Phaserip - Behold! The ARG!

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TristramEvans

The Right Hand of Doom
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Finalized version of The ARG! or Action Resolution Graph for Phaserip!

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Canny viewers will notice that I snuck in a new Attribute rating in, and I've played with the number progression so that it's now based upon the Fibonacci sequence (rounded).
 
It probably won't be too long, I've gotten pretty obsessed on this. Spend about 8 hours a day writing and formatting (lol probably a lot oftime I should have been doing homework, but still 4 weeks until finals so I can procrastinate). I've gotten 5 of 7 chapters mostly done.
 
It probably won't be too long, I've gotten pretty obsessed on this. Spend about 8 hours a day writing and formatting (lol probably a lot oftime I should have been doing homework, but still 4 weeks until finals so I can procrastinate). I've gotten 5 of 7 chapters mostly done.
Nice:smile:
 
What is the game designed for? Super heroes?

P.S. No offense if it was carefully planned for a reason I don't know about, but those colors kinda hurt my eyes.
 
What is the game designed for? Super heroes?

P.S. No offense if it was carefully planned for a reason I don't know about, but those colors kinda hurt my eyes.

Its based on an 80s superhero system but expanded to cover a range of genres.

The colours will be fixed a bit when it isn't done on googlesheets, as it was I had about 10 options.

Here's the condensed version, suitable (I'm thinking) for a laminated wallet-sized card.

39800494754_04e11d5e81_b.jpg
 
Its based on an 80s superhero system but expanded to cover a range of genres.

The colours will be fixed a bit when it isn't done on googlesheets, as it was I had about 10 options.

Here's the condensed version, suitable (I'm thinking) for a laminated wallet-sized card.

39800494754_04e11d5e81_b.jpg
Okay, naturally I assumed PHASERIP was derived from FASERIP...although it would have been funnier had you pretended there was no relationship and it was pure coincidence.

A laminated card in that size is a cool idea and other games could use things like that, especially if their core resolution mechanic is simple like what Marvel Super Heroes had. Now I want a two-sided one with the charts for D.C. Heroes. RuneQuest/Call of Cthulhu/Superworld could use one for their resistance table. James Bond 007 could use one for the Quality Results Table. Ah, if only I had the computer programs, skills, and time to make and laminate some.
 
Okay, naturally I assumed PHASERIP was derived from FASERIP...although it would have been funnier had you pretended there was no relationship and it was pure coincidence.

Heh, name's a bit of a giveaway, probably not something I'd use except for the onomatopoeiaic recall to MSH's nickname. Basically, I'be been running a stripped-down version of FASERIP for years now, for everything from Call of Cthulhu-type pulp horror investigation to 80s cartoon-based scifi. I've never formally written up all the rules though, only bits and pieces as needed for the games themselves, but its always been a goal of mine. It's altered in some ways, but mainly takes the original yellow box as the starting default, with a few select things added from the advanced rules, but not so much that it makes the game crunchy. The 5 page "Primer" intended to introduce new players to the system is basically the contents of the original Battle Book streamlined. The rest of the rules portion of the game is either expanded explanations or optional rules for specific situations (chase rules, a sanity system, an occult magic system based on the Tarot deck, etc). The majority of the book is being taken up with GM advice. Its basically my chance to pour my 30 years of experience with the game onto the page.

A laminated card in that size is a cool idea and other games could use things like that, especially if their core resolution mechanic is simple like what Marvel Super Heroes had. Now I want a two-sided one with the charts for D.C. Heroes. RuneQuest/Call of Cthulhu/Superworld could use one for their resistance table. James Bond 007 could use one for the Quality Results Table. Ah, if only I had the computer programs, skills, and time to make and laminate some.

Yeah, I was always rather surprised no game did that. It seems like an obvious accessory for a boxed set.
 
Tristram, what's your plan for Phaserip?

I'm writing up what I'm calling the "Pirate Edition", because I'm freely using comicbook art I like as placeholders to break up the text. The Pirate Edition will be free, but several sections will be abridged or omitted that are mainly my own work and not an adaption of the system, to save for final product. Likewise, it will have an "Appendix X" that won't be present in the final game that presents character profiles for major superheroes, supervillains, and other heroes and antagonists from media that I would never get the rights to include.

