A Thought Exercise... Making a One-Shot/"Pickup" RPG

[Wik]

So, during a long walk home last night, I started thinking about gaming. And about those nights when, for whatever reason, you run a "pickup" game. Or those one-shot games.

But, primarily, I was thinking about pick-up games - games where you start running, on relatively short notice. Quite often, with pick-up games, only the GM knows the rules.

Here's the thought exercise - you are hired to write a game exclusively made to be played as a pick-up or one-shot game. What would you include in this game? And how would this game differ from a standard RPG? Should it differ?

Note that I'm not asking about specific genres/plot elements. this is mostly a mechanical question. But if you feel it necessary, feel free to discuss those elements.

I'm mostly curious to see how pick-up games are viewed, and, when it's all boiled down, what elements are different from a pick-up game compared to a regular RPG.

 

[Wik]

To answer my own question...

1. The game would have a very simple mechanic that unites most of the game (sort of like the d6 system). Everything would be simple enough that any role-player would get it within a couple of minutes - and there'd be no rules for specific stuff that would bog down play. Basically, say "Hey, you're the GM, make it up" or include a sort of "negotiate the rule" element.

2. Character creation would be super simple, or possibly even already done for the player. Ie, pick a class and a race, and go from there (like the Hero Quest board game of the 80s).

3. Adventure ideas would be included in the game. Possibly each would be sort of fleshed out with monster stats, and a rough outline of the adventure (like the adventure in the back of the Savage Worlds game)

4. Advancement wouldn't be included in the game (because PCs shouldn't really be levelling up). Perhaps include PC advancement IN the game. So that PCs level during play. That could be a lot of fun.

5. No big lists of spells, abilities, or anything like that. If there are five classes, for example, each class should have one or two abilities, and then maybe three optional abilities for the player to choose from. Simple is better than complex.

6. Fast encounters. Long combats I think are for games that have a strong character design element (becausae it gives those designed characters a bunch of situations to use their specific tactical elements). In a game like this, any encounter should probably end pretty quickly, because there won't be a huge amount of variety between characters.

7. High Flux. PCs die fast, and get rich fast. Since PCs are quick to make, and there's little emotional attachment, it's fun to let them die.

8. I have a few more, but I want to see what other people would come up with.

 

[kitsune9]

So, during a long walk home last night, I started thinking about gaming. And about those nights when, for whatever reason, you run a "pickup" game. Or those one-shot games.

But, primarily, I was thinking about pick-up games - games where you start running, on relatively short notice. Quite often, with pick-up games, only the GM knows the rules.

Here's the thought exercise - you are hired to write a game exclusively made to be played as a pick-up or one-shot game. What would you include in this game? And how would this game differ from a standard RPG? Should it differ?

Note that I'm not asking about specific genres/plot elements. this is mostly a mechanical question. But if you feel it necessary, feel free to discuss those elements.

I'm mostly curious to see how pick-up games are viewed, and, when it's all boiled down, what elements are different from a pick-up game compared to a regular RPG.

I would choose a premise around a simple mechanic of 2d6 vs. target number. Choose a couple of stats, mental/physical or add a third stat for magic like mana or something like that. Have a simple wound system such as light, moderate, heavy, dying, and dead. Most of all, the RPG can be read in about five pages, and "modules" are one page each.

 

[Mark]

I am a believer that seven encounters can be prepared where only three are definitely essential. This gives some excellent flexibility at the table. The first is a throw away that you might use or not depending on time and the group. It can be used as a meet and greet for the players and their characters in parallel. The second it the set up and must be used. The third and fifth are optional and used if the group is in synch with one another and able to breeze through things. Make three easier and the fifth tougher than a standard encounter for the group of character involved (scaling can also be dependent on the number of player who show up with the adventure written for five but adjustable to six, four, or even three or seven). The fourth is essential and includes some info or object necessary to win the day. The Sixth is also essential and is the climax encounter. The seventh is set up as a falling action, extra encounter just in case all goes quickly and you have the extra time (something can reanimate, a lesser creature can come out of hiding, a trapped treasure can take out one of the victors, etc.) I've used this formula many times and found it is very easy to adjust on the fly.

 

[TheNovaLord]

you want 3:16, carnage amongst the stars

or could mess about with Duty+Honour and make anything out of that dead quick

 

[coyote6]

There are quite a few "indie" RPGs that are basically best as one-shots, and designed to just be picked up and played. Not that I've played very many of 'em, but they are out there.

