Oracle Game Engine Dice Mechanics

I’m developing a fantasy roleplaying game -- something combining elements of the old-school retro-clones with a framework to more easily introduce a younger generation to gaming -- with a unique dice mechanic for resolving actions and combat. Admittedly I’m not a game systems guy; my strengths come in designing setting and adventure material. So I’m approaching this game engine premise with a good deal of trepidation, especially since it’s a central element for the game under development. For the sake of easy reference I’m tentatively calling the game engine the Oracle Systemsince it focuses on the reading of dice and the interpretation of results with character-specific special abilities; the fantasy roleplaying game in question is tentatively titled Basic Fantasy Heroes.

OracleCore Mechanic

Every character or monster has a die rating representing the number of six-sided dice they roll to undertake any task where the outcome remains uncertain: jumping over a pit, bashing open a door, searching a room for hidden treasure, and fighting adversaries. Most player heroes begin with 3 dice; foes at this level typically have as many or fewer dice than player characters.

When heroes attempt any task with a chance of failure -- including combat -- they roll their dice and consult the results. Dice showing a 4, 5, or 6 are successes for task resolution or hits in combat; those showing 2 or 3 are defend results; and 1 is a wild result.

Successes/Hits:Each result indicates a success or hit. Most tasks require only one success to accomplish; hits determine not only if an attack finds its target but how much damage it deals.

DefendResults: These indicate a hero’s potential for defense in combat; for normal task resolution they count as misses. In combat each defend result cancels out one of the opponent’s hits up to the value of the hero’s armor (leather = 1, chain = 2, plate =3, shield = +1). For instance, a hero wearing leather armor (1) can only use one defend result to cancel one opponent’s hit even though he might roll two or three defend results in total.

WildResults: For many rolls a wild result simply counts as a miss; however, depending on a hero’s distinguishing special abilities (called specialties: see below), they may count as hits or defend results or activate some other special power.

So let’s play around with this base mechanic. We’ll start with Varl, a 3-dice player character fighter. (Technically he could be any class, mostly defined by specialties, but we’ll stick with fighter for now.) Varl tries forcing open a stuck door. He rolls his 3 dice and gets a 2, 4, and 5; although the 2 counts as a miss (he’s not in combat, so it’s not useful as a defendresult) the 4 and 5 count as successes. Since he has at least one success, Varl forces open the door.

Now let’s pit our  player character -- 3-dice Varl -- against a monster -- a typical 2-dice goblin -- each wearing leather armor with a value of 1. Player and gamemaster make their rolls simultaneously, count the valid defend results, and count their hits (less any applicable defend results from the opponent). On the first turn Varl rolls a 2, 2, and 4 (two defend results and a hit) while the goblin rolls a 3 and a 5 (a defendresult and a hit). Although Varl rolls two defend results, only one counts to block the goblin’s single hitsince his leather armor has a value of 1 (thus limiting the maximum defend results he can use on any turn). The goblin’s sole defend result also blocks Varl’s single hit. This turn nobody lands a hit.

On the second turn Varl rolls a 3, 5, and 5 (one defend result and two hits) with the goblin rolling a 1 and a 3 (a wild result, considered a miss in this case, and a defend result). The goblin’s single defend result blocks one of Varl’s hits, but the fighter’s other hit makes it through; Varl’s own defend result would count if the goblin had scored any hits. Each hit that isn’t negated by defend results allowed by armor causes the target to lose one die from their overall dice total. After taking one hit from Varl, the goblin (normally a 2-dice creature) now has a die value of 1.

On the third turn Varl rolls three dice (1, 4, and 6…a wild result and two hits) while the goblin rolls only one die (5…a single hit). With two hits from Varl and no defend results, the goblin loses his final die and meets his end; however, Varl doesn’t roll any defend results to stop the goblin’s sole hit and thus loses one die…he’s down to only two dice, a handicap that represents his injury diminishing his ability.

