My V&V Experience: Character Creation

It occurred to me last night that the fastest way (for me) to learn a new RPG is to make a character and go from there. So, that’s what I did today, during some spare time.

I started off by following the book precisely, and making myself first, then adding powers. This was interesting, and a bit humbling/self-affirming. One of the first steps is to record your actual, real-life weight. Ok, fine. So, I’m a bit overweight. Moving on. You then rank your Strength, Agility, Endurance, Intelligence and Charisma on a scale of 3-18, with 10 being average.

Physically, I’m close to average. I’m probably a bit stronger, and have better reflexes, but I’m just in “OK” shape. I honestly believe I’m pretty smart, and I know I make friends and influence people pretty easily. I tried to be humble and realistic, but when in doubt, I erred on the side of vanity (this is a Super Hero game, after all). Here is what I came up with:

Strength: 12
Agility: 12
Endurance: 10
Intelligence: 15
Charisma: 15

From there a lot of things get calculated out. Oddly enough, you actually have to calculate them with formulae (I used an actual calculator), instead of looking things up on a table. I would imagine that, somewhere in the last 32 years since this game was published, someone did tables for reference. I might have to look for them, just because. Anyways, I came up with the following:

Hit Points: 10
Accuracy: 0
Damage Mod: +1
Base HtH Damage: 1d6
Healing Rate: 1.25
Carrying Capacity: 308
Detect Hidden: 12
Detect Danger: 16
Power: 47

And basically, that’s me without any powers. Which brings me to the next step: Powers.

You’re supposed to roll 1d6+2 to determine your number of powers. I rolled a three, giving me five powers. Initially, I decided to go with the standard method, and rolled a d100 in each category (there are five, and you’re expected to pick more than one). However, I came up with such a random set that it was laughable. So, I erased those, and started over. This time, I decided that, if I were actually playing this game, I would have a theme in mind, so I chose to roll all of my powers from the basic Powers table. Here’s what I got.

Natural Weapon
Disintegration Ray
Heightened Attack
Regeneration

Normally you roll a Weakness, and delete one power. You then have the option to delete the Weakness in exchange for deleting a second power. So, I forwent rolling my fifth power and my Weakness, and then deleted Disintegration Ray.

So, basically, I just became Wolverine, without the Adamantium skeleton or heightened senses.

I decided against making my Natural Weapons claws, and chose instead to use that to represent my toughened fists (which, I kind of actually have, due to years of on-and-off-again martial arts/boxing practice). This also accounts for my Heightened Attack, making Regeneration my only real superpower. Not sure how I ended up with that, and I think I will keep it that way. Adds to my mystery.

After a few other details are added (including my obligatory character portrait), and factoring in the changes for the Powers, that’s it. Tom Doolan, aka Haymaker, is done and ready to play.

Over all, I found the process relatively quick and painless (aside from a couple of the calculations). Still not sold on the whole “me with powers” idea. But, that’s easy enough to work around, considering that the stats have the same range as D&D stats, so 3d6 would get me comparable numbers. Admittedly, I kind of got lucky with the powers, but even the book says that, as an option, the GM can allow the player to just choose which powers to take, within reason. And I can’t imagine any GM not allowing this combination.

Next up: Combat

Back down to art again

As of a few minutes ago, the text for my OSR coversion of Life of Rage is complete.  And, like the original version, all that remains is artwork.  This seems to be a recurring theme, and something that is a bit of a stumbling block for an independant (wannabe) game-designer like myself.

At this point, if I want to be able to charge a small fee for my original creations, I have one of two options.  I can either A) do the art myself, or B) commission the requisite artwork from a professional.

Option A is obviously the most cost-effective.  I work a day job that is adequate for covering the normal expenses of a full family.  So, finances are a major concern.  I don't have the kind of cash laying around to invest in something that could conceivably lose me money.  At this point, all of these efforts have cost me nothing except time.  Honestly, I'm a fair artist.  Not a professional in terms of ability, but I can get by.  And there are always a few shortcuts for a small venture like this.  So, this route is doable.  The main downsides are that it is very time-consuming, and that I am my own worst art critic.  So, I know that if I do the art myself, it will be a long time before this stuff is ready to be published, and even then, I will most likely be unhappy with the final product.

Option B has the downside of not being feasible at this point, due to the afore-mentioned financial constraints.  Art is expensive.  Good art is very expensive.  And I don't have the financial backing of an established RPG publisher.  I could crowd-fund, ala Kickstarter, I suppose.  But that adds the extra burdens of expectation and delivery.  And I'm kind of a coward when it comes to self-promotion and promising delivery.

Really, at this point, I have only one option.  So, I guess I ought to break out my pencils, pens, paper, and reference books, and get cracking.

Writing and whatnot

I am off of school this week, and I start my new class on Monday.  So, I keep trying to use the time to my advantage, and get some writing done.  I've worked a bit on some fiction.  But a lot of my time has been split between two RPG projects.

The first is the conversion of Life of Rage to OSR.  Mainly, it involved coming up with Orc classes that were comparable to the core classes in B/X D&D, but still having the proper Orcish flavor.  The first few were easy; Orc, Goblin, Half-orc.  It's the Shaman that was giving me trouble.  But, I think I have it figured out.  So, I can move forward a bit faster now.

Most of the rest of the conversion is done.  Fortunately, when I constructed the original version of the game, I kept the "setting" information separate from the mechanics, for the most part.  So, most of that information just got copied over as-is.  When it's all done, I will have to go through and make sure any references to the original system are edited to be for OSR.  But, other than that, there's not much else to do beyond filling in a few details (currently working on Shaman Spell descriptions).

