control important people in their life. During the day, relationships can develop and grow. At night, the protagonist must use the power of friendship to defeat evil. Friendship fuels and grows the powers at night, but too much power too fast can be damaging to your body. Worse yet, you only have a month to stop the forces of night, which will definitely destroy the world! Blatantly ripping off Persona 4 and Formula D. Chapter 1 - Setting The default setting will be described as a transfer student arriving at a new high school. Guidelines will be spelled out, but generally anything where a new person has to spend a lot of time with new people (new job, prison, etc.) Also the concept of the Forces of Night will be described, generally monsters with powers beyond mortal ken, but are limited to working at night. Chapter 2 - Mechanics Daytime Each day will be characterized by a scene between the protagonist and some number of friends. The scene can either bring the proganist and a friend closer together (increasing the size of dice rolled at night) or further apart (decreasing the size of dice rolled at night). Why would you want to decrease the size of dice rolled at night? (see the next chapter) Relationships start at a single d6 and can get as high as 10d6. Players rotate who is in charge of the protagonist, who maps out a scene. The other players take the role of their friend or other NPCs in the scene. Chapter 3 - Mechanics Nighttime Nighttime is represented by a power track with multiple gates. The protagonist, using the power of friendship, must reach the end of the track by the end of the month to be powerful enough to defeat the Forces of Night. To prevent damage to their body and spirit, they must travel slowly or stop through the gates on the track. In times of desperation, recklessness, or caring too much about their friends, they may blow through the gates, increasing their power, but damaging themselves, possibly fatally. Players rotate being the Forces of Night and the protagonist and play out a single encounter. How to pick a month and how to create the tracks will also be in this chapter Chapter 4 - Character Creation Everyone will participate in creation of the protagonist. Daytime mechanics will generally be soft and personality based. Nighttime mechanics will be mechanical and involve how you roll the dice. Individually, players will create the friend characters who will only have Daytime mechanics.
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2016 01:14
|
|
|
Skyl3lazer posted:So while typing my idea I realized I made a sweet RPG/Deckbuilding game instead of a pure RPG. I'm unsure if I'll end up continuing because honestly I love my dumb idea and don't quite think it fits the bill for this contest. You're welcome to enter a hybrid game as long as it still has a substantial RPG element (people are still playing characters and telling a story). If you'd rather take your show on the road to venues that aren't goofy TG contests, that's cool too, but it sounds like you should still be okay.
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2016 02:07
|
|
|
I mean if you have a dumb idea and you love it I think this is a pretty good place for it to belong.
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2016 03:31
|
|
|
 SETTING SHADOWS IN THE RAIN is set in the DISTANT FUTURE: the year 1999 AD. Humanity was saved from world-devastating GLOBAL COOLING by the discovery of Z-ENERGY, a mysterious energy source sufficient to power the world. The worldwide Z-RELAY network is controlled by the Z-GEN corporation, which has grown rich off the maintenance fees it collects. Thanks to Z-ENERGY the remaining cities of the world have been turned into multi-level complexes, with the streets and parks of the UPPER CITY almost totally isolated from THE BELOW. You live in the BELOW. For the poor folks down here, life is hard. Even a connection to the GLOBALNET is a luxury for some. If you’re lucky, you're a dead-end corp drone. If you’re not, you work a dangerous job maintaining the UPPER CITY. If you have a job at all, anyway. Many are homeless drifters, taking shelter where they can from the RAIN. Those who give up become BLANKS, too depressed to move even for the RAIN. Then there’s the Z-EFFECT. Even when they’re working, Z-RELAYS produce strange, dangerous waste products. When they’re not (and Z-GEN is skimming a little too much off the top to keep them perfect), the leaks are even worse. And of course, there’s the RAIN that pours down from the frequent storms that plague the skies thanks to GLOBAL COOLING. The RAIN runs off the UPPER CITY and pours into the BELOW, and whenever something goes wrong with Z-ENERGY, the RAIN brings the Z-EFFECT with it. Sometimes, people exposed to the Z-EFFECT are deeply affected. They start developing strange powers, like the power to move things with their mind or to connect to the GLOBALNET without a DECK. These people, called Z-MANCERS by those in the know, have great powers but are constantly being hunted by Z-GEN (who want to study them and keep the Z-EFFECT a secret), other MEGACORPS (who want to exploit the Z-EFFECT themselves), and the YAKUZA. Worse, those who use their powers too much start displaying odd symptoms: waking up in unfamiliar places, seeing things that