As demonstrated, a character or monster’s dice also function as their “hit points.” Dice lost from damage in the previous turn force the hero (and monsters) to roll fewer dice on subsequent turns, reflecting their injuries and lowering their chances of winning the fight. While some players might remain wary of this kind of “death spiral,” the game includes enough readily available healing options (including spells and race-specific balms, salves, and even mud) to help heroes maintain their health

Hero Specialties

Under this base mechanic nothing sets heroes apart from each other -- all starting characters roll their three dice for every task -- so I’ve introduced “specialties” into each class; similar to feats, moves, or talents (whatever you want to call them), they allow for different interpretations of dice in particular situations. Players can choose two specialties for heroes during character creation to help customize their distinct identity through gameplay. Each class has at least one exclusive specialty, plus several others shared with a few other classes. Some cover non-combat situations, but many boost heroes’ abilities during fights.

Let’s give Varl some specialties from the fighter class list to help enhance his fighting style:

Favorite Weapon: Gain +1D in attacks using your favorite weapon, battle axe “Smiter.”

Heavy Weapon: Count wild results as hits when using a heavy weapon.

Some specialties like these come with limitations -- in these cases, use of a heavy weapon (as opposed to normal weapons or ranged weapons) and the use of a particular item -- but they offer various bonuses in play. Favorite weapon gives attackers an extra die to roll when using a specific weapon; assuming Varl wields “Smiter” in battle, he rolls 4 dice instead of 3 dice. Heavy weaponconverts wild results into hits when one uses a heavy weapon.

Using these two new elements let’s revisit that fight between Varl -- now using “Smiter” and rolling 4 dice -- and the goblin still stuck rolling 2 dice. On the first turn Varl rolls a 2, 2, 4, and 5 (two defend results and two hits) while the goblin rolls a 3 and a 5 (a defend result and a hit). Although Varl rolls two defend results, only one counts to block the goblin’s single hit given the leather armor’s value of 1. The goblin’s sole defend result blocks one of Varl’s hits, but not both, so he loses one die from damage this turn.

On the second turn Varl rolls a 1, 3, 5, and 5 (one defend result, two hits, and a wild result, counted as a hit for a total of three hits) with the goblin rolling a 1 and a 3 (a wild result, considered a miss in this case, and a defend result). The goblin’s single defend result blocks one of Varl’s hits, but the fighter’s other two hits make it through, reducing the goblin’s lone surviving dice to zero and thus vanquishing the monster.

Yes, I’m skewing the results here for the purpose of demonstration, but the point still stands that specialties give heroes an edge. Monsters and other gamemaster characters can also possess specialties, though not always, and not always as many as heroes.

Designer Satisfaction

Thus far I’m fairly content with how the Oraclegame engine operates on paper and in the limited self-testing I’ve undertaken. I’m busy refining the presentation of these rules and the means to run them in various gaming environments (solitaire and group) with an eye toward the playtesting process. The Oracle Systemincorporates several elements I like:

* Simultaneous Combat Resolution: One roll for each combatant determines defense potential, whether a hit is scored, and how much damage successful hits inflict.

* Attack/Defense Balance: The simultaneous combat resolution mechanic balances one’s ability to attack and defend. The more hits one rolls the fewer defend results one expects, and vice versa.

* Reading the Dice: Specialties affect how one reads the dice, converting wildresults into hits or defend results, or providing an entire die bonus to particular actions.

* Allure of Dice: Although the system limits die rolls to one roll per combat turn, it focuses all hope on those die results, preserving the allure of dice as some enchanted means of divining the future (a subject I explored earlier), in this case the fates of imaginary characters.

Stay tuned for further developments, modifications, and revelations about the Oracle System mechanics and how I’m incorporating them into the fantasy roleplaying game platform I’m designing.

Promoting Adventure Gaming in November

For some reason November seems to have become the default gaming promotion month. With the return of National Game Design Month (NaGa DeMon) and the ALA-sponsored International Games Day @ Your Library, November retains two high-profile gaming events that each do a great job promoting the adventure gaming hobby; but it makes one wonder whether the hobby could use a few more “game event months” spread throughout the year to better highlight adventure gaming.

