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[Peregrine]

Ok, a few more things to add.

 

Attributes. Not only do these give you bonuses/penalties on your skills, but many skills and items have prerequisite scores. For example, an AK-47's high recoil has a minimum strength score required to use it on full auto, and the sniping skill requires a minimum dexterity score to provide the steady hands to aim effectively at long range.

 

Also, your ability to modify these once your character is created will be very limited and will have to be justified by in-character action. For example, working out for a long period could increase your strength score. So be sure to plan ahead when creating your physical stats.

 

Skills. First, a bit more explanation on how these work. You have a total skill level given by the formula below. To use a skill, roll 1d20. If you roll lower than your skill level, you succeed. The magnitude of your success (or failure) will decide how effective the results you get are. For example, using the painting skill might give an average piece of art with a success by 1. But a success by 10 would produce an absolutely amazing painting and probably give you a reputation.

 

Effective Skill Level = Category + Skill + Focused Skill +/- Ability Score +/- Circumstances + Synergy bonuses

 

Up to 5 points can be added by the overall category score (firearms, for example).

 

Up to 10 points can be added by the skill you are using (rifle, to continue the example). These are the core of the game, and determine your character level as well as providing the majority of your skill level.

 

Up to (undecided) points can be added from focused skills. These are very narrow applications of the skill above them in the tree. For example, AK-47 or disarm by throwing knife. Since they are used less often than the more generic skills, points here count double in the effective skill level.

 

Between -5 and +5 points can be added/subtracted to/from your skill level. This is simply your relevant attribute score, your physical (or mental) ability to use the skill effectively.

 

Circumstance bonuses/penalties can be any number. As the name suggests, these represent any circumstances that might help/hurt your efforts. For example, fighting in thin air on top of a mountain will make it much harder to avoid fatigue.

 

Up to 5 points of synergy bonuses are given for ranks in a relevant skill. For example, knowledge of physics will provide a bonus on sniping since it allows you to calculate bullet paths more precisely. Not all skills give or allow synergy bonuses. Each skill will list which other skills can give synergy bonuses to it, as well as how much can be given from each related skill. The total bonus can not be more than 5.

 

 

Also note that not all skills can be used with zero ranks. Which means you can not ever use them until you obtain at least one skill point to begin training it. If you want to play that expert sniper, you'd better invest those points at character creation or you won't even be able to read your scope. And many skills require ranks in skills higher in the tree before they can be used. So unlike many games, you have to think ahead if you want the "best" skills in the game. What you pick at character creation will pretty much decide your character's focus for the rest of the game.

[thanateros]

OK since the system is taking a long time to even develop and I really would like to start this RPG sometime in the near future I'll post the actual RP thread this weekend and we can start. All of you are experienced roleplayers and are adept enough and follows the rules closely enough to know what is acceptable and within your capabilities. Just note that is you want to perform an action (such as firing a weapon/climbing a robe/ gambling etc.) that isn't *walks over to table to get a drink* then I will judge, relative to the experience of the NPC's or difficulty of the situation whether it would be likely you can succeed.

 

Sorry this has been taking so long.

 

What I need though is thorough background from each player about their character. Don't post it yet, but just have some ideas running in your head about the type of person they are as well as a potential list of equipment which will have to be approved by me. Remember, this is a western style RP but set in the northern tundras of the Deadlands....so be sure to dress warm. The reason I'll need a good amount of detail on characters is so I can then judge your skills. So if your character is a big game hunters or trapper then write a history based off of that (and so on for any other 'class' you might want to play).

 

I'll post some guideline questions later you should follow when writing a history and I'll post an example character sans history with equipment. So you get an idea of what a relatively new character would have.

[Sol'Kanar]

Srry, I'm withdrawing. Just lost interest.

[thanateros]

OK here's an official statement straight from me regarding the state of the RP:

 

No this RP is not dead but its release is being postponed until a working set of rules can be agreed upon (by myself and Peregrine) to test the new system and see if there are holes that need to fixed. In essence, this is a Beta test for a d20 based rule system that, if we deem legitimate, might try and be developed. At the very latest this RP will start in the fall when I have free time to run a game and keep track of holes in the system. As for now I need to concentrate on my schoolwork and finding a job for the summer.

 

As for the storyline and world building I'm making progress. Slow but still, it's progress and I think you'll like what I have in store for you. When a more comprehensive character creation guide is drafted I will let you know via a post. If there are not enough people who are still interested then I'll close the thread and resume in the fall when I know I'll be able to start it up. Sol'Kanar has left, that leaves one spot open...the first person to pick up his spot is in. If other people drop due to lost interest then their spots can be filled by someone who is willing to be patient.

 

That's all for now, more to come, eventually.

[Peregrine]

A bit of explanation on the rules thing... progress is going very well, and we're almost done with the first version. Right now the core rules are 90% done with the exception of final numbers adjustments, and we're working on putting together the skill trees.

 

The final result is going to be a complete game system, not just rules for this rp thread. Which is why it's taking so long, since what we're creating is every bit as complete as published games. Once we're done, we'll have a rules system that can be used for any setting, on this forum or as a traditional pen/paper rpg. And of course all this is in addition to creating the setting and game world.