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101jir
2011-05-24, 10:14 AM
I was thinking about having a fudge/fate system based in a highscool environment. Players would have 2 types of battle: psycological and physical (physical would be uncommon). Players would have 6 types of default attributes: Wit, Ego, Confidence, Dexterity, Constitution, and Strength. They would also get a 7th attribute they may name. Any check requiring an unlisted attribute would default to fair (refer to Fudge rules), or would grant a +1 bonus (Potentially going over superb) to the character with the more specific attribute. Players would get 4 spendable points, and no attribute could go above superb.

The unique aspect of this game could also potentially be its downfall (what do you think?) Instead of wild adventures that people could never do in reality (like fighting monsters and so forth) is replaced by classic teen issues like romance, bullying, and competition/showing off. The problem (or at least percieved problem) is that if gaming does influence behavior, this would be much more potent along those lines. Also, I am having trouble figurig how I would get the bonuses to work, as well as this being really basic and needing a lot more work.

Wit, Ego, and Confidence are for the mental and social battle (I saw this listed somewhere, I think the mechanics of it might be from SoF already). In rare physical combat, players can use dexterity to give them a bonus to either their attack or to help evade an opponents attack. The bonus is equal to how much it was above or below the opponents strength check if it was an attack, or constitution if it was defense. It can also induce penalties, if misused, as well as give an automatic advantage in a sucker punch. Same as before. Primarily, though, players use it for a variety of activities, such as cheating on tests, driving a car, sneaking around in areas of the school they aren't supposed to. I can't think of any law abiding way they could use it, but you get the idea. Strength is used for any strength based task (DC check determined at will), and is also used for physical combat as the primary means of attack. Constituation is of course to avoid injury, whether it is from a nasty fall on the sports team, car crash, fight, and so on. Depending on the situation, falling below terrible constitution may or may not be lethal. I should also add intelligence. Used to determine how players do on tests, if they can hack the school computers, if they can carry on an itellectual conversation with a smart teacher (browny points), and so forth. I will add that now.

Eldest
2011-05-24, 01:05 PM
Try swapping popular for the pretty guys/girls, and having different type of jocks (nice, bullies, stupid) instead of sports.

101jir
2011-05-25, 08:37 AM
Try swapping popular for the pretty guys/girls, and having different type of jocks (nice, bullies, stupid) instead of sports.

That I am leaving to the players to setup as fluff.

Knaight
2011-05-25, 11:49 PM
I'd recommend against using classes per se, Fudge is a classless system by default, Fate has aspects that handle everything classes normally do. As such, I'd standardize the attributes in their entirety, have a mandatory "social role" aspect, and leave other aspects open, letting those work with skills to further define characters.

Concerning the conflict systems, I'd use the Fate Stress-Consequence system, as it is a perfect fit. However, that only handles the results, getting there varies. This (http://www.fudgefactor.org/2005/11/fudge-social-combat.html) is ideal for the social system, given that it is the focus, the physical system can afford to be simpler - simultaneous rounds with stances should provide enough on its own, unless you want a heavy focus.

Eldest
2011-05-26, 07:03 AM
I'm going to agree with Knaight, you should probably avoid classes. So that way a player can be whoever he wants to be (rich loner, forign exchange student, etc). Instead just have the top aspect (forgot the game term for it) define who they are (using the ideas above, "screw freinds, I have money" and "sorry, not good English" [not my best one, but this is a 3 minute post]).

101jir
2011-05-26, 08:36 AM
I'd recommend against using classes per se, Fudge is a classless system by default, Fate has aspects that handle everything classes normally do. As such, I'd standardize the attributes in their entirety, have a mandatory "social role" aspect, and leave other aspects open, letting those work with skills to further define characters.

Concerning the conflict systems, I'd use the Fate Stress-Consequence system, as it is a perfect fit. However, that only handles the results, getting there varies. This (http://www.fudgefactor.org/2005/11/fudge-social-combat.html) is ideal for the social system, given that it is the focus, the physical system can afford to be simpler - simultaneous rounds with stances should provide enough on its own, unless you want a heavy focus.

