Showing posts with label Musings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Musings. Show all posts

Monday, February 24, 2020

Analogue Diceless Solo RPG Survival Kit

Behold! My analogue diceless rpg setup, good for a plane trip or camping without a tote bag of holding containing one's entire gaming collection.
  • coil-bound ruled notebook
  • Pocket Dice Roller - Seth Kenlon
  • The Wheel of Fate: A Mythic Fate Chart Alternative - Spencer Salyer (so cool! finally just assembled this)
  • pencil



With a cheat sheet from one's favorite lite game system or even a digest-sized physical copy, this setup is pretty useful while still in keeping with a minimal table space. The pocket roller, while I do like it, is pretty slow for generating percentiles. So I thought of a receipt tape sized pocket containing a loaded list with a few hundred pre-generated numbers in d6 and d100 variety that I can feed out line by line that keeps upcoming numbers concealed.

After giving it a try, I came up with this and found its even faster than rolling dice. Furthermore, I can reference it by set number, making record-keeping a breeze.


Add this to a new style of journaling that only records mechanical notes, Mythic Fate Questions and answers, and I have something that actually speeds up my normal mode of play substantially — that is, my normal manner of writing prose as I go. If, later, any of these game sessions get transcribed for blogging purpose or social media sharing, that can easily transpire post factum.

Thursday, March 23, 2017

What's Going On?


I haven't posted much in a while. My last actual play posts using Barbarians of Lemuria (Mythic Edition) were lots of fun, and I may return to that. But my solo hobby allows me to indulge in my gamer ADD desires.

Recently, I've discovered the beautiful game, White Box: Fantastic Medieval Adventure Game by Charlie Mason over at Seattle Hill Games. I understand that imminently the game will get a make-over and new name, but it's got my attention at the moment.

I cut my teeth on the old Red Box (Mentzer), and this little gem has got that old feeling coming back. It's also simple enough (Thievery - I'm looking at you!) that I feel I can run a dungeon romp with a handful of characters and not feel overwhelmed. nHere are a few things I'm going to try with it:
  • The Location Crafter. I used this wonderful game attachment by Tana Pigeon for my BoL run back during SGAM 2016. In other tests, I've had more consistently good results. Can this work with an old school crawl? I'm currently finding out. One of the things that helps me set my location results to graph paper is to ask in vague terms of game turns how long does it take to get from one point to another...this immediately suggests dimensions for my rooms and corridors. It also helps me count off resources.
  • The Black Hack. I just love the usage die! Tracking gear is my least favorite part of that old game. This can help me grab an "adventuring pack" with a d12 and roll when I require something. I can even roll 2 or 3 dice, taking the worse result if what I need is rarer or valuable. That's a time saver.
  • Tweaks. Along with tracking gear, I sort of like the fidget-iness of counting encumbrance, but not in a solo game where I have to track lots of other stuff too. Armor will indicate the general movement rate of the character, and a general treasure level chart that I'll devise in increments of impact upon party movement (assuming treasure is easily dividable) will help me see at a glance the effects of a big haul.
Will I post it and finish it? That's to be determined, but I'm having fun at the moment.

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Taking a Page from a Story Game

In popular SGs, the current trend is for the GM to be less a dictator, and more a facilitator. Questions serve to forward plot and setting through the collaborative. When an unknown happens, players ask the GM what happens next. The prevailing no-prep advice offered to GMs is to throw that question right back in the players’ faces.

“Who do you think the Dread Pirate Roberts really is?”
“What do you think you encounter behind the curtain?”
“What do you think you might come out of that cave littered with bones?”



Of course, GMs are free to modify, twist, or reject the players’ suggestions. But for the sake of the collaborative activity and ease of prep, this is a fun and common occurrence in games like PbtA, Fate, and Lady Blackbird.

Few other game designers so frequently stress this concept as much as John Harper, creator of Agon, Lady Blackbird, and Ghost/Echo (among others). In his celebrated LB, he writes, When you’re the GM, don’t try to plan what will happen. Instead, ask questions—lots and lots ...”

