Setting
Current mood: blah
Category: Games

I just finished watching MirrorMask for the second time. I really enjoyed this film on many different levels. It has me thinking about the setting for Hero's Journey. I see a specific setting for HJ but when I watch MirrorMask I see this being the type of story that could be created with the game that I'm envisioning.

So what if the game comes with a default setting to get play started, but players can choose to create other settings as they wish? This is tending toward a multiverse structure with the Labyrinth at its center.

I'm looking more closely now at Universalis and Mortal Coil for inspiration on creating colaborative settings.

Currently watching : Mirrormask Release date: 14 February, 2006

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Conundrum
Current mood: moody
Category: Games

I never thought as I designed this game that one of the biggest issues I would be having was its name. This may be putting the cart before the horse (and if it is, I hope someone will call me on it), but I think the name should espouse the flavor and theme of the game.

This all started when I picked up the game Swansong by Joe Prince at the IPR booth. Swansong uses the Tarot as a task resolution mechanic so I was getting it for research. Lo and behold, Joe has a game named, you guested it, Call to Adventure. It is already out and deals with a world of buckle-swashing adventure. To make matters worse, my back-up name was Labyrinth, after the setting of my game. Seems Joe has a supplement coming out called Labyrinths & Lycanthropes.

So for now the working title is Hero's Journey. I'm hoping this won't cause too much confusion with Hero's Banner (which I also picked up from IPR at GenCon). If folks have other suggestions I would appreciate it.

As I look at things I see the focus of the game is the heroic cycle laid down by Campbell. I think that is the core and heart of this game. I have to concentrate on this and cut away all the other superfluous crap that keeps popping in my head.

Currently reading : Tarot and the Journey of the Hero By Hajo Banzhaf Release date: May, 2000

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Post Gen Con Energy
Current mood: energetic
Category: Games

I'm back. Well, actually I never really went anywhere, unless you count Gen Con. I mean to say I'm back on the web. I had gone into deep research mode which is code for saying I was avoiding working on Call to Adventure.

Gen Con changed all that. I'm back now with a fire in my belly (and I'm not talking about the Taco Bell I had for lunch). I'm ready to get crankin' on CtA again and this time I'm not alone. I've joined with several other fledgling RPG designers to form a support network to keep things moving. What this means is that if I dig too deep into 'research' again I'm gonna get a swift kick in the ass from one of my co-horts.

Special thanks to Daniel for encouraging the formation of the Collegium Penumbrae, to Jeff for telling me to get off my ass and play the frickin' game already, to Tim for sharing Hero's Banner with me and to Matt for sharing some design insights while at the Ashcan Front booth.

Look for more posting soon.

Currently reading : Tarot and the Journey of the Hero By Hajo Banzhaf Release date: May, 2000

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Lost civilizations
Current mood: blah
Category: Games

In developing the setting for Call to Adventure I've come to an interesting realization. In choosing the Cathars as one of the primary groups in the Labyrinth I've set a precedent of using a group that was almost wiped out of existance in our world. I think it will be fun to explore this aspect further and see what else comes up.

Two groups come to mind, the Aztecs that seemingly disappeared overnight (I know I read this somewhere, now I need to research my sources again) and the witches of Salem. I see their antagonists being agents of the Demiurge in the Mundane world. This could be cool to have groups of Magi and other fantasitc creatures emmigrate from the Mundane to the Mythic. As such, if players use their Mythic abilities in the Mundane world they will certainly draw attention.

It is an interesting exercise to create a literal world that supports the theories of Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey with all it wonderful possibilities and variety.

Currently listening : Test for Echo By Rush Release date: 31 August, 2004

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Setting Update
Current mood: busy
Category: Games

I realized I added some content to the setting and did not post it here. Let me rectify that now...

The Katharoi (The Cathars)

When the Cathars faced extinction in the Mundane world at the hands of the Demiurge's agents (Albigensian Crusade & Dominican Order) they fled to the Mythic world and went into hiding. Now they fight a guerrilla war against the legions of Diemos. Before departing they disseminated the teachings of the Hero's Journey in art and stories. These were crystallized in the 15^th century into the birth of the Tarot. The Tarot is the primary divinatory medium still used to predict the Path of a Hero's Journey.

Currently reading : The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Mythos Books) By Joseph Campbell Release date: 01 March, 1972

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Tarot
Current mood: busy
Category: Games

(From a recent post at the House of the Harping Money forums)

I am concerned that I'm getting a bit of project drift. Meaning, this game is starting to turn into something different that what I started with. You may be shocked to know that when I started I was trying to find a way to basically play The Matrix. Now it's a totally different creature.

I had originally designed this so that it could be played with 'found objects': d6s, playing cards and chips/coins. Now I'm finding a strong attraction to the idea of the Tarot (I'm sure Storn will enjoy hearing that). I'd been a student of the Tarot and have not revisited it in years, but now it's poking its nose into the game. I would love to see this as a boxed game with all the pieces needed to play inside. (I miss the old boxed sets, games should come in boxes.)

