The Art of Game Creation

[Sart]

I've been thinking about making a Rithmatist Elimination game. We've got the perfect antagonist with the Forgotten (the chalklings who possess people) However, I've never run one of these before, so I have no idea if it would be balanced. Here's what I'm thinking:

 

Setting: You are in a group of Rithmatists, battling wild chalklings in Nebrask. However, it appears some of your battalion actually supports the chalklings, and are secretly trying to sabotage the mission.

 

Rithmatics: Almost everyone has access to these powers. Each night cycle, you may do one of the following. However, you may not repeat the same action the following two nights.

• Line of Forbiddance: You are protected from any actions on you tonight, unless this is destroyed.
• Line of Vigor: Cancel a player's night action. This move will destroy Lines of Forbiddance.
• Line of Making: You create a chalkling, to spy on another player. You will be informed of their night actions, as long as there isn't a Line of Forbiddance.
• Line of Warding: The camp gains one defense (See below)
• Line of Revocation: Kill a target player, as long as they aren't protected by a Line of Forbiddance. Note: This is only for Rithmatic Scholars.

Defense: Your camp is constantly under siege by wild chalklings. If you aren't careful your camp could be overrun. Every night, the strength of the chalklings is determined by a random dice-roll (1-6) The camp automatically has one defense, and Lines of Warding increase it by one for that night. If the chalklings outnumber your defenses, they will kill a random person on your squad. Try not to let that happen.

 

Other roles:

• Rithmatic Scholar: You know of 2 new Rithmatic lines, making you a formidable foe. You can use Lines of Revocation in place of your other lines. Furthermore, you can use Lines of Silencing each day to nullify a target players vote.
• The Forgotten: You command the wild chalklings, and you win once you outnumber the good-guys. Every night, instead of using Rithmatics, one of you can kill a target player, as long as they don't have a line of forbiddance. Of course, you have access to a Google Doc to formulate plans.
• Bucket of Acid: This is a one time use object. During the night, you can use it in addition to your Rithmatics. You can use it two ways. Either, it gives the camp one defense for the night, or it can be used to kill a target player (This ignores lines of forbiddance). You can get more acid by entering a lottery as your night action. However, this action replaces using Rithmatics.
• Non-Rithmatist: You can't use any Rithmatics.  However, you start the game with a free bucket of acid.

 

That's all I've got so far. Let me know if you think it is balanced or not.

[Rubix]

Hey everyone,

 

Effective immediately, site reputation is forbidden from being used IN ANY WAY as a game mechanic (extra votes, currency, etc.). We feel that this would only encourage reputation abuse, as well as skew the participants reputation (for better or worse) as a result of their participation.

 

If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

 

-Rubix

[A Joe in the Bush]

There goes one of My Ideas. Thanks for the Clarification Rubix.

[Tulir]

That Rithmatist game looks pretty good, but there is one problem I spot immediately.

 

Defense: Your camp is constantly under siege by wild chalklings. If you aren't careful your camp could be overrun. Every night, the strength of the chalklings is determined by a random dice-roll (1-6) The camp automatically has one defense, and Lines of Warding increase it by one for that night. If the chalklings outnumber your defenses, they will kill a random person on your squad. Try not to let that happen.

 

If a small number of people add to the defense the first night, then a death is almost certain.  But then late game, it will be almost impossible for the chalklings to get in.  I feel like a scaling system would be better, unless that is exactly what you were aiming for.

[little wilson]

That Rithmatist game looks pretty good, but there is one problem I spot immediately.

If a small number of people add to the defense the first night, then a death is almost certain.  But then late game, it will be almost impossible for the chalklings to get in.  I feel like a scaling system would be better, unless that is exactly what you were aiming for.

 

I read it more as the Lines of Warding are something that need to be done nightly. So they'd be more likely to keep themselves protected early on (assuming they have about 4-5 people creating Lines of Warding), but late-game, in order to have the same protection, they'll be sacrificing other moves. Which could be a problem with balance, making it a lot harder later in the game to win. So in that case, a scaling system wouldn't be bad. Maybe rolling a dice based more around the number of Rithmatists in the game? Even if it starts out as higher than a d6 (like maybe a d10) and then ending closer to a d4 (if the players get low enough). That random extra killing would be pretty damaging if you don't have the players to make the Wardings.

