TBG Skill System A system for checking the eventuality of character attempts
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
rewells
May 8 2012, 09:44 AM
This all sounds extremely ambitious. If done well, it could be excellent, but I'd suggest each mechanic be explained at a slow pace that allows the player to practice/experience it before introducing another mechanic so the player isn't bombarded with information. The stats feature reminds me the personality traits of Persona 3 and 4. I recommend you read my analysis of Persona 4's systems, specifically the section on game parameters, and when you get into programming the math I recommend giving this a read: Persona 4 Game Mechanics FAQ.
I especially like the mood/personality mechanic, because in real life - let's face it - sometimes we want to say or do something, but we're just not in the right mood to follow through with it...or maybe that's just me. I'd love to see a myers-briggs test fit in - I'm an INTP.
And I apologize if I don't understand your explanation, but I don't see why performing a task would give you a penalty. For instance, even if you make an inedible omelet, that should teach you what NOT to do in the future, so even though it was a failed attempt, you still benefit from it.
You say that the game is open world, but is there a goal? Or is it just an elaborate sim-game? Is there combat? If not, what are the stats for?
Can't wait to see a demo. If you would like any help programming/eventing the mechanics, PM me. I know that can be super tedious.
QUOTE (thatbennyguy @ Apr 30 2012, 08:12 PM)
TBG Skill System A system for checking the eventuality of character attempts
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!
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.
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.
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.
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
May 14 2012, 11:48 PM
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)
Shaddow
May 15 2012, 07:01 AM
Not only does this sound like an incredible RPG that I would gladly get behind and play the heck out of, it also sounds like a great mechanic to use in a table-top noir setting, or something similar. I look forward to this game and hope it's everything you've hyped it up to be.
thatbennyguy
May 15 2012, 03:06 PM
Thanks shaddowval, your comments are very encouraging. I do want to make something that players will "play the heck out of", with well-thought out mechanics, gameplay and story, all linked together in a cohesive manner. I didn't realise that there was "hype" about my game, but I guess some people have recognized this, and I hope to deliver what the people expect. Maybe even beyond their expectations. So, thanks.
KD648
May 20 2012, 08:18 AM
I've never played persona, so the first things that came to my mind after hearing your pitch were Deus Ex (the new one) and Neverwinter Nights.
If you haven't played Deus Ex, it's a single-person RPG where the emphasis on character "development" (rpgwise, not storywise) is in how you get through the environment. For example, a combat type character would simply take out a group of enemies and move on, where as a hacker character could hack a security station and set the security turrets against his enemies, and a stealth-type player could lift a vending machine (strength check) to get to the air vent behind it and use it to avoid enemies altogether. The choices the player makes defines not only his strategy, but in a way, the type of game he is playing. For example, my stealth/hacker character spends so much time in stealth gameplay and solving computer puzzle minigames that every time there's a boss fight I blink and say "oh, right, it's a shooter too."
It's a really cool idea and the game pulls it off well, but the problem that I forsee with this, especially if you're designing the game by yourself, is that with an "open world" type game the development of a multi-faceted game like this would take FOREVER. Deus Ex manages to pull off levels that support open gunfights, secret air-vent tunnels, hidden security stations and more, but only because it's SUPER linear. You play through one main quest, have the option of a shorter side quest that you can take or ignore, and then you're off to the next main quest. If you want an open world experience, you can't afford to spend that much time on each quest, or the game will actually become unfinishable. You can't have five, balanced entrances to the same dungeon if you have 100 dungeons.
On the other hand, Neverwinter Nights (Which is just computerised Dungeons and Dragons if you didn't know) focuses on character development that doesn't change what you do, but how you do it. No matter what happens, you ALWAYS end up fighting the same people, but each character fights differently. Fighters use feats, wizards use spells, rogues sneak attacks, etc. It's more straightforward and not as fulfilling as Deus Ex, but it's MUCH easier to design and then makes an open world and longer story possible. It's possible to have 100 dungeons because all you have to do is design a map and then put different fights in. Every player will fight differently because of the choices they've made, but essentially, each one will be DOING the same thing.
Another thing worth mentioning is that in Neverwinter Nights you have party members, which makes a big difference in skill checks because generally a good player will have a balanced enough party to do pretty much anything. If you have a locked door or a secret passage, chances are most players have a thief type character in their party that can open it. If the experience only has one character, then the player might get frustrated at his inability to do, pretty much, everything. Although, I REALLY like the idea of Cinematics, so if you develop that enough I can see how it would fix the problem entirely.
And for what it's worth, I REALLY like the idea! Civilization is also one of my favorite games though, so I'm a fan of uber-complicated games. I also wanted to say thanks for the compliment on the other thread! I DID read it, and appreciated it, I just didn't want to reply with a simple "thanks" and clog up the forum.
rewells
May 22 2012, 02:57 PM
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.
QUOTE (thatbennyguy @ May 15 2012, 03:48 AM)
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)
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