I'm also fighting the urge to pull out my copy of Everway, the only game that I know that has a Tarot-like deck for conflict resolution (as part of a larger offering of resolution systems). I don't want to copy Everway, but I feel like the game is drifting in that direction. Everway is over 10 years old now.

While I'm on the subject I had some thoughts of how the Tarot could be used in play...

The Major Arcana (sans Fool and Sun cards - signifying the beginning and end of the journey) would be used for determining the Character's Path of Destiny. Cards drawn in a 'Life Spread' would layout the challenges the character must overcome to reach enlightenment. Failing to pass a challange may warrent gaining some sort of flaw tied to the card. Instead of the Major Arcana this can easily be replaced by a d20 roll against a Path of Destiny table.

The Court Cards (Page, Knight, Queen and King) could be used for determining the type of challanges a particular scene will be based (wits, strength, wisdom or charisma). The face cards of a regular deck of playing cards can be use plus a total fo 4 jokers to achieve the same effect.

The rest of the cards would be involved in the Destiny mechanic that I'm still fleshing out. Basically they would set the difficulty of scenes or might be used as way to augment dice roles with their numeric value.

Currently reading : The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Mythos Books) By Joseph Campbell Release date: 01 March, 1972

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Endgame
Current mood: tired
Category: Games

The deeper I delve into the world of Joseph Campbell's Hero with the Thousand Faces the more I think there needs to be some sort of Endgame mechanic. The Adventure Track that I'm proposing is an enclosed loop of scenes that will naturally lead to the resolution of one adventure/story. That part I'm not worried about. It's the Heroes that trouble me.

The Heroes of the great stories can have many different outcomes to their adventures. The can achive a Sacred Marriage, Atone with a parental figure, become a god, or achive immortality through worthiness or theft. But the ultimate goal of a Hero is to push past the world of opposites and enter the life-giving realm at the fountainhead of all creation.

At this point one of two things can happen. The Hero can ascend to this realm and leave all worldly pleasures behind or they can return and live among the unenlightened. Regardless of the choice, the Hero is no longer playable. In the former case the Hero's abilities become indescribable and in the latter they are beyond the scope of the game. The latter case does leave the door open for the Hero to act as guide on the path to enlightenment; they could become a mentor for other PCs or for the next PC of the newly sainted Hero. In this way there is a chain created that could stretch back to the beginning of time - mentor, student, mentor, student...

[Note to self, check out Hero's Banner for similarities in theme and focus]

So...how do we get there. I'm envisioning stages that will lead to the final dawning of enlightenment. The outcomes mentioned earlier might be stopping points on the road to enlightenment. So going back to my concentric circles we have a new innermost circle. Each of the outcomes is now a point on this circle. Perhaps these are associated with Tarot cards - the Fool for the starting position, then the Hermit or Priestess for parrent atonement, the Lovers for sacred marriage, and finally the World for the final enlightment. Since I haven't dealt too deeply with the Tarot at this point I may instead tie it to the four Archetypes of the game: Knave, Warrior, Queen and King.

A final thought on this subject is perhaps the path to enlightenment is different for everone. By taking the four courtly cards (king, queen, jack and joker - yes this may need two extra jokers to be added to a normal deck of playing cards) and choosing one from each and then mixing them to lay them out in order, this may be the map to the path. Perhaps it could be played as a Tarot-like reading during character creation. Hmmmm, now I have to re-examine chargen.

No rest for the weary....

Currently reading : The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Mythos Books) By Joseph Campbell Release date: 01 March, 1972

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Adventure Track
Current mood: content
Category: Games

The Adventure Track is made up of 8 basic scenes that carry the Heroes from beginning to end of their Adventure. Most scenes will only take place once while others may be repeated.

Home

The beginning and ending point of the Adventure. This need not be the literal home of a Character, but rather a resting point for the Adventuring Party. It signals either the start or finish of a single Adventure. It can be seen as either Prologue or Epilogue.

Call to Adventure

The Call (for short) sets the stage for the current situation which must be addressed by the Heroes. Information is presented to the Heroes which prompts them into action.

First Threshold

The Heroes must cross into an unknown area of danger to address the current situation. This may involve simply crossing from the Mundane into the Mythic. Guardians typically block the passage to test the worthiness of the Heroes to enter.

Trials

The Heroes are put through a series of trials to further test their abilities. This scene may be repeated as needed to heighten tension.

Ordeal

This is the climaxic moment when the situation is resolved. It often requires a life-altering/-affirming decision for one or more of the Heroes.

Flight

In Flight Heroes begin their journey home. Depending on the nature of the Ordeal this can be a walk in the park or a harrowing midnight ride. This can mirror the Trials that led up to the Ordeal. This scene may be repeated as needed to heighten tension.

