The Art of Game Creation

[the winter system]

I'd play a game like that.

[A Joe in the Bush]

My definition of Inactive is failure to post in either the main thread of a PM in at least 2 full day/night cycles. Other GM's could define it differently.

[little wilson]

I'd say an inactive would be someone who's not posting or PMing for 2 full cycles, as well as not using their powers either. Because some people feign inactivity. This would actually be a nice way to tell players who aren't sure if someone's feigning that they actually are.

 

I'd probably add onto the whole taking-someone-from-the-spec doc idea that it work some thing similar to LG11 with the mistwraith list. So if someone doesn't want any chance of joining the game, they won't be suddenly chosen, but others who aren't certain can sign up and be chosen. That way, you could have a sort of honor system thing going where if someone in the spec doc figures out a bunch of roles because of people they're in non-game PMs with, they can take themselves off the list so as not to give one side an unfair advantage.

 

And as for the people in the spec doc. Wyrm mentioned the emails. That'd be the best way to do it. And if someone doesn't want to give out their personal email, you can easily create a side account with your user name. That's what a lot of people did for MR1, when we required emails.

 

I think this is a good idea, and it should definitely be tested. If someone hasn't done it before my MR comes up, I'll use it. I'll probably use it anyway (unless it fails terribly).

[little wilson]

So I've thought more about the idea of having spectators take over for inactives. I'm not so sure it'll actually work. Here's why:

 

Fair Play. We have rules in place about players not in the game talking strategy and other stuff with players actually in the game. The spec doc gets into strategy and suspicions and stuff. If a spectator then joins the game, even if their access to the spec doc is cut off, they've still seen what's been said, and some of that could change the outcome of the game.

 

For example, in Quick Fix 6, let's say that Wyrm hadn't confirmed the lawmen guesses. I pegged Clanky and Fel fairly early on, and my evidence against them was pretty good (particularly against Clanky). No one in the game saw the comments that I'd seen them make (or at least, they didn't pick them apart like I did). If someone in the spec doc had taken over for one of the inactives, they probably would've mentioned the things I'd said, and depending on the reaction of the active scoundrels, that could've ended with Clanky and Fel getting lynched and that would've completely changed the outcome of the game. Because of one spectator who didn't even join the game.

 

Now, I don't even really know Clanky and Fel's playstyles, so that was just mere guesswork for me. But there are players who are rather familiar with other players because of how often they've played together. Players like Wyrm and Kas, Maill and Joe, etc. Players who can make a very educated guess about what alignment the other is because of that familiarity. Any spectator added to the game after that would have more reason to go after that player based on those comments.

 

 

This isn't to say that I think this is a terrible idea. I like the idea of finding some way of replacing the inactives, since the GM balances the role/faction distribution based on the number of players who have signed up and and that balance can get seriously tweaked when a couple of those players go inactive (particularly since those inactives are most often villagers). It gets even worse when those inactives have important roles. Inactives happen. That's just a fact of the game. Most of the quicker games have a built in mechanic to take care of the inactives, but the longer games lack that, and I've never been a fan of the killing roles killing off the inactives. I know other players like that idea, using the idea that it gives the eliminators less places to hide, but for every example they can give of an eliminator hiding among the inactives, I can give at least 10 more examples of the inactives being villagers per one of the "inactive" being an eliminator. Hence, I think finding something to replace the inactives in the longer games would be good, if only to keep the balance the GM used, but I don't think taking from the spec doc is it.

[Kasimir]

Hmm. For fanwork exchanges, I'm given to understand there's normally a cadre of pinch-hitters: people who aren't immediately keen on signing up, or missed the deadline, but have no issues with signing up to 'pinch-hit' so if someone drops out or goes inactive, they fill in the hole.

 

What if we did something like that instead? So they don't go into the actual gameplay list, but they sign up as pinch-hitters, and because of that, don't sign up for the spec doc? [One of the groups I'm thinking of who might be interested in pinch-hitting are people who want a break but don't mind filling in for a short while in mid-game or so, or in the same light--some of the occasional people who miss a deadline but would like to play anyway.] Perhaps it wouldn't be a very long list. But it might be worth a shot.

[little wilson]

Hmm. For fanwork exchanges, I'm given to understand there's normally a cadre of pinch-hitters: people who aren't immediately keen on signing up, or missed the deadline, but have no issues with signing up to 'pinch-hit' so if someone drops out or goes inactive, they fill in the hole.

