NaGaDeMon/RoleVember 2019 - Putting the structure in place
I really like the system of character generation that I've been developing for Walkabout. Starting by developing the character's innate genetic potential, then applying the effects that a character's immediate family had on them in their childhood, followed by the effects of the local community in childhood, and gradually expanding the circle to the wider community during their adolescence. It really gives a good feel for the character, it tells their story in a sequence of iterations. It'sdstinctly possible to end up with a character different to what you might have had in mind, but for those players whocome into a story with no preconceived notions, or those who are intimidated by a blank slate, it gives a fleshed out background that sets the tone for the characters story moving forward. Two characters may have the same goals, but if they are coming from different backgrounds they'll probably have very different methods of appraoching or acheiving those goals. There is a general aim toward the same end point, but the path needed to get there will depend on the journey taken so far.
The problem is that developing characters using this system takes a while. It fully integrates them into the setting, but it might be good to develop a back up system to quickly generate characters on the fly. So that brings us to a couple of points...
Ths basically means that we need a range of lesser NPCs, capable of being made quickly, each of whom have a range of abilities/skills and advantages that might be imparted to the main characters in our game.
It also means that we basically end up with three tiers of characters in the game. The characters are richly detailed, the lesser NPCs are quickly sketched out, and the masses are vague and nebulous. If each player generates two or three of these lesser NPCs, and each player character is linked to two or three NPCs at the start of play, then a complx relationship map starts from the beginning of play. Session zero establishes a dynamic and dramatic world before the proper story begins.
We don't have characters who are influenced by stereotypical communities, we have characters who are influenced by individuals, who may in turn be influenced by other individuals. As the main characters develop, their links to other characters are established...
...first to parents and immediate family members...
...then to family friends and school friends...
...then to work colleagues, sporting team-mates, next-door neighbours, drinking buddies, church brethren, romantic partners, and members of the wider community.
Everyone has something to teach, some way to inflence the character for better or for worse.
Do players want this?
I don't know, and in this case I don't really care. Part of the aim here is to show that the SNAFU game engine is capable of handling a variety of different game styles and genres of story. If players want a quick method of generating characters and a world that builds over the course of play (rather than being preloaded in a session zero), the can play The Law. If players want richly detailed characters in a setting loaded with mystery that is revealed through play in small vignettes of local towns that exist as self contained stories, they can play Walkabout. The focus of this game is more about lingerg in a single community, understanding how people struggle to find their identity within that community, and how they come to terms with themselves, their identities, and the world around them.
The problem is that developing characters using this system takes a while. It fully integrates them into the setting, but it might be good to develop a back up system to quickly generate characters on the fly. So that brings us to a couple of points...
- This game idea is about urban magic, so I'm thinking of using a 5 card tarot spread to develop characters.
- Walkabout is a game where a character's culture is tied into the way they survive in the world. Those cultures are a bit different to what we see in the modern world, so we need to understand how they function and what is important to them. In Walkabout, I've assigned some basic skills/abilities to each of the cultures (reflecting what they consider important and what they tend to train their young for), but in a game of modern magic about marginalised and oppressed communities it feels wrong to stereotype wide swathes of the community with a single brush. Instead of drawing skills from a community or culture, I'm tending toward characters drawing their skills from individuals who were important to their lives.
- While the characters in our game may not be immediately connected to one another, the drama of their lives and the mysterious intricacies of fate will weave them together into a single narrative. Two seemingly unrelated characters might share a mutual acquaintance, or might find themselves with acquaintances who know one another. As the story unfolds, they'll probably find more of these connections who bring them into contact with one another.
Ths basically means that we need a range of lesser NPCs, capable of being made quickly, each of whom have a range of abilities/skills and advantages that might be imparted to the main characters in our game.
It also means that we basically end up with three tiers of characters in the game. The characters are richly detailed, the lesser NPCs are quickly sketched out, and the masses are vague and nebulous. If each player generates two or three of these lesser NPCs, and each player character is linked to two or three NPCs at the start of play, then a complx relationship map starts from the beginning of play. Session zero establishes a dynamic and dramatic world before the proper story begins.
We don't have characters who are influenced by stereotypical communities, we have characters who are influenced by individuals, who may in turn be influenced by other individuals. As the main characters develop, their links to other characters are established...
...first to parents and immediate family members...
...then to family friends and school friends...
...then to work colleagues, sporting team-mates, next-door neighbours, drinking buddies, church brethren, romantic partners, and members of the wider community.
Everyone has something to teach, some way to inflence the character for better or for worse.
Do players want this?
I don't know, and in this case I don't really care. Part of the aim here is to show that the SNAFU game engine is capable of handling a variety of different game styles and genres of story. If players want a quick method of generating characters and a world that builds over the course of play (rather than being preloaded in a session zero), the can play The Law. If players want richly detailed characters in a setting loaded with mystery that is revealed through play in small vignettes of local towns that exist as self contained stories, they can play Walkabout. The focus of this game is more about lingerg in a single community, understanding how people struggle to find their identity within that community, and how they come to terms with themselves, their identities, and the world around them.
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