Designing Games at a New Level

A common mechanic found in roleplaying games is the Level.  A level provides a means to measure the approximate power of a character.  Levels are usually designated by a number that begins with 1 or 0 and progresses an integer at a time.  However, Levels could also be designated by keywords such as novice, trained, and expert.  The use of keywords to designate Level is usually referred to as Rank.

Levels are keyed to another mechanic, usually Class, or Experience, or both.  However, level could be associated with Skills or other Traits that can be increased through play.  Though, most gamers tend to associate level as an encompassing attribute that measures a character as a whole rather than individual traits.

Advantages

The obvious (but usually overlooked) advantage of Levels is that it provides characters with the ability to increase power over time.  It is a common expectation of roleplaying games, but it is not a universal trait shared by all RPGs.

Another advantage of Levels is reduced bookkeeping.   By tying character statistics to a Level, it decreases the amount of values that a player needs to maintain.  Having Level drive the effectiveness of abilities is a great method of simplifying the game.

The other advantage of Levels is the ability to determine the chances of character survival in against specific challenges.  This allows Game Master (as well as publishers) to more easily create adventures and scenarios that are matched to the characters’ ability.

Disadvantages

The primary disadvantage of using Levels, just like any controlling mechanic, is you add a layer of inflexibility.  Levels place constraints on character Traits and story gamers may not like to play games that have levels because they feel it limits their roleplay (“Why can’t my level 1 dude take out a level 30 dragon?“).

From a design perspective, you also need to decide how much of the other mechanics are limited by level.  A designer can trade flexibility for record keeping by allowing more traits to be unhindered by level (which increases bookkeeping).

Example Systems

Dungeons & Dragons is probably the most recognizable roleplaying game that implements levels.  Third Edition used Character and Class Levels, and every character advances Levels at the same Experience values.   Advanced Dungeons & Dragons had Classes that advanced at different Experience rates.

HARP uses Levels as a method of distributing Development Points that can be used purchase Skills, Talents, and Stats.  Levels are obtained by gaining Experience.

Mutants & Masterminds uses Power Levels to determine the amount of Power Points a player can spend on a character.

Echelon Decisions

With Echelon, I made the decision that I wanted Point-buy and with Powers that have Rank.  Anyone who knows the Storytelling System will find this underpinning familiar.  However, I wanted to break from the Storytelling System mold by providing a character Level (as opposed to the Levels of Power that are already there).

In Echelon, Levels are tied strictly to Experience.  Once a certain amount of Experience has been achieved, a character gains a Level and all Level dependent Traits are recalculated.  Some Traits or Powers may require a certain Level as prerequisite.

The character level will also provide a means to determine a base modifier that will be used in most Tests as well as providing a multiplier to increase the effectiveness of certain Traits (Mana & Vitality, which will be covered in a future article).  Levels will help provide some built-in balance, even though my design principles maintain that balance is firmly in the dominion of the game master.

Listening to: Faith No More - Angel Dust - Caffeine

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Designing Games with Class

I was thinking about what Brian stated over at Whitehall ParaIndustries on Mechanics Rationales and how many game designers seem to never ask why they choose to include a particular mechanic in their rules.  I imagine it is because they have a predisposition for the mechanic (i.e. their favorite game had it or because they think it’s unique).

So I am going to talk a bit about some of the design decisions I have made during some personal projects and why I made them.  Around the middle of last year (before I began blogging) I made a laundry list of features that I wanted to see in a roleplaying game.  The list looked similar to this:

• Classless
• Point-buy
• Talent (Skill) Trees
• Customizable
• Scaling Abilities (Especially Racial)
• Open Game Content (CC or OGL)

While many games met several, or most, of the criteria listed above, I didn’t find a single roleplaying game that had them all (the Open Content criteria is the clincher).  I should mention that Green Ronin’s Mutants & Masterminds did meet these goals, but upon closer inspection there some minor things I wasn’t looking for (lack of hit points being one). So I decided that I would develop my set of rules, which would meet all the criteria.  Thus the Echelon Gaming System was born.  Development is still in its infancy, but is plodding ahead.

Echelon Decisions

When I decided make my own rules, I did a lot of research on design methods and questioned myself on why I chose the features on my list.  I also asked myself if it would live up to a design goal I had established years ago when I was developing MUDs:  A game should be easy to learn, yet difficult to master.

