TBG Skill System Options

[thatbennyguy]

TBG Skill System
A system for checking the eventuality of character attempts

[Show/Hide] Overview

TBG Skill System is a data model that I plan to use in my upcoming game, The Shocking Convalescence of the Madman Thom Walters. The game focuses around the living, breathing city of Ridgeopolis and its bustling activities, in which you play the role of terminally ill mental patient Thom Walters as he discovers the meaning of life by helping others in subtle and profound ways. My aim is to create a non-linear, open world experience with vibrant, emergent gameplay and a stunning story of friendships, love and hope on the road to recovery. There's the plug, now to the mechanics! On ho!

[Show/Hide] Stats, Skills and Talents

To start off, there are 3 basic aspects that define the player character: Stats, Skills, and Talents. There are 6 Stats: Strength, Agility, Dexterity, Intelligence, Will, and Attention. The TBG Skill System is a task-based system. Each time Thom tries a task, such as climbing a wall or cooking an omelette, you randomize the roll of a 2d6 (2 six-sided dice), and add a bonus/penalty you get from that corresponding Skills. Each skill is often modified by a related stat. Some examples of this include:

• Climbing a wall - check Athletics skill... add/subtract Agility stat modifier
• Cooking an omelette - check Cooking skill... add/subtract Will stat modifier
• Fixing a vehicle - check Mechanics skill... add/subtract Intelligence stat modifier
• Uncovering a secret - check Notice skill... add/subtract Attention stat modifier

Difficulty of each task can be tracked using this as a relative guide (ultimately, it is up to the developer (me) to decide what the difficulty for the actions are):

• Average Task – DC7 (climbing a small wall, knowing common info, cutting a rope)
• Difficult task – DC9 (kicking in a locked door, carrying a person, not getting drunk)
• Exhausting/precise task – DC11 (shooting a tire out, holding a wall up, balancing on a rope)
• Insane task – DC15 (picking up a car, tearing a phonebook in half, knowing a well-kept secret)

Talents are 3 starting qualities of Thom's character that are unique to you. They are chosen at the start of the game. Examples of such talents include, but are not limited to:

• Mental control - Can go into a controlled mental stupor when , stat boost of +1 to 2 particular stats, and a -1 reduction to another.
• Battle scar - Tougher than most, gives +1 bonus to any stat.
• Rich - Has twice starting amount of money, or additional item for first level.

[Show/Hide] Character Growth (the Dot System)

Each time the character achieves something, helps somebody in need, achieves justice for the oppressed, causes a person to be more open-minded or more comfortable with themselves or generally a more happy person, Thom receives a Growth Dot. For every 5 Growth Dots, Thom will receive a Cinematic (note: this is not a cinematic in the traditional sense of a cutscene or forced dialogue and actions, but an altogether different game mechanic in itself). Cinematics can be used as traditional items to automatically succeed any failed checks (basically, "rewind" time, and do it successfully). This can prove very useful in particularly stressful situations, such as when it may lead to death (oh, did I mention that death is permanent?) or when you may lose standing with one of your closest relations. Basically, it's license to do the impossible, which is sometimes needed.

[Show/Hide] Professions, Moods, Personalities

Your Profession influences what special privileges Thom has. If Thom chooses to become a merchant, he have a special discount on wholesale goods. If he is a police officer, he has the permission to enter a crime scene, and to have a gun. If he is an agent, he may even have the license to kill. Your Mood also influences what situations you find yourself in, and your conversation choices. Often there is a particular condition where Thom must fill a state, like being drunk, or angry, or depressed. Personality Types may also be a part of everyday interaction, with several personality checks indicating the degree of each personality trait according the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.

[Show/Hide] Summary

So what do you think? Does the idea sound like fun? Would you enjoy playing it? Do you think it is viable? Do you hate it? Do you think it is brilliant? Why? Is there space in the RPG market for a game such as this? Is the game overly complex, or do you enjoy complex games?

What is your say?

Thank you for reading. Have a cookie.

[thatbennyguy]

Thanks dude for your great critique/encouragement. I have never played Persona 4, but I have heard it has similar mechanics, and personality-driven gameplay. I think this will be a game that I have to play. But I am afraid that if I play the game, I will become like those people who want to make Persona 4 clones, essentially. And I don't want to do that. I want this game to be unique and different to other games; a new experience, essentially. But the game definitely sounds very influential.

I envision the game as a storyline-driven game, but with elements of emergent gameplay, and non-linearity. If I have to scale down, then the emergent gameplay thing will have to go. But I still want some degree of non-linearity in the game. The ending is still the same though (he dies), but it will be executed in a different manner. For example, if you lived a good life, then he dies in a happy way; if you lived an evil life, then he dies miserably. Well, maybe not miserably, but you get the idea.

I will certainly keep you in mind for development and stuff. I'm just going to finish my puzzle game first, which is gonna be released in 3 weeks. (EXCITED)

[rewells]

Thanks! I'd love to help. Is there combat though or is it just a sim? I think you should play Persona 4, though I feel your concern. Just be warned it takes 60-70 hours to beat completely (I'm at the last boss in expert mode at the moment), but you can get the general idea from playing through up to the end of the first dungeon, since the mechanics don't change that much from that point.

Thanks dude for your great critique/encouragement. I have never played Persona 4, but I have heard it has similar mechanics, and personality-driven gameplay. I think this will be a game that I have to play. But I am afraid that if I play the game, I will become like those people who want to make Persona 4 clones, essentially. And I don't want to do that. I want this game to be unique and different to other games; a new experience, essentially. But the game definitely sounds very influential.

I envision the game as a storyline-driven game, but with elements of emergent gameplay, and non-linearity. If I have to scale down, then the emergent gameplay thing will have to go. But I still want some degree of non-linearity in the game. The ending is still the same though (he dies), but it will be executed in a different manner. For example, if you lived a good life, then he dies in a happy way; if you lived an evil life, then he dies miserably. Well, maybe not miserably, but you get the idea.

I will certainly keep you in mind for development and stuff. I'm just going to finish my puzzle game first, which is gonna be released in 3 weeks. (EXCITED)