Fair Play
Posted by Jason on November 20th, 2006 — in Design
I’ve sent out a couple of drafts of Grey Ranks for review and playtest, and I don’t want to touch it until I hear back. In the mean time, I’m writing a short, hopefully fun game about photocopy machine repairmen.
“Business Solutions is the roleplaying game of life and love among photocopy repair technicians. As the area’s largest photocopy leasing franchise, Business Solutions sends out pairs of skilled repair technicians on service calls to a wide variety of interesting establishments. Service calls present danger and opportunity in equal measure – can your character evade the vengeful executive he cuckolded? Can he fix a bad controller PCB photogate, or will he have to call for help?”
I’ve been bouncing ideas off the clever and perceptive Eric Provost. I stole a bunch of stuff from my own half-finished three-player experiments and the Contenders resolution mechanic. I’m also using it as a way to play with my rules voice. I think it is going to be really fun, and it is definitely going all the way. The Mad Irishman will no doubt have fun making the game look like a horrible corporate training manual. I wonder what the licensing deal is with Microsoft Office clip-art? I’m thinking saddle-stitched with an Astro-Brite cover.
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Posted by Jason on November 4th, 2006 — in Design
This all makes perfect sense in my head.
PLAYING GREY RANKS
ANATOMY OF A SCENE
Grey Ranks takes place across nine Scenes in three Acts. Each Scene consists of a collective Mission, during which each character gets a moment of spotlight time for their individual Moment, and a Vignette, which is personal, introspective, and often framed as a flashback. Each three-scene Act can typically be resolved in a single play session.
(Explanation of the scene structure goes here)
PROCEDURE
1. Read and discuss the overview for the upcoming Scene as a group.
2. Choose situation elements, one per player, based on character Grid positions. Share these and note them somewhere everybody can refer to.
3. Choose a Mission Leader. The chosen player should outline the scope and particulars of the Mission, with everyone’s input.
4. Form the Scene Pool, with each player contributing two dice – one based on a Reputation aspect and the other based on their character’s position on the Grid.
5. Each player takes a die in turn from the Scene Pool, and then has another die allocated to them by another player.
6. The Scene begins, with Vignettes and Moments available for any player motivated to take them, in any order. Each is resolved at its conclusion.
7. The Scene ends when each player has initiated both a Vignette and a Moment for their character – when the entire Scene Pool has been rolled. Adjust the die of the Reputation elements used. Tally the total cumulative Mission score and compare it to the target to determine success or failure. Note Vignette success or failure, assign the Weak Link and MVP, and move characters on the Grid accordingly, in preparation for the next Scene.
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Posted by Jason on November 4th, 2006 — in Design
Some revisions as I hammer it into shape.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS
Grey Ranks is designed for four players. You can play with three or five, but it works best with four. More than five isn’t recommended – if you have six, split into two groups and run parallel games, switching a character or two between them before each Act.
CREATING CHARACTERS
PROCEDURE
1. Choose an age for your character, either 15, 16, or 17, as well as gender.
2. Choose a name for your character, and a code name.
3. Choose a Thing You Hold Dear for each character, working as a group. There can be no overlap. Once the Things Held Dear have been decided, each player should outline why this is important to their character, and what the tangible symbol of that Thing is for them.
4. Choose two Reputations for each character, working as a group. A player is not allowed to name Reputations for their own character. No overlap or duplication is allowed.
5. Place your characters on the Grid, where they best fit. Again, there can be no overlap.
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