Often these questions are directed to things about a player’s character. However, it is becoming increasingly common to apply the same principle to elements of setting design and plot — in other words, normally off-limits areas of GM domain in traditional RPGs. GMs are encouraged not to railroad, and often player suggestions can rival what any one GM might have proposed. Player input is encouraged and rarely rejected. Saying “yes” to players goes back to some old traditional RPGs too.

In solo games, the player most frequently goes to the oracle when it comes to answering questions outside PC domain. How could we even think any other way than this? This would be one step closer to, “why don’t you just write a novel?” wouldn’t it? It certainly wouldn’t be a game any longer...

However, this fundamental game rule is an unquestionable given in SG’s. Why can’t it work for us soloists, really?

Well, for one, we aren’t really collaborating with anyone else. That’s okay; I give a pass. In the SG model, everyone can participate with equal power. If I am playing Dungeon World, and I make up that the town’s history suggests it is regularly ransacked by hairy ogres each spring, it can be a thing. If I am playing Fate, and I suggest a self-compel that my climb up Rapunzel’s tower is thwarted by a coating of oil from her hair, I can do that (with table consensus). Making up shit is as much the point as rolling dice and playing by the rules.

I can do the same in a solo game too.

I can answer any question spontaneously without consulting an external oracle. Of course, I will still follow “rules”. However, I will reject the notion that I am somehow cheating, or undertaking the exercise of writing a novel.

The timing of these questions is prompted primarily from successful or proactive actions by the PC. However, failure will frequently prompt them too! Any time a player might turn to the GM to find out what happens next in a collaborative game, this cues my prompt. When the PC infiltrates the enemy training camp and I’m trying to find out who the kingpin is, as long as I have succeeded in my stealth task, or convinced my captors to take me to the leader, I stand to know, “Who is the bad guy?” or “What’s really going on here?”

I should have enough chaos applied through the dice and the rules of my chosen game. That alone should knock me off my trajectory enough to provide the thrill of unpredictability and drama. After all, I have decided to play a tabletop game. I want to play D&D, for example, and not the Mythic GM Emulator*.

As long as I am fulfilling at least one (but hopefully all) of these criteria, I should be satisfied:

1. The idea I generate must be interesting. (Really, goes without saying.)
2. The idea I generate must increase the stakes and danger to the PC or her interests, requiring further action.
3. The idea I generate must represent a complication to the PC’s life, requiring further action.

I need no more than this. It allows me expediency, because often coming up with an idea stemming from these criteria is often quicker than interpreting an external random idea. It gives me portability, because I don’t need to take any tools with me (don’t get me wrong...I love my Story Cubes!). It satisfies me, because all too often, when I want my game to be about something specific, my random oracle throws it off (with equal parts of for better or ill).

Where I may use an oracle or idea generator are for three reasons:

1. I use an oracle to provide mundane detail in which I have no interest.
2. I use an oracle to provide push against my declared idea.
3. I use an oracle to provide a threat when I have no idea what will happen next.

The purpose for #1 is that I have no interest in providing that level of detail and don’t want to get bogged down in minutiae. However, some of those details may reappear later as important elements if the action so dictates. The purpose of #2 is to simulate player collaboration, and, if possible, make an idea I came up with more awesome. #3 is hopefully used the least, and is only there to get myself un-stuck.

I challenge you — have the plums to play solo, well, SOLO!

full disclosure: I have nothing against MGME. On the contrary, I owe all my solo rpg endeavors to the inspiration from Ms. Pigeon’s brilliant contribution.

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Happy Tabletop Day!

As Wil Wheaton hath decreed, it's International TableTop Day! In so proclaiming, it makes me think about gaming and my corner of tabletop — role-playing games — and more specifically, doing them solo, without the input or involvement of anyone other than myself.

