Today's d-6 starwars game refreshed in my mind the absolute necessity for a new dice system.

Player with blaster rifle: "I'm aiming at the monster to make sure I hit."
GM: "Ok you take a round to aim."
(combat continues as player after player does awesome stuff)
GM: "Ok your turn again.  Aiming bonus is +1D"
Player with blaster: *rolls* "I got a 26 total"
GM: *rolls dice* "That hits!  Roll damage!"
PWB: *rolls dice* "15 damage"
GM: *rolls dice* "sorry... the monster resisted all the damage."
PWB: "... there needs to be a system where an accurate hit counts toward damage"

other examples abound.

So to recall some of the brainstorming done so far on the unnamed game system...

- Only a critical fail roll misses.  Considering making this no missing period.  Because there's folks who'll crit fail every roll.
- One roll needed.  No separate rolls for to-hit and damage.
- Players get way more dice than the NPCs, so even if the NPC has much higher stats, the player still has a good chance to win.
- If there's a dispute over rules interpreting, no "GM is god."  Rather, player and DM both roll a d10 or some such.  Higher roll wins.
- If a PC "dies" they get continues, extra lives, etc.  Why must PnP game systems insist "one life, no continues?!"
- 3 basic stats like in BESM.  Brains, Physic, and Mystical junk.

I'll tell you now that while I like the basic stats for simplicity, I don't like it for practice. But for now, brainstorming.

-City of Heroes wins at life.
-City of Heroes is mother.
-City of Heroes is father.

"The point is... life isn't so simple" -Frostfire (City of Heroes)

The point is, actually, that City of Heroes has it right for a TON of game mechanics questions. So here goes:

-NO MICROMANAGING! In other words, no magic items. All is inherent. No money. Nadda. If the PLAYER enjoys micro-managing items (some do), they can be given such and they will have their own reward for doing such.

-Speaking of money, heroes earn cred maybe, and that earns them things like how favorable a town mayor is to doing them a favor or what not.

-Power source only effects your backstory and how people treat you in game. City of Heroes... we love you.

-Travel powers?

-Primary Power Set (Roll d12's), Secondary Power Set (Roll d10's), Tertiary Power Set (Roll d8's), and so on. Use the dice people own.

-Optional movement rules, so you can play it like dnd 3.5 where you can either have the GM just say "you get there and it takes this long" or set up a quick "here's what combat looks like" with beads and such.

-Advancement needs to be addressed. One thing I noticed about every system except D6 and Quest for Glory is that odd levels (3, 5, 7, etc) are ONLY odd levels. Even CoX slightly fails at that, but even then you are rewarded with slots for powers. I want every level to have the same rewards. IF there's even levels. But levels alone are bragging rights for players, so I think I like that idea.

That's all I got for now.

One thought that occurred to me is this:  A favorite pass time of geeks of all ages is to argue "who would win in a fight?"  ( http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmw...ownOfUltimateDestiny )

*30 minutes later* Wow!  Beware TV tropes!  It's a trap!  Click one link and giggle, then click another, and another...  From Goku vs. Superman, to Mr. Rogers, to Batman, then back to Goku...  Aaanyway.

What would really make a game system rule is to have the possibility of facing off your character against various famous people in the setting you're playing.  "If my guy teamed up with Bubba Fett, we'd take out Emperor Palpatine and Vader no prob."  Or other such.  But this would be silly if your char were just starting out after just having flunked out of martial arts school or whatever.  Which leads to another element that needs carefully considered:

Believability vs. story driven "Players can actually win."  Why are shooting game fortresses riddled with ammo clips that works for your gun just laying around?  Why do enemies drop magical first aid boxes that heal you instantly of dozens of bullet wounds and not use these incredible devices on themselves?  Because a shooting game would suck and be unplayable if it were realistic.  But if it were TOO generous with the buffs, heals, weapons, ammo, etc...  it wouldn't be challenging and thus become boring.