 

What if we did something like that instead? So they don't go into the actual gameplay list, but they sign up as pinch-hitters, and because of that, don't sign up for the spec doc? [One of the groups I'm thinking of who might be interested in pinch-hitting are people who want a break but don't mind filling in for a short while in mid-game or so, or in the same light--some of the occasional people who miss a deadline but would like to play anyway.] Perhaps it wouldn't be a very long list. But it might be worth a shot.

 

That's one of the things I was sort of thinking about. A short list of people aren't in the spec doc and stay out of game discussion for that purpose. It's the only thing I can really think of that would take care of the problem without adding a whole new set of problems along with it. And I'm guessing the pinch-hitter would be added to any and all PMs the inactive was a part of (assuming they were in any), just to keep the information on that role flowing.

[A Joe in the Bush]

In every game there are usually a few people who are roleless, just normal vanilla's. What if we transferred an inactive's role to them?

[little wilson]

In every game there are usually a few people who are roleless, just normal vanilla's. What if we transferred an inactive's role to them?

 

That would work. And then if a game doesn't have any regular villagers, they could try the pinch-hitters (if they want to try anything). That's probably what I'll try for my MR, since everyone will have roles in that game.

[Mailliw73]

Here's my idea for Rioters that I accidentally put in the wrong thread:

 

I've been thinking about the Rioter role and have an idea. I thought I'd post it here for you guys to use if you wish. I've never really liked how the typical Rioter role works. Rioting doesn't change someone's emotions, it enhances them, and it doesn't remove the Rioter's emotions. So my idea was that the Rioter would cause someone's vote to be counted as double instead of changed. Another idea is that the Rioter could choose which type of Rioting they wanted to do: Enhancing someone's emotions or tweaking them. Either way, I don't see why their vote should be lost. Just an idea if you want it.

[Zas678]

Okay, I'm in. How do I gain access to the spec doc? At least till the next game starts up (although I just missed the MR game).

[the winter system]

You want the spec doc for the current game? Or something else?

[Herowannabe]

Hmm. For fanwork exchanges, I'm given to understand there's normally a cadre of pinch-hitters: people who aren't immediately keen on signing up, or missed the deadline, but have no issues with signing up to 'pinch-hit' so if someone drops out or goes inactive, they fill in the hole.

What if we did something like that instead? So they don't go into the actual gameplay list, but they sign up as pinch-hitters, and because of that, don't sign up for the spec doc? [One of the groups I'm thinking of who might be interested in pinch-hitting are people who want a break but don't mind filling in for a short while in mid-game or so, or in the same light--some of the occasional people who miss a deadline but would like to play anyway.] Perhaps it wouldn't be a very long list. But it might be worth a shot.

That's exactly what I was going to suggest, Kas. I think this would work just fine, and I like Wilson's added suggestion too, that any pinch hitters who get put into play get added in to any communications that have taken place.

Seeing that I'm up for my Elantris game next, I'll give it a shot and we'll see how it works.

[Wyrmhero]

This idea has been on my mind for a while, no real reason why other than rereading the series. It's a simple game, but with a small temporal twist. It also brings back the Naive Cop Role, which is something I'd like to see a bit more.

 

Sandman: Endless Nights (MR)

 

Everything that is, has a beginning. This is true of all things that are, even the Endless. Destiny, Death, Dream, Destruction, Desire, Despair and Delirium, each are a facet of reality, a creation born of the forces of the world and the consciousness of the universe. They are older than almost all things in Creation, and they will last until the end of it. They cannot truly die, for how can you kill a concept? Another aspect merely takes its place.

 

Dream, also known as Morpheus, has many titles, and is said to accumulate them as others would friends. His is the realm of dreams, and also stories, magic, and hope. He creates both the dreams and nightmares that all living beings experience, populating The Dreaming with them, while he sits in his castle as lord and master of his realm. Morpheus takes great pain to ensure the smooth running of the dreams of mortals, and is meticulous in his duty, seeing it as the entire reason for his existence.

 

Which just makes it stranger that he has gone missing.

 

Without him, dreams will still mostly continue as they should, though oddities may arise here and there. But the problem is not with mortals, but with the beings that make up The Dreaming. Without their ruler, their core, the people start to unravel at the seams. Dreams have been abandoning their posts, realising that without anyone to command them, they have little reason to actually be here.

 

All this would be acceptable, if not pleasing, if it weren't for the Nightmares. They were created by Morpheus to be cruel, to be the evil in the hearts of dreamers. They are not evil in themselves, though with their leash removed, such thoughts are bubbling to the surface. No longer do they want to hold themselves back, to inflict only minor discomforts on their victims. Now they want true freedom, and they will kill any Dream that stands in their way.

