Geneforge RP

[Snallac]

If you like the role-playing and plot aspects of Geneforge more than the game play, check this out. RP based on Geneforge lore and plot.

[idonotexist42]

interesting, I'd like to take part. Timeline-wise, when does this take place relative to the Games? I was thinking of doing something similar with a "G6" idea I had. Also I'm working on making a tabletop RPG based off Geneforge; I couldn't sell it obviously (idk if I'd even be allowed to distribute it for free, I'm not too up on IP laws) but it'd be cool just to do with some friends. Mechanic-wise I'm trying to use the math from the games where feasible and then lifting stuff from D&D to fill in the cracks, and coming up with the mechanics for shaping from scratch (it's a lot more involved than in the games in terms of what you can do) I really like the freedom that tabletop RPGs give you.

[Snallac]

Actually, I'm running this on a site dedicated to free-form RPs - no rules or game mechanics beyond what the GM throws in. I just want pure roleplay, without any game mechanics, and it's not too difficult to rein in powergamers with my GM authority. Setting wise, it doesn't really fit into the geneforge games. Since I'm going without any set-in-stone game mechanics, I can do away with a lot of the stuff that bugged me about the games, because of the way their mechanics limited them. For example, instead of having a dozen or so set creation types and some variations based on them, there'll be hundreds of creation types, varying in presence from region to region. I view that as more realistic than the way the games portray it, because I think every other shaper would want to have their own custom creation designs - but portraying that sort of thing in the games would've required ten times the work, so it wasn't put in. I'll also be messing around with timelines and locations, to make things a bit more original.

[idonotexist42]

Yeah, that it'd be freeform for yours is what I expected, reminds me of the RP section on the WoW forums (where I have many fond memories) I just brought up the table-top thing because you reminded me of it. I was always bothered by some of the limitations that were obviously just due to technical constraints too, which is a large part of why I want to make a table-top version; it gives you the structure and gameplay of a conventional game without being shackled to it by technical limitations and inflexible hardcoded rules, sort of the best of both worlds where you only lose out on graphics and having to take the time to do math yourself.

 

I particularly want to add a LOT of depth to the shaping/creation system for the PCs, since that's the main thing that sets Geneforge apart but as cool as it was, the gameplay implementation was pretty limited compared to the lore implied was possible. It'll be what keeps my tabletop version from simply being reskinned D&D with slightly different math. Also I want to do more to differentiate the classes besides different health/essence pools and which skills are cheaper to buy.

[Snallac]

The idea of working creation-design into a tabletop RPG reminds me of the guide to race-creation they include in one of the supplements to Pathfinder, with the race's base level determined by the traits you give it - I imagine a guide to creation-design would work the same way, with essence costs and control-difficulty based on the traits you give the thing. That'd be cool. And yeah, it would be nice to be able to restructure the classes they have in the geneforge games like that, especially with terms to spellcasting - it would be interesting to see what different spell lists, say, shapers compared to mages would have.