[Sart]

I read it more as the Lines of Warding are something that need to be done nightly. So they'd be more likely to keep themselves protected early on (assuming they have about 4-5 people creating Lines of Warding), but late-game, in order to have the same protection, they'll be sacrificing other moves. Which could be a problem with balance, making it a lot harder later in the game to win. So in that case, a scaling system wouldn't be bad. Maybe rolling a dice based more around the number of Rithmatists in the game? Even if it starts out as higher than a d6 (like maybe a d10) and then ending closer to a d4 (if the players get low enough). That random extra killing would be pretty damaging if you don't have the players to make the Wardings.

 

Sorry if that wasn't clear enough. Lines of Warding only work for one night, so the chalklings get more dangerous as the game goes on. However, I can see your point about them getting too strong late game. What if the max power of the chalklings was equal to the number of Forgotten? So, if the game starts with twenty people, and four are Forgotten, the chalklings power would be from 0 to 4. That would make them really weak at the beginning (as they should be, since the characters are part of the military), but as the game progresses, they start to get more dangerous. However, they won't get out of hand if people start killing bad guys. Would that work better?

[A Joe in the Bush]

Yes. 

 

Also, you didn't put the Line of Silence in the Rithamantics section.

[Sart]

Yes. 

 

Also, you didn't put the Line of Silence in the Rithamantics section.

 

That was on purpose, since it does not take the place of a night action. I thought about including it, but decided against it for clarity of rules, even though it is technically Rithmatics.

[Gamma Fiend]

Ok, so a quick heads-up, after Maill's game ends and while Rubix's Quick Fix will be going, due to another slight GM list modification, my game will be next! While I really wanted to try and run my Flaring Metals Mistborn game, I think the Wheel of Time set-up I had will still work very well.

I know it's not much different from the few times I put it up here, but here is the Final List of Roles in the game.

Villager:A regular, vanilla character. Who needs powers to be a hero?

Darkfriend: A group of dedicated servants of evil. You and your small group have been given orders to infiltrate and destroy this town from the inside out. You get to conspire in a secret Doc with the other Darkfriends and the Forsaken. **They also have special rules if Corrupted.

Forsaken: The Leader of the Darkfriends.Get to conspire with them in a Doc. When Viewed shows up as a 'Villager', or they can perform an additional Night Kill for the Darkfriends. If they perform the extra night kill, their actions can be Tracked the next day and any Viewings on them the night they perform the kill will reveal them as 'Forsaken'. Can not be Corrupted by Padan Fain.

Wisdom: Has honed the powers of saving people to almost an instinct. Can target somebody once per night and protect them from one Night Kill. Can not target self.

Wolfbrother: You feel the call of the Moon and your nocturnal brethren. Can target somebody to Hunt and Kill once per night.

Viewer: Can see images and auras around people. Once per night can target somebody and find out their Role and Alignment

Thief-taker: You can smell evil and find out past crimes. During the Day Cycle, you can target somebody and at the beginning of the next Night Cycle, you will find out who, if anybody, they targeted the Night Before.

Whitecloak: As a Child of the Light, it is your duty to root out criminals. Once per night you can Detain a target. This prevents any Night Actions performed against the target, and prevents the target from performing any Night Actions. Can not target self.

Dreamwalker: You have mastered the World of Dreams. At night you can submit an anonymous message for the GM to post in the write-up. As long as you live players can send PM's.

Aiel-blooded: You may not look it, but you have hardened Aiel blood in your veins. You can survive one lynching or Night kill. Your role will be revealed in the write-up, but not your alignment.

Chaneller: A wildling user of the One Power. Once you use all 5 weaves you becomes Burned Out and show up as a regular Villager.

Air- Hands of Air protect a target from Night Kill. Not yourself

Fire – Hurl a Fireball at target, performing a Night Kill.

Water –  Cast Mask of Mirrors on a target at night, making them Untargetable for the Night.

