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      The Impossible Dream

    #5: Resolution Mechanics II

*by Hunter Logan*

Apr 14,2003

Last time, I wrote about the use of Chance, Ability, and Intent in

constructing resolution mechanics. I brought the article to a rather

abrupt close. I feel bad to have done that, but it works out better

because I want to peer more deeply into the resolution play flow. I

think a resolution mechanic is more than just a resolution mechanic.

It's really a mechanical process that includes at least one mechanical

device and one evaluation. That mechanical process is presented as a

resolution play flow. The undefined item here is the /evaluation/, so

that's a good place to begin.

The Five Means of Evaluation

A mechanic really isn't a mechanic without a means of evaluating what

happened. It occurs to me that any mechanic has five means of

evaluation. This is how I conceptualize the way that players evaluate

what happens after a mechanical device is used. The terms are

/Absolute/, /Unopposed/, /Opposed/, /Played/, and /Qualified/. Here are

the explanations.

*/Absolute evaluation/* is usually based on Die Result vs. Fixed Scale.

The player generates a Die Result using a method such as Skill +

Attribute + Die Roll. The GM may apply a modifier for difficulty or

situation. For an easy job or situation where a character has the upper

hand, the GM might apply a large positive modifier. For a really tough

job or situations where the character is at a disadvantage, the GM might

apply a large negative modifier. The GM (or player) compares the die

result to the fixed scale and determines the outcome. This is a personal

preference, but I think modifiers are a bad idea for this sort of

mechanic. The purpose of an absolute evaluation is mostly to gauge the

quality of character effort. The evaluation may also provide an outcome;

but as a GM, when I asked for this sort of roll, I usually just wanted

the player to impress me with a great die result. Either way, a low

result here means the character was inept and failed, while a high

result indicates heroic performance and great success. Here is an example

    * Device (Chance and Ability): Player rolls Skill + Attribute + Die

      Roll vs. Fixed Scale.

    * Evaluation (Unopposed): In this example, the GM assessed the

      Difficulty as a modifier. The GM compares the modified Die Result

      to the Fixed Scale. If the Die Result is 3 or greater, the

      character achieves some degree of success. Otherwise, the

      character fails. More important, the character's effort is clumsy

      or lackluster unless the player rolls 5 or better.

*Modifiers* Challenge	Modifier

Easy	+1 or more

Average	0

Difficult	-1 or more

*Results* Die Result	Effort	Outcome

0-2	Poor	Fail

3-4	Fair	Progress

5-7	Good	Success

8+	Heroic	Bonus

*/Unopposed evaluation/* is usually based on a variable scale with a

device such as Die Result vs. Target Number where the die result is

Skill + Die Roll or something similar. The GM adjusts the Target Number

(TN) based on difficulty or challenge. An easy task often has a low TN.

A difficult task has a high TN. Here is a common example:

    * Device (Chance and Ability): Player rolls Skill + Die Roll vs. TN.

    * Evaluation (Unopposed): In this example, the GM assessed the

      Difficulty as a modifier The GM compares the Die Result to the

      Target Number. If the Die Result is equal to or greater than the

      TN, the character succeeds. Otherwise, the character fails.

*Target Number* Die Roll	Result

2	Easy

4	Average

6	Difficult

9	Impossible

*Results* Die Roll	Result

< target	Fail

= or > target	Success

*/Opposed evaluation/* is mostly based on a comparison of effort such as

PC's die result vs. opponent's die result. Here is an example:

    * Device (Chance and Ability): Player rolls Skill + Modifiers + Die

      Roll vs. Opponent's die result.

    * Evaluation (Opposed): The GM compares the player's die result to

      the opponent's die result. Here is a set of possible outcomes:

*Results* PC Die Result	Result

< Opponent	PC Loses

= Opponent	Draw

> Opponent	PC Wins

*/Played evaluation/* is mostly based on player intent. In this

situation, one player (usually the GM) gets to say what happens to

another player's declaration. This is often tied into ideas of diceless

play. Here is an example:

    * Device (Intent): The player declares that his character is using

      the radio to call for artillery support.

    * Evaluation (Played): The GM considers that the request is logical.

      The character has a radio, expert military training, and artillery

      support. He decides to play along and replies that the character

      has successfully called for support.

*/Qualified evaluation/* is mostly a check to determine whether or not a

character is qualified to do a thing. Here is an example:

    * Device (Intent): The player declares that his character will

      attempt to scale a sheer cliff face.

    * Evaluation (Qualified): The GM asks the player about the

      character's equipment and skills. The character has some climbing

      skill, but no equipment. The GM determines that the character can

      attempt the climb, but it will be both difficult and dangerous.

The Four Mechanical Structures

To discuss mechanical structures more accurately, I have identified four

mechanical structures that you can employ to build a set of resolution

mechanics. Each is a process represented as a resolution play flow. You

may declare others as you need, but I'm starting with these four. They

are /Single/, /Series/, /Nested/, and /Countdown/ mechanics.

