[horror] System

#1

Strolen (I think) mentioned that we would probably want to include a small, simple system to give some added depth to the eBook submissions, make it easier for GMs to use and play with. I definitely agree with this idea, but creating an entire system from scratch seems...wasteful, in light of the many such systems out there. I therefore propose we use the basic Microlite20 rules.

http://strolen.com/guild/index.php/topic,5104.0.html

They're d20-based, and designed to be compatible with any SRD/d20 supplement or material. So, if we design with Microlite20 in mind, the end product would be easy for anyone and everyone to use. Don't like the system? Replace it with your own; conversions from the system are so mindnumbingly easy a caveman could do it. On the fly, while juggling the heads of former players.

Re: [horror] System

#2

Well, ummm, I don't...errrrr....remember that conversation because if I did I probably would have done my best to squash it.

Hate to be the broken record but I keep thinking that the ebook is a direct reflection of the website. Idea is king and here are your ideas kind sir. The GM should be fluent enough in their system to take it and quickly develop stats to match the descriptions. In my day it wouldn't take me but a few minutes to convert things to what I wanted. Plus, I could power them depending on the levels/experience/need etc etc.

But I might be abnormal as I rarely used book stuff and when I did I only ripped out the parts I wanted and changed them to fit me. But that philosophy is what brought about the Citadel and is how and why I made it the way I did. I don't want to be strung into *any* system at all, even a generic one. As a GM who has never heard of it (and how many honestly have) you would still need to learn that system, as minimal as it may be, to understand the stats in order to try and convert them the other way.

The closest I would be willing to concede to a system would be to identify, define and standardize some descriptive words used in the text and perhaps highlight them when used to draw attention.

The sword is a powerful weapon that can be used by a novice magic user who must be extremely wise.

Defined in a chart or something.

Word
D20
Palladium
Micro20

powerful
4d6
3d6 + 5
15

novice
lvl 1 - 2
lvl 1 - 3
lvl 1 - 2

extremely
17
26
12

But after doing that, I think that will be too many. Looking at the CityBook adventures they do something similar for fighting, magic, lock difficultry (poor, average, fair, good, very good, excellent). Magic is broken down with a code: C1 for combat magic, C2 for Curative magic....but I don't see a need for that.

So basically I am saying pick some descriptive words and make them the "rule system" for our book. We can still highlight those words so the reader knows that we are talking about the "stat" of that player there. At the beginning of the ebook we put together a section describing what they are and, if you must, you can build a table at the end with general ideas for as many systems as you want.

I like the idea of standardizing descriptors for certain stats. I see that being a very helpful exercise in actuality.

That is my thought on that.

Sorry for being such a downer. I plan on spending a couple hours getting some stuff together Thursday. Just been busy getting back to work this week.

I don't me to crush the ideas Chaos, as each one has spawned some good discussion and makes me think a bit deeper on what I am envisioning and you are welcome to agree or disagree! The discussion continues to solidify what we are doing. Although I am going to be concentrating on content as best I can for the near future. Got to get some meat in there to play with!

Re: [horror] System

#3

Idea is king and here are your ideas kind sir.

Sorta kinda why I'm throwing them out there. Nobody ever said every idea had to be incorporated into the eBook. I certainly didn't.

In this case, I just remembered the idea being brought up by someone and decided to throw the Microlite20 system out there for discussion. Considering how lightweight it is, I thought it would be a good candidate for any stat-giving we might do.

Re: [horror] System

#4

Might I suggest something based on Fudge's Ladder? That way it is all verbal, non-numeric, been around a while, and totally free.

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#5

If anything, I still firmly believe we should pick the most popular systems and correlate them to the wording. If we use fudge or microlite or assdragon, they will all require another conversion to something else. The more obscure a stat system the less useful it will be to the majority.

I would still rather form a baseline like above and have a chart for general suggestions on stats per system. Pick a few popular system based on polls that are probably all over the place and call it good.

Word
D20
Palladium
Micro20

powerful
4d6
3d6 + 5
15

novice
lvl 1 - 2
lvl 1 - 3
lvl 1 - 2

extremely
17
26
12

I really do not want to start incorporating numbers and stats into the subs. Actually, I want to avoid that at all costs. It doesn't reflect what we do here. So if there is a descriptive system we can put in place. Awesome. Otherwise I am not even going to worry about it right now. If we do get an ebook off the design floor, that will be good enough. If we start getting good at generating then I would be happy to go back and do edits. That would be the easy part. Hard part will be getting something out the door.

Re: [horror] System

#6

Honestly, depending on how we format the eBook, it wouldn't be all that hard to pass it through some filters to add the stats to it automatically. "Oh, you want the d20 version? Here you go. Oh, you wanted Palladium as well for reference? Yeah sure, here you go."

Re: [horror] System

#7

I was thinking something similar. If we come up with some tables, easy enough to put on the main site too. I would still go with the keyword thing and still discourage stats. But if somebody maybe used our descriptive words in context

This is a {powerful} weapon used by....

It would be a little forced but I think it is better than a useless +5 number in the middle of the submission.

Powerful could call up a hover state of the stat to the user's chosen system. Or perhaps there can be a hidden stat block that can be revealed that parses and translates them into some general stats?

Number of ways it can be done probably. Need the initial matrix of info and systems and then we can figure out how to implement it.

I am not against that. Especially for the subs that intend to be published. Would save a lot of work if we had a system in place to assist it. Maybe the first ebook will be a catalyst to the creation of it. Stat translations/definitions might be a fun puzzle...

Re: [horror] System

#8

I think that any stats we DO attach to the entries should only be in sidebars. The main text doesn't need them, and they would just detract if placed in-line.

Re: [horror] System

#9

Alright copypasta time:
Pariah: Strolen in regards to stats, why not just have Strolenites volunteer to stat stuff going into the book out in their system of choice and then have those available as additional supplements w/ the main book?
Pariah: We, as Strolenites, represent a broad knowledge base of various mechanical systems; despite our banning of self same on the submission proper.
Strolen: Take and own it. As long as somebody says "I will do _______" Then I am happy and we are closer to Done.

IMHO: we have more than enough good GM w/ familiarity with enough systems to cover stats for everything from 1e ADnD to Palladium to whatever, with the buyer getting the option to download any and all of the supplements in addition to the book proper. The only problem with stats comes in when we get to plots... Plots /need/ to be balanced properly, and then, depending on the system, need to take account of what exactly a wizard can do at that level.