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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.
+
+
+ What do you think? <http://trio.rpg.net/pf/list.php?f=110>
+
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+ Topics Author Date Latest Reply
+ cooldog cotangent
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=98&t=98> (1) new
+cranial_index 01-31-2006 20:46 01-31-2006 20:46 new
+ CORONA <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=97&t=97> (1) new
+corn_chamomile 01-31-2006 20:25 01-31-2006 20:25 new
+ Fendi Spy Bags WHOLESALE@WizardReplica.com
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=95&t=95> (1) new 514
+12-02-2005 10:55 12-02-2005 10:55 new
+ Designer Handbags Wholesale@WWW.WIZARDREPLICA.COM
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=94&t=94> (1) new 868
+11-14-2005 19:41 11-14-2005 19:41 new
+ REPLICA HANDBAGS LOUIS VUITTON REPLICA WHOLESALE@
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=93&t=93> (1) new 794
+10-20-2005 21:37 10-20-2005 21:37 new
+ Death/playing style
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=92&t=92> (1) new Searcher
+09-22-2003 11:35 09-22-2003 11:35 new
+ Death and actual immortality
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=89&t=89> (3) new Cpl Ferro
+07-19-2003 08:53 01-13-2006 15:22 new
+ Non-death death
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=85&t=85> (5) new Sérgio
+Mascarenhas 07-18-2003 03:07 07-23-2003 02:38 new
+ Thanks, Hunter
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=80&t=80> (4) new Allan
+Sugarbaker 07-16-2003 00:18 07-17-2003 19:34 new
+ Realism <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=74&t=74> (3) new
+Robin 06-20-2003 01:23 06-25-2003 02:34 new
+ Something you might have mentioned.
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=65&t=65> (3) new Yamo
+06-19-2003 16:13 06-19-2003 18:11 new
+ BTW, excellent column, Hunter!
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=63&t=63> (2) new flyingmice
+06-19-2003 13:11 06-19-2003 18:13 new
+ Armor and Damage Thereto
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=56&t=56> (2) new The Student
+06-19-2003 08:45 06-19-2003 11:44 new
+ Armor <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=54&t=54> (9) new
+flyingmice 06-19-2003 08:29 06-20-2003 06:12 new
+ Death spiral and unconsciousness
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=53&t=53> (7) new Torben
+Mogensen 06-19-2003 07:31 06-20-2003 06:52 new
+ lucky or skilled
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=51&t=51> (2) new rhyme
+05-12-2003 18:49 05-13-2003 09:25 new
+ Absolute, unopposed and opposed
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=48&t=48> (2) new Torben
+Mogensen 04-16-2003 02:19 04-16-2003 09:26 new
+ 0-9 open ended = brilliant!
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=31&t=31> (8) new Vibropod
+03-12-2003 10:41 07-18-2003 01:28 new
+ Smooth rerolls
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=27&t=27> (10) new Torben
+Mogensen 03-12-2003 00:47 03-16-2003 23:57 new
+ Resolution Mechanics
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=25&t=25> (8) new Kyle
+Schuant 03-11-2003 22:14 03-29-2003 21:28 new
+
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+
+ Newer Messages
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/list.php?f=110&t=98&a=1&> | Older Messages
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/list.php?f=110&t=25&a=2&>
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+ 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
+
+
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