From: cffitzge@IASTATE.EDU (Charles F Fitzgerald)
Subject: net.rpg: stats.ideas
Reply-To: cffitzge@IASTATE.EDU (Charles F Fitzgerald)
Organization: Iowa State University
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1992 05:36:42 GMT

Since we haven't had much discussion on net.rpg lately, I decided to
try to get some lines of started or restarted.  To that end, I am
posting this article on abilities.  Note that most of this has been
said before, but I was thinking a little more last night (mainly after
reading the FUDGE rules on the subject) and decided I would like to
say a couple things before all discussion ceases on abilities in
net.rpg forever.

First of all, I did not care for the way in which FUDGE handles
abilities.  Though the system is very nice for all of us closet game
designers, I do not think it is suitable for the general populace.
Unlike us, most people, in my opinion, do not wish to create the game
system every time they wish to play a game; they would like to pick up
a book, read what is in it, and run the game according to the
directions.  I believe, therefore, abilities and skills should be
given to the potential GM explicitly in a list or tree fashion.

Now, I believe this raises some slight problems in regards to our
ability to produce a real game system.  The fact of the matter is that
there are widely divergent views on how many or what type of abilities
should be used in a role playing game between the members of the
net.rpg creative team.  I, for one, tend to be a minimalist when it
comes to game design, whereas Magnus seems to favor realism, and
hence, much greater complexity.

I do not believe, however, that this problem is insurmountable, in
fact, I believe the mechanism for combatting the problem has already
been discussed by the group, _ie._ the ability tree.  In my view of
this mechanic, the final form of net.rpg will come with a well
fleshed-out ability tree of the general form
                        A1
                    /       \
        B1                              B2
   /    |     \                     /   |    \
C1      C2      C3              D1      D2       D3
etc.    etc.    etc.            etc.    etc.    etc.

This tree would include _all_ possible abilities usable in the role
playing game.  (Note:  by this I mean all the abilities usable in
net.rpg, not necessarily all the abilities usable in _any_ rpg.)

To incorporate people of varying gaming styles and design tastes, a
given GM could choose to truncate any branch _at any level_.  Note
that the different branches need not be truncated at the same level in
any given game; the game system should be created such that the GM has
this option always.  Thus, if a GameMaster wished to use C1-3 but only
wished to use B2 and not D1-3 the game system should be designed to
handle this wish.  Note that the game system would not allow for
creation of B3, however, where none exists in full ability tree.

I also think that there is generally a tendency among game designers
to add, and sometimes necessitate the use of, symmetry in role playing
design.  This means that if B1 has three subcategories, B2 must have
three subcategories.  I would like to state again that this practice
is probably unneccessary and may be unrealistic and needlessly
cumbersome.  I think that if a few stats are used (say, between four
and seven) symmetry is nice and can be handled easily.  If one uses
more abilities, generally in an attempt to increase realism, pedantic
use of symmetry tends to erode the realism and does not serve any
worthwhile purpose.

Having said this, I would like to propose my choice for an ability
tree.  I encourage everyone to pick it apart to his or her heart's
content (afterall, I am trying to get a discussion going here :-))

Level 1         A1)  All abilities
Level 2         B1)  Physical   B2) Non-Physical        B3)  Magical
Level 3         
(Under Physical)        C1) Reflex      C2) Strength  
(Under Non-Physical)    D1) Personality D2) Willpower D3) Intelligence  
(Under Magical)         E1) Luck        E2) Power
Level 4
(Under Reflex)          F1) Dexterity   F2) Balance     F3) Quickness
(Under Strength)        G1) Brawn       G2) Constitution
(Under Personality)     H1) Charisma    H2) Creativity  H3) Attract.
(Under Intelligence)    I1) Memory      I2) Reason
(Under Power)           J1) Capacity    J2) Resistence

Note that this system is not very symmetric.  Some Level three
abilities have three substats, others have none.  (I am not too happy
having no substats to a Level three ability, but I could not come up
with two things to go under Luck and Willpower, and it made no sense
to have only one substat.  It is possible that these should actually
be moved under some other stat because of this lack, but I am not sure
at this time.)

What do you all think? 

--
Charles F. Fitzgerald | '....Life's but a walking shadow,
Iowa State University | a poor player, that struts, and frets
cffitzge@iastate.edu  | his hour upon the stage,
                      | and then is heard from no more....'
                      | _MacBeth_, by W. Shakespeare.
Newsgroups: rec.games.design