The Art of Game Creation

[Nyali she/her]

Minimalist game idea: no roles whatsoever. Only eliminators, villagers, and ghosts.

Cognitive Shadows for the "ghosts?"

 

Or you can go all Threnody and have the ghosts be "Shades," the eliminators be "Bandits," and the town be "Bounty Hunters."

Edited May 23, 2016 by Nyali

[Arraenae]

Balabce issues of the eliminators, villagers, and ghosts game (working name):

Ghost mechanic might be skewed towards villagers. Until an eliminator dies, ghost analysises are guaranteed to come from villagers. Elims can silence two ghosts, but they would sacrifice a kill opportunity.

Ways to fix: let live elims send in ghost messages in place of people they silence? Include a Serial Killer to make villagers die faster?

I like letting eliminators send in fake messages, but they can do that as soon as one of them dies. With one dead eliminator, that's 3 elim ghost messages

In a cycle.

If SK is put in, 3 kills a cycle with no doctor protection (lynch, elims, SK). Is that too bloody? Dead people can still put in thoughts, so higher chance of catching non-villagers.

Or maybe put in both and have something else to balance towards villagers? No seeker roles allowed. Doctor role?

Still need a setting... have to read Shadows of Silence soon.

[Nyali she/her]

Balance issues of the eliminators, villagers, and ghosts game (working name):

Ghost mechanic might be skewed towards villagers. Until an eliminator dies, ghost analysises are guaranteed to come from villagers. Elims can silence two ghosts, but they would sacrifice a kill opportunity.

 

Having alignments not be revealed on death would fix that problem, though that changes the game a lot. You can also just let the eliminators send a ghost message every night for free. Or, allow them each to send one once per game. Or, allow them to, once per game per person they kill, intercept that person's message and edit it however they wish.

 

I kinda like that last one quite a bit. Let them intercept every message that's sent by people they've killed until they decide to spend their control over that person to edit their message. Let them also spend their control to write a message from scratch if that person decides not to send one, so the village ghosts can't dodge the mechanic by never having people killed by eliminators send messages.

 

 

And Shadows doesn't fit perfectly, it was just the closest Cosmere thing I could think of, apart from the Cognitive Shadows in Mistborn.

[Master Elodin]

Would anyone be interested in GMing a Young Wizards game with me?

[Elbereth she/her]

Me!

[Master Elodin]

Me!

Ok then! I'll PM you all the rules then! It'll just be a little bit.

[Sart he/him]

I looked back at my revised Eliminating Elysium game, and I think I strayed a little from the concept with all of the stuff about missiles and launch codes. It was interesting, but way too problematic to balance properly, plus it was a bit too complex for a quick-fix game.

 

So... Take 3

 

Eliminating Elysium

First off, there are massive spoilers for Defending Elysium, a short story Brandon wrote, in this game. Thankfully, the story is free to read on Brandon's website. Here's a link to it. Now then, on to the game itself.

 

Chaos has erupted in the Outer Platforms after it has been revealed that rogue aliens have been impersonating humans in an attempt to gain superior weaponry. Unfortunately for the visitors to Jupiter Platform 19, their missile station has just been infiltrated. The bunker has been cut off from the outside. If the aliens gain control of the missiles, who knows what chaos they might cause.

 

Cytonics:

The ability to sense other minds is present in all intelligent lifeforms. During the night cycle, a player can protect himself from the actions of another player. If that player tries to use an action on the protected party, it will not happen, and the other player will be immediately killed.

For example, Tom (A normal Human) sends in his night action to protect himself from Steve. Steve tries to investigate Tom during the night. It will backfire hilariously, and Tom will kill Steve instead. Oops.