Earth – Use Earth to harden your skin, allowing you to negate any one possible Night Kill against you.

Spirit – Lash out at somebody with a weave of Spirit, Role-Blocking their Night Action.

Padan Fain: You carry with you the Taint of Shadar Logath. You can Corrupt up to X number of players throughout the game. (X based off of number of players) Corrupted players have their own Doc to communicate in. Padan Fain can not Corrupt the Forsaken, if they target them the action will appear to be Role-blocked.

Fain also shows up as a regular villager when scanned. He’s tricky like that.

*When players get Corrupted, they lose their Role and become a Vanilla Player

**Darkfriends that get Corrupted are capable of winning as either a Darkfriend or a Corrupted.

Town Mayor: During the day, the town can hold public elections to elect a Town Mayor. The Mayor's vote counts for two towards the lynch. They stay Mayor until a new one is elected or they die.

Dragon's Fang: At night, all of the players without Power Roles (Vanilla villagers and vanilla Darkfriends) can send in orders to scrawl a Dragon's Fang on a players door. The player with the most votes for a Dragon's Fang has it appear on their door in the write-up. If there is a tie, no Dragon Fang gets scrawled on any doors.

A villager with a Dragon Fang scrawled on their door has an automatic extra vote tallied onto any other votes for them at the results of the lynching.




Villagers win if they eliminate all of the Darkfriends and Corrupted. Darkfriends win if they outnumber the other players. The Corrupted and Padan Fain win if they outnumber the other players.

So how does that look to everybody? Is this some sort of set-up most of you would be willing to play? I know there might be a good amount of players who haven't actually read WoT or not, so I'll be keeping most of the game material confined to the first few books, and all RP can be as vague as you want it to be.
 

[Tulir]

That looks like a very fun game.  I definitely would be willing to play it, and like you said, if people haven't read all the books they will be fine.  The rules for Padan Fain are very well thought out, so nice job there.

[Gamma Fiend]

Thank you! I must say, some credit must go to Meta, as well. He helped me hash out and tweak some of those final Padan Fain rules last night. But I think this will be a great game to run for my first time. Really looking forward to it!

[Wyrmhero]

So, I couldn't resist making a more complicated version of the Mistborn games...
 
Mistborn: House War Rules
 
General Rules
Skaa have infiltrated the Noble Houses of Luthadel, and The Lord Ruler has decided to allow the nobility to redeem themselves in his eyes for allowing this to happen by letting them root them out and send them to his Inquisitors. The game starts on Day 1.

 

While the main objective is to kill all the opposing side, that doesn't mean it's the objective that will necessarily be followed. The presence of the skaa is a good excuse for a House War to flare up, and the House that comes out on top will be in a very strong position...
 
Each day there will be a lynch, and each night a character may make two actions - One of which is a metal use, the other is a special action. All characters will have one of the eight metals as a role or be a Mistborn. The Tineye is the only way for PMs to be used.
 
Characters may also become injured over the course of the game: Injured characters make one less action the next night (they may choose which to forgo) and have a 50% chance for their vote to be ignored the next day. If they are injured again, they die. The injury otherwise heals after the next night.

 

Night actions occur in the following order: Voting Manipulation, House Powers, Protection, Information, Attacks. Voting Manipulation actions occur during the day cycle, while all others happen at night. All abilities occur simultaneously during their priority step, though in some cases randomness may decide the specific order of kills.

Victory Conditions
The Skaa win if they outnumber all the Nobles. The Nobles win if they kill all the Skaa - if you can really call that a win. As befits the nobility of The Final Empire, each House has the secondary objective of being the most populous House at the end of the game.
 

Skaa
Skaa Mistings (and possibly even Mistborn) have infiltrated the Houses, and plan to destabilise them from within and cause a devastating House War. They get their own Google document to write in as well. While a skaa may reveal themselves, they may not reveal the identities of the other Skaa. One of them may use a Skaa Kill Action as their special action each night. A person who is killed by Skaa with that kill action will be revealed as Noble.