Wow, THX! That will really help! I think maybe I will just drop the classes. It is becoming kindof a nuissance.

bluebugs
2011-05-26, 09:08 AM
I don't feel that the drama in Highschool is something a lot of people want to re-live. And for some people who play RPGs, it was a terrible time.

I think you should go for it, but I would play it like buffy the vampire slayer. That being said, I really don't have much more imput.

101jir
2011-05-26, 09:09 AM
I don't feel that the drama in Highschool is something a lot of people want to re-live. And for some people who play RPGs, it was a terrible time.

I think you should go for it, but I would play it like buffy the vampire slayer. That being said, I really don't have much more imput.

I was concerned about that possibility. Thank you for your input.

Eldest
2011-05-26, 12:17 PM
Another possibility is to have it really light hearted. Sort of silly. Doesn't work well with fate though.

Knaight
2011-05-26, 12:25 PM
Another possibility is to have it really light hearted. Sort of silly. Doesn't work well with fate though.

Fate works well for a light hearted game if you set the tone right, and make sure the aspects favor it. It doesn't have to be all drama, all the time, and even SotC is based around a fairly light hearted genre.

101jir
2011-05-27, 05:33 PM
Question, should players be allowed to play teachers? This might complicate things, but it is noice to not say no if you don't have to.

Eldest
2011-05-27, 06:35 PM
I don't think so, teachers are more in their own world that can interact with the students regularly.

101jir
2011-05-28, 11:50 AM
I don't think so, teachers are more in their own world that can interact with the students regularly.

I thought that might be an issue.

Knaight
2011-06-01, 06:36 AM
I'd recommend restricting things to students.

Also, please show us all the mechanics so far. The more there are, the more I can work with, and I have a lot of practice with the Fudge system*.

*As in dozens of smaller home brew projects, articles, settings, etc. made over the last 7 years.

DeadManSleeping
2011-06-01, 06:45 AM
The Strands of Fate system has a low-power level and 3 types of battles: physical, mental, and social, with similar but slightly-different ways of handling each. Mental battles are psychological, but social battles involve destroying someone's status in a social structure, which seems quite necessary in a high school drama.

I support homebrew, but I really do think that Strands of Fate has everything you're looking for. Check it out, if you can.

EDIT: Oh, yeah, SoF is a FATE system, in case it wasn't obvious from the title.

Knaight
2011-06-01, 07:15 AM
The Strands of Fate system has a low-power level and 3 types of battles: physical, mental, and social, with similar but slightly-different ways of handling each. Mental battles are psychological, but social battles involve destroying someone's status in a social structure, which seems quite necessary in a high school drama.

I support homebrew, but I really do think that Strands of Fate has everything you're looking for. Check it out, if you can.

EDIT: Oh, yeah, SoF is a FATE system, in case it wasn't obvious from the title.
Eh, Strands of Fate is mired in FATE 3e, and with the possible exception of stunts, FATE peaked in 2e. One could even argue that there was a brief FATE golden age before FATE actually existed per se, following the advent of the Aspects mechanic on the Fudge Factor ezine, I would argue that post FATE 2e delibarate Fudge/FATE blends which ignore such things as FATE's terrible overextended ladder are better yet.

101jir
2011-06-01, 05:46 PM
I'd recommend restricting things to students.

Also, please show us all the mechanics so far. The more there are, the more I can work with, and I have a lot of practice with the Fudge system*.

*As in dozens of smaller home brew projects, articles, settings, etc. made over the last 7 years.


The Strands of Fate system has a low-power level and 3 types of battles: physical, mental, and social, with similar but slightly-different ways of handling each. Mental battles are psychological, but social battles involve destroying someone's status in a social structure, which seems quite necessary in a high school drama.

I support homebrew, but I really do think that Strands of Fate has everything you're looking for. Check it out, if you can.