 

Roles:

• Politician: You were touring the facility when everything went crazy. No one at the facility particularly likes you, so you automatically have one vote assigned to you. They still respect your authority though, so your vote will count double.
• Soldier: You won't go down without a fight. Well, as long as the aliens don't kill you with their mind. If you are lynched, and the person you guarded against voted for you, then you will automatically shoot that player.
• Communications Officer: You are using your mind to let the others talk telepathically. As long as you are alive, players can form PMs between themselves. Because you're so focused on doing this, you are unable to use any Cytonics.
• Medic: You've figured out how to spot Cytonic kills before they happen. Instead of using Cytonics, you can protect another player from an attack.
• Cyto Adept: You're a quick learner, and have figured out how to guard against multiple people. You can target two players with your Cytonic powers.
• UIB Agent: You suspected that the Phone Company had infiltrated the base. You didn't expect to find aliens here too. Instead of using Cytonics, you can target one player during the night to learn that player's role.
• Phone Company Operator: You realized that this was a prime target for the aliens, and teleported here as fast as possible. You can target two players with your Cytonic powers. Furthermore, instead of using Cytonics, you can kill a target player.
• Alien: You swapped minds with a human, and now look just like one of them. You have a Google Doc to conspire in, and you have a group kill.

I think this is a lot more balanced, while focusing a lot more on the main system of Cytonics. Let me know what you think.

[Jo and the Bush all/any]

I don't see anything wrong with it, looks like it will be fun. Every time yo post it though, I have to go reread the story.

[Arraenae]

The Aftermath of Elantris:

A rethinking of the eliminators, villagers, and ghosts game

 

Factions

 

Derethi Sleepers: Hrathen might have failed, but you have not. You’ve spent years infiltrating Arelish society, and you’ll do whatever it takes to destroy this heathen nation. You have a doc to conspire with your fellow sleeper agents, and have one group kill a cycle. You win when the number of sleepers is greater than or equal to the number of villagers.

 

Jeskeri Cultist: The moon demands sacrifice, and you shall provide it, one kill every cycle. You win when you kill everybody.

 

Lovers: You are deeply in love with another player and love them (romantically/platonically) more than life. You win if you and your partner survive until the end of the game. If your partner dies, you are consumed with grief and have one kill a cycle. Your new win condition is to kill the person who killed your Lover. If they were lynched, you need to kill everybody who voted for them. Afterwards, you die and meet your Lover in the dead doc.

 

Elantrians: While the villagers have been fussing about Derethi sleepers in the population, King Raoden has sent his own sleepers to infiltrate and protect the population -- Elantrian sleepers like you. You can protect one person from being killed every cycle (but not the lynch), and win if a certain number of players survive until the end of the game.

 

Villagers: After King Raoden took the throne, you thought your troubles were over. But people on the streets whisper of more trouble to come. Derethi sleepers and Jeskeri cultists threaten the peace, and your fellow citizens die around you. You win when the sleepers and cultists are dead.

 

 

Rules

 

PMs are allowed in this game. One-on-one PMs, group PMs, mass PMs, whatever. Just include the GM in them.

 

When a player dies, their alignment is revealed and they are sent to the dead doc. Every cycle, they may send a message of 150 characters (a little longer than a Twitter message) to be posted with the next cycle’s writeup. However, if this game is run as a MR, messages sent by victims of sleepers can be intercepted and edited by sleepers. Dead players have a doc to discuss in, but no information will be revealed in it.

 

 

Issues and Other Things

 

I'm not sure how many people the Elantrian should keep alive in order to win. I think something slightly bigger than the size of the eliminator team should work, but I'm not sure if that would be balanced.

 

This game probably should be a QF or MR. I'm leaning towards QF right now. Thoughts?

Edited May 28, 2016 by Arraenae

[Conquestor he/him]

I know I am new, but have an idea for a game. I would like to try GMing it with a co GM to help me, but if you guys want instead I could co GM it with someone more experienced. I am not going to reveal it yet and going to wait for you guys to reply. I will then pm that person the details and see if it will work. It has to do with Scadrial, when Kelsier starts the Skaa rebellion. It is called, A world without Vin.

Edit : 100TH POST!!

Edited May 29, 2016 by Conquestor

[Gamma Fiend he/him]

I know I am new, but have an idea for a game. I would like to try GMing it with a co GM to help me, but if you guys want instead I could co GM it with someone more experienced. I am not going to reveal it yet and going to wait for you guys to reply. I will then pm that person the details and see if it will work. It has to do with Scadrial, when Kelsier starts the Skaa rebellion. It is called, A world without Vin.

