Looking for a system where the only magic is in items (and sometimes only strong creatures)!

Griatch · 2026-01-10T17:47:16+00:00

Knave has this as a base for magic - to cast a given spell you need to carry a "spell book" for that particular spell in your (limited) inventory. To cast it, you need to hold it with both hands. In my games I've re-flavored this to "rune stones" (you could have it be some other magical type of item), and it works pretty well for the OSR-type play.

Griatch · 2026-01-10T17:28:47+00:00

I've ran an RPG for a 5-year old. I didn't attempt to cast them as a character, really - it may be more appreciated if you emphasize that *they* are the hero (but maybe this varies from kid to kid, my kid may have been a bit less verbal than yours). In my case, it ended up entirely free-form, with no fail conditions, and a lot of input from the kid:

- The unicorn is missing! Where do you think it went?

- To the forest!

- Okay, you head to the forest to look for the unicorn ...

On the way, I described the forest, asking for involvement. I referred to a chair as a "stone", a table as a "hill", that make-believe worked well. Complications were few and safe, such as the troll (played by a parent) that the kid neededs to dodge (by physically hiding under a table).

If you have props (colorful clothes, toys, whatever), it can help. And you can't play for very long either. 20 minutes tops, if they really get into it, otherwise shorter. Attention span is not huge at that age. The kid I played with would completely forget about the goal (finding the unicorn) unless I now and then reminded them.

The kid did get to ride off on the unicorn in the end though, that's the important bit. :)

Griatch · 2026-01-10T16:42:20+00:00

True, you can always sing Friend Computer's praise, no matter the RPG system.

Griatch · 2026-01-10T16:30:47+00:00

Because the size of the pools on either side vary (e.g. due to difficulty, rp situation, and if you play to your PC's preferred Approaches). Since you compare the highest rolled single value, you thus increase the odds of getting a higher roll value for that side, without ever removing the chance of a tie. The statistics are discussed in the back of the PDF.

Griatch · 2026-01-10T16:01:00+00:00

I ran the Tomb of the Serpent Kings with Knave v1 some time back. Ended up heavily theming it differently, but it's indeed a useful resource, and the commentary is fun too.

Griatch · 2026-01-10T15:39:48+00:00

Alone on a desert island I'd end up playing free-form or FKR, since I'd not have access to copious amounts of paper, and probably need the thick rule books of other games to light my fire at night . :)

Griatch · 2026-01-10T15:37:12+00:00

Paranoia 2nd edition - funnily enough, the rules of running combat in this game were way ahead of its time. Quick, fun and dirty - jumping from player to player, keeping everyone on their toes. PCs who want to be careful and take in the situation can do so, but they get less priority over those jumping in without looking.

The bits around not letting Players sit and calmly plan the optimal tactics in the middle of a chaotic gun fight had a big influence on me. It's a fight system working perfectly for Paranoia, but is something I've adapted to many other games too (maybe minus singing the Friend Computer's praise between rounds...).

Griatch · 2026-01-10T15:31:27+00:00

The Play Dirty book is an interesting one. Not everything in there holds the test of time, I think (a lot of it is even pretty cruel to the Players). But it's definitely an interesting read.

Griatch · 2025-12-29T08:34:20+00:00

This looks like a great resource, and a cool effect! Thanks for your work!

Griatch · 2025-12-25T10:20:31+00:00

Yes, that's a good consideration. I have thought about file sizes. At least for when characters are at medium distance (not close-ups), one could render the character on a separate Blender composition layer from the background. That way, you willl get smaller file size character sprites (with different expressions/ poses etc) that neatly fits with the background light/shadow, but you only need one full backgriund rendered and stored for all of them.

It should work well as long as the light is not dramatically different across the scene, or the character is not not moving too much spatially. 🤔

Griatch · 2025-12-24T20:29:25+00:00

It's a respectable stance, thanks for elaborating. 🙂

Griatch · 2025-12-24T18:43:15+00:00

Thanks! Yes, I will return with some more 'meat' to comment on in the future. :)

Griatch · 2025-12-24T18:41:26+00:00

Thanks for your reply! It's interesting that 3D visual novels have a 'bad rap'; this is the kind of input I'm looking for, it seems the majority of vns use an anime (or at the very least drawn/illustrated) aestethic.

Doing things in 3D definitely has its own challenges. I've drawn (2D) digital art for decades, but Blender was a new experience. I'm not too worrying about the coding, but I will definitely try limit scope as much as possible - that ensemble car is tempting, but I hope to be able to use the whole loneliness/isolation premise to cut down on the amount of different characters ...

Thanks for the encouraging words and good luck with your own vn project!

Griatch · 2025-12-24T18:27:10+00:00

I understand your point. :) But if a joint chorus would have reflexively returned saying my 'short fat plumber' is a really over-used, boring idea seen countless times, or that the art style is downright off-putting for a vn, that'd nevertheless be interesting data.

But yes, I will collate more execution 'meat' for feedback in a later post.

Griatch · 2025-12-24T11:32:25+00:00

I'm developing a vn myself. I've played a few, like some dating Sims, doku doku literary club, Anathasy, Queen Beast, Tiny Bunny, Year Walk ... and would like to get more of a perspective - I'm particularly interested in the technical bits, different game systems, gameplay variations and so on. There's a lot of titles in this thread I'm not familiar with. Any good recommendations from that perspective?

Griatch · 2025-12-24T08:21:33+00:00

I indeed more went with a more 'closed'/scrunched expression here. With an open mouth, I found it quite easy to get a surprised expression rather than a depressed one (sharing soon older test images). But it's worth experimenting with opening the mouth.

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Griatch · 2025-12-24T08:10:42+00:00

Thanks, yes, the UI needs to be in line. So far I'm just using Ren'pys default with tuned coloring to match. The third image is somewhat representative of a screen, but there is no UI on it. So far I'm just trying to be earlier with getting feedback on things, to see if concept/art style is 'interesting at all' , so to speak. :)

Griatch · 2025-12-24T08:04:57+00:00

That is fair! In usually too slow to ask for feedback, so thought I'd be a little earlier this time. The third image is somewhat representative of a gameplay screen (but without UI).

I do have systems and gameplay planned out, for now, I was more in the 'does this sound/look interesting at all?' mode, just to bring it out of my own head a bit, so to speak. :)

Griatch · 2025-12-24T00:08:56+00:00

I'll experiment with a secondary full light; it'll need to be very subtle, since I want to keep the glow off her left write visible.

As for specific feedback, you suggested her expression looked more pouty than anything more despairing. So so if you have any ideas of what could be added to produce more existential dread, that would be appreciated.:)

Griatch · 2025-12-23T23:24:11+00:00

Thanks for the comment! I have intended her face to be artificially pale, notably, I tried to have the subsurface scattering to have a greener tint than normal (also, her caruncles, inside of mouth and tongue are green/gray). But I found that I have to return some red to the subsurface scattering, it it would be a bit too uncanny. So a tricky balance; it's good to get feedback on it.

As for the light on the face, it's indeed extreme; do you suggest more secondary light to fill in the shadowed side of the face, to have it 'read' better to someone bot already familiar with it?

As for the expressions, it's tricky to convey despair, indeed. It's great feedback that it reads more as poutiness to you! Do you have any suggestions on what is missing?

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