MiniGame Omnibus System

LemmingLord · 07-08-2013, 09:58 PM

Breakthrough idea of the moment...

I believe the next game system I write will play heavily on "mini games."

Any electronic gamer out there is familiar with the mini game, where playing the big game requires playing several simpler and modular mini games.

In a recent discussion concerning spell failures, for example, I spitballed the gm preparing a wheel of mad libs and letting a game of mad libs with all players would best share the power and creative fun crit failures can be be structured consensus building.

Indeed one might say the model of most RPGs is that of at least two mini games... With one set of expectations in the big map of travel and then the mini game of socializing/trading goods and then the encounter battle mini game.

Just think of additional opportunities this way of thinking about it might provide?!

Character stuck doing boring farm chores? Have the player play plinko to see how much chore money he's collected this week. The further from the lips, the more attempts you need to toss that grapnel line.

Jedi needs to cross a chasm? Play pin the kiss on your poster board sister.

Need for the players to coordinate to defeat a monster? Break out the piñata! Have the candy inside correspond to monster treasure and even plot hook envelopes.

Gms should pick mini games that are social, fun and based on games they've seen before.

Wizard character needs to figure out a runic puzzle? If the wizard character is played by a Star Trek buff, break out five questions from Star Trek trivial pursuit.

Who else has some mini game ideas for RPGs?

Anaraxes · 07-08-2013, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LemmingLord

Wizard character needs to figure out a runic puzzle? If the wizard character is played by a Star Trek buff, break out five questions from Star Trek trivial pursuit.

This one seems particularly destructive to immersion.

Andrew Hackard · 07-09-2013, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anaraxes

This one seems particularly destructive to immersion.

Which doesn't matter if immersion isn't the goal.

LemmingLord · 07-09-2013, 09:30 AM

You both bring up good points. If your wizard is into the emersion thing, a scrabble game laid out in advance with key words related to the magical game world and the character's background. Have the word he needs to enter be cathartic and have sound effects ready when they get the word right and the ancient dungeon chamber opens up..

samd6 · 07-09-2013, 10:21 AM

Legend System has what it calls "skill games" which use tokens and seem to be a mix of rock-paper-scissors and poker. However, they are optional, use a unifed set of rules, and are integrated into the regular rules of the game. Some of the skill games take place in a short amount of time (negotiation and parkour), and others span the length of an entire adventure (investigations)

sir_pudding · 07-19-2013, 01:45 AM

Isn't there a survival horror game that uses Jenga for task resolution?

reddir · 07-19-2013, 03:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Isn't there a survival horror game that uses Jenga for task resolution?

The wiki for this seems empty, so a different link.

07-08-2013, 09:58 PM	#1
LemmingLord Join Date: Jul 2005	MiniGame Omnibus System Breakthrough idea of the moment... I believe the next game system I write will play heavily on "mini games." Any electronic gamer out there is familiar with the mini game, where playing the big game requires playing several simpler and modular mini games. In a recent discussion concerning spell failures, for example, I spitballed the gm preparing a wheel of mad libs and letting a game of mad libs with all players would best share the power and creative fun crit failures can be be structured consensus building. Indeed one might say the model of most RPGs is that of at least two mini games... With one set of expectations in the big map of travel and then the mini game of socializing/trading goods and then the encounter battle mini game. Just think of additional opportunities this way of thinking about it might provide?! Character stuck doing boring farm chores? Have the player play plinko to see how much chore money he's collected this week. The further from the lips, the more attempts you need to toss that grapnel line. Jedi needs to cross a chasm? Play pin the kiss on your poster board sister. Need for the players to coordinate to defeat a monster? Break out the piñata! Have the candy inside correspond to monster treasure and even plot hook envelopes. Gms should pick mini games that are social, fun and based on games they've seen before. Wizard character needs to figure out a runic puzzle? If the wizard character is played by a Star Trek buff, break out five questions from Star Trek trivial pursuit. Who else has some mini game ideas for RPGs? __________________ Villain's Round Table Last edited by LemmingLord; 07-08-2013 at 10:02 PM.

07-09-2013, 09:30 AM	#4
LemmingLord Join Date: Jul 2005	Re: MiniGame Omnibus System You both bring up good points. If your wizard is into the emersion thing, a scrabble game laid out in advance with key words related to the magical game world and the character's background. Have the word he needs to enter be cathartic and have sound effects ready when they get the word right and the ancient dungeon chamber opens up.. __________________ Villain's Round Table

07-09-2013, 10:21 AM	#5
samd6 Join Date: Mar 2012	Re: MiniGame Omnibus System Legend System has what it calls "skill games" which use tokens and seem to be a mix of rock-paper-scissors and poker. However, they are optional, use a unifed set of rules, and are integrated into the regular rules of the game. Some of the skill games take place in a short amount of time (negotiation and parkour), and others span the length of an entire adventure (investigations) __________________ James Soltis Wilda Essential Skills

07-19-2013, 01:45 AM	#6
sir_pudding Wielder of Smart Pants Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ventura CA	Re: MiniGame Omnibus System Isn't there a survival horror game that uses Jenga for task resolution?