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The Dresden Files => DFRPG => Topic started by: LdyEagle on May 27, 2006, 07:46:31 PM
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Hi Folks!!!
I'm VERY interested in learning how to play the Dresden RPG? I've never played RPG's before so, I'm looking for suggestions of where to start. Are they somewhat easy to play? Would I need any special equiptment? If so, where do I acquire such things? Is there a list of books that are needed for the Dresden RPG? Where are they found?
Thank you in advance for any & all assistance! It'll be greatly appreciated!!! :-)
Karen
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Hi Folks!!!
I'm VERY interested in learning how to play the Dresden RPG? I've never played RPG's before so, I'm looking for suggestions of where to start. Are they somewhat easy to play? Would I need any special equiptment? If so, where do I acquire such things? Is there a list of books that are needed for the Dresden RPG? Where are they found?
Thank you in advance for any & all assistance! It'll be greatly appreciated!!! :-)
Karen
The RPG's not out yet, but you can learn more about it at http://www.dresdenfilesrpg.com/
You'll just need a handful of six-sided dice (or some specialty dice that you can buy, but don't HAVE to buy), plus the book, when it comes out.
I dunno, I find 'em easy to play, but I've been playing them since third grade. :)
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Are they somewhat easy to play?
They're not video-game easy. That said, difficulty depends on experience and the DM/GM/ST/whatever running the game. So there's no good answer here, except that it's not easy to maintain a mindset you find very foreign and it's not easy to run a game.
Would I need any special equiptment? If so, where do I acquire such things?
Generally paper, pencil, dice, and friends. I trust you can sort out the first two yourself. The last one too. The third may require you to visit a local hobby shop and get some dice. Exactly which sort you need depends on the system in question. Having no experience with the Fudge system, I can't say.
Is there a list of books that are needed for the Dresden RPG? Where are they found?
It's upcoming, meaning "not currently availible in a playable state", so that's a very good question.
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Hi Folks!!!
I'm VERY interested in learning how to play the Dresden RPG? I've never played RPG's before so, I'm looking for suggestions of where to start. Are they somewhat easy to play? Would I need any special equiptment? If so, where do I acquire such things? Is there a list of books that are needed for the Dresden RPG? Where are they found?
Thank you in advance for any & all assistance! It'll be greatly appreciated!!! :-)
Karen
The Dresden RPG, so far as I know, it not yet in release, so the rules are still unknown (and judging from a few posts on the RPG's homepage, still in a state of flux).
Tabletop RPGs are pretty easy to play. All you really need is a set of rules of some kind (like a sourcebook, though freeform games are not unheard of), some way of determining randomly if something worked or not (dice; sometimes regular board game dice, called d6, sometimes more exotic dice, like a d8 or a d10), and at least one other player. One person writes up a scenario, like a short story. Everyone else develops characters somehow and takes on their roles as they're sitting around the table with the person running the game. It takes a little getting used to, but it is not very different from a good game of pretend.
You can get six-sided dice/d6 pretty much anywhere. More exotic dice can be bought at gaming stores and occasionally bookstores (with the RPG books). Sometimes they are a little expensive, sometimes they are not.
Having read the Dresden Files novels would be a good place to begin, so that you are familiar with the Dresdenverse, some of the major characters, and the sorts of things that happen there.
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I've never played RPG's before so, I'm looking for suggestions of where to start. Are they somewhat easy to play? Would I need any special equiptment? If so, where do I acquire such things? Is there a list of books that are needed for the Dresden RPG? Where are they found?
It turns out that most RPG's are easier to learn from another player rather than just by reading and trying to figure out by yourself. You might look for a local game store and ask some questions there. Often these stores will have a board where players can post if they want to find other players.
As "the doctor" said, essentially the group is trying to tell a collective story. One person takes the role of the storyteller, or "game master" and comes up with situations of interest. The other players react to the situations of interest in whatever manner seems most appropriate. The rules make sure that conflicts are resolved in a fair and consistent manner.
