Hi all. I started listening to your podcast a few weeks ago (I’m about half way through) and I thought I’d ask you guys a question.
I’m starting up a trad game (the specific game isn’t so important for this question) who’s setting I love, but whose system I’m not so in love with. It’s the type of game though where porting the setting to another system would be a lot of work, and I checked and no one else has really done it. I am however really familiar with running and playing the system/setting.
My question is, have any of you done this sort of thing before in a successful way, and what sort of strategies have you applied? Obviously my usual “system matters” approach isn’t going to work, and I’m thinking of really trying to stick to advice like “say yes or role the dice” and making sure the PCs are the star of the show, but I’m looking for other techniques and approaches that can be helpful as well.
From what I’ve gleaned reading through other comments, I would think attempting to convert from one system to another would require you to boil the original down into “what is worth rolling?” Much of a traditional system can be boiled off into “narrative agreement”, basically what you and the players think is the correct result for the situation.
From what I’ve gleaned reading through other comments, I would think attempting to convert from one system to another would require you to boil the original down into “what is worth rolling?” Much of a traditional system can be boiled off into “narrative agreement”, basically what you and the players think is the correct result for the situation.
OK, I probably am not explaining well. I’m not converting to another system. I’m trying to run this game that has a somewhat crappy trad system in a way that doesn’t suck.
OK, I probably am not explaining well. I’m not converting to another system. I’m trying to run this game that has a somewhat crappy trad system in a way that doesn’t suck.
OK, weird, I’m seeing only one other comment here besides my comments, but I got an email about another.
OK, weird, I’m seeing only one other comment here besides my comments, but I got an email about another.
Sorry, I deleted mine after you clarifying comment. It wasn’t what you were looking for. I’m still thinking about it, though.
Sorry, I deleted mine after you clarifying comment. It wasn’t what you were looking for. I’m still thinking about it, though.
If it helps the game is Changeling the Dreaming. My players are also really jazzed about playing, which is part of why I’m running it. It’s also my “first love” of RPGs.
If it helps the game is Changeling the Dreaming. My players are also really jazzed about playing, which is part of why I’m running it. It’s also my “first love” of RPGs.
Recently I ran the old West End Games d6 Star Wars system. One thing I did to spruce it up was to break most everything into conflicts rather than tasks. I avoided the entire crunchy bits of back and forth combat and I don’t think I rolled dice more than a couple times in four game sessions, even though action was happening constantly.
“You need to shoot some stormtroopers? Well, to get by these guys I think it’s difficulty 20. How are you doing this?”
Then they picked out their roll and went to town. If they failed, I’d throw a complication or give them a wound and we’d move on.
The group said it played like Lady Blackbird, which is super exciting for me (I’m a huge Lady B fan).
Recently I ran the old West End Games d6 Star Wars system. One thing I did to spruce it up was to break most everything into conflicts rather than tasks. I avoided the entire crunchy bits of back and forth combat and I don’t think I rolled dice more than a couple times in four game sessions, even though action was happening constantly.
“You need to shoot some stormtroopers? Well, to get by these guys I think it’s difficulty 20. How are you doing this?”
Then they picked out their roll and went to town. If they failed, I’d throw a complication or give them a wound and we’d move on.
The group said it played like Lady Blackbird, which is super exciting for me (I’m a huge Lady B fan).
Hi Joshua!
Without any other specifics, it might be a little hard to say, but I think you’re on the right track.
-say yes or roll dice
-be a fan of the PCs
-Let it ride?
-if the system you are using has any ‘bennies’, consider using Beliefs and Goals from MouseGuard/Burning Wheel and tying it to the bennies. Well, they work fine without bennies, as they help the players and you understand their character better.
– ask questions
-lead with the fiction
I’m not even sure if this answers your question. Hope it helps
EDIT: Also: Fail forward
Hi Joshua!
Without any other specifics, it might be a little hard to say, but I think you’re on the right track.
-say yes or roll dice
-be a fan of the PCs
-Let it ride?
-if the system you are using has any ‘bennies’, consider using Beliefs and Goals from MouseGuard/Burning Wheel and tying it to the bennies. Well, they work fine without bennies, as they help the players and you understand their character better.
– ask questions
-lead with the fiction
I’m not even sure if this answers your question. Hope it helps
EDIT: Also: Fail forward
Failing Forward is the one thing I’d take away, no matter what. Nothing kills my enjoyment of a game faster then failing, and then having to bash our heads into a wall until we “succeed” at that method. Failure should be interesting, complicated, and most important, give you a reason to try it differently. If it’s a task you can keep trying until you get it right, hand-wave the roll and ask them how they’re going to do it before the guards arrive/the servant notices them in an unauthorized part of the house/etc
Failing Forward is the one thing I’d take away, no matter what. Nothing kills my enjoyment of a game faster then failing, and then having to bash our heads into a wall until we “succeed” at that method. Failure should be interesting, complicated, and most important, give you a reason to try it differently. If it’s a task you can keep trying until you get it right, hand-wave the roll and ask them how they’re going to do it before the guards arrive/the servant notices them in an unauthorized part of the house/etc
Changeling is probably the best version of the World of Darkness series (though that’s a pretty low bar, so I feel your pain). Are your players excited about the world of Changeling, or the actual game of Changeling?
If the former you might take a look at running Anima Prime in the setting. I’ve spent more time than most converting a different Storyteller game (Exalted) to it and have been much happier. The main thing to change to match Changeling would be the Passions section (which are the part of the game that incentivize players to behave a certain way/embrace particular tactics). The rest might work as is.
A no-art version of Anima Prime is free here: http://www.animaprimerpg.com/main/
Changeling is probably the best version of the World of Darkness series (though that’s a pretty low bar, so I feel your pain). Are your players excited about the world of Changeling, or the actual game of Changeling?
If the former you might take a look at running Anima Prime in the setting. I’ve spent more time than most converting a different Storyteller game (Exalted) to it and have been much happier. The main thing to change to match Changeling would be the Passions section (which are the part of the game that incentivize players to behave a certain way/embrace particular tactics). The rest might work as is.
A no-art version of Anima Prime is free here: http://www.animaprimerpg.com/main/