 

General Rules

 

The game is more-or-less a standard Elimination Game. Most normal rules apply. The Eliminators win when they outnumber the Village, and the Village wins if there are no Eliminators remaining in the game. Players may have a Dream Aspect in addition to their Alignment of being a Dream or Nightmare. There may be more than one of any Dream Aspect.

 

However, the Dreaming is an odd place, and time is malleable in the dreamscape. As such, Night Turns do not necessarily follow Day Turns, or vice versa. At the end of each Turn, a coin will be flipped to determine the nature of the next Turn. Days and Nights are two days each in length.

 

Dream Aspects

• The Raven - A symbol of wisdom and of death. The Raven visits the dead doc every Turn, ferrying messages back and forth. Each Day, The Raven may send a message to the dead of 140 characters or less. The dead may send a message to The Raven(s) each Night, of the same maximum size.
• The Genius Loci - An intelligent land, a heart of the Dreaming, anthropomorphised. The Genius Loci is very difficult to kill. They require two deaths to die fully. The first time they die, their Role is revealed.
• The Guardian - The Guardian is a defender of Dreams and dreamers. The Guardian may protect a player each Night from attack. If that player is attacked during that Night, they survive the first attack.
• The Cain - The first murderer. Each Night, your action is automatically used to kill your brother, Abel. You also bear the Mark of Cain on your forehead, a warning and a promise of retribution to any who dare slay you - Any player that kills you will also die. This mark lasts even if your brother dies. You know who your brother is at the start of the game, and if one of you wins as Nightmare, then you both win.
• The Abel - The first murder victim. Each Night, you will be killed by your brother, Cain, and then brought back to life the next Turn as if nothing happened, without anyone being told that you were killed. If another player kills you, however, you die as normal. You know who your brother is at the start of the game, and if one of you wins as Nightmare, then you both win. Your bumbling personality means you can coax information out of people. Each Day, you discover the Alignment of a person you voted for.
• The Dark Mirror - While you are closer to being a Nightmare than a benign Dream, you are still an adherent to the laws of Morpheus. It gives you a measure of sanity, but you are still willing to do the things other Dreams are not. You may kill a player each Night Turn.
• The Janitor - Yours is the job of reshaping the Dreaming according to the whims of Dreamers. During each Turn, you may choose Day or Night. The probability that the next Turn will be the one that you chose is increased by a flat 10%. While a Janitor is alive, messages may be sent between players without restriction.
• The Librarian - While not as prophetic as Destiny's tome, the books you take care of have every possible tale ever thought up within them, You may use this to find information out about a player, discovering their Alignment each Night.
• The Foolish Librarian - You just keep looking in the wrong places. All players you try to discover the Alignment of will show as 'Dreams'. You do not know you are the Foolish Librarian.

Edited May 3, 2015 by Wyrmhero

[Herowannabe]

Happy Star Wars Day everyone! May the 4th be with you!

So with all the hype over Star Wars Episode VII it got that creative bug stirred up in my mind, and I came up with another rule set I want to try out. We've had a few non-Sanderson games so far, and have a few more lined up, so hopefully people will be accepting of (and interested in) a Star Wars themed game. If this gets a good enough reception, I'd like to officially add my name to the Mid-Range Games GM list. Hopefully the timing can work out such that I'll be GMing this game around the time that episode VII hits theaters.

Anyway, here it is:

Star Wars Elimination Game Rules

Setting

The obvious choice for a Star Wars elimination game was to set it in the Jedi Temple with Jedi and Sith factions competing against each other…but that just seems cliché so I did something different (don't worry, if you're hoping for some good jedi/sith interactions- that possibility does exist in this game). Instead all the players are members of the infamous Rogue squadron during the period immediately following the destruction of the Second Death Star. The Empire, made painfully aware of the destructive capabilities of the rebel starfighters, has infiltrated the squadron with a few of its saboteurs. The Empire Saboteurs are attempting to bring the squadron down, while the rest of the squadron must find and eliminate the Saboteurs.

The players will be divided into 2 groups- Pilots and Droids- and will be assigned to ships in pairs. Each ship may have 1 Pilot and 1 Droid. Some abilities in this game will target individual players, others will target ships, meaning that they can affect either player assigned to the ship, or possibly both.

Cycles

Instead of "Day" and "Night" cycles, this game will be divided into "Bay" and "Flight" cycles, respectively.

The Flight Cycles represent time spent out on missions, battling the Empire. It is during these chaotic times that the Saboteurs will spring their traps and try to eliminate the rest of the Squadron.

The Bay Cycles represent the time in between missions, with starfighters safely docked. It is during these times that players discuss and cast their votes, doing their best to root out the Saboteurs.

