Okay, I don't have nearly enough time to develop my CRPG anymore, because of various responsiblites and time consuming activites I'm currenly involded in. But I don't want it to die considering the time and thought already invested into the design. So it dawned on my why not convert it into a pen and paper rpg. So thats what I've decieded to do it will require some work but that not really the point of this post. Basicly I'm trying to decided how much of the games story I should include in the PPRPG source book. Part of the problem is there are some very important concept and ideas critical to the world that are deeply routed into the the games story most of which arn't reviled until the end of near the end of the game. They also won't have the same impact unless they are exposed through the complex plot that evolves. for instance in the game world the majority of the daily life of the people is guided by the teachings and beliefs of a religion know simply as “The Word”. The true nature of the Word isn't reviled until later in the game. I guess I could not include the truth behind "The Word" even though its critcal to the games story. So what should I do? Do I Include these in the source book in order for the players to fully understand the world they are playing in thus weaking my games story, Or leave them out thus removing crucial elements from the world. also If anyone wants to take a quick look at my design document and respond on wether or not it would make a good PPRPG that would also be helpful. The link is at the botoom of the page. ----------------------------------------------------- Writer, Programer, Cook, I'm a Jack of all Trades Current Design project Chaos Factor Design Document [edited by - TechnoGoth on November 21, 2003 1:47:19 AM]

Here''s what I would do,
Take your games story and only put as much information as to give the players a feel for the world. Then release modules which are essentially different portions of your story.

I haven''t read your design doc yet, Techno, so I may be putting the cart before the horse here - but if you are converting this to a PPRPG any GM Guide would need better detail, or you''re limiting game play to modules and not providing needed info for GMs to create their own plotlines.

The worst that could happen is you leave it open-ended because you don''t want to reveal the mystery behind "the Word" and the adoring public starts making up their own definitions, running long scenarios based on those concepts and definitions, and then you turn around and say everything they came up with on their own is shiite.

It isn''t an impossible challenge, but the long term effects *might* be more harmful to your game if you don''t provide at least some of the background and hidden mysteries for GMs to use. I hate to use TSR/WotC as an example, but their Players Guide/Dungeon Masters Guide is a model you might consider.

I guess part of the problem is the game world is built up from some pretty heavy story elements.

But maybe by drawing parrel to pop culture people could better understand my condrum.

A few years ago move called the "Matrix" was released you may have heard of it. Now to draw a parrel if I was creating a core source book based on the "the matrix" that took place entirly in the virtual world known as the matrix, should I included the fact that its all a computer generated illusion and information about the "real" world? Even though they are not what the game is about but are yet essential to fully understanding the game world?

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Disclaimer:
I am not creating a matrix game, the game and world are nothing like the matrix. It was just an example that has some similarities to my story, much in the way it is similar to many other stories that have been written.
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Writer, Programer, Cook, I'm a Jack of all Trades
Current Design project
Chaos Factor Design Document



[edited by - TechnoGoth on November 21, 2003 11:29:35 AM]

Hmm.

Using the analogy, if my character in this Matrix pen-and-paper RPG starts out - like Neo - being "awakened" to the reality (pun intended) of his situation then any source book I''d need would be very limited in scope. Technically (another pun) I''d only know what I discovered/was told in-game.

As a GM running the session, however, I would very much need to know how the matrix works, who runs it, and the status of the humans who exist outside the matrix in order to run or create a decent campaign. So my answer is yes, I - as a GM, not a player - would definitely need a more detailed sourcebook.

The other option is to limit players to using modules instead of giving them the flexibility to create their own. All the info they would need for the module would be self-contained, and any extraneous info is irrelevant for gameplay.

kinda but take out the awakened part. Your in the matrix you wouldn''t know you where in the matrix. There would be the various groups still invloded ie the agents and the zionists. But you would not know the fact the agents are programs and zionists are freed humans that jack into the matrix. Or that your coal in the machines powerplant.



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Writer, Programer, Cook, I''m a Jack of all Trades
Current Design project
Chaos Factor Design Document