Quote from: tenbones;843642Hmm yes it sounds potentially interesting. There's aspects of it that sound a little... odd. I'd have to see it in play. Hmm. HMMM...

I'm a huge fan of the system, but I'll be the first to admit that it is odd and takes a bit to wrap one's head around. It has elements of both traditional RPGs and narrative storygames at the same time, so purists of either philosophy will hate it. If you just lean in one direction or the other, you might like it. For my part, I have a strong leaning to traditional games, but don't hate narrative games, and love Cypher. I have a player who leans heavily toward narrative games, but has a healthy respect for traditional games, and he likes the system. But it definitely has a lot of chocolate in your peanut butter and vice versa.

Quote from: Paraguybrarian;843664I'm a huge fan of the system, but I'll be the first to admit that it is odd and takes a bit to wrap one's head around. It has elements of both traditional RPGs and narrative storygames at the same time, so purists of either philosophy will hate it. If you just lean in one direction or the other, you might like it. For my part, I have a strong leaning to traditional games, but don't hate narrative games, and love Cypher. I have a player who leans heavily toward narrative games, but has a healthy respect for traditional games, and he likes the system. But it definitely has a lot of chocolate in your peanut butter and vice versa.

Yeah I'm not a purist. I like something that works. I don't technically need or even believe in ONE TRUE SYSTEM! - that's a myth. Sometimes I just like to try things differently. I'm a traditional gamer... but I don't overtly hate "narrative games".

Quote from: Paraguybrarian;843664It has elements of both traditional RPGs and narrative storygames at the same time, so purists of either philosophy will hate it.

What I've found interesting about the system's implementation of narrative control mechanics is that they're implemented in a way which still leaves the GM as ultimate arbiter of the narrative control. The system also doesn't depend on them in any way, which makes them completely optional: If you're a GM who doesn't like them, simply don't use them. If you're a player who doesn't like them, the default position is to simply defer to the GM's narrative control (which means they functionally don't interfere with your experience).

(OTOH, if you're all about the narrative control mechanics, you can play into these mechanics very strongly and in some very clever ways.)

The biggest hurdle I've seen for some traditional gamers seems to be the mechanic of spending points from limited pools. It's an exhaustion-and-exertion model of human performance as opposed to the "perpetual motion machine" of traditional games (where, barring injury, you're always performing at peak efficiency). The reality probably lies somewhere inbetween these two abstractions, and I find the Cypher System's interplay of edge, effort, and point spends very satisfying during actual play.

Quote from: Justin Alexander;843737The biggest hurdle I've seen for some traditional gamers seems to be the mechanic of spending points from limited pools. It's an exhaustion-and-exertion model of human performance as opposed to the "perpetual motion machine" of traditional games (where, barring injury, you're always performing at peak efficiency). The reality probably lies somewhere inbetween these two abstractions, and I find the Cypher System's interplay of edge, effort, and point spends very satisfying during actual play.

It's an elegant way of modelling people slowing down whilst leaving control completely in the hand of the player.  Only have a small number of Might points left and a power that is run off them? You probably won't use that power unless it's make-or-break as it would leave you very vulnerable to damage.  So players naturally throttle back as they get worn down but they can always use the powers they have as long as they have the minimum number of required points.

I really like it in play.

It's amazingly easy to convert cypher system material to oldschool D&D, as if that was a deliberate design decision. I gotta post my dirt simple conversion notes sometime.

How universal in application is it?

I'm sure it can do horror, sci fi, fantasy, probably even supers, but can it shift from gritty to epic or does it find it's more comfortable at a certain niche?

I'm basing this only on reading the book, but I think you could make changes some of the basics to get grittier or more epic.  Putting a cap on the stat pools would get grittier, since that's what controls your health and how much Wahoo! you can put into your special abilities.  For more epic, I'd probably try using a smaller version of the power shifts they use for supers and lower the time categories for recovery rolls.  Of course, someone with more practical experience might tell you I'm full of crap.