What I did not want was a jumble of disconnected mechanics that required an immense amount of time invested to even understand how to create a character.  Nor did I want a game that played the same after a year as it did after five minutes.

I also wanted a rules system that allowed for extensive character customization.  You want a plate armor wearing, a greatsword wielding, Arch Wizard?  It can do that.  You want a pirate-ninja-vampire monkey?  It can do that too.  Of course, with extensive customization issues there will be extensive balance issues.

One of the first decisions I made with Echelon was to go with a classless system.  Why?  I wanted flexibility and think that classes are too linear and restrictive when determining a character’s progression and concept.  Let’s take a closer look at class (and classless) systems.

Definition of Class

A class is an assembly of features (abilities, advantages, and/or hindrances) that are accessible by a character once the class is chosen.  Accessibility of class features may be dependent upon level or other requisite elements.  Classes are usually derived from genre archetypes, careers, or professions.  Classless systems usually employ skill or trait based methods to provide abilities to characters.

Example Systems

To get a better understanding of how other game designers had used classes (or lack thereof) in their games, I compiled a concise catalog of roleplaying games that featured a class or classless component.  I also saw there was a hybrid style approach that utilized classes as well a skill/trait based methods to provide a greater flexibility than a pure class system would allow.

Classed

One of the best examples of a pure class system is from the D&D Rules Cyclopedia.  You had Cleric, Druid, Dwarf, Elf, Fighter, Halfling, Magic-User, Mystic, and Thief.  Yes, even the demihuman races were classes!  Thinking back now, I think everything one could do (except weapon mastery and general skills) was defined by class.

Classless

The classic classless system is probably GURPS (Generic Universal Role-Playing System).  A player can pick advantages/perks, disadvantages/quirks, and skills for their character freely.  Another very good classless system is HERO System, which also has an amazing point-buy power creation system.

 Hybrid

Both Dungeons & Dragons (since at least 2^nd Edition) and the World of Darkness line of games I consider hybrid systems.  At first glance, late edition D&D appears like a pure class system, but then you add multi-classing, prestige classes or paragon paths, templates, and feats and you have a system far more flexible than a pure class system.

The World of Darkness does the same thing, but from the other end of the spectrum.  It appears classless, and the base World of Darkness setting (New WoD) is, but when you begin adding templates it reigns in some of the flexibility of a pure classless system.  In the World of Darkness, [supernatural] race becomes the class.

As you can see, two of the most popular roleplaying games are actually hybrids that strike an appealing balance between pure classed and pure classless systems.  I like this hybrid area and I think this will be where Echelon will fall, most likely sitting very close to the Storytelling System of the World of Darkness.

Advantages

Classed

The intent of a class is usually to provide niche protection, power balance, and give direction to character roles within a group dynamic.  Classes also diminish the number of decisions a player needs to make during character creation as well provide a division between of rules so that players may ignore anything that does not pertain to their class.  This usually translates to a feeling that a game is easy to learn or needs little time invested.

Classless

A classless system allows for maximum character customization within the existing rules.  Many argue that classless systems help reinforce one of the primary attractions of roleplaying games: the freedom they provide players to freely interact in a shared world.  The complexity of a classless system is wholly dependent on the components of the rules and how many options are available.

Criticisms

Classed

The primary criticism of classes is the inherent lack of flexibility.  Often, when designers try to improve the flexibility of their game by adding sub-systems (multi-classing, talent/skill trees, class trees, etc.) they often increase complexity exponentially and create severe balance issues.

Classless

Some of the criticisms of classless systems are unbalancing specializations (via maximizing a single skill), too much choice leads to long character creations and advancement decisions,  and increased time investment learning the rules.  Another argument is that eventually, trends in choosing abilities leads to class-like builds anyways, which is counterproductive.

Questions of Balance

So after considering the options and the advantages and disadvantages of each, I went with implementing a hybrid system that could take the best of elements of classed and classless systems.  The key to making it work is by overcoming some of the balance concerns of the classless components.

Balance can be overcome by calculating the cost of acquiring abilities.  Since I also plan on using a point-buy system, cost will be a literal mechanic: experience.  Costs of increasing skills and abilities will be exponentially greater.  In the end, however, I am a firm believer that balance is the purview of the Game Master, and the really good ones excel at imposing balance without the players even knowing.