Edit : 100TH POST!!

 

Do you at least know what format you want to run the game in? Long game, Mid-range, or Quick Fix? So then we cold at least get you and whomever you get as a co-GM added to the appropriate list and PMs

[Elbereth she/her]

I'd definitely be willing, if you'd like.

[Conquestor he/him]

I believe it would be either a MR or LG. I am leaning more towards LG because of all the Roles, but there are already two or three of those going on, so I am not sure. Thanks Elbereth, but do you think I could GM or no? If not then I could co GM.

Edited May 29, 2016 by Conquestor

[Gamma Fiend he/him]

I believe it would be either a MR or LG. I am leaning more towards LG because of all the Roles, but there are already two or three of those going on, so I am not sure. Thanks Elbereth, but do you think I could GM or no? If not then I could co GM.

 

There's definitely no rule or discouragement of newer players getting on the list for GM'ing! We'll get you added to the list as soon as you let us know which you decided on! And don't worry about the amount of games playing at once, that's just the new schedule we've switched to for what games are running, and how many at a time, etc. So there'll definitely be game overlap happening, but the faster schedule lets for more games to be played! The first two posts in the General Rules thread has a good breakdown of the nuances of the different game formats to help you decide which one would be best for you, and it also has a link to the Master Doc we use to keep track of the GM lists as the currently stand, to give you a better idea of how long each list is. But like I said, the schedule we run does let a lot more games run in a faster period of time now, and with a constantly moving list of the GMs with people's availability and real-life factors, you can be running a game before you know it!

[Jo and the Bush all/any]

For the next quick game I run, what would people think about a game where the eliminators are unknown? You don't know if they have a kill, if there is a they, or if it's a conversion team.

[Conquestor he/him]

Thanks for explaining Gamma! That means it would definitely be a LG. It will need some tweeking, so I'll pm you the details Elb.

[Arraenae]

For the next quick game I run, what would people think about a game where the eliminators are unknown? You don't know if they have a kill, if there is a they, or if it's a conversion team.

That sounds... Scary. Would have to make the village more powerful to combat the entirely unknown. Very paranoia-inducing.

[Elbereth she/her]

I believe it would be either a MR or LG. I am leaning more towards LG because of all the Roles, but there are already two or three of those going on, so I am not sure. Thanks Elbereth, but do you think I could GM or no? If not then I could co GM.

As a general rule, if you come up with the game, you are the GM. You run the show. I just help with whatever you need.

For the next quick game I run, what would people think about a game where the eliminators are unknown? You don't know if they have a kill, if there is a they, or if it's a conversion team.

I like this idea. Very, very much.

[Young Bard he/him]

OK. I was sort of developing this as I was doing LG21. I'll probably edit it as I grow more experienced as an SE player as I find out what works and what doesn't. I'd like to see what you all think! (Sorry if it's a bit confusing to read. I just moved everything from my head straight to the computer screen. I'll tidy it up later.)

 

In this one, I'm sort of leaving the regular realms of Village v. Eliminator. There are 5 'clans', each the enemy of the other. Each clan has a speciality (I'll invent names for them later.):

 

Clan 1: PM's: Most clans can make 1 PM per cycle. In this clan, the limit is raised to 1 PM per living person in the clan, and 3 PMs per cycle for the communicator role. PM's can include or not include 

 

Clan 2: Vote Manip's: The Clan gets a total of 8^{subject to change} vote manip's throughout the course of the game. They can use this all in one go, or stagger it throughout the game. The numbers and names will not show a change in the write-up, although the lynch result has the potential to change.

 

"Chameleon Clan": At the beginning of the game, members of this clan will tell the GM what clan and role they would like to be identified as if they're scanned. They can change this at any time. If someone scans them, then the clan and role will be revealed as the clan of the choice.

 

Clan 4: Patience. This clan has the ability of 'saving up' their votes. They'll tell the voter in the GM to not count their votes if they choose (the numbers and names in the write-up will appear as though they had, though the lynch results will not factor). Then, they will develop a 'credit' of votes, which they can use up at a later time.

