The Limb, The Comments, and the Thanks..

This might be a bit too much.

I tend to go limb climbing when I write games. I climb way the heck out there on the limb and then start sawing behind myself.

So when I look at my latest project I start to wonder, where I am on the limb.

So far I started out with a blind bidding game, and then moved to a game that starts with narration and moves to a kind of skill based risk vs. reward bidding mechanic. I’m still not sure exactly how well it will work in play (you never really know until you play test anyway.)

One of the best ways to judge how far out on the limb you have climbed is from feedback and luckily I have been getting some.

So on the blog and in G+ comments I got asked a couple of questions.

First from:  Robert Bondoni off of G+

“What do you think the true goal is with the system? Is it to get players to interact more?”

I posted an answer but I’m not sure I nailed it really well. When I re re-read it my answer sounded kind of pretentious and that’s not really how I wanted it to come off.

So for a better answer I will say that if I had a design document for the game I’m working on now the first sentence would be.

Players, characters, setting and GM bound together and rewarded by a system of interactive narration.

The second phrase would read.

“Characters and setting provided growth opportunities through a risk vs. reward based system of interactive narration.”

That still sounds kind of pretentious, however they are the exact two sentences I have at the top of my scratch.txt file that I quick type things into when I’m at work.

Whenever I have an idea and I’m not sure if it fits I look back at those two statements and if the idea does not fit I file into the “it’s a good idea it’s just not good for this game” folder.

And from: Venger Satanis from the Blogg

“I think you could take that idea and influence established RPGs just as easily as you could create a new RPG around your "more roleplaying, less rolling dice" design. Why not write a D&Desque adventure with backstories for NPCs that allows for GM narration more than combat or skill checks?”

I just thought that was a great comment, and that I should share it for folks who don’t like looking back to older posts.

 He is right; I think a lot of Gm’s do this. Heck I run a very, VERY loose style of AD&D when I run it. I would say most of the game is simply us spinning a yarn, with the occasional “Please make a wisdom check.”  To tell the truth we are really playing our own version of D&D (doesn’t everyone?)  We could merrily go about out business playing like that forever, and honestly we probably will.

The only thing I really offer by working on this new game is a system that directly rewards players for narrative input and risk;  past that my game is just one more ”heartbreaker” RPG in sea of great game ideas flying around the web.

Finally:

Thank you to everyone who has been reading the blog.

Lately I have been getting more “hits” than usual, and I sincerely appreciate it.

I hate working in a vacuum and knowing that a few people are following along provides a lot of motivation for me to keep plugging away at my ideas.