I'll be posting the Pirate Edition in pdf form when its done, with a text-only separate file as a master document. That will be step 1 towards publication, just to get the game sort of "out there" into the net. I'll throw it up on 4chan, mega, a few other discreet links here and there.

The next step will be a self-contained supplementary game called "Professor When and The Women of T.I.M.E.", a Doctor Who-esque pastiche that I've been doing personal comics/art for in the style of Kate Beaton (Hark a Vagrant!)
719649.png

Much like Lady Blackbird, Professor When will be a comicbook sized self-contained single adventure with a lite version of the Phaserip rules (the cover will feature the logo "Powered by Phaserip"), endcapped with a few ideas for future adventures and an ad for Phaserip itself ("Coming Soon"). I'll be pushing this as the main legitimate advertising for the game.
39611125565_93af2a7461_n.jpg

During this time I'll be concurrently working on my own original art for the game, doing layout with adobe suite, and doing research on printing costs. Once this is done, If all goes according to plan, I'll finish up with a Kickstarter for the final product to cover printing costs.
I'd like to do a nice small hardcover print run, a few extras (like the aforementioned wallet-sized graph, maybe some original art, etc), and then handle the rest through Drivethru for pdf/pod copies.

I want this to be as self-contained as possible, basically the contents of all the major FASERIP expansions (Ultimate Powers Book, Realms of Magic, The Deluxe City Campaign, and Weapons Locker), along with rules for everything from Lovecraftian horror to Gundam-esque Mecha, just stripped of the Marvel trademarked elements, in one volume, so supplements won't be necessary

But thinking long term if all this goes well enough, I'd like to follow up with a maybe 4-times a year online PDF magazine that covers certain subjects in depth, contains an adventure or two, and other resources (each issue based around a theme or genre), and occasionally maybe a few other stand-alone "issues" in the same manner as Professor When.
 
I'm writing up what I'm calling the "Pirate Edition", because I'm freely using comicbook art I like as placeholders to break up the text. The Pirate Edition will be free, but several sections will be abridged or omitted that are mainly my own work and not an adaption of the system, to save for final product. Likewise, it will have an "Appendix X" that won't be present in the final game that presents character profiles for major superheroes, supervillains, and other heroes and antagonists from media that I would never get the rights to include.

I'll be posting the Pirate Edition in pdf form when its done, with a text-only separate file as a master document. That will be step 1 towards publication, just to get the game sort of "out there" into the net. I'll throw it up on 4chan, mega, a few other discreet links here and there.

The next step will be a self-contained supplementary game called "Professor When and The Women of T.I.M.E.", a Doctor Who-esque pastiche that I've been doing personal comics/art for in the style of Kate Beaton (Hark a Vagrant!)
719649.png

Much like Lady Blackbird, Professor When will be a comicbook sized self-contained single adventure with a lite version of the Phaserip rules (the cover will feature the logo "Powered by Phaserip"), endcapped with a few ideas for future adventures and an ad for Phaserip itself ("Coming Soon"). I'll be pushing this as the main legitimate advertising for the game.
39611125565_93af2a7461_n.jpg

During this time I'll be concurrently working on my own original art for the game, doing layout with adobe suite, and doing research on printing costs. Once this is done, If all goes according to plan, I'll finish up with a Kickstarter for the final product to cover printing costs.
I'd like to do a nice small hardcover print run, a few extras (like the aforementioned wallet-sized graph, maybe some original art, etc), and then handle the rest through Drivethru for pdf/pod copies.

I want this to be as self-contained as possible, basically the contents of all the major FASERIP expansions (Ultimate Powers Book, Realms of Magic, The Deluxe City Campaign, and Weapons Locker), along with rules for everything from Lovecraftian horror to Gundam-esque Mecha, just stripped of the Marvel trademarked elements, in one volume, so supplements won't be necessary

But thinking long term if all this goes well enough, I'd like to follow up with a maybe 4-times a year online PDF magazine that covers certain subjects in depth, contains an adventure or two, and other resources (each issue based around a theme or genre), and occasionally maybe a few other stand-alone "issues" in the same manner as Professor When.
Will you be posting alink here when you're done with the pirate edition? I'd love to see it.
 
I've uploaded a preview of Phaserip in the Resources section, the first chapter, a system primer for new players.
 
This is really nice.

