diff -r 3164c82ac16e -r bdef1afd1170 draft/dream11mar03.txt --- /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 +++ b/draft/dream11mar03.txt Wed Aug 30 21:32:44 2006 -0400 @@ -0,0 +1,349 @@ +RPGnet + + + + Reviews Forums +News & Press Columns & +Info RPG Wiki + RPG Shop + + + + The Impossible Dream + + + Resolution Mechanics I + +*by Hunter Logan* +Mar 11,2003 + + +*Resolution Mechanics I* +The Impossible Dream Installment #4 +by Hunter Logan + +Intro + +Thus far, I have talked about play flow, balance of power, and player +goals. This time, I want to move on and talk about something near and +dear to most every designer's heart: Resolution mechanics. + +*/Resolution mechanics/* are the means for getting things done in the +game. When a character searches a room, attempts to run the gauntlet, or +negotiate a contract, resolution mechanics determine what happens. This +is a monster topic, so I will present it in two parts. The first part +will cover the Three Means of Resolution. + +The Three Means of Resolution + +The Three Means of Resolution are loosely based on Jonathan Tweet's +three means of resolution as presented in the */Everway RPG/* and as +modified by Ron Edwards in his many RPG theory discussions. Tweet's +terms are Drama, Fortune and Karma. Edwards also uses them, though he +applies slightly different meanings. I mention Tweet's terms as +reference, but I've got my own take on them. To avoid the great onus and +inertia of history, I'm not using them. I'm using the terms Chance, +Ability and Intent. This is the way I conceptualize the Three Means. + +/*Chance*/ is random determination of what happens. Roll dice, draw +cards, flip coins, and look at the results. They are random and subject +to the laws of statistics. Dice are a common and popular method of +generating random results in RPGs. I like dice because all dice have +similar characteristics in the way they generate numbers. Here are some +examples. + + * A single die generates a linear curve. Roll a d20 and you have a + flat 5% chance of rolling any particular number. You have the same + chance of rolling a 1 as you do a 10 or a 20. When you change the + number of sides on the die, you change the flat percentage chance + and the range. Roll a d12 and you get a range from 1 to 12 with an + 8% chance of getting a particular result. Roll a d10 and the range + is 1 to 10 (or 0 to 9) with a 10% chance of getting a given + result. Roll a d8 and the range is 1 to 8 with a 12-1/2% chance of + getting a given result and so on. + * If you roll several dice and evaluate the result on each die + independently, the curve for each die is still linear. + * Rolling a pair of dice and adding the results generates a bell + curve. For example, you may roll two 6-sided dice and add the + results. This produces a range of results from 2 to 12. At the + extremes, the player has about a 6% chance of getting a 2 or a 12. + In the middle, he has about 17% chance of rolling a 7. The actual + result is random, but the player has a 28% chance of rolling 2 to + 5, a 44% chance of rolling a result from 6 to 8, and a 28% chance + of rolling 9 to 12. Clearly, the middle is favored. + * Rolling a pair of unequal dice also generates a bell curve. + Rolling a d6 and a d4 and adding the results produces a range from + 2 to 10. At the extremes, the player has about an 8% chance of + rolling a 2 or a 10. In the middle, he has about 20% chance of + rolling a 6. He has about a 23% chance of rolling 3 to 4, a 54% + chance of rolling a result from 5 to 7, and a 23% chance of + rolling an 8 to 10. Again, the middle is favored. + * As you roll more dice and add the results, the bell curve becomes + flatter at the top with a greater chance of generating an average + value and a far smaller chance of generating an extreme value. + Rolling 3d4, for instance, produces a range from 3 to 12. A player + has about a 3% chance of rolling either a 3 or a 12, a 15 % chance + of rolling 3 to 5, a 69 % chance of rolling from 6 to 10, and a 15 + % chance of rolling 10 to 12. Again the middle is strongly favored + with a 1-in-3 likelihood that the player will roll either a 7 or an 8. + + * Dice can be manipulated to tailor their function. + + + o */Curved Results:/* The player rolls dice, but the actual + result is curved. For example, the designer may have the + players roll a single d10, but the die roll may actually + produce results from ö3 to +3. Here's one way it could work. + + *Curved Results* Die Roll Result + 1 -3 + 2 -2 + 3-4 -1 + 5-6 0 + 7-8 +1 + 9 +2 + 0 (10) +3 + + + o */Exploding