When Systems Collide.......[d20 Matrix]

[cybernetic]

I had an idea earlier this morning....about a nice way of using two different games to run a Matrix d20 game....

For the characters in the real world..use d20 Modern...and for characters in the Matrix..use Mutants & Masterminds....

I remember reading a interview about the matrix and the directors said that they had wanted to have a superhero story and justify why the heros had their powers....which the idea i had kinda makes sense with..

 

[Sagan Darkside]

I had an idea earlier this morning....about a nice way of using two different games to run a Matrix d20 game....

For the characters in the real world..use d20 Modern...and for characters in the Matrix..use Mutants & Masterminds....

That is a cool idea.

The touchy part would be making a connection (if any) between the real versus unreal world.

Does a character's skills carry over? Which stats? Since the mind is the important part of the unreal world- then would the non-physical stats become the physical stats?

For example: Int = Str, Con = Wis, Dex = Cha

Thus- allowing a pc an interesting set of options. Since you can adventure in both worlds, then you want to be capable in both.

Perhaps give the xp in only d20 Modern, and with each level giving them points (i.e. programs) they can advance their unreal form with?

Hmm. Damage could be carried over from unreal to real as subduel damage, but if it ever hits 0- then they make a massive mental damage check with their wis modifier instead of their con.

Still pondering...
SD

 

[cybernetic]

I was thinking that you would only get XP in both the real world and matrix...but the xp only applies to your d20 Modern character....while you get 2 power levels in the matrix (M&M)for each character level you possess in the realworld (d20M)...and when you load another "program" you are able to take skill and power ranks from your current skills and powers and put them into the new skill or power downloaded...

 

[Benedict]

No disrespect to the d20 system (I'm a fan or I wouldn't be here) but for players of White Wolfs game MAGE the matrix was a movie about Mages. If you want a ready made, ready to go game that emulates the matrix movie check out MAGE.

My buddy made Neo with a starting character with a few extra freebie points... pretty neat.

benedict

 

[AereonBlaze]

Seems like a pretty cool idea and I'd love to hear how it works out should you run with it. You'd probably have to rule out certain powers (energy blasts, elasticity etc.) and power levels a bit so people cant toss buildings at each other early on though. Power level equal to twice the non-matrix level does sound good though.

If your looking for some ideas though, you might want to check out an older thread I started here on running the Matrix in d20 Modern with skill & feat based abilities. I only ran 1 game in it, but it turned out great and the players had lots of fun. Two things you might want to watch out for: the dilemna of starting off in the matrix with any type of item ("I need guns. Lots of guns.") and the "I can learn anything from Matrix training programs" problem.

I dealt with the equipment issue by claiming that the ship the PC's were on was much lower tech than Morpheus' and didnt have the resources to create items on the fly for insertion into the Matrix.

The training program problem was a bit more difficult. I used the excuse that they again didnt have a lot of training programs on the ship, but did end the adventure with them leveling as they used the ones they did have. I think the idea you suggested regarding being able to rearrange current powerpoints might be best.

 

[cybernetic]

Two things you might want to watch out for: the dilemna of starting off in the matrix with any type of item ("I need guns. Lots of guns.") and the "I can learn anything from Matrix training programs" problem.

Using Mutants & Masterminds for in-the-Matrix play takes care of the equipment issue...It takes the umph out of guns...they'll still level the weakling minion types though..which is ok..just throw lots of the minion types out there...When against Agents, however, your character would be better off ditching the guns and slugging it out...as guns will be considerably less effective against the Agents (aka supervillians) if you use M&M...

The "Learn anything" thing is a but harder...it should take enough time that it would be very dangerous to do in combat...(during download..no actions but a normal move...and it draws AoOs and you are flat-footed...)...I would probably have it only allow you to take skill points from other skills you possess...aka you try to download the pilot(helicopter) skill....the download lets you take 10 ranks from your drive skill and put it over into that one or somthing..

I would probably rule that the training programs is what allows you to use xp in order for you to improve your matrix self...it really wouldn't have any other game play effect....(My opinion is that because Neo was the "one" he had a boatload of unused experience because of that...and that is how he gained all of his power so quickly..)

 

[Labmonkey-XL]

Matrix D20 will not work only for the reason of Instant Mastery and access to anything and everything before heading into the matrix. (Its a munchkins wet dream)

The Only challenge will come from Agents who are unkillable unless you are neo, or if your battling other Resistant fighters whp hacked into the matrix.

I wholeheartedly agree with Benedict, pick up White Wolfs MAGE:The Acension, it is the best to use if your gonna run a Matrix campaing. In fact, just by looking at the book I was impressed by the overall feel about how much like the Matrix just by the pictures and setting that the book conveys.

Once again instant mastery in skills will be a problem, but then again it uses the white wolf system and extra freebie points for skills will be fine.

Three to four dots should be enuff for Instant skill mastery, and 5 dots is just godlike.

 

[Sagan Darkside]

Matrix D20 will not work only for the reason of Instant Mastery and access to anything and everything before heading into the matrix. (Its a munchkins wet dream).

Not necessarily- there could be a limit to the amount of data(equipment) that could be loaded into the Matrix. Which would bring to mind using a budget system like spycraft.

SD

 

[Synicism]

I think that an easier way to implement this would be to stick with Mutants and Masterminds, and add certain limitations such as all powers must have either the limitation "only works in the Matrix" (for the super cool bullet-time things that you see in the movie) or "device" (to cover high-tech gadgetry like the EMP-generator or that cool plasma weapon that Cipher used when he betrayed the other characters).

 

[Synicism]

Actually, I don't think that the "instant mastery" would be all that difficult to deal with in M&M since there is a definite point cost for everything. Since M&M really doesn't deal with training time, it's easy enough to say that spending points when you get them *is* "instant mastery." Allow the PC's to spend character points at any time, even during the middle of a session.

As far as the ability to download skills, this is pretty easy to deal with as well. Make a power that allows a character to set aside a certain number of points that can be temporarily applied to any skill that he needs, so long as his operator (the guy in the real world with the software) has an available chip.

Varying numbers of points allocated to this ability represents a character's varying degree of control over the Matrix and his ability to function within it. Let's face it - Neo is better than Trinity. He's the One. He can do more stuff than she can. And so on. Mutants and Masterminds actually works pretty well for this.

The only problem I would have with Mutants & Masterminds is that it has rather abstracted combat. Much of the action flavor of The Matrix came from the martial arts and gunplay, which M&M has the risk of distilling into something more vanilla. Still, characters can use simple, low-cost "powers" to represent specific combat maneuvers, I guess.