8xid_Burned: A Developers Perspective

Developer's Journal: RPGX System

I mainly decided to start writing on this project due to the overwhelming response I received on the site regarding the popularity of Development Journals. This onE will be an update and outline of the inner workings of the RPGX system and what you can come to expect from it in the very near future.

For starters, many of you might be wondering; “What exactly is the RPGX system?” Well to put it simply, it's a sires of published tools, that when used together, will help [pen and paper style] gamers [and GM's] build custom game worlds. Even easier, it's “generic” Role-Playing System. To be honest I hate to use the term [Generic] because it's so much more than that. While the core system itself will allow you to create your own game with it, custom built settings and genre's will also be available.

I have gotten allot of questions about why I don't actually just use GURPS, D20, The Storyteller System, or any of the other systems out there to create what I'm doing. Well, even though the open license agreement make it possible for me to do something like that, I just have never felt that any of those systems were comprehensive enough to cover what I was trying to accomplish. The idea that'd going to be driving the system itself is: While easy to learn and use, the system will allow for ANY level of realism that the Game Master desires for their game. What does that mean? It means that if the GM wants an action packed battle game with massive amounts of damage and amazing fanciful things happening he can have that. But, on the flip side of that coin, if the GM desires a more realistic game in which bullets cause instant death; there is room for that type of game as well as everything in between.

The system is actually in place. While the core book is not yet written down, it exists as a comprehensive set of notes that I have been adding to for the passed 3 years. The rules are there, but they just need to be translated into a material form for the reader. As of this moment all that we really have is a character sheet that is one step passed prototype. Sort of pre-alpha if you will.

The first thing to be done is alpha testing. A, play through based on the notes and rules that we already know. As we play through the games we are making we can begin to assess how the book should be put together. Right now the most important part of the game is happening: Character Creation. While I can't release allot of details at this point about the system, I can say that the process can be done as quickly or as detailed as the player/GM wants it to be. Characters can be rolled at random for quick battles or a player could tweak their stats for hours at a time creating the exact vision of the character in their head. One of the most beautiful things to me about the system is the rules will allow a seamless transition between starting idea to fleshed out character. What I have always hated about every system is the limitations that are imposed by the game itself [rather than the GM.] Limiting what can be in your campaign should be the responsibility of the person telling the story and the setting, not the core rules. One thing that I will admit that could seem like a negative in the whole project is that the game is designed with the idea that the GM is willing to take on the responsibility of saying “yes” and “no” to their players.

The rules are designed to work with a square grid tile system (similar to D20.) But will be a throwback to RP's of the early days, in that, many GM's will decide that the maps are not needed. The combat rules are straight forward and fast allowing for quick calculations and results. While other games do this, the RPGX system can keep up this kind of speed and unhindered game play without sacrificing any of the realism that the GM might have wanted in their game. While the combat is realistic and streamlined [one of our best features in the system] it's only secondary to the focus of what we are trying to build. The system itself is actually focused on the Role-Playing aspect of gaming; rewarding players for good role playing and “doing what their character would have done.” Advancement is not measured by how many things were killed that night.

The advancement system is open world based meaning, characters “spend” xp to advance their characters power level. Skills can be bought individually and are not barred by classes or races. (However the GM may feel that the story or setting may dictate what a character can increase at any given moment.) But, this just takes us back to the idea of the GM holding the responsibility for their own story/plot/game. However for players who like a more quicker “class based” approach to character leveling, concept packages are available as an option. Often buying these concept packages yield extra “bonus” skill points, but cap off at a certain point.

The RPGX system isn't just a P&P idea. It's also a viable rule system of physics for computer gaming as well. Much like how Bioware uses a bastardized version of D20 to run KotOR, and Neverwinter Nights; The RPGX System is already being used as a guidline for some of the MODS and games that our own development team are building for some of our multilayer on line games.

Also scheduled to hit (almost at the same time) as the Core Rules book is the RPGX Live Voice client. An app designed to work with the book to store your characters, stories, notes and maps and actually allow you to play P&P games ONLINE with your gaming group. You will be able to sit in front of your computer and do all the same things you would do on a Saturday game night with your buddies playing your favorite RPG. No more trying to play in chat rooms and on forums. Live, streaming gaming with tools all working in real time.

See you at the next update.

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