My other project is a campaign based in an original world, using the Moldvay/Cook books, as well as my own Basic Arcana and some house rules.  I'm cobbling it together from a basic idea I used in a 3e game several years ago.  It's a cool story, with the properly epic feel, and a logical way for the character to know each other and adventure together already built-in.  Not sure if it will get played or not, but it's kind of nice to just be writing an adventure again.

As for currently active gaming, our long-running campaign resumes on Saturday, with part two (and hopefully, the conclusion) of our assault on the Frost Giants' Hall.  Norwegian princesses need to be more careful with those things marauding around the country-side.

MOAR OSR!!

First off, I scored a copy of Cook's Expert Rulebook yesterday at Half-Priced Books (I swear, I could spend an entire paycheck in there!).  It's in very fine condition, and for a $8, it was a steal.  At the same time, I had enough cash to pick up the Expanded Rules for Star Frontiers - Alpha Dawn for about $4.  Another game that I loved as a young gamer.  I know it's very unlikely that I will ever get to actually play it again.  But, these days I'm as much a collector as I am a player.  And that game holds a special place in my heart, right next to the Moldvay Basic Rulebook.

So, I've gotten a little bit of feedback on Basic Arcana over at osrgaming.org, and it's been generally good.  The person who gave me some commentary was an "old grognard" so he was reticent about using some of the more 3e-influenced rules changes, but even he admitted that he could see the benefits.  Overall, based on that one post, it sounds like my work might be a decent first outing.

Yesterday I started work on my next OSR project: the conversion of Life of Rage to a version compatible with the Moldvay and Cook books.  It's going relatively quickly, as most of the flavor text could be copied directly over from my original work, with very little modification.  Leaving me able to concentrate on the nuts and bolts of the actual game-play rules.

In my original version, Life of Rage uses a classless system derived in part from the "Roll/Keep" system of AEG's Legend of the Five Rings and 7th Sea RPG's, along with some elements from other games, as well as some ideas of my own.  I had originally considered converting to 3.xe.  However, I find that the OSR method of making races a class actually lends itself better to Life of Rage. 

From its inception, my game has always been about simple rules, fast play, and a high degree of flexibility for GM and Player ideas to be incorporated.  This is also easily translated to the OSR way of things.  There is a certain amount of freedom that OSR games offer that is missing in the latest editions (especially 4e).  This is mainly due to the simplistic presentation, but I think it's also a product of the times in which these games were written.

One thing that majorly differentiates OSR form post 3e is the sheer volume of supplements.  In the old days, there were only a few basic books you needed, and most of the extra stuff created up through 1e were adventure modules and campaign settings.  This was great because most DM's I have known prefer to write their own adventures that take place in their own worlds.  So, there was no need to buy anything beyond the rulebooks, and maybe a module or two to kick things off.

With 2e, and even more so with 3e, the focus seems to have shifted from the rules to the accessories.  This may not actually be the case, but that is my perception.  With book after book of player options, new classes, feats, skills, weapons, prestige classes, monsters, deities...the basic three rulebooks are almost drowning in a sea of material.  There's so much out there for each new edition (3e, 3.5, Pathfinder, 4e), that I think players and DM's seem to lose sight of the fact that it's all smoke and mirrors, and that the only thing they actually need are the PHB, DMG and MM.

All of that being said, I LOVE 3.5 and Pathfinder.  I like the options, and the flexibility.  And I am quite comfortable cherry-picking rules from the various supplements for use in the games I play (currently one).  But, I also enjoy the simple charm of OSR games, and the nostalgia that comes with just reading the books (and if you read my other blog, you know what a big place nostalgia has in my life).

So, I guess it's safe to say that most of the stuff I create for OSR will be my efforts to combine those two styles of game.

Basic Arcana

So, as of this morning, I have officially put out my first attempt at an OSR "product."  Basic Arcana is intended to be a sort of Unearthed Arcana for the Basic/Expert rules.  All of the rules and modifications are intended to be add-ons, or quick adjustments to the old rules.  I decided to do this because I love those old rules (as with my tastes in movies, that's probably in no small way attributable to nostalgia), but they have their flaws.  And I think that may be the charm of OSR gaming. 

The Basic and Expert rules are, by the standards of recent editions, rather simple.  This is actually a strength for some people.  For 3rd edition, and to a slightly lesser extent 4th edition, there are just so many rules and options.  There is something to cover everything.  For younger gamers, this is what they want, so that's great.  But, us older gamers (the ones who actively play, anyways) sometimes miss the days when house-rules were the norm, and modifications were practically expected.

As gamers we tend to develop particular "tastes" for gaming experiences.  We like it when things work in certain ways.  So, when a new edition or game comes along that doesn't fit that, we have a tendency to want to fix what we perceive as a flaw.  And that, IMHO, is the basis for the entire OSR movement.  The ability of a DM or player to figure out how they would like the game to be, without having to look it up in some "officially supported" book.  It's a more personal gaming experience.

So, if you play those old versions, feel free to download my paltry little file.  If you like one thing I have in there, I will feel vindicated.  As always, feel free to discuss it below, and let me know what you think.

Basic Arcana <-- Download Here

Please note, I know that other attempts at this sort of thing have been made.  And if I have duplicated any one's efforts, it's purely coincidental, as I have not yet read any of those.