Factions

The Empire

As one of the Empire’s finest saboteurs, you have been given the honorable task of infiltrating the dreaded Rogue Squadron, and exacting vengeance for the destruction of the second Death Star and the death of Emperor Palpatine. It is up to you and your teammates to make the Rebel scum pay for their traitorous actions against the glorious Empire!

This is your traditional Eliminator team. During each Flight cycle they will be able to use their secret Imperial Comm Devices to communicate via the Holonet (done as a PM group in the game- please include the GM!), and may as a group target and kill one player. During the Bay cycles, they will NOT be allowed to communicate via PM- it's too risky! You might get discovered and turned in.

The Rebel Alliance

While the leaders of the Rebel Alliance are working on forming a New Republic government, the Empire is not sitting by idly. As a member of the Alliance's elite fighter squadron, you will be sent on many missions to battle against the remnants of the Empire's mighty armada. To make matters worse, the squadron has been infiltrated by the empires spies! You will have to work with your teammates and do everything you can to root out these traitors before they tear rogue squadron apart!

Every member of the squadron gets one vote during each Bay cycle. Whoever ends up with the most votes at the end of each Bay cycle will be eliminated from the game. Players will not be able to communicate via PMs freely, but it is possible to send and receive PMs during the Flight cycle (see Astromech droids below)

Roles

Note: there are no safe roles or species. Any of the roles below may be possessed by players from either faction.

During sign-up, players may choose to sign up as a pilot or as an astromech droid. There are 12 pilot spots and 12 droid slots available. Once one group is full all additional players will be assigned to the other group automatically. If more than 24 players sign up, we will alternate between pilot and droid players so that we keep the number of pilots/droids as equal as possible.

Both pilot players and droid players will be assigned their Rogue Squadron ship and number based on the order they sign up (Ie: the first pilot player to enroll and the first droid player to enroll will be paired together and assigned to Rogue 1. The second pair will be assigned to Rogue 2, and so forth).

As the game progresses and players get eliminated, we will inevitably end up with ships that only have a pilot or a droid, but not both. When this happens, a droid may transfer to a ship with a pilot and no droid if both players agree to it (they may must discuss it and agree upon it in the main thread). Pilots never transfer ships (the droids move to them). Droids may only move off a ship if they have no pilot on it. Transfers take place at the end of the cycle in which they were agreed upon.

Some roles are public roles, known to the whole group. Others are private. Unless otherwise noted, each role will be limited to 1 person.

Pilot roles:

At the time of signup you may choose a species, purely for RP purposes (with 1 notable exception, see below). If no species is specified then you will be human by default. In addition, you may end up with one of the special roles below:

Rogue Leader- public

The first player to sign up as a pilot will receive the designation Rogue 1 (to repeat, yes, this role is determined before sign ups even finish. The first player to sign up as a pilot (not a droid) gets this role!)

As Rogue Leader, your vote count as 2 during the Bay cycle. If Rogue 1 dies, Rogue 2 will automatically become Rogue Leader, and so on down the ranks.

Wookie pilot- public

The first pilot player who chooses Wookie as his species gets this role. After this role has been claimed, no other players may choose Wookie as their species. A player may not sign up to be Rogue Leader AND the Wookie, though he may become both roles throughout the course of the game.

This role has two special effects:

Unintelligible growls: your votes do not count during the Bay cycle, though you may still cast votes. (If during the course of the game the Wookie becomes Rogue Leader, his Unintelligible effect overrides the Rogue Leader’s double vote ability).

Let the Wookie Win: if you get lynched during the Bay cycle, you fly into a Wookie rage and tear the arms out of the sockets of the player that you voted for that cycle, killing that player too.

Mechanic- private

You've always been skilled at pulling things apart and putting them back together again, and can get just about any old scrap of junk working again- at least for a little while.

As a Mechanic, you may salvage the parts of any droids that have been eliminated thus far in the game, gaining a little bit of extra use out of them before they give out completely. You may target one eliminated droid each Bay cycle, and each eliminated droid may only be targeted once. If they had any special abilities, the droid equipped to your ship will get the power to use that ability ONCE- and ONCE ONLY. If the salvaged Droid did not have any special abilities then your droid will get the ability to initiate one additional PM group during any one Flight Cycle. If you salvage the Reparations Package upgrade, your droid will only be able to turn it on for 1 Flight cycle before it gives out.

If you do not currently have a droid, you may still salvage eliminated droids, holding the salvaged parts in reserve. The next droid assigned to your ship will get any and all reserve parts you have gathered.