aren’t there, knowing things they shouldn’t. Those in the know say they’re seeing SHADOWS IN THE RAIN. You are a Z-MANCER. The Z-EFFECT has granted you powers, but in the CYBERPUNK FUTURE of 1999 there are many who seek to take it from you. Can you avoid them and keep your head long enough to be a hero? MECHANICS SHADOWS IN THE RAIN uses the revolutionary D12 (12 is in caps) for resolution. Players have several STATS that determine how skilled they are at various TASKS, each ranked with a number up to 10. When you roll a D12 (caps), you need to ROLL UNDER your STAT to succeed. Z-MANCERS also have a special Z-EFFECT power. Because these powers are special, each one comes with a CHART. Players roll a D12 (and consult the CHART to see if their power works as expected. If players are unlucky and fail, they may have to consult a second CHART to determine what drawbacks they suffer. BONUS Coming soon 
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2016 03:48
|
|
|
 Those who warned us were laughed off as crazies, but they were not wrong. Well, they were right that turning on the LHC would lead to catastrophe, but they were wrong about what it would entail. Very wrong. The LHC didn't burn a giant hole into the center of Europe with the heat of the sun or creat a black hole that would eat Earth entirely. It did, however, collapse several parallel universes into one. We can identify three. Our Earth which we now nickname Hawking. Asimov, a blasted post-apocalyptic hellscape full of irradiated wilderness, genetically enhanced creatures and humans, and remnants of advanced supertechnology nobody knows how to operate. The third is called Tolkien, a world of myth and magic, full of elves, dwarves, orcs, dragons, and other mystical creatures and magic. After the LHC caused these worlds to collapse into one in this Large Horrific Catastrophe, our new world is now still mostly recognizable as Earth as it was before, but many areas have been replaced with what was in this place in one of the other realities. Half of New York is now the ruins of the terribly advanced civilization of Asimov, sitting on the stinking molasses of what we used to call the Hudson. Long Island is now home to pirates led by storm wizards that come right from the world we call Tolkien. The Pentagon has been replaced with the Dodecahedron, the abandoned headquarters of the Asimov military forces, abundant with artifacts of its incomprehensible, but nevertheless valuable technology as well as terrifying defense robots and security mechanisms that still work against all odds. Buckingham Palace has been replaced by the crystalline palace where a court of Unseelie sorcerers now reign over their realm of Albion. Of course, humanity has also been affected. As with the world itself, it seems we all have been afflicted by our three parallel selves collapsing into one. We now are not merely humans, but have the lithe bodies and pointy ears of elves, short, stocky bodies and magnificent beards of dwarves, or the even shorter bodies and hairy feet of To further complicate our struggles with ourselves the world around us has changed significantly. Society as we knew it has collapsed and evolved into what we only knew from post-apocalyptic fiction. Gangs run amok in the streets between the abandoned high rises from Hawking and Asimov, led by the fiercest of them who have embraced their orcish, ogrish, or - perhaps worst - human nature. Scavengers try to collect what they can get their hands on for repair what still works or making what came from Asimov work again. Outside the cities, mutated monsters from Asimov roam as do the weird creatures from Tolkien. Dragons terrorize the countryside of blasted Asimov wasteland, Hawking towns, and picturesque Tolkien hamlets brimming with surprisingly content halflings. In this dangerous world of chaos and danger, adventure is abound for those who seek it. Those that would succeed will leverage their three natures to the fullest effect. They will create sanctuaries for those less resolved, collect the treasures of three worlds for utility, fame, or power, or seek to establish their own dominion to rule over. Game Mechanics & Characters The basic conflict resolution mechanic works by assembling a dice pool that depends on what the character attempts to do. You start with the Style of your action - whether it is forceful, clever, sneaky etc. [Yeah, I'm cribbing from FAE, but will sell it as an innovative new invention that replaces the same old six attribute scores.] Then some more can be added depending on your character has appropriate skills (see below for more information). The dice rolls have a 50% chance of being a success. The successes gather this way can be offset by challenges: the GM rolls a number of dice representing the difficulty of the task and other adverse circumstances. Again, 50% chance of a roll being a challenge. The player can choose to have his successes cancel out challenges. If they keep at least one success, the action succeeds with additional successes creating better results in the form of advantages for other actions. If challenges remain or are not bought off, they will become disadvantages. Example: a character tries to jump over a chasm. As long as they get at least one success, they get to the other