EDIT: Oh, yeah, SoF is a FATE system, in case it wasn't obvious from the title.

THX, I will look into that. Wit, Ego, and Confidence are for the mental and social battle (I saw this listed somewhere, I think the mechanics of it might be from SoF already). In rare physical combat, players can use dexterity to give them a bonus to either their attack or to help evade an opponents attack. The bonus is equal to how much it was above or below the opponents strength check if it was an attack, or constitution if it was defense. It can also induce penalties, if misused, as well as give an automatic advantage in a sucker punch. Same as before. Primarily, though, players use it for a variety of activities, such as cheating on tests, driving a car, sneaking around in areas of the school they aren't supposed to. I can't think of any law abiding way they could use it, but you get the idea. Strength is used for any strength based task (DC check determined at will), and is also used for physical combat as the primary means of attack. Constituation is of course to avoid injury, whether it is from a nasty fall on the sports team, car crash, fight, and so on. Depending on the situation, falling below terrible constitution may or may not be lethal. I should also add intelligence. Used to determine how players do on tests, if they can hack the school computers, if they can carry on an itellectual conversation with a smart teacher (browny points), and so forth. I will add that now.

Knaight
2011-06-01, 05:52 PM
THX, I will look into that. Wit, Ego, and Confidence are for the mental and social battle (I saw this listed somewhere, I think the mechanics of it might be from SoF already).
This was in the social mechanics I linked to you in a prior post.



In rare physical combat, players can use dexterity to give them a bonus to either their attack or to help evade an opponents attack. The bonus is equal to how much it was above or below the opponents strength check if it was an attack, or constitution if it was defense. It can also induce penalties, if misused, as well as give an automatic advantage in a sucker punch.
An easier method is to use skills for this, and have a series of simple opposed rolls where the injury to the loser is derived from the difference. Attributes can show up in ODF and DDF, and stances add the complication you need. Go back to the original Fudge .pdf and read the section on Simultaneous combat, it fits better. A sucker punch would fit the surprised opponent status, meaning you get one roll against the difficulty of poor regardless of how good your opponent is.


Same as before. Primarily, though, players use it for a variety of activities, such as cheating on tests, driving a car, sneaking around in areas of the school they aren't supposed to. I can't think of any law abiding way they could use it, but you get the idea. Strength is used for any strength based task (DC check determined at will), and is also used for physical combat as the primary means of attack. Constituation is of course to avoid injury, whether it is from a nasty fall on the sports team, car crash, fight, and so on. Depending on the situation, falling below terrible constitution may or may not be lethal. I should also add intelligence. Used to determine how players do on tests, if they can hack the school computers, if they can carry on an itellectual conversation with a smart teacher (browny points), and so forth. I will add that now.
Most of this works pretty well, however I'd avoid variable Constitution. Use it as DDF, which essentially reduces the margin of success of all injuries, and don't have it vary.

Concerning Brownie Points and similar, you might want to consider a social economy with several different points. You could use a Social Standing system with everything rated along the Fudge ladder and able to move, and which of the ratings picked is applicable is dependent on situation.

101jir
2011-06-01, 05:57 PM
This was in the social mechanics I linked to you in a prior post.



An easier method is to use skills for this, and have a series of simple opposed rolls where the injury to the loser is derived from the difference. Attributes can show up in ODF and DDF, and stances add the complication you need. Go back to the original Fudge .pdf and read the section on Simultaneous combat, it fits better. A sucker punch would fit the surprised opponent status, meaning you get one roll against the difficulty of poor regardless of how good your opponent is.


Most of this works pretty well, however I'd avoid variable Constitution. Use it as DDF, which essentially reduces the margin of success of all injuries, and don't have it vary.

Concerning Brownie Points and similar, you might want to consider a social economy with several different points. You could use a Social Standing system with everything rated along the Fudge ladder and able to move, and which of the ratings picked is applicable is dependent on situation.

I will look into that. THX.