Redpill Diary #1: Identity

I am the Warden!!

If you didn't read yesterday's announcement of my first fully detailed Optional System setting, then this might be a bit confusing at first. Go ahead, click here, scroll down to the bottom, then come back. All good? Let's continue.

Seeing as the first question players ask when you tell them about a new game is "What can I play?" it only makes sense to make this the first priority for Redpill. What do the players play? As leading as the title to this project may be, I want to have as much variety and exposure to the entire world of the Matrix as possible. It's not just about playing everything exactly as the films, but creating a vivid, expansive universe where players can mix it up and try something new.

Racial Creeds

I am the Warden!!

(And if you didn't know that by now.)

An incredibly productive day yesterday with all the revisions to the Optional System plugged in and ready for more playtesting. But that's neither here nor there, because my only reason for telling you that is to start moving on to new material. And since I'm in a crazy creed-building mode, I'm gonna stick with that theme.

As the majority of my playtesting at home consists of fantasy campaigns, race plays a factor in our stories. Our monthly Friday night game doesn't really stretch the boundaries of the imagination: two humans and a tiefling from D&D. Yet no fantasy game seems complete without a wide variety of races, both classical and modern, to demonstrate the depth and scope of your world. As a human fan, it's rare for me to branch out into something else other than the adaptable human, but there's no denying the love for dwarves (aye, with a thick Scottish accent ta boot!), elves (though I feel their immortality or longevity has been poorly overlooked in nearly 95% of all settings), halflings, and for most others, gnomes. (I can't stand them myself. Long story.) Therefore, the time has come to start looking at how creeds can bring these races to life.

Creed

I am the Warden!!

Remember the latest draft of Optional: Playtest? Yeah, scratch that. Got another one for ya. Version 0.2 now features Chapter 3: Master Dice and, more importantly, Appendix IV: Creeds. Which brings me to today's topic: creeds.

The initial design of the Optional System was intended as a classless system based entirely on spending training points and while that option remains, it was obvious a class-based system did have its advantages, particularly when it comes to drawing in new players. For this, concessions were made but the important absolutes remained. First of all, there are no "class levels" in the Optional System. For that, creeds have become templates for character creation.

Matrix: Restoration (Part 1)

I am the Warden!!

While the rest of you are heading out to Gencon with your suitcase repacked from ComicCon (or SDCC, if you like, since that's now the trend), I'm making preparations for our own gaming convention. Gaming At The Lake weekend, or GATLing, as we call it. It's a very exclusive con for gamers in the Ottawa area with only 6 seats available and we'll always booked well in advance.

For our 3rd GATLing, we're breaking from tradition (we normally play a D&D epic level slaughterfest where the main villain is a deity; first it was Orcus, then Pelor on the hit list) and running the first Optional System playtest. To make the event twice as sweet, I'm working on a Matrix one-shot and calling it Matrix: Restoration.

Who Watches the Watchers?

The OSRPG character sheet, that's who.

Oh, sorry.

I am the Warden!!

Tomorrow is the next playtest for the Optional System and while I had originally planned to start the converted D&D-OSRPG campaign, we've altered the plans due to a player's GenCon attendance. (If you happen to be sitting down to a little Sword Noir, tell Fraser that Fish said shoot 'em in the foot.) Instead, we'll be picking up where another OSRPG playtest took off and I couldn't help but reward my loyal quartet of followers with a preview of where it's all headed.