Difference between revisions of "Talk:Mano a Mano"

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I think our example character should have armor. This would lengthen the character generation and combat examples, but I think this is important enough to warrant the extra effort.
 
I think our example character should have armor. This would lengthen the character generation and combat examples, but I think this is important enough to warrant the extra effort.
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:I am currently working on the Squawk RPG book, once the first rough draft is together I'll revisit MaM for this and other editorial enhancements.  (I'm waiting for the rough draft to get done so I know what '''I''' need MaM to do.)[BFG]
  
 
==Organization==
 
==Organization==
  
There are two different movement sections, which is confusing when looking for movement speed numbers for character generation.
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I have re-ordered the sections on the [[Mano a Mano|Table of Contents]] and [[Mano a Mano:Complete System|Complete System on One Page]] to reflect this. The broad overview of Gameplay is still first, followed by Action, Character Development, Character Creation and finally Game Design. We will probably want to make further changes so that the system makes sense when presented in this order. We may even want to move the example Ability and Equipment lists into Character Creation or even Character Development. [SL]
 
 
:I merged them into the Action/Movement section. Notice that Character Creation now depends on Inventory Management and Movement. You need to read those sections and understand how to add equipment and calculate ground, water and sometimes air movement before you can create a character.
 
 
 
I have up until very recently thought of explaining MaM in terms of CP calcuations, starting with the simplest first: first weapon genaration, then template generation, then character generation, and then finally how to use characters.  Now that I'm in the process of making about 60 NPCs, I have a new perspective on what order the information should be presented to the prospective player.
 
 
 
If we assume the player already has a pregenerated character to start with (and even MaM has Steven,) then the first thing they need to know is how to use the character (combat, action.)  Then they need to know character development, and after that character generation.  Even weapon generation would come before template generation, which would be last.
 
 
This is important because we want to be able to have the player's using the system with having to master the least amount of the system: beginning players may use pregenerated characters, and in many games player-generated templates may actually be innappropriate.  People should be able to play the game without having to learn how to design it first.
 
 
 
:I agree that we need to change the order to build from the simplest, gameplay-oriented rules to the more complex and design-oriented rules. This is important enough to start with a pre-generated character. We can still show how that same character was generated later, so this doesn't even require us to create a second character.
 
 
 
:I have re-ordered the sections on the [[Mano a Mano|Table of Contents]] and [[Mano a Mano:Complete System|Complete System on One Page]] to reflect this. The broad overview of Gameplay is still first, followed by Action, Character Development, Character Creation and finally Game Design. We will probably want to make further changes so that the system makes sense when presented in this order. We may even want to move the example Ability and Equipment lists into Character Creation or even Character Development.
 
 
 
==Compact Characters==
 
 
 
Compact characters could be used for NPCs who only need combat stats and a few other qualities and abilities. All of the NPCs in a particular battle could fit on two facing pages of a book, possibly with other information about the battle, which would be convenient for the GM. A bestiary can have lots of playable creatures. Compact characters could fit on cards or leave room for explaining how to do basic actions and roll dice for beginning players. Compact characters can be simpler to create by hand than an SVG file (although SVG files are plain text and this can be automated by a script)
 
 
 
* Carrying capacity, equipment mass and encumbrance are mostly just for calculating movement, therefore optional.
 
* Template ability modifiers, speed, agility, power, toughness, mass, length, variability and CP value are not needed for NPCs.
 
* Ground, water and air movement, best absorption and total cover can be assumed to be 0 if they are not listed.
 
* Stun and damage are only needed for characters in the middle of an adventure or battle.
 
* Lines can be broken after any comma except between parentheses, or lines can be joined with commas or other notation.
 
