Hi,
So I've been working on a game book system, anyone played one of those?
Fighting Fantasy? Lone Wolf?
Now, I'm the first one to admit that I can't write for s**t but this isn't about the writing, it's about the game system. I thoroughly enjoy the process of creating the system but it can be hard to know how far one can go when it comes to complexity.
The setting I was going for was some kind of low fantasy solo RPG book and I made a list of criteria:
Accessable
Just a pen and a six sided die (although a random number table as well as images of dice on each page – like a stealth die – will be provided).
Simple
Simple math as well as resolutions that requires no more than two die rolls.
Logical
No random death paragraphs. Any death paragraphs should be the result of many consecutive – and traceable – wrong choices.
Non-static
Multiple ways of solving or different ways around problems. Fighting vs Stealth vs Manipulate.
System complete
As much as I can I’d like the whole system to be done at the outset. No shoehorning in some new rules later that will require rule exceptions.
MORE CRITERIA
The player must be able to improve his skills by experience.
Every skill has 6 levels (well 7 if you count 0), 0 is untrained and level 1 is novice while level 6 being a master. All skills are divided into six different categories; Academia (3 skills), Combat (6 skills), Influence (2 skills), Mysticism (3 skills), Survivalism (2 skills) and Unlawful (4 skills).
Throughout an adventure the player will face obstacles/problems/conflicts that require the use of a certain skill. These obstacles all have a difficulty rating and should the player overcome such an obstacle he/she will gain experience points (EXP) according to a very simple formula. Aquired EXP are later spent to increase the skill levels and they must be spent in the same category of skills as the one used to gain said EXP. That is, if you gain 3 EXP for successfully using the Pick Pocket skill you add it to the Unlawful category. Later you may place your accumulated EXP from Unlawful to improve any skill in that category.
The combat resolutions must be simple yet provide some complexity.
In the best of worlds combat would offer a lot more tactical options. This would involve some sort of AI flowchart and would drag the game down to a slow crawl. Therefore the system will handle combat just like any other skill resolution; find out the combat differential, roll die, check critical, check damage.
Other features I intend to include:
Conditions – Cursed, blessed or poisoned.
Deities – Choose deity to worship
Reputation – Good or bad depending on affiliation
MECHANICS
Skills: CHECK vs TEST
There are two way to determine if a player is successful when using a skill; a CHECK or a TEST.
The CHECK is just a comparison between the players skill level and a fixed difficulty value between one and six. If the players skill is equal or higher than the CHECK value the player passes.
A CHECK is binary, you either succeed or you fail, you either know how to read or you don’t. Of course you may not be able to comprehend the text (that’s the difficulty value) but you’re still able to read it.
A TEST however, is another thing entirely.
A TEST is when you have to struggle against something. Even though you know how to pick locks there are so many factors included. That is, unlike a CHECK it is not binary, there are degrees of failure/succcess.
A TEST works like this: First determine the TEST value by subtracting the difficulty value from the players skill. The player then rolls the die (d6) and first checks for Critical Fail/Success, if no Critical then add any bonus/malus (including the TEST value) to the roll. Look up result under the appropriate skill on the TEST table.
It might sound a little convoluted but I really think it’s not. When looking at a chart it is very straight forward.
Critical Fails/Successes are based upon players skill level. Fails will happen more often when at lower levels and successes will be more likely at higher levels.
Keywords
I intend to include certain keywords in the text. Each keyword is attached to one or more skills. If the player has that particular skill when he encounters a keyword (keywords are always in capitals) he may benefit from that.
For instance, a player has the Alchemy skill and encounters a text saying there's a LABORATORY in the room, the player may then use that laboratory to prepare and make potions. Another example could be that the player walks into a field containing BERRIES. If the player has the Medicine or Herbalism skill he could pick up the berries and store them in his backpack. Alternatively he could eat them right away to restore vital health. However, if the player did not have any of those skills he could neither pick the up or eat them.
QUESTIONS
Should improved skill levels grant new possibilities or just provide a better higher success rate?
One tough decision I have to make is whether or not to let the player gain new options at a certain skill when improving it. Let’s say that the player levels up the Alchemy skill. Should the player just become better at alchemy by increasing the success percentage (like going from 66,7% to 83,3%) when performing a TEST or increasing the CHECK threshold? The other option is to have a list of what the player may be able to do at certain levels. At level 1 he may mix a Healing Potion, at level 2 poison antidote or at level 6 the player might be able to create gold.
The latter will certainly add more flavour (theme), and options (player decision making) but at the same time it might slow the game down (lookups in tables), require more rules overhead that takes more space and in the worst case it will drive players away. While I lean on the option of keeping the list in favour of flavour, I’d like to know if it feels bloated.
So, any thoughts? I’d appreciate any and all feedback, suggestions, questions and reasonable critique. If I'm unclear or you have other questions please let me know so I could elaborate.
Thanx
