Announcing Dagger & Shadow RPG
I’m very excited about my game-in-development. It’s call Dagger & Shadow.
It’s a fantasy RPG, a game of urban adventures filled with thieves, dark sorcery, and sword-play. The game is heavily influenced by Fritz Leiber’s fantastic Fafhrd and Gray Mouser series, along with a whole other batch of fun fantasy novels featuring thieves, assassins, swordsmen, and dark alley adventure. Another big influence is the Thief video game series, long one of my favorites.
Dagger & Shadow will use a new system I’m working on for the game. In many ways, it’s my most “traditional” RPG design to-date. It has character classes, uses good ol’ fashioned dice, and doesn’t have an “end game” state.
The game’s cleverest feature is the dice and action mechanics. Players roll pools of d6s, adding the highest 2 for a target number. But, any 6s rolled amp up the action with something called Edges. These are specific moves and maneuvers players can mix and match, allowing their characters to create exciting combinations of action.
Stay tuned. I’ll offer up a playtest in a couple months.
Back in the saddle again
Hi everyone. An update is long overdue.
First, on the Dust Devils front, I’m in the process of updating the PDFs so they’re more compatible with up-to-date technology. There are no real content changes here, but it should mean the PDF will work better on various digital devices. I’m still extremely proud of Dust Devils, and it continues to provide me some beer money from time to time.
Second, I’ve been tinkering away on a new design. I’m creating a fantasy game that’s all about thieves, rogues, and guilds and cities. The working title is “Thievery,” and it’s the result of lots of design noodling that resulted from Indigo, which I’ve mentioned here previously. In other words, Indigo isn’t dead. I’ve got a long way to go to make it something other people might actually use in their designs, but I’m hopeful it will pave the way for more games of my own.
Well, now that I’ve actually announced publicly I’m working on this, I better deliver! I’m the first to admit things I work on don’t always complete. I know that’s frustrating for some, and it’s definitely frustrating for me. So, thanks for your continued interest in my games, and I hope to bring Thievery and more to you within 2012.
Meanwhile! Check out RoleJack.com. It’s a fun blog I started with the purpose of sharing fun gaming ideas. It has little game hacks, name generators and scenario ideas — that kind of thing. There are some posts there already by myself, Jason Morningstar and Ralph Mazza. If you’re interested in contributing any ideas, I’d love to hear from you.
Catching up
Things are pretty quiet for me on the game design front. Don’t count me out just yet.
School’s in session
The main cause is graduate school. I’m getting my MBA at a challenging university, working full time (and then some), and raising two kids with my wife. As you can imagine, things get crazy. And, when class is in session, my leisure time is scarce.
I only take one graduate class at a time, in part because it’s tough to do with the kids. And, I get tuition reimbursement from my day job, but it only covers three classes per year. Hence, the long haul. For me, it’s a five-year program. I’m in my fourth year. Almost there, but not quite. I’ll finish sometime next year, either in summer or even fall 2012.
The house
Oh yeah! If you know me, you may have heard about my nightmare story about selling my old house. Well, that finally happened in October. Canada and I now live in an AMAZING house, and we’re still euphoric. The way things went for us, we pretty much wake up every day thrilled with our situation (and half expecting someone to snatch it away!). It certainly removed a very serious frustration from our lives, and we’re much better off now.
Reading & writing
Last winter, I also took a look at what I was doing with my time and how it could change. I missed reading fiction, in particular. So, I put a lot more effort into that, and resurrected my reading & writing blog, Riverwords.net. It’s been a real pleasure to do that so far.
That change also sparked my interest in writing again. I haven’t accomplished anything on that front, and I realize how much this competes for my time along with everything else. Once class started again this spring, any writing efforts I’d tried fell apart immediately. I’m still sorting out how to balance all this out, to be honest.
What about Indigo?
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re already familiar with my plans with Indigo, an open design that publishers could use to build a collective audience. I’ve posted about it previously, and I started a Google group about its development last fall. I’ve been silent there for a couple reasons. First, all that busy life stuff I mentioned above. Second, because I realized (Keith warned me!) that the group wasn’t the right way to go about this.
So, I’m sorry to group members for my silence and not explaining more. I hope to keep Indigo on life support long enough to reach better goals. But, I don’t think the group is the right way to proceed.
The funny thing about my hibernation as a game junkie is realizing how much I miss the creative process, and the satisfaction that comes from it. I really miss creating and collaborating. That collaborating part really fell away over the years, and it probably contributed to my frustrations with design and the indie scene as a whole. That’s a whole other topic, though.
Playing again
Things come full circle. The irony of me being away from the indie RPG scene and not doing much design is that I’m now having the most fun playing RPGs I’ve had in the last 7-8 years. I’ve written previously about how my local group and I have enjoyed playing Pathfinder. While the house situation put that on hiatus last summer and fall as I moved, we’re back to regular sessions. My group is having an absolute blast, and it’s the first time in years I’ve seen them so motivated to play. Usually, real life stuff gets in the way, and getting schedules to match is a pain. But, the last few months have been fantastic.
