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[DNAwesome] Grit

Started by dindenver, June 22, 2008, 09:48:09 PM

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dindenver

Hi!
  OK, the regular resolution mechanics are kind of straight forward. So, I wanted to "kick it up a notch!"
  So,I came up with Grit. This is a stat generated at chargen. This combined with the Pool that the GM gets at the start of the game creates a fixed economy of tokens. Whenever you spend one, it goes to the player on the other side of the Challenge. Tokens cannot be added or removed from the economy without a character being added or removed.
  Tokens can be spent to gain one of the following effects:
 - Double one Trait (yours or theirs)
 - Cancel one Trait (yours or theirs)
 - Bring in a Trait that does not apply to this Arena (yours or theirs)
 - Re-roll the Scope die (yours or theirs)
 - Increase the Scope die size
 - Decrease the Scope die size
 - Bring in a NPC to one side or the other of this Challenge

  The idea is that this represents a second wind, rise in effort or determination or a rise in dramatic tension that is the mainstay of the Supers genre.

  So, what do you think, is it catching that feel or is it too abstract?
Dave M
Come visit
http://dindenver.blogspot.com/
 And tell me what you think
Free Demo of Legends of Lanasia RPG

Silverlion

Quote from: dindenver;218372So, what do you think, is it catching that feel or is it too abstract?

So basically Hero Points/Drama Points/Karma with added player control like Inspiration from Adventure?

How does this work in character? How does a character and his or her desires work with Grit?

To me, I don't mind systems like this that give the player and GM some control over what's going on--but I feel they're often stop gap systems for making the game work right in the first place. After all, if the hero is supposed to be able to push forward and succeed--why isn't that the default mechanic? (then again that's the basis of my superhero game, so..:D )

Not that I'm saying you should do a resource based game, just that in general the characters determination should somehow be the start of the games mechanics--not something added on top of it. If that makes any sense.
High Valor REVISED: A fantasy Dark Age RPG. Available NOW!
Hearts & Souls 2E Coming in 2019

dindenver

SL,
  I appreciate the feedback.
  The goal is to allow for a sort of flexible character generation.
  BUT, then to attach rigid mechanics that are predictable and fun. In other words, I don't want to make a dirty-hippy game.

  The Grit mechanic is supposed to represent that moment when Batman has had the tar beaten out of him. He is lying on the ground bloodied. And then suddenly the villain threatens Robin, Gotham or something else he loves and he pushed through the pain and kicks some booty. The Die hard movies is a good inspiration too, Bruce Willis' character is a punching bag in every sense of the word, but somehow he pushes through the pain and comes back on top.

  The issue is that the mechanics (without Grit) do exactly what I want them to do. And I imagine it would be a fun game with lots of strategy (e.g., how do I engage Lex Luthor in a physical challenge when he clearly wants to keep think on a Mental level where he has an advantage?). But allow for some forgiveness when that strategy does not work as planned (Lex springs his trap before you can corner him).

  In character, I see it used sort of like this:
We have a character, UberMan, he looks like this:
Uber Man
Super Strength (Power, Super, Physical)
X-Ray Vision (Power, Mental)
Observant (Ability)
Popular (Ability)
Smart (Ability)
Seeks Truthiness (Trait)
Seeks Fairness (Trait)
Protects all Equally (Trait)
Alter Ego (Mark)
Green Rocks (Weakness, Physical)

  He has been following a trail that leads to Rex Ruthless, notorious supergenius and mad scientist.

  Just when he thinks he has Rex cornered, Rex hits a button on his wrist band and the GM calls a Mental Challenge. The GM called the Arena, so the player gets to determine the Scope. He is worried what the GM has up his sleeve, so he selects a scope of Personal (no one is at risk, except Rex and Uber). No die will be rolled, it just a battle to see who can bring the most traits into play and the GM gets to go first.

  GM: A cage falls from a hidden compartment in the hall above you. it is made of green rocks and that is the Trait Rex is using on his Turn
  Player: I use X-Ray vision to make sure that there are no hostages and maybe to see if I can find a way to lift this cage
  GM: Rex says, "There is no way to escape, I have thought of everything. There is even an emotional inhibitor built in that will prevent you from thinking any thoughts of escape, mwahahah (That is Rex's Super Genius Super Power)
  Player: I am boned he is 110 ahead of me and I can't rely on the dice to save me... I know! I'll spend a point of Grit and say, "I don't know who you tested this Inhibitor on, but my X-Ray vision has altered my brain waves. Every EEG I take comes out as twisted as your black soul." I'll use my Grit to cancel his Super Science.
  GM: Drat, OK, try this on for size, Rex says, "That may be so, but this should still make your thought processes slow..." (Rex Plays Invention, a Mental Power)

  And the play continues like that until no one wants to/is able to add more Mental Traits, Abilities or Marks. Then the Traits are added up, die are rolled (except for battles of wills/personal stakes) and whoever has the highest total wins and determines how this momentous battle effects the world.

  Does that make sense? Does it seem more crunchy with some mock play wrapped around it? Or less?
Dave M
Come visit
http://dindenver.blogspot.com/
 And tell me what you think
Free Demo of Legends of Lanasia RPG

dindenver

SL,
  I appreciate the feedback.
  The goal is to allow for a sort of flexible character generation.
  BUT, then to attach rigid mechanics that are predictable and fun. In other words, I don't want to make a dirty-hippy game.