I've been quiet these days at No One To Play With...and not by choice (or at least that's what I usually tell myself). It seems being sick, going on trips, daily drudgery, and all manner of excuses manage to squelch my fun...well no longer!

I'm using TableTop Day as inspiration to recoup my time. It's mine! I'll jealously safeguard that precious commodity from this point forward, despite any excuses that threaten to stonewall me. I realize that I am my own worse enemy in this regard.

How many hours do I waste simply browsing the web, twitter, facebook, and all that useless junk? I like to be inspired by reading others' games — solo or otherwise. However, doing something alone lacks the benefit of feeding off of one another's energy, which is one of the things that make standard games so much fun. The main thing here is to take some initiative and simply do it...for at least  twenty minutes.

Starting today, I hereby promise unto myself to do some gaming every day, whether that be to play out a scene, sketch out a new adventure setup for a one-shot, stat a favorite character, jot down some musings, or whatever. Whatever it is, at least a bit every day. This is not to say that I promise to resolve all my games to conclusion, or try to drop less of them in favor of the next novel idea (that is my gamer ADD). Toppling those challenges is not realistic.

I've already played a bit today, and will dab at it a bit more. This week's fun has been picking up my longest-running campaign (the Drowsbane Legacy) that's been on hiatus for almost a year, and converting it to Fate. This is not an easy system to use in a solo environment, but it seems to go well for me currently. If I get a chance before I burn out on it, I'll write up what I've done that seems to be working well.

Again, happy TableTop Day to you all! Do yourself a favor — go play something today! ...and every day thereafter.

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Progress...

Hello! Well, after promising I would have a new shiny solo engine out by week's end, here I am! It's the new week starting, and still no new solo game. It has turned out to be more work than I thought. What started as an unclear idea seed became a bit unwieldy after setting it down on paper.

I am in the play testing phase of Perilous Intersections. It looks like it's in need of more testing. Some areas are still in need of polish. Once I am satisfied, I'll want to go back through and trim as much as I can. One thing I like are elegant systems with lower page counts. This one is above that optimum threshold to my taste, so there's still work to be done.

Perhaps a preview for you to get the idea out. The tin says:

  • A scene-framing engine for the solo rpg gamer that leaves plenty of room to interact with and contribute to scene details via your favorite rpg system
  • A method of interpretation, whereby conflicts move from targeting motivations to the PC directly
  • A system of slowly revealing an emergent plot line, keeping the player guessing until the end (Great for murder-mystery adventures!)
  • A system that elevates dramatic tension and pushes a final threat in front of the PC
  • Dynamic adventure-building, where the PC’s own motivations and principles are tested, and can change as the threat asserts itself
  • PCs can work to gain edges, gaining or losing leverage, and with it, the ability to stem the final threat
  • Plot twists are naturally introduced through the simple interpretation filter of intersections
  • A system of balancing random prompts with player choice to build a narrative that can feel like the back-and-forth of playing with a live person
  • A simple system for scaling danger that reacts to successful and unsuccessful character action resolution
There are the highlights. I feel like I'm reinventing the wheel here. Hopefully it's not the case...I definitely have many inspirations that I'll credit. No date of completion estimates — but I'll try not to let it drag on forever.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

A New Solo Engine

One thing all solo rpg enthusiasts share in common with one another is restlessness...endless experimentation, fine tuning, drafting, workshopping — REVERSE ENGINEERING! All things to get our gaming experience just right. There must, at all times, be thought and improvement. Perfection is but an ideal, and satisfaction is elusive at best.

As members of a fringe corner of the rpg hobby, solo tabletop rpg gamers are pioneers. We have to tinker and do stuff, because the niche is still very new. Of course, things like Fighting Fantasy game books, Tunnels & Trolls solo adventures, and similar pen ’  paper solitaire variants have been around almost as long as the hobby. I'm talking about the current trends of, “how do I create a spontaneous, never-before scripted roleplaying experience with special tools and tables that will let me use my favorite rules where I'm still kept in the dark about what will happen next?” Our searching, sharing, and innovating never stops.

