Creating a Game (Part 4) - Focus and the Power 19

We don't want too many moving parts.

There are two rules of thumb in design and general neurology that support this notion. 

1. There are a specific range of neurological tests that have been regularly repeated and tend to produce predictable results. These tests determine how many discreet elements a person's brain can hold at one time in their working memory. This may be done by asking people to memorise a number of words, or objects on a table. It works slightly different to pattern recognition when remembering a sequence on a light-up toy, or memorising digits of pi because patterns can hold several element in place at once. The data suggests that a human mind can handle an average of 7 items in short term working memory. Some folks can only handle five or six, others eight or nine. There are pther factors that vary this, typically reducing the number. If someone is traumatised or anxious, the reason for that emotional state will take the place of a working item in the short term memory. If someone is distracted, listening to music, talking to someone else, or otherwise engaged in a task that encroaches on their concentration, each of these may take an extra place. The rule of thumb here is to the discussion of the story during an RPG will take one memory slot, the immersion in the setting will probably take another memory slot, and a third will be taken by simply socialising around the table. That leaves about 4 things that a player can concentrate on when it comes to rules for a game. (The same generally applies to other tabletop games).           
2. There is a general notion in many game design circles that if you can't fit the rules of a game onto a single standard typed page, then you're game is probably too complicated. It ties back into the working memory's seven objects just mentioned, but basically says that if you expect your players to rememer too many rules then then they'll inevitably forget a lot of them, especially in the heat pf the moment, and at the dramatic times when those rules might prove most strategically useful to the players or GM. A lot of games try to get around this by having a set of core rules that apply in most cases and could be written on a half a page, then a bunch of exceptions to the rule to focus on specific interesting cases. If written out together, these rules could cover dozes of pages, but since you only eer need to use one or two of them at a time, then people can handle it (as long as you've got good indexes). D&D has the issue that almost every magic spell functions slightly differently, and therefore exists as a separate thing to tink about, amd many of the rule exceptions are scattered across a variety of books that may need to be cross referenced with limited consistency across them (this isn't the only game with that issue, but as one of the biggest and bloatiest games out there it is a significant issues that often slow down games).  

If this whole game is built on a modified version of the FUBAR structure, then I've played it a few times, I know that the rolling and distributin of results can be tricky for new players to wrap their heads around, so I only really want two or three more coordinated elements of play affecting the procedures of the game.

During the FUBAR games, I generated a couple of supplements to test different ideas. High Plains FUBAR provided ideas for gunfights, including a basic initiative system to see who shoots first in a shootout. FUBAR 66 told stories of road trips, with threats encountered along the way. (Those twosupplements could proably comine eally well to do a Twisted Metal RPG). Dead and FUBAR'd is probaby closest to what I've got in mind here. It's all about chaacters brought back from the dead for one last chance to finish unresolved business. It's got some supernatural power ideas, and an assortment of was to injure people that might not necessarily eliminate someone ecause they're already dead.

There's a few things I ws never really completely satisfied wth when it came to FUBAR, so I guess this is the chance to resolve those issues with some cleaner systems that I've developed in the meantime.

What do I really want in this game?

Weirdness. Magic. Monsters. A feeling of hope against hopelessness.

What are some other things that might be cool, but aren't so important?

Social interaction and social commentary. Characters who all know what needs to be done, but who disagree on the best way to do it.

How about the Power 19?

If you're new to the blog, you might be thinking "What the hell is the Power 19"? If you're an old time reader of the blog, who has been with me all these years, you might be thinking "Oh, I remember the Power 19, I haven't heard anyone mention it in years..." or "The Power 19! Leave that hideous abomination in the past!!"

The Power 19 was a series of questions proposed back in 2006 as a tool to help game designers refine their ideas. Let's see if my currntl thoughts about "Bustle in your Hedgerow" withstand their scrutiny, otherwise we can at least see where I need to do ome extra work. There's a convoluted history behind the Power 19, but I still find it a useful set of questions to bounce ideas against...

1.) What is your game about?**

Scarecrows animated by faerie spirits to fight back against re-emerging night horrors in a world where the last sparks of magc seem to be fading away.

2.) What do the characters do?**

The characters are scarecrows chrged with the protection of humanity, but the energies that animate them are getting rarer and times are getting more desperate for them. They need to do the things that their sources of power request of them, and they need to prove useful to the fey in order to keep getting regularly animated.

