Conversation Piece #1: Custom Worlds
>From [email protected] Jul 11 22:31:05 1996
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 1996 00:25:34 -0500
From: Jim Ogle
Reply to: [email protected]
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [MASTERBOOK:85] Re: Conversation Piece #1: Custom Worlds?
David writes:
> All right, I guess the build-a-game-world-online concept didn't work so well,
> did it? <:-)
I guess not! 8-)
> Let's try another exercise, to get things flowing on here again:
> There are getting to be a lot of MasterBook products out there now. But
> except for Bloodshadows, there's been nothing really original (in that
> nobody in West End really seems to have originated it).
I wonder what the reason is behind that, do licensed products really
bring in that much more money (aside from Star Wars, which does bring
in lots of money) or are they just taking the easy way out and building
on someone else's work instead of developing their own material? If
it is the latter I can't see the money lost on licensing being worth
the effort saved (I mean really, does anyone think Tank Girl or Species
sold enough copies to even cover the licensing fees?)
> Is anyone out there using the rules for something NEW and DIFFERENT from that
> packaged rabble? And if so, please do describe it. This list is looking kinda
> thin and pale...
Well, I have a slim hope of using a hybrid TORG/MB set of rules for a
campaign I might be able to start running next month, if I ever get my
notes collected into something coherent I'll be posting them.
Kansas Jim ([email protected])
>From [email protected] Jul 11 22:31:14 1996
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 1996 00:38:31 -0500
From: Jim Ogle
Reply to: [email protected]
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [MASTERBOOK:86] Re: Conversation Piece #1: Custom Worlds?
Dwayne writes:
> How about some sort of rules for a *decent* special effects system - each
> sourcebook seems to have redefined it somewhat - bloodshadows gets around of
> the fact of casting *simple* type spells and practically killing yourself by
> adding the spell side-effect list - necroscope abandons the backlash
> alltogether....
What's saddest about that is that WEG thinks that redefining the SFX
rules (and the Advantages and Compensations too) for every gamebook
is a benefit, not a drawback. The idea that a core set of rules should
be more or less consistent seems to escape them.
For my TORG/MB hybrid I'm probably going to stick for the most part with
TORG's spell design system because I like it but I do plan on pulling a
WEG 8-) and building something based off of the SFX rules for designing
miracles and for some of the other stuff that doesn't have any real
guidelines for creating new effects, like pulp powers.
Kansas Jim ([email protected])
>From [email protected] Jul 11 22:31:21 1996
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 1996 06:30:22 -0500
From: Chris Sleep
Reply to: [email protected]
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [MASTERBOOK:89] Re: Conversation Piece #1: Custom Worlds?
Dwayne Carnachan wrote:
>How about some sort of rules for a *decent* special effects system - each
Eek. I just read that as a *decnet* special effects system. That brings
horrible images to mind... I think I need a holiday :-)
>sourcebook seems to have redefined it somewhat - bloodshadows gets around of
>the fact of casting *simple* type spells and practically killing yourself by
>adding the spell side-effect list - necroscope abandons the backlash
>alltogether....
I keep thinking about sitting down and running through both the advantage/
disadvantage and SFX system hand in hand.. but so far I've never worked up the
impetus to go and do it..
I think that the SFX system as is might work quite well with an associated set
of advantages/disadvantages such as
SFX Boost I: May add +5 to any one primary SFX trait without affecting the
sfx total (provide potential for more powerful effects)
Feedback Buffer: Feedback is resisted by an appropriate attribute/skill
(in a similar manner to TORG magic/Psi resistance)
One day I'll write it all down, and discover that it doesn'#t work :-)
Chris
--
Chris Sleep
Systems Programmer
ACS Computer Systems Group, The Open University
>From [email protected] Jul 11 22:31:36 1996
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 1996 16:18:08 -0500
From: Dwayne Carnachan
Reply to: [email protected]
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [MASTERBOOK:92] Re: Conversation Piece #1: Custom Worlds?
