Does anyone know of info on how RPG stats are factered into the game? ie. intelegence, wisdom, vitality, etc. I am aware of the basics of what they effect, but no spacifics from anywhere. Also is there something that discusses the different RPG stat systems in detail/comparisons? Thanks. Erik of Ekedahl I am a madman running through the halls of computer latency, freeing the dark-suckers from their pedistals of atrophy... man I need some sleep.

If you want to make your own system then its easy to put those attributes to use, but the hard part is to make them balanced.

for example

CON = health for most games anyway

CON = 10
1 CON point might equal 10hp/level

so if the char is at level 6 with 17 CON points then do basic math

6*17 = 102HP then you can put in modifiers such as magic effect, and armor effects, potions, skills that might effect the CON pool etc..

So it just comes down to math formulas. In order to keep everything balanced then you might have to changed what the values are equal too at higher levels, say when that char reaches level 10, then 1 CON point is equal to 13 HP, or all new CON points gained after level 10 gives you 1 CON point + 3hp points.

I dont have office installed so sorry about the spelling errors

Also is there something that discusses the different RPG stat systems in detail/comparisons? Thanks.

Buy several "pen and paper" RPG rule books and learn from them.

“Debugging is twice as hard as writing the code in the first place. Therefore, if you write the code as cleverly as possible, you are, by definition, not smart enough to debug it.” — Brian W. Kernighan (C programming language co-inventor)

RPG stats are almost always way too complicated and arbitrary. I can''t believe anyone is still using STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, CHA - it''s so alienating to people that have never used paper and pencil RPG''s.

Also the connection between the stats and the effect in-game tends to be woefully opaque - which is why you have to ask the question.

For example why not just have a health stat and if you level up then you can increase that directly.

Make up your own stats and integrate them into your own design. Keep them simple, explain what they do and bear in mind that your audience may be new to the genre.

Simple transparent stats can interact in complex ways to produce interesting results.

STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, CHA, RIP!



-game design monkey-

In a "generic" RPG, stats usually form the basis of an Action Resolution system. Typically with PNPRPGs, the Rules and the Worldbook are separated, so the DND rules for example are generic and useable in many places, but each worldbook would help the GM prepare stories that would put the players through various Actions and Resolutions.

In a simple example RPG, say we have a stat, Agility, and a skill Lockpicking, which depends on Agility. In our world, we find a Lock that more difficult then normal. Just for argument sake, lets say its 1d6 (1 6-sided die). A player adept in lockpicking, and with 4 Agility would resolve this lock by adding 1 to 4, Lockpicking + Agility, and then subtract 1 because it''s a difficult lock. Thus, he 1+4-1 means that he has to roll 4 or less on the die for it to work. If it works, the door is unlocked. If it doesn''t, then he''d have to wait to his next turn to try it again.

Now, when you get to a Computer RPG, theres no rule that these stats have to be at all generic. In fact, in Console RPGs, the stats tend to be specific, and usually only towards Combat situations. Like, a damage algorythm would be
Actor.Attack * Random(0.9, 1.1) - Target.Defense

What I''m basically getting at is that Stats are usually a numeric way to express what will occur rather frequently and need some form of measurement.

.... so I''m basicly back to building my own system from scratch... ok... I guess.

Erik of Ekedahl

I am a madman running through the halls of computer latency, freeing the dark-suckers from their pedistals of atrophy... man I need some sleep.

Well, if you are asking about stat systems, you can, as has been said, look at existing "open" systems.
Namely, the Chaosium system (used in Chtulhu, Stormbringer...), the Silhouette system by Dreampod 9 (Tribe 8, Heavy Gear, Gear Krieg), the Warhammer system (OK, not open, but it''s one of the Great Ancient games), the Simulacres system, the GURPS system by Steve Jackson Games, the World of Darkness system by White Wolf (Vampire, Werewolf, Exalted...), and of course the D20 system (Dungeon and Dragons).

Some systems are combat oriented (you can convert your Warhammer characters almost seemlessly to the Warhammer Battle games...), others are more open (WoD uses a Physical/Social/Mental categorisation I find particularly appropriate), some are made of numerous stats that help you flesh out your character in details (I am thinking of the 12 or so stats in the Silhouette system, for instance).

Hell, there are so many approaches... each new roleplaying game designer tries to design its own system, if they feel other systems lack *something*.


The D20 system is based on ... D20 (meaning a 20 sided dice) and you have to roll the highest possible.
But there are other approaches.
In Warhammer, you have to roll the lowest possible on a D100.
In the Silhouette system, you roll as many D6 as your ability score (say, hand to hand combat), but only keep the highest dice. You have to roll higher than a set difficulty. Success is quantified by the difference between your roll and the difficulty.
In World of Darkness, you have to roll as many D10 as your ability + stat level, against a set difficulty. Each dice above the difficulty is a success. The more succesful rolls, the higher the success is.
And so on and so forth...

Each system has its own probability curves, its own "fatality rate" (as one would call it), its own way of resolving actions, and of course, how to resolve fights and manage the player''s health and damage levels.
Usually the biggest part of a rules system is its fighting system, which epitomise the more simple action resolution system.

The best thing is to PRACTICE roleplaying. Play and see what you like. Some system I love for the smoothness of the action resolution mechanism, some I love for the health and damage system, some I absolutely HATE for the same reasons
(I cannot EVER stand the magic system in DnD, for instance. I have, ever sicne this game existed, and to this very day, thought it was uber crap. Which is unfortunate as some of the spells I find really nice :-7 )

So anyway... I hope you take the time to at least check out the names I mention above, I am sure you would learn a lot from it.
Check out "demo games packages" that some of those roleplaying games offer for people to test out a "lite" version of the rules, this might give you ideas.

And please dont base your system on DnD just because it''s popular. It''s popular yes, because it''s SIMPLISTIC. Not because it''s good. It''s easier than it was now, but as has been said numerous times on these forums, a computer CAN handle complex systems, so why limit yourself to a simple limiting system when you can do something nice that give that nifty touch of realism ?

good luck

Sancte Isidore ora pro nobis !

Be careful about the whole dice mentality. The only reason dice are used in pen and paper role playing is because Dice are a good means of creating unpredicatble numbers. In the world of computers, we have stuff like the Mersene Twister which can produce numbers so unpredictable and with such a wide range that you can set just about any arbitrary number as the base of your own system. The trick is however to make these numbers meaningful to the player. What good is a lockpicking skill level 7 if all of the doors in the world need at least 8?