It has been quiet around here...and for a reason. I've drafted ideas and mini solo engines like Epic, modeled after the Mythic GME, the Chapter System, Twist of Line, and other ideas. Yes, I have been working on a new one. This one is turning out to be far more serious and time-consuming than I thought when the first seed of an idea started growing. I have almost finished my first draft. This system I'll keep under wraps until I've had a chance to really playtest it. I'm hoping within a week or two to have Perilous Intersections ready here...

It will have a few new things, but also a well deserved nod to the other solo pioneers who have made great contributions. It will have some guidelines to emulate certain flavors of adventures. I also hope to offer a solution to journaling your adventures to keep the work to a minimum.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Solitarius Ludus Mobilis

aka, solo pocket campaign

Long ago I promised that I would write a blog entry about play environments. How do I organize my own place space? What tricks do I have that make solo play easier? I won’t be able to answer that to everyone’s satisfaction, for certain. Actually, my own way of doing things will not work for everyone. Nonetheless, here are my own methods and spaces real and virtual…

To answer, I must preface first that my own time allotment for play is neither regular nor anticipated. I will happily grab a few minutes here and there when circumstances allow for it.

I have two options that work for me. The first is actual table space on which I can use my dice, scratch paper, iPad, and any other things I need, including rulebooks. This is the rarest medium of play for me. I may only get a few hours of this every few months due to my personal schedule. The more common form of play for me is to have tools on my iPhone, or iPad, that I can quickly do all the things I need as I play.

The former method is probably common to all, so I am not going to elaborate or illustrate any of this. The latter way is my preferred method due to my restrictive schedule, and may have a few interesting or unique elements that might help others do the same.

What do we absolutely need to reduce solo gameplay to a minimalist medium, trimming any fat we can to make things manageable and mobile? This will be a different answer for many. For me, the basics are some form of notation, electronic dice (this is easy), PDF rulebooks that I can reference with some sort of capable mobile reader, a camera, and perhaps a separate app for taking really concise notes or marking game stats, dice rolls, brief notes and the like.

Journal. This one is a must. I use Trunk Notes, which is a great little app for making your own personal wiki. I tend to journal actual sessions right into it. It has a convenient table of contents, tags, and other metadata elements which make searching easier. It also allows me to import graphics or even voice memos if I need to, so organization is a cinch. Maps, sketches, voice notes, or anything else I like are right there. It also backs up to my dropbox account, so that I can keep all those notes synchronized between devices (because I never know whether I might have my iPad with me or my phone). Often I will dictate right into the app if my voice is not going to bother somebody. (Keep in mind voice recognition sucks royally for all those crazy fantasy-inspired names!). More often than not, I will tap right in. I won’t deny that’s a pain in the ass. However, I’ve gotten pretty good at tapping away.

Dice. This is a no-brainer. There are enough apps out there on your digital market of choice that I need say no more. However, a very integral part of my solo game experience includes Rory’s Story Cubes. I now have the complete set, but I can’t lug around a huge sack with me in case a fraction of spare time may grace me. So instead, thankfully, …there’s an app for that!

Reader. Any gamer, regardless of whether they play face-to-face or solo, needs to keep their books with them for reference at any given moment. All gamers love their books. And whether one prefers the dead tree option, it’s always nice to have a portable PDF backup. Therefore, having a good reader is a must for any gamer. I use GoodReader, which is robust to handle large files and has served me well. It also allows me to keep my whole cache of books on Dropbox.

