Peelee's Chicken Fried Random Banter Thread #220

[Dimonite]

So... guess who agreed to design a roleplaying system from scratch in the next 2 weeks? My players are good, and I don't have to think about the setting at all (it's my father's work, and he's ... thorough), but this may have been a poor plan.

[Anonymouswizard]

So... guess who agreed to design a roleplaying system from scratch in the next 2 weeks? My players are good, and I don't have to think about the setting at all (it's my father's work, and he's ... thorough), but this may have been a poor plan.

I mean, it depends on how deep you want to go mechanically and how well explained you want it to be. I can write up a 'system' in five minutes by jotting down character traits and the resolution mechanic on a piece of paper, I've also spent about five years continuously restarting drafts of two systems because of various computer failures and documents becoming tangled messes (I'm currently staying away from 'rules heavy' for draft number thirteen or so, planning a hard limit of fifty sides of A4). So if your players are okay with things being a bit rough, unfinished, and with abilities being potentially altered between sessions it's very doable, if potentially a lot of work.


And I just stayed up until 2 o'clock writing a cover letter so I can send a job application before I leave for work in the morning. I'm going to be so tired tomorrow.

[Knaight]

When going light you can sometimes get away with it. I've come in well under two weeks just fine before, though I had the luxury of starting right after an epiphany that took out a big chunk of the design work.

[factotum]

So... guess who agreed to design a roleplaying system from scratch in the next 2 weeks? My players are good, and I don't have to think about the setting at all (it's my father's work, and he's ... thorough), but this may have been a poor plan.

Um, why? What's wrong with the 437,000 (may be slight exaggeration) existing RPG systems that you don't want to use any of them?

[Dimonite]

I mean, it depends on how deep you want to go mechanically and how well explained you want it to be. I can write up a 'system' in five minutes by jotting down character traits and the resolution mechanic on a piece of paper, I've also spent about five years continuously restarting drafts of two systems because of various computer failures and documents becoming tangled messes (I'm currently staying away from 'rules heavy' for draft number thirteen or so, planning a hard limit of fifty sides of A4). So if your players are okay with things being a bit rough, unfinished, and with abilities being potentially altered between sessions it's very doable, if potentially a lot of work.

I mean, I'm keeping it simple for the most part - almost everything's going to work off of a skills system - but I think "things being altered between sessions" is probably going to be the standard.

And I just stayed up until 2 o'clock writing a cover letter so I can send a job application before I leave for work in the morning. I'm going to be so tired tomorrow.

Do healthy things!

When going light you can sometimes get away with it. I've come in well under two weeks just fine before, though I had the luxury of starting right after an epiphany that took out a big chunk of the design work.

Yeah, the setting was originally designed to be used in a new system my dad would design, but his players made him use a modified AD&D instead of the original thing he wanted to do, so I do have the benefit of working off a lot of his ideas. And the central concept of the magic system is "you don't need a spell list, just have magic be a skill and set a DC for things the character wants to do"

Um, why? What's wrong with the 437,000 (may be slight exaggeration) existing RPG systems that you don't want to use any of them?

• I'm fulfilling my father's vision!
• My players wanted something deeply flexible
• We're all kinda broke
• I said "it will feed my already massive hubris if this works" and they were like "go for it dude."

[Mith]

So... guess who agreed to design a roleplaying system from scratch in the next 2 weeks? My players are good, and I don't have to think about the setting at all (it's my father's work, and he's ... thorough), but this may have been a poor plan.

Based on wanting magic as a skill, perhaps allow the use of magic to augment skills in a free form fashion, but a failed roll leads to stress that can impact other tasks?

Similar idea to Exhaustion mechanic of 5e, if you know that one.

[Tvtyrant]

I mean, I'm keeping it simple for the most part - almost everything's going to work off of a skills system - but I think "things being altered between sessions" is probably going to be the standard.



Do healthy things!



Yeah, the setting was originally designed to be used in a new system my dad would design, but his players made him use a modified AD&D instead of the original thing he wanted to do, so I do have the benefit of working off a lot of his ideas. And the central concept of the magic system is "you don't need a spell list, just have magic be a skill and set a DC for things the character wants to do"

• I'm fulfilling my father's vision!
• My players wanted something deeply flexible
• We're all kinda broke
• I said "it will feed my already massive hubris if this works" and they were like "go for it dude."

Now the magic skill just does everything. If you go that way I suggest breaking it into skill schools, and give a flat number of uses a day. Enchantment covers all social skills, conjuration crafting, etc.

They are still mechanically better then mundane skills but giving them a limited uses a day keeps them from totally overshadowing mundane skills.

[Dimonite]

Based on wanting magic as a skill, perhaps allow the use of magic to augment skills in a free form fashion, but a failed roll leads to stress that can impact other tasks?

Similar idea to Exhaustion mechanic of 5e, if you know that one.

