[Steampunk Crescendo] Out on a limb
dindenver:
OK,
So the poor wording of the posts above simply reflect an active avoidance of RPG cliches (e.g., "you can do anything in this game!")
I think the only way I can help provide the correct info is to break the game down, is that ok?
1) Setting
The setting is totally punk. And by punk I mean dystopic. It is up to the GM to make it depressing, but it gives you the tools to see how bad the world can be in this era
2) Chargen
OK, so it is point-buy with a lifepath. Generally, players get the character they are looking to make. The lifepath system is a great way to get the players' character ideas into the context of the setting without requiring them to master the setting.
Also, there are three stats, all three are used in every roll of a conflict (more on that later).
3) GM Tools
So, I start by telling everyone not to make a character until the brainstorming/pitch is agreed on.
Also, I have pre-built generic Antagonists, pre-built notable antagonists (though they aren't signature characters) and rules to build an Antagonist that can take on the whole group singly.
4) Conflict
So, you can't start a conflict unless both players agree that hey want different things from the conflict
You use the same rules, regardless of the type of conflict (fight, contest, argument, etc.).
Also, each side declares their Intentions before the dice are rolled. And if they are defeated, that alone is what they lose (they get a penalty to their next roll(s) depending on how bad they were defeated, but they can immediately enter another conflict if a suitable one is available).
A character can't die because of a lucky roll. Character Death has to be a stated Intention.
So, each time players roll, they declare their action type, follow the rules of it and then roll three dice. After the roll is made, one is assigned to Ambition, one to Cunning and one to Vigilance. Both the attacker and defender do this. there is no initiative system, but if it is PC vs NPC, the GM declares which of their dice are assigned before the player(s).
So, the character's Ambition Stat, the die they assigned to Ambition and any modifiers from their Action Type (there are not other modifiers except those generated by the player-chosen Action Type) get added up and compared against their opponent's total. The difference between the values are Progress points you accumulate towards getting your Intention. Then in a similar way, you compare Cunning to Vigilance and Vigilance to Cunning to determine how much damage each character takes.
So, it is a race mechanic where you want to either get your Intention Target Number in Progress Points before you take enough damage to defeat you or do enough damage to your opponent before they get enough Progress Points to get their Intention.
From a single character's perspective, they could end up with either of the following outcomes from a single conflict:
a) Battered and defeated
b) Untouched and defeated
c) Getting their goal through physical or emotional violence and being bruised and battered themselves
d) Getting their goal through physical or emotional violence and coming out unscathed
e) Getting their goal without the need for violence and getting abused for their effort
f) Getting their goal without the need for violence and coming out unscathed
The Chargen, Action Type and Die assignments all feed pretty much equally into either of these results.
But there are no maps or minis, not even optional rules for them. The character sheets are designed so that when you put a Protagonist and Antagonist Sheets head to head the Ambition, Cunning and Vigilance stats and places for dice line up.
5) Magic
As far as Magic is concerned, narratively, it is an accumulation of will, power and magic that changes the world, if only for a moment. Mechanically, it lets the players roll a pool of dice, assign three of them to Ambition, Cunning and Vigilance and then save that roll for later use
6) Superscience
The rule is you take something that you can build with Victorian Era technology and then add something that is still only available in a Victorian Era but is not possible with that technology (e.g., adding a Howitzer to a Dirigible). Mechanically, it gives you a number of re-rolls you can use after the dice are rolled.
7) Vampire powers. So, I setup Vampire Powers to work like Cyberware in CP2020/ShadowRun. There is not limit to how much you can take, they come with a penalty, but you have a good idea what they penalty is before you take it (in fact, the player picks their Vampire Weakness the same time they pick their Power, and the only limit is they have to be the same power level). Typically, Vampire Powers are unbalancing, but the weaknesses are balance that out a little once the players discover them. Also players can, at any time, elect to get Vampire Powers (Even in mid-conflict, there is notother advancement cost associated with gaining Vampire Powers).
Typically, in play, you end up with about 1/3rd of the players vamping out and the rest being more heroic. I have only seen two vampires actually embrace evil, the rest just did it for the coolness factor.
Vampires have to feed on human blood. How often depends on their alignment score (which they can change in and out of conflict through their actions). If they fail to they take die roll penalties (using the same system as if you were injured).
7) Alignment
Alignment is a number (it goes from -3 to +3) and you can change it based on your actions in and out of conflict. There is a Code of the Magi listed on the back of the book (and on the character sheets) that defines what good is. There is a tiny bit of room for interpretation, but it is mostly black and white. Alignment can be used as a modifier in a conflict if you pick the right Action Type.
8) Goal
When you make your character, you assign them a goal and a drawback. The drawback is thematic (not a weakness, just something that prevents you from attaining your goal). Goal is rated from -3 to +3 as well. When you get +4, you get your goal, then you have to have a scene showing your character getting their goal and then you set a new goal and drawback and start at 0. The book encourages you to pick a Goal that changes the world in a way that is meaningful to your character. I have seen a driven character attain their goal in a single 4 hour session. And many characters that forgot to set advancing their Goal as aprt of their Intention and made no progress at all.
Mechanically, Both Drawback and Goal can be used to get bonuses if you pick the right Action Type in a Conflict.
These are the major features in plain language. I probably can't get too many people to read all that before they buy the book, so how do I break this down into compelling marketing?
David Berg:
How do you make positive or negative progress along the Goal meter?
dindenver:
It is an action type, one uses your drawback as a bonus, and increases your goal. The other uses your goal as a bonus and increases your drawback. You can do this in and outside of conflicts.
David Berg:
What controls how often you can do this?
I'm trying to connect the dots between "come up with a way in which you want to change the setting" and "make it so". I assume you do that by (1) creating a character who wants to change the world, (2) writing a world-changing Goal, (3) making attempts in pursuit of that Goal, and (4) succeeding at those attempts. Correct? If so, Step 3 is the only one I'm unclear on.
dindenver:
That's a good summary.
Step 3 is easy to summarize:
In a non-conflict scene, you get to declare an action type that your character is using to solve the issue. One of them lets you indulge in your drawback and your drawback goes up and your goal goes down. Another lets you work towards your goal and your goal goes up and your drawback goes down.
In a conflict, you pick an action type each turn of the conflict. The conflict rules include two similar action types for conflicts as well.
In both cases the player declares the action type they are using. You can advance your goal even if you lose the conflict.
That's what I was trying to say with "player driven character goals." It is a concise summary, but rather vague...
Any advice on how to spruce that up?
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