One big reason to ask other gamers questions is that there are many different games out there, and many different styles. The original RPG is "Dungeons and Dragons" and the current edition of this is quite rules-heavy (and can be quite expensive because of the number of hardback books out there), which sometimes is frustrating to newcomers. There is a "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" RPG based on the TV series that might be similar in concept to "Dresden Files". Another game called "Witchcraft" has a modern-magic theme and could be used to recreate Harry's adventures.. There are so many options out there that it's hard to know which direction to guide you without knowing what kind of game you would find most interesting.
If you do a google search on "Fudge" you can find a free rules set that you can download. Fred/Iago took Fudge and evolved it into a different variant called "Fate", which is also a free download. The official "Dresden Files" RPG (when created) is supposed to be based on a modified version of Fate, but so far not too many details have emerged.
Hope this helps!
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I was wondering if it's going to use the d20 system put out by Wizards of the Coast, but I'm now guessing no :)
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I was wondering if it's going to use the d20 system put out by Wizards of the Coast, but I'm now guessing no :)
No.
I know that there was a short thread a while back on WotC's forums about using d20 Modern to play in Harry's world, but it never really went anywhere.
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I was wondering if it's going to use the d20 system put out by Wizards of the Coast, but I'm now guessing no :)
I believe in building games around systems that you're most comfortable with. I've never been comfortable with d20, so that criterion alone was enough to bump it out of the running. ;D
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I was wondering if it's going to use the d20 system put out by Wizards of the Coast, but I'm now guessing no :)
I started a new thread that has information about the RPG that may be of help. It contains links that should give you a better sense of what's going on....
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Im guessing that, like most series or book related RPG damges, it will only have one Book. It won't have a core set or many supplemant books, like D and D does. Although who knows, with our support, Jim Butcher might one day rule the world! Mwahhaha.....
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I would think that the number of sourcebooks would be directly tied to the number of DRESDEN FILES books that Jim writes.
The original RPG would go through book #8, with perhaps a hint or so about book #9 if Jim gives out information. If the series runs 10 books a second volume might not be worthwhile, but if it runs a lot longer it's possible that some sort of update books could be created to keep up with the series (particularly if they could be bought in PDF form).
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Hi Folks!!!
I'm VERY interested in learning how to play the Dresden RPG? I've never played RPG's before so, I'm looking for suggestions of where to start. Are they somewhat easy to play? Would I need any special equiptment? If so, where do I acquire such things? Is there a list of books that are needed for the Dresden RPG? Where are they found?
Thank you in advance for any & all assistance! It'll be greatly appreciated!!! :-)
Karen
This is the point where I mock myself with phrases like "Dork, dork?" "Dorkity dork dork dork." and reminisce about burnt nachos and 69 cent 3 liters of store brand soda.
Everyone else has done a great job explaining the systems. A quick point of view from someone who HATES rules lawyers (people who worry more about a rule and less about developing a storyline):
It should be FUN. It should require you to use 2 braincells to do more than keep each other warm. It should NOT be hard or complex. The person who runs it (referred to as a DM, GM, story teller and a myraid of other things but Story Teller happens to be my favorite) should want to tell a story and involve you in how it's wrote.
That being said, it usually is VERY fun but you have to understand the whole scene has been labeled as geekdom. To me that's a moniker worn with some silliness and pride but to others you might as well have compared their mother to a lady of the night. If anyone you know has played RPG's, this should be a fairly easy learning experience and if you don't, I played them for the first time at around 12 so you will get it pretty easily I'm sure.
Oh and it's a GREAT way to have an inexpensive afternoon. After the initial outlay for a book, some dice, some ruled paper and a folder and some pencils you're really only looking at chips and soda for cost.
Have fun :)
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A quick point of view from someone who HATES rules lawyers (people who worry more about a rule and less about developing a storyline):
It should be FUN. It should NOT be hard or complex.
This is actually a tough issue and is often a major point of discussion on some RPG threads. Some gamers are really into realism, others a playable system. It's hard to create a game that can do both.