  
{|
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: Yeah, that's what I figured. Now it looks to me like perhaps even example occupations may need to be moved forward to at least character generation, and possibly into character development (since it's hard to imagine character development in MaM without the potential for new abilities, equipment, or occupations.) [BFG]
! align="left" | standard (similar things on each line)
 
! align="left" | recipe (one thing on each line)
 
|-
 
| valign="top" style="white-space:nowrap" |
 
Steven (151 CP, 95 kg, 1.6 m height, adult male human robber)<br>
 
1 speed, 0 agility, 3 power, 7 toughness, 14 stamina<br>
 
2 unarmed combat, 4 one-handed weapons, 2 craftsmanship<br>
 
2 hands (hand, 3 power, 2 attack, 12 defense)<br>
 
2 feet (3 power, 2 attack, 12 defense)<br>
 
1 machete (sharp, 0.5 kg, 3 heft, 5 power, 4 attack, ''14 defense'')<br>
 
4 ground movement, 10 missile defense, 3 grapple attack, 13 grapple defense<br>
 
| valign="top" rowspan="3" style="white-space:nowrap" |
 
Steven (151 CP, 95 kg, 1.6 m height, adult male human robber)<br>
 
1 speed<br> 0 agility<br> 3 power<br> 7 toughness<br> 14 stamina<br>
 
2 unarmed combat<br> 4 one-handed weapons<br> 2 craftsmanship<br>
 
2 hands (hand, 3 power, 2 attack, 12 defense)<br>
 
2 feet (3 power, 2 attack, 12 defense)<br>
 
1 machete (sharp, 0.5 kg, 3 heft, 5 power, 4 attack, ''14 defense'')<br>
 
4 ground movement<br> 10 missile defense<br> 3 grapple attack<br> 13 grapple defense
 
|-
 
! align="left" | run-on (everything on one line)
 
|-
 
| valign="top" |
 
Steven (151 CP, 95 kg, 1.6 m height, adult male human robber),
 
1 speed, 0 agility, 3 power, 7 toughness, 14 stamina
 
2 unarmed combat, 4 one-handed weapons, 2 craftsmanship,
 
2 hands (hand, 3 power, 2 attack, 12 defense),
 
2 feet (3 power, 2 attack, 12 defense),
 
1 machete (sharp, 0.5 kg, 3 heft, 5 power, 4 attack, ''14 defense''),
 
4 ground movement, 10 missile defense, 3 grapple attack, 3 grapple defense
 
|}
 
  
 
==Editing Character Sheet==
 
==Editing Character Sheet==
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If you change the character sheet format when editing any of the following, you must update the others:  
 
If you change the character sheet format when editing any of the following, you must update the others:  
  
* [[Mano a Mano:Character Sheet|Blank Character Sheet]]
 
 
* [[Mano a Mano:Example Template|Example Template]]
 
* [[Mano a Mano:Example Template|Example Template]]
 
* [[Mano a Mano:Example Character|Example Character]]
 
* [[Mano a Mano:Example Character|Example Character]]

Latest revision as of 06:10, 27 September 2009

Armor[edit]

I think our example character should have armor. This would lengthen the character generation and combat examples, but I think this is important enough to warrant the extra effort.

I am currently working on the Squawk RPG book, once the first rough draft is together I'll revisit MaM for this and other editorial enhancements. (I'm waiting for the rough draft to get done so I know what I need MaM to do.)[BFG]

Organization[edit]

I have re-ordered the sections on the Table of Contents and Complete System on One Page to reflect this. The broad overview of Gameplay is still first, followed by Action, Character Development, Character Creation and finally Game Design. We will probably want to make further changes so that the system makes sense when presented in this order. We may even want to move the example Ability and Equipment lists into Character Creation or even Character Development. [SL]

Yeah, that's what I figured. Now it looks to me like perhaps even example occupations may need to be moved forward to at least character generation, and possibly into character development (since it's hard to imagine character development in MaM without the potential for new abilities, equipment, or occupations.) [BFG]

Editing Character Sheet[edit]

If you change the character sheet format when editing any of the following, you must update the others:

Be sure you know which character sheet you are updating:

  • The template creation example includes both the blank character sheet and the example template.
  • The character creation example includes both the example template and the example character sheet.