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Which system would be best for a story driven rp?

Posted by Static Beats
Static Beats
member, 1 post
Mon 24 Oct 2016
at 17:28
  • msg #1

Which system would be best for a story driven rp?

I want to start an rp that will be story driven. Post apocalyptic, the world is a frozen wasteland, the events are planned to begin by following a caravan the characters are in.
But I have almost no experience with any system from a GM point of view.
Could anyone give me a little advice on which system(s) I should consider?
Bebo8096
member, 75 posts
Remember that idiot?
Yeah, that was me.
Mon 24 Oct 2016
at 17:51
  • msg #2

Which system would be best for a story driven rp?

I've recently been introduced to a system called Astounding Tales, which is a 1d6 based system. If you look at it, I think you might find it good for what you're looking for. I play a mad doctor (chemist and doctor) in a steampunk/sci-fi/weird west setting, so you can get some really fun things RP and story wise. (*cough* chinchillas in space *cough*)
This message was last edited by the user at 17:56, Mon 24 Oct 2016.
swordchucks
member, 1317 posts
Mon 24 Oct 2016
at 19:47
  • msg #3

Which system would be best for a story driven rp?

Apocalypse World has a lot of room for story to drive the game, though the playbooks themselves aren't as flexible as some systems.
jtcbrown
member, 93 posts
Mon 24 Oct 2016
at 21:25
  • msg #4

Which system would be best for a story driven rp?

FATE is often touted for this as well, it has a lot of "narrative" rules.

I have not myself played that, though.

Any system can work, so long as the mechanics at least vaguely match up to the narrative.  Like you can't really do gritty, low-magic Sword and Sorcery in typical D20 games, etc.  "Can" is probably the wrong word, just a matter of how much of the system you have to change or ignore to get it to match the dramatic reality you desire.

Which is why I play HERO :D
engine
member, 230 posts
Mon 24 Oct 2016
at 21:40
  • msg #5

Which system would be best for a story driven rp?

In reply to jtcbrown (msg # 4):

I agree that any system can work, particularly if the group wants it to. If the system normally has rolls for everything, making it more story oriented becomes largely a matter of deciding that certain situations don't require dice rolls, or don't always require dice rolls.
ashberg
member, 613 posts
Beware the Groove.
Groooooove.
Mon 24 Oct 2016
at 22:54
  • msg #6

Which system would be best for a story driven rp?

I'll just get it out of the way:

"Freeform" is purely story driven by nature; and when I first started to GM here on RPOL, I used freeform for my first few games. It's basically collaborative fiction.

You'll just need to set clear expectations - a line in the sand, if you will - about how much room the players have to drive the story.

For example - I've played freeforms where players weren't allowed to resolve any Challenges. That was the GM's role. I've played other freeforms where players run more improv, with "Yes, but..." or "Yes, and..." - bouncing off each other's ideas. The GM purely plays narrator & NPCs, and let's the players resolve Challenges themselves.

So just being simply clear about the roles of players & GMs will set you up for plenty of fun.

Do you really need a system?

Choosing a system comes down to what kind of Challenges you want to resolve with Character Sheets & Rulebooks. Every system is dramatically varied in their complexities & approaches to resolving various Challenges.

What are the Challenges you intend to put in front of your players?
GreyGriffin
member, 9 posts
Mon 24 Oct 2016
at 23:05
  • msg #7

Which system would be best for a story driven rp?

In reply to Static Beats (msg # 1):

"Story Driven" is a bit of an odd turn of phrase.  In my mind there are two ways to think of it.

1st is mechanically light.  For this kind of scenario, where most of the storytelling is freeform but you want a couple dice rolls to resolve conflicts, I actually find New World of Darkness (is it CoD now?), at least its core mechanics, to be great.  In a narrative, story driven game I throw out almost all of the advanced mechanics and just allow basic task resolution to resolve most contests.

2nd is a game with story-driven mechanics.  This is where mechanics drive the story rather than just resolving conflicts.  The textbook example is Burning Wheel, with its encouragement of fail-forward mechanics.

For a post-apocalyptic game, I might actually recommend seeing if you can hack Mouse Guard (burning Wheel X-Tra Lite) or Torchbearer (Mouse Guard Plus with resource management!)  Neither is ready to play out of the box, but both have fail-forward mechanics, and ways for the GM to use the environment creatively as an adversary.  Neither is ready to go out of the box, though.
Static Beats
member, 2 posts
Tue 25 Oct 2016
at 12:46
  • msg #8

Which system would be best for a story driven rp?

