The Dresden Files RPG -- Information Thread

[Falar]

More accurately, it's built on Fate, which is built on Fudge. Spirit of the Century is another based in the same manner. At least, if I've got all my ducks in the right rows. And I'm pretty sure I do.

[finarvyn]

when are they play testing it?

Keep in mind that the basic Fate3 system really needs no playtesting because that was done for Spirit of the Century. The majority of the work now is tinkering with the magic system (which is different from SotC) as well as development of "Dresden Baltimore" (which will be a potential "default" setting designed to compliment but not conflict with "Dresden Chicago" and Jim's writings).

[Paynesgrey]

I'll have to check this game out. I've not done pen & paper in years, due to the overly irritating nature of the few people in my area who actually play  (I have the heads of several rules lawyers on the wall in the cellar)...but this sounds too good to pass up...even if it means *teaching* my wife and friends to *enjoy* P&P rather than MMORG's.  (You're having fun now, honey, aren't you?  Here...drink this...you don't mind the graphics now, do you sweetie? Thaaaat's a good girl...)

Quite the effort will be required, but I know none of them can pass up the opportunity to visit Dresden's world.

I know I can't pass it up.

[finarvyn]

I think that the secret to running a good RPG campaign is to surround yourself with people with the "right" gaming philosophy. My present group is a bunch of people who are not rules sticklers and they are more interested in playing a role and having fun then they are trying to lawyer their way through a game session.

Many of my games end up as "just roll a die and we'll see what happens" and are in this way very loose and free with the rules. While not all players are comfortable with this type of play, having players trust the GM is half the battle -- they have to trust that we're all trying to spin a good yarn and have a good time.

[DRD2001]

I'm not so good at RPGs. Most of the gaming I've ever done was via CCG or simple board games like Zombies! So for the RPG challenged, how easy is it?

And what's the timeline before this game is ready for market? I go to Dragon*Con every year. That would be a good place to test it or promote it. There is a lot of open/free gaming areas. I hosted a Zombies tournament last year.

[Elaikases]

Keep in mind that the basic Fate3 system really needs no playtesting because that was done for Spirit of the Century. The majority of the work now is tinkering with the magic system (which is different from SotC) as well as development of "Dresden Baltimore" (which will be a potential "default" setting designed to compliment but not conflict with "Dresden Chicago" and Jim's writings).

Ah, I was wondering just how much information the game would add to the books. 

Guess this kind of answers the question.

[finarvyn]

I'm not so good at RPGs. Most of the gaming I've ever done was via CCG or simple board games like Zombies! So for the RPG challenged, how easy is it?

There is an entire spectrum of RPGs out there, and I would advise you to do some research before buying many of them. On one end of the spectrum you will find rules-lite systems (or some with essentially no rules) which are designed to get people telling stories together. On the other end are rules-heavy systems, which are designed to be more "realistic" simulations of a particular setting. I find that 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons, for example, is a very popular game but is very hard to learn by yourself.

The secret to any RPG is having trust in the person running the game. That person invests a lot of time creating a situation for the players to experience. However, with that power comes the responsibility of running a game where the players can change events. (Many Game Masters seem to enjoy a process called "railroading" where an adventure is linear like a book or movie, and no matter what the players do they will arrive at exactly the same ending. Most players hate this and would rather read a book or watch a movie.) If your players trust you to run a good game, you can probably run any rules system in any campaign world and people will have fun.

Dresden Files is going to be released using the FATE game system, and you can get free information from http://www.faterpg.com/dl/. If you’re new to RPGs you might find someone who already plays to teach you (it’s much easier to learn by example) or download free RPGs like FATE and read about it yourself. Give it a try and don’t worry about messing up the rules too much. Go in to have fun. I’ve been playing RPGs since 1975, have read and/or played dozens of game systems, and have been a playtester for several games. It’s a great hobby and one you can enjoy for years to come. I’m teaching my children about RPGs and they love it, too.

