These are the intentions and desires that I think are important goals for the design of the Chronica Feudalis Manor System.
- Provide a fun, engaging set of rules to enhance strategic-level play of the core Chronica Feudalis system.
- The system should feed into role-playing, providing story seeds and inform how various people are faring.
- The system should be fed by role-playing. The rewards of personal quests should affect manor play.
- Explore facets of feudal society in a tactile way: lord and vassal relationships, treatment of peasants.
- Continued use of design elements from core Chronica Feudalis: step-dice and aspects especially.
- Avoid using charts. The system should be procedural and performed with minimum references to the book.
What other high-level concepts do you feel are necessary in a strategic, resource-management system such as this?
#1 by Graham Bottley at September 24th, 2009
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I think that some rules for Family both close and extended would be good, as these are important concepts in a Manor setting, whether the character is a Peasant or Noble
#2 by Jeremy Keller at September 24th, 2009
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Definitely. Family is an important factor. Marriage is a method of acquiring more land and strengthening alliances. Your heirs will be potential future characters for generational play.
#3 by Jeremy Keller at September 25th, 2009
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I added a sixth item, “Avoid using charts…,” above.
#4 by Conall Kavanagh at September 26th, 2009
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I would add:
Provide a bottom-up mechanism for determining population density and the sizes of local towns and cities. Incorporate the effects of infrequent but catastrophic events (eg. famine, crop disease, etc.) into gameplay.
#5 by Serge at September 29th, 2009
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Hello, just bought CS yesterday. Very nice job; The goals are reached. I haven’t played the game yet, but i’ve been in the rpg since 81 and i know a good one when i see it !
The system is very interesting, switft, global, very open to characterisation. I am sure that if you translate it into french you’ll have plenty of new players too.
Keep going !
#6 by Daniel Elenius at January 17th, 2010
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One existing system that does at least 1-3 above is Reign’s company mechanics. An interesting aspect of those rules is that it handles non-landed types of organizations as well (the “Territory” stat of your “company” could be zero).
#7 by Jeremy Keller at January 19th, 2010
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Reign will certainly be listed among the influences for this system. That said, I want to make sure the manor system is not just Reign’s companies with step-dice. I’m really trying to approach the themes and mechanics from a different angle. Otherwise, why not just play Reign?
For example, I too like the versatility of Reign’s companies and the way you can easily use them for any type of organization from any type of society. Chronica’s manor system, however, will be laser focused on medieval hierarchies and feudal land holdings. You’ll be able to bend and twist the rules for a wide definitions of “lord” and “vassal” but it–fingers-crossed–should do a good job of bringing out setting-specific elements of the culture through play.
#8 by Aramis at January 30th, 2010
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“Otherwise, why not just play Reign?”
because…
…one has CF and not Reign.
…one doesn’t like Reign’s dice mechanics.
…one’s player group doesn’t like Reign’s dice mechanics.
What I’d like to see is the ability to handle and differentiate guilds from landholds, but run them both under the same basic mechanics.
Something that handles better than Pendragon’s Lordly Domains or AD&D’s Birthright…