Oz -- I happen to agree with you (except I like "Dungeon Master" better than "storyteller", but I'm an old guy) about the style of gaming that is my favorite.
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Reply to: DM vs. GM vs. Storyteller
I personally prefer "Game Master," as it isn't proprietary like DM (D&D) and Storyteller (WoD) are.
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Reply to: DM vs. GM vs. Storyteller
I personally prefer "Game Master," as it isn't proprietary like DM (D&D) and Storyteller (WoD) are.
Oh, "Game Master" is clearly a superior term. It's just that I started playing OD&D back in 1975 and back then it was always "Dungeon Master" or DM. Anything else just doesn't "feel" right to me, but as I said I am an old guy. ;D
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I was wondering if it's going to use the d20 system put out by Wizards of the Coast, but I'm now guessing no :)
I believe in building games around systems that you're most comfortable with. I've never been comfortable with d20, so that criterion alone was enough to bump it out of the running. ;D
I did some toying around with doing a Dresden setting d20 on my own. The d20 rules just aren't conducive to a Dresden RPG. Glaring examples would be the damage/healing system and the magic. Especially the magic. d20 is all about flash/bang magic with no personal cost. Evocation is very expensive on the body is Dresden, and d20 can't even begin to replicate thaumaturgy. My house rules were two typed pages before I got done dealing with just thaumaturgy. At that point I gave up.
The Elder Wyrm
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The Storyteller system might work for Dresden. Mage comes to mind in particular. For those familiar with Mage, The Awakening, Harry has been seen to use mainly Forces, with a bit of Prime and Space thrown in. Mind and Time are both known to exist, as is Life to an extent. The system as is handles both evocation and ritual magic.
As for elderwyrm's comments on d20, I have to disagree. It's quite possible to build a magic system that imposes fatigue penalties as more magic is used. The catch is you don't start with D&D magic. You have to build it yourself.
Second Edition D&D, in the Tome of Magic, had a channeling sytem where every spell cast took fatigue. Cast enough spells, and the mage passed out. That could probably be ported over. I know it's possible to tweak a spellpoint system for this sort of behavior, as a friend of mine has done it.
Oh, and thaumaturgy is possible in d20. You just need to be creative about how you do it. Borrow from other systems if need be. The "successes" model of the ST system comes to mind here.
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I think that this is where FATE will come in handy (and the Dresden Files RPG will be essentially FATE 2E).
FATE is designed to be flexible and allow for a more "freeform" style of magic. (I know that the term "freeform" isn't quite what I mean, but it's the closest word that comes to mind.) Characters casting spells will be able to gather energy, then try to heave it at a target. FATE (and FUDGE) allows for a simple rolll based on general difficulty of actions, so the GM can make a quick "gut call" and run it from there.
Also, it appears that wizards can influence their chances of success by spending points. Of course, the opposing wizard can spend his/her own points to counter the spell.
The problem with most RPG magic systems is that they feel the need to assign particular points to everything, and it really forces rules lawyering. FATE avoids a lot of this with its general nature and encourages more creativity on the part of the spellcaster. This is a lot like magic system in Jim's books (and most books, actually) where cleverness is often more important than outright power.
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I looked at FATE. It seems a little too fast and loose for me. Probably not something I'd want to play, especially with the pyramid.
Which is likely to be a problem for me, as my DM is just about guaranteed to want to play it.
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I looked at FATE. It seems a little too fast and loose for me. Probably not something I'd want to play, especially with the pyramid.
That won't make you too popular here, I suspect, since the official Jim Butcher-endorsed Dresden Files RPG is based on the FATE system.
Which is likely to be a problem for me, as my DM is just about guaranteed to want to play it.
Good luck with that. ;)
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Im guessing that, like most series or book related RPG damges, it will only have one Book. It won't have a core set or many supplemant books, like D and D does.