Listening to: Pennywise – Straight Ahead – Alien

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Putting a Hex on D&D

For readers new to Mad Brew Labs, I have been working on a rank-based d20 system called Echelon.  During Echelon’s development, I took another look at the use of square grids during tactical play in Dungeons & Dragons.  When making decisions when designing game mechanics, I try to maximize realism without sacrificing too much efficiency.  If you could graph realism and efficiency of a mechanic on a chart, the point where the two cross each other is the magic intersection called fun, at least from my perspective.

I like detailed combat systems with a plethora of options, but I also do not want play to grind to a halt while players and gamemasters try to do big calculations.  It would seem that detailed combat and ease of use are sometimes mutually exclusive.  Perhaps without any other constraints they might be.  If the rules can be executed swiftly after a modicum of familiarity, then I am happy.   This requirement also tends to shape the target audience of my game.

So the question I posed to myself was, “Are square grids accurate enough for my tastes?”  So I decided to look at other methods of creating tiled maps, but only ones that used regular tessellations.  Then I measured the pros and cons of each method and finally decided on supporting two methods which I reveal at the end of this article.

Tessellations

A tessellation or tiling of the plane is a collection of plane figures that fills the plane with no overlaps and no gaps (Wikipedia).  This means the a pattern of two dimensional shapes that repeat without leaving space between each other or intersect each other.  The works of M.C. Escher often dealt with tessellating shapes and patterns.

A regular tessellation is a highly symmetric tessellation made up of congruent regular polygons.  Only three regular tessellations exist: those made up of equilateral triangles, squares, or hexagons.  These symmetric tiles are the most appropriate patterns for use in miniature combat.  There were four elements that I used when testing mapping styles: miniature base compatibility, spell effect templates, flanking, and accurate movement

Triangles

Looking at tessellated triangles reminds me of creating custom maps for Unreal Tournament.  Many video games use tessellations to render terrain and objects.  I found several issues with attempting to use equilateral triangles for tactical combat maps.

The first problem is there is a facing issue in that the tiled triangles alternate from point up to point down.  There was also a question of how one moved from space to space.  Can one only move to a triangle that shares a side or merely a vertex.

I also found that there is not a good size to use to take advantage of current miniature scales.  A triangle large enough to fit a 1 inch inscribed circle leaves too much wasted space at the corners of the triangle.  When using larger sized minis, this problem intensified.

Squares

The default dungeon tile since I can remember.  I do not think Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2^nd Edition officially supported squared tiles, but I do remember extensively using grid paper to draw practically all my dungeons.  From 3^rd Edition on, the square has been the de facto method of presenting dungeons.

Squares obviously work well with the standard 1″ miniature base and its larger bases since D&D miniatures were designed for use with square grids.  Flanking is also cut and dry, as the 3.5 rules have clearly covered the topic when using a square grid.  Spell effects can be somewhat chunky in nature I sometimes think that targets in squares that would be partially affected in the radius of a spell should get something.

Squares allow movement in eight directions as well as making the construction of dungeons simple and clean.  In 3.5 D&D a character moving diagonal would count every other diagonal square as two squares to proximate the true distance travelled (remember the Pythagorean Theorem?).  I never did the math before, but it is a surprisingly close approximation.  Movement of 5 diagonal 1″ squares actually equals 7.0710 squares of horizontal or vertical movement (which would have been counted as 7 squares under the 3.5 method).

The 4^th Edition of D&D eliminates the need to count squares twice in the name of simplicity, but I do not think it is that difficult to count a square twice in the name of accuracy.

Hexes

Hex maps have been a mainstay of many wargames as well as the default grid for overland maps from the older editions of Dungeons & Dragons.  I can still remember getting the hex transparencies in the old box sets from 1^st and 2^nd edition.

The primary strength of hex tessellations is that the distance from the center of a hex to any adjacent hex is the same, so we do not encounter any issues where you need to counter every other move twice.  A hex map does limit movement to only six axes, but it does represent spell template radii as there are not any partially effected spaces.

The primary weaknesses of hex mapping are issues with compatibility of mini bases of the large and gargantuan sizes and by extension flanking.  These sizes look odd when demarked on a hex map and resemble triangles with their tips truncated (see the d20 Hypertext SRD for more).

Gridless

Many skirmish games simply use rulers or measuring tape to determine distance.  This of course provides the most accuracy, but also allows for more disputes (“my base was barely touching the area of effect!”).

