Finally, improved Relations!

7. December 2009 by admin.

Though it is still in very early testing, there seems to be a solution to the problem sorrounding Relations. If it works, characters will be able to have friends and enemies, connections and rivals, pets and stalkers, and all sorts of people, creatures and more exotic beings surrounding them, as part of who the character is at the very first character creation! The goal is not just to make a quick rule for attaching others to the character, but to make a core concept, sleak, streamlined and versatile, that can make characters a part of a vibrant world instead of forcing them into the role of ‘lone stranger’ again and again.

It has not yet been expanded into a platform for the Organizations rules, which are meant to provide complex organizations (duh) in the game world, created as richky as characters and acting as actual, integrated parts of a campaign, should the Narrator want it. Once the new Relations rules grow to that point, players can create corporate representatives with access to their employer’s trillions worth of resources (on company jobs, that is!), or infiltrator agents able to call down orbital strikes on picked targets in the fight for freedom or oppression. They can even take down monolithic enemies facility by facility, and their encounters with that enemy will bear the mark ofevery little victory… or failure!

It should be clear by now that I am very excited about this. The toss of the old Relations rules was probably the best thing to come from playtesting, because the new ones make better sense, offer more options and customization, and are generally just cool. You can have powerful allies who will trust you with advanced technology and sniper support, but who will abandon you the minute they see significant consequences of their involvement. Or you can have die-hard friends, who will fight to the death for you, even if all they have is a gun and a prayer. You can base a Relation on fear, or you can hire your muscle for cash alone. And those nasty people looking for you, well, it’s called Determination, and for a simple game stat, it will mean the world for you when your ancient nemesis stands on the other side of certain destruction and has to decide if you’re worth the risk…

I’m getting all giddy

Posted in Character creation, Pets, Relations, Game worlds, Narrator, Wealth, Weapons, Vehicles, Teams, Cash, Playtests | No Comments »

Creating the Creators

4. December 2009 by admin.

Writing is now dealing with Technologies, for designing a game world in such detail that the advancement of individual categories of items can be felt. Maybe laser rifles are a new invention, still clunky and imprecise. Or maybe they are refined, not just horrifically precise and terribly lethal, but light enough to be snapped into pocketsized concealment modules. But none of that will happen unless non-lethal, scientific lasers (and the kind for light shows) are first invented! Pick your Technologies, pick their individual Progress, and the system does the rest.

This is just another piece in the puzzle that is the, still fairly new,  “creation kit” philosophy of GEARS! I have noted on the concept before, but I feel it is essential enough to repeat: In so far as it is at all possible, the GEARS core rulebook will contain the materials needed to construct anything. Most games have core books that deal in detail with character creation, some of them even only characters of a certain, low level. The GEARS character creation rules have proven far more compact and streamlined than originally expected, so now other aspects of the game are following. Equipment is just one example, another being the creatures mentioned in earlier entries (based on the character creation system used slightly differently), vehicles as an extension of equipment, super powers as an addition to standard Abilities, and so on. And game worlds are now getting the first kick into action. Fourth Draft might actually end up having not just a better structure, but also some design kits for campaigns and adventures!

One design kit that is still a bit up in the air (other than Relations, which, as mentioned yesterday, have run into a few problems) is races. The character creation system, supported by the still-to-be-pinned-down Human Template, will allow some strange creations, but the feel of an entire and at least somewhat unique race is still a bit murky. The exact elements of fantasy and alien races will need some examining and testing before something truly worthwhile can be included. It might end up in Fourth Draft. But it will be made.

Posted in Relations, Races, Human Template, Design kits, Game worlds, Aliens, Fourth Draft, Equipment/Gear, Superpowers, Character creation, Third Draft, Vehicles | 1 Comment »

Entry 12: Social Issues

26. October 2009 by admin.

.::: Entry 12, 2009/10/26 :::.
With many of the ‘inner’ characteristics mulled over already, I feel it is time to start thinking about ‘outer’ ones. Social character concepts actually go right from the very central (charm, appearance and people skills) to the very fringe of the character (who the character grew up with, or even works for at this point). Hence, there are many layers of social matters that are worth thinking about. And this seems like the time to do it!:: Me in the World ::

Social abilities need only a brief thought at this point. The ability to talk to someone in their own language, to socialize and even manipulate, can be built around the concepts already defined for abilities. Disabilities also come with a built-in understanding of how to relate to the world (in the case of disabilities, that would be ‘poorly’); hating certain people, fearing others, admiring even others and feeling a compulsion to interact with or even seduce (romantically, ideologically, etc.) even more, it can all be handled by even the basic disability model mentioned in Entry 10. What characters can and cannot do based on mind (and arguably, body) alone has already been looked hard at.

But behavior does not create the character entirely, socially speaking. The real world has an obsession with status of all kinds, from fame (and infamy) through (dis)respect to clear-cut ranking on professional ladders, it all comes down to how people judge you, whatever they might be basing it on. The benefits, of course, will be accordingly; being wanted or even chosen can be both good and bad, and to many degrees. It can even be both, or some even stranger mixed blessing.