At 06:30 AM 7/10/96 -0500, you wrote:
>>How about some sort of rules for a *decent* special effects system - each
>
>Eek. I just read that as a *decnet* special effects system. That brings
>horrible images to mind... I think I need a holiday :-)
don't we all! :)
>I think that the SFX system as is might work quite well with an associated set
>of advantages/disadvantages such as
>
>SFX Boost I: May add +5 to any one primary SFX trait without affecting the
> sfx total (provide potential for more powerful effects)
>
>Feedback Buffer: Feedback is resisted by an appropriate attribute/skill
>(in a similar manner to TORG magic/Psi resistance)
>
>One day I'll write it all down, and discover that it doesn'#t work :-)
thats a possibility i never really thought of! :) - but then i have some
*qualms* about the advantages/disadvantages system as well...... ;)
does anyone have any game worlds they have designed and some home brewed
rules they might care to post......?
i would be interested in seeing how other people have adapted the rules....
===================================================================
Dwayne Carnachan
Social Sciences Computer Support
The University Of Waikato
ext 6013
"Face it, if everything worked I'd be out of a job" :-)
>From [email protected] Jul 11 22:31:46 1996
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 1996 16:17:33 -0500
From: Dwayne Carnachan
Reply to: [email protected]
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [MASTERBOOK:90] Re: Conversation Piece #1: Custom Worlds?
At 12:38 AM 7/10/96 -0500, you wrote:
>For my TORG/MB hybrid I'm probably going to stick for the most part with
>TORG's spell design system because I like it but I do plan on pulling a
>WEG 8-) and building something based off of the SFX rules for designing
>miracles and for some of the other stuff that doesn't have any real
>guidelines for creating new effects, like pulp powers.
Yes I was thinking if i did actually get my act together - I would use a
simplified version of the Torg magic system (like Bloodshadows) and use mind
as the resistance value (a la Torg) and also use the miracle system from
there as well (i dont like the *helpers* disadvantage where everyone has to
succeed at their role to work - or that number HAS to be used) - oh well i
suppose with Masterbook been simple it does make it easy to change.....
Dwayne Carnachan
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 1996 00:25:34 -0500
From: Jim Ogle
Subject: [MASTERBOOK:85] Re: Conversation Piece #1: Custom Worlds?
David writes:
> All right, I guess the build-a-game-world-online concept didn't work so well,
> did it? <:-)
I guess not! 8-)
> Let's try another exercise, to get things flowing on here again:
> There are getting to be a lot of MasterBook products out there now. But
> except for Bloodshadows, there's been nothing really original (in that
> nobody in West End really seems to have originated it).
I wonder what the reason is behind that, do licensed products really
bring in that much more money (aside from Star Wars, which does bring
in lots of money) or are they just taking the easy way out and building
on someone else's work instead of developing their own material? If
it is the latter I can't see the money lost on licensing being worth
the effort saved (I mean really, does anyone think Tank Girl or Species
sold enough copies to even cover the licensing fees?)
> Is anyone out there using the rules for something NEW and DIFFERENT from that
> packaged rabble? And if so, please do describe it. This list is looking kinda
> thin and pale...
Well, I have a slim hope of using a hybrid TORG/MB set of rules for a
campaign I might be able to start running next month, if I ever get my
notes collected into something coherent I'll be posting them.
Kansas Jim ([email protected])
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 1996 00:38:31 -0500
From: Jim Ogle
Subject: [MASTERBOOK:86] Re: Conversation Piece #1: Custom Worlds?
Dwayne writes:
> How about some sort of rules for a *decent* special effects system - each
> sourcebook seems to have redefined it somewhat - bloodshadows gets around of
> the fact of casting *simple* type spells and practically killing yourself by
> adding the spell side-effect list - necroscope abandons the backlash
> alltogether....
