My own RPG [WIP] - input needed

[darkwing]

Hi Zireael,

Have you considered researching different RPG mechanics (i.e. other than d20 based systems)? Rules for most systems are available fairly cheaply as pdfs. Player made podcasts are a pretty good way to get a feel of how a game plays without actually having to play it yourself. It might make your effort more interesting (and better informed).

 

[Zireael]

Hi Zireael,

Have you considered researching different RPG mechanics (i.e. other than d20 based systems)? Rules for most systems are available fairly cheaply as pdfs. Player made podcasts are a pretty good way to get a feel of how a game plays without actually having to play it yourself. It might make your effort more interesting (and better informed).

I downloaded 'Legend' yesterday and am reading it right now. It has some good ideas indeed.

 

[Zireael]

Money system added.

Any ideas what I could add/improve? I repeat, Google Translate allows you to read the system as it is now.

I'm thinking of tweaking the way attributes work.
1) maybe one attribute governs defense and the other attack - a bit like in Legend
2) maybe give a choice of the attribute from two (Str vs. Con; Int vs. Wis; Dex vs. Cha) - a bit like 4e

I want every attribute to be useful in a way.

I'll have to work on describing each of the class in flavor terms.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

The translator says it's already in English, but it's not.

Go go glitchy Google!

 

[Zireael]

The translator says it's already in English, but it's not.

Go go glitchy Google!

Someone else reported this glitch to me earlier, you have to set the source language to Polish manually. Then it works.
No idea how GT thinks it's English...

 

[Zireael]

Today, I added starvation/thirst and suffocation rules.
I'm thinking of adding the aristocrat class at last and the templates (half-fiend, half-fey, vampire, etc. etc.).

 

[Zireael]

Aging rules added.
I'll work on the aristocrat tomorrow.

 

[Living Legend]

none of my closest friends play any RPGs, so I'm not doing playtests at the moment. After it's 100% finished, I'll publish it somewhere (in Polish) as free pdfs, and then I'll do the English translation. And then you're welcome to playtest...
Right now it's mostly me asking questions or asking more experienced RPGers to pick the best of my two or three ideas. And then I try to make the choices work together.

My plan includes taking newbs and teaching them RPGs to form a group of dedicated players. If it's a good game, you can keep it going, and eventually they'll be super stars.

I mean, if you're making your own rules, you should have the decency to make some players, too! Focus on the story, not your rules or your process, and watch them have fun or ask questions. If the rules don't work or aren't clear, you know where you need to fix them.

I just wanted to offer what I've learned here in case it might help you guys. I've been writing and playtesting my own system for almost three years, hoping to self publish next year. One of the most fundamental things I have learned in that time is: the page and the table are two completely different worlds. I have spent weeks working out a mechanic to make it perfect, figuring out all the angles, only to have it fall apart at the game table within an hour. You just can't anticipate everything, especially how players will use the mechanics.

Also, I really suggest testing with players of different experience levels (of playing RPG's). Newbs aren't programmed by years of play, so they can offer some unique insight, but their lack of experince means they don't have anything to compare your game to, and don't have much knowledge of how game mechanics work and interact with each other.

Hope that didn't sound condescending, just my "if I had known then what I know now" type thoughts. Good luck to both of you, don't be afraid to think outside the box.

 

[Zireael]

Aristocrat and adept classes added. The messenger of the gods advancement path added. Vampire template added.

Here you can find the complete development history of this ruleset.

 

[Zireael]

Sword sage and faith warrior classes added.

Half-fiend templates added (including, but not limited to, half-balor, half-bebilith and half-succubus).