CORE Command Developer's Journal

Welcome to the second installment of what we hope will be a regular feature on our Web site. In these brief entries, we will attempt to provide readers with an insight of what is going on behind the scene at Dream Pod 9 when we create a new game line. The journal will also provide you with some sneak previews of the stuff in the work, and this right up to the release of the game later this summer.

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five

Part Two: Rules Design & Objectives

As promised two weeks ago, I'll take a quick look at the work being done to upgrade, streamline and modernize the Silhouette rule engine that has been at the core ('scuse the pun) of all DP9 games. The following list assumes at least familiarity with the existing rules; check our demo sets for the basics (see the 'Goodies' menu above for some downloadable versions).

Character Generation

The character rules will remain mostly the same, since they're proven and well-tested, having been in use continuously since 1995. The major changes will be in the presentation of the rules (to make them easier to use) and additional options (to fix shortcomings that people have told us about over the years).

The zero-average (i.e., "0" is the stat of an average human) Attributes and modifiers are being kept as is. They work well and are representative. The one thing we will do is make sure all Attributes are equally useful, by giving special options and Skill connections to some of the traditionally less "useful" ones. For example, it will be possible to use one's Appearance or Willpower to bend someone else to their wishes or intimidate them prior to a fight, weakening their resolve. Why fight if you can get past the guard with just an evil-looking sneer?

Skills will see the most rework. We're expanding the possible Skill range, going from the original 1-5 to 1-10. While you will be able to roll buckets of dice if you want to, that's not the idea behind the expanded range. There will be mechanisms in place that will allow you to "trade in" dice for special effects (rolling more dice will also means less Fumbles, too). For example -- and keep in mind these ideas are being tested and may not be present in the final book -- dropping dice might give you "rapid-fire" attacks, distributing your single attack roll versus multiple hand-to-hand targets (high-speed kung-fu action!); or you might prefer to go for an automatic success, with a result equal to your Skill level (good against foot troops and the like -- not so good against the villain's henchmen).

Speaking of Fumbles, we're tinkering with them. They may count as a result of 1 (so the roll might succeed, with enough modifiers), but something bad happens -- the gun jams, the PC hits the opponent with the round kick but pulls a groin muscle, etc. We want to find a way to use Fumbles to drive the action forward or redirect it in interesting directions, not slow it down!

Another Skill option we're considering is giving "Tech Levels" of sort to the various Skills, in addition to their level. This would allow you to model, for example, a daring WWI ace pilot (high level, low tech) or an incompetent future fighter pilot (low level, high tech), or any mix in between. This also forces you to make choices during character generation and improvement: raise ability in depth (level) or breath (tech level)? Have a few all-powerful Skills, or many average ones? The key to making this work, obviously, is to give enough Character Points to create a well-balanced starting PC but not quite enough, both to force choices during character generation and to leave room for future growth.

Character Rules

The RPG action rules themselves will remain similar, but will be completely re-organized. We'd like to integrate the task and combat systems, rather than have a completely separate combat section. After all, combat is just a very specialized task, with many options (at least in game terms -- real-life combat is something else entirely). A unified system would also make the non-combat Skills more interesting, by making former combat-only modifiers applicable to everything: do you do the job fast or slow? In light or shadow? Noisily or silently? etc. So now even tools and equipment could have Accuracy and other stats, which allows for a wider range of equipment variation ("this tool kit is good for most jobs, but not subtle; this one is easier to use, but it can't handle the bigger jobs") and thus game choices. Choices and options are good!

Lastly, we want to revise the whole experience system to make character progression more interesting and rewarding. Again, it all comes down to options: do you use XPs for character improvement (boosting Attributes? Skills? Tech Level? Equipment?) or to buy safeguard for the future: Fate Points, or new contacts? We're still exploring that field, but it all comes down to choices (again).

Vehicle and Equipment Rules

This is where the system will see the greatest changes. We're tinkering with a highly streamlined version of the effect-based Silhouette vehicles and equipment rules. The idea is to keep all the flexibility of the current set-up, without the calculations which are the most complex part of the current rules.

The core of this will be a simplified vehicle design system. While it will remain freeform and effect-based, there will be tech levels; we don't want to avoid min-maxed or extreme machines, but we do want to identify them as such clearly. You'll still be able to chose exactly the stats and features you want. The new rules will separate the Threat Value (how dangerous the machine is) and its monetary cost -- no more TV10000 planes because of a fancy long-range radio! In a move that will no doubt please many, we're pulling out as many squares and roots as possible. Then we'll streamline and unify as many Perks & Flaws costs and effects as we can; whenever possible, opposed systems (like ECM and ECCM) will be costed directly against one another.

Vehicle auxiliary systems and most devices will go to a "zero-plus" format (i.e., 0 is minimum, for example "no sensors," etc.). Functionally, they work the same as "zero-average" Attributes: you just add the Rating to the dice roll. This entails modifying the target numbers for some types of actions, nothing more. No more "what does -3 Sensor means, in real world terms?" -- if an item as a negative modifier, it means it impairs you, and will generally come into play only with vital equipment that you can't do without (try and repair a quantum-level circuit without a microscope...).

As for the combat rules, they'll work roughly the same way, but again we will simplify them. The current rule set offers lots of options, but also often too much details as well. Taking a page from the well-received Lightning Strike wargame, we will make sure the session doesn't devolve into a tedious chart-checking and measuring task list.

Conclusion

So that's about where we're at right now. The above should keep you guys busy for a while... If you think there are other segments of the rules that bear revisions, feel free to let us know. But please, leave personal preferences and house rules aside -- we're looking for problems to fix, not complications to add! (wink)

-- Marc A. Vezina, Senior Editor