Idunnojohnmaybe's page

I'm working on an RPG at the moment (I seem to be saying that a lot, lately), and I am at the stage where the core rules are down and it's primarily the options that need to be filled out.

In this game the options are things like spells, feats, class abilities (like feats), equipment and so on.

The idea of the game is that the each class has a considerable scope for customisation. This is through skill, feats and talent selections. Another aim of the game is to remove anything that doesn't need to be strictly plied in concrete, and leave it to the GM and Player's to play out through role-play.

So, the question I have is; how much is too much variety? Should the core rule book have 100' of options allowing hyper specialisation, or should it remain broad and general and provide maybe a handful or so options (about 40 abilities to choose ten or so from) from a list?

I think keeping things smaller maintains flavour and atmosphere, whilst providing more and more option provides scope and opportunity.

Is there some happy medium? Any ideas? Is there a stage where there are too many options?

Help, as always, is gratefully received.

Hey,

A while ago (quite a while in fact) I posted a thread about creating a D20esque RPG with the hopes of developing and supporting a campaign world and series of adventures and campaign arcs and so on. There was a little interest, a lot of very great advice and then a lot of time...

Well, after a lot of set backs I've actually gotten to somewhere close to finishing the core rulebook of my system. It's no longer very D20esque, although there are still a few remnants but it has mostly evolved into its own thing. Which, un/fortunately is a lot like other things, but what can you do.

Anyway, I was wondering what people would suggest doing with it now. I'm kind of losing faith in terms of how much I can do on my own, and while I am convinced that it is a great game and could muster enough of a community to support itself and me, I'm not entirely convinced I can do it alone, nor that I have the experience and know-whats to guide this project. Actually, I am pretty sure I could and it would be great, but It's pretty daunting.

So I was wondering what anyone else would do in a similar situation. Do I finish working it into a publishable form (it's currently 100 pages in indesign with at least another 100 of content to be moved over, polished and expanded) and see if anyone is interested? Do I hand out to a few individuals to read over and see what they think of it? Do I keep it for myself and friends to play? Do I hand it over to the community and see what they might make of it?

I just don't know.

Any ideas? What would you do?

OK - actual questions I wanted to ask.

1. Is there room for another d20 version?

2. Does that what I have suggested so far seem different enough to make the project worthy of your consideration? Would anyone be interested in this idea if I was to publish and (indulge me here) sell it?

3. If you can garner a feel for what I have in mind, and it appeals to you, what would you like to see in such a game?

4. The game would be fully supported with adventures, campaigns and additional material, as well as campaign setting material - which would follow a format of distantly connected lands and themes in a 'tales of ...[gothic themed land] or [medieval european themed land] kind of style. All of these lands reside in the same world but have little or no interaction with one another, there are no maps and GM's can focus on whichever ones they wanted... and so on. Would this be important?

5. Beyond the core rules, a supplement for GM's, adventures, bestiaries and campaign settings there won't be much additional crunch content. Would this be problematic?

6. As a d20 varient, is there much appeal in this game following a PHB, DMG, MM format? Should layout remain similar to DnD, Pathfinder etc?

7. How do people stand on free stuff and beta's?

8. Am I allowed to post stuff like this? I feel like I am advertising (which I suppose I am) a product that doesn't exist, and am not to sure how allowed that is...

That may do for now. More to come :)

simon