Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Poll: what is most interesting of these ideas?

Okay, I am writing my own system, and system is starting to be ready to go. It needs a bit game testing, but I am getting it right in my opinion. There is few points why I am making my own system:

1. As it is made by me I know it like my own pockets so it's easy to write ideas for it. If I get an idea about game, gadget or anything, it is easy to write for the system I know best, my own
2. It's fun to create. There is few systems I favourite, but own would be cool to use as it would be easy to adapt to any game setting I like. So with own universal system I could play almost any game setting out there without learning new rules every time I want to run a new game. Just need a hold of a setting and the twists of the game and characters.
3. If I like my system and I think it works for myself, I'd like to share it. I am not trying to make system what would suit for most of the gamers, mere I want to be part of indie games design. There is dozens of commercial games, but I personally like the idea that rpg culture and development isn't all about WotC and White Wolf. I like to see individual low budget home brew games, and would like to be part of making them.

Roleplaying hobby is interesting, as there is so many good stuff out there what is not commercial from big companies. And now as there is PDF marketing raising it's head on rpg markets, it's even easier for individual games designer to get his own product to share with other gamers.

Anyways, my system is starting to be ready, and will share it when I got time to put it together and test it. There will first be open test version, and when I get layout ready and put it in PDF format, I will start to share it in two ways.
1. You can download it for free
2. You can download it basically for free, but payment is optional. Prize wont be high, but if you like the product, and like to pay for it, or appreciate paying small fee as encouragment for me using my time putting it up, you are more than welcome to show it with a buck or two.

But when the system is ready, it would be good to have a tailored setting for it. Rules are universal, but maybe you would like to have a ready setting for the system also. But what is most interesting:

1. Survival horror. Yeah, there is dozen zombie games and I think All Flesh Must Be Eaten is a king of them all. So do you need another zombie game? This is not necessary about zombies. But take for example Resident Evil game, put your players character in survival situation against crazy cultists, zombies, mutants or other monsters. Small game, small restricted setting, lots of action and survival. Small game with big heart and lots of fun and possibilities to run your own survival horror campaing.
2. Psychic agents. There is a crime, a crime lord, a gang. Your 3 characters are a part of very special agency. You have to solve the problem using these 3 characters in order to get that mob boss out of the game and ruin his business. Spying, body possession, commando action. It's all there.
3. Struggle between heaven and hell. You take side, but what it will be? Will you be a saint or a sinner? To gain power, you must be good or evil. For sinner evil and sinister acts will give you more power and more powerful you become, you start to be demon-like in power. For saint good acts and saving other's souls will grand you angel-like powers. More good or evil you become, you will get attention of other part.
4. Lonely riders, cowboys, sheriff. Town middle of nowhere where law is in hand of criminals or one man with his revolver. Will you try to keep order, or do you make your law of your own? Or do you just try to cope in wild west? Western romance and action.

So dear readers, what is most interesting of these:
1. SURVIVAL HORROR
2. PSYCHIC AGENTS AND COMMANDO SPECIALISTS
3. STRUGGLE BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL
4. WILD WEST

And they will run on my system YDIN (finnish, means CORE in english).

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Interesting choices and my mind immediately runs to mash-up between them (Zombies in the old west! Mortal psychics versus demon lords for control of the mafia!). But of the choice there:

4, a good western is always fun and there are the most options in this one.
3, classic good versus evil with that actually mattering to the characters as it manifests.
1, this genre of games can be very focused and very driven.
2, it seems like the PCs just have too much of an advantage (psychic powers plus agency backing) to make this much of a challenge for the PCs.

Good luck in any case.

Unknown said...

Mash-up, well making rules generic that is possible in GURPS-ish way ;) But it's all different ofcourse when mash-up setting is pre-written.

That psychic-agent thingie has had comments, and didn't rise earlier much enthusiasm. So I might ditch it for now.

Thank you for opinions. Most appreciated.