Quote from: Scutter;843787How universal in application is it?

I'm sure it can do horror, sci fi, fantasy, probably even supers, but can it shift from gritty to epic or does it find it's more comfortable at a certain niche?

I tend to think of it as cinematic and use it that way, but others have used the lasting and permanent damage rules to make the game grittier without having to cap pools or anything like that. Like Almost said, the Power Shift rules from the Superheroes chapter could be used to make it higher-powered. So yeah, it's as "universal" as any other universal generic out there.

Thanks all

EDIT: Is the game out in hardcopy yet?

EDIT 2: What types of cyphers might how up in a gritty survival horror zombie setting for example?

Quote from: Scutter;843824Thanks all

EDIT: Is the game out in hardcopy yet?

I haven't got my hardcover yet, but preorders are supposed to be shipping. That said, MCG is also fulfilling the Numenera boxed set and the Worlds Numberless and Strange kickstarters at the same time. The general release is expected around GenCon.

Quote from: Scutter;843824EDIT 2: What types of cyphers might how up in a gritty survival horror zombie setting for example?

There's suggestions for which of the cyphers count as 'subtle' - effects more in line with conventional technology or drugs. Roughly 30 of the 150 cyphers fit into this category.

I could see this fitting well with the scavenging that goes on in things like The Walking Dead.

Quote from: Planet Algol;843781It's amazingly easy to convert cypher system material to oldschool D&D, as if that was a deliberate design decision. I gotta post my dirt simple conversion notes sometime.

I would very much like to see those! I love the setting but I'm iffy on the system (though I still intend to give it a try at the game table). A few tips on converting to D&D would come in handy.

Quote from: The Butcher;844050I would very much like to see those! I love the setting but I'm iffy on the system (though I still intend to give it a try at the game table). A few tips on converting to D&D would come in handy.

Numenera/Cypher to OD&D/AD&D/B/XD&D Conversion Guideines

Difficulty/Level x 3 = roll on a d20 to succeed on something.
1 step = a plus or minus 3 to the roll.

The level of a monster equals its Hit Dice for attack rolls, and it's level for saving throws. If there is a notation that Might, Speed or Intellect defenses are greater or less than the level give it a saving throw bonus or penalty of 3 per level difference per difference between the noted defense and it's level.

Divide Health by 3 to find the number of d8s to roll for hit points (a remainder of 1 equals Xd8+2, a remainder of 2 equals xd8+3). Or just multiply Health by 1.5 to calculate hitpoints.

The damage of something times 2 equals the die type for damage rools.
i.e. Damage 4, times 2 equals a d8.

Immediate range = 10'. Immediate movement = 3"/30
Short range = 50'. Short movement = 12"/120
Long range = 100'. Long movement = 24"/240

Armor: An armor of 1 = AC7, 2=AC5, 3=AC3, and so forth. If the speed defense is greater than the level of the monster give it bonus to AC of +3 per  level of speed defense greater than level.

If an attack directly attacks Might, have it drain STR or CON at a 1 point per point of might damage.
If it directly attacks Speed, same as for Dexterity. If it directly attacks Intellect, have it drain Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma, depending on what you consider appropriate.

Treasure: 1 shin = approximately 5 gp.
A cypher = one potion, 1-use scroll, or other 1-use magic item.
An artifact = a non potion/scroll magic item.
An oddity = a gem or piece of jewellery

Hope this makes sense?

Quote from: Planet Algol;844084Hope this makes sense?

It does! Thanks

The cyphers are a total deal breaker for me. As for leaving them out, it's a bit like buying a car with a 6th gear and someone telling you "You don't have to use it." Sure you don't have to use it, but you're always anxious about how it will affect performance and 'if' you're missing out. If that makes sense. Probably a bad example.

Just what was the point of including them in the first place? They sound gimmicky.