The Issue of Hit Point Inflation and Related Materia

[Jack7]

You are aware that your entire post is an argument against a straw man, right?

Well, now that you've told me, I must be.

I wonder if we might have any interest around making a new OGL version of DnD, collectively through some kind of open Wiki. Kind of like pathfinder is doing, only instead of a "3.75" approach toward more high-magic, high combat, high-fantasy gaming, how about moving in the opposite direction, more gritty, more immersive, more role playing oriented, say a "3.01" version?

I have been working on exactly this for the last 4 months. The focus is on mechanics that match the danger involved. The focus is on fewer but more detailed combats, and combats that emphasize more than just one or other of the sides dying. For me this then allows more room for role-playing in and out of combat. Killing things is a last option.

I pretty much have the raw engine worked out in terms of damage/healing, the structure/order of actions in combat as well as degrees of success/failure for these actions. I'm not too sure whether my ideas are exactly what you are looking for (there are several ways to skin this cat), but heh, just putting it out there. I'd definitely be into helping put something like this together.

I like the idea, as far as a RPG design project, but right now I'm working on that Conjunction Contest.
After that I can take up other things.

I'm not sure though that we should make it edition specific.
I think you could appeal to a much broader market-base if it were desigend as an "Overlay."

Meaning that it could theoretically, with very little effort, be overlain any edition, if you're talking a grittier, more simplified system.

But I guess we could test that theory as we go along, like all of the other theories we devise.

However it turns out here are some of the general ideas (subject matter) I am interested in addressing.

Character advancement in areas more than just combat capabilities and "class powers."

Magic (arcane)

Combat and the mechanics of combat

Better integration between player capabilities and character capabilities in-game

Divine matters and divine magic

Wider and more extensive role play

Character abilities

And stuff like that.

 

[Galloglaich]

I'm not sure though that we should make it edition specific.
I think you could appeal to a much broader market-base if it were desigend as an "Overlay."

Meaning that it could theoretically, with very little effort, be overlain any edition, if you're talking a grittier, more simplified system.

But I guess we could test that theory as we go along, like all of the other theories we devise.

However it turns out here are some of the general ideas (subject matter) I am interested in addressing.

Character advancement in areas more than just combat capabilities and "class powers."

Magic (arcane)

Combat and the mechanics of combat

Better integration between player capabilities and character capabilities in-game

Divine matters and divine magic

Wider and more extensive role play

Character abilities

And stuff like that.

I'm half-way with you.

I think it should be based on a stripped down, somewhat reformed and simplified version 3, redesigned on the basis of basic concepts such as you describe above, with a specific clear goal in mind (what ever we decide, but such as perhaps making it more low-fantasy friendly, making it faster and simpler, more intuitive and more immersive etc,) and make it modular, so that for example, you could fairly easily plug in a different combat system, wound system, character generation or magic system. (seeing as everybody and their uncle seems to have their own idea for a combat system these days )

If we are really clever, we could design this in such a way that the basic system will be relatively easy to plug in to other modules for combat, character generation etc.

I actually built the combat system in the Codex to be used in this way. I was hoping to make it compatible with Pathfinder but I think they are moving to far in the "3.75" direction. I'd like another generalist project to interface with.

I have a lot of research available , for everything from character generation to combat to magic, and all kinds of flavor stuff for life in pre-industrial times all over the entire planet going back from the 17th century to the Neolithic. Anyone who has perused the History / Mythology thread I've been doing knows what I mean. I'm willing to share some of what I have. I think a lot of other people are tinkering with similar ideas, and coming up with all kinds of good stuff. To some extent our ideas won't be compatible, but to the extent they are, maybe we can work together and create something interesting?

For now I think we should start a new thread to discuss this 3.01 idea a little, hash out some basic concepts, and then make a wiki and start creating.

G.

 

[Jack7]

If we are really clever, we could design this in such a way that the basic system will be relatively easy to plug in to other modules for combat, character generation etc.

I actually built the combat system in the Codex to be used in this way. I was hoping to make it compatible with Pathfinder but I think they are moving to far in the "3.75" direction. I'd like another generalist project to interface with.

Yes, I know and I very much like that design concept and philosophy.

Which reminds me, now that my Naval paper is done with, and if I get all of my puppies sold this weekend then I'm gonna finally study the Codex in depth. It's sitting on the middle of my desktop. Course Valentine's will certainly eat into some of that free time.

Then after that's over I'm gonna write up a review of it to post to my blog here, and to my personal blog. And anywhere else you think might be good to post it to.

I like what I've been reading so far.

Well, sack-time.

See ya Gall.

 

[Galloglaich]

Yes, I know and I very much like that design concept and philosophy.

Which reminds me, now that my Naval paper is done with, and if I get all of my puppies sold this weekend then I'm gonna finally study the Codex in depth. It's sitting on the middle of my desktop. Course Valentine's will certainly eat into some of that free time.

Then after that's over I'm gonna write up a review of it to post to my blog here, and to my personal blog. And anywhere else you think might be good to post it to.

I like what I've been reading so far.

Well, sack-time.

See ya Gall.

I'm delighted to hear that, thanks a lot. Don't forget to check the website if you need clarification on anything, we are building a FAQ there among other things.

I look forward to hearing what you think of it.

Meanwhile, do you think we should start a "3.01" thread? or not? Anybody else?

G.