It is fully compatible with any scale of miniature base, spell templates are accurate.  Though it produces more questions, such as how much of a base must be within the template to be affected.  Movement is not confined to a grid and is very accurate.

The biggest problem I see with abstaining from grids is determining flanking positions.  My solution is if you can draw a line through the center of the target mini’s base and the line touches any part of the bases of threatening minis on opposite sides of the target, then that target is flanked.  Of course, it could be a hassle visually checking this rule, but a laser pointer could be your best friend.

Conclusion

Obviously triangles are not conducive to tactical miniature combat.  For the Echelon Gaming System I am going to stick with 1″ squares as the preferred method of mapping.  Squares provide the most flexibility in movement, are the easiest to use, and are fairly accurate.  Not to mention most roleplayers are familiar with it.

I also plan on providing rules for going gridless with full miniature terrain.  I think I will call it the Hardcore method as it requires the most work but, in my opinion, provides the best accuracy and immersion.  I love the freedom is gives players to move around well constructed terrain.

I think that the hex may also find a home with the Dead Wastes campaign setting as the preferred method of identifying areas on overland maps.  This way when I am describing a location, I can refer to its coordinates on the hex map for easy referencing.

Listening to: Testament – The Formation of Damnation – More Than Meets the Eye

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Echelon: Recovered, now with Gnomes!

It has been a while since I have written anything about one of my original projects, the Echelon Gaming System.  A major reason for this is the fact that I was keeping the working document on a usb flash drive, so I could work on it wherever I went, and the flash drive got fried.  And when my drive died, so did my motivation to work on Echelon.

It must be my shoes, my clothes, or the carpet, but I always manage to build a store of static eletricity while sitting at my desk (perhaps a sign to not sit on my ass so much).  Well, I was about to get up and I reached for the drive and I felt that zap as I discharged some of that built up energy into the drive.  Then you could smell the pungent odor of burnt electronics.

Well, I decided to take the sucker apart and I saw some burn marks around what I would call electrodes (I’m not an electrical engineer by any means) on the PCB.  So I took a cotton swap dipped in rubbing alcohol and attempted to clean it.  Well, it must of worked, because the drive works intermittently, and I was able to recover some of my files!

I was so excited I decided to post my unfinished version of the Gnome race for Echelon.  My goal was to take a more feral approach to the race, making them a fey type and boosting their skill with illusion.  I don’t know if this version will make it into the final draft of Echelon, but it shows the general direction I want to take them.  Note that I have not created a table for their animal companion, but I do have some short descriptions of how a few powers work.

Gnomes

Racial Traits:
	Average Height	: 3’5” – 4’-0”
	Average Weight	: 65-75 lbs.
	Speed	: 25 ft.
	Vision	: Lowlight
	Automatic Languages	: Common, Gnome
	Bonus Languages	: Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, and Goblin
	Favored Powers	: Skald, Wizardry
	Size	: Small
Heroic Tier:
	Ability Scores	: +1 Constitution, +1 Charisma
	Skill Affinities	: +1 Arcana, +1 Bluff
	Weapon Familiarity	: Gnomes may treat gnome hooked hammers as martial weapons rather than exotic weapons.
	Discern Illusion	: Gnomes received a +1 racial bonus against illusions
	Fey Glamour	: You can use fey glamour as an encounter power.
	Giant Evasion	: +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against monsters of giant type.
	Gnomish Trickery	: Gnomes possess a +1 racial bonus to attack when casting spells of the Illusion subtype.
	Misdirection	: You can use misdirection as a daily power.
	Racial Enemies	: +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against goblinoids and kobolds.
	Speak with Critters	: Gnomes may speak with any burrowing mammal at will (see the speak with animals spell description).
Paragon Tier:
	Ability Scores	: +1 Constitution, +1 Intelligence
	Skill Affinities	: +1 Bluff
	Animal Minion	: You gain an animal companion chosen from the Gnome Animal Companion table (see table below).
	Knack for Illusion	: Spells of the Illusion subtype cost Gnomes 1 less Mana to cast, for a minimum of 1 Mana for illusions with a casting cost.
	Pierce Illusion	: Gnomes receive an additional +1 racial bonus against illusions.
	Swift Performance	: You may make a Performance check as a swift action.
Epic Tier:
	Ability Scores	: +1 Constitution, +1 Charisma
	Skill Affinities	: +1 Arcana
	Break Illusion	: Gnomes receive an additional +1 racial bonus against illusions.
	Cloak of Disillusion	: You grant non-gnome allies within 10 squares of you a +2 racial bonus against spells of the illusion subtype.
	Improved Speed	: Gnomes increase their speed to 30 ft.
	Smoke & Mirrors	: You can use smoke & mirrors as a daily power.
Legendary Tier:
	Ability Scores	: +1 Charisma
	Skill Affinities	: +1 Bluff
	Dazzle	: You can use dazzle as an encounter power.
	Drain Illusion	: You gain half the Mana cost of any Illusion that fails to affect you.
	Greater Animal Minion	: Animal companion increases one size and gains Dire template.
	Shatter Illusion	: Gnomes receive an additional +2 racial bonus against illusions.