Probably so. Most of the RPGs I've played have one main book, divided into player/game master sections. Even Star Wars, which is published by WotC does the same. Of course, if the game takes off, then we can hopefully look forward to supplements, such as extended bestiaries, city guides, and the like.
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I looked at FATE. It seems a little too fast and loose for me. Probably not something I'd want to play, especially with the pyramid.
That won't make you too popular here, I suspect, since the official Jim Butcher-endorsed Dresden Files RPG is based on the FATE system.
I can deal with that. With my gaming group, the Fate would cause a lot more problems than it would solve. The pyramid gets to me in particular, because while the system is based on the idea of getting out of your way, it then adds in something that explicitly gets in your way. It would seem to prevent specialists indirectly, which I don't like at all. If it comes to it, I can (probably) talk my DM into helping me concoct a homebrew thing based on the books in question using a stronger system.
Which is likely to be a problem for me, as my DM is just about guaranteed to want to play it.
Good luck with that. ;)
I may need it. My current plan of attack is to point out that the Fate system would wreak havoc on our gaming group. Especially since we have more than one rules lawyer.
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Aside from White Wolf, you might consider Eden Press' Unisystem and the Witchcraft game in particular.
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The problem with most RPG magic systems is that they feel the need to assign particular points to everything, and it really forces rules lawyering. FATE avoids a lot of this with its general nature and encourages more creativity on the part of the spellcaster. This is a lot like magic system in Jim's books (and most books, actually) where cleverness is often more important than outright power.
As scary as it might sound, this is where the system used in Exalted really shines. The more creatively a player describes something, the more 'style points' they get. In a Mage LARP I was in, this was how certamen was handled (because there were no MET rules for it). Of course, at the other end of feasibility, you get five minutes of powerup description if the player is on a roll, ala Sailor Moon, which can drive the other players batty...
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I looked at FATE. It seems a little too fast and loose for me. Probably not something I'd want to play, especially with the pyramid.
While the pyramid still exists in the new version of Fate that we're using for the DFRPG, we've made it much less onerous than it is in the current, public version of Fate. Further, specialists can and do exist in the new version of the system, through the application of the stunt system that we're introducing. So far, in internal playtests, it's been working fabulously for exactly that.
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This all sounds great, now all I need to do is find me some people to play with. I wonder if a personal add in the local paper would work?
" Lonely Dresdenphile seeks similar for gaming, long walks in the park......"
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I always found the Ars Magica (Atlas Games) system of magic attractive. Besides "learned spells" you could always improvise spells on the fly through their system of Techniques and Forms and risk fatigue and failure.
I never really understood why mastery/focus on certain areas of magic limited you to only certain effects, when you ought to be able to combine your abilities in creative ways (with risks, naturally).
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This all sounds great, now all I need to do is find me some people to play with. I wonder if a personal add in the local paper would work?
" Lonely Dresdenphile seeks similar for gaming, long walks in the park......"
If you are anywhere near a book/game/comic store, you could see if they have a bulletin board. That is often a good way of finding other gamers.
Or try the net. Google something like "roleplayers wanted" plus the name of your town.
The net could also hook you up with a play by post message board game, or play by chat. A few of my friends are playing by message chat now. Handy because we have all moved to different cities in our old age.
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Lemme just second the mention of Eden's Unisystem as found in Witchcraft and in a lighter form in the Buffy and Angel RPGs. Until the RPG is actually published, there is probably not a closer match in system out there.
-Rob D.
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Lemme just second the mention of Eden's Unisystem as found in Witchcraft and in a lighter form in the Buffy and Angel RPGs. Until the RPG is actually published, there is probably not a closer match in system out there.
-Rob D.
My opinion on this is that Witchcraft has really cool artwork, but that Buffy has a better game system. Eden uses the terms "classic" and "cinematic", where Witchcraft is more "classic" and Buffy more "cinematic".
The difference? Essentially, their "cinematic" rules sets (Buffy, Angel, Army of Darkness) have a faster feel and allow for more on-the-fly stuff. "Cinematic" just seems to flow better to me and is easier to run.
