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[Harry Baldman]

I seem to have a problem with abandoning games... it's not that I don't want to keep them going, it's just that I always feel like I end up hitting a brick wall at some point in terms of ideas or I find the rules I come up with are either not great or too hard to keep up with or worse, I end up finding that I set the bar for writing way too high and ended up in a position where I'd have to write a really good turn every time or it'd be a disappointment or something... What's the best solution to this kinda problem? Run simpler RTDs, or take a break from running RTDs?

My advice would be to run an RTD with a simple premise and few mechanics plus a low standard of writing. Maybe something different in theme from your usual fare. Something bright and cheery, for instance.

[Fniff]

I seem to have a problem with abandoning games... it's not that I don't want to keep them going, it's just that I always feel like I end up hitting a brick wall at some point in terms of ideas or I find the rules I come up with are either not great or too hard to keep up with or worse, I end up finding that I set the bar for writing way too high and ended up in a position where I'd have to write a really good turn every time or it'd be a disappointment or something... What's the best solution to this kinda problem? Run simpler RTDs, or take a break from running RTDs?

My advice would be to run an RTD with a simple premise and few mechanics plus a low standard of writing. Maybe something different in theme from your usual fare. Something bright and cheery, for instance.

Hm... A change of pace would be good, as well as a change of mood. I do have an idea that would suit that. Thanks for the advice!

[SealyStar]

I'm not proclaiming to be some experienced, jaded RtD veteran, but I'm thinking of maybe creating one with simple, familiar rules and a linear story, but with a bizarre premise and room for variation to compensate, instead of the complicated rules I've been trying at so far.

Complicated rules are very fun to conceive, but completely terrible to actually work with. Complicated rules are also somewhat at odds with what I would consider the essence of an RTD - simplicity of play. Nobody plays an RTD to deal with paperwork.

Also, it doesn't even have to be a bizarre premise. Just one that offers the potential for fun. Like generic high fantasy, for instance.

The bizarre premise is for my own benefit, because it's more fun to tell a weirder story.

[Tsuchigumo550]

I've got down a list of all parts names, but it's unlikely I'll be able to do much matching to actual part data. Yes, the accuracy for weapons could actually be made to match, but the lack of cohesive data, my not owning the game anymore, and wanting to/having to add content makes my job slightly harder. Right now, I have these guidelines for "core" mecha families, these are the mecha parts that look similar to each other- "family" parts, like, the same model with variation.

Variations on similar parts will be kept to 3 models or less.

Spoiler: Family list (click to show/hide)

Zenith Family
Tendus
Tempest Family
Husky Family (Moth?)
Giza Family
Pavot Family
Zola Family
Galvo Family
Vapor Family
Crabseant Family
Grop Family (Peregrine)
Moth Family (Zikade) (Cicada)
Bizant Family (Crof) (Indos)
Stork Family (Vasa)
Frost Family (Blizzazia)
ORCUS Family
Avenir Family (Bonart)
Zeareid Family (Novareid)
Frost Family
Arpeggio Family (Orgel) (Fargot)
TYPE 65 (67) (67C)
Wild Goat Family (Ratmount)
Prismoea Family (Prozion) (Perzea)
Zinc Family (Zeroa)
Sakata 103
Pegase Family (Eldos)
Sakata 150
Terran Family (Caroc)
Vals Family (Valiant)

Still need to grab some weapons and the parts that weren't part of a full kit, plus possibly adding Numsekar and Igel Eins/ models from FM2-5.

---

Began adding stats. Cores have Armor, Health, Weight, and Generator:
Armor is depleted by taking normal attacks. When it hits 0, health can be directly attacked.
If a unit has 1 armor left and takes, say, 24 damage? The armor is broken, but takes no more damage.

[lawastooshort]

Complicated rules are very fun to conceive, but completely terrible to actually work with. Complicated rules are also somewhat at odds with what I would consider the essence of an RTD - simplicity of play. Nobody plays an RTD to deal with paperwork.

Also, it doesn't even have to be a bizarre premise. Just one that offers the potential for fun. Like generic high fantasy, for instance.

I also want to belatedly ^^^^THIS this.

I also think that you can do a storyline in an rtd.

I also think numbers should be limited for the sake of the GM, which, in turn, is for the sake of the players.

[Tsuchigumo550]

I'm going to do a trial run of the FM styled game once I get everything written, as i need balance testing and that kind of thing. The rules aren't too complicated, and customization is allowed on a fairly large scale.

The test environment, or first game, is comprised of 3-5 missions. maybe more, maybe less.