Force Sensitive- Jedi- private

Growing up as a child, a weird old hermit lady befriended you and began teaching you the ways of the Force. Before she was able to complete your training, the Emperor's agents caught up with her and she was cut down before your eyes. You survived, and have done your best to follow the things she taught you, using your mysterious powers to protect the innocent.

In addition to your faction’s normal win conditions, you cannot win unless the Sith player has been destroyed. And as a reminder, this role can belong to either faction- the Empire or the Rebel Alliance.

You start the game with 3 “force points.”

Each Flight Cycle, you may PM the GM and target one ship to protect. If that ship’s Pilot or Droid are targeted by the Saboteurs, your powers will kick in and they will be saved from death, and you will be docked 1 force point. In addition, you will be told exactly who was targeted. When you run out of force points you may no longer use your power.

If the Sith and the Jedi both target the same ship, their powers cancel out. Neither player is docked a force point. They will be each be told who the other player is, and at the start of the Bay cycle immediately following that Flight cycle they will automatically begin a Lightsaber Duel (see below).

Force Sensitive- Sith- private

You always knew that you were special, and this fact was confirmed when the strange hooded figure stole you away from your home and family and began teaching you to use the dark powers you held. Through his guidance you learned to control and manipulate those around you. He planned to use you as a tool to increase his own power, but you proved you were nobody’s pawn when you betrayed and killed your old master. Now you have found yourself in the most elite fighter squadron in the Galaxy- just a stepping stone on the path to greater glory.

In addition to your faction’s normal win conditions, you cannot win unless the Jedi player has been destroyed. And as a reminder, this role can belong to either faction- the Empire or the Rebel Alliance.

You start the game with 3 “force points.”

Each Flight Cycle, you may PM the GM and target one ship to attack. One player aboard that ship (determined randomly) will be killed, and you will be docked 1 force point. When you run out of force points you may no longer use your power. This power cannot be blocked by the Reparations Package.

If the Sith and the Jedi both target the same ship, their powers cancel out. Neither player is docked a force point. They will be each be told who the other player is, and at the start of the Bay cycle immediately following they will automatically begin a Lightsaber Duel (see below).

Lightsaber duel

When the Sith and Jedi players find out each other are, they are immediately drawn together to fulfil their destiny. In the next Bay Cycle they are automatically locked in lightsaber combat. Alternatively, if both players survive to the end of the game, they will automatically enter into a duel with each other.

When the Lightsaber duel begins, the GM will create a PM with both players involved (or, if it takes place at the end of the game, it will be done in a public thread). To duel, each player may make a post RPing an attack against his rival. His opponent then has 2 hours to post a reply to block the attack. Players may Block and Attack in the same post. After making an attack, a player must wait 2 hours before attacking again. The time is measured by the time stamp on the initial post, meaning if you want to simply post "I block his attack and counterattack," then come back later to edit in some RP, that's fine.

At the end of the cycle, the player who has made the most unblocked attacks is victorious. If there is a tie, the combat is delayed and will continue during the next Bay cycle. (NOTE: a Player may not RP any crippling injuries (such as severed hands) or death for his opponent- things like this are reserved for the GM's final writeup).

Astromech Droid abilities:

At the time of signup, choose a designation for yourself, following the format "A#-B#"- the A and B represents any letters in the alphabet, and the #s represent any two numbers you wish, but they are limited to 1 or 2 digit numbers. (Example: "R2-D2" and "Q11-B99" are both acceptable names. "Johnny 5," "R294826-D2028472," and "C-3PO" are NOT acceptable names for Astromech Droids). You may also choose an appropriate nickname along with your name (ie: "Artoo") if you wish.

Every Astromech droid has the following ability:

During the Flight cycle, you may initiate a private comm channel with another ship that has an Astro droid in it, allowing you and your pilots to communicate freely. To do this, create a PM group that includes following:

• You

• The GM

• Your pilot

• The target ship’s droid*

• The target ship’s Pilot*

*You may choose to target your own ship, in which case the PM group will only include you, your pilot, and the GM.

You may only start 1 PM group per Flight Cycle, though you may participate in multiple PM groups if other droids initiate them with you. At the end of each Flight Cycle all PM groups are closed.

If a pilot player is left without a droid on his fighter, he may not participate in any PM groups (unless he is part of the Saboteur PM group, of course).

In addition, Astro Droids may find themselves with one of the following upgrade packages, granting other abilities:

Reparations Package- private

While this power is turned on, if either the Droid or his Pilot are targeted by the Saboteurs they are saved from death. Once it has been used to save either of them, it is expended and may not be used again. The droid may choose to turn it on or off by PMing the GM.