My advice would be to go "cinematic" if you buy one of these.
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Another good option is to buy both! Really, though, I think a perfect combination is Armageddon (or Witchcraft) with Drama Points stolen from Angel. I tend to tweak skills a bit, but sometimes having more focused skills is nice--kind of like when Harry can use a staff but isn't skilled with a sword, or how he has no idea how to use a rifle, but knows how to use his pistol.
There's even options to convert between the systems in the back of _The Magic Box_. :)
As for Fate...I'm looking forward to it, myself. I'm a bit leery of certain aspects of Fate--parts of it REALLY aren't explained very well, to my mind--I remember problems with describing signature magic items--sometimes it's one thing, sometimes it's another, as an example. But it's a cool system in general, and I'm hoping they clarify a lot of that for the 'non-generic' Dresden Files RPG.
Now if only they'd have a public call for playtesters...
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I actually agree that Cinematic Unisystem is _far_ better, but Witchcraft/Armageddon have better magic support. Belmonte's nailed it on the head though - were I to run a Dresden game using commercial stuff currently available, I would purchase three books:
The Angel RPG for core system
The Armageddon RPG for all the rules for magic, plus a ton of other usable stuff.
The Magic Box book for Buffy for ease of conversion between the two.
If I were feelign more frugal, I'd just get the witchcraft PDF (which is either free or cheap, I can't recall which) and call it a day, though.
-Rob D.
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If I were feelign more frugal, I'd just get the witchcraft PDF (which is either free or cheap, I can't recall which) and call it a day, though.
Good ideas, Rob! At this point, the Witchcraft PDF is still a free download from DriveThruRPG. I think this link will get you there:
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=692
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I am actually partial to the Magic Sytem in Shodowrun. It is based on Fatigue. IE. every spell has a formula for how tired it makes you. And their are modifiers for all kinds of stuff. So you could cast the same spell twice in a row and have totally different levels of tired from it. Like you get punched in between them your second one is going to affect you alot more than the first.
The whole idea of fatigue seems alot more realistic than any other system. You cast a powerful spell first, then all the other much simplier spells after it are still going to be alot harder because your already tired.
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The whole idea of fatigue seems alot more realistic than any other system. You cast a powerful spell first, then all the other much simplier spells after it are still going to be alot harder because your already tired.
This stuff cracks me up. People talk about casting magic spells, and then use words like "realistic" when describing systems for them. Hilarious. :)
The only thing that matters to us, the designers of the Dresden Files RPG, is whether or not casting magic in the Dresden Files RPG feels like casting magic in the novels. If we hit that mark, that's accuracy, regardless of whether or not you might think it's "realistic" :)
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This stuff cracks me up. People talk about casting magic spells, and then use words like "realistic" when describing systems for them. Hilarious. :)
People use 'realistic' a lot when they mean 'having verisimilitude'. It's something you have to translate in your head. :) Kind of like how everyone's definition of 'cinematic' and 'gritty' is different.
The only thing that matters to us, the designers of the Dresden Files RPG, is whether or not casting magic in the Dresden Files RPG feels like casting magic in the novels. If we hit that mark, that's accuracy, regardless of whether or not you might think it's "realistic" :)
This is how it should be, IMO. I'm looking forward, myself, to being able to run a campaign with a wizard, a knight of the cross, and a white court vampire. :)
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I am actually partial to the Magic Sytem in Shodowrun. It is based on Fatigue. IE. every spell has a formula for how tired it makes you. And their are modifiers for all kinds of stuff. So you could cast the same spell twice in a row and have totally different levels of tired from it.
Dunno if it's a better system or not, but it certainly sounds more complex. Your description scares me somewhat because I sense the creativity of the spellcaster getting lost in order to create uniformity. Each spell has its own fatigue formula? And that formula changes with use? Sounds great for a computer game, but I’m not so sure in a face-to-face RPG. Of course, I say this without having all of the rules in front of me; it may play better than it sounds. (I’ll have to rummage on my shelves to find that copy of Shadowrun 3E to see how it’s done there.)