I would add a symbol into each of the cells, for the benefit of colourblind or ink-poor players - even if not in the main version, there should probably be an accessible version somewhere in your book. Maybe the numbers 1 - 5 or A - E for quality of successes, for example.

I like what you've done with Martial Arts! The form styles make more sense than A, B, C, D, E did.
 
This is really nice.

I would add a symbol into each of the cells, for the benefit of colourblind or ink-poor players - even if not in the main version, there should probably be an accessible version somewhere in your book. Maybe the numbers 1 - 5 or A - E for quality of successes, for example.

Actually I've given some thought to making the game accessible for the colourblind. I want to adjust the colours on the chart so even printed in black and white they will be clearly distinguished, and yeah, maybe adding a numerator or letter qualifier as well. When I format the final version, it will be on a more traditional white background for printing and should be easier to read without colour differentiation.

I like what you've done with Martial Arts! The form styles make more sense than A, B, C, D, E did.

Thank you! In the chapter on combat I'll be expanding on these a bit to handle martial arts-focused characters or games.
 
Why not do an open call for art, rather than using pirated art?
 
Frell me rotten. So I thought I was being clever with revising the number progression, but a game yesterday showed me a bunch of unintended consequences, and on top of that a bunch of reading online has sort of highlighted the importance of backwards-compatability to alot of people, especially with the availability of the massive FASERIP back catalogue. So I learn two lessons: 1) stop trying to fix things that aren't broken and 2) don't revise/create rules before playtesting.

So, its not a complete "back to square one" mis-step, but everything from the Primer on will need revision to accommodate. I think I'll save rewriting The Primer until the rest of the rules portions are done.
 
New version of The ARG!
26754123638_b276ebdc9b_c.jpg
\


Alternate version
26754123518_ec205a7e7f_c.jpg


Simplified
ARG! and MaCE (Matrix of Combat Effects)
25755167807_2681e2c984_c.jpg
 
Frell me rotten. So I thought I was being clever with revising the number progression, but a game yesterday showed me a bunch of unintended consequences, and on top of that a bunch of reading online has sort of highlighted the importance of backwards-compatability to alot of people, especially with the availability of the massive FASERIP back catalogue. So I learn two lessons: 1) stop trying to fix things that aren't broken and 2) don't revise/create rules before playtesting.

So, its not a complete "back to square one" mis-step, but everything from the Primer on will need revision to accommodate. I think I'll save rewriting The Primer until the rest of the rules portions are done.
Playtesting is a cruel and unforgiving practice. I guess that is why so many game designers skip it.
 
Playtesting is a cruel and unforgiving practice. I guess that is why so many game designers skip it.

Yeah, it's funny how many things look great on paper, seem sound in theory, and either fall flat in play or are too much of a pain in the ass to bother with. The amount of times I've come up with rules and then abandoned them in games I should really know better by now.
 
BTW, you spelled Feint wrong (Fient).

Looks good though. Just curious, why did you change the names of some of the rankings (there’s no Monstrous for example)?
 
Also you should classify Spider-Man on the wits scale, either taking into account the Spidey-Sense, or not, Spidey Sense being a power. Especially since you actually use his picture as an example of Wits.
 
Also you should classify Spider-Man on the wits scale, either taking into account the Spidey-Sense, or not, Spidey Sense being a power. Especially since you actually use his picture as an example of Wits.

I used Spidey for every Attribute pic, actually :smile:

Everything's getting a rewrite right now. In the meantime, I'm doing some typography research. Just spent three hours testing out different fonts while rewatching Punisher on Netflix.
 
I’ve still got to see Punisher. He stole the show whenever he was on Daredevil and that’s not easy with D’onofrio playing Fisk.

Interesting to see what Jessica Jones 2 will be, hopefully it won’t suffer from “all other heroes that know the main character disappearing completely-itis”.

Also what’s the “NO” result?

Also did you run PR-CoC with the classical Hero theme (Arete, etc)?
 
Interesting to see what Jessica Jones 2 will be, hopefully it won’t suffer from “all other heroes that know the main character disappearing completely-itis”.
I hope they have enough plot to fill the season this time. I liked the Purple Man plot on the first season, but it really dragged in the middle.