Sensors Package- private

Instead of initiating a PM group, A droid may use this ability to scan any one ship other than his own, searching for any unauthorized communications- thus revealing if there any Saboteurs aboard that ship! At the end of the cycle he will be told if there were any Saboteurs aboard that ship, but he will not be told which member of the pair is a Saboteur, or whether both of them are. To repeat, a droid who uses this upgrade may not start any PM groups that cycle, but other droids may still start PMs with him.

Slicing Package- private

A droid with this upgrade may use it during any Night Cycle to listen in on any authorized transmissions made by one other rogue pair. To use it, just PM the GM with the ship you are targeting. At the end of the cycle, he will be sent transcripts of any PM groups that the targeting ship participated in. NOTE: this power will NOT work on the Saboteurs' PM groups- the Empire's Holonet is too difficult to slice into!

Extendable Arc Welder- private

A droid with this attachment may use it during any Bay cycle to cancel the vote of any one player. To use this power, just PM the GM your target each Bay cycle. NOTE: this will not stop the "Let the Wookie Win" ability.

Events:

At the beginning of each Bay cycle, players will be treated to a special event of some sort, to add some variety. These will be things like visits from influential characters, mechanical breakdowns or breakthroughs, and so on. They will add little twists to the game each cycle, but won't be too disruptive to the game. Although, partially as an effect of this, the following rule is in effect:

Spectators and Deceased Players:

At least one of the events I have in mind will deal with the Spectators/deceased players, allowing them to have some small influence on the game. As such, please do not discuss or reveal anything (such as your role/alignment!) with spectators or deceased players that they could not learn from reading the main thread.

Edited May 4, 2015 by Herowannabe

[phattemer]

Both of those sound awesome! I haven't read the books associated with the Dreaming though, what are they?

Herowannabe, with the Extendable Arc Welder droid ability, you say

 

Extendable Arc Welder- private

A droid with this attachment may use it during any Bay cycle to cancel the vote of any one player. To use this power, just PM the GM your target each Bay cycle. NOTE: this will not stop the Enraged Wookie ability.

 

What is the Enraged Wookie ability? And why would cancelling a vote affect either a vote that doesn't count or a attacker's death?
?

[Herowannabe]

Both of those sound awesome! I haven't read the books associated with the Dreaming though, what are they?

Herowannabe, with the Extendable Arc Welder droid ability, you say

What is the Enraged Wookie ability? And why would cancelling a vote affect either a vote that doesn't count or a attacker's death?

?

Whoops, I mean the "let the Wookie win" ability. I'll fix that now.

And yeah, I was just clarifying that you can't stop the "let the Wookie win" ability with the arc welder.

[vineyarddawg]

I think there should be a Star Trek game in reply to this Star Wars game, just because I'm a Trekkie, not a (whatever Star Wars fans are called). 

 

But due to my affinity for Sanderson-esque twists, I couldn't run a game unless I twisted it around in a weird way.  Something like creating a game set on Bajor during the Dominion war, where the "villagers" are Pah Wraiths/members of Pah Wraith cult and the "eliminators" are Prophets/followers of the Prophets.  Kind of the, "Evil will always triumph because Good is dumb" angle.

 

Or maybe a game where the players are Starfleet officers on a ship(s) and the Eliminators are the Borg trying to assimilate everyone, but there's a special scenario where if certain conditions are met, Q appears, wreaks havoc, and the factions (and roles) are randomly rearranged, or something like that.

[Herowannabe]

...so hopefully people will be accepting of (and interested in) a Star Wars themed game. If this gets a good enough reception, I'd like to officially add my name to the Mid-Range Games GM list.

Well, my post got 8 likes within the first 12 hours of it being up, so I'll take it that the reception for the game is "good enough."

Moderators, please officially add me to the Mid-range GM list.

Edited May 5, 2015 by Herowannabe

[Wyrmhero]

Both of those sound awesome! I haven't read the books associated with the Dreaming though, what are they?

 

The Dreaming is one of the planes of existance in The Sandman comics by Neil Gaiman. I based the Roles off of characters who live in the Dreaming, aside from The False Librarian, which is more of a balancing mechanic (I am tempted to remove it though because of the fact that it doesn't match the books).

[Kasimir]

The Dreaming is one of the planes of existance in The Sandman comics by Neil Gaiman. I based the Roles off of characters who live in the Dreaming, aside from The False Librarian, which is more of a balancing mechanic (I am tempted to remove it though because of the fact that it doesn't match the books).

And have people miss the pain of the True and False Voidbringer business?