In reply to ashberg (msg # 6):

The environment is particularly harsh, as well as roaming bands of bandits, slavers and large bug like creators called "Frostlings".
Combat will vary. Bandits will usually be mixed between melee and ranged. Slavers will always have guns, and Frostlings have a tough armor over most their body but only use teeth and claws to fight.

Does that help?
Static Beats
member, 3 posts
Tue 25 Oct 2016
at 12:47
  • msg #9

Which system would be best for a story driven rp?

In reply to ashberg (msg # 6):

I'd like dice rolls to dictate most outcomes based on the characters various skills.
engine
member, 231 posts
Tue 25 Oct 2016
at 13:36
  • msg #10

Re: Which system would be best for a story driven rp?

Static Beats:
In reply to ashberg (msg # 6):

I'd like dice rolls to dictate most outcomes based on the characters various skills.
That's one fairly standard approach.

Depending how varied the outcomes are, this might constrain the type of story you tell, or the way you tell it. You say events are planned, but to what degree? If dice rolls dictate most outcomes, then there's some chance that you'll see outcomes that don't lend themselves to your plans, unless such outcomes are not some of the ones possible from dice results.

Would you mind laying out a bit more of the story, as you see it?
locojedi
member, 122 posts
Tue 25 Oct 2016
at 16:53
  • msg #11

Re: Which system would be best for a story driven rp?

The Window is a great system for story driven games.

http://www.mimgames.com/window/

It uses adjectives to describe abilities and then the dice come from that. Easy and elegant. And free!
modestmouse
member, 217 posts
Tue 25 Oct 2016
at 17:11
  • [deleted]
  • msg #12

Re: Which system would be best for a story driven rp?

This message was deleted by the user at 17:12, Tue 25 Oct 2016.
ashberg
member, 614 posts
Beware the Groove.
Groooooove.
Wed 26 Oct 2016
at 06:05
  • msg #13

Re: Which system would be best for a story driven rp?

locojedi:
The Window is a great system for story driven games.

http://www.mimgames.com/window/

It uses adjectives to describe abilities and then the dice come from that. Easy and elegant. And free!


^^ +1

I've used The Window on a few occassions here on RPOL, & it's quite simple & straightforward... also very lite - so you don't have to dig through complex rules & minutiae.

--

If you do want something a little more structured... I'd suggest Savage Worlds, as a fairly robust system that can be applied to almost any game setting you could come up with.

A little 'outside the box' - I'd suggest Stars Without Number. It's a Sci Fi sandbox system. You wouldn't need to use the Setting from the rulebook; but you could easily borrow from the basic mechanics -- which are fairly easy to learn. Combat is particularly brutal at early levels - with some weapons, like guns, potentially being 1-shot kills... but you could always start players at Level 3 or 4 instead.
Gaffer
member, 1405 posts
Ocoee FL
40 yrs of RPGs
Wed 26 Oct 2016
at 13:36
  • msg #14

Re: Which system would be best for a story driven rp?

Another important question is how do you want players to generate their characters. Left to their own free-form devices some players will create gritty, realistic characters with flaws and limitations, but others will go full-out Marty/Mary Sue on you, positing paragons with no weaknesses (except maybe that they are so incredibly surly).

A good chargen system levels the playing field and forces players to make choices and trade-offs that make for more interesting characters, in general, even if they're supers.

For the sort of game you describe, I am a big proponent of Savage Worlds, though HEX (Hollow Earth Expeditions) can also work well.
jtcbrown
member, 94 posts
Wed 26 Oct 2016
at 19:47
  • msg #15

Re: Which system would be best for a story driven rp?

Note that Savage Worlds does not have any "narrative mechanics" in the way FATE or Icons would.

Not to dissuade you, it is a great and simple system, just making sure that is known.
Static Beats
member, 4 posts
Thu 27 Oct 2016
at 10:28
  • msg #16

Re: Which system would be best for a story driven rp?

In reply to engine (msg # 10):

I'd love to come up with more story on the fly. What kind of writer would I be if I couldn't after all? But what I meant by having some story aspects planed is that I've got a rough outline of where to start and where to go with it. Not much detail yet.
GreyGriffin
member, 10 posts
Sat 29 Oct 2016
at 08:37
  • msg #17

Re: Which system would be best for a story driven rp?