 

If a Skaa ever becomes in charge of a House, they may use a special action to destroy any House Power that their House is able to use. This will not be noted in the writeup, though the next player who would have obtained that House Power will find out that it has been destroyed. They will not find out what that House power does. This counts as a House Power action.
 
Day Voting
Every day, the players vote for a character to be sent to the Inquisition to be interrogated. Their alignment, powers and House will be revealed on death. Votes are not secret. In addition, a character who is sent to the Inquisitors cannot use their powers to save themselves.
 
Night Deaths
Other than the results of a lynch, only Skaa Kill actions reveal the alignment of the player; Coinshot kills and injuring an already-injured player with a metal or House Power only reveals the powers and House. Only deaths will be revealed;  injuries caused in the night are hushed up.

 

Houses
Each player secretly belongs to one of the noble Houses (canon or not) in Luthadel, each with their own Google document to plot on. The Houses will generally have around 4-5 people. One of these people is chosen to be the Lord of the House, and is known publicly to all the players as well as to which House they belong to. The House Lord is not a safe role. On the first cycle a House Lord is in command of a House or when their heir dies, they must send in who they have chosen from their House to be Lord in the event of their death, via PM. If there is no heir, or the heir dies at the same time as the Lord of the House, then one is chosen at random. Heirs may be changed once after this initial choice via a PM.
 
Each House has an associated power, which can be used as a special action by the Lord of the House (and only them). The House power is secret information. These actions sometimes require a target, but are all activated, and each can only be used once a night. Whenever a House is killed off, if a noble finished the last player off then their House gains that House power. If a Skaa kill action was responsible, then the power is lost. Currently, they include:

• Loyal Terrisman - At each House ball, the stewards go off to gossip and talk about their masters. Usually this sort of thing gives very little useful information, but you treat your steward well enough that he feels duty-bound to check information carefully or to lie to his peers. As such, this power allows you to spread a single lie about any player (upgraded [Lie] action), or guarantee the information received with this action is true (upgraded [Truth] action. Information must still be given as per normal).
• Weaponry - The House empowers a player with its superior weaponry, and upgrades an action. Steel attacks with this action kill rather than wound. If the player uses a Skaa Kill Action, a random player in the household is injured in addition to that kill. If a Skaa Coinshot uses both actions, both will be upgraded accordingly.
• Hazekillers - The House employs the best Hazekillers known to mankind, and reduces the damage from an attack action on a targeted player down by one level. Can only be used on members of your own House.
• Blanket Sooth - The House employs Soothers from a branch family, and can place their Soothers outside one of the other Houses overnight. If they do, a random metal action by a player in that House is negated this cycle. The player will know that they were Soothed after their action is stopped.
• Metal Poisoning - The House bribes the metallurgists in the city to produce substandard metals. The Lord of the House names a metal when using this ability, and the metal is announced publicly the next day cycle. The following night, any player who used that metal in that day's full cycle becomes injured regardless of protection, after all actions have taken place. Previously injured players do not die from this. The same metal cannot be chosen twice. When all metals have been chosen, this House power is no longer usable, even if another player or House gains control of it.
• Obligation - The House employs their good relations with the Canton of Finance to create a contract with a player and force them into an action. The House asks them a question with an answer of 'yes', 'no', 'myself', or the name of a player or House. That player (and that player alone) must abide by the answer they give, if possible. If they do not, or they do not answer within the first 24 hours of the next day cycle, then they may not take any action related to that question.
• Genealogy - The House may use their lower-level contacts in the Canton of Inquisition to check the credentials of a noble, living or dead. The clerks will then report back on whether they are noble or Skaa in a discrete manner without informing the Inquisitors themselves.
• Broad Investments - The House has its fingers in so many pies that it may actually use the other House powers. However, each power used this way may only be used once per game. One the each has been utilised once, then this House power is no longer usable, even if another player or House gains control of it. If this House uses the Metal Poisoning power during the same cycle as another House, the abilities do not stack if the same metal is chosen.

 
Informants
Each night cycle, the players may visit an informant in the city as a special action. All information is added to the pool at the same time and then information is drawn out afterwards for all players at the same time. This is an Information action.