It’s a reminder to me of a couple things I took for granted. First, it’s been an eye-opener to see borders between the indie scene and more traditional gamers and games come into clearer focus. I see a lot of what I think the indie scene as I knew it did “wrong” in terms of not giving some people what they wanted out of games. Second, it’s also a sharp reminder how much actual play must be the foundation of designing fun games.
What now?
I wish I could say confidently where I’ll be in a year regarding my games and Indigo and other things. I just don’t know that, and can’t until my busy life gets a lot less crazy.
I have some ideas about what I’d like to see, but a lot of those take effort and collaborators. I’d like Indigo to get off the ground with an actual game launch and a kind of SRD that others could use to design with. I’m afraid I’ve probably let my relationships among designers atrophy; that’s one of my regrets. I didn’t intend it.
Illumination: Nine Worlds’ prologue
This is one of my favorite bits from Nine Worlds. It appeared as the book’s Prologue.
ILLUMINATION
“I know what you’re thinking, Alex,” Prometheus said. “Everyone wants to know two things when illumined. First, you’re going to ask me how this all started.” He waved his hands. “How the universe came to be like this. How you have any awareness or power at all in the first place.”
“You’re right. I was going to ask you that. So, can you read my mind?”
“No. No, I can’t do that. Let’s just say I’ve done this before. The questions are always the same.” Prometheus’ lip curled in a wry grin. “Why should you be any different?”
Alex had no reply, and silence crept between them. He looked out the rosy glass window of the strange piscine vessel they had boarded in the train station. People were everywhere. Most raced to meet their connections. Some waited along the wall reading newspapers, eating sandwiches, or drowning out the world with headphones.
Not a soul seemed to acknowledge the huge bronze and glass fish hovering in the steam near Terminal 3A. No one except for a small boy who stood staring, mouth agape at the glassy red eyes of the fish, from where Alex surveyed scene. Alexander waved at the child, and the child cowered behind the legs of a woman that must have been his mother. He heard Prometheus chuckle.
“What about the second thing?” Alexander asked coolly, still staring at the boy.
“You don’t miss much, do you?”
“Not much.”
“That’s good for you. The second thing you’re going to ask me is what you should do about it — about the hidden war, the powers that be, the ignorant masses of humanity. …” Prometheus motioned to the bustling travelers outside.
“Right again. So? You’re the big, bad Titan, right? Surely you have some advice for what I should do now. Or, maybe what you’d like me to do?”
“You’d think so, wouldn’t you, Alex? I’m loathe to disappoint you. The choice is yours.” Prometheus leaned back and sighed. “I have no earthly idea.”
My game 44: A Game of Automatic Fear, which is a free online on this site, is now also available in print from Lulu.com.
44: A Game of Automatic Fear
Dust Devils rides again!
Dust Devils “Revenged” edition is once again available for sale in PDF format!
Things are moving
I’ve been extremely busy lately, mostly wrapped up in trying to get my house sold, move my family in with my parents, and then buy a new house.
Somewhere in there I snuck off to GenCon and had a fine time helping Jared Sorenson sell his wares and see old friends. Managed to play a game or two, as well.
And — me and my big mouth — I did an interview with Clyde Rhoer of Theory From the Closet podcast. Keith Senkowski talked about business, marketing, sales, and the indie RPG cottage industry.
Let me make that a bit clearer. Keith and I did our usual, and will probably piss everyone off with our talk, especially when it’s coming from two guys who haven’t done much selling and work in the scene in the last two years (we’ve both been going to school while working full time!).
I look forward to that podcast when Clyde posts it. I expect it to produce at least some sturm and drang, but I’m really interested in actually discussing it with folks substantively.
In the podcast, I didn’t even mention Indigo, although that project stems from all the stuff Keith and I talk (and sometimes argue) about there.
Speaking of Indigo, I’ll be posting in the Google group soon about the motivation mechanics and resolution mechanics. Hopefully, that will pick up some lost steam!
Open game design project underway
The Open Game Design project is underway. I’ve set up a new Google group to organize discussion and design. If you’re interested in participating, contact me with your email address. Mine is matt ~at~ storiesyouplay ~dot~ com.
A partial road map to RPG structure
When I decided to create an open game design (see the previous two posts here), I started sketching out a basic framework for the concept. I’ve been working on it in greater detail this week, and I offer it up here for review and discussion.
Click the image to download a 11×17″ PDF of this chart.
This chart outlines a “roadmap” of how characters and conflicts interact in games. It is not a comprehensive structure of an entire game, nor an attempt to model all RPGs. Rather, it’s just a model to show one common shape I’ve observed in games, especially the kinds of games that I think inform this project I have planned.