So in a "real" fight with Vader, your character would likely get stomped, but there needs to be a way to make him a challenging fight, but beatable.  Once you're somewhere near his "level" of course.  We've already determined that players must always win against weaker opponents.  So what needs to be defined is: What chance do the PCs have against someone twice their power level?  Three times?  4 times?  And so on...

CoX has a dual power level system.  There's the "level" of the enemy, and there's the "rank".  Minion, Lieutenant, Boss, Elite Boss, Supervillain.

A level 50 char could probably sweep the floor with a level 15 supervillain, but solo vs a supervillain of lvl 50 is a feat worth bragging about on forums.  (Even a full team of 8 players can hack away at a supervillain for 10 or more minutes and still wipe out.)

Edit:whoops I edited in a line at bottom of wrong post.  Man I hope I didn't also kill a chunk out of the post.
  -Joe/Will.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:31, Tue 23 Nov 2010.

  Well, as I've been specifically requested to consider Balance oh you poor bastards what have you unleashed upon yourselves? (Pointing out flaws with no viable solutions by the truckload is what).
  Starter Comment.  We must consider things through a lens of 'what if generic Min/Maxers or Malicious GM's were using this system'.   Otherwise no matter how flawed or broken something is we would basically shrug and go 'eh, we're cool so we won't hit those problems'.  Which while wonderfully True, does not make for good system buildy.
  On the flipside, said system would likely benefit from an opening line/rule/comment that 'Gameplay And Story Segregation Happens'.  (I had a better line/rule, but forget what that was may edit it in later)

  Right out the gate.  Hit Roll=Damage Roll=Evil.
While Champions/HERO system doesn't combine them, the often ranted about by me Champion Mush did highlight how utterly Kerbroken things become when Accuracy/Evade become the Most Important Thing.  This would only be multiplied if the Hit rolls doubled for your damage. (It would also not avoid the 'sorry they resisted the damage' situation anyways.  If DAMAGE counting towards damage can't hurt the enemy, then Damage via Hit-Roll would... Still be damage that can't hurt the enemy.  Another Star Wars Example? Sorry Han's perfect Aim, but your critical hit blaster fire Damage was open hand blocked by Vader anyways.)

  Auto-Hits Bad (Champions Online does this, but it's got realtime blocking and both PC and NPC hitpoints instantly leap up to full the second aggro is gone between Mobs).  Yes, missing sucks.  Unless it's the enemy missing.  Everything hitting everything would get outright ridiculous though.  Simple example with classic Icons.
  PC A) I attack an enemy with my Adamantium Claws.  It hits them and they lose some HP.
  PC B) I attack an enemy with my WebShooter.  It hits them and Enemy is out of the fight.
  PC C) Bleh I'm a Zombie! I bite them!  It hits them and I regain HP and they die and are resurrected as an infectious Zombie.  Who attacks an enemy and hits them, who turns into a~recursive.
  Not even going into the inevitable Damage/effects Arms Race to match the constantly Growing HP/resistances thrown about to survive said escalation for more than a hit or two.

  Dice roll for rules disputes.  While open rolling is possible in RL, RPOL DOES specifically has 'rig the roll' mechanics for GM's.  Just sayin.  As another conceptual to game system not us as we're not insane, could also lead to just questioning every single bad thing that happens to you hoping the 50/50 chance results in your favor. (Admittedly, every rules dispute I've been involved in have been of the 'they told me to look it up and we'll go with the rules, so I did and I was right.  Since I was right they told me to *censored* myself' or then said it was one of the, many, unlisted in the House Rules section House Rules.)

  TriStat, could work out as less stats to wrangle and outside of skills I register DnD 4th ED Stats practical as just three based on their Defense (Str/Con, Dex/Int, Wis/Cha).  Which is part of why I cry every time I see a build that's two primary stats are one that go to the same defense.