I don't know much about 5e, but I'll look into that! Right now the plan was essentially to work off a "spell point" system that basically lets you spend points as augments, while being able to do cantrip-level stuff indefinitely (with a possible addition allowing a caster with no spell points left to spend hp as a substitute).

Now the magic skill just does everything. If you go that way I suggest breaking it into skill schools, and give a flat number of uses a day. Enchantment covers all social skills, conjuration crafting, etc.

They are still mechanically better then mundane skills but giving them a limited uses a day keeps them from totally overshadowing mundane skills.

The setting already race-gates magic types by element (I guess I haven't been going super in-depth here; I don't want to turn Banter into a hombrew design thread), and the "spell point" system would also make magic less useful for doing everything at once.

[factotum]

[*]We're all kinda broke

Use of the D20 system as laid out in the SRD is basically free--you only have to pay for stuff that's actually WotC brand, like beholders and mind flayers. So, you could use that as your base and add whatever you like to it.

[Anonymouswizard]

So a friend seems to think there's something wrong with me, they've told me to look into Tinder because people there are dtf or something

I mean, I'm all for Diabolically Tackling Furries, but it seems to be weird for such an interest to be widespread. Yes, I know what it means, my friend explained it sheet I got it confused with the dtf I know, but I wanted to share the joke.

I have also, in the past month, been told I need to lose weight, that my face is too pretty for makeup, and that I should stop being shocked that I'm applying for jobs with higher salaries than my friends with better qualifications*. I know weird people.

* It boils down to a mixture of exact fields and that while my degree isn't great my final year project stands out as unique, and I should hopefully have a couple of new projects to add to it in the next year or so.

[Peelee]

I have also, in the past month, been told I need to lose weight, that my face is too pretty for makeup, and that I should stop being shocked that I'm applying for jobs with higher salaries than my friends with better qualifications.

Speaking as someone who also needs to lose weight and whose face is too pretty for makeup, I agree you should stop being shocked, and also to keep applying. All you need is for it to work once!

[SZbNAhL]

So a friend seems to think there's something wrong with me, they've told me to look into Tinder because people there are dtf or something

I mean, I'm all for Diabolically Tackling Furries, but it seems to be weird for such an interest to be widespread.

No, no, it means that they're di^tbutylfuranated. Where normal people have water as the polar solvent moving nutrients around their body, people on tinder have di^tbutylfuran. It makes it kind of hard to share a meal with them, but makes for a great anecdote at parties.

[Dimonite]

Use of the D20 system as laid out in the SRD is basically free--you only have to pay for stuff that's actually WotC brand, like beholders and mind flayers. So, you could use that as your base and add whatever you like to it.

I mean, when I say I'm building this system "from scratch," I'm obviously stealing a bunch of stuff from D&D. Like, I don't mill my own flour when I make a cake from scratch.

[Anonymouswizard]

Speaking as someone who also needs to lose weight and whose face is too pretty for makeup, I agree you should stop being shocked, and also to keep applying. All you need is for it to work once!

I mean, the main problem with applying more is having the energy, my bosses seem convinced that they can put me on forty hours minimum

No, no, it means that they're di^tbutylfuranated. Where normal people have water as the polar solvent moving nutrients around their body, people on tinder have di^tbutylfuran. It makes it kind of hard to share a meal with them, but makes for a great anecdote at parties.

At least it won't be any weirder than the time I dated an alien

I mean, when I say I'm building this system "from scratch," I'm obviously stealing a bunch of stuff from D&D. Like, I don't mill my own flour when I make a cake from scratch.

This is why Fudge is so good, it's essentially a toolkit for building your preferred system. It's just not that easy getting a physical copy for a decent price, but it was released as a free pdf

[Knaight]

I mean, when I say I'm building this system "from scratch," I'm obviously stealing a bunch of stuff from D&D. Like, I don't mill my own flour when I make a cake from scratch.

You say it's obvious, but it's really not. Not least because there are a lot of other sources to steal from.

This is why Fudge is so good, it's essentially a toolkit for building your preferred system. It's just not that easy getting a physical copy for a decent price, but it was released as a free pdf

As is Cortex Prime, and Fate now that the toolkits are out. That option space is expanding, and while Fudge remains my favorite it's worth pointing out the others.

[Anonymouswizard]

As is Cortex Prime, and Fate now that the toolkits are out. That option space is expanding, and while Fudge remains my favorite it's worth pointing out the others.

Sure, although Fate comes under Fudge to me, and I didn't want to try giving a list of toolkit systems, so I just grabbed the one I'm most familiar with.

[enderlord99]

I mean, when I say I'm building this system "from scratch," I'm obviously stealing a bunch of stuff from D&D. Like, I don't mill my own flour when I make a cake from scratch.

I mean, when I say I'm making a cake "from scratch," I'm obviously using Gold Medal flour. Like, I don't pulp my own paper when I build an RPG system from scratch.