side, but will land prone. Additional successes could mean the character lands on their feet, jumps even farther, or surprises enemies on the other side of the chasm by their reckless jump. Challenges could mean they take damage or only hang onto the edge of the chasm. Player characters unite three identities inside them. The first is the Hawking Self, the one identity that inhabited the world called Hawking, our world, before the Little Happy Catastrophe. This part is created by the player. They choose who their character was before the LHC and all of its effects happened. They choose two styles to get +1 (they all start at 1), choose three backgrounds, describing their skills and knowledge in broad terms. Finally, they decided on one ideal the character holds dear and that anchors their Hawking identity. If they follow this ideal, their Hawking identity becomes stronger, at the cost of the Asimov and Tolkien identities (see the HAT Triangle below). Next, we determine the character's Tolkien Heritage. The player is randomly assigned one fantasy race or creature. The characters appearance is altered to resemble that race and gives +1 to two styles. The player also gets to choose one of three backgrounds that come with the heritage which works just as the Hawking backgrounds do. Finally, the player chooses one of three Tolkien Talents which represent supernatural powers or innate magic. Unlike Asmiov Powers, these talents are usually more geared towards utility than combat. The heritage also determines the character's Tolkien Destiny, the goal of this identity which interacts with the HAT Triangle explained below. Finally, the player is randomly assigned an Asimov Mutation. This can represent a genetic modification or mutation or a cybernetic enhancement. Like the Tolkien Heritage, this alters their appearance and gives +1 to two styles. It also gives the character access to the associated power: pyrokinetics can shoot flame from their hands, a tentacle arm can stretch out to impossible lengths (and latch on to smooth surfaces), and robotic arms give the equivalent of super strength. Finally, it also determines the character's Asimov Nature which represents the (excessive and often violent) personality that would develop if the character lets the Asimov identity become dominant. The HAT Triangle - named for the three worlds Hawking, Asimov, and Tolkien - represents how much a character is leaning on one of the three identities. As the character takes actions that conforms with their Hawking Ideal, their Tolkien Destiny, or their Asimov Nature, their status moves closer to the corresponding corner of the HAT Triangle. The closer it is towards one corner, the better the bonuses are when rolling for actions that use the abilities of that identity or they become more powerful. However, you also become tempted to succumb to this part of your identity. The Hawking identity yearns for normality and refuses the new powers their body has been given. The Tolkien Destiny seeks to fulfill this destiny even if it means abandoning everything else. The Asimov identity is almost feral, seeking to use its power without limits and caution. The HAT Triangle gives mechanical weight to roleplaying choices and reinforces roleplaying choices with mechanical awards. [Alright, that last sentence is stupid marketing speech.] In addition to their innate power, characters might find and use Artifacts, items that allow them to use additional powers, although only as long as the artifact still has power left and doesn't break. Structure of the Book I haven't finalized the exact way the chapters will break down or anything like that, but here's a list of what needs to be in the finished product:
Bonus Challenge 1-A "My fellow Americans", the President's voice started as soothing as it always had been and he looked as fresh and hopeful as ever. The people gathered around the television sets that still worked soon noticed something had changed. The large upper canines were a tough to spot and would have been unsettling if the people watching the President address the world hadn't already seen weirder things in the days since the LHC disaster. Once he raised his hands to be in the view of the camera, however, they turned out to be massive talons. In a way, it was a relief to see him afflicted just like everybody else. He talked about the massive changes, the fear and confusion they have brought, and the challenges "that lie ahead of us". His message was one of hope, that the new humanity can come together and rebuild civilization after the disaster and maybe even build a better world and "a more perfect union" in its wake. As always with his speeches, they were uplifting and inspiring. As he finished his speech, the camera zoomed out as he talked about all the different ways we have been afflicted and how we should use our new talents and powers for good. The zoom revealed the Vice President and the First Lady. The VP grinned with a sunny disposition as always, but his flat nose and the giant tusks made it less charming than it used to be. The arms of his suit were torn off, not able to contain the unnatural mass of muscles on his arms which he either flexed consciously at the camera or were twitching on their own. The First Lady was an even weirder