• Informant [Truth]

A player may offer up information which is true about themselves of a game-relevant nature, and that information is added to the general pool of knowledge. Knowledge may include your own Allomantic powers (Mistborn must say that they are Mistborn), a target of yours on a previous night and the metal used on them, your House, the presence of a Kandra in your House or even your House power if you are in charge of it.
 

A player who visits the Informant may ask about two different players, and is told information about those players depending on what secrets those players have put in. If there is not enough information on a player to give the searcher new information (players cannot get repeat information, though multiple players from the same House can), then they get a fact about the player from the GM. You may ask for information on a dead player, but be aware that their Allomancy and alignment is automatically revealed on their death. You will not get any information from the GM if there is not enough information for you to receive on that player.

• Informant [Lie]

You may instead choose to pass false information to the Informant. If you do so, it will be added to the general pool as before, but you will not receive information back. Repeated or obvious information to the informant (such as visiting an Informant or multiple people giving the same House Power for a single House) counts as a lie.

 

 

Metals
Similar to previous games, the metals play an important part as one of your actions each night, and all characters will have one of these roles. There are no passive metals. A player may forgo the use of a metal action in order to use another special action. Zinc and Brass count as that cycle's actions.

• Pewter - While burning pewter, you add an extra layer of health to yourself. If you are uninjured and are attacked, you become 'partially injured'. This has no detrimental effects. If you are attacked again, you become injured as normal. When you stop burning pewter, these injuries catch up with you and have their normal effects. In addition, there is a 25% chance that any character who attacks the player becomes injured, regardless of whether the Pewterarm is injured or not. As this is not an attack action, it cannot be prevented by Iron or Hazekillers.
• Tin - Allows the character to target a player to set up a PM between them both. The PM is set up by the GM at the end of the Night cycle. This PM may be continued even if the player does not use Tin the next night.
• Iron - Protects a character from one Attack Action, such that a kill injures them instead and an injury is nullified. Cannot be used on the same player twice.
• Steel - Injures target player, or kills them if they are already injured.
• Copper - Hides the powers of themselves and another player for that night and the next day, and protects both from the effects of brass and zinc the next day.
• Bronze - Detects a character's metal if they use it this night or the next day, but not their alignment or House. If the target is Smoked, they will discover that the character didn't use a power that night. In addition, they detect any metals used on that target that night, unless the user of that metal is Smoked. Note that this includes Steel being used on that player, despite the fact that this action technically takes place before the attack.
• Brass - Soothes a vote against a player not protected by copper, cancelling it out.
• Zinc - Redirects a vote at the expense of your own. If the target is protected by copper, the entire action fails and your vote will not be lost.
• Mistborn - Each Day cycle, the Mistborn will be given a random set of paired metals. One of these metals may be used this cycle. Mistborn also start the game with one bead of atium. The first time they would die, they burn this automatically and escape injured instead (even if they were already injured). If they would be targeted by a Seeker or use an action on a Seeker's target on a Night when they used this bead of atium, they will show up as Mistborn (or the presence of a Mistborn will be given to the Seeker).

Kandra
If there is an imbalance of player numbers in each House, the remaining slots will be taken up by Kandra. Kandra may only be targeted by the Iron, Steel and Skaa roles, and thus their vote cannot be changed, and they can be injured and 'killed' like any other player. If an NPC Kandra is killed, or if they are the last member of their House, then their contract is considered complete and they are removed from the game.
 
Kandra are effectively controlled by the Lord of the House - They vote with them, effectively giving them double the vote. Their vote remains with who the Lord of the House would have voted for, even if they are soothed or rioted. Kandra do not count towards the number of people in your House at the end of the game.
 
A Kandra may be ordered, as a Lord's special action, to devour the bones of someone who died at night. The Kandra will then report an action taken by a random ally of that player that cycle and who it was used on. If a Skaa's body is devoured, the information returned may be of the other Skaa players rather than the House claimed by that body. The Kandra reports information like this until told to devour another body or removed from the game. At this point, the previous body is removed from the game. This is an Information action.
 
