The blog to end all blogs.

So, I have a new website.

It's at http://jarcane.info

It is, essentially, an attempt to consolidate all my various scattered blogs and web presences, as well as serve as a single repository for any future writing, of which I hope to make quite a lot more, as I intend to actually keep up with content updates in this new venture. I've also added a forum, with the hope of making it a great place to hang out and talk about food and games and things with all my various online friends and readers, and anyone else who happens to pop by.

Check it out, add it to your bookmarks, subscribe with your favorite feed reader. See you there!

From the ashes, it rises slowly

So, believe it or not, I've actually done some honest to god thinking and even work on this project again.

I got to thinking about it a few days ago, out of nowhere really, and started realizing that the problem with the previous drafts was simply that I'd started to back myself into the corner with some of the system concepts I'd started on, wandering off into the deep end into a convoluted place and losing site of the original design goals of the project. What was originally intended to be a really straight forward system owing a great debt in it's design to the Fallout series, ballooned into a nightmare beyond what I could really handle myself and, in retrospect, really was all that necessary or destined to actually be fun.

The combat system concept in particular was rather unneccessary. I think rather that I had misjudged the usefulness of the original hex-combat style of play, and in fact, grew to realize that the answer was already there in the source material anyway. Fallout's range penalties were always excessively high, now all of a sudden we're adapting those same concepts to an environment where they suddenly make a hell of a lot of sense. Overall I think I can model everything the previous detection band model was intended to just fine with a normal hex-combat system, in fact, better, and more importantly, smoother and easier to learn and play.

Some of the other drawing board ideas are still to be considered. The community system was an interesting idea, but ultimately I think it was a lot of coplexity, a lot of hand wringing, all over a system that ultimately serves to wrest too much freedom out of the hands of the GM. I do however still like the concept of the Dark itself changing people, and have still some consideration as to how I can implement it without too much added complexity. Fortunately here I have plenty of existing models for this kind of thing, the only difference is that this one combines those models in a way I've not previously encountered personally (though I'm pretty sure it exists already).

I spent the morning working on an interactive character sheet for the game, using Apple Numbers. It really helped get me back in the spirit of things, sort of taking me back to the Fallout games in many ways. I look forward to hopefully making some forward progress again, starting with getting a smoother second draft underway, as well as getting a better roadmap and outline of what the book is to look like, so I have a more solid grasp on what must be done.

Stay posted, folks. This thing may just have some life left in it.

In which I take a long hard look at what I'm doing here.

So, I've not posted here in a while now. I've been focusing a lot more of my mental energies on my food related writing and experimentation, and even my gaming thoughts have been leaning more towards just wanting to play.

The truth is, I just don't have that much patience for the nitty gritty of game design. I've got here what I still think is a great idea, a dream of mine for the last decade has been finally seeing this concept in print, but the truth is I don't think I have all the skills and resources necessary to pull it off.

So, I've recruited some help. Any of you who're still reading, give a warm welcome to Kasdaye, one of the #rpgnet regulars who in a fit of boredom has agreed to take a look at this stunted growth of a project, and maybe see about helping get this thing at least to something one can play around the table with some friends.

Since I don't know when or if I'm going to use them, I thought I might describe some of the ideas I've still got stewing, defining mechanics and concepts that I've hit on that I like, but haven't yet put to page yet.

First off, well, is the Dark itself. I've done a lot of thinking along the way, about the idea that the wild, the Dark itself, changes a person. It's like the call of the wild or the sea, but twisted into a much darker urge. The inky blackness that surrounds the Earth seems to pull at the basest and most barbaric and animalistic urges. As the mind twists and becomes darker, the body becomes similarly twisted, a bizarre manifested image of the dementia that consumes the mind in the blacker places. In game terms, I'm thinking something of a fusion of Star Wars' Dark Side Points, Vampire's Humanity, and the Chaos mutations I've heard so much about from WFRP. The GM can tempt the player with the power of the Dark, handing over a temporary burst of instinct and power, in exchange for a farther slide towards the inhuman.