Good luck, and if you have questions be sure to ask.

[Grogtard]

*Probably* the later half of 2007.

So know you're busy and all but is there more specific release date?  Fourth quarter?  December for Christmas?   

[iago]

So know you're busy and all but is there more specific release date?  Fourth quarter?  December for Christmas?   

http://www.dresdenfilesrpg.com/news/archives/2007/08/looking_into_th.php

[Grogtard]

Thanks for the reply Fred.  I'd rather wait a while longer than get a game rushed into production.

[hkjakkie]

  Thank you all for the Thread. As soon as I read about the Dresden Files RPG I decided to buy it. When is the question for me at the moment. I was reading the laws of magic but I have been unable to add any
intelligent thoughts about it so I decided to wait. I voted for most of the extras but when I actually get it my thought has been ....what do I do with the game now?  This will be my first RPG but I know it will be great. Right now I need to be finding a new job.....exercise a bit...once I get things in order then I can really
learn all I can but I will definitely check the other web sites out. It is great to know there are a few others out there that have yet to play a RPG.

Jackie

[DrygonDM]

I am also looking forwad to the release of this.

[Aerhen]

I am impressed.  I have played so many different game systems and i have not seen one like the one represented in the Fate application.  Its simplicity in structure of how a character evolves in wonderful.. and it emphasizes character acting by its very nature.  By differentiating between aspects for character definition and aspects for personality and flavor and giving flexibility to how they impact teh genre leaves a lot of flexibility to the gamesmaster...

I am looking forward to hopefully being selected for games testing... i just applied and have spent the evening learning the basics of fate... It has been a long time since I have found a system so logically crafted..

well done..

looking forward to its release.. and perhaps if i made it into testing..helping with fleshing out the system.. and backgrounds 

[Aerhen]

I have now read Fate and Spirit of the Century

I couldnt help but notice that there was no use of the category of Extras in SotC ... If I am not mistaken.. extras are skill like characteristicss which are always on... i can think of a great many uses for this .. it would account for so many of the mystical abilities ...

I cant also help but note.. that u could have seperate skill pyramids for the magical abilities... magic players split their skills.. which would make them less effective in some ways in mundane skills.. but would them access to a range of skills that mundanes would not have access to..

I would definitely include any extras into this pyramid... because to me this would represent honing natural talents or learned ones.. Any of the potential Spheres of magic or mystical  ability to be tied to skills... and the more powerful versions or spells being stunts for these skills..

extras could account for potions... weapons... items... and whole range of things... it would make your magical system flexible.. but structured..

have i fallen off the deep end..

I have a lot of ideas about this.. but without seeing a structure that u are attempting to use.. i cant make any comments.. i can only share what i have done myself..

if you want.. i can work up some things .. and present them to see what u think...

btw.. are vampires.. werewolves.. fae... are they going to be open to player characters?? or are they going to be limited to mainly npcs?

by the way the use of extras would allow for the minor mystics that are all over the dresdenverse...  there are other options as well..

such as allowing the mundanes or others to purchase mystical abilities with an appropriate aspect..   and especially for those who have only one ability... what would seem to make sense is allowing them to take multiple stunts .. and treat them like its own pyramid. 

so lets say some one has ectomancy...

ectomancy would be the aspect..
so the extra would be the skill  read object
the first stunt might be ... when the object is held, u get a visual image of the last person who touched it

now.. before you could buy a more powerful version of this stunt, you must diversify slightly, such as possible,
stunt.  u get an emotional impression of the last person who touched it..

so u have to have 2 stunts in read object before you could develop one more powerful... and different..

thus allowing for progression.. but forcing a streamlined and controlled growth..

what do you think..

[iago]

'Extras' are more a Fate 2.0 implementation feature, whereas SOTC is a Fate 3.0 build (done in advance of Fate 3.0 actually existing -- we wrote SOTC in part to figure out where we wanted to take Fate in a new implementation).  Extras in SOTC are more represented by Stunts and Gadgets.