Scratchpad. also important, if not the most important, is to record little bits of notes during the session before they actually get written up into an actual play. (Some forgo any sort of detailed writeups… I’m all for that too, but my personal preference is to take a pretty detailed prose account of the action.) I have discovered Inkflow, a great little sketch pad app that allows me to do several important things for me. It especially works great on my iPad, when I can use a stylus to actually write in little notes and scores. Some of the great features that it will allow me to do is to, for example, import images on top of which I can scribble. I love this for character sheets. I have adapted some character sheets, taking a quick screenshot of them, and imported them into Inkflow, and, Voilà! I can then sketch right on the sheet and make changes without rubbing a hole through the paper with my eraser. Furthermore, I can update it in my dropbox account and keep it synchronized between my devices. For Fate enthusiasts, there’s the new Fate Companion, which has a great mobile character sheet.

Camera. I also find that sometimes, for whatever reason, if I’m not equipped or I have some scratch paper in hand and do things the old-fashioned way, having the camera on my phone or other device is invaluable. Little sketches and drawings made, notes done — these can all be captured on the camera in moments (in case one has to immediately run to one’s next activities).

Mobile Storage. Lastly, a mobile storage space for all your documents, PDF rulebooks, notes, pictures, what have you, is a necessity for keeping things on the go.


My method is not always fast, but it has the great advantage that I’m always equipped and ready to go should the opportunity (and desire) present itself. On those rare occasions when I can actually spread out my materials on a table or work with my computer to dictate sessions, I have not observed much more facility or speed than my mobile method; so I guess it’s still well within the realm of acceptability for me.

What is your play environment? What sort of dirty techniques and tricks have you discovered that helps facilitate your own solo experiences?

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Powered by FU

Greetings readers! No, I’m not dead… I have, however, been traveling far too much. There has been little comfort or let alone internet access for more than a month, and RL business before my trip prevented posting prior.

Enough for the excuses.

What is next? I have plenty of unfinished projects and solo campaigns to pick up…which I will! First, however, a plan to add a new project, one that features the flexibility of FU RPG (free universal RPG) by Nathan Russell. For those who do not know, it’s a fabulous light and elegant system, and great for trying those ideas you would like to try with your group (or alone) with no prep or forethought. As an aside, Nathan is currently working on a second edition, which I am anxious to see. Hopefully this can also help build some excitement.

I plan to post some short play reports using FU to feature and test its flexibility. Each post will center around a different short solo adventure utilizing a different genre. FU can easily do this straight out of the box with no effort except perhaps renaming the descriptor types. However, each genre I’d like to feature I will try a small surgical alteration in each to highlight the genre.

This is where you, the reader, can help too. If you want to propose an idea for a specific genre for me to try, voice it. I plan to try a cyberpunk and a swashbuckling session first, maybe followed by a Wild West session. I WON’T try a Star Wars or Kung-Fu session, because those hacks are already available.

Secondly, each session will make use of a new solo narrator with which I’m experimenting. Like most that I’ve tried to devise, this one is light, and is based on the development of a random plot generator and interspersed shifts, which I’m calling, Twist of Line.

Twist of Line

This off-the-cuff scenario generator was inspired by the space adventure creator in John Harper’s Lasers & Feelings. Twists are added through random determination.

The Setup

Roll or choose:

A Threat…

Roll Story Cubes, select a random picture, etc. or just pick.

Wants To…

RollMotivation
1Destroy/Corrupt
2Steal/Capture
3Bond With
4Protect/Empower
5Build/Excavate
6Pacify/Occupy

The…

Roll Story Cubes, select a random picture, etc. or just pick.

Which Will…

RollAction
1Destroy
2Change
3Enslave
4Invade
5Summon
6Restore

A…

Roll Story Cubes, select a random picture, etc. or just pick.

The Play

Play to find out how the characters come into conflict with and resolve the threat. Gradually assert the threat’s malevolence over the characters, motivations, and/or setting, then have the characters take a proactive stance. If the genre dictates or character motivations are not directly in conflict with the implied threat, have their actions' successes or failures push that threat into direct opposition.