 

Hreo: I generally love your game (STAR WARS!) but I am a bit curious about how the Sith v. Jedi RP duel is going to work. Is it supposed to go ad nauseum until someone can't pay any more attention to the game and can't reply? Is it supposed to be about quality RPing? (Because I'm going to assume that unless the Jedi wants to pull an Obi-Wan Kenobi, both of them are going to be insistent about blocking each other.)

 

I guess I'm just curious because an RP duel seems to just put the two players at an impasse, and I'm wondering what your intention with that mechanic is.

Edited May 6, 2015 by Kasimir

[Herowannabe]

And have people miss the pain of the True and False Voidbringer business?

Hreo: I generally love your game (STAR WARS!) but I am a bit curious about how the Sith v. Jedi RP duel is going to work. Is it supposed to go ad nauseum until someone can't pay any more attention to the game and can't reply? Is it supposed to be about quality RPing? (Because I'm going to assume that unless the Jedi wants to pull an Obi-Wan Kenobi, both of them are going to be insistent about blocking each other.)

I guess I'm just curious because an RP duel seems to just put the two players at an impasse, and I'm wondering what your intention with that mechanic is.

Well the way it works is that an attack that goes unanswered for 2 hours gets through and hits. Th duel will last for a full Bay cycle (24 hours), and at the end whoever has scored the most hits wins. Most people have to sleep sometime, so I figure that eventually someone is going to miss a post or two and fall behind. And while I really hope that there will be some quality RP it won't be the deciding factor.

If, after 24 hours, both players are tied the duel will go on hold until the next Bay cycle.

Hopefully that clears it up.

Edited May 6, 2015 by Herowannabe

[Kipper]

Hero, I couldn't even come up with a critique for that game.

My reaction basically consisted of a Gollum-like hiss of satisfaction. STAR WARS!!!

[Herowannabe]

You want this game, don't you? The desire is swelling in you now. Take your up-vote button. Use it. I am unarmed. Strike me down with it. Give in to your desire. With each passing moment you make yourself more my servant. 

 

It is unavoidable. It is your destiny. You, like Snoopy, are now mine. 

[Kipper]

...It's a trap, isn't it?

In all seriousness, though, fantastic game! The dueling is certainly unique and could pose an interesting set of problems (as others duly noted), but other than that, it looks splendiferous!

[Wyrmhero]

Time for a fantasy world I've been thinking about making into a game for some time... Though I should note it's been a little bit of time since I've ready The Chronicles of Amber, so bear with me if there's some differences.

 

The Heirs of Amber (LG)

 

There is a Castle at one end of the Multiverse, known as Amber. The King, Oberon, rules there at the centre of creation, guardian of all he surveys. At the other end of the Multiverse, the world falls away to reveal the Pit of Chaos, from which it all that ever is and will be is formed. Here stands the Court of Chaos, a destabilising presence set against the rule of Oberon. Between the two lie varying degrees of Worlds, Shadows that take on varying degrees of the two True Worlds.

 

At the centre of the Castle Amber lies the Pattern, an imprint of Order which provides a degree of stability in an otherwise turbulent, Chaotic sea. Each of Oberon’s sons and daughters has traversed the Pattern, at a great risk to their life. For this ordeal, they are granted the ability to walk between the Shadows, and even to craft Shadows of their own as they become immersed in the Pattern.

 

While Oberon is undying, he is not invulnerable. He has faced the threat of being overthrown before, and sees threats everywhere with his keen eye. There is evidence of the hand of Chaos in his court, and there is nothing he fears more than that they may unravel the Pattern, returning the Multiverse to primordial chaos. Such paranoia is infectious. Whether son, daughter, or even further removed from him, each watches their fellow Heirs of Amber with a discerning gaze - even more than usual.

 

Oberon has disappeared. There has been no warning, nor has there been any threat, or even anyone taking credit for this disappearance. Regardless of why he has vanished, all are in agreement that this would be the perfect time for Chaos to strike. Shadows are eyed with suspicion and fear. And when the Heirs of Amber get jumpy, they tend to lash out with disproportionate force.

General Rules

Lynches and win conditions are the same as usual. Lynches occur during the Day Turn, provided a player gets at least two votes and there is no tie. Each player has an Ability that they may use during the Night Turn, taking the normal place of Roles. The Courtiers of Chaos win if they outnumber the Heirs of Amber, and the Heirs of Amber win if all the Courtiers of Chaos are dead. The Courtiers of Chaos get a Chaos Kill Action each Night Turn, and conspire on a Google Doc.