The combat system I have in mind is sort of like a half-way point between full on map and tactical combat, and the usual vague abstractions. The idea is that we keep track of combat in a set of concentric circles, with the players in the center. From there we step outwards essentially be state of detection by the party, starting at close quarters, stepping out to visual spotting range, and then to audio detection range, and finally simply being unspotted, which would be effectively outside the circles. The idea is that monsters and NPCs can make stealth checks, to try and get into close range without getting spotted before hand and thus being open to attack. The rolls would be modified by the light sources carried by the party, and the amount of cover available in the combat area. Range is not a contributing factor, as it's assumed to take place at close enough range to render it a moot point.

I've also got some thoughts about how the monster and NPC systems should look. I'm thinking that to save GM prep time, we go old school D&D style or like the NPC advice given in GURPS 3rd, boiling down the baddies into only the basic stats we need to run a fight with them, plus base attribute check values to allow for any non-combat tasks needed.

I've got some more ideas still yet to be penned regarding the structure of Aralia society and government, which I hope to get down myself soon.

Stay tuned, hopefully things will finalyl get interesting again.

Behind the scenes work.

I've revised a few things in the previous entries, changed some skills around, added some new ones, in part in preperation for some system ideas I'm planning.

The biggest issue I'm having right now is just slogging through the equipment section, as it's exactly the sort of list work I've never been great at or liked doing much.

But also giving some serious thought to what the combat system will look like, as I'm somewhat torn between a number of poles, as well as on how to implement the most important factor of the whole game in a mechanical way: Light and darkness.

The trouble of trying to design a combat system in which it's assumed to be pitch black most of the time, is something I'm still wrapping my head around.

The idea so far is actually to drop the tactical, hexmap and counter approach I'd originally considered, in keeping with my love of minatures play in D&D as well as the Fallout system which inspired a lot of my early conceptiosn of the game.

Instead, I'm thinking more of an abstract system based around acquiring and keeping targets in the darkness. The biggest difficulty in combat on post-Nightfall Earth is in actually being able to see your target, and various light sources will actually find themselves sharing a somewhat similar level of mechanical complexity as swords or guns.

The main decision is in what the base assumption is as to target acquisition. If I assume that the players cannot by default see the enemies, then I need rolls to see if they can spot them, and to factor in the quality of the light source when it comes to covering a given area easily. If I asusme they can see them by default, then instead it becomes a contest of source, with the target perhaps having maneuvers to try and evade being spotted, and thus making the light source a modifier to such a maneuver, as well as perhaps a modifier based on how much cover is present in the combat environment.

So far my thoughts have been leaning towards the latter solution, and I'm thinking I may know some ways to do it within the mechanics I already have arranged so far. The end result will be much, much more abstract that I had originally anticipated the combat system being, but dealing with this issues within the confines of the hexgrid just seems like it would be far too crunchy and slow in play.

I'm also moving away from the concept of hexgrid combat simply because my present rural living arrangement means that any playtesting will almost certainly occur online, likely via IRC, which means that a hex and counter approach would be even more cumbersome than usual, requiring a setup with something like OpenRPG or similar, which is potentially too much work, work that would distract from play preparation and design work.

It is possible that a future supplement composed of variant rules might introduce a more Fallout-y combat system, but for now, it will have to wait, sadly.

Character Creation Part 4: Equipment - Part 1

Characters will find and use a wide variety of equipment and gadgets salvaged from the ruins, most importantly, their weapons and armor, as well as any light sources they find. The wastes are a dangerous place, filled with Aralia and bandits and beasts, all of whom want to kill and even eat you, so it is best to be prepared.

Coins

The most widely accepted currency amongst the free villages is generally pre-Nightfall coinage of whatever country inhabited the region prior to the general collapse of civilization. For the purposes of this game and pricing for equipment the generic term "coins" will be used, however the actual term will vary by area depending on whatever the smallest common denomination of currency in that area was prior to Nightfall, such as cents in the US, EU, or Canada, or pence in Britain.

