proposed joint project - anyone interested?

[malladin]

Hi folks,

I think I'm probably sticking my neck out here for a bit of a flaming, but I have an idea burning in my head that needs some public discussion before I get too carried away with it. So please, if I'm being stupid, please just let down politely .

I've had a bit of a problem with the core D20 system for a number of games I've tried to run. I think that this is mainly an issue of the scale of probability. The D20 itself is just too random for anything that I want to get grim and gritty with. Whereas I thought D20 Modern may prove me wrong, I find that even this 'toned down' version of the D20 System is still a bit too wild for what I have been wanting. I am also a fan of many other roleplaying systems that don't use a class and level system for character progression.

Therefore I have been kicking about the idea of a new OGL system that operates on a smaller scale and has a more free-form character system.

Okay, that's my piece. Flame away if you will. I'm sure there are thousands who don't agree with me on this. What I'd like to know is, how many do agree with me? Who would be interested in helping build such a system? You see, the way I figure it is that if my idea is going to get off the ground I'm going to need some support. I can write the rules myself and put it out on a PDF for little enough cost for me to happily write it off, but the idea will probably die very quickly.

So, I'm looking for other writers and publishers who fancy giving something different a chance to grow in a market place somewhat dominated by D20.

What I'm proposing is this: I have the basics of a system, one that has grown over 6 or seven years of playing with my own gaming group. I know that this is a good system from the feedback I've got from the different gaming groups over the years. Since Action system was released as OGL I've been thinking about how to develop it as an OGL game, but also to make it more like D20, but retaining the core features of scale that provide the key difference I'm after. The system is based around a D6 mechanic that, largely by coincidence, is quite similar to the D20 base mechanic. I've tweaked it a bit and changed the game's terminology drastically to make it more friendly to D20 gamers (I still have Ability scores, Base attacks, Saves, DCs, feats and skill ranks) and have made it so that it can be relatively easily converted to and from D20.

I would like some others who want to get involved to help me develop the core system and produce products for the system that it can grow and be recognised in teh market place. Whilst I'm sure it won't do as well as the D20 system, maybe, if its good enough, it can become the next best thing....?

Hopefully and probably going insane...

Ben

 

[jmucchiello]

Don't we all have pet systems we've all worked on for years?

Have you considered the Action! System? It's already OGL. It looks like it would handle low power/gritty a lot better than d20.

Alternatively, try changing the core d20 roll to a 2d10 roll (or 3d6). You may find that solves your range of probablility problems.

 

[JoeGKushner]

I'd wait for Grim Tales, I believe, coming from the bad axe master himself. Our very own Wulf!

Still hardcover and still this fall?

 

[V_Shane]

Sounds like a good base for a Board Games

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

I'd wait for Grim Tales, I believe, coming from the bad axe master himself. Our very own Wulf!

Still hardcover and still this fall?

Yes and yes-- though if the d20 system is the core of Malladin's complaint, Grim Tales isn't going to help. It is based on the d20 system (mostly Modern, some 3.5). I am sure that Malladin is aware of Grim Tales as we've done some parallel development and had some minor discussions over in the Modern forum.

All I can add to this discussion is that personally, I think GRIT owes more to inspiration and presentation than it does to the core mechanic.

Wulf

 

[JoeGKushner]

Well Wulf, it looks like it's going to capture the Conan essence and by that, I mean the Robert E. Howard, no magic, don't get inured cause it hurts type of deal.

 

[Ed Cha]

Grim Tales sounds cool. I'll keep an eye out for it.

 

[Ghostwind]

The system is based around a D6 mechanic that, largely by coincidence, is quite similar to the D20 base mechanic. I've tweaked it a bit and changed the game's terminology drastically to make it more friendly to D20 gamers (I still have Ability scores, Base attacks, Saves, DCs, feats and skill ranks) and have made it so that it can be relatively easily converted to and from D20.

This almost sounds like Decipher's CODA system (essentially d20-lite but d6 based). Have you looked at that to see if it mirrors what you're trying to do?