The first problem arises in the varied ways that such status works. Rank in most cases is a fixed feature, in that a higher rank directly signifies greater influence. When used to back up an argument, it becomes part of abilities. And how people react to it varies, from those who will greatly respect or fear it to those who will despise the character for it. Fame would typically be something that can back up arguments or aid requests, but almost like a security clearance, it can be a determinator for getting into VIP events, but that is even more subject to personal interpretation; who decides how much fame is how much, and what kind of fame will be in demand?

Other ways exist that social issues can arise from something defined in the character itself, and many of them can function in the ways mentioned. It should be possible to define these social issues according to a compact set of simple rules and describe individual kinds of status according to them.

:: Invested Recognition ::

Where status starts to become complex is when it is not clearly defined by the character itself. Recognition often has to do with actions and who or what you surround yourself with, and especially in games where characters might want to appear to be something they are not, this is important.

A simple example is status earned by being successful. A business man, a politician, an artist and many others can be defined more by what they have than what they have truly earned. Looking successful, by having vast mansions and many servants, can be more important to the status than the truth. This becomes even more true when taking into account that those reacting to the characters will often only have known them briefly, and will judge them by what they see. Status can be only skin deep! Another layer is the status that a character projects when someone looks into them, like checking the actual wealth of the business man or the fanbase of an artist to see what is real and what is false, or even what is real but fickle (perhaps based on something false!). Status is such a man-made concept that it has long ago become as layered as human society itself, and some will play on that. Some will to appear more influential. Some will to appear less significant and more harmless.

:: Organized Positions ::

The above is mainly concerned with how the world reacts to characters on a spontaneous, case by case level. The rules that will end up existing on the matter are meant for characters using their (possibly perceived) status with people they will most likely never see again, like lab researchers they need to trick information out of. The mental reactions of the ‘victims’ will be a defining part of the results, good, bad or something entirely different.

Things may be more organized than that, quite literally! RPGs have a habit of assuming that characters, especially PCs, are some form of free agents. They may be the typical wandering heroes, but they may just as easily be independent professionals such as private eyes or similar troubleshooters. Even when part of an organization, such as government agents, they have an unusual amount of freedom, but are also surprisingly cut off from agency resources. I like the idea that a spy might call in for satellite images or equipment drops or inside information, or that mercenaries can ask their company for assistance in handling some ‘hostile negotiations’. But just as much I like the idea that the characters are active parts of an organization (or several, perhaps not even sharing the same organized background!), which affects the game. But in currently available games, that seems to rely on the GM being good at adjusting described organizations on the fly, to produce plausible reactions.

To me, designing an organization around a character is as interesting as designing magical abilities or complex gear. There is power at a trade-off, most often by submitting to scrutiny and duties. And like adherence to a faith or deity, an organization can instill purpose, values and more in a character. Being a ‘company man’ is not ust a term for being employed, it is a nudge to a way of thinking that defines the character.

Having properly designed and detailed organizations as part of characters makes it routine to have characters draw on larger resources, deal with matters through channels specially open to them. It lets tasks, duties and favors become a part of adventures. It even kicks open the doors to organization intrigue, with departmental conflicts and internal rivalries and feuds over positions and resources. But even more, it lets adventures revolve tightly around infiltrating organizations and/or vying for power and influence. It also opens the notion of taking down large foes by cracking their organizations, hitting them on the resources and their routine connections. This need not be about bringing down the Evil Empire or Corrupt Corporation, it might just as well be to bring someone in bad standards in their organizations, revealing their corruption or even just showing that their actions are counter to the larger goals of an organization. The possibilities are vast.

Also, the idea of creating organizations for a game world (for use with either characters (as player) or adventures (as GM)), on par with creating fully designed vehicles or even characters, appeals to me!

:: Fixed Relations ::

Up till now, the talk has been on things that are rather fluid and dynamical. Status is something that is widely recognized, even if reactions to it vary, and organizations are large beasts with plenty of room for maneuvering. But some of the coolest carriers in fiction have been those not on center stage, but rather connected to those main characters in an important way. Singular characters playing a large role. This goes from the mentor to the close buddy to the expert advisor over to even the close rival or the emotionally (or magically!) bonded enemy. In some cases, mysteries about the bond conceal all but the fact that there is a bond, making the connected character an important enigma, one that the audience is dying to know the truth behind!

Such a relation to another character seems powerful to me. The whole drama and advantage/disadvantage perspective aside, it allows a player to create another character that is not built to be of the traditional adventurer mold. A decrepit, isolated and bitter character could play a vital role in the adventure, without the player having to actually play that character. Someone locked away in a place of great influence or resources, but with no real option of adventure, can be created in detail and be an active part of the adventure through the characters that are actually out adventuring. A relation becomes the opportunity to make the characters we want to see but not play.

Other than the actual character, of course, is the matter of the relation. Most relations to a character that has a role in the game will be stories of interest and, if I can make it happen, meaningful influence on the game. I have mostly seen the background story of a connected character used as inspiration for banter between the player in character mode and the GM as the other character. Having the nature of the relation play as much a role as the connected character seems interesting to me, and I have no doubt adventures could be spun on it, and definitely side-quests.