Die Roll:/* The player rolls the dice and rolls + again on a designated result. The result of the next die + roll is added to the first. For example, the player rolls a + d6. On a 6, the die "explodes." The player rolls the d6 + again and adds the result to his total. So, the player could + roll a 6 then roll a 4 to get 10. + + If the die roll is open-ended, this goes on as long as the + player's die rolls meet the condition for explosion. A + player might roll 6, 6, 6, 6, 2 and get 26 off the die roll. + + If the die roll is closed, the player gets a fixed number of + additional rolls (usually just one). This way, a player + might roll a 6 and another 6. He gets 12. + + There is a fault with this method of rolling dice: Some + numbers may drop out. In the preceding example, it's + actually impossible to get 6, 12, 18, 24, and so on with an + unmodified die roll. The counting goes ·4, 5, 7, 8· It's + possible to mechanically work around that, but I think the + d10 provides a more elegant solution. The d10 is numbered 0 + to 9. If you count the 0 as 0 and 9 as the maximum value, + your numerical progression will always be very smooth. If a + player made an open-ended d10 roll, he could possibly roll + 9, 9, 9, and 0 to get 27. + + + o */Counting Victories:/* The player rolls one or more dice. + Each die is evaluated separately to generate a number of + victories. The more victories the player gets, the better + the outcome of the character's action. For example, a player + might roll 4d6 and evaluate the results against a target + number. Say the target is 2. If the player rolled 1,3,5,and + 2, the player would get 3 successes. If the target number + had been 4, the player would have only 1 success. + + + o */Mass on Target:/* The player again rolls one or more dice. + This time, the results are tallied to produce a really big + number. Well, the player hopes it's a big number. The device + is usually die roll vs. target. For example, the player + might roll 3d10. If the player rolled 3, 5, and 8, his + result would be 16. Of course, rolling dice this way greatly + increases the chance of getting a mid-range value. + + + o */Many More Possibilities:/* I am the first to admit that + the examples and ideas I've presented here barely scratch + the surface of what you can do with dice, but I think these + are the basic building blocks. You can mix and match these + methods to your heart's content. + + + * */A Good Article:/* As it turns out, Shannon Appelcline recently + wrote a very good article + + about the nature of random chance. + + + +*/Ability/* is deliberate determination of what happens based on the +capabilities of the character. If the character has the skill, if the +character has a resource such as hero points, or if the character has a +built-in capability that allows him to do certain things, the player can +use this /Ability/ to resolve an event. + + * /Using skill to resolve an event/: Skill is usually based on + character attributes or skills. Frequently, a character with a low + attribute or skill will only be able to do simple, little things + with that attribute or skill. A character with a high attribute or + skill will be able to do amazing things. If the character's + attribute or skill is too weak, the character will fail. If the + character's attribute or skill is sufficient, the character will + succeed. It's that simple. + + For example, a character has a skill, Fencing 5, where '0' is + untrained and '10' is the best on the planet. The character gets + in a duel with an opponent who has Fencing 7. Using ability alone, + the character with Fencing 5 will lose every single time. + * /Using a resource to resolve an event/: Resources are expendable + units of success that the player can spend during play. They are + finite. Once used, they're gone, though the player may have the + opportunity to earn more. A resource like Hero Points may + temporarily improve character skill to ensure success. The player + spends the points to get the desired result. A resource like + Victory Cards may provide the character with instant victory. The + player plays a single card and gets the desired results. For more + thoughts on this, I refer you to Eric Brennan's wonderful article + about Hero Points + . + * /Using a built-in capability/: Capabilities often work with no + muss or fuss because the rules say so. A character may have the + ability to cast certain spells or to do certain things without any + chance of failure. The player says the character is doing it and + the character does it thanks