Through the course of the game, players may move between Worlds, walking between them via the Pattern. These do not work like Rooms in previous games - Worlds do not separate players and stop them using effects on each other; they only grant abilities. All players begin in Castle Amber and start with a Trump of Amber.

 

Alignments are given out on death, but due to the nature of the game, not Abilities. The Trumps a player owns will only be given out for the lynch death.

 

Shadow Worlds

The Shadows of Amber are strange - They are a reflection of the True Worlds of Amber and the Court of Chaos, and they each have different quantities and qualities of each. Each obeys its own laws of physics, chemistry and biology, and only those who have followed the Pattern (or its Chaotic counterpart) to its completion without dying may move between them. At the end of each Day Turn, a player may utilise a World Trump to go to a World. A list of players on each World will be given out at the beginning of each Night Turn. All the worlds are known at the beginning of the game.

Each World has its own rules, and thus whenever a player moves to a world, their Ability changes. Each player has their own, different ‘list’ of Abilities that they gain on the different worlds. For example, on Avalon, Kas may have the Regeneration Ability, but in Remba, he discovers Serendipitous Medicine. At the same time, Gamma may find Chemical Substitutions on Avalon, and have No Ability in Remba.

Players in Amber have no uniquely-granted Ability, but they have the ear of the Castle and its inhabitants, and speak with their mutual antecendant’s voice. Players in Castle Amber gain an additional Vote for the lynch in the Day Turn. They may vote for two different people if they wish. Each player begins the game in Amber.

Trumps

A Trump is a Tarot-esque card, painted to perfection. Each depicts a person or scene in its totality, and they are filled with power. There are two types of Trump: Personal Trumps and World Trumps.

A Personal Trump depicts a player, and can be used to talk to that player. Note, though, that it is not a two-way communication. A PM can be opened with any player who the PMer has a Trump for, but the other player may not respond unless they also have that player’s Trump. Players may open a PM like this at any time. If a player loses the Trump they are using to talk, they may not continue to talk to that player.

World Trumps depict a Shadow of Amber. At the end of each Day Turn, a player may transport themselves to the location on one of their World Trumps as a free action.

A player may Paint one Trump each Cycle as an Action, and may be gifted to players on the same world at the end of a Turn as a free action (or when the Trump is first painted). If a player is killed, their Trumps are given to the killer. If a player is lynched, their Trumps are lost. Players start with a handful of Trumps, in addition to the Trump of Amber.

Abilities

• Voice of Oberon - Players on Amber get the ability to vote twice, for the same or separate players. This is the only ability players on Amber can get, and all players get it.

• Regeneration - Your natural superhuman regeneration body is sped up considerably on this World. If you are killed on this World during the Night, you do not die. The trade-off for this is that you cannot use Actions, post in the thread, go to other Worlds, or use Trumps to talk to people during the next Day Turn as you heal yourself.

• Chemical Substitutions - Gunpowder may not work on Amber or most other worlds, but you’ve found something far more reliable instead. During the Night, you may use this to kill someone.

• Shadow-Self - On this world, there is a Shadow of you. This allows you to duplicate even artistry with no additional effort on your part by using your reflection. Whenever you paint a Trump on this world, you instead paint two of the same Trump. Your Shadow also throws off attempts at detection, shielding you from having your Alignment and Abilities discovered. The person attempting this will be informed that their attempt failed.

• Serendipitous Medicine - You took a few chemicals with you to this World, and now it turns out they’ve bonded into something else here. Even better, the new compound can be used as a medicine. You may use an Action each Night Turn to save a player from death if they would die that Night. This triggers before Regeneration.

• Slowed Time - While on this world, any Action that is used on you, or any action you take (including moving between Worlds), happens one Turn after it would normally.

• Magnified Perception - Your body seems to ‘feel’ things more clearly and strongly here. As a Night Action, you may discover all of the Abilities a player has been granted so far and the order they were granted it in.

• Telepathic Connections - Through your familial connection, even without a Trump, your mental powers are strengthened enough on this World to skim the thoughts of the other Heirs. As an Action, you are able to read the thoughts of other players while on a World that grants this ability. However, you are not sure whether you are reading the thoughts of the right person - or even if they aren’t actively working against you. You may be a True Telepath, a Naive Telepath, or a False Telepath.

• No Ability - Some Worlds are close enough to Amber for a player that they do not grant any Abilities.

I think there's only one thing I'd quite like for this, aside from maybe a few more Abilities here, and that is if someone can figure out a way to use The Pattern in Amber. The only thing I could think of was random World transportation, but I want to avoid that to make World Trumps stronger.

Edited May 18, 2015 by Wyrmhero