This can be freeform or more structured, short or long. In a more structured approach, define the adventure in terms of:

  1. The Hook. The threat makes its presence known. Characters learn of the stakes and become forcefully involved.
  2. Action. The characters formulate a proactive plan to overcome the threat and take discreet steps to do so. This implies one or more scenes. Their successes and failures change the face of their opposition.
  3. The Plot Thickens. This optional stage introduces a major plot twist that changes the face/true motivation of the threat, or complicates the story, and heightens the threat’s imposition on the characters and/or setting. Fill in the twist generator below when the characters have attained at least one step toward their goal (but more likely are closer to their goal). At your option, roll a die at the end of each scene…on an odd result, throw in a twist.
  4. The Showdown and Epilogue. The characters deal directly with the main antagonist or its representatives in a final confrontation to stem the threat once and for all. Depending on their success or failure and its degrees, determine the impact on the characters and the setting at large.

Twist Generator

Things are not what they seem when…

Roll (d66)Subject
11-13The Actual Threat We Didn’t Before Know Is Revealed
14-16The Threat Just Escalated (Bigtime!)
21-23All Appears Bleak (Really Bleak!)
24-26All Is Lost (Goal Changer)
31-33Fake Victory
34-36Betrayal
41-43That Was Part of the Plan, Fools!!!
44-46The Threat’s Identity Changes (Wasn’t Who We Thought)
51-53Besieged On All Sides
54-56Side Plot Takes Over
61-63I Wasn’t Actually Dead
64-66Victory At Great Cost

Pick a threat, supporting character, or thing introduced in the story so far, or roll Story Cubes, select a random picture, etc to help focus the subject of the twist.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Solo Play Styles

Currently, I am running a number of different solo projects and sort of dabbing at each. In one of these, I am trying some different options in order to speed up play. As with each style of playing an RPG, there are a number of strengths and weaknesses. In this post, I'll make some observations of some styles I use. Any solo rpg enthusiasts out there should feel free to contribute with some of the ways you play.

“How does one play an rpg solo? I mean, what do you do when you play?”

These are common questions in various discussions with those for whom the concept of playing an rpg solitaire is new. And, it’s a good one.

What do I do?

Some form of journaling seems necessary. Without having a written document of what transpired, it seems hard to say I’ve done anything...however, I’m pushing the envelope.

Journaling can come in a variety of forms: bullet points, brief summaries, or full-on prose. The latter can be nice, but it’s cumbersome and often leads to the endeavor stopping short. My current rate of completion on detailed prosaic campaign/adventures is probably 2%. At some point, it’s necessary to look at this alarming fact and admit that this style simply doesn’t work. I have had some fun moments with those incomplete projects, and sometimes review the journal with hopes of picking up where I’ve left off. However, I rarely even have time enough to sort through all the notes.

But can something really sketchy or reduced to only the fundamental facts lead to a fun experience? I am finding out now.

In my current experiment, I am using my new “Epic” (Mythic D6 Lite variant) to run a quick adventure — by ‘quick’ I don’t mean brief in terms of scope or number of scenes, but rather expedited with a barebones approach to my journaling experience. I tried to accomplish this with my Ultra Minimalist Solo Engine and use of FU, my fastest rpg of choice. However, it’s not so much the system that flaws the attempt — it essentially boils down to the problem of  detailing the experience.

So here’s what I’m doing: I am beginning a scene with a concise phrase of its setup. All the relevant NPC lists are there, of course. I am using Inkflow on my iPad as a scratch pad and note taker. I’ve even thought of carrying a little blank pocketmod around in my back pocket and a few d6’s, but I’m sticking with technology for the moment...I might also pick up an iPad stylus pen to make it easier.

After the setup, I play out the entire scene in my head, crunching any numbers, and resolving game mechanics as needed. When the scene is concluded — completely — I write only a brief paragraph summary of events in the most concise form as possible. This may sound like an obvious route for most, but I have always paused to summarize a few sentences about a particular turn the action has taken, or particular interesting dialogue AS IT IS HAPPENING, rather than when I can sit back at look at the scene as a whole. Then, if I am organized, a scene can play out in as few as ten minutes when I’m done with my written summary. I may even impose a word limit, (but perhaps that’s not necessary). Even though the experience is sketchy and short of detail, I still recall fondly the memories of the exercise and the particulars.