 

Clan 5: Assassins. Every night, the clan may launch an assassination attempt. This is the closest thing to the "Eliminators" in the game.

 

Clan 6: Spies. Each person in this clan is able to spy on the Doc of one of the other clans. They aren't allowed to comment, however.

 

Each clan has a doc where they can discuss their plans and so on. Each clan aims to outnumber the other clans combined.

 

Each clan also has a number of individual roles.

 

Specialist: The specialist start with only the skill of their own clan, but specialists can 'teach' one another one skill. This can be organized through a PM (or the main thread I suppose, but in the process you'd reveal your role.) If receiving an assassination or vote manip. skill, then you are able to assassinate or vote manipulate once during the game. You are only allowed to use one of your skills on any given turn.

 

Scanner: You are able to scan someone on each night, in addition to whatever else you may do that turn. You are then told that person's role and alignment.

 

Communicator: This person is able to create one PM per cycle. If in Clan 1, they are able to create 3 PM's per cycle.

 

Soldier: This person is able to protect one person from their clan for the next Day or Night Turn.

 

In a lynch tie, if the number of votes on a player with the tie is more than 1/3 of the living players, then both/all people are killed. (Does that make sense?)

 

In the event that the number of sign-ups don't equal 5, then secret roles may be added.

 

Form: LG

Minimum signups: 24

 

I know that's a lot to take in, but could it work? The only flaw I can see is that 4 clans could just ally with one another and wipe the other ones out, but I'm trying to work in a discouragement to that to make things more interesting.

 

I might come back to GM this one day, but if I were to start off GM'ing, I'd like to start with a QF, not something as intensive as this.

Edited May 29, 2016 by The Young Bard

[Nyali she/her]

For the next quick game I run, what would people think about a game where the eliminators are unknown? You don't know if they have a kill, if there is a they, or if it's a conversion team.

As long as it isn't one of those twist games where there are no eliminators and you are just messing with your players until they all die D:

(I played in a game like that on another forum. The GM was trolling us. It wasn't the worst trolling either - there was one with four village power roles: a cop (scans alignment), a naïve cop (scans alignment but always gets Villager), a paranoid cop (scans alignment, but always gets mafia), and an insane cop (scans alignment, but gets mafia if they target a villager and villager of they target a mafia), all of whom were told they were normal cops, of course. Hilarity ensued.)

Edited May 30, 2016 by Nyali

[Jo and the Bush all/any]

I can't do a game like that, because people would expect it from me.

[Young Bard he/him]

Is there another game that I should check out that's similar to mine in gameplay/execution? I'm trying to work out how things would work. Clan 6 is very overpowered, so I'm toning that down, but I'd like to hear from any of you for ideas.

 

Winter, I can honestly say that that looks extremely interesting. The only problem is if you get, say, under 30 players, you could have too many Shards compared to non-Shards, which means that each alignment will have only 1 or 2 players.

[Haelbarde he/him]

MR7 & MR10 are examples of faction games. MR7 is an example of how players will try and break a faction game.

[Gamma Fiend he/him]

Idea I just started thinking of for a QF. And everybody will kick themselves for not thinking of this game sooner. Believe it!

 

Naruto Shippuden Elimination: Attack on Leaf Village!

 

The Akatsuki have infiltrated the Leaf Village, and are trying to bring down the Hokage once and for all! Can the shinobi band together and hunt down the Akatsuki hiding in their midst before it's too late?
 

24-hour combined cycles. NO PMs.

Akatsuki: A shadowy organization comprised of elite shinobi who have kept outside the ranks of the Hidden Villages, working for their own goals and agendas, usually at odds with the rest of the ninja world. You get to communicate in a Doc together and can make a group kill each cycle. You win when you outnumber the rest of the villagers.
 

The Roles are separated into the different forms of powers and abilities; Ninjutsus, Genjutsus, Taijutsus, and others. Note that not all Roles may be used.

