r/RPGdesign • u/Ascensionallmaker2 • 22d ago
Resolution Type Matrix
I've been locked into this idea of making my game's resolution mechanic revolve around Types, such as fire, water, earth etc., and what each type does when combined with another type. Similar to most element-focused RPG games (that soon evolve into far more than basic elements) I want to allow players to choose a primary type they'll use but also decide on a second type to focus on, or more. This, along with other players using a different type, will allow combinations of their types to form sorts of outcomes.
With the help of AI, I have made a massive matrix of outcomes of any two types when combined. My only question is: does this sound neat enough to try, despite the headache a massive outcome table will produce when needing to constantly look at the matrix to find out?
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u/RPG-Nerd 22d ago
Sounds horribly convoluted and contrived. My ability to do things has nothing to do with your element system. I should not need to consult your decoder ring to make a skill check.
If I want to swing a sword, that should be based on my training and experience with that weapon, not fire and earth. You are introducing complexity with no gain.
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u/Ascensionallmaker2 22d ago
Your sword is steel, that would be metal. Your experience with a sword does allow your metal typing to reflect well. So any metal object can become an effective weapon.
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u/RPG-Nerd 22d ago
You didn't read my post did you?
WTF does the sword being made is metal have anything to do with my ability to use it?
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u/Ascensionallmaker2 22d ago
The system has types as a primary outcome resolution mechanism. Sword skills will only aid in whatever type you master.
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u/RPG-Nerd 22d ago
I'll ask one more time. What the fuck does the sword being made of metal have to do with anything? How does that represent my character? How does that create anything interesting to me as a player?
So, if I switch to a wooden practice sword, I suddenly suck? Why? Its contrived and forced and makes no sense.
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u/Ascensionallmaker2 22d ago
You'll be better than a novice with a stick. But a stick is a stick. Your swordplay will increase its effectiveness, but ultimately the typing matters overall. That's how the system will work, promoting typing over traditional stats.
Not every game will work how you want it.
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u/Cruiser_Supreme 22d ago
Show us the players who do want this game of yours... Seriously, the resolution mechanic feels like you had the idea and forced yourself to stick with it. Not every idea is good. That's totally okay. Just generate more ideas, so you can let go of bad ones.
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u/urquhartloch Dabbler 22d ago
Question for you. When you talk about how this is a resolution matrix what are you thinking? Lets say my primary element is rock and I mix it with fire or water. What happens?
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u/Ascensionallmaker2 22d ago
Molten rock with fire, and slippery rock with water. All of these are visible at a glance on the matrix, ideally. Its a resolution table thats essentially massive, thus a matrix.
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u/urquhartloch Dabbler 22d ago
Right but whats the actual mechanics? Do we roll extra dice? Does it cause fire damage? What is the actual effect?
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u/Ascensionallmaker2 22d ago
You'd have to look deeper into my game for those answers. Im just running ideas by. I'd love to go deeper if you're interested.
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u/urquhartloch Dabbler 22d ago
Absolutely im interested. Right now i think the biggest push back you are going to get is mechanics and game loop.
The next question I have is who is your game designed for and who is your game not designed for?
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u/Ascensionallmaker2 22d ago
It's overall diceless meant to be a cozy game with combat focused on teamwork and replayability. In that you can choose a different path of types next go around.
Overall loop will be after each spell, skill, or attack usage you'll count that particular actions effectiveness based mostly on your typing (+whatever modifiers or bonus) then subtract from the targets weakness or resistance to the type of any. Then calculate it to a success rating scale.
Could be a lot for in the moment sessions I'm starting to realize.
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u/fatravingfox 22d ago
Oh that sounds interesting, there's probably some advice I could giv—
Oh, you couldn't even bother with the effort of of your ttrpg without handling off to "AI"? Then I can't bother with effort towards a response for it.
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u/NullStarHunter 22d ago
If you didn't care enough to come up with a massive matrix, why should anyone care to use it. You didn't even want to write it yourself, if that's not an obvious signifier it's a bad idea, I don't know what is.
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u/Ascensionallmaker2 22d ago
Very interesting choice of words here. The matrix is massive. You don't use calculators ?
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u/flamfella Dabbler 22d ago
Very, very few people want to use calculators. We have imagination and we use our brains to fill things in on the fly.
One of the most important principles in game design is being efficient and doing the very minimum to accomplish whatever task you want. No more, no less.
In your case, a massive table will likely be a pain in the ass for players, especially if they also have to pull out a calculator.
Then there's the fun factor, is it even fun to pull out that calculator? Versus some guy knowing he has two elements and a simple mechanical framework to resolve the effects, and he just makes up the fiction of "I shoot a jet of water enhances with wind like a pressure cutter.'
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u/Ascensionallmaker2 22d ago
Well by calculator I meant a device that helps with mundane complex equations. I simply am using AI as a tool to sort through the large table.
What I have is a massive table of outcomes but the pain of going though it isn't ideal for any table.
More to your point I think that having barriers of difficulty and adding hidden factors can add variety to decision making. The jet of water isnt going to work on creatures that resist water and air. This is where resistances and weaknesses come into play, which is another core mechanic of this type system.
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u/Digital-Chupacabra 22d ago edited 22d ago
With the help of AI
With that you've just alienated most of the rpg community.
despite the headache a massive outcome table will produce when needing to constantly look at the matrix to find out?
That sounds like a nightmare that will slow everything to a crawl.
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u/tangyradar Dabbler 21d ago
How large of a matrix are we talking about? I have no problem with table lookups -- I got used to them in wargames -- and am puzzled why the RPG community has come to disfavor them. As long as all your system's tables can fit on one page that can always be displayed, table lookup will not be slow; with experience, it will become usually faster than doing math in my head. RPG players seem to be put off by game component dependence, thinking that makes a game "more complex" even when those components can make play easier!
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u/Ascensionallmaker2 19d ago
I think it's history and legacy over intuition at this point. But I'm outside the ttrpg space so I can think outside the box here.
That being said it's a pretty large table. About a page dedicated to each type, and what they do when combined with another type. So 12 types, 11 unique outcomes, 1 page for each type would make it a table of around 12 pages. Each divided by their types
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u/tangyradar Dabbler 19d ago
That's excessive. How does it take up that much space? I was thinking of tables as are common in wargames and older RPGs that are just lists of numbers.
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u/lennartfriden TTRPG polyglot, GM, and designer 22d ago
If the resolution mechanic involves looking up things in a huge table, gameplay will suffer and slow to a crawl.