I've modified the Soother power to be a role-block, which I am happier with. I've also added a Mistborn jack-of-all trades House power. Thank you Gamma for the ideas. The informants are now a much more... personal experience.

 

Mistborn and Seekers have been changed a lot now, and I'm rather pleased with this incarnation for both of them.

 

Pewters have a slightly different form - They now are a lot more different to the Iron/Hazekiller powers, and act quite like they do in the novels with regards to their injuries.

Edited July 8, 2014 by Wyrmhero

[Gamma Fiend]

Very nice! That looks like it'd be a very fun game to play.

Does the Lord of the House's House Action count as that person's Night Action?

Maybe have one of the House's Powers be a Role-block type ability? I was going to suggest having the House Power ability be like a Jack-of-all-Trades type role, where all the Houses start off with multiple possible different actions to use, and they can only use each one once, and once they use all of them they're out. So it gives some sort of more diversity in what the Lord of the House can do each night. But, since book-wise, each Noble Family does have it's own, unique specialty so that does work out well how you have it set-up.

Is the Kandra just dependent on the number of players, and will they be informed at the start of the game if they're in the game or not? And can there be multiple Kandra? (You could of course RAFO this, if you're trying to keep it a surprise)

[Metacognition]

Hmmmm... The idea of a imbalance of players (or giving houses a few less players) to even possibly hint at the idea of Kandra being available could be amazing. They could be a faction of themselves with a win condition that they all survive (they would know who each other are, obviously). 

 

That might make the House Lord a bit too powerful against them (since they'd be able to basically seek them out), but it's still a neat idea if/when you decide to tweak things. 

[Wyrmhero]

Very nice! That looks like it'd be a very fun game to play.

Does the Lord of the House's House Action count as that person's Night Action?

Maybe have one of the House's Powers be a Role-block type ability? I was going to suggest having the House Power ability be like a Jack-of-all-Trades type role, where all the Houses start off with multiple possible different actions to use, and they can only use each one once, and once they use all of them they're out. So it gives some sort of more diversity in what the Lord of the House can do each night. But, since book-wise, each Noble Family does have it's own, unique specialty so that does work out well how you have it set-up.

Is the Kandra just dependent on the number of players, and will they be informed at the start of the game if they're in the game or not? And can there be multiple Kandra? (You could of course RAFO this, if you're trying to keep it a surprise)

 

The Lord of the House's action counts as their second, non-metal action that night, yeah. I forgot to mention that I was considering that if a noble House finishes off another House's last players, then they get that House's power (if a Skaa does it, the power disappears). Just to encourage the culling of the weak as happens in the books.

 

I had thought of a jack-of-all trades thing, which'd be (ironically) similar to the Mistborn roles in previous games - A random House power each night from the list. Would probably show a house that's incredibly broad in where it invests.

 

While I remember, another idea I had was a third Informant action, which would be to leave a message for another House there, similar to the Death Rattles and the Ghost Tweets of the current and last game. A single 140 character message that the receiving House must collect.

 

The idea of Kandra was that they're an NPC role which is used to effectively make up the numbers and give each House the same number of people. So if, for instance, there were 31 players, there would probably be 7 Houses of four players, and 1 House with three and a Kandra. As such, their existence would be known as they would need to be on the player list so they could be targeted.

 

Kandra could indeed be a normal, non-NPC role though. In which case, they'd have their own vote, could be targeted with every ability, and have their own two actions, with their 'metal' power being a Blessing. As a special action, they could then devour some Night kill's body and go around snooping. ...I think that in the write-up for votes, I'd have to make them vote as the dead person

• Blessing of Potency - Similar to Pewter, but does not injure someone when attacked.
• Blessing of Awareness - May target a player and you know all actions performed on them that night.
• Blessing of Stability - Your votes cannot be Rioted or Soothed.
• Blessing of Presence - I can't think of anything at the moment. Suggestions for 'increased mental capability'?

So this gives them rather different powers from Metals. But they were meant to be a 'filler' NPC role. It could work with them, certainly, but I don't know if I'd give them the role of survival per se. Perhaps have them be unkillable, their contract stolen with the death of a House, and their goal is to work for as many Houses as possible?

