The Great Conjunction (RPG DESIGN CONTEST)
- Thread starter jdrakeh
- Start date
Jack7
First Post
I too incorporated faith and reason into my game design, though not as a token system.
I intend to participate unless work precludes me. So this is my entry post.
Name: Jack
Title: Transformations (Working Title - subject to later alteration)
Summary Statement: Nothing works as predicted, and few things are as they appear. God and magic are both well beyond mortal control. And so Dwarves, Elves, Giants, and Men all seek to transform what is not, into what can be.
I already have working draft notes of the races, professions, how arcane magic will work (I am employing a system that to my knowledge has never been done in a game before), how the relationship between God and divine magic (ditto to arcane magic) will work, and so forth. I have some of the background/support/milieu material in sketch form as well as ideas for the ruined city (I will probably be using a fantasy version of the city of Troy, in which the ruins of the city consist of more than one layer/level of old city/historical ruins).
I'm also considering some ideas regarding magical items, how they will function, not function, and be capable of transformation.
I may try to fold the whole effort into my previous ideas regarding setting, or I may let it stand alone.
I'm assuming we retain all future/publication rights to our project, is that correct James?
fuindordm
Adventurer
I'm glad to see we have some contestants! Please feel free to edit your summary statement if you feel the need.
Here's my own idea:
B. Mathiesen, The Jewel of Faith. In a parallel Biblical age, the Children of Oshem have been punished for their hubris. Their minds no longer understand the Words of Creation, while their bodies have diminished and diversified. Amid angels, djinn and myriad daemons, humans now forge their own stories and build the first Empire.
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The rules will probably be fairly traditional for RPGs, drawing freely on the dozens of games I've read in the past, but each mechanic will be selected and perhaps modified to support the atmosphere I have in mind.
The innovative thing about it will be a mechanism for the players to take turns GMing even within a single session. I would like to create a game that supports the "stories within stories" structure of the Arabian Knights--so that if a player takes a fancy to some element of the main plot they can 'interrupt' the action to spin off a sub-adventure (or maybe just a tall tale). The DM becomes one of the players, and everyone is rewarded for taking part in increasing the depth of the world.
I have some nebulous ideas in the back of my head for how to justify this within the setting and create incentives for this sort of behavior among the players and GM alike.
Here's my own idea:
B. Mathiesen, The Jewel of Faith. In a parallel Biblical age, the Children of Oshem have been punished for their hubris. Their minds no longer understand the Words of Creation, while their bodies have diminished and diversified. Amid angels, djinn and myriad daemons, humans now forge their own stories and build the first Empire.
-----
The rules will probably be fairly traditional for RPGs, drawing freely on the dozens of games I've read in the past, but each mechanic will be selected and perhaps modified to support the atmosphere I have in mind.
The innovative thing about it will be a mechanism for the players to take turns GMing even within a single session. I would like to create a game that supports the "stories within stories" structure of the Arabian Knights--so that if a player takes a fancy to some element of the main plot they can 'interrupt' the action to spin off a sub-adventure (or maybe just a tall tale). The DM becomes one of the players, and everyone is rewarded for taking part in increasing the depth of the world.
I have some nebulous ideas in the back of my head for how to justify this within the setting and create incentives for this sort of behavior among the players and GM alike.
Jack7
First Post
I like many of the ideas being generated so far.
I see a lot of potential for interesting developments regarding the use of both Divine and Arcane magic.
I forgot to ask James, what exactly are the formatting requirements? What kind of formats do you want to accept?
I know you want them posted openly on threads, or linked, but in interests of hosting space would it not be better to submit them to you? 50 pages is a lot of space and assuming there are quite a few entries...
I see a lot of potential for interesting developments regarding the use of both Divine and Arcane magic.
I forgot to ask James, what exactly are the formatting requirements? What kind of formats do you want to accept?
I know you want them posted openly on threads, or linked, but in interests of hosting space would it not be better to submit them to you? 50 pages is a lot of space and assuming there are quite a few entries...
Wik
First Post
Jack: Since there were no claims on ownership, you would still retain all publishing rights. That being said, if you wanted to try and publish something you've submitted elsewhere for free, there may be a bit of snag. 
I think the games should be posted in a public forum, if not here then on some free site. I mean, I want to read them all and play them all!
A lot more works with religious nature than I thought there'd be. I mean, really, they all have a bit of the religious in them, don't they? Great minds, and all that jazz, I guess.
As for formatting, I personally plan on Times New Roman text, size 10.5, with slightly smaller tables. Two columns, with size 12 titles per section of text. Small indents, and single-spaced.
Way I figure it, Drakeh would have given us parameters to follow if he really cared about it. That being said, I think it'd be lame for someone to submit an entry in size 7 font so they can sort of bypass the page restriction.
I think the games should be posted in a public forum, if not here then on some free site. I mean, I want to read them all and play them all!
A lot more works with religious nature than I thought there'd be. I mean, really, they all have a bit of the religious in them, don't they? Great minds, and all that jazz, I guess.
As for formatting, I personally plan on Times New Roman text, size 10.5, with slightly smaller tables. Two columns, with size 12 titles per section of text. Small indents, and single-spaced.
Way I figure it, Drakeh would have given us parameters to follow if he really cared about it. That being said, I think it'd be lame for someone to submit an entry in size 7 font so they can sort of bypass the page restriction.