They either needed a shorter season, or better yet, actually have individual episodes where she took on cases and dealt with them, with the Purple Man arc hanging over it, kind of like the first season of Veronica Mars. It would have dealt with the pacing issues, and it would have made the episodes more than just an hour long slice of an overlong movie.
 
I’ve still got to see Punisher. He stole the show whenever he was on Daredevil and that’s not easy with D’onofrio playing Fisk.

I've always thought Punisher worked better as a villain/foil to other Superheroes. The Punisher series is good, one of the better of the Marvel Netflix (though Daredevil still stands head and shoulders above the rest). It juggles three plots: a female special services agent investigating corruption in the system, Micro and his family, and former vets in a support group dealing with life after war, and Frank is at times more of a force of nature in the show than anything. We get a lot more of Karen Page as well.

Interesting to see what Jessica Jones 2 will be, hopefully it won’t suffer from “all other heroes that know the main character disappearing completely-itis”.

I suspect that will mostly be the case, though I wonder if Luke Cage and Iron Fist will be teamed up for a series together like the comics. Hard to see either of them supporting another entire series by themselves.

Also what’s the “NO” result?

On the Kill? column? Certain attacks can cause mortal wounds, forcing the defender to make a Roll vs Kill, which is a Durability roll. A "No" indicates they take the Damage from the attack, but don't take a critical wound.

Also did you run PR-CoC with the classical Hero theme (Arete, etc)?

Yeah, I've been using Phaserip for CoC adventures for years now, and I'll be devoting a lot of time in Phaserip discussing using it for horror games. I discovered early on that in a situation where characters are not earning Arete through heroic actions, the system becomes quite "gritty." Cthulhu investigators usually have human-level stats so very little initial Arete, and few opportunities to earn it. It becomes more of a "Hail Mary" in the manner of WFRP's Fate Points to escape Death or grasp one important success than a regularly employed resource for heroism. But more "pulp Mythos" stuff like Hellboy-inspired games creates situations where the Heroes can physically defeat monsters and gain the Arete to pull off bigger effects.

Using the system for horror was also my impetus for separating out Psyche as a derived stat in the manner of Stamina ("Health" in the original game) and the sanity system I implemented to replace Chaosium's SAN points is based around a deck of tarot cards. When a character encounter's something that would cause "SAN loss" in the original game, they draw a tarot card. If its one of the suit cards (minor Arcana) they lose that many points of Psyche. The Major Arcana or Trumps each have specific effects, ranging from developing a phobia to suffering a complete psychotic break.
 
I hope they have enough plot to fill the season this time. I liked the Purple Man plot on the first season, but it really dragged in the middle.

They either needed a shorter season, or better yet, actually have individual episodes where she took on cases and dealt with them, with the Purple Man arc hanging over it, kind of like the first season of Veronica Mars. It would have dealt with the pacing issues, and it would have made the episodes more than just an hour long slice of an overlong movie.

I think most of Marvel Netflix have this issue. Luke Cage and Iron Fist both really dragged at certain points (maybe they'll get the two together for a team-up series like the comics, which could improve things). I think Daredevil aside, and maybe Punisher, most of these series could have been cut down to ten episodes.
 
I think most of Marvel Netflix have this issue. Luke Cage and Iron Fist both really dragged at certain points (maybe they'll get the two together for a team-up series like the comics, which could improve things). I think Daredevil aside, and maybe Punisher, most of these series could have been cut down to ten episodes.
That was one of the biggest problems with Iron Fist, especially after Claire came in. "Oh, a crazyass magical martial artist who's devoted his life to fighting the Hand. Ummm...let's mosey on over to Hell's Kitchen, I think there's someone you need to meet."
 
OK, so after about 10 hours yesterday and most of this afternoon, reading up on Fonts, experimenting with Font combos, brushing up on some Typography basics I haven't thought about since Graphic Design class, I've come up with a new format, and pretty happy with the test page I've layed out, but looking for second opinions.

40682810461_8d08acf7bf_b.jpg


Still needs a page header for the upper right corner, but that and page numbering will be done in Layout.

Try to picture this as a page in a 6 x 9" slim trade
 
That's a really solid layout. I have no issues with that. Bonus points for having Aeryn Sun in there as an example.
 
So...do we need to start a new thread for our ‘Batman vs. Conan’ stat discussions? :devil:
Nice, clean layout on the stat pages, too.
 
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