 

EDIT: That actually would be poor gameplay. It's a sensible goal for the Kandra, and one which fits with the books, but it would lead to them betraying their Houses as soon as possible to switch contracts, which is entirely against the point of the Kandra. As such, I'm nixing that idea.

 

A 'dead' Kandra could probably lose the use of their current body, come to think of it. They'd be unable to vote until they got a new one the next night (or however long it took). Thoughts on that?

Edited June 5, 2014 by Wyrmhero

[Peng the Just]

I present for your consideration, the rules for Hunger games elimination!

these rules will contain spoilers for The Hunger Games, but probably not any of the sequels

this game will need exactly 24 players (a male and a female tribute from each district.) when you sign up, simply claim an unclaimed tribute spot. (e.g. "male from district 8")

 

Day 1: The cornucopia.

 

for each player's day one action, they will simply say whether or not they want to go for the cornucopia. There will be nine items in the cornucopia. If exactly nine players choose to go for the cornucopia, they each get one random item. If more than nine players choose to go for it, nine, chosen at random, will get random items, and the rest will die in the bloodbath. If fewer than nine players go for the cornucopia, the items will be divided up among however many there are, meaning that some players will get multiple items.

 

The Items

1X bow

2X medical kit

3X throwing knives

1X Nightlock

1X Canteen

1X body armor

 

The bow: If you have the bow, your attacks always successful. Also, if you have the bow, your attacks happen before normal attacks (but still after knife/nightlock attacks) See "attacking" and "throwing knives" below.

Medical Kit: If you have the medical kit and would die, you can use the medical kit to heal from your wounds and continue on. The medical kit is used up in the process.

Throwing Knives: Are used to kill people. If you throw your knife at someone, they die. The knife gets lost once it is thrown. The knife can be used in addition to your normal attack. Knife attacks happen before normal attacks. See "attacking" below.

Nightlock: Can be used to poison someone. This functions the same as throwing knives when used to poison someone. However, nightlock does have an additional use: If there are only two players remaining and one of them has nightlock, they can both win.

Canteen: If you have the canteen, you are immune to the effects of dehydration. See "dehydration" below.

Body armor: Helps protect you. It counts as if there was always an extra person defending you.

 

Days 2-∞

All days after day one, your action will be simple: Attack ___ or Defend ____

 

Attacking: Simply choose someone to attack. Anyone who has more people attacking them than defending them will die.

the items they hold will be divided up among the attackers.

Defending: Simply choose someone to defend. You can (and probably most often will) defend yourself. Defending does not protect from the bow, nightlock, or throwing knives.

Dehydration: If no one dies during a cycle, the Game Makers get bored and cut off the water supply, making two random tributes die from thirst.

 

Endgame:

If all remaining tributes would die during the same cycle (if, for example, there are two tributes remaining, and they attack each other at the same time) the winner is selected from them at random. I am open to suggestions on other ways to handle this part.

 

That's the core of the rules!

a couple additional notes:

PMs are allowed, and it is expected that most of the alliance forming will happen there. The thread will mostly be for roleplay, or if anyone wants to make a public announcement.

Alliances are expected, but cannot last forever. Don't harbor hard feelings if you get betrayed.

Who attacks who will be revealed in the write up.

I'm also thinking of adding a "star crossed lover" mechanic, where you win if the other tribute from you district wins, but lose if they die, even if you are the last one still alive.

feedback I want:

better way to handle the endgame

what you think of the star crossed lover mechanic.

would you be interested in playing a game like this?

Edited June 5, 2014 by jasonpenguin

[A Joe in the Bush]

This isn't really Elimination. This is Hunger games. If we voted who gets killed, then it would be Hunger games Elimination.

 

As for the Cornicopia, If you don't go, it's too unlikely that you'll win. So most people will go, and only half the players will be left for day 2. Instead, have one person killed per Item gained by another player.  (EDIT:) Have Day one be the Only time you can start a PM Alliance with someone. If you go for an Item, you can't Ally with Someone. If you don't, you can talk to up to two people!