On one level -- that of enthusiastic individual with a large online following -- Nathan Russell is once again spearheading National Game Design Month (NaGa DeMon), which encourages people to create, play, and talk about their game during the month of November. The website serves as a central gathering place for people accepting the challenge; NaGa DeMon also maintains a presence on social media sites like Facebook and Google to broaden its visibility and community function. Several blog posts not only provide tips for participating in the challenge and talking about it, but the “Roll Call” feature helps visitors see who’s taken up the challenge and find out where they’ll be discussing developments in their games. Short of hosting a centralized, interactive forum at the NaGa DeMon site itself, Russell has done a good job of promoting and expanding participation in the challenge through the ever-growing community of online adventure gamers.

International Games Day @ Your Library comes at the other end of the spectrum, sponsored by arguably the largest national organization to promote gaming, the American Library Association (ALA). The program encourages libraries to  host gaming events (analog, digital, and combinations of both) on Saturday, November 3, 2012. The promotion helps coordinate events, register and promote participating libraries, and offer resources for running game programs.

Alas, the website seems extremely limited in its inspiration and usefulness, particularly for libraries that don’t already have some established gaming program. Of the three noted sponsors, two have donated electronic copies of games libraries can download for the event; the only analog game sponsor, Ravensburger, has donated 1,000 copies of its popular Labyrinth game, ostensibly for the first libraries to register their Games Day @ Your Library events. Regrettably the buried link to the once-useful Library Gaming Toolkit now leads to a page for a 2009 webcast on literacy. On the whole the event’s web presence seems lackluster. While I understand many public libraries still fight to maintain their already limited funding and provide a multitude of programs to serve a vast cross-section of the population, one might expect a national library organization to put its weight behind promoting an often overlooked intellectual and social activity many consider acceptable to its hallowed halls.

Last year I blogged how November seemed like a “gaming overdrive month,” including both events mentioned above, a third sadly missed this year, and a host of other game-oriented contests and challenges occurring throughout the year. Regrettably most remain only a faint blip on the radars of the average American’s consciousness. Occasionally we read the odd feature about the resurgence of board gaming or the news story about the latest earth-shattering story in the gaming industry (D&D Next comes to mind…). Adventure gaming seems so peripheral a pursuit in America that promotion seems relegated to active individuals and organizations like the American Library Association (ALA), which includes it as a relevant but fringe activity fulfilling its overall mission. Sure, one has the adventure gaming industry’s iconic conventions, GenCon and Origins, over the summer months, but few, if any, efforts exist to actively promote gaming on a national scale the rest of the year beyond November.

When the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council declares July National Hot Dog Month, the promotion has the strength of the sponsoring trade organization behind it. Adventure gaming has a few dedicated champions willing to use the channels available to them in promoting some aspect of the gaming hobby; but overall hobby-wide promotions from official organizations have limited means, especially with a group covering as many different bases as the ALA. This is certainly not meant as a criticism of the Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) or other game industry trade organizations. They’ve got their hands full catering to the needs of their members in various ways, primarily as a web resource, online community, and convention promoter. They cannot approach the size and scope of a national organization like the ALA and thus do not have the promotional potential of such an exclusive, scholarly membership organization. Certainly I’d love to see more concerted efforts on GAMA’s part for “National [Insert Type of Game Here] Month,” but right now I fear it’s beyond even what many consider the industry trade organization’s abilities and means.

Gamers, publishers, developers, freelancers, trade group members and others with various roles in the adventure gaming hobby naturally seek to increase participation in our enjoyable pastime. We’re a naturally fractured group -- the positive qualities of intense dedication and creativity contribute to that -- and we’re sometimes reluctant to rally beneath someone else’s banner for the greater good. Publishers want to promote their own products. Gamers seek to advance their favorite game systems. Libraries have a host of services and clients to consider. Everyone has limited funding. No strong, centralized leader of a gaming advocacy movement has emerged; and one might argue such a champion cannot emerge.

For the time being we must seek to do our small, individual parts in promoting the adventure gaming hobby: fostering a sense of creative community in forums, blogging about our favorite pastime, supporting a Friendly Local Gaming Store (if available), supporting our favorite game companies, sharing our enjoyment of gaming with anyone who’ll listen, and participating in visible advocacy events like NaGa DeMon and International Games Day @ Your Library.