Far East Campaign Setting: Any interest?
- Thread starter Eisho
- Start date
I'd be interested in that, depending on how it is treated. Quite a while ago, I came up with such a setting for the Vampire game system (of all systems!), and although it worked well, I think it could be better suited to a system like RuneQuest's, what with the hit locations and the emphasis on improving personal excellence in specific areas. If done right.
For such a setting, I'd personally like to see some deep (not necessarily realistic) treatment of the various styles of martial arts, a'la the old "Kung Fu Theater" shows I'd see dubbed into English on Saturday afternoon television. For that to work well, I believe you'd have to come up with a richer replacement for the "Martial Arts" skill, though.
A generic "Martial Arts" skill mechanic is fine in a setting where people with martial arts knowledge are rare, but if you want to focus on a variety of styles and tecniques and their interplay ("Drunken Monkey is the only style that can beat Eagle's Claw!"), it could really add to the gameplay experience to flesh out a game mechanic that celebrates those unique story hooks you only find in flicks like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
I'm thinking that it would be closer to a magic system than the raw combat rules, with % rolls in schools and techniques and special moves that burn MP, for instance, but perhaps someone has a more clever idea.
Luckily, there are plenty of hooks in the RuneQuest system that you can hang mechanics like these off of if you design carefully. If you want help fleshing something like this out, let me know, and depending on how well what you're envisioning meshes with what I'm envisioning, I could probably contribute some content and/or design.
For such a setting, I'd personally like to see some deep (not necessarily realistic) treatment of the various styles of martial arts, a'la the old "Kung Fu Theater" shows I'd see dubbed into English on Saturday afternoon television. For that to work well, I believe you'd have to come up with a richer replacement for the "Martial Arts" skill, though.
A generic "Martial Arts" skill mechanic is fine in a setting where people with martial arts knowledge are rare, but if you want to focus on a variety of styles and tecniques and their interplay ("Drunken Monkey is the only style that can beat Eagle's Claw!"), it could really add to the gameplay experience to flesh out a game mechanic that celebrates those unique story hooks you only find in flicks like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
I'm thinking that it would be closer to a magic system than the raw combat rules, with % rolls in schools and techniques and special moves that burn MP, for instance, but perhaps someone has a more clever idea.
Luckily, there are plenty of hooks in the RuneQuest system that you can hang mechanics like these off of if you design carefully. If you want help fleshing something like this out, let me know, and depending on how well what you're envisioning meshes with what I'm envisioning, I could probably contribute some content and/or design.
@Nephilim
Thanks for the response. I was planning on doing some work on martial arts as shorter PDFs. I plan to start with historical Western martial arts that are realistic and will immediately fit into any Gloranthaesque setting.
A Far East campaign setting will be much more involved (and a lot more work), that's why I'd like to check if there is any interest first up. If I go ahead, then this work will definitely distinguish between different (Eastern) martial arts. I'll keep your offer in mind. Much appreciated.
Cheers,
Eisho
Thanks for the response. I was planning on doing some work on martial arts as shorter PDFs. I plan to start with historical Western martial arts that are realistic and will immediately fit into any Gloranthaesque setting.
A Far East campaign setting will be much more involved (and a lot more work), that's why I'd like to check if there is any interest first up. If I go ahead, then this work will definitely distinguish between different (Eastern) martial arts. I'll keep your offer in mind. Much appreciated.
Cheers,
Eisho
Drakar och Demoner, a swedish RPG used a system for martial arts, where you added techniques to the martial arts skill that you could use afterwards.
Such as;
Iron Fist Punch - 1d6 dmg
Flying Kick - 1d8 dmg
Unarmed Parrying
etc.
The more techniques you added, the more it cost to increase the skill.
The system worked very well, and allowed you to recreate a great number of martial arts, simply by adding new techniques and creating martial arts skills such as "Kung Fu" and listing the techniques that was integrated into that skill.
