[non-d20, MATRIX] Miss me, Mr. Anderson? (Game started, now ooc/discussion)

Jeph

Explorer
As some of you may know, I built a nice little system for games in The Matrix. It's been tested once, and worked awesomely. The central concept: the more you elaborate on your move, the more dice you get.

Character creation is simple. First, write up a paragraph describing your character. Make sure they have a cool nickname, that's the most important part. Then set their three core stats: Matrix, Real-World, and Mind. Matrix will start at 2 for all characters. Mark either Real-World or Mind as 2, and mark the other one as 1. Then, choose a Skill. This can be anything, from Matrix Super Jumping to Police Tactics. The most useful skills will be those that you can fit into combat descriptions. Now, finish it up with a Motivation. This should be a powerful drive, and relatively narrow. Your Motivation is the only thing that could let you get close to an Agent's power level.

The core mechanic: start with one die. Describe your move in utmost detail. For each 'embellishment,' you get +1D. If you include your skill somewhere in there, you get +1D. Roll your dice. Discard all dice above the relevant core stat. Total up the remaining dice. Compare to a difficulty, or an opponant's roll.

So, uh, how do you get bonus dice in social actions? Well, just like you do in combat actions. Describe, describe, describe. Remember that scene in Ocean's 11? Where are you eyes? Your hands? How do you gesture? Tone of voice? Do you walk towards them? Away from them? It's all in the embellishments.

Note that Agents have a Matrix rating of 3. That gives them, on average, twice as many points per die as the characters will have. You all know that no-one except for Neo has ever beaten an Agent, right? There's a reason for that: they're better at this than you are. ;)

All the characters would be Free Minds, you know, like Mouse, Trinity, and the crew. Nobody's The One, and I don't think you'd enjoy being Children of Zion, as they can't enter the Matrix.

When it comes to the action, everyone will post their move, and in parenthesis, a different size font, a different color, or whatever, specify their targets. Such as, (hit the Agent with everything I've got) or (take out as many police as I can, and then move onto the Agent). I'll then quote the move, editing in (+1D) after an embellishment, or the first use of a Skill. I'll then tell you what you rolled, which dice are kept, the total of the roll, who attacked you, if they hit, who you successfully hit, etc.

So, anyone up for this? I know I really sucked the last time I tried to run PbP, but this time it's rules-light, not Sultuns of Smack, and I've just got one e-game on my mind, instead of like 5. So, who wants a spot? I'll email a copy of the .pdf of the full rules to anyone who wants it.

Zion is in need.
Can you save it?
 
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Jeph, if you could e-mail me the rules .pdf file, I think I could definitely be up for this game. Thanks. :)
 


Sent you both the .pdf. :)

Anyone else? I'm looking for 4-6 players, and may include more on a bribe-by-br--I, er, mean, case-by-case basis. :D
 


Dalamar said:
Sounds interesting, I'll give it a try.

You have received the Holy .PDF of Rulesness. Actually, I have a request: do any of you three have the Stuffing program? If you do, could you post a Stuffed version of the rules? That would be great.

A bit more detail:

You are on the hovercraft Ramses II, captained by a man who is called CODENAmE. CODENAmE is a Child of Zion, i.e., he was born outside of the Matrix, and does not have the hardware to enter the Construct or its larger cousin. He is a thin and wiry man, lacking any hair (even eyebrows) except for for a thin brown mustachio. Although stern and sometimes harsh, Codename is deeply loyal to crew, and does not like it when they take risks.

The Operater on the Ramses II is a kid named Bug. Bug hasn't told anyone his real age, but he can't be older than fourteen. Due to an accident while being Unplugged, Bug is unable to enter the Matrix, so serves from the outside. Bug is underwight for his height, but has a sharp wit, and an obsession for computers. The kid has a tendancy to get into scrapes, but usually gets out fine.

CODENAmE
Matrix --
Real-World 1
Mind 2
Skill (+1): Electronics
Skill (+2): Hovercraft Captain
Motivation: Protect Crew

Bug
Matrix --
Real-World 1
Mind 2
Skill (+1): Get Out Of Scrapes
Skill (+2): Operator
Motivation: Free his parents from the Matrix

-Jeff S.
 

I'm not a real diehard Matrix fan, but I'll give this a shot...I'm pretty good at descriptions if I do say so myself.

Could you email me the rules?
 



Here he is :D:

Ferret
Matrix 2
Real-world 1
Mind 2
Skill (+1): Firearms
Motivation: Find the One

Appearance:
Ferret is thirty years old, a pale young man who carries dark rings under his eyes, and generally has a tired and passive appearance. This doesn't reflect on his character though and he is in fact quite a nice guy. He is honourable and generous, and his loyalty to his comrades is unquestionable. He has hazel eyes and his black hair is cut very short. He is of fairly average build and is a little shorter than most.

His residual self image though is one from better times. He wears round mirrored spectacles, has shortish black wavy hair and a small goatee. His apparell consists entirely of the colour navy rather than black: trenchcoat, kevlar vest, fatigues and combat boots. His weapons of choice to carry with him are an HK G36C assault rifle in the left side of the trenchcoat, an HK M69 grenade launcher in the right, and an FN FiveseveN holstered on each thigh.

History:
Ferret's existence before being unplugged was that of a police officer. He was a well decorated detective, and just about lived for his job. He was very inquisitive and his motivation was strong. These two characteristics in combination made him a force to be reckoned with, nonetheless his drive for the truth led him to questions concerning the reality around him, and vague suspicions were aroused now and then with cases involving suspects who bend the laws of physics. He needed to inquire further, and after a short time led to his being unplugged.

He left everything and nothing behind, everything he left behind amounted to nothing in his opinion, all his friends and family he gave up on and tried to forget, because they all remained and therefore could be considered threats. He struggled for some time to try and find a purpose or truth to follow in the real world. What he found was the prophesy of the One, and decided that would be his reason for living. He would help search out this legendary individual and then continue to fight along side them until the war was won. The amount of time he has clocked up in the Matrix since being unplugged is the main reason for his appearance. Days on end keeping a low profile and simply searching, he didn't know what he was looking for and still doesn't, but he searches still when given time and ideas. These days he hasn't given up hope, but he puts his friends first, because they are always there with him. He realises the chances of him actually finding the One are quiet limited so he's quite happy to help his friends in their endeavors, believing their goals to be more often than not plenty easier than his own.
 
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