I have this "simulation versus playability" discussion on a regular basis with some of my gamer friends and never can understand the allure of extra rules and such in the name of having a more perfect simulation. Frankly, what I like to see in a RPG is a system that is medium to simple in complexity, yet is flexible enough where I can use the game in the situations I encounter. This is the potential problem found in the D&D magic system, where our hero may be overheard saying “I’ve got lots of power left in reserve, but I forgot to memorize that particular spell” or “I’ve got lots of power left in reserve, but I’m out of first level spells” or some such.
Just an opinion.
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It really isn't that hard. In SR, the system is basically:
1) Roll to cast the spell
2) Roll to soak the fatigue (the spell has a set fatigue level depending on the spell's Force (power))
3) Target rolls Body or Will, gets a # of hits (successes)
4) Target gets hurt, mind controlled, or whatever.
An example fatigue value might be F / 2, at least in 4E. You'd need to roll a number of successes equal to its F / 2 to not be hurt. Bit crunchy, but really not bad.
It's really not hard. I actually like the SR system, myself, but it's not the only way it can happen. My preference is for the 4E system, which has some good modifications and streamlining, though, compared to 1-3E. :) Some people dislike it due to that very streamlining though. Me? I think that makes it even better.
For Harry Dresden, though ... it could work, but it really doesn't fit with the more fluid, on-the-fly nature of Fate in general. :)
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I am so excited to thear is to be an RPG. The systam sounds great but I was wondering what the spell list is going to be like and if some PC races will have "Innate" spells and abillitys and is the combat systam as involved as the magic?
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I was wondering what the spell list is going to be like and if some PC races will have "Innate" spells and abillitys and is the combat systam as involved as the magic?
The way that FATE works in general (recall that FATE is the engine that will make DFRPG run) is that when you build a character you can give it something called an "Aspect" which essentially can represent anything cool that a character can do. In this way you can simulate a PC race if you simply compile a list of special things and associate them with Aspects.
As far as the magic system goes ... this is probably the biggest secret for DFRPG so far. The intent is to simulate as best as possible magic as described in the books, but the exact details aren't being shared with the public yet. We can surmise that DFRPG will contain a simple but generic spell list and probably a set of rules that will allow a wizard to build his own spells as needed.
Again, the goal is to achieve the "feel" of the books in a game environment.
It is possible that certain races will have Aspects which correspond to "innate" spell-like powers. For example, sidhe may have some sort of charm ability, or vampires may have some sort of illusion ability to make them appear attractive instead of spider-like. As to how these powers are handled in the game, we do not yet have an official answer.
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Reply to: DM vs. GM vs. Storyteller
I personally prefer "Game Master," as it isn't proprietary like DM (D&D) and Storyteller (WoD) are.
I prefer "God, Who Art Thy Master."
This may be why I don't get to run games anymore.
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I am so excited to thear is to be an RPG. The systam sounds great but I was wondering what the spell list is going to be like and if some PC races will have "Innate" spells and abillitys and is the combat systam as involved as the magic?
Spell list -- not sure yet. We're providing the ability to create spells using some very simple building blocks with Evocation, and we're still kicking Thaumaturgy around the block.
Innate abilities -- Yep. We'll have plenty of those.
Combat system -- The conflict resolution system keeps things pretty simple, while offering a bunch of options. We hope to have another game, Spirit of the Century (http://www.evilhat.com/?spirit), out in the next couple of months, which will feature a similar (though not exactly identical) combat system. It'll be worth checking out if you're eager for a preview.
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You might look at the top of the RPG forum for something called The Dresden Files RPG -- Information Thread. It contains lots of links that will give you more details, including information about the Spirit of the Century RPG.
Or ... feel free to ask more specific questions here. That's what this forum is all about!
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So, general thoughts on other systems.