sight. Standing on a chair with her large, hairy feet, there was no doubt she had received halfling heritage. Her face, however, was now adorned with metallic cybernetic gear. Her natural brown eye looked quite sad while the cybernetic one simply glowed with a faint red glare. Barack Obama Hawking Backgrounds: President of the United States, Community Organizer, Inspiring Orator Tolkien Heritage: Vampire Asimov Mutation: Talons The President of the United States was shocked as much as anyone else by the consequences of the LHC disaster, but his eternal optimism has helped him to cope with those affecting him personally quickly. He tries to maintain a semblance of normalcy, keeping what remains of the United States government working and from falling apart completely. Unfortunately for him, things are falling apart quickly outside the White House. He still holds sway and command over what little remains of the government apparatus and seeks to use it to establish a secure environment in as many areas as possible. His personal afflictions happen to impede him little in those endeavours. The biggest handicap is that the White House's windows have their blinds down all day and those entering feel a sense of dread that even affects their meetings with the president no matter how well meaning he remains. Internally, he worries that his actions won't be able to halt the collapse of civilization. While he manages to suppress it for the time being, he will have to feed one day and spends some thoughts on how this would affect him mentally and - increasingly - how to do it without scaring everyone around him shitless. Joseph "Joe" Biden Hawking Backgrounds: tbd Tolkien Heritage: Orc Asimov Mutation: Superstrength Known for a winning smile and a gaffe-prone mouth, the Vice President has managed to keep those traits - mostly. His orcish face makes his smiles less winning and his verbal flubs sometimes more threatening than goofy. In his heart, he would like to take a car and drive out into the wild freedom of this new world, but expectations and his sense of duty keep him at the president's side. He knows than now more than ever, the president needs his support and he works hard to do so. He tries his best as his other identities pry at his consciousness, trying to tempt him to break free and roam the land, doing whatever in the time he has left on Earth. Michelle Obama Hawking Backgrounds: tbd Tolkien Heritage: Halfling Asimov Mutation: Laser Eye The First Lady never felt at home in Washington, D.C. and the recent upheaval hasn't helped that. Helping her daughters deal with their transformations and dealing with her own has awakened the desire to just retreat into a safe pocket of life, out of sight, living a peaceful live as much as that's possible now. Her big conflict is that her Hawking identity also feels compelled to help humanity at large, but she is also keenly aware how much her husband is throwing himself at that task to the point of neglecting anything else, especially his family. e: edited in my new and shiny logo frankenfreak fucked around with this message at 13:59 on Sep 9, 2016 |
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2016 03:54
|
|
|
I'm bowing out, not that I ever posted, just way too busy IRL. Good luck to everyone and I'm looking forward to seeing your finished entries.
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2016 12:04
|
|
|
Part 1 is now over. Thank you all for a lot of laughs and a lot of legitimately interesting stuff! I'll try to post judging notes this weekend. With no further ado: PART 2: ROUGH DRAFTS For this week, I'd like you to write and post (probably as an uploaded file or Google Doc or something) a rough draft of your game. This should include as much of your outlined material as possible, but incompleteness or sketchiness is fine -- at this point. Just start writing and show some meaningful progress. BONUS CHALLENGE 2-A: GO FULL NINETIES There's one thing every '90's throwback RPG needs, and that's intro/interstitial fiction. Write some fluff to start your book! Quality not necessary, of course, or scenario besides "clueless iconic character is introduced to SECRET WORLD of your game." Bonus points for a dreadful font, cluttery graphic design, or both. BONUS CHALLENGE 2-B: BLUEBOOKING CONTINUED To participate in this challenge, PM me or email (address in the Part 1 post) and you will receive your assignment. seeeeecret
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2016 14:12
|
|
|
Sorry - I had to update with characters now that I actually came up with them! This is going to be a very
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2016 15:57
|
|
|
Trying to do this at the same time as I started a new job and had no internet until 5 days in was probably too ambitious. I withdraw in shame.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2016 19:54
|
|
|
Well, here's a sketchy outline. There are a few spots which need filling in, but I figure I'll have them sorted by the deadline.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2016 20:33
|
|
|
I'm at the "make a bunch of huge loving tables" stage of game development.  I'm also beginning to question the wisdom of doing this with a 7 week old baby but so far I'm hitting my deadlines so I'll keep plugging.
