Post by Trailfoot on Apr 23, 2006 18:51:58 GMT -5
For the Sakura Bandit Tabletop RPG, I started the development of a new engine. I've come to... well, really like the mechanics of this game engine, so I've given it a name.
The engine is now called the Trailfoot Gaming Engine, or TGE for short. Features:
1. Organic attribute determination using an attribute grid. The player places tendencies on the rows and columns of this grid, which then, through simple addition, give the character's scores in each of nine attributes.
2. A simple yet dynamic skill-based system which places hard caps on character ability and encourages characters to learn to do more than one thing. The maximum roll that a character can make, regardless of skill, is a 21, which will accomplish feats of nearly superhuman ability... but that 'nearly' is quite important. Skills consist of a pool of dice which the character only keeps the best of and a mastery rating that grants bonuses to the roll.
3. A sensible abstraction of damage. A hit with a sword is severely damaging or deadly, but characters are able to avoid getting hit, and that is what health is an abstraction of. Furthermore, by spending a round focusing, a character can regain his balance and ability to defend himself, thus restoring health.
4. Character creation based on background, allowing the player to make choices about what the character was doing at certain times in his life. These choices determine the character's initial skills, leading to well-rounded characters with realistic sets of skills.
The engine is now called the Trailfoot Gaming Engine, or TGE for short. Features:
1. Organic attribute determination using an attribute grid. The player places tendencies on the rows and columns of this grid, which then, through simple addition, give the character's scores in each of nine attributes.
2. A simple yet dynamic skill-based system which places hard caps on character ability and encourages characters to learn to do more than one thing. The maximum roll that a character can make, regardless of skill, is a 21, which will accomplish feats of nearly superhuman ability... but that 'nearly' is quite important. Skills consist of a pool of dice which the character only keeps the best of and a mastery rating that grants bonuses to the roll.
3. A sensible abstraction of damage. A hit with a sword is severely damaging or deadly, but characters are able to avoid getting hit, and that is what health is an abstraction of. Furthermore, by spending a round focusing, a character can regain his balance and ability to defend himself, thus restoring health.
4. Character creation based on background, allowing the player to make choices about what the character was doing at certain times in his life. These choices determine the character's initial skills, leading to well-rounded characters with realistic sets of skills.