3.) What do the players (including the GM if there is one) do?**

The players portray the roles of the scarecrows, explaining what they do within the story, and offering suggestions for things that might go right (or wrong) when other players are describingthe actions of their characters. There is a single player, called the Oracle, who has somecontrol over describing the world, the settings, and the events that unfold around the characters. The Oracle has some idea about the threats that exist in the world, but doesn't necessarily have a premeditated storyline for the characters to follow.

   
4.) How does your setting (or lack thereof) reinforce what your game is about?

The setting is a dark, punk modern world. On the surface it's pretty much indistinguishable from our world (and this makes it easily approachable for new players, because if they need a description, they can just look to their experiences for inspiration). A lot of the conspracy theories and ideas of magic fading in the face of science underlie the game, and these are common ideas inmany forms of urban folklore and urban fantasy media. It's designed to be a familiar place, but one that has a few twists. If magic is dying in the world, then there is an inherent desperation in the actions of the characters. They'll need to try, if they aim to bring magic back, keep it from slipping away, or simply go down in a blaze of glory and take the monsters down with them. If they don't try anything, then they might as well die now along with the fading of the light.    

5.) How does the Character Creation of your game reinforce what your game is about?

FUBAR uses 4 factors to create characters, and this game varies that slightly. It's about natural spirits, so seasonal effects come into play through chracter generation. I;m thinking there will be four set of powers each allied to a season. Characters will lso gain advantages based on what their scarecrow is stuffed with (straw, grass, papers, plastic bags, etc.), what adornments they might have (a scythe, a mask, a hat, rope, etc.), and how long they've been around.      

6.) What types of behaviors/styles of play does your game reward (and punish if necessary)?

The characters are ancient protectors of humanity, the aim is for them to confront monsters, protect mortals, and return magical harmony to the world. Those who achieve this are rewarded, those who deviate from this path, not so much. It's intended tobe a game with darkness in it, but wheher that ends up being savagery or dark comedy is entirely   

7.) How are behaviors and styles of play rewarded or punished in your game?

If you do more things for the spirits that animate you, fulfil your goals, restore magical locations, and provide entertainment for the fey then you'll gain more power and more agency in the world. If you go murder-hoboing and drawing attention to things the mortal world shouldn't know about, it's unlikely that the faerie spirits will keep directing energy your way

8.) How are the responsibilities of narration and credibility divided in your game?

Generally this game follows the pattern of regular tabletop RPGs, one player takes on a facilitation role. However, the FUBAR structure does things a little differently. Everyone in the group provides ideas for elements to be included in the game, and these are ranomly drawn dring the course of play. In this game the facilitator of play is called the Oracle, they generally draw the random elements and incorporate them into the storyline. The dice rolling (in this case card drawing) matters too. Almost all activity tests are done by the players, if the Oracle ever needs to draw caards they do it openly, and never in secret.

A "Session Zero" establishes the base parameters of the world, with each player suggesting two locations, two non-player characters, and two secret plots that may be unfolding in the background. At the start of play no one knows whether these elements are good or bad, or how they might end up fitting into the final story. The game is Dadaist surrealism.

The Oracle is also guided by a general 4-act narrative structure, and a pile of tokens that indicate how events are unfolding for the story. Arbitrariness from the GM is limited in this way.

9.) What does your game do to command the players' attention, engagement, and participation? (i.e. What does the game do to make them care?)

Players are expected to provide new ideas, for the benefit and detriment of each other. They may also be requested to play NPCs when their character is not actively involved in a scene.  I've been toying with an idea where players may contribute cards to one another action resolution, similar to what I used when I wrote "The Eighth Sea" back in 2007/2008, but this probably adds a level of needless complexity that goes againt the grain of a streamlined and accessible play-style. (Every time I try to work this into the systemit just gets messy)

10.) What are the resolution mechanics of your game like?

All character have 4 core traits and a range of non-core traits that vary during the course of play. Any time they attempt a task, they draw a minimum of 3 cards (face up) and add an extra card if they can justify how one of their core traits would help the task they are attempting (if they havemultiple applicable core traits, they may draw an extra card for each). Non core traits are compared, these are positive and negative. Positive traits cancel out negative ones, until only one type remains. The number of remaining traits determines the number of face down cards drawn.

The player distributes any three of their cards between "Success", "Sacrifice" and "Story", with higher ranked cards giving a better result.

