Design Update #11
Already?
Yes! I wanted to share the first actually complete preview chapter for the first Carta Galaxia book (“The Core”).
Preview Chapter: Debt System
These are the new, completely revamped Debt rules which will come into play in the politics/intrigue-heavy setting. I appreciate everyone’s feedback from the first rough draft, and tried to make the system as tight as possible.
If you have the chance to take a look and give your feedback, I’d greatly appreciate it. This is a pretty big change from the old system, and I’m hoping it will fix the problems people had with the whole Debt/Faction stuff.
Moreover, if you currently have a game group running UW that would be ok with incorporating the new rules, or if you have a gang that wouldn’t mind running a session or two with the new rules, I’d be exceptionally grateful.
What’s Next
Work on the biotech faction has begun. This is the last of the 6, so hopefully by the end of the week I’ll be able to collate all of them and make another preview chapter. I’ve even decided on a name: Zindanya. Going with composite word (“New Life”). Ends up sounding vaguely Russian, close to the pronunciation of Svidania (“Meeting”).
https://www.dropbox.com/s/dhcyjlumc13lrni/Debt%20System.docx?dl=0
Neat! I think the direction you’re taking this looks promising, and I love how Debt is on a slippery slope scale.
The main question I still have is how to apply this to debts earned as a crew. I see that crew can spend favors to pay off each others debts, which is excellent, but there are a lot of cases where the Debt is going to be applied to everyone. Does it make sense to just give everyone in the crew a debt, or to separately track a “crew debt” level?
Earning debt is an entirely voluntary action done by a single person (for a given value of “voluntary”). A character has to agree/sign a contract/take an oath/etc to be hit with debt. Crew-wide debt will very rarely happen, and even then it will be voluntary. The sub-section about “massive purchases” covers splitting debt.
Now, losing favor is something that will happen all the time if the crew is a bunch of misfits and pirates. That will likely happen crew-wide, especially if a certain crew member acts on behalf of the whole crew.
looks good so far. going to integrate it in our recording session next monday. according to our release schedule, december 4th’s episode will be when we star using the new rules
Looks really neat! Can’t wait to see this in play.
What happens when a character gets ─1 Favor with an individual? Since it’s only ─1, they “earn petty revenge, cold receptions, small roadbocks, and other annoyances.” But at the same time, the character becomes “a full-fledged enemy of the character, determined to undermine and vex the character to the limit of its ability”. Those two statements don’t seem to reflect the same degree of animosity (unless the game takes place in Space Canada?) Maybe the individual Favor limit should be ─2/+1?
On earning enemies, may I suggest adding a sentence ─ “Religious agencies may denounce a character as a pariah, formally excommunicate the crew, or dispatch an inquisition to hound their trail.” (The last one is about to happen to my group.)
I do like how Acquisition incorporates varying costs (current system feels a bit unwieldy in how we can set costs for different items). If I’m reading this correctly, the Cargo economy is now (1) turn in Cargo for Favor, (2) use Favor to make Acquisition rolls, (3) pay Debt to get stuff, and (4) use Favor to pay it off? It feels a bit complicated, but I’m eager to see this in play.
I like the Debt section. It’d be good to have some examples for the different Debt levels!
I see I may not have read the debt rules thoroughly enough.
The way I’ve handled falling out of favour before is adding debt, but narratively separating actual debt and how much that faction dislikes the group.
A mercenary group that initally was chasing their ship for bounty let them go on another occasion in exchange for a debt. This saved the characters, but they know they will be asked to give a big favour later.
With the new system, this will be more predictable for the players – exactly how much a debt is worth and what they risk by not responding to being called in for a favour.
Favours and Cargo values being interchangeable didn’t occur to me to use 1 to 1, but this introduces more means to trade with and again, a defined cost.
I’ll test this with my group, I think it will sit well with them.
Appreciate the feedback, lemme see if I can’t answer some of it:
Alan Tsang
> -1 Favor to Individual: Ok in my defense I am Canadian. Going out of your way to slightly inconvenience someone is kinda what we do when there’s bad blood. We won’t get in your face or shoot you or whatever but daaaaaang the passive-aggressive needling. But you’re right. I need to reword that second bit to be a bit more neutral. Or possibly just get rid of it because it feels a bit redundant.
> Religious agencies: Good one, will add it.
> Cargo: Well when you say it like that sure it sounds bad. But seriously, in mock set-ups it seemed to flow very well. I’m looking forward to playtesting it for real.
> Debt levels: Not quite sure I understand. Could you elaborate/give an example?
Ståle Tevik
> Separate Debt Yeah the original Debt system didn’t differentiate, out of fear of adding more rules overhead. But hey, if it flows naturally for you, by all means play it your way. As you can tell, I’m a bit meh on the original incarnation of the Debt rules these days, so improvements are welcome.
>*More predictable* Yeah, I feel that in most cases the GM should be upfront about the risk half of the risk-reward loop. I feel it will make cargo more concretely useful; the old system was a bit ephemeral and disconnected.
I’d love to hear the results/feedback of your games.
Individuals seems ‘weak’ as an enemy… what if they irk Bruce Wayne enough? Is Bruce really a faction onto himself (and has lots of resources to go after them?) or is he an individual with limited capabilities?
Haha, yeah, I’m Canadian too, so I know what you’re talking about.
As for Debt levels, what I meant was that it would be good to have an example of what type of acquisition would result in 1x Major Debt, or 3x Crushing Debt. Buying a Class 2 grenade (probably?) should result in a different amount of Debt than a Class 2 firearm, or a Class 2 vehicle.
Brennan OBrien With Bruce Wayne I would set up Wayne Industries as a faction at Bruce’s disposal. He himself additionally as an extra resourceful individual
I’d like to see a return of the Pay the Piper move but using Favor as the modifier. It gives a little more system to the Debt part and adds great tension when you go to a faction starport with an outstanding Debt and low Favor.