Fri, 2011-01-14 14:37
a) are there any "blank cards" (where you could use something erasable/wipe-able to make a temporary card, or with a fill-in-PDF sheet of blank cards, you could make your own cards to print)? Seems like a good product idea.
b) are there any published rules/guidelines for designing your own cards?
(a) isn't strictly required, but it does make (b) more usable. I could probably create such cards from scans or something, but (b) is definitely a requirement.
For example, what if I want to do settings that have races and/or gear that aren't covered by existing Untold packs, or I want to design an iconic magic sword, or other special device and/or power ... and none of those things is "close enough" to a published card?
Not having that ability at all means "I wont play Untold". Pure and simple. If my vocabulary is limited to the imagination and publishing decisions of the game designer, then that's really not interesting/useful to me. Plus, it doesn't really deliver on the game's promise of being able to use any random book on my shelves for playing Untold -- there are certainly things from other author's imaginations that Untold hasn't captured.
Not having rules for doing it means risking wildly unbalancing game events (or risking the introduction of munchkin-ism). Which will _probably_ lead to "I wont play Untold".
Sat, 2011-01-15 13:28
#2
Ben's spot on...
I could not have said it better myself, Ben. :)
Sun, 2011-01-16 13:36
#3
Right, but how much of that
Right, but how much of that fudging has to be done? How much squinting do you have to do to convert (on the fly, since this supposed to be fast furious and fun, instead of bogging me down in conversions) a published adventure from another game system?
Is there a guide (free, or even cheaply downloadable) for, say, all of the spells, feats, class abilities, monstrous abilities, and psionic abilities from the d20 SRD and d20 Modern SRD? Cards that match the basic super-powers and power-advantages (and even power disadvantages) from the Hero System?
Race cards for all of the generic staples (human is there, obviously, but elf, half-elf, orc, half-orc, half-ling, dwarf, goblin, ogre, dragon, etc.)? and that's on the fantasy side ... what about some common horror and space opera ones?
Cyber-gear cards that match the types of gear you'd get in Cyberspace, Cyberpunk, Shadowrun, etc.?
Maybe even licensed decks to use with/mix the basic/core decks (licenses I might want to see: Mutant Chronicles, DC Heroes, Marvel Heroes, Warhammer Fantasy, Warhammer 40k, Call of Cthulhu, RTG's Cyberpunk, Deadlands*, Weird War II*, Necropolis-2350*, and maybe even officially licensed WOTC titles like D&D and official D&D and D20Modern settings, like Gamma World, Dark Sun, Greyhawk, Eberon, etc.). I'd want to see them cover race cards, powers/spells and gadget cards, and even common minions. Might also be nice to see Spell Law and such ported over from Rolemaster and Spacemaster. What would be outstandingly cool (but also rather obscure) would be the Atlantis RPG ("The Arcanum", "The Bestiary", "The Atlas of Atlantis", originally published by Bard games, but most recently published by Morrigan Press).
Of course, seeing the 3 big titles would be nice too, but probably prohibitively expensive for a start-up (Star Wars, Star Trek, and Lord of the Rings). Though, one interesting way to get your foot in the door would be to look at how Star Fleet Battles does licensing (you design/adapt the license, they have to sell it, because their Star Trek license doesn't let them sub-license; but they share the revenue with you). Applying Untold to their Prime Directive RPG could be quite interesting ... and even lead to adapting Untold to vehicle and starship combat type games. (which I think would be an outstanding thing to see: the richness of the star fleet battles setting, the simplicity of untold, without being as cheesy as some of their past attempts at star trek battles card games). But, yeah, while I'd like to see the big 3, I doubt that'll happen.
(* Savage Worlds settings)
...
Actually, mentioning the Hero System primitive powers system, what I'd really like to see is:
1) blank cards you can dry-erase, or print from PDF "fill in" forms,
2) "Primitive Cards"** (ala Hero System powers, power advantages, and power disadvantages), and
3) rules for layering the Primitive Cards into "new cards", the same way you essentially (behind the scenes) layer race+power cards into minion cards. Only you wouldn't just be doing this to build minions, you'd be doing this to build complex powers, complex gadgets, etc.
(** the term "primitive" coming from mathematics, where primitives are basic operations (addition, subtraction, etc.) from which you can build any other complex function (circumference = 2 * pi * r ; multiplication being the primitive you're heavily using here as the basis of building the "circumference" operation))
With that, I should be able to build a cyber implant, power armor, magic sword, super power, etc., that does what I want. Then I'd just need a good solid selection of race cards, I think.
....
I will probably buy the core deck sometime in the next month or so (I may even order it this weekend), but I don't know that that will hook me into the game. I just find the idea compelling, but I'm not sold on this being how I will run my future RPGs. That said, seeing the generic Fantasy stuff covered (being able to do everything that's in the d20SRD, without having to do a lot of fudging and squinting -- it doesn't have to be exactly the d20SRD, it just has to be "Turing Equivalent"), and maybe at least guides for "How to do X from game Y" would go along way to selling me on it. Having the Hero style primitives deck and blank cards would almost certainly do it (it would cause more off-line work for me, the GM, but it would convince me that no matter what I want to do, I can definitely do it). Having The Mutant Chronicles & Atlantis as supplemental decks would probably seal the deal... and having the other material I mentioned ... I would certainly buy it.
And, like I just said, it doesn't necessarily have to be custom/supplement decks ... it could be as simple as comprehensive "how to" guides, so that I can do my squinting a little faster...
Sat, 2011-01-15 20:25
#4
Re: Atlantis: looks like the
Re: Atlantis: looks like the most recent publisher was Khepera (http://www.godsendagenda.com/), which formed after Morrigan had issues. Khepera also published Godsend and Hellas, two other interesting settings. Though, they don't currently appear to be publishing Atlantis.
Sat, 2011-01-15 21:16
#5
Two other settings/games
Two other settings/games whose material I wouldn't mind seeing covered/adapted/licensed:
Ars Magica
White Wolf's WOD (Mage, Vampire, Werewolf, etc.)
Particularly the magic systems from Ars Magica and Mage.
Sat, 2011-01-15 22:35
#6
Working on something like that right now...
We actually have several things in the works like that right now, johnkzin! We're working on a conversion from Untold to SWEX, Strands of Fate, as well as some very nifty items that will do exactly what you're looking for - and I can guarantee, there's very little (if any) squinting involved!
We've already got a Supers license and are diligently working on the conversion into Untold and have a couple of more licenses waiting for the signatures. ;)
So, I think 2011 will make you very happy indeed! :D
Sun, 2011-01-16 04:54
#7
Good news. I look forward to
Good news. I look forward to seeing what unfolds :-)
a) No, but I believe there is something in the works similar to this idea.
b.) There is a thread here that explains the rules for submitting cards. Its a very simple process. Everything is explained in the thread.
As for your other question, there are several cards that can be "fudged" to be something (i.e. Club of the Ancestors -> Magic Sword, due to its stats). Also, please keep in mind that there are several new sets and settings in the works. So...
As for translating other RPGs into Untold: it's been my experience that with a little time and an understanding that Power A has an ability that I need but the name is different, that powers/abilities and other stats have translated very well. YMMV, but I've had a good experience with it.
Hope this helps and you stick with Untold!
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