Machyna: Steampunk RPG Playtest Recruiting

Hi there,

I am nearly done development of Machyna, a steampunk RPG. I wish to do some quick playtesting here at EnWorld and continue on in a regular game after official release.

This RPG was designed and presented to capitalize on the growing internet PbP community, such as here, and is first delivered as a web-site rulebook:

Click here www.esprawl.com/machyna for the rules.

The GM's section and the finished bells n' whistles are due to be finished mid month.

It will be released as a print product in summer.

Now, who would like to be a player in the playtest? There are four Talents (classes): Speaker, Rogue, Warrior, and Technologiste and I want at least 3 different Talents represented in the playtest. Everything you need, including a character sheet PDF are available at the rule-book site (above).

NOTE!!! The gear costs, encumberence, and fleshed out skill descriptions are in a rougher state and I wish for players who can "wing it", communicate concerns, and maybe even, forgive the designer. I would welcome a member of the military community here at EnWorld to test the Warrior Talent.

I hope this is something some EnWorlders would like to participate in. Credit given to players includes "Design Tester" in the online site and printed book and testers will get a free copy of the hardcopy printed version rulebook and the first supplement.

Let me know below, and thank you for your time.

Del Esau

Black Powder Games
E-Sprawl Network
www.esprawl.com

One little bump.

No one wanna play in a steampunk campaign? Come on you know you want to. The first session is always free....

I'm willing to give this a shot.

I'm thinking along the lines of a Speaker character. The ambitious son of a reasonably successful merchant. I may not have the character finished until after the weekend.

I haven't even looked at the rules, but I'm in! I've never played a steampunk game, but I've always wanted to.

Besides, any game with Festy in it is going to be fun.

And, again without seeing the rules yet, I think I'll try out the technologiste. I'll review the rules over the week-end and come up with a character. I'm thinking Agatha Heterodyne thoughts...

Ok, here's my first cut at a character. Let me know if you think I got the mechanics right. Equipment and background to follow:

William Neville
Son of Sir James Neville, Guild of St. George

William is the son of Nell and Sir James Neville, a respected member of the gentry, knighted for services to the crown. His interest in Machyna worries his family, but the income he's been able to earn plying his trade has helped the family maintain the lifestyle his father's new knighthood requires.

Description
William is a plain lad, more concerned with his studies than his appearance. Nevertheless he is reasonably fit and has been known to put his studies aside for a good game of tennis.

Talent: Technologiste

Attributes
Charisma: 1
Intelligence: 3 (+1 to all Int tests)
Body: 1
Agility: 2

Heart: 4
Strength: 3

Spirit: 7
Honor: 0
Darkness: 0

Initiative: 2
Dodge: 6

Poison Save: 1 (+3 vs. Machyna)
Fall Save: 2 (+3 vs. Machyna)
Soul Save: 2 (+3 vs. Machyna)

Skills

Advanced Repair +2 (Bonus)
Basic Invention +2 (Bonus)
Detect Machyne +2 (Bonus)
Speak Latin (Bonus)

Repair (Common) +1 (1 point)
Repair (Weapon) +2 (3 points)
Anchient Knowledge +2 (3 points)
Combat Gun (Pistol) +1 (1 point)
Combat (Hand) +1 (1 point)
Written Language 1 point
Latin
English

Festy_Dog said:

I'm willing to give this a shot.

I'm thinking along the lines of a Speaker character. The ambitious son of a reasonably successful merchant. I may not have the character finished until after the weekend.

Click to expand...

Ok! Let's aim for Monday. Thanks for the interest!

Ilium said:

---------> Question: round up or down when dividing by 2?

Click to expand...

Always round down!

Ilium said:

Skills

---------------> What level are these bonus skills at? +1? Do I have to pay for them?

Click to expand...

Rule clarified. All Talent Skills are free and start at 2. May not be boosted further at start of game play. These skills are marked in the Skill section of the player's guide with "TC".

Ilium said:

Combat Gun (Pistol) +1 (1 point) -->Did I buy this correctly?
Combat (Hand) +1 (1 point) -->Did I buy this correctly? I'd like to be able to use a rapier

Click to expand...

Yes, 1 build point for the first score point.

As for the rapier I guess ya should wait till the first adventure point break in game play. Then go nuts. All character's get to have hand combat but not neccessarily all the weapons. If someone thinks all starting characters should be able to be skilled with blades let me hear yer argument.

Thanks again for the interest! As a hint, Technologistes are sort of religious, as they are in a world with god-machines. But be careful of the dark side, in the same note.

Cool. I've fixed my numbers. What I meant by "did I buy this correctly" was: Is Pistol an appropriate category of Gun, and can I have Rapier instead of Hand (unarmed) combat? If not, that's fine.

Looking forward to it.

Ilium said:

Cool. I've fixed my numbers. What I meant by "did I buy this correctly" was: Is Pistol an appropriate category of Gun

Click to expand...

Yessir I knew this would be problematic. Yes, pistol is a category of gun. I will get to work on clarifying this by the time the pbp starts. I suspect I will go with a group skill/specialization system. There will be six skills: gun, bow, blade, lance, mace, hand.

Indeed, about the rapier, techs don't start with that choice as combat is not a big focus of their art. But you can pick it up soon enough after play starts.

Del said:

Yessir I knew this would be problematic. Yes, pistol is a category of gun. I will get to work on clarifying this by the time the pbp starts. I suspect I will go with a group skill/specialization system. There will be six skills: gun, bow, blade, lance, mace, hand.

Indeed, about the rapier, techs don't start with that choice as combat is not a big focus of their art. But you can pick it up soon enough after play starts.

Click to expand...

That's cool. I'll buy my equipment this week-end and try to work up a little more background.