Weapons

Weapons come in two varieties: Melee, and Ranged, with a different set of statistics for each.

Melee Weapons

Melee weapons have a Damage statistic, which is the type and/or number of dice used to roll when the weapon hits, and is added to the character's Melee Damage stat to find total damage, and a STR Requirement, which is a STR value the player must have to use the weapon without penalty. If this value is not met, the character recieves a -15% penalty to hit when using the weapon. Not all melee weapons have a STR Requirement, if none is present, it is indicated by a dash ("--"). A weapon may also have a special ability, indicated by a word at the end of the statline.

The format of the statline for a melee weapon is as follows:

Name: Damage, STR Req., Value (in coins), Weight (in lbs.), Special

Knife: 1d4, --, 25, negligible, 1-Handed
Club: 1d6, STR 6, 10, 2 lbs., 1-Handed
Axe: 2d4, STR 8, 40, 3 lbs
Sword: 1d8, STR 8, 80, 4 lbs, 1-Handed
Broadsword: 2d6, STR 12, 120, 8 lbs, Cleave*
Spear: 1d8, STR 6, 30, 6 lbs, Reach**
Staff: 1d6, STR 6, 10, 6 lbs, Reach**

* A weapon with Cleave may, upon successfully killing an opponent, follow through to the target next to it, essentially making a second attack at a -20% penalty. Only one additional attack may be made after the initial attack.
** A weapon with Reach makes a character more difficult to approach in combat, providing a bonus of 5% to the character's Defense.

Weapons with Reach or Cleave must be used with both hands, and so no other item may be carried in the character's off-hand during combat, such as a flashlight.

A 1-Handed weapon can be used comfortably in one handed, allowing another item such as a flashlight or lantern to be held in the other.

Archaic Weapons

Archaic weapons are statted in the same fashion as melee weapons, with the exception that all have a special attribute, Reload, followed by a number. This is the number of rounds it takes to reload the weapon so that it may be fired again. A character with an Archaic Weapons skill of 60% or more reduces this number by one, so long as he possesses a quiver or other harness that allows quick access to ammunition.

The Value of the weapon is followed by a slash and a second number, which indicates the cost of 10 rounds of ammunition for the weapon. When not applicable this space is marked with a dash (--). Archaic weapon ammunition may be retrieved after a fight. On a successful Archaic Weapons skill check, the character is able to recover all of his ammunition. On a failure, half of the ammo fired during the fight is broken or lost.

A character's Melee Damage stat bonus applies only to those weapons whose STR Requirement is marked with a plus sign (+), and the bonus only applies if the character's STR exceeds the listed value.

Name: Damage, STR Req., Value (in coins), Weight (in lbs.), Special

Sling: 1d4, STR 6+, 20/--, negligible, Reload 1
Bow: 1d8, STR 8, 60/10, 2 lbs, Reload 1
Crossbow: 2d4, STR 6, 100/10, 3 lbs, Reload 2
Javelin: 2d4, STR 8+, 5/--, 1 lbs, Reload 1*
Throwing Knife: 1d4, STR 8+, 20/--, negligible, Reload 1*, 1-Handed

* This a single weapon that is thrown at the target. The price given is for a single weapon, most individuals will carry a number of them on them at any given time. The Reload number is how quickly another may be extracted from a pack or quiver.

Firearms

All firearms have a Damage statistic much like melee weapons, given in dice, however they do not receive a bonus to this value from STR. They also have a STR Requirement, and like melee weapons if it is not met, a -15% penalty is taken. Additionally, if the STR requirement for a weapon is not met, burst fire may not be used, effectively limiting the weapons Rate of Fire to 1.
In addition to these, firearms also have a Rate of Fire, which is the maximum number of bullets which may practically be fired in a round, a Recoil penalty, which is incurred any time more than one bullet is fired in a combat round, and a Magazine, which is the number of rounds the weapon holds and thus the number of bullets which may be fired before a reload is required.

