Initiative: second by second

[Madmaxneo]

I've been playng RPG's now for about 30 years off and on. One of the things that used to annoy me was the unrealistic turn based initiative systems, and everyone uses them. Back in the 90's I experimented with a second by second combat tracker. At first it was slow going but after a few sessions my players loved and everything ran smoothly. Most importantly it added a level of realism that none of us realized was missing. Turn based systems are simple, but they lack so much. I've since lost my notes on this system after a few years of non gaming hiatus. I've been trying to redevelope the system but am lacking much data. Does or has anyone ever use(d) a similar system. If so might you be willing to share your notes ans initiative system with me or point me in the right direction? Thank you and game on!

 

[JediSoth]

Hackmaster (the current edition, not the 2nd-edition Parody 4th Edition) and Aces & Eights use a second-by-second count-up system. It lets players do something with every count. On paper, it looks like it's a lot to track, but in play it actually move smoothly, quickly, and is very engaging.

 

[Nagol]

CHAMPIONS/Hero system uses such a system with 12-second turns and a character getting as many actions as their SPEED score (1-12) in that time. It uses an impulse chart to indicate when each SPEED gets another action by default.

 

[karolusb]

Feng Shui (while not explicity seconds) uses a count down system of this nature.

 

[mach1.9pants]

Hackmaster is as said above, it seems a lot of work but it is not. The player's track their own seconds and the DM the mosnters. I have only done a couple of test combats so I am not sure how it pans out for the DM tracking a dozen or so monsters! The player's have to stay engaged as the DM counts up the seconds, cos if they miss when their action should have happened, tough. It happens when they remember. That means no texting/web browsing/etc when it is not 'your turn'. It is not something that I have had probelms with but I know others have, and I found that the time for each turn in 4E did make it a bit painful waiting for your turn, even if you were engaged in the narrative.

EDIT: In fact to a certain extent, although you have rounds, the full 2E initiative system is a bit like that. I guess where the full HM idea came from.

 

[Mishihari Lord]

In AD&D I ran fights segment by segment. Frex, players attacked, then after a number of segments equal to their weapon speed they got their next attack. I believe Exalted does something similar now. It was fun and engaging and added a lot of depth to combat. 3E's circular intiative was a big turn-off for me.

And I'm pretty sure GURPS uses one second rounds.

 

[DogBackward]

Yeah, GURPS also does second-by-second rounds. Initiative doesn't change round-by-round (characters act in order of Speed, which is a static stat). And as long as you're okay with a relatively complex system (the basic mechanics are rather simple, but the specific rules and skills and whatnot can get complicated), GURPS is a really good system overall. Playing an archer in a fantasy game took some getting used to (if I failed my Fast Draw check, it took three rounds to fire a single arrow...), but it was pretty interesting with the tactical choices and such.

If you want realism in a game (and it sounds like you and your group might), then GURPS is a good choice. It gets about as realistic as you can while still having a workable system.

 

[frankthedm]

Hackmaster's Rules and combat examples are up for free.

http://www.kenzerco.com/hackmaster/downloads/HMb_KODT_Combat_Example.pdf
http://www.kenzerco.com/hackmaster/downloads/HMPHB_illustrated_example.pdf
http://www.kenzerco.com/free_files/hackmaster_basic_free_.pdf

 

[Randalthor]

I know someone did that for Rolemaster, and I think it was called "CEATS" or something like that. Those that use it swear by it, and I totaly understand the problems with turn-based initiative systems, but they are so prevalant and most of the more realistic systems are quite a bit more complicated (and it seems as though players now-a-days just cannot be bothered to learn something that might be a little difficult - no matter if they are old-hats or newbies), so few are willing to give them a try.

 

[Fetfreak]

I personally never had this issue. I like going round by round in d20 (6 seconds). I always present the combat as if rounds overlap with each other. A player starts his full round charge in his round, I decide that the monster had a ready action and it smashes the player first. Even though these are two rounds and should last 12 seconds I present it to the player as a round shared between the monster and the pc.

I think that second by second might be cool but like someone said, if you had 6 players in a fight against a dozen monsters, it seems like a complicated mess.