Wind Release - You have the power to control the flows of wind, calling forth powerful gusts of air. You can redirect somebody's action to a target of your choice (not yourself) once per cycle

 

Fire Release - With the power over fire, you can hurl flames wherever you chose. Can attack target player once per night.

 

Water Release - Power to control and manipulate water, able to apply great levels of pressure. Can negate a players vote on the lynch once per cycle.

 

Lightning Release - Lightning has made you quicker than everybody else, who are too slow to see you. You can change somebody's vote once per cycle.

 

Barrier Ninjutsu - Can place a target over a player once per cycle, not letting them target any other player, nor can they be targeted by any other actions that cycle either.

 

Earth Release - The power over earth and rock gives you extra protection, protecting you from one attack during the game.

 

Medical Ninjutsu - Can protect one player (including yourself) from death once a cycle, doesn't affect lynch.

 

Genjutsu - Illusions can be quite powerful, rendering even the most practiced shinobi useless. Puts a target player in a sedated trance, blocking any action they would perform that cycle.

 

And since it's just a QF, I figure I shouldn't add in any of the Sharrigans, or Rinnegans just yet, and I'll leave all the Tailed-Beasts for the sequel which would probably be a MR! (And then eventually a LG that ends up being an all out war in the ninja world, with factions being each village and all that!)
 

 

I think that's a good start though so far! What you all think?

Edited May 30, 2016 by Gamma Fiend

[AliasSheep]

Anyone who is willing to sit it out, I would love some help balancing the Shard's win conditions. Also, this game is ridiculously stupid.

LG: Shards of Logic

Sixteen Shards. Sixteen factions. Sixteen win conditions. Infinite fun.

Odium: ?

Ruin: ?

Preservation: ?

Cultivation: ?

Honor: ?

Devotion: ?

Dominion: ?

Autonomy: ?

Survival: ?

Endowment: ?

Change: ?

Imagination: ?

Law: ?

Neutrality: ?

Win Conditions:

Each win condition and ability is related to the Intent of each Shard, but will be concealed to all but the players who are part of each faction. Anyone who would like to know the win conditions to help balance the game are not allowed to be a player.

Conversion:

Each faction starts with one player, but all factions have the ability to convert players who have roles and no win condition onto their side. The conversion is mentioned as happening in the writeup, portrayed as a fog of the color of the Shard appearing, but not which player has been converted. Any player who is not a Shard may be converted to a different faction at any time. If they are converted, they gain the new win condition, but have access to the old doc.

Lynch:

Each faction gets a vote, which is revealed by the player who has the actual Shard. A dead Shard is given to a random member of their faction. If there isn’t a member of their old faction left, then the Shard is given to a random player who does not hold a Shard. They retain their faction membership, but their old ability is lost and replaced by the Shard power.

Corruption:

Every two cycles, each player holding a Shard gains a new rule that they must follow, based off of their Intent. It might be something like changing the way that they talk in their posts, or how they communicate in PMs. If someone is given the Shard, the corruption begins at the start again.

PMs:

All Shards can start one PM. If the Shardholder is killed, then the new Shardholder joins the PM that the previous one started. The amount of people who are in that PM change from Shard to Shard.

Roles:

All roles can only affect other people, that is, not Shardholders. Only Shardholder powers and lynches affect Shardholders.

Poisoner: Can poison one person (not Shardholder). Once the poisoner is killed, so does the person they poisoned. Roleblocks can be used on them on the cycle when they poison someone -- the action fails and the poisoner is told - or the cycle in which the poisoner dies. In which case, the poisoned player survives.

Guard: Can give their services to one player (not Shardholder). If the person they gave their services to is killed, they die instead.

Worldhopper: You have knowledge of the Cosmere and you know one random Shard’s win condition and power. Passive.

Insomniac: Since you never sleep, you have an extra life. Applies to lynches, but can be roleblocked.

Stormlight Junkie: You’re so distracting and annoying you can roleblock one person.

Cupid: You can make two people fall in love, and if either of them die, the other dies. They cannot gain Shards.

I can help out, if you want. This game looks like it'll be very entertaining to watch.