All guns have Reload 1, unless otherwise indicated as a special attribute. This functions exactly as it does for Archaic Weapons, except that the required skill for reduced Reload is that of the weapon's category, be it Small Arms, Heavy Weapons, or Alien Weapons.

Similar to the archaic weapons, the Value of the weapon is listed as two numbers, the first the cost of the weapon, the second is the cost of a single magazine of ammunition.

The list of firearms follows, broken into three sections for the different firearms skills: Small Arms, Heavy Weapons, and Alien Weapons.

Small Arms

Name: Damage, STR Req., RoF, Recoil, Magazine, Value (in coins), Weight (in lbs.), Special

Revolver: 2d6, STR 4, 1, --, 6, 200/12, 2 lbs, Reload 2, 1-Handed
Auto Pistol: 2d6, STR 4, 2, -10%, 12, 400/24, 2 lbs, 1-Handed
SMG: 2d6, STR 8, 10, -10%, 30, 800/60, 3 lbs.
Shotgun (dbl. barrel): 2d10, STR 8, 2*, -10%, 2, 325/10, 4lbs Reload 2
Shotgun (pump): 2d10, STR 10, 1, --, 8, 400/40, 5 lbs, Reload 3
Shotgun (auto): 2d10, STR 12, 2, -10%, 8, 500/40, 5 lbs, Reload 3
.22 Rifle: 1d8, STR 6, 1, --, 1, 120/2, 3 lbs, Reload 2
Hunting Rifle: 2d8, STR 8, 1, --, 5, 250/15, 4 lbs, Reload 3
Auto Rifle: 2d8, STR 10, 2, -15%, 10, 500/30, 5 lbs
Assault Rifle: 3d6, STR 12, 10, -15%, 30, 850/90, 5 lbs

* The double barreled shotgun can unload both barrels in a single combat round, effectively doing double damage but expending both rounds at once.

Heavy Weapons

Name: Damage, STR Req., RoF, Recoil, Magazine, Value (in coins), Weight (in lbs.), Special

LMG: 3d8, STR 14, 20, -20%, 100, 2000/400, 10 lbs., Mounted
Rocket Launcher: 6d10, STR 10, 1, --, 1, 1200/*, 10 lbs.
Grenade Launcher: 6d10, STR 8, 1, --, 1, 900/200, 3 lbs. Reload 2
Multi-shot Grenade Launcher: 6d10, STR 12, 1, --, 6, 3000/1200, 10 lbs., Reload 4
Anti-materiel Rifle: 6d6, STR 14, 1, --, 10, 4000/500, 20 lbs., Mounted
Flamethrower: 3d6, STR 14, 1, --, 5, 3000/500, 60 lbs., Backpack, Flame
Minigun: 4d6, STR 16, 20, -20%, 500, 10,000/2000, 60 lbs, Mounted

* The rocket launcher is a single use disposable tube containing the rocket. Price given is thus for one unit, and the device is not reloadable.

A Mounted weapon is too heavy to be utilized as a personal weapon, and must be mounted on a vehicle, or fired from a stationary position mounted on a bipod or tripod.

A Backpack weapon has it's ammunition contained in a container worn on the back. As such a normal backpack cannot be worn along with it, and additional ammunition cannot be carried.

A Flame weapon ignites the target upon impact, doing it's base damage the initial round, and continuing to do damage every round thereafter unless the flames can be extinguished.

Alien Weapons

Name: Damage, STR Req., RoF, Recoil, Magazine, Value (in coins), Weight (in lbs.), Special

Zal-illar Plasma Pistol: 4d6, STR 6, 1, --, 8, 4000/500, 2 lbs, Plasma, 1-Handed
Zal-ankar Plasma Rifle: 5d6, STR 10, 1, --, 15, 6000/700. 5 lbs, Plasma
Mitum-gisema Heavy Plasma: 8d6, STR 14, 1, --, 6, 10,000/1000, 15 lbs, Plasma
Mir Coilgun: 2d6, STR 8, 6, -0%, 30, 3000/300, 3 lbs
Masatum Laser Rifle: 3d6, STR 10, 3*, -0%, 50, 5000/500, 20 lbs, Laser
Gesamaru Gatling Laser: 3d6, STR 16, 10, -0%, 200, 10,000/2000, 40 lbs, Backpack, Laser