Such as;
Iron Fist Punch - 1d6 dmg
Flying Kick - 1d8 dmg
Unarmed Parrying
etc.
The more techniques you added, the more it cost to increase the skill.
The system worked very well, and allowed you to recreate a great number of martial arts, simply by adding new techniques and creating martial arts skills such as "Kung Fu" and listing the techniques that was integrated into that skill.
B_Steele
Mongoose
As an add-on...when I did up the Arms & Equipment guide I made sure to include LOTS of eastern weapons and a few bits of armour.
My hope was that _someone_ would jump out on the OGL and use them to come up with a good "FuQuest" module...
That is, if I can't get Matthew and Alex to let me put one together. 8)
Cheers all!
-Bry
My hope was that _someone_ would jump out on the OGL and use them to come up with a good "FuQuest" module...
That is, if I can't get Matthew and Alex to let me put one together. 8)
Cheers all!
-Bry
A far eastern setting would be interesting. I would prefer something moderately realistic – more Seven Samurai than Wuxia. I would try and avoid any setting specific material if possible, I am not sure whether I would use the real setting (with or without weird bits) or a made up version. The real history can be strange enough.
I see the realism of RuneQuest as being one of the most attractive points of the system. It's certainly one of the main reasons why I have always preferred it to D&D. I suspect that most other people playing RuneQuest are playing it because, among other reasons, it has a more pronounced grounding in reality. There are more appropriate systems with established fan bases for anything less realistic.
I'm thinking more along the lines of China / Korea / Japan as powers in the same vicinity. The influence of one on the others (generally from China to Korea to Japan) is both accurate and, I hope, interesting. Going beyond those three, at least for the time being, would I think be beyond my experience at this time.
I have an idea for a continent with these three countries - or countries inspired by these three - dominating it.
Thanks for the interest and comments so far.
Cheers,
Eisho
I'm thinking more along the lines of China / Korea / Japan as powers in the same vicinity. The influence of one on the others (generally from China to Korea to Japan) is both accurate and, I hope, interesting. Going beyond those three, at least for the time being, would I think be beyond my experience at this time.
I have an idea for a continent with these three countries - or countries inspired by these three - dominating it.
Thanks for the interest and comments so far.
Cheers,
Eisho
I would really appreicate a an eastern setting, as you describe, korea, china, japan. But I would also like if there are western civilizations in the same setting, just as the real world.
Fantasy settings tend to focus on western civilization or eastern civlization, or a mediocre attempt to merge them.
L5R has western civilizations, but they have no effect or bearing on the eastern land of Rokugan. At least not much.
I want it to be a regular trade between west and east, and even have the option to play an "exotic" western character in the eastern setting.
The western lands do not need as much detail as the eastern setting in the basic setting description. But it would be niced if they were at least partially given substance after the eastern setting is more or less finished.
As a miminum, it should be possible to incorporate the eastern setting in a setting that is already exist, and draws upon western civlization as its source.
It's a tough thing to do, I know. Requiring a lot of extra work. But I think it could be intressting setting. Finally you could play a marco polo character going to the eastern lands for trade, or you could play a powerful leader at the head of armies going to make war upon the western "barbarians".
Fantasy settings tend to focus on western civilization or eastern civlization, or a mediocre attempt to merge them.
L5R has western civilizations, but they have no effect or bearing on the eastern land of Rokugan. At least not much.
I want it to be a regular trade between west and east, and even have the option to play an "exotic" western character in the eastern setting.
The western lands do not need as much detail as the eastern setting in the basic setting description. But it would be niced if they were at least partially given substance after the eastern setting is more or less finished.
As a miminum, it should be possible to incorporate the eastern setting in a setting that is already exist, and draws upon western civlization as its source.
It's a tough thing to do, I know. Requiring a lot of extra work. But I think it could be intressting setting. Finally you could play a marco polo character going to the eastern lands for trade, or you could play a powerful leader at the head of armies going to make war upon the western "barbarians".