Shadowrun
So, if we were talkign anything other than 4th ed, I'd probably be fairly dismissive, but they really did clean things up in the latest version. It is vastly more streamlined, and the fact that I no longer have to buy spells at a specific force level is an oh-my-god improvement. It's drain model has been very influential on the development of non mana-based magic systems in many RPGs, and with good reason, and while we won't be taking from it directly, it would be unfair to say that it is not an influence.
That said, as a system, a lot fo the thigns that make it a strong match for Shadowrun end up being problems for Dresden. It's a spell based rather than effect based system, so it would require major retuning to handle the sort of effects that we see Harry do. Other key components, like Initiation and the Essence rating, just don't translate well out of setting.
Mage
Ok, when people say Mage, they tend to mean two different things: Old Mage, with subjective reality, and New Mage, with it's more firmly established cosmology.
The both use sphere-based magic, which is (or can be) effects based, which is potent and flexible. If I want to throw a bolt of fire at someone, the GM goes Ok, that will take this many spheres of this type and maybe this many spheres of this other type. While the specifics vary between the two games, the core principal is incredibly potent and flexible (as it is in Mage's grand-daddy system, Ars Magica, which was my first exposure to combinative magic).
The problem is that while the concept works, Mage operates at a layer of abstraction that is a bit too far removed from where things happen in Dresden. Pretty much all of evocation could be folded into Forces, and many of the other spheres are beyond the scope of where the focus for Dresden really should be. In short, to run Dresden with Mage requires neutering Mage, a solution that I think benefits neither party.
(That said, I just picked up Second Sight, the nWoD miscellaneous powers book, and it's nicely indicative that someone _could_ build something closer to Dresden than Mage within the nWoD system, but I've always been a fan of the new core rules, so that's no shock.)
Now, setting aside the specifics, can the _concepts_ of Mage be translated, perhaps with a more thematic set of spheres? Well, probably, but I wouldn't do it for a few reasons, most notably that it is almost _too_ effects based as a model. Old style Mage had Rotes, but they felt more like a system gimmick than any kind of way to ground play in magical tradition. New mage addresses that substantially, but it does so in ways which (rightfully) reinforce the specifics of the new setting.
However, I do not think that one can do a modern magic system without owing some debt to both Ars Magica and Mage, and we certainly won't be any different.
If people have other systems in mind, I can try to address them. I haven't played everything, but if I can reassure folks that we're not dismissing other approaches out of hand, I'll be happy to try. And just for reference, I love Mage, though I am definitely of the new rather than old camp for all the trouble that causes, and I just ran the first session of a Shadowrun game this past weekend and it went pretty darn well.
-Rob D.
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As an old fan of Mage (old version, haven't yet played any of the new versions of WW games) and someone playing Shadowrun this weekend, that was most enlightening, thank you. ;)
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I noticed a point a while back about the FATE system being bad about specialists. I think I worked out a pretty good way to get around this. I just let my players buy "specialist" extras. Like, one of my gunman characters is a "pistol specialist". I just have each level of the extra grant an extra +1 to the roll with that specific thing within the larger skillset. It has the potential to be abused, but I haven't had too much trouble so far.
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Reply to: DM vs. GM vs. Storyteller
I personally prefer "Game Master," as it isn't proprietary like DM (D&D) and Storyteller (WoD) are.
I prefer "God, Who Art Thy Master."
This may be why I don't get to run games anymore.
My sister runs a Bunnies & Burrows campaign and she prefers the term "Bunny Master" (or BM for short). :P
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Okay, I know nothing about RPGs in general. But they sound interesting and a good way to build up storytelling and character developement. Not to mention something fun to do with friends.
But, I just don't understand it.
What's with the dice? What do you use them for?
How do storylines work? Do you plan everything out or make it up as you go along?
How do characters interact with each other and the story?
What are we even really waiting for to come out?
~She-Wolf
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alright. I know a little about RPG's, so I'll address each question individually.