Spoiler: Gold Medal is the only flour I could be using{.} There are no other brands, in this spoiler or otherwise. Ignore the evidence your eyes present.

Show

[Peelee]

I mean, when I say I'm making a cake "from scratch," I'm obviously using Gold Medal flour. Like, I don't pulp my own paper when I build an RPG system from scratch.

Spoiler: Gold Medal is the only flour I could be using{.} There are no other brands, in this spoiler or otherwise. Ignore the evidence your eyes present.

Show

Cake flour is a thing, and is better for cakes than all-purpose flour.

[enderlord99]

Cake flour is a thing, and is better for cakes than all-purpose flour.

I'm sure all the brands in that image produce both.

[maruahm]

I got into a Top 5 PhD school. Holy crap, I'm so happy right now.

I left undergrad and worked as a quant for two years. Getting an opportunity like this after leaving academia is incredibly lucky.

[Tvtyrant]

I got into a Top 5 PhD school. Holy crap, I'm so happy right now.

I left undergrad and worked as a quant for two years. Getting an opportunity like this after leaving academia is incredibly lucky.

Wow congratulations!

[Comrade]

I got into a Top 5 PhD school. Holy crap, I'm so happy right now.

I left undergrad and worked as a quant for two years. Getting an opportunity like this after leaving academia is incredibly lucky.

Right on. Congratulations!

[maruahm]

Wow congratulations!

Right on. Congratulations!

Thanks! I'd like to say I worked hard for this, but luck had just as much to do with it. My research match with the POI was the influencing factor, I suspect.

A lot of the incoming class is going to be filled with some seriously impressive people. I wouldn't be surprised if I'm the bottom percentile. Doesn't matter; got in, they can't kick me out now.

[Peelee]

I got into a Top 5 PhD school. Holy crap, I'm so happy right now.

I left undergrad and worked as a quant for two years. Getting an opportunity like this after leaving academia is incredibly lucky.

That's fantastic! Good luck, future doc!

[Tvtyrant]

Thanks! I'd like to say I worked hard for this, but luck had just as much to do with it. My research match with the POI was the influencing factor, I suspect.

A lot of the incoming class is going to be filled with some seriously impressive people. I wouldn't be surprised if I'm the bottom percentile. Doesn't matter; got in, they can't kick me out now.

Luck has just as much to do with all success. You had to impress a lot of people to get where you are, don't sell yourself short or give yourself impostor syndrome.

I'm not actually certain what your doctorate is from your posts, mathematics?

[maruahm]

That's fantastic! Good luck, future doc!

Thanks! I can't wait to say, "You can trust me, I'm a doctor."

Luck has just as much to do with all success. You had to impress a lot of people to get where you are, don't sell yourself short or give yourself impostor syndrome.

I'm not actually certain what your doctorate is from your posts, mathematics?

Thanks for the kind words!

And yep, my area is Mathematics, how'd you guess? My research specialty is Stochastics and its applications to the applied sciences.

[Tvtyrant]

Thanks! I can't wait to say, "You can trust me, I'm a doctor."



Thanks for the kind words!

And yep, my area is Mathematics, how'd you guess? My research specialty is Stochastics and its applications to the applied sciences.

You said you were a quant, that seemingly lent itself to mathematics (or maybe economics?) but I didn't want to assume.

Stochastics seems way out of my ability to readily follow, but the applications seem numerous.

[Florian]

how'd you guess?

Hard to work as a quant without that particular background.

In some weird news, I stumbled upon a Lovecraft-themed venture capital company today, including R´lyeh and "doom of mankind" references.

[Mith]

You said you were a quant, that seemingly lent itself to mathematics (or maybe economics?) but I didn't want to assume.

Stochastics seems way out of my ability to readily follow, but the applications seem numerous.

The quantity of applications is probably a plus.

[maruahm]

You said you were a quant, that seemingly lent itself to mathematics (or maybe economics?) but I didn't want to assume.

Hard to work as a quant without that particular background.

Aha. Yeah, there's a popular image of a mathematician or physicist becoming a quant. I'd say it's true for maybe 20% of quants, so the image definitely has a basis in reality. But most quants came from finance or computer science, at least where I worked.

In some weird news, I stumbled upon a Lovecraft-themed venture capital company today, including R´lyeh and "doom of mankind" references.

"We are the foremost provider of financing for startups within the Hi-Tech sphere across Europe, USA, Asia, and R'lyeh."

"Our responsibilities across Venture Capital Management fall within a vertical specialising in Fundamental Analytics and Quantitative Development, Quantitative Modelling, Model Validation, and Doomsday Rituals."

"Submit your resume and join us today! C̷̞̥t̹̱h̵͔u҉͎͈͚̟̻l̬͉̝͎̦̫ḫ̨u͔̹̣̞ F̰͖ͅh̴t͔a̙̥̗̲g̶̙͕̩̭͖̭n̺̭͓͙͙."