What's saddest about that is that WEG thinks that redefining the SFX
rules (and the Advantages and Compensations too) for every gamebook
is a benefit, not a drawback. The idea that a core set of rules should
be more or less consistent seems to escape them.
For my TORG/MB hybrid I'm probably going to stick for the most part with
TORG's spell design system because I like it but I do plan on pulling a
WEG 8-) and building something based off of the SFX rules for designing
miracles and for some of the other stuff that doesn't have any real
guidelines for creating new effects, like pulp powers.
Kansas Jim ([email protected])
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 1996 06:30:22 -0500
From: Chris Sleep
Subject: [MASTERBOOK:89] Re: Conversation Piece #1: Custom Worlds?
Dwayne Carnachan wrote:
>How about some sort of rules for a *decent* special effects system - each
Eek. I just read that as a *decnet* special effects system. That brings
horrible images to mind... I think I need a holiday :-)
>sourcebook seems to have redefined it somewhat - bloodshadows gets around of
>the fact of casting *simple* type spells and practically killing yourself by
>adding the spell side-effect list - necroscope abandons the backlash
>alltogether....
I keep thinking about sitting down and running through both the advantage/
disadvantage and SFX system hand in hand.. but so far I've never worked up the
impetus to go and do it..
I think that the SFX system as is might work quite well with an associated set
of advantages/disadvantages such as
SFX Boost I: May add +5 to any one primary SFX trait without affecting the
sfx total (provide potential for more powerful effects)
Feedback Buffer: Feedback is resisted by an appropriate attribute/skill
(in a similar manner to TORG magic/Psi resistance)
One day I'll write it all down, and discover that it doesn'#t work :-)
Chris Sleep
Systems Programmer
ACS Computer Systems Group, The Open University
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 1996 16:18:08 -0500
From: Dwayne Carnachan
Subject: [MASTERBOOK:92] Re: Conversation Piece #1: Custom Worlds?
At 06:30 AM 7/10/96 -0500, you wrote:
>>How about some sort of rules for a *decent* special effects system - each
>
>Eek. I just read that as a *decnet* special effects system. That brings
>horrible images to mind... I think I need a holiday :-)
don't we all! :)
>I think that the SFX system as is might work quite well with an associated set
>of advantages/disadvantages such as
>
>SFX Boost I: May add +5 to any one primary SFX trait without affecting the
> sfx total (provide potential for more powerful effects)
>
>Feedback Buffer: Feedback is resisted by an appropriate attribute/skill
>(in a similar manner to TORG magic/Psi resistance)
>
>One day I'll write it all down, and discover that it doesn'#t work :-)
thats a possibility i never really thought of! :) - but then i have some
*qualms* about the advantages/disadvantages system as well...... ;)
does anyone have any game worlds they have designed and some home brewed
rules they might care to post......?
i would be interested in seeing how other people have adapted the rules....
===================================================================
Dwayne Carnachan
Social Sciences Computer Support
The University Of Waikato
ext 6013
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 1996 16:17:33 -0500
From: Dwayne Carnachan
Subject: [MASTERBOOK:90] Re: Conversation Piece #1: Custom Worlds?
At 12:38 AM 7/10/96 -0500, you wrote:
>For my TORG/MB hybrid I'm probably going to stick for the most part with
>TORG's spell design system because I like it but I do plan on pulling a
>WEG 8-) and building something based off of the SFX rules for designing
>miracles and for some of the other stuff that doesn't have any real
>guidelines for creating new effects, like pulp powers.
Yes I was thinking if i did actually get my act together - I would use a
simplified version of the Torg magic system (like Bloodshadows) and use mind
as the resistance value (a la Torg) and also use the miracle system from
there as well (i dont like the *helpers* disadvantage where everyone has to
succeed at their role to work - or that number HAS to be used) - oh well i
suppose with Masterbook been simple it does make it easy to change.....
Dwayne Carnachan