  I'm all for some form of PC Insurance... But hell if I know how to reasonably manage it without it encouraging Zerg Rushing encounters.  Related, nobody likes losing control of their character.  If you are not in control of your PC's actions it may as well just be another NPC.  Why even bother posting at all in a BBoard style game if someone or something else is dictating it's actions.

  Purely Cosmetic Means=Good.  This can and has worked build mechanics wise.  As ever the problem lies in the script department (Which I've thankfully grasped so I no longer blindly hate Magic itself, realizing Magic is the most common offender because it's the easiest 'it works because it does' asspull means.  Next to completely unexplained/theoretically possible thus valid until proven otherwise technology).
  Amusingly, even the tiniest shred of Game Mechanics your Origin is the most common for of Min/Maxing and easiest (even those who cant bother to get set bonuses do it).  I have NEVER seen a Mutation origin character I can recall outside of us.  I have seen plenty Characters with a Magical power source in their background created as Science or Tech Origin, likely because of the minuscule buff it gives their Veteran Power Clockwork Nemesis staff.  Even Demons from hell (which is extra amusing, as Natural Origin buffs BOTH Ranged Veteran attacks and they would be Legit Natural origin.)

  Inherent is good.  But only if it's actually on par with what you could access at that point otherwise.  4th ED's 'You don't get inherent Defense +3 until the level right before +4 Items' style is mocking and useless.  More so when Enemies are properly in line with equipment despite having mundane weapons or it's like, a non-magical animal.
  Considering our 'you get x1.5 your starter gears worth, you can edit your entire freaking character between outings.  Paying for the Inn and stuff is sorta shrugged, just don't expect Treasure to be anything but bragging rights or plot items' gig in this board(at least so far as I treat it), we've already got the style of that down.  We've basically escalated DnD Point Buy creation to the next level.  We can do this, we have done this, it works.  So that's one thing down at the very least.

  Travel Powers, love em.  They can end up on the 'A and B>>>> E and C' side of things but better than not having them.  One possibility is a freebie 'bargain bin' mobility gig, with better stuff drawing from your creation budget.

  Optional Movement.  Probably for the best unless we want to outline detailed grid/hex mechanics.  Just be mindful of finding any ranged charter you make never, ever, being out of melee harms way for more than a round.  Nor any Melee PC not being out of melee range of ranged enemies. (hurts both ways, but damnit, at least it DOES go both ways)

  I'm hazy on the 'empty levels' thing.  If a level has NOTHING useful or extra then yes it's an empty level.  But on the other hand, especially earlier on, you have the sense of 'damnit I don't have NEARLY enough Feats/Slots'.  In fact it often ends up BACKWARDS for me.  Oh, I have my final ultimate lv 32 Primary Broadsword attack power... It's comparative garbage until my 'empty levels' 33 and 34 go by.  Because even my LEVEL ONE power outperforms it by then via five or six Store Brand Generic Upgrades.  The 6th in those cases usually being a luxury slot while said lv 1 attack tends to hit capped damage output around lv 22 (out of 50) and from there is just keeping it's +hit up to date.
  Also, while Quest For Glory did list experience... I don't think it actually did anything besides make harder enemies appear in the first game, and only your hard stats progression mattered... Wait, are we talking about the same 'Quest For Glory'?  Five games, imported characters? Best Paladin Power Source Ever?

    Side bit (the possibly useful comments) for progression.  Equal Progression across party damnit, as well as keeping any new players or characters relevant.  If you're upset at a slacker getting 'just as much as you are', just think of it as them still being potentially useful if the need arises as opposed to useless as both a person and a character.
  Every Level Is The Same could work depending on how the rest of the stuff is built.  I know in 4th Ed that'd get ridiculous fast with the 30 levels.