Am I still having fun? As of yet, it might be too early to tell. Part of the fun of rpg’s for me is not so much the characterization (immersion?) of the protagonist, but the weaving together of a good story with lots of twists. On that front, I’m having lots of fun.

I have also considered and experimented with voice recognition software. However, it tends to be fussy, and the frequent use of fantasy names in my games make it difficult and cumbersome. I have also toyed with the idea of simply using a voice recorder. I tend to get a little gun shy in front of a microphone, but I think it might work for some people.

What do you do? A nice discussion of what sorts of journaling techniques work for everyone can be a valuable resource. How much time do you spend writing, talking, or noting your adventures, and how much time do you spend actually playing? Any other tricks that make it a successful experience?

Friday, November 22, 2013

"Epic" Prototype: Solo RPG Engine

As discussed in my last post, I got excited by Mythic RPG creator, Tom Pigeon's announcement of an updated hardcover. I miss those days I used Mythic. Cross referencing huge charts, consulting large lists of random words, taking detailed notes, and having funny-shaped dice were some of the things I left behind. I certainly miss the total unpredictability of a good Mythic session — the way it winds one off the path into (most likely) areas never intended or (perhaps) even desired.

I always wanted a streamlined d6-only version I could memorize and throw out, without pocket mods or cheat sheets, or big notebooks that also incorporated my love of Rory's Story Cubes. This may be it!

It's not wholly original, and I tip my hat to the creator...Mythic is a classic and indispensable part of any solo rpg gamer's (or collaborative GM-less group's) toolbox. I've made my own little adjustments and made it something I can remember. I have no idea the actual odds I've got with this particular dice mechanic. Admittedly, the language is still convoluted and could use some cleaning up. I'll work the kinks out first as I'm running a play test.

Perhaps I'll have a mini NaGaDeMoN contribution before month's end!

“Mythic D6”

aka “Epic”


Here is a Mythic GM Emulator lite version with D6’s. Here is the basic outline.

Chaos Factor

The Chaos Factor ranges from 0 to 4 starting with 0. As the CF raises and lowers, it increases the number of die in the pool, slanting to “Yes”. The CF always contributes to the possibility of a positive Fate Question result (see below).

Fate Questions

This version utilizes d6’s. Note the following results and success counting method:
RollResult
5Yes, and…
4Yes…
3Yes, but…
2No, but…
1No…
0No, and…
To use the chart, frame a closed question. Always frame it with a “Yes” indicating the most interesting result (this may not lead to the most beneficial outcome for the protagonists). Roll a number of dice (5 base dice +/– Odds dice + CF) and compare the best/worst rolls to the chart above, counting evens/odds. Always roll a minimum of five dice. Note also that the CF is always positive. Include extra dice according to the following:

Odds

+PositiveNegative
050/50050/50
+1Somewhat Likely-1Somewhat Unlikely
+2Very Likely-2Very Unlikely
+3Sure Thing-3No Way

Roll the dice pool and select from it a “hand” of five dice, counting out the first five most advantageous (evens) or disadvantageous (odds) depending on whether the odds favor a positive or negative result. Note that a positive and a negative die will cancel each other out, leaving one with at least five dice to roll. As a special case, if five is the number of dice to be rolled after calculating the odds, always roll extra dice equal to the CF whether or not they would normally be cancelled out. Again, since CF dice are always positive, always interpret with the appropriate position.

Fate questions are used within a scene to emulate a GM’s presence, running the minutiae of the NPC actions and reactions, or determine what elements, obstacles, or conditions are in play. Open questions can also be framed by asking any sort of question followed by one or two Rory’s Story Cubes or other random image/word combination. Interpret the random results to attach a relevant meaning within the context of the question.