In reply to Static Beats (msg # 16):

All of these games could be described as story-driven.  It's all a matter of what you want out of them.  Here are a couple things I look for and think about when I am looking for a story-driven game system.

Hero Points

FATE and Mutants and Masterminds both use systems that give players some plot agency.  They can edit the scene and story to an extent by using a store of plot points that you give them by pulling their strings.

Pros: Hero Point mechanics let you create an organic arc that has a satisfying curve, which is reinforced by the mechanics.  You beat the crap out of the PCs, they accumulate resources from being beat down by the plot, and then overcome by the use of said resources.  The GM can organically gauge the needs of the players, giving them a boost when they need it and holding back when he wants them to feel stretched.  He can also immediately and effectively reinforce the theme and tone he wants out of his game.

Cons: Hero Points count on proper resource management by the players, and resource allocation by the GM.  Dice being what they are, often the math works out a bit hairy.

Fail-Forward Mechanics

Burning Wheel and its family of games offer "fail-forward" mechanics, where failed rolls don't necessarily result in failed tasks, but instead result in the situation becoming complicated somehow, letting you improvise the plot to inject some variety or build a more complex scenario out of a simple one.

Pros: Fail-Forward mechanics let you control the pace of the story, giving the GM enormous control over the difficulty of an adventure by the intensity of the complications he throws out.  Fail-Forward mechanics also encourage players to be more adventurous and take risks, since they have more chance of succeeding, and failure often means that things get more exciting.  Fail-Forward mechanics also give the GM a lot of tools for making the scene more engaging, involving the environment and the ongoing narrative in the challenges the system provides.

Cons: These games require the GM to do a lot of thinking on his feet.  Without enough or proper escape valves, coming up with complications for failure can be trying.  The players can also become a bit too daring, not fearing the consequences of their actions.  Alternately, they can become so burdened by the complex situations you cook up that they just continue to dig deeper, making things even more complicated and impossible to resolve.  Exercise caution.

Mechanics-Lite or Rules-Lite systems

Games like The Window are designed to fall out of the way and let you essentially freeform.  They let you focus on cooperative storytelling, calling on rolls only to resolve dramatic contests.

Pros: Easy to play and learn, rules-lite games mean not a lot of time dithering over dice.  They let you focus on the narrative and not break the mood while you hammer out mechanics.  While this is mostly useful in in-person RPGs, the general lack of hairy mechanical interactions helps keep the pace up in pbp as well.

Cons: The Cops and Robbers analogy used since the dawn of time in "What is Roleplaying" sections all across my bookshelf holds true here.  While Rules-lite games don't punish players for system ignorance, they often don't reward players for being clever or interesting.  Good ideas, clever strategies, and careful preparation are often boiled down to a small bonus, if anything at all.  This inability to affect the outcome meaningfully beyond your core abilities, and lack of mechanical incentive to try to break the mold is what leads to the iconic D&D slugfests of olde.

So, hopefully that'll provide some food for thought when you're picking a system.  My knowledge is by no means encyclopedic, so hopefully you can find something you like.
swordchucks
member, 1318 posts
Mon 31 Oct 2016
at 12:46
  • msg #18

Re: Which system would be best for a story driven rp?

Red Markets (a new game) uses a mechanic termed "Succeed at a Cost" whereby the PCs can turn their failures to successes (or their critical failures into failures or their successes into critical successes) by paying a cost.  This might mean that the PC that failed to hack the security door calls a friend up that happens to know their way around that type of door and will (for a cut of the loot) help them hack it.

At its heart, this mechanic is similar to the point-based systems, but there are more types of "points".  There's also a purely-point mechanic related to a player's Will.  Earning additional Will typically requires the PCs to hurt themselves in some fashion based on their personal flaws (for instance, someone with a weakness "hates slavers" could get a Will point by rushing in to fight slavers, even if it's a terrible idea otherwise).

In the end, Red Markets is all about resource management, so having multiple types of "points" makes perfect sense for that game.
HornetCorset
member, 261 posts
Mon 21 Nov 2016
at 05:18
  • msg #19

Re: Which system would be best for a story driven rp?

Two words: Savage Worlds
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