Simple game rulebook needed

[Comosicus]

Hi folks,

The company I work for plans to start development of a browser based RPG game. There will be both PvE exploration and PvP duels. For that we need a set of rules to base our engine on. We don't aim for the level of complexity that d20 has for example. Instead we look for something as simple as possible.

So I turn to you for help. Could you please recommend me such a rules set?

[CaptainChewbacca]

If you want a really versatile set of rules where you can do alot of different stuff, D20 is just about your best bet. There's some old D6 LOTR games from the early 90's if you can find them, and of course there's HeroQuest drivers out there somewhere.

[Comosicus]

We took a look at D20 and it's about too much for our needs. I'm not sure how things will go if we take only a subset of them. Mainly we're afraid of not loading things properly and cause gameplay to become unbalanced.

What we're aiming for is something like an enhanced version of MonstersGame. There will be no elaborate story line and the elements of exploration will be basic. So we need only something like two-three classes with 4-5 stats per character - and the game formulas for putting everything together.

[General Zod]

The D10 storytelling system can be extremely simple. Basically you have a number of attributes to represent physical, mental & social prowess, with skill sets for each category. (Physical, mental and social skills). You roll them against a fixed difficulty (8 typically) and 1 suxx means the action succeeds, with various modifiers depending on equipment and conditions. (They add or subtract dice). Merits represent things that don't quite fit into skills. Overall it's a relatively simple system to use and can be explained in perhaps 10 or 20 pages if you really simplify it.

[Lisa]

have you looked at www.travian.com

[Coalition]

What we're aiming for is something like an enhanced version of MonstersGame. There will be no elaborate story line and the elements of exploration will be basic. So we need only something like two-three classes with 4-5 stats per character - and the game formulas for putting everything together.

Sort of like Elite, but on the ground?

For classes I'd go with Warrior, Archer, and Magic-user. Warriors are obviously good at smacking single critters. Archers are for long-range, and are best against lots of enemy units. Magic-users have some spells that can affect the enemy, but their main goal is to benefit your troops. Instead of casting a fireball at the enemy, the mage casts an enhanced offensive spell, making your Warriors and Archers more accurate.

This makes you have three 'groups' of troops. Your Warriors protect the guys in the rear, the archers whittle down enemy forces, while the Mages are pumping up your characters during combat. A similar effect would be had on the enemy. You are fighting cheap Kobolds (or similar wimpy critters) and the enemy mage casts a fireboost spell. Suddenly every single Kobold is doing extra damage due to fire, and you are in trouble. Kill the mage quickly.

For achery, an archer targets a plot of land, rather than a specific enemy. The shot lands within that area, damaging one of the critters present. If you are dealing with a single big critter, it will likely hit the critter. Lots of little critters means that it will hit a random one. A single enemy critter will likely be missed. Higher experience means that the area gets smaller.

For stats, I would go with:
Strength (affects how powerful your attack is)
Speed (how rapidly you can attack accurately)
Stealth (affects initiative)
Strike (affects how accurate you re)
Stamina (how lnog can you keep fighting, reduced by steady combat, and by damage)

You then have Hit Points, which are very easy to damage, and difficult to heal. Loss of Hit Points will cause a steady loss of Stamina, representing you bleeding to death. Hit Points take time to heal. If someone manages to sneak attack, they could possible have a small goblin kill a Lvl 20 hero (this represents that a knife through the heart will kill anyone).

For more information, I would look through here:

mu.ranter.net/theory/

[Hugh]

I have little experience with RPG systems, but what about Fudge? It's both very flexible and (if I understand correctly) quite well established, at least for a non-mainstream system. As a downside, it has little predefined - you'd have to make up your own classes/skills/whatever.

[Comosicus]

have you looked at www.travian.com

As a matter of fact, we did ... What we have in plan is somehow a mixture between the two games (MonstersGame and Travian).

Personally I like the D6 system (been a big fan of the Might and Magic series). But I can't seem to find the right resources online. Are there such things or do we need to buy the rulebooks from Amazon or some other book dealer?

[Typhonis 1]

This D6 system is it anything like the WEG D6 system? may want to look at that.

[Comosicus]

This D6 system is it anything like the WEG D6 system? may want to look at that.

Yes, that's what I am talking about - the system used in Might and Magic series. However I can't manage to find any online resource for the rules themselves, just general description. Is it any way to get a grip on them except buying the rulebook?

[Ariphaos]

RISUS is cute, it might be too much so.

For published systems, there is Tri-Stat and BESM. Basically GURPS done the other way around (and shares an author).

I tend to prefer to build my own nowadays, though.