 

[Wik]

There are quite a few "indie" RPGs that are basically best as one-shots, and designed to just be picked up and played. Not that I've played very many of 'em, but they are out there.

And a few not so indie RPGs. Like Paranoia.

There are a bunch out there. But I like the idea of considering, basically, what makes a game a pickup system, and what makes a regular system. I thought it was an interesting question, last night.

 

[Piratecat]

I've run a lot of one-shots -- 500+. In my experience:

I want rules I can explain in 5-10 minutes.
I want character sheets to have self-explanatory labels on stats.
I don't want to have to look things up in the rulebook mid-play.
I want consistency with few obscure exceptions or multiple sub-systems.
I want flexibility.
I want a rule set that fits the feel of the game (a game like Toon shouldn't have complicated, tactically confiniing rules.)

 

[BlightCrawler]

To answer my own question...

1. The game would have a very simple mechanic that unites most of the game (sort of like the d6 system). Everything would be simple enough that any role-player would get it within a couple of minutes - and there'd be no rules for specific stuff that would bog down play. Basically, say "Hey, you're the GM, make it up" or include a sort of "negotiate the rule" element.

2. Character creation would be super simple, or possibly even already done for the player. Ie, pick a class and a race, and go from there (like the Hero Quest board game of the 80s).

3. Adventure ideas would be included in the game. Possibly each would be sort of fleshed out with monster stats, and a rough outline of the adventure (like the adventure in the back of the Savage Worlds game)

4. Advancement wouldn't be included in the game (because PCs shouldn't really be levelling up). Perhaps include PC advancement IN the game. So that PCs level during play. That could be a lot of fun.

5. No big lists of spells, abilities, or anything like that. If there are five classes, for example, each class should have one or two abilities, and then maybe three optional abilities for the player to choose from. Simple is better than complex.

6. Fast encounters. Long combats I think are for games that have a strong character design element (becausae it gives those designed characters a bunch of situations to use their specific tactical elements). In a game like this, any encounter should probably end pretty quickly, because there won't be a huge amount of variety between characters.

7. High Flux. PCs die fast, and get rich fast. Since PCs are quick to make, and there's little emotional attachment, it's fun to let them die.

8. I have a few more, but I want to see what other people would come up with.

You just described In A Wicked Age.

Seriously, the game is awesome for this. You start by drawing cards and consulting a list (the Oracle) which gives you four situations with potential characters. From that you determine PCs (the rest are NPCs). You make PCs, and then play. Everything moves very quick and is designed to get to a climax in short order. Part of the mechanic involves the "We Owe" list, which you get onto when you face against threats tougher than yourself (e.g. like a proper protagonist). When you end up on the list, you can gain extra dice, and you also can esnure your character will end up in the next chapter. If your character is not in the next chapter, you have many options to try and work them in, or play a new character, depending entirely on your preference.

Each chapter plays like a Conan short story (mostly because the setting is very swords and sorcery). And it takes about two hours to finish. Actually, it can take longer but it works best when you limit the time to two hours, this includes character creation and all that (it's very fast). So, in a single sitting of four hours (the amount of time I set aside for this at cons), you can easily do two chapters. That second chapter is always better, too.

There are other great pick up games (A Penny for My Thoughts to name another, Spirit of the Century as well) But I think IAWA is the best that also resembles a traditional RPG. Penny plays more like an improv exercise. It's very accessible to non-roleplayers as a result, something you could easily play after Thanksgiving dinner or a party, but not great if you want action and adventure. SotC is almost as good as IAWA for a pick up game, except that it takes about 2.5 hours to make characters. Once you have characters, you are golden, but that first time can be a doozy (and making characters as a group is too much fun to push off entirely to pre-gens).

 

[I'm A Banana]

I really like the idea of in-game advancement. It would have to be kind of quick, too.

In fact, hypothetically, I could see a game that is a basic "skills + challenges system," something like:
Skills
Athletic
Social
Mental

Challenges
vs. Environment
vs. Character
vs. Self

I'd use a 1d6 vs. DC/Opposed Roll system, with most things set at 4. Roll a 4 or better, you pass, roll below a 4, you fail. Failing eats up some resource (let's call it Fatigue or something). Once your Fatigue is 0, your guy can't participate until the next encounter. Every time you beat an encounter, you gain +1 to the next roll with one of your skills. Games are, say, 3-5 encounters long (any longer and your bonuses will be HUUUUUGE), each encoutner demands at least 3 rolls from each player.

Lather, rinse, repeat.