 

24 Players: No. That just doesn't work, there will be too many, or too little. Instead, just have the same amount of Districts as half of the Players, if there's a District without a Player, then it's assumed that their partner died in the Bloodbath, ensuring they get an Item. Also make it so that you can't kill your district buddy until day 4 or so. Or until there's half of the players remaining.

 

Star Crossed Lovers: They count as one person, with two actions. so a defense action protects both of them. This allows them to attack and defend. But if one Dies, the Other nightlocks themselves. If they're the last two remaining, they suffer a bitter, bitter breakup, probably with Insults and Screaming, and go into Endgame. Or they automatically start with Nightlock.

 

Endgame: Whoever has the most Successful Kills/Defenses gets a (What are the Parachute things called?) and kills the Other, With a Shotgun. Or, They each Get 3 new Weapons. A Rock (Rock), a Net (Paper), and a Shotgun (Scissors). The Rock can destroy the Other's Shotgun, and then Kill them, the Net trapps the Person with the Rock, and kills them. The Shotgun Kills the Person with the Net.

Edited June 5, 2014 by Hello. My name is Joe

[Peng the Just]

Endgame: Whoever has the most Successful Kills/Defenses gets a (What are the Parachute things called?) and kills the Other, With a Shotgun.

I really like this. It make sense flavor wise (whoever won the most fights impressed the sponsors) and it encourages violence.

 

 

Star Crossed Lovers: They count as one person, with two actions. so a defense action protects both of them. This allows them to attack and defend. But if one Dies, the Other nightlocks themselves. If they're the last two remaining, they suffer a bitter, bitter breakup, probably with Insults and Screaming, and go into Endgame. Or they automatically start with Nightlock.

 

I like that. It would be an assigned role, and they could start with nightlock.

 

24 Players: No. That just doesn't work, there will be too many, or too little. Instead, just have the same amount of Districts as half of the Players, if there's a District without a Player, then it's assumed that their partner died in the Bloodbath, ensuring they get an Item. Also make it so that you can't kill your district buddy until day 4 or so. Or until there's half of the players remaining.

It would be best to have 24 players, but I can edit the game like that if more or less want to play

 

As for the Cornicopia, If you don't go, it's too unlikely that you'll win. So most people will go, and only half the players will be left for day 2.

If you don't go, then you can always kill someone who went and take their items. And I am completely fine with half the players dying day 1. It is designed to be a very quick game.

 

Thanks so much for your feedback, Joe!

Edited June 5, 2014 by jasonpenguin

[A Joe in the Bush]

If you don't go, then you can always kill someone who went and take their items. And I am completely fine with half the players dying day 1. It is designed to be a very quick game.

 

Thanks so much for your feedback, Joe!

 

Oh, you take items by Killing People? That wasn't Actually in the Rules. I was assuming the Items were broken on Death. Nevermind then. And you're welcome! (In Payment, I get the Bow if we Play. (This is non-negotiable))

[Peng the Just]

Oh, you take items by Killing People? That wasn't Actually in the Rules.

I edited it in relatively recently.

 

 And you're welcome! (In Payment, I get the Bow if we Play. (This is non-negotiable))

... how about two upvotes?

[A Joe in the Bush]

. . . Make it Three. (That's how many I gave you after all.)

 

EDIT: this might work better as a Quick Fix.

Edited June 5, 2014 by Hello. My name is Joe

[Peng the Just]

 this might work better as a Quick Fix.

that's the plan . it's not long enough or complex enough to be a full game.

[Macen]

Gamma, Meta, Wilson. Is there any chance we could make "The Art of Creating a Role" a subforrum? I think it would be easier for organization of the different ideas and making sure we keep them separated.

[Gamma Fiend]

A sub-forum sub-forum?! That's some Inception level stuff right there.

I think that would actually be a question for the Admins. O.o

[little wilson]

Yeah, I don't have the ability to do that.

 

If we were to make a subforum for it (which isn't a bad idea, since this is getting long, and it is getting a little hard to sift through), I'd want it to be more "Art of Creating a Game" rather than a role though. Since the vast majority of this is game creation, involving setting, rules, and roles, rather than just the roles themselves. Just a personal preference though.