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Old 03-29-2015, 11:32 AM   #21
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Default Re: Myst series and/or Infinite Worlds GURPS

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Originally Posted by Ciergan View Post
Just keeping a tally of those who have expressed interest in a game for future reference:

philosophyguy
ericthered
PTTG
Ciergan
Add refplace to the list.
If you like I'll take a stab at writing up some modifiers for using Invention rules.
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Old 03-30-2015, 10:41 AM   #22
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Default Re: Myst series and/or Infinite Worlds GURPS

I'd be interested in how the invention rules would work -- building my own set as well. Of particular interest to me is that adding and removing details both increases complexity AND the side skills required.
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Old 03-30-2015, 02:08 PM   #23
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Default Re: Myst series and/or Infinite Worlds GURPS

D'ni civilization defies TL classification. It appears to be around TL 6, but has some kind of neutrino or particle field detection technology, has extremely stable energy storage, has advanced magnetics, and seems to have sufficient theoretical understanding of physical science that their worlds can be stable and habitable.

Most tools and machines in Atrus and Gehn's worlds can be considered ~TL 6. D'ni artifacts from their height may be virtually anything, but probably at least 6+2^.

Many age natives seem to be around TL 1 to 5, frequently with access to superscience that only functions in their ages.

Books themselves can be prepared with TL 3 techniques, but they function on concepts that are functionally TL 12^.

Last edited by PTTG; 12-13-2015 at 01:03 PM.
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Old 03-31-2015, 04:40 PM   #24
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Default Re: Myst series and/or Infinite Worlds GURPS

I have a rough system. These are the rolls to build a world:

Roll vs Symbol Drawing(D'ni) to build the basic world.
For each aspect you want to tweak, roll against the appropriate skill, capped by Symbol Drawing (D'ni). The GM will assign a complexity. Referencing other works may reduce complexity.
You may consult an expert for help if you don't have the skill. Use his skill -4, capped by your Symbol Drawing, with a +2 bonus (max +4) for a successful research, teaching, or Thaumology (D'ni) roll by the appropriate person.
Roll vs Thaumology (D'ni), capped by Symbol Drawing, to tie everything together. The GM will assign a complexity based on the number of aspects being tied together.

My thoughts on why I did it this way:

I'm thinking that the skill of physically writing the book should be separate from the skill of designing a world. Kind of like the writing of a book isn't a typing or an expert skill (printing) roll. The skill of physically writing the book is Symbol Drawing (D'ni). I'm not sure what to call the designing skill: Writing (D'ni), Engineer (D'ni Ages), or Thaumology (D'ni ages) are all strong candidates. Symbol Drawing (D'ni) not only is used in the construction of descriptive books, but in writing linking books (what most people will use it for). Symbol Drawing caps many rolls because you need to be able the express the concepts you understand through the script.

Different rolls should be made for different tweaked aspects of the world. I want to be able to succeed at building a society but fail at tweaking the local physics. Each aspect will either rely on other aspects of the world or will be independent -- failing at the ecology of your new creature will wreck your custom economy, but it won't really effect your weird physics. The degree of failure will also be important: a failure by one on alternate physics just creates a less hospitable environment, while failure by five creates holes. These rolls should be primarily against the guiding skill, not against Thaumology (D'ni ages) with a +2 for rolling good on your biology. But the core skills should be key to making it all work, so I'm going to cap subject skill with either Thaumology or Symbol Drawing (I'm not sure which at this point). Each aspect should be considered its own invention, with its own complexity.

There should be a basic level that can be achieved by a novice writer who doesn't know much about societies. A grey featureless plain, a deserted island with a fairly familiar (or at least simple and well-understood) ecology, or even a basic town with simple people. I don't know enough about the source material, so I can't say which if any of these are appropriate. Aspects that are within theses parameters should not be rolled against. A basic roll should be enough to create the basic world.

I need a system for consulting experts. The expert's skill should matter when he is consulted. But the author should still be involved. I'm considering having the roll be made at -4, but a teaching roll by the expert gives a +2, a research roll by the writer gives a +2, and a Thaumology roll by the expert gives a +2. net modifiers cannot exceed zero. I'm debating modifying these rolls by the difficulty or half the difficulty of the concept.

referencing something already written in a different book might be an unmodified check, but in general the GM should reduce complexity rather than eliminating it-- particuarly if the source has a different set of aspects.

At the end of adding all the features, a roll is made after all of the others to 'incorporate them'. The complexity rating should be related to how many aspects there are and how complicated. This is the final roll, and its against Thaumology. Failing it means that individual aspects work, but they through each other off. For example, gravity being individual to individual bodies could work, and a political system based around hereditary lords of small territories could work, but failing the roll to tie everything together could result in large alliances dominating the politics of the region rather each community being ruled by a local master.
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Old 12-13-2015, 01:44 AM   #25
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Default Re: Myst series and/or Infinite Worlds GURPS

Either all players are D'ni, or none; a mixture would be very hard to run, I think.

I say that because D'ni definitely seem to have Gadgeteer in addition to their extended lifespan (and the tons of skill points that implies)....

Oh, apparently there is a Myst RPG.

It's fudge-based, so there's definitely room to build some GURPS stats, but the book is really nicely built and works well as a setting guide.

Last edited by PTTG; 12-13-2015 at 01:04 PM.
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Old 12-14-2015, 06:49 PM   #26
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Default Re: Myst series and/or Infinite Worlds GURPS

Since there is some interest in this, what sort of campaign are people most interested in? (Characters, scale, combat frequency, that sort of thing)
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Old 12-14-2015, 08:20 PM   #27
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Default Re: Myst series and/or Infinite Worlds GURPS

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Originally Posted by PTTG View Post
Since there is some interest in this, what sort of campaign are people most interested in? (Characters, scale, combat frequency, that sort of thing)
Count me in if there's still space...

As for scope, scale, etc? I have no idea. The best Worlds in Myst, Riven, Uru were tightly focused, but that might not play as well with an open rpg.

Combat however should be infrequent (maybe a 'constant' risk, but not required, letting quick wits, diplomacy or sneakiness to get around it), it would be a detraction to the 'feel' of Myst IMO.
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Old 12-15-2015, 12:08 AM   #28
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Default Re: Myst series and/or Infinite Worlds GURPS

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Count me in if there's still space...

As for scope, scale, etc? I have no idea. The best Worlds in Myst, Riven, Uru were tightly focused, but that might not play as well with an open rpg.

Combat however should be infrequent (maybe a 'constant' risk, but not required, letting quick wits, diplomacy or sneakiness to get around it), it would be a detraction to the 'feel' of Myst IMO.
I agree about the combat for sure. Still, a D'ni nobleman back from exile, a vet who finds himself among the chosen, or a bookworlder big-game hunter all will have their own unique take on combat and even a peaceful sparring match amongst them could be interesting.

Should writing be a big factor? What about puzzles?
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Old 12-15-2015, 11:04 AM   #29
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Default Re: Myst series and/or Infinite Worlds GURPS

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I agree about the combat for sure. Still, a D'ni nobleman back from exile, a vet who finds himself among the chosen, or a bookworlder big-game hunter all will have their own unique take on combat and even a peaceful sparring match amongst them could be interesting.
Very true.
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Old 12-15-2015, 09:18 PM   #30
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Default Re: Myst series and/or Infinite Worlds GURPS

Still totally in. I'm for combat as long as it doesn't become the primary focus. Like you guys said, it's more about the unfolding story and the environments.

I would actually err on the side of more character interactions and less puzzle-solving. Myst-style puzzles can be a bear to get across in play-by-post form (I've tried).
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