Autolykos
2012-10-06, 07:07 AM
Generic Modular System
I'm currently designing a new system, and wanted to put my first Beta up here for review, hints and critics.
Is it the right system for me?
Depends. If you want a complete system playable right out of the box, with world, campaign setting and everything, it probably is not. If you like to build your own settings and need a system that runs them all, you might like it. If you want more precise rules than freeform, but find generic systems like GURPS (or even GURPS Lite) too complex, this is probably the system for you.
Where can I get it?
I uploaded it to scribd.com:
Version 1.00: English (http://www.scribd.com/collections/3884256/GMS-1-00EN) and German (http://www.scribd.com/collections/3884239/GMS-1-00DE)
Version 1.01: English (http://www.scribd.com/collections/4319550/GMS-1-01EN) and German (http://de.scribd.com/collections/4321900/GMS-1-01DE)
Why yet another new system?
My group plays a large variety of different campaign settings, usually home-made. Since we don't want to adapt and learn a new system every time, we tried a few of the most typical generic systems (GURPS, WUSHU and FUDGE), but found FUDGE (and especially WUSHU) too abstract and "freeform" and not offering enough guidelines for consistent GMing, while GURPS is quite a bit too large and complex for most members of our group (I can't expect anyone to read 1000+ pages of rules). Plus, the endless lists make character creation a lengthy process almost impossible to do without multiple books.
What are your design goals?
I tried to built a generic system as flexible as GURPS, still having rules for the most common situations, offering detail where needed, but being somewhat quick&dirty everywhere else. Plus, players should have an easy time learning it, and GMs should be able to adapt it quickly to their needs.
This is done by splitting the material into small modules, with the basics (everything needed to play and build characters) fitting into 2-3 pages, and everything else being optional, easy to mix and match and only required for the GM.
Can I have a little more details?
Sure. First, the dice mechanics are inspired by Shadowrun, but cut down to the bare minimum (no rule of the six, no pools). I chose this because it is the only way I knew to make the system run on D6 only (which everyone should have plenty of), have a somewhat bell-shaped distribution of results, not require any math to be done in your head (except for counting) and be consistent enough to allow for some planning (by players or GM).
The system is classless, because classes seem like a pretty arbitrary construct to me, are not very portable between settings and limit character choices (which can only be mitigated with constructs like multiclassing that are confusing and prone to all kinds of abuse). In short: They would make the rules a lot longer with no clear benefit.
Can I make and publish my own materials? Can I modify, translate or distribute your stuff?
Sure, as long as you don't violate the license (CC BY-NC-SA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_Commons_license)). If you give me credit, don't try to make money from my work and share your work under the same license, you're in the clear. If you want to do something else, please ask me first.
If I like your work (and you're ok with it) I might link it in this thread. If you need the source files (OpenOffice format) for something, PM me.
You got XYZ wrong! Will you fix it?
Probably. Just write what you think is broken and why. If I agree (and have the time), I will fix it in the next version. Since English is not my native language (and my computer keyboard has the annoying tendency to ignore keystrokes) there might be a few grammar and spelling mistakes. I'm grateful if you post them, but if you want to post a lot of them, please put them in spoiler tags so the thread doesn't get too cluttered.
What's next?
See the ToDo-List below. If you have something else to suggest, I might add it there.
I'm currently designing a new system, and wanted to put my first Beta up here for review, hints and critics.
Is it the right system for me?
Depends. If you want a complete system playable right out of the box, with world, campaign setting and everything, it probably is not. If you like to build your own settings and need a system that runs them all, you might like it. If you want more precise rules than freeform, but find generic systems like GURPS (or even GURPS Lite) too complex, this is probably the system for you.
Where can I get it?
I uploaded it to scribd.com:
Version 1.00: English (http://www.scribd.com/collections/3884256/GMS-1-00EN) and German (http://www.scribd.com/collections/3884239/GMS-1-00DE)
Version 1.01: English (http://www.scribd.com/collections/4319550/GMS-1-01EN) and German (http://de.scribd.com/collections/4321900/GMS-1-01DE)
Why yet another new system?
My group plays a large variety of different campaign settings, usually home-made. Since we don't want to adapt and learn a new system every time, we tried a few of the most typical generic systems (GURPS, WUSHU and FUDGE), but found FUDGE (and especially WUSHU) too abstract and "freeform" and not offering enough guidelines for consistent GMing, while GURPS is quite a bit too large and complex for most members of our group (I can't expect anyone to read 1000+ pages of rules). Plus, the endless lists make character creation a lengthy process almost impossible to do without multiple books.
What are your design goals?
I tried to built a generic system as flexible as GURPS, still having rules for the most common situations, offering detail where needed, but being somewhat quick&dirty everywhere else. Plus, players should have an easy time learning it, and GMs should be able to adapt it quickly to their needs.
This is done by splitting the material into small modules, with the basics (everything needed to play and build characters) fitting into 2-3 pages, and everything else being optional, easy to mix and match and only required for the GM.
Can I have a little more details?
Sure. First, the dice mechanics are inspired by Shadowrun, but cut down to the bare minimum (no rule of the six, no pools). I chose this because it is the only way I knew to make the system run on D6 only (which everyone should have plenty of), have a somewhat bell-shaped distribution of results, not require any math to be done in your head (except for counting) and be consistent enough to allow for some planning (by players or GM).
The system is classless, because classes seem like a pretty arbitrary construct to me, are not very portable between settings and limit character choices (which can only be mitigated with constructs like multiclassing that are confusing and prone to all kinds of abuse). In short: They would make the rules a lot longer with no clear benefit.
Can I make and publish my own materials? Can I modify, translate or distribute your stuff?
Sure, as long as you don't violate the license (CC BY-NC-SA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_Commons_license)). If you give me credit, don't try to make money from my work and share your work under the same license, you're in the clear. If you want to do something else, please ask me first.
If I like your work (and you're ok with it) I might link it in this thread. If you need the source files (OpenOffice format) for something, PM me.
You got XYZ wrong! Will you fix it?
Probably. Just write what you think is broken and why. If I agree (and have the time), I will fix it in the next version. Since English is not my native language (and my computer keyboard has the annoying tendency to ignore keystrokes) there might be a few grammar and spelling mistakes. I'm grateful if you post them, but if you want to post a lot of them, please put them in spoiler tags so the thread doesn't get too cluttered.
What's next?
See the ToDo-List below. If you have something else to suggest, I might add it there.