Once the face up cards have been distributed, the determine the basic level of success and sacrifice, the face down cards are revealed to reveal how big the success or sacrifice might be.

Degrees of success tend to add more positive non-core traits to the character or their allies (or apply negative non-core traits to an opponent), while degrees of sacrifice tend to add negative no-core traits to the character or their allies. These traits may vary in their degree of impact or their degree of permanence, and every task has a chance of modifying the traits, which in turn influences the story and future task resolutions. 

11.) How do the resolution mechanics reinforce what your game is about?

The game is about choices and ramifications. If poor choices are made, negative cosequences are more likely. If players play to their characters strengths, then more positive outcomes should eventuate. If characters do nothing, things will only go downhill for them.

12.) Do characters in your game advance? If so, how?

Kind of. There is no particular development through experience points, as the characters basically reset each night they are awakened, but they do retain memories. Some of the key advancement in the game will come from devloping relationship with the people, spirits, and monsters in the setting... or by finding useful items, and hiding them somewhere safe to be found again in future sessions.

This is one of the bits that will need some extra work.

13.) How does the character advancement (or lack thereof) reinforce what your game is about?

The characters are forces of nature, not necessarily unwavering constants in a world of change, but they certainly don't have the flexibility of the mortals around them. This is a world where magic is dying, and magic is what keeps the characters alive. So it's not so much about advancing and becoming tronger as te game progresses, bt more about avoiding the downward spiral into an oblivion where reanimation is no longr possible. It is about raging against the dying of the light, and making a difference even though you'll probably die in the attempt.    

14.) What sort of product or effect do you want your game to produce in or for the players?

The narative is probably the key thing here. This isn't a journalling game, so it isn't expected that players will write novels of their characters exploits. However, we do have the people, places, and plots that exist as regular elements in the story. These will be fleshed out as the world is revealed, and as stories fill in its details. The world should feel like a living entity in it's own right, albeit a living entity that is in need of saving by the characters. Maybe a map that gets gradually filled in over the course of a campaign (I tend to like this as an idea, as it comes up in quite a few of the campaigns I run), maybe a central notebook where the characters and their world are detailed. I'm not really sure. Maybe I need to think about this question a bit more too.

15.) What areas of your game receive extra attention and color? Why?

This is based on the FUBAR engine, but I haven't really developed a cohesive magic system for that game, or a set of supernatural abilities that feels like it works seamlessly with the fundamental rules. I don't want D&D exceptions with every magic ability, and each of the abilities should feel like it informs the setting in some way. The characters are beings empowered by mystical energy, so they should feel like that. Fun, surreal, but bound by duty to protect a world they will never truly be a part of.  

16.) Which part of your game are you most excited about or interested in? Why?

It feels comfortable to be revisiting the FUBAR system, and it's interesting to see whether it can be successfully pushed in this new drection. 

17.) Where does your game take the players that other games can’t, don’t, or won’t?

This is a big question, and over the years I've played so many different games that try to take players in exotic directions for the sake of being different. In the years since this question was written, I think it has lost a lot of it's relevance. However, if we're comparing the game to D&D, BRP, or the Storyteller System, this game is designed to be more collaborative than most others, without pushing toward the complete lack of GM that was commonly seen in Indie RPGs trying to pushthe envelope in the early 2000s. It is designed to be more freeform and free flowing, but with  structure that guidesplay toward satisfying stories in a specified timeframe.

18.) What are your publishing goals for your game?

Lke most of my other games, this one will probably go up on DrivethruRPG. I'll do a little bit of promotion for it, and it'll get a few minor sales, then sit on the website maybe selling a copy every month or two for the next couple of years. This is more about getting back into the spirit of design ad having a bit of fun rather than publishing and making sales. 

19.) Who is your target audience?

Me. 

If I get back into game conventions I might run it there, and I might give it a run at my high chool gaming club, but playing up the comedy angle rather than th darkness, because I know this type of game can get very grim, very quickly. It will probably draw in the kinds of folks who got into the World of Darkness games back in the 1990s and early 2000s, or maybe some of the playes who are getting sick of the complications found in heavy crunch games like D&D (however most of those players just tend to leave the hobby altogether, assuming every game is just a D&D clone).  

As a side note, it's interesting find old posts of my own that seem to solve issues I'm having now.

I've just found an old post about an open ended magic system that might work as a basis for powers in this game.