Misdirection – Swift action, your next ranged power does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Smoke & Mirrors – If an enemy misses you with a ranged or melee (non area) attack, you can force the enemy to attack another enemy adjacent to you.

Dazzle – Burst, enemies are blinded, save ends.

Listening to: Crematory - Revolution – Solitary Psycho

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Echelon: Powers

Powers are the primary abilities of a character.  They are the means by which characters will affect their environment.  Powers may be thought of as the tools of various professions.  Wizards cast spells, priests channel the gods through prayers, and rangers strike from a distance with archery.

Gaining Powers

During character creation, you may allocate 3 ranks into any power or combination of powers.  After character creation, you gain powers by purchasing them with Experience Points.  Powers cost the rank being purchased multiplied by 5 for Powers favored by your race or multiplied by 7 for any other Power.

Using Powers

Each Power has a key skill listed in brackets next to its name.  Each rank of a Power has in its description the following: name, cost (if any), action type, resolution method, damage type (if any), and effect type (if any).  To use a power you must be able to perform the action type (free, swift, immediate, move, standard, full-round, or extended) and have the necessary amount of Vitality or Mana to spend for the Power’s cost.

After paying the Power’s cost, you roll a d20 and add the character’s rank in the Power and its key skill to the roll and it must overcome either a static DC or the target’s appropriate Defense listed in the Power rank’s resolution method.

Artifice [Craft]

Artifice governs the ability to create, forge, and craft things beyond the mundane.  It is the art of weaving dweomers into the worked steel of a sword, binding an enchantment upon a freshly forged ring, and hammering magical vestments into plate mail.  It also covers the manufacture of golems and other constructs as well as the brewing of potions.

Alchemy

Alchemy is the art of brewing potions, distilling elixirs, and concocting oils.  An alchemist can infuse just about any effect into liquid form, providing an easy to use resource that can be kept in reserve for when it is most needed.  The source of these mystical fluids may be supplied from magical or natural elements.

*      Smelt Element Create alchemic items such as thunderstones and tanglefoot
**     Brew Potion Create potions such as cure wounds, haste, and bear’s strength
***   Concoct Poison Create contact, ingested, inhaled, and injury poisons
****  Extrude Oil Create uncommon oils such as etherealness
*****  Distil Elixir Create rare elixirs such as life, love, and truth

Automata

Automata is the purview of artificers who wish to either make life easier by delegating mundane tasks to constructs or play god by striving to instill sentience into something fashioned by their own hands.  Either way, assembling and animating automatons can lead to misfortune should an artificer’s creations break free from her control.

*       Clockwork Create small devices and automatons that do repetitive tasks
**      Homunculus Create a small servant from your own flesh
***     Lesser Golem Create golems with simple instructions
****   Greater Golem Create golems with more complex instructions
*****  Spark of Life Instill a form of sentience in one of your creations

Imbue

Imbue allows artificers to instill magical properties upon mundane items.  Legendary weapons, enchanted armors, and mystical rings have all been crafted by an artificer utilizing the Imbue power.   Many traps in treasure laden tombs have been enhanced by a royal artificer to keep the raiders and looters at bay.

*        Limited Enhance Enhance weapons or armor for a limited time
**       Minor Enhance Give small permanent enhancements on equipment
***     Minor Dweomer Imbue equipment with lesser dweomers such as frost
****    Major Enhance Give large permanent enhancements on equipment
*****   Major Dweomer Imbue equipment with greater dweomers such as haste

Listening to: Union Underground – An Education in Rebellion – South Texas Deathride

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