Spells and Manipulating them...

Since I have not posted allot recently and things have changed, I think I will go into how Manifest Destiny as a RPG handles spells.  This is partly because if any one ever actually visits this blog and reads it, they may be interested.  But also cause I have recently done work on the second part of spells: Spell Manipulation.

The short of it, in MD spells are skills.  As a player gains experience, they can spend that to rank up skills including spells.  This makes them better by adding a bonus to the players focus test (casting test).  This allows spells to grow in power as the player develops their character.

But This did not satisfy my interest in the games spells.  They needed something else, something that made them more versatile so that I did not need to make twenty different spells that all did the same thing...just that little bit different.  A little simplicity can go a long way.

So this is where spell manipulation comes in.  As a spell gains ranks, it gains manipulation points.  The points act like a open pool so the player can alter a spell to do things its base design was not meant to do.  So the better you know a spell, the more you can do with it.

Spell manipulations are simple really, once you have the points you can put what ever manipulation you please on the spell.  Want more power, that is one point.  Want to make an area effect spell only do damage to enemies?  Well then use the Friend or Foe manipulation for two points.  Want to chain fire a lightning bolt spell?  There is the rapid cast manipulation allowing you to fire the same spell for as long as you have mana in your turn.  Oh and that is three points to use.

There are more in the list, but really the list is not the point.  The point is what manipulations do for spells.  They broaden the usefulness of spells so they are not just static things.  They make them worth investing experience in giving the player more control and variety from something that is truly based on imagination.

After all, I am just making the system and the world.  Your making it live.  Giving characters shape and form with in your dreams.  So why shouldn't I facilitate that as much as I can?  Right?

Revelations about Surprise

I think I may have a path that will work for the surprise system.  Instead of thinking about this in normal means i have to think in a more abstract manner.  Since the system has to fit into different areas at the same time.  To think of the system in absolutes will only cause me issues as I would then have to map out each absolute.

So with that in mind, I have come to the idea of passive and active surprise.  Passive surprise occurs when characters meet with out any use of skill.  Random encounters, bumping into another in a crowd, things like that. While active surprise applies any time a character is using a skill to surprise an opponent.

So both of the examples that I used in the previous post would be considered instances of active surprise.  This way I can make a system that is varied and complete but will also not take the better part of twenty pages to write about.

Surprise and Ambushes

I have been thinking about this for a bit.  At on point I wrote a section covering the basics of surprise and ambushes since they are related.  But what I wrote, upon reflection, is missing something.  And while I understand it...I doubt that others would not.  Especially those that are new to RPG's.

So I have been thinking about surprise and ambushing again.  But it is a hard thing to apply rules to if you think about it.  The reason is how the skills are set up and how certain skills can apply to different situations then intended.

An example: Your setting up outside a a door with your team.  Once ready you kick in the door and charge in yelling at people inside to get down.  This is a tactical application of surprise, but can not be considered an ambush.  May be...

Example 2: You and your adventuring group are hiding off of a road in the bushes.  Their target is coming with in range with a number of guards.  When they are right in front your team jumps out and take the initiative killing three guards before they can put their hands on their weapons.  After a short fight, the guards are dead and the target is in custody.

The thing is how the skills apply to the situation.  For the first example, the skills used are more tactical and related to strength and the body.  While the second case relates to stealth and quickness, the ability to stay quiet.  So how do I apply this to the myriad of situations that can occur.  Hurm...

Time to kick start things...

It has been several months since I last put my thoughts into a post. I just did not have allot to say. MD was changing, I was writing...and life was being a chaotic ball of...what ever. So really I did not have allot to say. But I have recently been poking around the net and found allot of new and interesting things. Well may be not new...new to me at least.

The main thing of interest has been a game called World of Tanks.  Now we all know tanks are cool.  Don't deny it, there is just something about a giant box of rolling armored death with a big ass gun strapped on for good measure that is just....cool!  Just admit it to your self and move forward.

Second, I found a site called Kickstarter.  A place where, if I ever get more people following this blog and my efforts to make a game, will be very handy.  I might actually be able to drum up some mullah so that some of my current issues are rendered no more.  Little things like no money to buy art...or help...or food.  You know...the little things.

Third, I found a place called Gameful.  A cute little social site for people like me.  Crazy creative people of all skills that have one thing on their minds...GAMES!!!  In fact this recent post and the addition of pages to my blog here have been the result of conversations with people there.  Who would have thunk it.

So...that is that.  I will try to be a little more consistent...can't promise anything though.  I am not to big on the self promotion thing really.  Always seamed a little narcissistic and I never had a problem like that.  May be that is why I despise the idea of twitter...hurm.

Long time no thoughts...

Well it has been a while and allot has been happening. Jobs, no jobs, ideas, a void of thought. Any way I am finally getting things strait in my head and have done quite a bit.

So far I have redone the entire combat system to make it more clear. Reworked the races to a new format. Fine tuned the front end for better comprehension. And have a tentative list of things for techniques. Oh and I will not forget that I also have a work in progress list for equipment. Fun fun...

Long time no post

Well, it has been a while since I last said anything. My goal was to post things on here regularly. But when life gets in the way...that can be difficult. But there is news and I am going to place that here.

U have been motivated again to work on the RPG again. I am right now rewriting and expanding/clarifying the combat section. There were allot of holes that no one was telling me about. It was not till I talked to a complete RPG virgin that I realized there was allot that was needed there. And really in other sections.

So, I am going to get back to it. I am about half way done with the rewrite before anything like fluff or charts. But when I am done some things will be cleaned up, expanded, and more concise.

Nothing new...sadly

I am still working to get a couple people caught up in what I would like them to do. Till this happens and I have some gainful employment...well things are painfully slow. Money and food take president over my small projects. But hey I am still writing as I have ideas and people are moving forward. What more can really be said about this role playing game right?