• jjjalljs@ttrpg.network
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      14 days ago

      I feel like no one’s going to make a good Mage game unless there’s some genuine breakthroughs in AI. It’s a very open ended system, and limiting it to pre-scripted “you can use mind-2 to persuade here” or “you can telekineticly slap someone here” would suck.

      Most basic game problems just go away for mages. Just starting stats mages are a whole cut above your standard RPG protagonist. Teleport anywhere. Dominate anyone. Rewind time.

      • I Cast Fist@programming.dev
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        11 days ago

        Most basic game problems just go away for mages.

        Until they get a paradox backlash, then things get really !!FUN!! - vulgar (obvious) magic is like a paradox buffet and making it more than just instant damage would need fuckloads of preprogrammed situations or some sort of AI to come up with zany shit

        • jjjalljs@ttrpg.network
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          11 days ago

          Thinking about it, it seems like the kind of wacky thing that would be on par with dwarf fort. A passion project years in the making. I doubt any big studio would go for it.

          Side note, I really liked how mage: the awakening 2e did paradox. You risk more for witnesses, sure. But you mostly risk paradox for making your spells more than you can safely handle. Hubris. That’s the theme of the game.

          (Further minutia details: you can make small changes to your spells magnitude or subjects, and that only risks the spell failing. But bigger changes, those require you to “reach” and that can cause paradox. make a spell last two turns instead of one? -2 dice. Or, reach, and make it last the whole scene… but maybe roll for paradox. Mind2 can’t make someone hurt themselves… unless you reach. Great system. Very fiddly. Wouldn’t play well as a real time game.)