Redpill Diary #3: A Question of Choice

I am the Warden!!

While the majority of effort continues to focus on fine tuning the core components of the Optional System, my mind remains plugged into the Matrix. Mostly notes, concepts, and theories, issues which require decisions before taking it to the next step. One of the biggest remains how detailed the Matrix should be.

I had a "meeting" with a good friend about this very topic. I'm not a programmer by any definition - I still have trouble remembering the three buttons you hold down to reboot my Mac - but he is. And we talked about how the Matrix works as a hyper-virtual reality. In doing so, we came back to one major hurdle.

It depends on just how far down the rabbit hole you want to go.

Process of Elimination

I am the Warden!!

Playtesting can be a strange experience. At the end of our last session, my fiancee (those of you paying attention will know her as "Lady Warden") came to me after the guys left with a consoling tone and a sympathetic rub on my shoulder.

"Didn't go well, huh?"

Confused, I asked why she assumed as much.

"Because you guys didn't roll a lot of dice, you were just talking."

Au contraire, I explained. If anything, this last playtest was perhaps one of the most productive as we branched out from the core system into various alternatives for the dice mechanic. Seeing as this is called the Optional System, having just one method of achieving the same objective isn't mandatory. What came about from our last playtest was a fierce, competitive possibility to the OSRPG's dice mechanics.

Wanna hear about it? OK, you talked me into it.

Let the Playtesting Begin

I am the Warden!!

Behold the awesomeness of the Optional System. Optional: Playtest (v1.0) has been uploaded and can be downloaded from the Optional Library to the left or you can go to the brand spanking new Optional: Playtest page for downloads and more. Anyone new to the blog should definitely check this page out for details on what the hell I'm talking about.

Once again, anyone looking to try this game out is welcome to download the PDF, read through, and contact me with question, concerns, or ideas for your own OSRPG game. Looking to run a particular genre and want some creeds, options, and power? No problem. Ask and ye shall receive.