Putting the RP back in RPG

[imnotjesus]

I know this might be an unpopular place to post this, but I'm going to anyway...

In an effort to renew my interest in medieval fantasy RPing, I've decided to set out on a project to modify the Storyteller system to accommodate such a setting. I have posted my first (rough) draft for public viewing pleasure. It can be found at:
http://www.teamblood.org/~nick/FantasyStorytelling.html

I will spare you all the digression of my rationale and reasoning for the time being, but I hope some of you share my interest in this project. If so, please feel free to provide feedback.

The aim here is to create a light weight rules system that only needs a single book (WoD rule book) and some d10s to play, not to be a comprehensive, thick rule set to replace d20/D&D. If the latter is what you're looking for, don't bother looking here.

cheers,
-n

 

[Sravoff]

Why not use Exalted, by White Wolf?

-Sravoff

 

[Jdvn1]

I'd recommend Nobilis, actually. No dice at all. It's very heavy roleplaying. See the game in my sig.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Have you had a look at Ars Magica?

If so, well fair enough then.

If not, have a look.


edit --- either way, I am interested in your project though. I'm *always* interested in roleplaying projects, particularly conversions and/or playing with innovative ideas.

sidenote: Uh, I think the thread's title might raise some hackles, btw. . . when read together with parts of your initial post. It's probably safe to assume that it's unintentional, but it could appear to some people that you are 'having a go' at d02 in the time-honoured 'role vs. roll' fashion. I mean no offense by saying this, as I am simply (and quite possibly wrongly :\) alerting you to the possibility of your post being misconstrued (assuming you didn't already know that of course.) Er, if this doesn't make any sense, or you don't like the way I've put things, or it's all irrelevant worries from netdays past, please ignore it!

 

[imnotjesus]

Sravoff - I chose not to use Exalted because the rules modifications are too closely tied to the game world. Another goal, which I failed to mention in the original post, is to remain as setting independent as possible. I have some plans to test this with a number of existing settings including Iron Kingdoms, Greyhawk, and an as-yet-unnamed setting created by local folks.

Jdvn1 - Nobilis is an interesting system, but it is also coupled tightly with its setting. Again, the two main goals are simplicity and flexibility. There are countless systems out there that achieve one or the other, but few that I've seen that address both.

Aus_Snow - I have played Ars Magica many moons ago and enjoyed it very much. It has much of what I like in an RPG, but a little too much detail. I found it easier to start from WoD and add a magic system than to tear out things from Ars Magica that I didn't like.

All of these posts make very relevant points about other projects that are already out there. I'm not going to fib and remark that I do not hold a special liking for the WW Storyteller system. I do very much like it. In my opinion, it is very comprehensive, yet simple and flexible enough to adapt with very little effort. The rules easily stand aside when unnecessary, but are always there to provide the needed randomness in certain situations. The balance between mental, physical, and social traits is a refreshing change from other systems, which often lend too much to physical abilities or combat.

Thank you all for your comments and I hope someone has learned something useful from this thread. I'm looking forward to playtesting these rules and I am open to accepting contributions to them.

cheers,
-n