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2016 05:15
|
|
|
Those who have requested a secret challenge should now have it. Let me know if I missed you!
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2016 07:56
|
|
|
Okay, um, let's just have a short team meeting here, me. How long were you expecting to work on this project this week? 6 hours How many effort points have you assigned for this week? 13 How many did you just complete? 1 How long did that take? 1 hour 
|
|
#
?
Sep 12, 2016 05:05
|
|
|
This has been a long week, but I have something worth sharing now - No Thyme This Time rough draft I hope to get some fluff done sometime today, but we'll see how that goes.
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2016 18:22
|
|
|
Maybe I shouldn't have based my game on something loving depressing. 
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2016 18:26
|
|
|
Hitlers Gay Secret posted:Maybe I shouldn't have based my game on something loving depressing. I haven't managed word one yet 
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2016 19:06
|
|
|
I am banking on train rides this weekend for banging out a rough draft of my system. Also one night when I had semi-insomnia where I couldn't stop turning over the rules in my head... I really want to find the time to generate character art though. In particular, Jiminy 'Cyberpunk' Schultz and his double-trenchcoats combined with my extremely amateur art skills is a match made in LuiCypher fucked around with this message at 19:20 on Sep 14, 2016 |
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2016 19:16
|
|
|
I'll probably have to Turbo-Post on Friday to get done. I have Negative Time this week for writing, but I'm squeezing in as much as I can.
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2016 20:20
|
|
|
Screw it. I'm having a crap week and it sounds like the rest of the thread is too, plus I still need to get some challenges out, so deadline is pushed back to Sunday night. Use this time wisely, or don't, it's all good.
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2016 20:36
|
|
|
Antivehicular posted:Screw it. I'm having a crap week and it sounds like the rest of the thread is too, plus I still need to get some challenges out, so deadline is pushed back to Sunday night. Use this time wisely, or don't, it's all good. Hurrah for extra time! Is there anyway this could mean those of us who were slow at the punch could still get in on Bonus 2-B?
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2016 21:42
|
|
|
Antivehicular posted:Screw it. I'm having a crap week and it sounds like the rest of the thread is too, plus I still need to get some challenges out, so deadline is pushed back to Sunday night. Use this time wisely, or don't, it's all good. God save the Antivehicular!
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2016 21:55
|
|
|
Anniversary posted:Hurrah for extra time! Sure. I'll say it here: anyone who PMs me by Friday night can get in on 2-b. Later than that, well, I'll still try to get you in, but it is at your peril.
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2016 22:15
|
|
|
Antivehicular posted:Screw it. I'm having a crap week and it sounds like the rest of the thread is too, plus I still need to get some challenges out, so deadline is pushed back to Sunday night. Use this time wisely, or don't, it's all good. I'm sorry about your week, and I hope it gets better, but thank you very much for the extension! I know I'll put it to good use.
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2016 22:16
|
|
|
Antivehicular posted:Sure. I'll say it here: anyone who PMs me by Friday night can get in on 2-b. Later than that, well, I'll still try to get you in, but it is at your peril. Awesome! I may have the ulterior motive of having PM'd you a few days ago and, not having heard back, been worried I was too late for the bonus.
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2016 22:55
|
|
|
After a very long night, this should suffice as some sort of "general" rough draft, shouldn´t it`? Anyway, thats my rough draft. Document is very, very, very rough, and also in A5, as I feel this to be the best format for such a game. It´s also much closer to common heartbreakers than I intended it to be. Or did I?
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2016 11:42
|
|
|
Ugh. So guess who forgot her parents were coming to town on Friday and subsequently neglected her contest? 2-B challenges should be caught up. I'm really sorry about this.
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2016 01:36
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 26, 2024 14:08 |
|
|
Antivehicular posted:Ugh. So guess who forgot her parents were coming to town on Friday and subsequently neglected her contest? As someone who just got their challenge, its totally understood.
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2016 01:47
|
|