to Ability. + +*/Intent/* is resolution based on what a player wants to happen in the +game. The player makes a declaration. The declaration becomes a +mechanical device for resolving events. + +For example, a group of characters surrounded by enemies, running low on +ammunition may make their last stand. Before the end, a player declares, +"·And the cavalry arrives in the nick of time, distracting the enemy and +giving us the chance we need to escape." The GM allows this to happen +because it's in the spirit of the game. But nothing is free, so the GM +replies, "The cavalry assault breaks the enemy line, but they take very +heavy casualties. It will be a long time before they can help you again." + +Using Chance, Ability, and Intent + +The three methods of resolution are seldom used in isolation. A +resolution mechanic is rarely Chance, Ability, or Intent alone. The +process for resolving events almost always includes a combination of +Chance, Ability, and Intent, especially Chance and Ability. + +Consider this common resolution mechanic: + + * Player declares character action. + * Chance and Ability: Player generates a die result using /Attribute + + Skill + Die Roll vs. Target Number/. The player must roll over + the TN for the character to succeed. + + +Here, Intent is a qualifier. If the GM determines the player wants the +character to do something easy, the TN will be low. If the GM determines +the player wants the character to do something really difficult, the TN +will be much higher. Then, the die result is a combination of Chance and +Ability. The character's attribute and skill are both Ability. Small +numbers mean the character has little ability. Large numbers mean the +character has lots of Ability. Naturally, the die roll is Chance. I have +a lot more to say about all this, but that will fill the next +installment. As always, thanks for reading. + + + What do you think? + +Go to forum! + Go to Top | New Topic + | View Threads + | Search + + + Topics Author Date Latest Reply + cooldog cotangent + (1) new +cranial_index 01-31-2006 20:46 01-31-2006 20:46 new + CORONA (1) new +corn_chamomile 01-31-2006 20:25 01-31-2006 20:25 new + Fendi Spy Bags WHOLESALE@WizardReplica.com + (1) new 514 +12-02-2005 10:55 12-02-2005 10:55 new + Designer Handbags Wholesale@WWW.WIZARDREPLICA.COM + (1) new 868 +11-14-2005 19:41 11-14-2005 19:41 new + REPLICA HANDBAGS LOUIS VUITTON REPLICA WHOLESALE@ + (1) new 794 +10-20-2005 21:37 10-20-2005 21:37 new + Death/playing style + (1) new Searcher +09-22-2003 11:35 09-22-2003 11:35 new + Death and actual immortality + (3) new Cpl Ferro +07-19-2003 08:53 01-13-2006 15:22 new + Non-death death + (5) new Sérgio +Mascarenhas 07-18-2003 03:07 07-23-2003 02:38 new + Thanks, Hunter + (4) new Allan +Sugarbaker 07-16-2003 00:18 07-17-2003 19:34 new + Realism (3) new +Robin 06-20-2003 01:23 06-25-2003 02:34 new + Something you might have mentioned. + (3) new Yamo +06-19-2003 16:13 06-19-2003 18:11 new + BTW, excellent column, Hunter! + (2) new flyingmice +06-19-2003 13:11 06-19-2003 18:13 new + Armor and Damage Thereto + (2) new The Student +06-19-2003 08:45 06-19-2003 11:44 new + Armor (9) new +flyingmice 06-19-2003 08:29 06-20-2003 06:12 new + Death spiral and unconsciousness + (7) new Torben +Mogensen 06-19-2003 07:31 06-20-2003 06:52 new + lucky or skilled + (2) new rhyme +05-12-2003 18:49 05-13-2003 09:25 new + Absolute, unopposed and opposed + (2) new Torben +Mogensen 04-16-2003 02:19 04-16-2003 09:26 new + 0-9 open ended = brilliant! + (8) new Vibropod +03-12-2003 10:41 07-18-2003 01:28 new + Smooth rerolls + (10) new Torben +Mogensen 03-12-2003 00:47 03-16-2003 23:57 new + Resolution Mechanics + (8) new Kyle +Schuant 03-11-2003 22:14 03-29-2003 21:28 new + + Go to Top | New Topic + | View Threads + | Search + + + Newer Messages + | Older Messages + + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + Previous columns + + * #8: True Death by Hunter + Logan, 17jul03 + * #7: Assessing Damage by + Hunter Logan, 19jun03 + * #6: Putting Theory to the Test + by Hunter Logan, 12may03 + * #5: Resolution Mechanics II + by Hunter Logan, 14apr03 + * Resolution Mechanics I + by Hunter Logan, 11mar03 + * Player Goals by Hunter + Logan, 10feb03 + * Balance of Power by + Hunter Logan, 20jan03 + * Play Flow First by + Hunter Logan, 01jan03 + + + Other columns at RPGnet + +[ Read FAQ | Subscribe to RSS + | Contact Us | +Advertise with Us ] + +Copyright © 1996-2006 RPGnet & individual authors, All Rights Reserved +RPGnet® is a registered trademark of Skotos Tech Inc., all rights reserved. +