I intend the chart to be a reference point for design. It outlines “components” shown as boxes and arrow flows here. Each box could be swapped out with alternative mechanics, allowing individual designers to tailor their creations while still staying “on the map.”
Speaking of designers, I’m still eagerly looking for a small design team to design the core system using this chart as one of our guides.
Open game design project, Part 2
[ Read Part 1 ]
So, make your case! Why should a designer get involved with this open system idea?
The most important thing is that this can expand the reach of your designs, with less effort on your part. You will have a target audience who turn to this game system to meet their needs. You’re a part of that, and it improves as more designers participate. If it works, it’s a virtuous cycle for stuff you create, which also means you get more time to design new stuff and need to do less in marketing to reach a larger audience.
Obviously, there is a trade off. You have less freedom in design if you’re going from an existing frame work like this open design would be. I think the trade off is worth the benefit of a wider audience.
But, I want to know more about what kind of game system this will be.
Without a finished game system, it’s hard to completely answer. And, the explanations below could easily evolve or change.
I see two options for this game system.
First, it may be possible to begin with an already existing game system. I’m open to that possibility, but I want the system to meet goals I have in mind (I’ll get to those below). I’d prefer an existing game by a published designer. And, I suspect it would be modified for this. That would be up to the designer, of course.
Second — and this option seems more likely — we have a team of designers create the game system following agreed upon guidelines. I have guidelines in mind, as well as a target audience in mind.
Interesting. Let’s hear about the guidelines.
Fair enough. Let me start with a few quick examples that I think are in the ballpark, so to speak.
- The Shadow of Yesterday / Solar System
- Spirit of the Century / FATE 2.0 / Etc.
- Conspiracy of Shadows
- Savage Worlds
- Mouse Guard
- Swashbucklers of the 7 Skies
Keep in mind, these are just shorthand for the kind and scope of game I have in mind. I’m sure there are many other relevant examples.
Now, on to more specific guidelines. My assessment is that the game needs:
- Modular design — designers (and players) can add and subtract components.
- Easy session preparation.
- Quick, but compelling and rich, character creation.
- Versatility – suitable for one-shot and campaign play (say, 12-20 sessions).
- Simple learning curve – easily explained in minutes, including a dice/resolution mechanic.
- Enough complexity (e.g., exceptions-based rules) to keep game compelling.
These guidelines will develop and shift through initial phases, then again in design and playtesting. But, it’s a start.
What if those guidelines aren’t my thing?
I guess that leaves three options.
- Don’t participate. Do your own thing. And, you can always use the open system later if you change your mind.
- Just modify the game system (once it’s ready) to do what you want. Of course, the more you stray from the core concepts, the less benefit you get from the audience. But, the idea here is to allow for variations upon the core game.
- Get involved right away, and help design or advise the actual game system core.
What about that target audience thing? Do you think a target audience is really worth considering in this small niche?
I do. If I’m wrong, I doubt the downside is any disaster.
The idea I have in mind for this audience will shift as this develops, no doubt. But, it’s still worth examining. Here’s a “persona” I have in mind (who is male here, but could be female, of course):
- He’s as an existing gamer. He’s around 30+ years old, and has been playing different RPGs for a while. He’s not a hard core, D&D only person.
- He works full time, and maybe has a family or active social life with a significant other. He’s busy! He needs a game that fits those constraints in his life.
- His game group is also busy, and they have similar needs!
- He’s either the frequent game master, or an early adopter of new games — the guy who has a ton of games on his shelf.
- His group isn’t as interested in early adoption and new games. He has to convince them to try new games, sometimes unsuccessfully. They may even voice reluctance for “those indie games.”
- He’s interested in character driven play. But, he still wants enough “fiddly bits” to make play interesting, too.
- He’s creative! He’s has lots of cool ideas, and needs a good solution for those ideas.
- He has a fondness, even nostalgia, for a few particular RPGs. And, he’s a bit disappointed that he now realizes so many of those games have disappointing rules, but exceptionally cool ideas. Or, maybe someone in his groups hates the game he loves. These games he loves have great settings or back stories or other components. He wants to run the settings “in another system,” but he can’t find the right one.
- He’s not interested in distinctions between “indie” games and “traditional” games. They are just RPGs. He just wants to enjoy games.
Ok, that’s a lot of information. What now?
I want to assemble a small design team. I’m particularly looking for 2-3 comrades who’ve designed and published, and who are willing to help design the core. It’s no small feat, and will require serious effort.
Following that, we’ll need more design work from other designers following that. And, the project requires plenty of playtesting as well.
Consider this the announcement the project is underway. Contact me via replies here or by email if you wish to be involved.
I’ll add more blog posts here with additional next steps, including how the open license will work, who’s participating, and more guidelines and frameworks for the game system.