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Wik
First Post
I think it's about time for someone to take a look at a biblical RPG - I mean, there was that d20 supplement, but it never really took off. I think a fantastic biblical game could be a lot of fun, especially when you start taking from other sources.
The Multi-GM angle should be a lot of fun - it was something I was considering doing, too, though to a lesser extent (in my ideas, players could spend tokens to temporarily become a GM to alter the story a bit, maybe introducing an NPC or altering an event). I ran into some snags that I Couldn't get over, so I'm curious to see how you deal with the design problems.
Another great thing about going biblical is free art is going to be very easy to find - any clip art site is going to have a huge range of usable art.
Looking forward to seeing what you produce.
Jack7
First Post
That's why I asked. I may compete then, not publicly or for the win or prize, but for the feedback on design principles.
That is when I've completed the effort I would send copies of the project to whoever wished for review, and they could play-test them, but I wouldn't post publicly, especially the proprietary materials.
I noticed that too.
Personally I'm as anxious to redesign the principles upon which Divine magic operates as I am to redesign the principles upon which Arcane magic works.
I also like Fuin's idea of angels and daemons (and of Arabian Knights, though I'm not gonna pursue that angle, I think it will be an excellent background for magical development), and had already started out with an idea of directly interjecting angels and demons in my game as background agents, guiding, assisting, or opposing players, though not directly involved as parties. I think there will be some aspects of parallel development in many of the projects.
I also want to reintroduce the idea of "Heroism" as central to fantasy RPGs. As central an idea as magic, and related to magic.
Jack7
First Post
I completely agree. My world setting uses real world religions in it, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Pagan, and since the party is based out of Constantinople it is both real world, and "Biblical" for it's age (the time period in which it is set, circa 800 AD). That is everything in the setting of the human world is involving cultures derived from historical and Biblical roots. But it is not biblical per se, that is I didn't set out to write a game or even the setting in the active biblical ages. Rather the Bible and many of the things that happen in it serve as the historical, cultural and religious basis of my milieu. And yet it has been the most popular and interesting setting my players have ever gamed in according to them. And I think that is probably because of the combination of Real World History and Real World religious themes.
I cannot be absolutely certain Wik but I think Green Ronin did a Biblical game. I went there one time doing research for developing my background in Constantinople and think I saw one. I didn't buy it though, I ended up buying their Medieval Player's Manual.
fuindordm
Adventurer
Thanks for the kind words, folks. The mechanics are pretty fuzzy still, but the themes are something I've been thinking about for a long time.
For one thing, I've never found the typical Fantasy Pantheon very satisfying. So for a while now, my games have been toying with the idea of Fantasy Monotheism and how it could play out.
When I say a Parallel Biblical Age, I'm not thinking about RPing on Earth. It's more of a thought experiment on how some of the most evocative Biblical themes might have played out in a monotheistic fantasy setting. As you can probably tell, one of those themes is the legend of Babel.
My idea for one form of (arcane) power is that while no one can understand the True Speech, magicians can still record and use fragments of it. The meaning and grammar of the True Speech lies forever beyond the reach of mortals, so the fragments people have managed to record appear as powerful but illogical spells. No one can learn this language, even though texts are available; at best they might notice that a certain syllable or pattern appears in most of the known fragments that evoke fire. The greatest intellects might be able to put together new sequences that are grammatically valid through a combination of inference, dedication and luck. Most magicians, however, learn their spells by rote.
Another form of magic would bargain with and/or control the spiritual beings that inhabit the world. This would blur the line between arcane and divine.
It's great to see everyone's ideas for how magic can be something more than an arbitrary plot device.
Cheers,
Ben
For one thing, I've never found the typical Fantasy Pantheon very satisfying. So for a while now, my games have been toying with the idea of Fantasy Monotheism and how it could play out.
When I say a Parallel Biblical Age, I'm not thinking about RPing on Earth. It's more of a thought experiment on how some of the most evocative Biblical themes might have played out in a monotheistic fantasy setting. As you can probably tell, one of those themes is the legend of Babel.
My idea for one form of (arcane) power is that while no one can understand the True Speech, magicians can still record and use fragments of it. The meaning and grammar of the True Speech lies forever beyond the reach of mortals, so the fragments people have managed to record appear as powerful but illogical spells. No one can learn this language, even though texts are available; at best they might notice that a certain syllable or pattern appears in most of the known fragments that evoke fire. The greatest intellects might be able to put together new sequences that are grammatically valid through a combination of inference, dedication and luck. Most magicians, however, learn their spells by rote.
Another form of magic would bargain with and/or control the spiritual beings that inhabit the world. This would blur the line between arcane and divine.
It's great to see everyone's ideas for how magic can be something more than an arbitrary plot device.
Cheers,
Ben
Wik
First Post
Yeah, it's called "Testament". It's the one I was talking about when I said this:
Wik said:
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While I'm on the computer, I think I should mention something to those who are considering entering but are holding back because they may think they can't come up with some crazy-original stuff (I mean, we have a lot of fringe entries right now that seem pretty neat). Here it is: you don't need to re-invent the wheel.
There is plenty of room for someone to enter a classic D&D game with a few minor variations - making it more anime, more wuxia, more gritty, more video-game, or more Harry Potter are all angles you can pursue here. You do not need to go the route that's been pursued so far, that of lofty design goals and whole new takes on familiar themes. You can win this competition with something more traditional.
I guess I'm saying is, don't let us wordy blowhards scare you out of competing. Anyone can win this.
