Design Parameters

Zak S. posted an interesting bit about what the 'Design Specs' of his group are.

I thought it might be fun to do the same, though I have two primary groups so I will have to denote which is which when explaining each element.

Now, Zak didn't exactly spell out what the definition of 'Design Spec' was so I'm going to go with my best understanding. To me its means the parts/factors/elements a game needs to include or be capable of simulating to get us to like to play it.

The following Design Specs mentioned by Zak are pretty much the same for both of my groups though not always for exactly the same reasons.

-Fast, Obvious Ways To Make Villains.
-Lots of Setting Room To Maneuver For The GM.
-GM Supplements Should Have New Ideas In Them Rather Than Providing Crunch For Genre-Expected Stuff.

I would add the following note with a slight alteration...

-The System Should Provide Lots of Optional Rules That The GM (and Players) Can Use.

I like to have cool toys I can use to create new things but I want the players to understand them to so they can suggest ideas to add in. For example, Players in my Star Trek games have come up with Overlays ('Professions') and background Packages to better illustrate no only their characters origins but those of character types that should be familiar to Star Trek fans but aren't always represented in the rulebook.

You'll notice that these are all basically GM related. That's because in both cases, the GM is me and I can vouch for what I need the game to do. The players of each group are pretty different in play style from those of the other.

My Group(s)'s Design Specs Are:

In NJ:

-Fast Character Generation.

-Easy Character Generation With An Option To Do It The Hard Way For People Who Are More Comfortable With The System. (or Have Very Specific Ideas on How They Want Their Character to Be)

-Characters Made The Hard Way Shouldn't Be Automatically Better Than Characters Made The Easy Way

-That Having Been Said, Game Balance Is Not Such A Big Deal.
-A Generic Setting That Is Easy To Communicate.

-Don't Require Players To Know Fiddly Details of The Setting In Order To Make Decisions During Character Generation (Also how I, the GM, feel)

-A System Where Player Innovation Requires Imagining The Situation In Detail Rather Than Knowing The Rules Back-To-Front (Also how I, the GM, feel)

In addition, I would add...

-Role Playing In Character, Social Interaction With NPCs, Solving Puzzles, Learning About The World/Milieu and Pro-Active Ideas for Adventures and Subplots Should Be Just As Commonly Occuring and Important As Fighting.

-All of The Above Should Be Rewarded Just As Much If Not More Than Fighting

-Character Individuality Comes From Who They Are Not What They Do (This group excels at games where everyone is a Ghostbuster or a Starfleet Officer or a member of an Order of Knights. Their imagination is sparked by trying to be different even though they may have the same job)

-Vague or Open To Interpretation Abilities Are Prefered Over Specific, Detailed Ones
-Attention To Genre/Setting Trumps Attention To Rules. If It Don't Feel Right It Ain't Right.

In NY:

The NY crew are much more into crunch and so easy/fast character generation isn't a big deal. They don't want it to be so complicated they can't figure it out but if it takes three hours or three days to make the 'perfect character' then that's how long it takes.

In connection to the above some of them (maybe a third of the group) pride themselves on their rules knowledge. Elements of game mechanics that the NJ group couldn't give a Womp Rat's ass about become a Design Spec in the Big Apple. In NY, rules matter.

They also prefer a more detailed and specific setting, more fighting and less investigation, exploration and problem solving.

Also...

-Players Should Have Easy Access To Information Their Characters Should Now. (My NY crew gets very upset when data that would be second nature to their characters because of their species, culture, job or whatever is treated like difficult to obtain, top-secret info.)

-Creative Writing Appreciated (That is, a few of them want to make a lot of background info and want you to appreciate the time and care they put into writing it. This isn't really my thing but if they think its fun I try to accomodate it as best I can within reason).

Obviously you can see these are two very different groups. The former (NJ) is more new age, new school, story over rules, relaxed attitude hippies. The latter (NY) is more old school, hack-and-slash, rules oriented and they-like-what-they-like.

I tend to fall more in line with the NJ gang as far as my interests.

AD
Barking Alien

Class Action

More thoughts on Classes for Aliens & Astrobases...

To me, the concept of a Class in an RPG falls into three main areas:

Class as Iconic Profession

This is the default D&D/D20/Palladium, etc. idea of classes. These are basically jobs that are easily and often boldly defined by looking to our favorite characters in the fiction of the genre. Conan is a Fighter or a Barbarian, Gandalf is a Wizard, Aragon is a Ranger, etc.

