Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Free RPG Design Handbook from Hamsterprohecy

I discovered a great blog just a few hours ago. Although it's been inactive for a few years, but the Hamsterprophecy blog has some interesting tidbits of information in its archives. As a game designer, I was immediately drawn to the RPG Design Handbook pages.

Check out the The Power 19, which bills itself as a 19-question framework for game design. I've been spending the past hour or so going through my works-in-progress and doing my best to answer every question. It has been helping me clarify the focus and priorities of the games, which is what I expected it to do.

What I wasn't expecting is that the questions have been helping me to come up with new ideas and mechanics that hep to reinforce the themes of the games. I'm not trying to weigh in on the whole "the system must match the setting" argument; all I am saying is that if you do want to design with that paradigm in mind, The Power of 19 is a great way to get your thoughts in order and come up with a solid design strategy.

Friday, April 25, 2014

wrathofzombie declares May as roleplaying DIY month

I wandered by wrathofzombie's roleplaying game blog and noticed he has declared May as DIY month. The basic idea is to come up with something fun and useful during May, send him a link, and then he'll put all the links in one place once they are done. I'm really in to this idea, so it's time to get the old gears in my brain going...

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Space Bastards Begins Formal Development

I've started formal development on Space Bastards. Space Bastards is an idea I've been kicking around in my head off and on over the past couple years. I've kept a page or two of notes and ideas over the years, but the project always got put on the back burner for one reason or another, usually because I wanted to spend my writing time on more "serious" projects.

It occurred to me a few days ago that a rules-light "beer and pretzels" game like Space Bastards could be put into working condition pretty quickly. With some help from my fiancee, whose knowledge of both Star Trek and the DSM 5 is proving to be a wellspring of great ideas for the game, I've started "formal development" on this silly game of science fiction misadventures and epic bastardry. This means I have a working outline as opposed to just some random notes. I'm working on the actual writing as the mood strikes me, so the outline is slowly but surely turning into a finished game.

Space Bastards is not my primary focus right now. It's more of a "palate cleanser" for when my mind starts to go a little wonky after writing about demon worshiping cultists, barbarian tribes, the collapse of civilization, radiation sickness, or whatever else I currently consider to be my main projects. Release date? I have no idea. Maybe soon, maybe sometime later. Who knows? I guess I am just a Vague Bastard.

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Lurguz: A Character for Fate Core


Lurguz was made with the Fate Core role-playing system for use with Iron and Chaos game setting.

Lurguz

Aspects

  • High concept:  Former Caravan Guard
  • Trouble: Branded With the Criminal's Mark
  • Defended Village From Raiders as a Youth
  • Traveled the Roads of Agaran Protecting Wealthy Merchants
  • Sentenced to Forced Labor by the White Ziggurat for Another Man's Crimes 

Skills

  • Great (+4) : Fight
  • Good (+3) : Athletics, Notice
  • Fair (+2) :  Contacts, Physique
  • Average (+1) : Will

Stunts

  • Well Traveled: Can use Contacts instead of Lore when applied to matters of travel and geography.
  • Bodyguard: Gain a +2 bonus when using Fight to physically attack someone who is attacking someone else.
  • Intimidating: Can use Physique instead of Provoke to overcome or create advantages when attempting to coerce through the threat of violence, real or implied.

Other

  • Refresh: 3
  • Physical Stress Slots: 6
  • Mental Stress Slots: 4