Spent some more time with my ‘big game’ this week. I’ve added in my next sub-class and also had some interesting meditations on how the game will work. Check those out below.
Project Run down
Sand & Stars
(Desert survival x Cairn, Ashcan here [link])
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No progress.
Steam Thieves
(Steampunk x Forged in the Dark, Ashcan here [link])
Minor copy and paste which acts as intention setting for next week…
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No progress.
Goodnight Maus
(Mausritter adventure site inspired by Goodnight Moon)
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No progress.
Trinakum
(Original design - 3d6 dice pool/grid-based/combat simulator with Iron Age Celtic/Gaulish flavour, Ashcan here [link])
I love the combat system for this game. But I don’t have much else around it. And I want to make a TTRPG, not a combat simulator board game. The combat right now feels a lot like Final Fantasy Tactics, which is what I’m going for. That kind of gameplay makes me excited. I want to sit at a table with an interesting battle being the focus of the session.
This week I had the idea to treat these battles like you do scores in Blades in the Dark. If I did this, there would be a prelude and consequences to the battle, but most the session would be fighting the battle. That’s what I want.
The prelude could include ‘gather information’ style roles, to help plan out the approach to the battle and learn about the opposition. Flashbacks could also be used here.
I could also have designated free play, intended for role playing. A session would start in free play with GM and player introducing ‘character scenes’ where the goal is to tell interesting stories and have characters interact with each other and the world. This is where we can set up stakes for the battle to come.
Then we have the battle. Then we have consequences as a result of either winning or losing the battle.
I think these battles should help the group plot out a cool narrative. And I think I should make some interesting ‘narrative paths’ for them to follow along. The path system would include a plug and play approach, where the GM can insert different battles along the path (which branches, ideally) and as you progress along the path you hit various narrative beats.
The paths would each be themed and include a core goal for the party. Right now I’m thinking they would be:
Path of Conquest
Path of Discovery
Path of Resistance
Path of Revenge.
The players would be able to create a lot of the narrative around these paths. Something needs to keep this all contained, though, like a doom track.
The paths mean this game is about players having one big shared goal. That’s the game I want to play. So that’s the game I am making. I’ll make it clear in the game that, you should play this if you want to play a game where your party is in firm agreement on the big goal you are all working towards. This is a game about unity, about a team working together towards conquering a land, discovering a mcguffin, resisting an enemy, getting revenge, etc.
My paths will have my setting baked in. But there needs to be lots of opportunity for people to play this game with other settings and make their own paths.
Below is my Scirmishere fighter archetype. This class is all about polearms and hit and run tactics.
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SCIRMISHERE
Add 2 to SPEED.
Increase one ability from 0 to 1.
Increase one other ability from 0 to 1.
Level 1
Polearm master: When using a polearm weapon add your SPEED to your die roll when taking the STRIKE action. You may use any polearm weapon with one hand. You may STRIKE with any polearm weapon using a single die.
Charge: If a successful STRIKE action is taken immediately after a MOVE or SPRINT action you inflict an extra Wound for each square of movement taken.
Level 3
Quick reflexes: If targeted with either a STRIKE or SHOOT, you may roll as many dice as are available, add SPEED and add this to your defenses for this STRIKE or SHOOT only.
Useful reach: When using a polearm you may use your SPEED ability for GUARD and MENACE actions instead of SENSE and STRENGTH.
Level 5
Running blow: After a SPRINT, you may inflict a Wound to one target within range of your weapon. The target can be in range of this weapon either before or after the SPRINT action was taken.
Level 7
Effortless speed: You can take two MOVE actions per turn.
Level 9
Double jab: Each successful STRIKE with a polearm deals two Wounds.
Gatekeepers
(Mythos inspired Breathless game for the Beyond the Gates Jam, Ashcan here [link])
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No progress.
WAKE
(Completed Breathless game inspired by Control, Inception and The Matrix, Game Page here [link])
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No progress.
GIANT PINBALL
(Dungeon Crawl Classic Funnel set inside a pinball machine)
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No progress,
See you soon.