This is my least favorite interpretation as these Classes are often (though not always) given less customization options and don't define some of the genre's more unusual characters. Elric is not exactly a Wizard and he can fight with a bad ass sword. Gray Mouser is a Thief who also know some magic. You get what I'm saying.

Class as Templated Skill Set

This is sort of the 'Class-that-isn't-a-Class' system used by D6 Star Wars, ICON and FASA Star Trek (Decipher's CODA feels like a cross between this and the Iconic Profession which is why I'm not as keen on that game*), numerous modern and military themed RPGs and even to some degree point based systems like Mutants & Masterminds and Champions.

Now that wouldn't be standard for the latter two but both give you the option of using a template or purchasing a package of abilities where the math is already done for you. For Champions/HERO System, this is much more popular in its spin offs like Fantasy Hero and Star Hero so everyone who wants to play an Elf or a particular alien species can simply purchase the same package.

Class as Classification

Now this one is something I've been thinking about for years and years. The word Class in this context always makes me think of a classification or a type. So the job or profession of Fighter, Paladin, Cavalier or Barbarian would all fall under the 'Class' of Fighting Man for example. Wizard, Cleric, Druid and Sorceror would called be considered Magic Users.

I can't think of any RPGs that do it quite this way off the top of my head but I'm certain I remember encountering this idea before. If you guys can think of any let me know.

What am I getting at with this? Well how about the following Classes for Aliens & Astrobases:

Academic

Combatant

Contact

Enigma

Tech

In addition to two 'special' Classes

Alien

Robot

What you have here is the character that thinks (Academic - Int - Mental character), the character that fights ( Combatant - Con - Physical character), the character that interacts (Contact - Cha - Social character), the character the does (Tech - Wis - 'Skill' or Capable character) and the wild card (Enigma - Dex? - More about abilities than stats - this is the Psionic/Cyborg character).

To this Class you get to add a Profession or job that gives you one special ability or skill like ability and gives you some variation. Professions might include Pilot, Explorer, Medic, etc. There for you could play a Combatant Medic, a Combatant Pilot, an Enigma Soldier, a Contact Explorer or what-have-you. Its a bit like Stars Without Number but simplified, paired down and yet I may expand the use of the base Classes to make them more distinct.

Any thoughts? Back to Star Trek...

AD

Barking Alien

*I must say that while Decipher's Star Trek game isn't my forte', I think their Lord of the Rings RPG is somewhat underrated. The CODA system works much better for that game and it was pretty cool to run. If only Decipher as a company had had some clear idea of what the heck it was doing with its RPG lines....

Class Struggle

Taking time out from my Star Trek RPG work to talk about one of my other projects, the Old School SF game I'm designing, Aliens & Astrobases. I want to take a look at the 800-pound gorilla in the room, Classes. My apologies Mr. Gorilla but I'm not a fan.

I've never liked Classes as presented in the old school format. I find the concept OK but in execution most Classes in most games suffer from a most difficult to remedy paradox.

1) They are too rigid and don't always represent the character the player has in mind.

2) They are not distinct or different enough that playing one over another is all the special.

These may seem to contradict each other and I'll admit that they do a bit but hear me out on this...

If you are going to create Classes than make them feel different. Let either the mechanics or the atmosphere generated by nifty mechanics make each class feel distinct. The Wizard's spellcasting should not feel exactly the same as the Cleric's spellcasting. The Thief at least often had skills not one else had (pre-3rd Edition). The Fighter...uhg. The Fighter.

I've noticed in some of the retroclones, blogger's houserules and other Old School idea sets, the Thief and/or Cleric is removed for whatever reason. This strikes me as strange since...well OK, maybe the Thief could go. I mean, in D&D, isn't everyone the Thief? The big focus is crawling through ruins, tombs and such stealing their stuff or killing monsters and stealing their stuff. The Cleric on the other hand is like the driving force of medieval society to some extent. The Cleric is my favorite Class. Its the one with the most built in role playing potential because of your need to interact with your Deity and those who worship them. Plus, its the All-Around-Class. I'm a big fan of that type of character. I don't want to be the strongest, the smartest or the fastest. I'd rather be second best at EVERYTHING. My favorite superheroes aren't Flash and the Hulk. I prefer Green Lantern and Iron Man. A power theme with multiple applications. Give me versatility over raw power any day.

