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[BedrockBrendan]

Working on a series of games that are smaller and more affordable, stuff I can release between larger releases (right now I release my main books every 2-3 years or so). I am prepping Strange Tales New England and would like to put something out while that is in process. What I have so far is a lite version of the Network System (it is basically the core system presented in stuff like Strange Tales, tailored to a specific concept and cut down to bare bones so it can all fit in 30-36 pages). The first one is going is tentatively called Wrath and is a kind of gritty modern game.

I finished a draft yesterday and just started play testing. The first playtest went well. On advantage of the 30 page format is it is so easy to track everything and to know how a change here or a new mechanic there affects other parts of the system.

If I do go with the Wrath title, I may continue to follow a seven deadly sins theme but am not married to the idea

 

[Moracai]

If I do go with the Wrath title, I may continue to follow a seven deadly sins theme but am not married to the idea

It's just that there are so many rpg products and mechanics going by that same theme. If I'd publish a mini-book series, I personally would avoid those titles.

 

[BedrockBrendan]

It's just that there are so many rpg products and mechanics going by that same theme. If I'd publish a mini-book series, I personally would avoid those titles.

Right now my focus is on play testing and tweaking the mechanics. In terms of content I just want to add about a page of material very slowly as we playtest (some abilities and some tables, that sort of thing). Mostly though I want to rework and revise what is present. There are five character paths and I am happy with four of them (at least in terms of the core abilities and ideas---they still need to be adjusted with playtests). The fourth I either want to rework or eliminate entirely.

But since posting this have moved away from the idea of doing the seven deadly sins. Part of the issue wasn't so much concern for it having been done, but that what I wanted to do was do a lite game for different genres (none of which would be supernatural) and fitting each one to a sin, while doable, would interfere with coming up with gameable concepts. On this one, I still don't have a final title. I may still keep wrath, because without it, it could create a misleading impression (the concept isn't super unusual or anything but hard to get into the issues surrounding the title until I start posting on the concept). However I am still on the fence with the name and if I do retain wrath, it may also need a subtitle. My biggest concern with Wrath is it being mistaken for Wraith or something (or that people will assume it is a supernatural or religiously themed game). A lot is going to depend on what I am able to do for cover art. Since these are meant to be affordable and low cost on my end, if I have no art, Wrath probably won't work because you need more to understand what the idea is. If I can swing cover art, then I'd be more comfortable with a one word title meant to capture the mood and theme even if it doesn't clarify the setting (provided the artwork can do that in combination with the title).

 

[BedrockBrendan]

Had the second playtest of wrath. Both sessions have gone very well. Again the 30 page format makes it so much easier to track all elements of the system (it does force a great deal of brevity though). The system has been fleshed out a bit more. So far the concept is working pretty well. The focus this session was on dealing with vendettas (the way vendettas are established is slightly different from how the rest of the game functions). I posted a small description of the game concept HERE.

 

[DornKratz]

Yeah! 30 to 40 pages seems to hit a nice sweet spot where it doesn't feel intimidating to learn for a one-shot, but still delivers some mechanical depth. Are vendettas a central concept? I ask because I think Vendetta would be a good name for a game of wronged vigilantes; it sound more specific than Wrath.

 

[BedrockBrendan]

Yeah! 30 to 40 pages seems to hit a nice sweet spot where it doesn't feel intimidating to learn for a one-shot, but still delivers some mechanical depth. Are vendettas a central concept? I ask because I think Vendetta would be a good name for a game of wronged vigilantes; it sound more specific than Wrath.

Thanks I just wrapped up the second playtest. The Vendettas are central to the game. I had considered Vendetta being in the name as I agree it is a lot more specific (one of my concerns is wrath definitely doesn't denote the concept well and it is kind of general). For me personally it is an important part of the theme of the game so I am finding myself in a position where I may go with the name that is less likely to generate the sales and maybe not as memorable in order to emphasize something I want emphasized. But I haven't decided yet fully so, who knows, by the time it comes out it might have a sexier title.

I will get more into details later but characters all start with Vendettas and these personal Vendettas are the focus of the game. Vendettas, Bravery and Disorders are all key to the game (which operates on a framework similar to Strange Tales of Songling). Your Bravery stat effectively represents the difficulty of crossing the line into taking justice into your own hands (think the scene in the first Death Wish where he hesitates before attacking the mugger). But as your bravery goes up, you gain disorders. It is easier to fight if your Bravery is higher.

It is also intended to be a no-prep RPG, something you can just play with a bunch of friends spur of the moment.

I am kind of viewing these thirty page books as my way of exploring more niche subjects that interest me and be more experimental.

 

[BedrockBrendan]

Have a few more weeks of play testing accomplished on this and made some adjustments based on feedback.

Bravery is easier to attain initially and the corresponding disorders you gain as you acquire more bravery were fleshed out more (for these I wasn't going for real world psychological disorders so much as the disorders you see vigilante characters in these movies develop over time).

Biggest changes have been tweaks. I adjusted the way XP works (will likely continue to adjust). Because players get side characters who are opposed to the party, I incorporated XP penalties to encourage them to play the characters fully. Getting the right balance was tricky and part of an ongoing process.

Another thing I added were leads and clues tables to help with improvised adventures. These proved pretty useful.