1. Dice in RPG's are generally used to determine success or failure. When you attempt to do something that is not relatively easy, like score a hit with a weapon, you would make a roll to determine your success or failure. Trust me, sometimes the failures are more fun.
2. Generally, the storylines are planned out by the person running the game, called a GM, or Game Master. However he or she does their storyline is up to their own personal preference. Generally, the players only have to worry about the backstories of their characters, especially with the FATE system
3. Again, this is a generalization, but the characters are usually in some sort of a group, which can be for any number of reason. It can be as cliche as you happen to all be in a tavern or as complex as a tale of friendship over many years. Their interpersonal relationships, however, can be almost anything. As you role-play your character, try not to think what you think of this person, try and think of what your character does.
The characters should easily interact with the story if the GM tailors it to the goals of the character. I play a mercenary-like character in Dungeons and Dragons, so a quest to rid some dormant evil from the world wouldn't be interesting to me unless said evil has a large pile of treasure or other goodies or the fellow characters offer me something. (which they generally do. Let's see the paladin open a lock)
4. We are waiting for a role-playing game designed and developed by Evil Hat Productions. The game system will be a new version of the Fantastic Adventures in Tabletop Entertainment (or FATE) system which is based upon the fudge system.
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IMHO, the best way to think about RPG's is to remember your childhood on the playground...
You're playing Cops and Robbers (or whatever variant you like). You're having fun. One group is cops, another is robbers, and you're all running around going "bang, bang, you're dead!"
But, inevitably, a fight breaks out. "I shot you!" "No you didn't! You missed me!" "Did not!" Did too!" Etc., etc., etc.
The purpose of a role-playing game is, in essence, to determine whether or not you really did shoot him, or whether you missed.
So, you get a bunch of rules, about how good you are at shooting, how good they are at dodging, and how to introduce a little luck and chaos to keep things interesting. (That's where the dice come in. They represent all the stuff that neither character can really control.)
Now, there's a lot of stuff to do besides shooting. There's running and jumping. And talking and schmoozing. And, of course, magic. So, we get a bunch of rules for those things, too.
Bad rules are very complicated, unbalanced, and don't represent the story well. Good rules make it so that your character does exactly the sorts of thing you think he ought to do.
We're waiting on Evil Hat to deliver unto us...the Good Rules.
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Others have replied, but I thought I would toss in a few more ideas on the subject.
There are lots of Role-Playing Games (RPGs) out there. Some use lots of dice, others are totally without dice at all. Each game has its own rules which guide how the game is played.
In general there is a storyline being woven by a Game Master (GM), but instead of a single author telling the tale the players get in on the action and help make the story their own.
What the dice can do is add an element of unpredictability to the story. When dice are involved no one (not even the GM) really knows ahead of time what will happen. This makes the game a lot more fun than a book or movie, because even a "re-run" adventure may be different the next time because of the roll of the dice.
Characters are usually ones you create, but sometimes a player might run a character from a book or movie. (For example, perhaps in a Pirates of the Caribbean game someone wants to play the role of Jack Sparrow. This is okay, but players are usually encouraged to make up an interesting character from scratch and play that.)
How do characters interact? Well, the GM explains a situation and asks the players how they react to it. Perhaps you are walking down a sidewalk and suddenly hear an alarm ring, then a bank robber runs into you and knocks you over. What do you do? When you tell the GM what you do, he advances the story as the other characters react to your actions. Often this involves rolling dice. We bounce back and forth, giving each player an opportunity to act. In that way the story unfolds.
What we are waiting for is an RPG designed to specifically simulate the world of Harry Dresden. Some RPGs let you play Star Trek or Lord of the Rings or a even world of your own creation. This one will take the ideas of the Dresden universe and give guidelines as to how a GM can run some adventures and tell some stories of your own.
Hope this helps.
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"I happen to agree with you (except I like "Dungeon Master" better than "storyteller", but I'm an old guy) about the style of gaming that is my favorite."
I do try to use GM since I'm not ONLY gaming in dungeons, but storyteller is just too much.
dian