No dear reader, if I were to tell you the Class I think is most deserving of being dumped I assure you that you'd think me mad. Eh? You already do? Fine then...The Fighter.

Oh lord how I despise the Fighter. More hit points, any weapon, any armor and nothing else interesting at all. This has to be the single most boring class from OD&D all the way to World of Warcraft. Why don't we just have a class called Average Person. I mean the average person in a fantasy town is a Fighter no? He can use a sword or an axe! A Peasant, a Carpenter, a town Guard, a Blacksmith and pretty much any other able bodied individual can probably also do that. These games even contrive the idea that a Wizard can't use a sword (like Gandalf and freakin' Merlin) just to give the Fighter something to be proud of.

One of the biggest inspirations to creating my houseruled D&D-for-those-who-don't-like-D&D was to create a system where a Fighter felt like the hero of so many books, movies and comics. Where a guy or gal with enough training and physical prowess could actually stand up to a Wizard and vanquish them like they do in myth and legend. In D&D a 10th level Wizard is going to turn a 10th level Fighter into beef jerky in a few rounds.

What does this have to do with Aliens & Astrobases. Simple, do we need a Fighting class? Is there anyone running around the Star Wars universe who can't fire a blaster besides C-3PO? Keith Laumer's Retief is a Diplomat who can fight and shoot a laser gun. He's more of a Scoundrel in some ways. The same can be said for the Stainless Steel Rat. Do we really have to have a guy whose speciality is something everyone in the genre can do?

Yes. Surprised by my answer? Don't be. You see, it isn't that I find the Fighter class unnecessary, its that I find nothing exceptional about Fighters. That's why my Fighter in my D&D-But-Not game is exceptionally good at fighting. Not just more hit points and the ability to buy more from the Hunting and Sporting section of the medieval WalMart. No, he has various abilities the make him the King of Battle when doing what he does.

So I'm thinking of a similar idea for A&A but without my skill/Talent system. What if the Fighting Class character can, by virtue of his incredible ability with weaponry, cause more damage with a given weapon than anyone else. Say a ray gun does 3D6. The same ray gun in the hands of a Fighting Class character does 3D6+2 per level. This would help offset that annoying feature where the Wizard causes an increasing amount of damage thanks to level and better spells but the Fighter does 1D8+Strength bonus with a sword on day 1 of 1st level and 1D8+Strength bonus day 10 of 8th level.

Just some thoughts that came to me while being unable to sleep. I haven't decided to completely rule out adding my Talent system to this game but right now I'm trying to keep it skill-less as best as I can.

AD
Barking Alien

Returning to Drydock

When I mentioned in my last post that I want to run Star Trek again, I received a surprisingly large and supportive number of comments. Surprising since these comments didn't come from those people who I have previously shown interest in my Star Trek RPG posts but largely 'new faces' as it were.

One commentor, Fred Herman, asked where I'd be running this game and I said that it would most likely be in New Jersey with my NJ crew. Then it hit me after a moment...I have not idea if that's true. I simply want to run Star Trek again. I have not idea if anyone would want to play it. With all the different ideas for games being bounced around by my group(s) these days I don't know if I'll even get the chance to run Star Trek this year.

Honestly though, that would suck. I mean, I'm really looking forward to working on Aliens & Astrobases and my own Project X game. I'm dying to try Fiasco and Apocalypse World. Its been ages since I ran a Mekton game and I wouldn't mind adding some Bliss Stage to that bad boy. I could name a hundred games that I haven't played in a while and new ones I haven't gotten to explore yet. That said...damn I want to run Star Trek.

I think Star Trek is the closest I come to my old school roots. Its my D&D. I played it a lot as a 'kid' (12 and onward) and will still play it at the drop of a hat given the chance. I've mentioned before that its probably the game or at least the setting I've played the most over the years.

I've decided to go back to basics, return to Drydock and really give the idea of running it again the once over. Using my own guidelines as a...er...guideline I suppose...I'm starting to think of how I want to go about doing a new campaign. What era, what ship, what's the theme or focus and that sort of thing.

I'm not sure yet is my answer so far. I haven't decided. Something's cooking up in there though I can feel it...

Stay tuned.

AD
Barking Alien

Here We Boldly Go Again

I'm in the mood for Star Trek...

Yeah that feeling is back and in a big way. I want to run Star Trek so bad I can practically taste the ejected plasma from the warp core.

When, where, how to run it and with whom remains to be seen.

AD
Barking Alien