* The Masatum laser rifle is prone to overheating. There is a cumulative 10% chance per round of burst fire after the first, that the weapon will overheat and be permanently destroyed. E.g. on the first round of burst fire there is no chance of failure, on the second there is a 10%, on the third there is a 20%, and so forth.

Plasma weapons are extremely destructive. When fired at organic matter, the plasma projectile causes a limited chain reaction on impact, boiling or melting away surrounding flesh and tissue. If a target is killed by a Plasma weapon in a single attack, the body is effectively liquified. Because of the massive tissue damage caused, even if the target survives, he will take twice as long to heal, and there's is a 40% chance that a limb was permanently destroyed.

Laser weapons pierce through the target, cauterizing the wound as the beam follows through, due to the extreme heat. Laser wounds take twice as long to heal as normal.

I'm still here

I apologize to any who are still reading this for my lack of updates. A combination of writer's block, and health issues have been slowing my work a bit.

I see this blog as sort of a "first draft" for the work, and lately I've not had much to work with that was even first draft material.

I'm still in a bit of brainlock with the Aralia. I want to dig in deeper and explore their society and family structure, I'm just having some trouble figuring out just what that structure is, and winding up with something that fits the themes and image of them I want. there's a lot of conflicting ideas in my head right now.

I also had some thoughts on a village design system that wound up going nowhere.

So I'm still working on things, still thinking about it, I just haven't had anything good enough yet to show to the public. There's a number of unfinished pieces sitting in my drafts folder right now, it's just a matter of finishing them.

Character Creation Part 3: Skills (cont.)

What follows is a list of the skills present in A Song in the Dark. Each skill is presented as a name, followed by the base formula for calculating starting skill level, and then a short description of what it covers and any important special rules.

Unarmed Combat [(STR + AGI) x2 +10]: This skill covers a character's abilities at unarmed combat: striking people with the fists or feet, or grappling them. Characters receive a bonus to their unarmed damage of 1 for every 10% over 70% they have in the Unarmed Combat skill.

Melee Combat [(STR + AGI) x 2]: This covers skill in use of close combat weapons, from clubs to bats to swords to axes. Any handheld weapon meant to strike and kill or maim another living target.

Archaic Weapons [(STR + DEX) x 2]: Archaic weapons refers to primitive, muscle powered projectile weapons, either thrown or mechanical, such as javelins, bows, or crossbows.

Small Arms [(PER + DEX) x2]: Covers the use of small personal firearms, such as pistols, SMGs, and rifles.

Heavy Weapons [(PER + DEX)]: Covers the use of heavy weapons, such as heavy machine guns, rocket launchers, and similar high powered weaponry, both single man, and crew loaded. Such weapons are generally very rare in the wastelands, but have been known to be salvaged, particularly from abandoned military bases.

Alien Weapons [(INT + PER + DEX) /2]: Weaponry is occasionally salvaged from Aralia patrols out outposts, and this skill covers the ability of characters to puzzle out their use, as Aralia technology and weaponry often works in strange ways or utilizes unusual technologies unfamiliar to the free human settlements.

First Aid [(INT x 3)]: First Aid measures the sum total of a character's medical knowledge, and is important in stabilizing wounds taken. Medical knowledge is largely primitive amongst most survivors in the wastes, with only basic knowledge of bandaging and the importance of sterilization, though in some rare villages, primitive surgery may be performed.

Maintenance [(INT + DEX)]: This covers the ability of a character to repair various mechanical and electrical devices scavenged from ruins, as well as basic weaponry like hand guns and rifles. As professional knowledge is scarce, this skill tends to represent an experimental instinct. A character with a 70% skill or higher in Maintenance recieves a +10% bonus to all Tech Lore rolls.