  Dealing with 'Fancy' enemies.  Well, for starters don't send Vader after your freshly created lv 1 characters.  The 'ranks' gimmick could end up working out, but even CoH that varies.  Lone Blaster will suffer greatly even against the weakest of Archvillains.  The Glass Cannon is too Glass to live for more than two seconds and their 'best damage in game' ' cannon' is inconsequential against that many HP and resistances.  While a Lone Scrapper (or a certain Robots/Darkness Mastermind) with nothing but Generic parts can solo an entire mission arc filled with them, up to and including the respective Vader/Palpatine/Satan/Captain-Kirk-With-Ripped-Shirt equivalent' ones.
  Giant Monster™ Class enemies are an entirely different subject.

  Bit that hasn't been brought up but I'm saying it now.  Disadvantages in exchange for points can, Say it with me kids,  <Crowd Of Children>Die In A Fire!</Crowd Of Children>.  For both the PC balance logistics and the disproportionate suffering caused by them via GMs.

  One of my 'rules' of design I throw around.
  1)  As a player, do not build a PC/use mechanics in a way that would cause you to throw a Nerdrage if the GM did the same.
  2)  As a GM, do not build an NPC/use mechanics in a way that would cause you to throw a Nerdrage if a PC did the same.
  2b) Players WILL notice if you build something outside the lines of legality for Chargen/their tier. No matter how trivial or obscure any such detail is (But if you are, you're probably doing something obvious anyway.)
  2b, being a frequent bane of trying to translate Official characters into their own game systems in a legal/sane manner.
  I'd bet a pretend Dollar Seth could Legally build Drizzt though.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:37, Tue 23 Nov 2010.

Ok to re-cap, I'll list things we all agree must Die In a Fire and all things made of win:

MADE OF WIN:
- Travel Powers
- Character Progression Matters.  (I.E. Leveling up being something exciting.)
- Race/Origin grants no stat bonuses.  (At least most games aren't misogynistic enough to grant stats based on gender.)
- Don't need fancy gear to survive.
- Rules apply evenly between players and GM.

MUST DIE IN A FIRE:
- Stat bonuses based on Disadvantages.
- Stat bonuses based on race.
- Unequal application of rules built into the rules. (I.E. "Rule #1: GM can break the rules whenever he feels like.")
- To-Hit/evasion stat is god.  (any stat being god for that matter)
- Anything that causes a player to lose control of their character.
- Micromanaging items needed for survival.  (Or anything for that matter.)

Now to brainstorm on how to attain these kinds of goals.  I'm thinking of a spectrum of free-form to hard-statted RP with "anything goes surreal hammerspace cartoon logic" style game on the left and "super realistic physics engine that takes a high-speed computer to handle" style game on the right.  I'm aiming for something in the middle, but leaning heavily to the left because performing calculus to figure out exactly how long it will take for your motorcycle to catch up to the fleeing truck is not my idea of fun.  On the other hand, a game system where you simply have the player and GM play rock paper scissors to determine if the PC "dodged" a point blank nuclear explosion would be going too far.

What I keep picturing in my mind is the way warhammer players play.  One player picks up a handful of dice and dumps 'em on the table.  Only math involved is to compare each dice to a difficulty number.  The number of dice equal to or more = the number of success.  Monsters removed from the battlefield, then Player two rolls a handful of dice.

Only in the system I'm dreaming of, 5-6 players and the GM all dump their dice at the same time.  Dice are compared to each other / some difficulty number, and results are narrated.  No initiative order means it doesn't take 15 minutes for a single round of combat.  Simultaneous actions makes for a slightly more "realistic" encounter where players are sometimes both get a killing shot on the same monster, but most importantly it means players aren't sitting around playing with their ipod for 15 minutes while they wait for their turn to come up.

Random thought before I crash:
1st chapter must be "RP best practices" which would cover things like:
"If you want to house rule any rule, write it down, tell the players ahead of time, and stick to it.  No changing rules on the fly.  You should have learned this concept in kindergarten."
"Do not let OOC spill into IC or vice-versa."
...and other stuff that makes for sane game play vs. a rage-quit waiting to happen.