Second Threshold

Before crossing out of the realm of danger it is often necessary to confront one last guardian. If the guardian proves too great the Heroes may need to be rescued from their predicament.

Elixir

Besides unlocking some insight to the Character's psyche, Heroes will often receive a boon that can be administered to the community, be it personal, regional or global. This Elixir rectifies the situation that precipitated the Adventure.

Aid (optional)

Heroes sometimes need a little help along the way. Aid comes in many different packages: respite and healing, escape, information, etc. The Aid scene is not required for progression on the Adventure Track, but can be inserted as needed.

Currently reading : The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Mythos Books) By Joseph Campbell Release date: 01 March, 1972

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Thread managment
Current mood: bouncy
Category: Games

The following is from my post in a thread that was going on at the House of the Harping Monkey where some discussion was happing about how to display the process of character and story advancement for Call to Adventure:

"I've been turning this over in my mind and after a sleepless night here is what I'm thinking. I see them as concentric circles, each circle a track for recording procress and advancement. Here is my current breakdown:

Heroic Journey - The inner-most circle. This has four points: Home, Departure, Initiation and Return. Once a Hero progresses thru each stage, starting and returning to Home, they may modify their Character in some way.

Adventure Track - The outer circle. This has 8 points: Home, Call to Adventure, First Threshold, Trials, Ordeal, Flight, Second Threshold and Elixir. These are the various stages that the story will pass thru. Once returned to Home, that chapter is over.

I'm toying with the idea of one more larger circle that would represent a Heroic Arc of Adventures, much like a campaign, but that idea needs a lot more work and is not crutial to the process at the moment.

Now this will raise some intersting points. Much like the moon tracks for Dragonlance, there could be interesting implications for the characters when the various tracks line up. So if the Character is advancing to Departure during the Call to Adventure stage of the Adventure, it could be some bonus."

Currently reading : The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Mythos Books) By Joseph Campbell Release date: 01 March, 1972

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Sleepless Night
Current mood: tired
Category: Games

So I was tossing and turning in bed last night and my mind would not let me rest. Call to Adventure was calling to me. Here's what I kicked around.

Social contract - Social contracts are big now in gaming as a way of focussing the intent and purpose of play so that everyone is on the same page. This is greate for focusing expectations and encouraging more cooperative play. Since CtA is intended to be GM-less it is very important that all players are working together and invested from the get-go. To facilitate this I'm using the following elements:

Tone - Players should come to agreement on the overall Tone their stories will take. This could be anything that is enjoyable by all players and helps set the stage for the types of stories they want to tell.

Themes - Players should select to Themes that will be prominant in their stories. These Themes should be opposed to each other so to create tension. For example, the Themes could be Love vs. Anger or Friendship vs. Loneliness. These Themes will help direct the outcomes of Actions taken and could act as goals or inspiration for role-play.

Topics - Players should select at least one Topic each that they would like to see in play. These topics can be anything that will make the story more exciting for them. For example, corporate corruption, degenerative madness, horrific monsters, or true love just to name a few. As with the above elements these will help encourage involvement and role-play.

Organization - I was thinking about the organization of the game and really struggling with how to go about this. I did find some nice examples of game outlines on TroyCostisick's Socratic Design. Right now I see it breaking down this way: Character, Mechanics, Story, Setting. Simple and to the point. This also happens to be the way more RPGs are presented, but I started questioning this logic.

If the Setting is so intregral to the Story, shouldn't the Setting come first, it both design and introduction? I really started thinking about what order I needed to look at things to get it all worked out. It seems to me that Setting is key. As this is an orginal Setting to support themes and ideas from The Hero with a Thousand Faces it will be very intersting to say the least.

But what about teaching the game. Most games start with the Character and build from there. To truely build a solid Character for the Setting, should they become familar with the setting first? For right now I'm thinking the order that is used to design the game will be the order that is used to present it: Setting, Story, Mechanics, and finally, Character.

Advancement - In discussions over on the House of the Harping Monkey forums I've been looking at the dynamic between the Heroic Journey of an adventuring party as it relates to a personl Heroic Journey of the Hero. I see them as concentric circles, each circle a track for recording procress and advancement. Here is my current breakdown:

Personal Journey - The inner-most circle. This has four points: Home, Departure, Initiation and Return. Once a Hero progresses thru each stage, starting and returning to Home, they may modify their Character in some way.

Story Journey - The outer circle. This has 8 points: Home, Call to Adventure, First Threshold, Trials, Ordeal, Flight, Second Threshold and Elixir. These are the various stages that the story will pass thru. Once returned to Home, that chapter is over.

That's all for now, time to catch some sleep.

Currently reading : The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Mythos Books) By Joseph Campbell Release date: 01 March, 1972

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