Twists

Twists may be introduced mid-scene based on the result of a Fate Question roll. Note that success counting is based on number of evens/odds rolled during framed questions. However, if three of a kind are rolled, an immediate twist is produced. Note that the match must be a part of the “hand” as described above. If there is a CF value of 1 or more that modifies this roll, then the “hand” formed from the best/worst will always be bigger than five dice for the purpose of calling a three of a kind. Always consider the presence of a triplet match when multiple options are available after the Fate Question result is determined (ie “do I take the leftover 3 or the 1 in my hand?”). The value of this three of kind match must be equal to or less than the CF value +1.

Example 1: with a CF of 0, and positive odds of “Very Likely” (a total of 2 bonus), Brian rolls 7 dice. He gets a 2, 6, 3, 1, 2, 1, 1, and thus a “Yes, but…” result on his Fate Question. Noting that there are three 1’s, they fail, nonetheless, to form his “hand” of five dice. However, with same roll with a CF of 1 and odds of “Somewhat Likely”, he would actually take a “hand” of six solely for the purpose of counting the 1’s, meaning that a twist is produced. The “Yes, but…” result still stands in both cases, since he’s counting the five dice starting with evens. In the latter case, the three 1’s form a Twist since that value is ≤ [CF + 1], which in this case is 2.

Example 2: Brian asks another Fate Question, determining “Very Unlikely” Odds and yielding two negative dice to his base five dice. The Chaos Factor in this case is 2 (always positive). Since positive and negative cancel one another out leaving only the five base dice, Brian remembers the special case of still leaving in the bonus CF dice. He rolls 2, 3, 3, 6, 4, 3, 2, counting out the four evens and getting a “Yes…” result. Brian identifies the matching 3’s. Even though they do not form his “hand” of five, the CF of 2 makes his “hand” seven dice for the purpose of calling out the match. The value 3 is ≤ [CF + 1], so that’s a Twist.

Twist Interpretation

Roll d66 and consult the following chart to get the “focus” of the event:
d6FocusAttitude
1Protagonistpositive or negative
2Remotepositive, negative, or ambiguous
3Introductionfacilitator, complicator, or ambiguous NPC
4NPC Actionpositive or negative
5Threadtoward, away, or close
6Tangentialambiguous

For ease of recall, remember, “PRINTT”!

To get the more specific random meaning of the focus, roll one or more Rory’s Story Cubes or random image/words. Alternatively, simply roll two Story Cubes to get an event meaning. The first image gives a vague notion of the context of the meaning, while the second defines and focuses that context into specifics. Players may wish to draw upon or choose randomly from NPCs introduced or threads established according to logic to refine the event meaning.

Scene Setting

At the start of each scene, a Fate Question is framed to see if the scene plays out as imagined. This is always at not-known (or 50/50) odds. Any sort of “No…” indicates an alteration of the scene (to the next logical one). Using the CF, this may produce an interrupt Twist as outlined above. In this case, the scene frames a wholly new and un-anticipated direction. However, count two of a kind matches instead of triples and measure against the value of [CF + 1].

At the conclusion of each scene, note any new threads or NPCs, close any open ones if relevant, and mark whether the Chaos Factor escalates or declines, based on whether the scene was controlled by the PCs or not.

Playtest

“Bird of Wisdom”, a simple playtest based on the plot description found here.

“A wise bird travels to the prince with nothing but a primitive country.”

The stone-age tribes of Barbaria have united under a single king to resist the invasion of the Evil Empire, but are no match for the Empire’s steel weapons, stone fortifications, and other advanced technology. However, in a distant temple there exists a miraculous bird that speaks the words of the gods of craft and wisdom. If the bird could be brought to Barbaria, it could teach the people the arts they need to fight the Empire. The king will not hear of it; he is too stubborn and proud, and would prefer to die fighting in the old ways. His son is more receptive, though. All that remains is to actually get the bird to the prince…