*/Single mechanics/* include one device and one evaluation. Here is an

example of a single mechanic:

    * Device (Chance and Ability): The player rolls Character Skill +

      Die Roll vs. Target Number.

    * Evaluation (unopposed): If character's effort (Character Skill +

      Die Roll) is equal to or greater than the challenge (Target

      Number), the character is successful. If the character's effort is

      less than the target number, the character fails.

*/Series mechanics/* consist of two or more single structures chained

together to produce a set of mechanics. This is a more complex play

flow, but the series mechanic is the most common structure for event

resolution for a single character. Here is an example of a series mechanic:

    * Device (Intent): The player declares the character's action.

    * Evaluation (Qualified): The GM determines the required skill. If

      the character lacks the skill, the character fails. If the

      character has the skill, the GM sets the target number and the

      player rolls the dice.

    * Device (Chance and Ability): The player rolls Character Skill +

      Die Roll vs. Target Number.

    * Evaluation (unopposed): If the character's effort (Character

      Attribute + Die Roll) is equal to or greater than the challenge

      (Target Number), the character is successful. If the character's

      effort is less than the target number, the character fails.

*/Nested mechanics/* usually consist of a single or series structure

nested inside another mechanical device or evaluation. Here is an example.

    * Device (Intent): The player declares the character's action. In

      this case, the character threatens a prisoner with a

      wicked-looking knife in hopes that the prisoner will talk.

    * Evaluation (Qualified): The GM considers that the character can

      easily make good on the threat. Anyone with common sense would

      start talking, but the GM isn't sure this prisoner qualifies.

      Also, the GM doesn't really want to play his own willpower against

      that of the player. The GM decides to roll dice for the result.

          o Device (Chance): The GM rolls a d6 for the prisoner.

          o Evaluation (Unopposed): The GM decides that a result of 6

            makes the prisoner resist. The die result was 2. The

            prisoner failed, meaning he will sing like a canary for the

            PC in hopes of avoiding the pointy end of the knife. The GM

            declares this.

*/Countdown mechanics/* include a device, an evaluation, and a

countdown. The structure is basically a loop that serves as a shell for

nested mechanics. It's extremely helpful when resolving actions for

several characters. Its primary purpose is to aid in running combat.

Here is an example of a countdown:

    * Device (Chance and Ability): The GM asks the players to roll

      initiative. The GM rolls initiative for NPCs or monsters.

    * Evaluation (Qualified): The GM determines which participant has

      the highest die roll. That participant is at the beginning of the

      countdown and goes first. In the event of a tie, the GM may use

      another method to break the tie.

          o Device (Intent): The player declares the character's action.

          o Evaluation (Qualified): The GM determines the required skill.

                + If the character lacks the skill, the character fails.

                + If the character has the skill, the GM sets the target

                  number and the player rolls the dice.

          o Device (Chance and Ability): The player rolls Character

            Skill + Die Roll vs. Target Number.

          o Evaluation (unopposed): The GM determines the outcome.

                + If the character's effort (Character Skill + Die Roll)

                  is equal to or greater than the challenge (Target

                  Number), the character is successful.

                + If the character's effort is less than the target

                  number, the character fails.

          o Continue Countdown. When the current character's action is

            resolved, the GM continues the countdown.

                + If the countdown has not reached 0 and the

                  participants still have actions to resolve, the GM

                  determines who goes next and returns to step A.

                + If the countdown reaches 0 or all actions are

                  resolved, the countdown ends. Continue to step 4. 

    * Continue Play. The countdown is complete.

An Approach to Chance and Ability

Here is an example showing a common resolution flow that uses Chance,

Ability and Intent (but mostly features Chance and Ability):

    * Device (Intent). The player declares what he wants the character

      to do.

    * Evaluation (qualified). The character may be able to do it. The

      player must roll dice.

    * Device (Ability and Chance). The player rolls Skill + Die Roll for

      his character.

    * Evaluation (unopposed): If the die result is good enough, the

      character will succeed.

In the example, Intent helps the GM define the skill required for the

die roll and set the target number. I think Intent is most often used in

combination with qualified evaluation. At least, that's the sense I get

from many games. In this example, the actual resolution mechanism is a

second device, Skill + Die Roll. It's a combination of Chance and Ability.

This is the part I find interesting: Any combination of Chance and

Ability can be skewed toward one or the other.

    * If Skill is small compared to the range of the die roll, then

      Chance is dominant.

      */Example:/* Say the range for a skill is 0 to 8 where 0 is

      untrained, 4 is fully trained, and 8 is the best on the planet.

      Now say the die roll is 1d20. This gives an unmodified range of

      results from 0 to 28, but a fully trained character only has skill

      4. For a fully trained character, the skill is really just a

      modifier. The situation is a little better for characters with

      more skill, but an untrained character has modifier 0. In that

      case, the result is pure Chance. I can slant this even further by

      saying, "A rolled 1 is an automatic failure and a rolled 20 is an

      automatic success." The only other variable is the target number.