Tech Lore [(INT + PER) x 2]: The ruins of civilization are littered with all manner of technological and mechanical devices, most of them useless, some of them potentially vital to the survival of one's village. Being able to spot which is which is an important skill for those who roam the wastes, and this skill is what measure's a character's ability to identify an item, what it does, and how to use it.

Stealth [(PER + AGI) x 2]: Stealth is the ability to not be noticed, walking silently, and finding places and shadows to hide in. Whenever a character wants to hide, or get through an area or into an area without being seen, he rolls on this skill with a standard penalty equal to 2 times the PER of the individual one is trying to avoid being spotted by.

Cooking [(INT + PER + DEX) ]: Cooking is the knowledge of food and food preparation. It is most vital in the wastes, as knowing how to identify edible food, and even how to make otherwise inedible food edible, is vital to survival. With this skill, a character may rummage food stores to spot preserved foods and spices that are still usable, spot animals and fungus that can be consumed, and cook food so that it is safe to consume and even tasty with enough skill.

Navigation [(INT + PER)]: Finding your way around the wastes is a combination of instinct, intuition, and learning how to spot even the subtlest of differences in terrain and surroundings, drawing mental landmarks where most simply wouldn't see anything but more dead trees. With the sky blacked out, not even the stars or the sun can offer clear indication of direction, so often a navigators route may wind up being downright convoluted, as he follows what landmarks he can recall on the way between one place and another. This skill represents that difficult talent, and is important any time a character msut find their way from one place to another in the wastes.

Tactics [(INT + CHA)]: Tactics is the skill of being able to direct warriors to maximum effect in combat. A good leader improves the fighting ability of all those who fight with him. In game terms, this manifests as a bonus applied to all combat rolls on a successful check. The character with the highest Tactics skill makes a check at the beginning of a fight, and on a successful check, him and all his compatriots receive an additional +20% bonus to all combat rolls.

Tracking [(INT + PER) x 2)]: Tracking is the art of finding other creatures in the wastes, whether it's a single target, or just a general type of target. It can be used to track the whereabouts of an oncoming Aralia patrol, an escaping bandit, or to hunt for wildlife to feed the village, or even just the party.

Animal Handling [(CHA + WIL)]: With the primitive state of human society, the use of animals to serve man has become much more important, from beasts of burden used to ride or pull a load, to beasts trained to guard and kill. Animal Handling covers the ability to tame and control these animals. This can be a very dangerous skill however, especially when dealing with the changed and dangerous creatures that roam the wilds. The difficulty of taming a beast is generated by the GM during the creation of the creature, or listed with the rest of its statistics if it is a pregenerated monster.

Diplomacy [(CHA + PER + INT)]: Diplomacy is the skill of skillful conversation, being able to find out the information one desires, or convince an individual of an idea or conclusion. As a skill, this primarily takes the form of a single check at the beginning of an important conversation, modified by the opponent's CHA (or an average thereof if multiple targets need convincing). If the character succeeds, the GM may give him one clue as to what words might sway them to his way of thinking.

Bartering [(CHA + INT) x2]: Bartering is the skill of negotiating goods and services, and is the cornerstone of what passes for an economy among the free villages. If a successful Bartering check is made before a trade, the player bartering receives a 1% discount for every 5% the roll succeeds by.

Beast Lore [(INT + PER)]: Beast lore is the knowledge of the beasts and monsters that stalk the wilderness. It can be used to identify a creature, or at least the creature it evolved from, and possibly any important habits or behaviors. In combat, a successful Beast Lore check can be made to gain a knowledge of it's weak point, giving all party members an additional +5 to damage rolls against the creature if they succeed at a called shot.

Lockpicking [(PER + DEX)]: The skill of opening locked doors and containers without the appropriate key or combination, everything from safes, to door locks, to cash registers. This is an important skill for looting, as often the most valuable items, and especially guns and money, were kept behind lock and key in pre-Nightfall times.