:: Dealing With Friends ::

At this point I should probably note that I have a habit of watching the habits and routines of characters in movies, books and television almost as much as I watch the story itself. As i have stated before, I enjoy when a character tells a story as much by just being the character as by participating in the plot. And watching characters like that, I have grown fascinated by the way especially characters in suspense and political drama (which, in my opinion, includes many modern stories about agents dealing with agency or ‘office’ politics) manage their social networks.

Back in Entry 9 I mentioned gear maintenance, and there are some similarities between that and how a good (fictional) networker handles social connections. This goes from the mafia snitch to personal friends to work associates. Taking care of a network, keeping in touch and keeping people happy is often a small byline to stories, but it is interesting (to me) and has a lot of adventure potential. Getting unexpected information while checking up on someone while on the road seems a satisfying variation on checking with contacts, and having to take care of valuable sources of anything adds a great deal to the sense of the character actually existing in a world with other people and having ties to them! Like a wizard spending time on practicing magic, a clever socialite or organizer will spend a phone call here and there, or an actual face-to-face meeting keeping friends and associates close. It even gives places to go, when a character invites people along to meet someone who is not essential to a plot but might be interesting nonetheless. It makes other people seem more like a real part of the world, and the characters.

Something similar goes for unpleasant acquaintances. Being on the run means keeping a tab on whoever is hunting you, whatever the methods might be. I have always found it far more chilling when someone hunting a character calls or passes on a message letting the prey know that the noose is closing, more so than just showing up, dueling it out, and the character escaping to continue being the fugitive. Foreshadowing by indirect methods adds suspense, making actual clashes far more climactic.

:: Characters Amongst Characters ::

The ultimate incarnation of social issues in the game would be adventures that are handled almost exclusively in the interaction with social connections. Like a movie or book all set inside a command center, or one that takes place in the relations between an isolated group, it would be about pulling strings, exchanging favors, knowing people and them knowing you. Depending on the details, a character might be attacking multiple targets in as many places simultaneously, while researching a background mystery and putting together resources, all through intermediaries.

Such games are not exactly what I strive for, but I would like the opportunity for them to exist. Having characters in the game whose foremost strength is ties to characters in the world around them is as fascinating to me as a mystic empowered by spirits and deities. It adds a layer to a game which, while not essential for a game to be playable, opens up a lot of doors. A character being the sum of organized and private relations, status and influences, and the totality of a complex social network is a fascinating opportunity for adventures and roleplaying.

:: Cross-Pollination ::

It is not uncommon for fiction to interweave topics across the board, and social matters can have ties to very different things. One example is gear. A classical example is the sword or talisman that causes people around the carrier to react. Like so many other things mentioned, it can be a good or a bad reaction, depending on what the item signifies and how the surroundings view that. Uniforms, certain tools (”you use a SHM-48? Oh, and I like the red stripe!”), actions (a martial arts style, using a magic spell), looks and much more can function as a vessel of the reactions described here. Even reading a particular type of books can cause reactions (Ayn Rand, “Mein Kampf”, Mao’s Red Book, etc.). The effect can even turn on itself, as reactions to a character can be influenced by what people they are seen with!

There are no doubt plenty of things that can cross-pollinate with social matters (or with one another!), and I would like not only for them to be possible, but for things I cannot foresee, as well. This implies that any rules made are not tied undeniably to subjects, instead there should be a core rule or rules that can handle this sort of matters. If the basics are used, status and friendships and the like can simply be locked in an item or an action, possibly even increasing with the amount of them (a full set of certain collectible items, multiple moves from a fighting style, etc.). More complex relations are still left for when further thought is given to the matter.

:: The Mechanics ::

As stated, status of varies kinds have some mechanics available for them, in that a character can ’simply’ be built with ranks and reputations. At first glance, it might not even be much different from an ability, the ‘ability’ would simply be to draw on a connection, or to add a bonus to rolls made for social skills. The way different people react to different reputations and the like requires some additional handling, though, and will most likely be as much a part of how people in general are designed than with just the character with the status.

What will be a lot more challenging is to make it all fit together as coherent social background for a character. This goes double when the greater social picture is to be included. Organizations have relations to one another, and your social relations may not feel about each other as they do about you. In fact, many of your friends might not like each other at all, and the same could easily be the case for social relations; the mechanic who does illegal upgrades to your car and the police officer you secretly swap information with will probably have some disagreements, and personalities alone can result in blood being spilled! This is ironically even worse for many skilled networkers, as the clever socialite will be able to stay on good terms with many very different kinds of people.

At this point, another thing that is starting to concern me is the overall cohesion of rules. Having rules match up one on one is one thing, but for optimum results, rules for abilities, disabilities, gear and social issues all need to mesh together, and line up with various conflicts. While it is too early to expect everything to just fit nicely, it is probably smart to start being on the look-out for concepts central enough that they can be the glue that keeps the rest together and compatible. Add style to the equation, things become interesting.

Posted in Game worlds, Relations, Character creation, Reputations, Old blog | No Comments »