      If the target numbers are small (and they probably would be for

      really easy jobs), then Ability may still have some meaning.

      Otherwise, Chance is still the dominant factor.

    * If Skill is large compared to the die roll, then Ability is dominant.

      */Example:/* Say the range of attributes is 0 to 20 where 0 is

      untrained, 8 is trained, and 20 is the best on the planet. This

      time the die roll is 1d4. This gives a range of possible results

      from 1 to 24, but now the die roll is just a modifier and the

      range for a trained character is simply 9 to 12 without modifiers.

      For a trained character, Ability now represents 67% of the total

      range. The result is slanted far more heavily toward Ability.

      Without modifiers, the character can't complete any job with a

      target of 13 or more; and the player may not need to roll for

      targets ranging from 0 to 9.

Another Approach to Chance and Ability

I want to look at one last way of balancing Chance and Ability. I didn't

think of it; Scott Lininger did. In his rpg, /The Window/

<http://www.mimgames.com/window/> he employs a single die, roll-under

mechanic that accounts for increasing ability by reducing the number of

sides on the die. His method uses every type of die from d4 to d30. I'm

not usually a fan of using so many different dice, but what Scott has

done is noteworthy. Basically, he set the default target number at 6.

Depending on the situation, the GM can increase or decrease it. When the

player needs to roll dice, he rolls the die that corresponds to the

character's competence. If the character is really horrible at

something, the player rolls a d30. If the character is truly outstanding

at something, the player rolls a d4. In this way, the effect of Chance

increases as Ability decreases. I think it's incredibly elegant.

An Approach to Chance and Intent

Historically, Intent has been the junior partner in resolving events. Of

course, the player has always been empowered to declare what he wants

his character to do or to say what he wants to happen; but wanting a

thing has rarely been enough to make it so. More recently, game

designers have provided more means to let the players have what they

want, even if that means letting the players do some of the things

traditionally left for the GM. Since players are accustomed to rolling

dice in order to get their way, it seems perfectly logical to continue

that trend. In the following example, Ability is still a factor in the

mechanic, but Chance is the deciding factor because the player is never

truly assured of victory.

    * Device (Intent): The player wants some weakling bad guys to show

      up so that his character can safely test out a shiny, new weapon.

    * Evaluation (Qualified): The GM sets the target at 3 or better. The

      player needs at least one success. The GM asks the player to roll

      the dice.

    * Device (Chance and Ability): The player is Counting Victories

      based on his character's Director attribute. That is, in this game

      the character has an attribute called Director that the player can

      use to directly affect the game world. The player rolls a d6 for

      each point of Director. For each result 3 or greater, the player

      gets a success.

    * Evaluation (Unopposed): The player rolled 3 dice with results 2, 3

      and 5. This nets two successes. The player gets what he wants. If

      the player had failed, the GM may still have had some bad guys

      show up, but the GM might make them much stronger and more

      dangerous than the player anticipated. 

An Approach to Ability and Intent

The combination of Ability and Intent is really the foundation for

diceless roleplaying and usually the mechanism for giving players access

to the powers of the GM. In this case, it's very easy to completely

remove Chance from the equation.

    * Device (Ability and Intent): The player wants his character, a

      military officer, to call for fire support against an enemy position.

    * Evaluation (Qualified, Unopposed): The GM determines that the

      character has everything needed to accomplish the goal.

      Mechanically, there is nothing else to do, so the GM says, ãAfter

      placing two spotting rounds, you have the range.

    * Device (Ability and Intent): The player says, "I call, 'Fire for

      effect!'"

    * Evaluation (Qualified, Unopposed): The GM says, "A few seconds

      later, the target area erupts in a cloud of smoke and flame as 36

      rounds of 120mm high explosive detonate on impact.ä

That wraps up my discussion of resolution mechanics. Next installment, I

will attempt to show how everything discussed thus far can help produce

the core of a game. Thanks for reading.

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------------------------------------------------------------------------

      Previous columns

    * #8: True Death </news+reviews/columns/dream17jul03.html> by Hunter

      Logan, 17jul03

    * #7: Assessing Damage </news+reviews/columns/dream19jun03.html> by

      Hunter Logan, 19jun03

    * #6: Putting Theory to the Test

      </news+reviews/columns/dream12may03.html> by Hunter Logan, 12may03

    * #5: Resolution Mechanics II

      </news+reviews/columns/dream14apr03.html> by Hunter Logan, 14apr03

    * Resolution Mechanics I </news+reviews/columns/dream11mar03.html>

      by Hunter Logan, 11mar03

    * Player Goals </news+reviews/columns/dream10feb03.html> by Hunter

      Logan, 10feb03

    * Balance of Power </news+reviews/columns/dream20jan03.html> by

      Hunter Logan, 20jan03

    * Play Flow First </news+reviews/columns/dream01jan03.html> by

      Hunter Logan, 01jan03

      Other columns </news+reviews/columns.html> at RPGnet

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