  The Grit mechanic is supposed to represent that moment when Batman has had the tar beaten out of him. He is lying on the ground bloodied. And then suddenly the villain threatens Robin, Gotham or something else he loves and he pushed through the pain and kicks some booty. The Die hard movies is a good inspiration too, Bruce Willis' character is a punching bag in every sense of the word, but somehow he pushes through the pain and comes back on top.

  The issue is that the mechanics (without Grit) do exactly what I want them to do. And I imagine it would be a fun game with lots of strategy (e.g., how do I engage Lex Luthor in a physical challenge when he clearly wants to keep think on a Mental level where he has an advantage?). But allow for some forgiveness when that strategy does not work as planned (Lex springs his trap before you can corner him).

  In character, I see it used sort of like this:
We have a character, UberMan, he looks like this:
Uber Man
Super Strength (Power, Super, Physical)
X-Ray Vision (Power, Mental)
Observant (Ability)
Popular (Ability)
Smart (Ability)
Seeks Truthiness (Trait)
Seeks Fairness (Trait)
Protects all Equally (Trait)
Alter Ego (Mark)
Green Rocks (Weakness, Physical)

  He has been following a trail that leads to Rex Ruthless, notorious supergenius and mad scientist.

  Just when he thinks he has Rex cornered, Rex hits a button on his wrist band and the GM calls a Mental Challenge. The GM called the Arena, so the player gets to determine the Scope. He is worried what the GM has up his sleeve, so he selects a scope of Personal (no one is at risk, except Rex and Uber). No die will be rolled, it just a battle to see who can bring the most traits into play and the GM gets to go first.

  GM: A cage falls from a hidden compartment in the hall above you. it is made of green rocks and that is the Trait Rex is using on his Turn
  Player: I use X-Ray vision to make sure that there are no hostages and maybe to see if I can find a way to lift this cage
  GM: Rex says, "There is no way to escape, I have thought of everything. There is even an emotional inhibitor built in that will prevent you from thinking any thoughts of escape, mwahahah (That is Rex's Super Genius Super Power)
  Player: I am boned he is 110 ahead of me and I can't rely on the dice to save me... I know! I'll spend a point of Grit and say, "I don't know who you tested this Inhibitor on, but my X-Ray vision has altered my brain waves. Every EEG I take comes out as twisted as your black soul." I'll use my Grit to cancel his Super Science.
  GM: Drat, OK, try this on for size, Rex says, "That may be so, but this should still make your thought processes slow..." (Rex Plays Invention, a Mental Power)

  And the play continues like that until no one wants to/is able to add more Mental Traits, Abilities or Marks. Then the Traits are added up, die are rolled (except for battles of wills/personal stakes) and whoever has the highest total wins and determines how this momentous battle effects the world.

  Does that make sense? Does it seem more crunchy with some mock play wrapped around it? Or less?
Dave M
Come visit
http://dindenver.blogspot.com/
 And tell me what you think
Free Demo of Legends of Lanasia RPG

Silverlion

Quote from: dindenver;218666The goal is to allow for a sort of flexible character generation.
  BUT, then to attach rigid mechanics that are predictable and fun. In other words, I don't want to make a dirty-hippy game.


  Does that make sense? Does it seem more crunchy with some mock play wrapped around it? Or less?

It seems doable, but to be frank, I think anything where you evoke "challenges"
and scope, and it shifts between GM and player, is really a dirty hippy game. (Not that is to me necessarily a BAD thing.)

I do like the idea of the CHARACTER (not the player) deciding how they want to bring up situations (challenges) to give them an edge.

I think that's my issue--you're essentially looking for a gameable system where the characters can choose where to be bad-ass, but at the same time want them to be able to bring badassness out of their corner by eating a can of spinach (Classic Popeye, I'm down but not out, so let me get my can of whoopass..)

Seems to me a simpler method would be to drill down success and failure to choice mechanic. I choose to fail here, and earn tokens to succeed later, doesn't that do much the same thing? Maybe I need a better example.
High Valor REVISED: A fantasy Dark Age RPG. Available NOW!
Hearts & Souls 2E Coming in 2019

dindenver

SL,
  That is one of my inspirations, ...In spaaace! It has exactly that mechanic (token trading).

  But for this game, I wanted to kick it up a notch (the token trading seemed too Dirty Hippy).

  I dunno, The players get to narrate using the power, but the dice determine the effect. I get what you are saying and I feel like its on the border, but I also feel like I am close, you know?
Dave M
Come visit
http://dindenver.blogspot.com/
 And tell me what you think
Free Demo of Legends of Lanasia RPG

Silverlion

Quote from: dindenver;218727I dunno, The players get to narrate using the power, but the dice determine the effect. I get what you are saying and I feel like its on the border, but I also feel like I am close, you know?

Yeah, believe me I do understand that. Keep at it! I'd like to see where you end up.
High Valor REVISED: A fantasy Dark Age RPG. Available NOW!
Hearts & Souls 2E Coming in 2019