The Conquest of Dra Sirdu (Fantasy, system, interest search, variable content)

[The Unholy Potato]

Firstly: I will admit that I prefer FATE.

I am confused, however, as to what aspects of the Pathfinder system we would use if not the combat system. The skill system in pathfinder is explicitly based on the combat class each player selects, with certain choices being strictly better than others. I'm also not clear on how the two would be meshed. Combat abilities are skills, in Fate, whereas in Pathfinder, they're a function of your species and profession.

And the skill pyramid, while hard to justify in-setting, is a relatively simple method to encourage healthy play. In truth, success in system-based games, as with freeform games, are largely based on GM fiat. If, in the hypothetical absence of a skill pyramid, you were to spend 10 points on your fighting skill of choice, the GM would simply make opponents have the same skill level or somewhat lower or higher, depending on what they decided your odds of success should be. Spending those 10 points only pigeonholes your character and makes creating party-appropriate antagonists more difficult.

As for the difficulty of character creation, I will simply have to disagree with you here. Particularly for the Fate Core as it exists in its current version, you are allowed to select three of your 5 aspects: your High Concept (who/what you are), your Trouble (what aspect of your character repeatedly creates problems for yourself or the group), and then your history aspect. The other two aspects you collaborate with one other player to see how your characters would interact, and turn that into an aspect as well. This gets around the "Well, we're collectively an unusually short, warhammer-toting, human mercenary, an elvish flutist, and a gnome astronomer. How did we get together as a group, again?" that can easily develop in games that don't have collaborative character creation. To me, the pre-existing interpersonal connections makes for much smoother gameplay, as it reduces the risk of genuinely incompatible characters.

I think, as Robyn stated, some of the difficulties here stem from the fact that we're looking at two different editions. The Fate Core has a mere 18 skills (though I can add more if I think they'll become necessary), as well as fairly coherent rules for what you can or can't do with stunts. Robyn's character is also using some material from the magic systems supplement. If people are averse to buying into the Kickstarter, I can share the Core, as well as the particular magic system I'm planning on using, as doing so is discouraged rather than explicitly disallowed. I will need a way to directly contact anyone who wants a copy, however, as it's a fairly large PDF.

[Muse]

  Do you have any more room?  I'd be interested to play, whether pathfinder or FATE.  :) 

[The Unholy Potato]

Unfortunately, I honestly don't know, Muse. I will say that I'm certainly open to more players, but I've heard lots of interest with relatively few character concepts.

If everyone interested could PM me with tentative character concepts, as well as whether or not you need a copy of the Fate Core (and some form of contact, so I can send you the PDF), I'd appreciate it. I re-read the terms of the kickstarter campaign, and it actively allows sharing the core, so long as it isn't publicly posted, so I'd ask that you not do so with the copy I give you.

[ForestMagi]

The difference in versions, and exactly how much seems to have changed between FATE 2.0 and Core, is exactly what caused the confusion. To say that 2.0 is similar to FATE Core is... Well, from what I've read, almost lying. The differences pointed out almost make it sound like a different system all together, as pretty much only the terminology is the same. Character creation and skills changed, and that encompassed 90% of the 2.0 PDF.

If the differences are as major as they seem from what you and Robyn have posted, I'm basically learning a system from scratch again. I'll reserve my judgement for after I've gone through the Core book, though. I'll pay the $1 for the text, since the project itself is worth backing even if I find I dislike the system. :) And if I do like it, I'll pledge more.

ETA:I'm 26 pages in, and the changes so far don't seem as drastic as they sounded in your posts. This makes me very happy.

[Robyn Hood]

Maybe we should get an OOC thread started, start putting character sheets/concepts in there to see who is really in?

[ForestMagi]

Agreed.

My character is mostly done, I'm must picking out a name. His current tie to the party is that he stole the contracts they're using to get on the Second Fleet Expansion, and is going himself because of blackmail after said documents are forged with the names of everyone in the party. That, of course, can change, but it gives everyone a reason to love or hate my character right off the bat.

[The Unholy Potato]

Okay, so, uh, moment of awkward truth. I've never run something like this before. Do I just, y'know, put down a thread in the appropriate forum?

Also, is placement in the NC/Exotic section appropriate and agreeable to everyone? I'm still somewhat unclear on what the limits are for everyone. I've gotten two (somewhat contradictory) opinions, so far, but that isn't a complete picture. I have absolutely no interest in forcing players into situations they aren't comfortable with, but the possibility exists for some characters to run into content too extreme for other game fora.

[ForestMagi]

As far as adult things go, I'm fine reading about anything short of gore, scat, and watersports. I'm not used to writing any adult scenes, so I don't know if I'd be comfortable writing them. Everyone else can do what they like, and if I can't handle reading it, I'll skip over it. :) Wherever you'd like to put it is fine with me, but the NC: Human-System Solos or NC: Exotic-System Solos seem like the best fit for this as it stands. Depending on how human or inhuman the characters and setting are, obviously.

I think I'll be giving more to that kickstarter, too. It's a good system, and I rather like it.

[Mingnon]

I think for now we might place the thread in 'NC: Exotic-System Small Groups'. Though we still need to more-or-less keep in mind everyone's ons-offs should we go with this of course. I wouldn't mind some amount of NC, for instance, but what kind that happens to me specifically still needs to be okay'd with me in advance. :/;;

[The Unholy Potato]

As I said earlier in the thread, I have no desire to make players uncomfortable or force them into situations they're not interested in. My goal is learning how to run the Fate system (as I've only ever played it) and ensuring that everyone here has a good time! If at any time anyone thinks that I need to know anything, please feel free to PM me and bring it up! I'll do my best to work things out.

The OOC thread is up here.