[flabort]

Alright. So envision you're a trader on the stock market.
Only, you're not buying stock in companies, you're buying and selling magical stones, their values changed by the shifting of unpredictable planets and stars. Because astronomers are crackpots.
And owning certain stones gives you certain perks... only the perks aren't always bonuses, especially depending on the positions of the stars.

Stock Ticker: The TCG: Calvinball style.

New stones enter the trading pool as new traders arrive from exotic lands. And they may leave to other trading pools; players joining all join the initial pool (a big metropolitan area, like Ethshar of the Spices (if you've read those books)), but may "leave" for other lands, where there are other traders. They can't trade with players or NPCs outside of their pool, but there are always at least 4 other traders... if there are less, the pool is disbanded, and all the traders go to other pools.
NPC traders come and go, and sometimes "disappear" over seas, or wandering the wilds... only to meet up with enough other NPC traders to form a new pool, or to return bearing rare stones. Or objects of even greater rarity and worth.
The currency of the land, besides glowing rocks, is copper coins. The richest of the rich may have some silver, and seeing a gold piece is a once in a lifetime event. However, the stones seem to be able to draw coins from unknown space... and your pockets always seem to get lighter when the stars are in someone else's favor.

You do not do any wizardry, that is the providence of someone born to do wizardry. Each wizard, though, is very much tied to these stones; upon the casting of a wizards' first spell, several ordinary rocks for an unknown distance suddenly turn into the valuable stones that traders crave so much... It's quite possible that possession of enough stones tied to a specific wizard could cause something special... or perhaps not. And maybe it's not the stars that affect a stone's auras and powers.... but it is known that wizards do gain their power from the stars.......

Many mysteries surround the stones. And the rate at which they trade hands keeps anyone from truly figuring them out. Including why handing one over causes coins to disappear from one trader's pockets and appear in the other's coin purse without either laying a hand on a coin. Or why wizards will do almost anything to collect the stones tied to themselves. Or why they are always inedible. Or why they don't lose power when a wizard tied to them dies. Actually, that last one is pretty obvious.

[Person]

That is a highly interesting concept to me, but I'm not sure how many people will want to play a trading simulator. Obligatory tf2 joke of your choice here.

[SealyStar]

I was just thinking - can we devise a semi-uniform classification system for RtDs?

CONFLICT:
PvE: The players are pitted against a common foe and the environment.
PvP: The players must fight each other.
Free fighting: Players fight both NPCs/GM events and each other.
Other: Mostly in experimental games, the conflict is something other than NPCs, environment, or other players.

GAME STRUCTURE:
Continuous linear: The simplest, just keep doing stuff.
Round/Mission-based: Gameplay is broken into rounds (more common with PvP) or missions (more common with PvE), where players have high freedom within a round but are not unrestrained.
Open-world: The most complex (IMO), with a consistent map and free movement/actions.

SIMPLICITY:
Minimalist: No characters, join freely, do whatever. Almost always d6-based, rarely have modifiers/special rules.
Simple: Include characters and/or special rules, but is not too complex. Usually d6-based.
Complex: Particularly complex special rules, alternative rolling systems, and/or detailed characters. Dice base varies.
Borderline RPG: Exceptionally complex rules, characters, or rolling systems. Dice base varies.

WRITING:
Minimal: A brief phrase from the GM describing outcome of an action.
Sparse: A short passage, rarely more than one or two sentences.
Complex: Longer passages, may be small paragraphs.
Novelesque: Sizable writings, usually a full paragraph or more accompany GM posts.

DICE:
d6: The most common.
nd6: Uses multiple d6es.
dX: Uses dice other than d6es.
Other dice: Anything weird, like using different dice for different rolls or compounding results unusually.
Gimmick: Uses something other than dice. Cards (selfpromotion), coins, and so on.

You get the idea? Just a way of categorizing games.

[Elephant Parade]

Needs expansion, and is sorta-kinda already used in the library, but it would work.
Speaking of which, is the library dead or what?

[SealyStar]

Well, obviously it "needs expansion". I was just giving an idea, hence the "you get the idea?" part.

[Dermonster]

Judging by the list I highly prefer PvE Mission-based Minimalist-Simple Complex-Novelesque D6.

[flabort]

And I like PvP Continuous linear Simple-BorderlineRPG Sparse-complex D6-Gimmick games most. Er, that's a lot of breathing room, but still.

[SeriousConcentrate]

I can deal with anything as long as the Conflict is PvE and the Simplicity is not Minimalist...

[mastahcheese]

I like this little classification system.

I prefer to play Free fighting Round/Mission-based Sparse (Any Dice, prefer non-D6 though.).

For running games, I don't really like to run PvE type games because I have to think of enemies all the time.
And I like doing non-D6 stuff, because I like to experiment and have fun.