[Other Projects] Avatar Game
April 30, 2007
So… I haven’t written anything more for The Grafted Rose yet, but I finally finished a draft of my Avatar: The Last Airbender-inspired game, something I started fiddling with last year about this time. The current playtest draft is posted up here on my blog, if people are familiar with the cartoon show and are interested in commenting.
As a game, it’s a weird fish. Nothing has any real mechanical weight. Basically, it’s a set of pacing guidelines with a few other things worked into it.
April 30, 2007 at 1:45 pm
I would love to play an Avatar game. That show rocks! I think the Prose Descriptive Qquality system by Atomic Sock Monkey would work pretty well if you’re looking for something with light mechanics and lots of creativity.
A buddy of mine once suggested stripping out the elemental mastery rules from Aberrant and it would be a solid Storyteller system.
Of course, the Nickelodeon folks might have a comment or two if you try to publish it.
April 30, 2007 at 2:07 pm
I just read through the game. To be honest, this isn’t how I’d want to play a game based on Avatar.
Perhaps I’m stuck in a traditional RPG mode, but I’d like to see some comparative stats and dice throwing down, some ideas for creating moves and fighting skills.
It is far too freeform for me. I like the game part of my RPGs.
I could run a kicking game of Avatar with the d6 system, or the ST system or PDQ as mentioned above. But I’m not sure how I’d run/play the game you’ve created.
April 30, 2007 at 3:39 pm
Ha. Yeah, I knew that some people wouldn’t appreciate an Avatar game that lacks crunchy rules for bending and fighting, but if you check out the initial posts linked from the page about the game, you’ll see that I was much more interested in replicating the story and character development structures of the series, which I think are what really distinguish it from other action-oriented kids shows. Any show can have combat and magic, but Avatar does something different, and that’s what I’m trying to get at.
April 30, 2007 at 5:31 pm
Yes, I join the “some people” in the desire to have a game that represents the action-oriented aspect of the Avatar series.
I appreciate that you see something different in the Avatar show in regards to how it tells stories. I don’t think declaring your stated goal before each scene necessarily captures Avatar, though. Its just a different way to pitch scene framing.
I agree that my desire for “crunchy” mechanics (although I would say I have a desire for “some” mechanics) doesn’t capture the stories in the TV shows. I would leave that at the feet of the GM and players. I believe you nailed it when you pondered if the players carried your game moreso than the system creating a facsimile of the show. So, I think I’m saying you created a vehicle for fanfic, which is great if that’s what you want to do. But if you want an RPG, I think some crunch is needed.
April 30, 2007 at 5:46 pm
Ha. Well, I consider my “vehicle for fanfic” to be an RPG, at least as much as Primetime Adventures, but there’s no point in arguing over that.
Also, the game isn’t about “declaring your stated goal before each scene.” That’s not really how Dharma Paths work. They are the issues that players are dealing with in any given scene, but what happens in the scene can be largely unrelated to player goals. Once I have examples of play (from playtesting), that should hopefully be clearer.
April 30, 2007 at 6:33 pm
Neat system! Two main comments stand out:
The Avatar Cycle 10 talks about how you move your token from one element to another. I had some trouble understanding yin and yang directions. “Clockwise” and “counterclockwise” in the rules text would have helped me sort that out.
If I’m understanding the directions correctly, then I also feel like you should explicitly state that you are moving in a certain direction becuase you are acting in a manner compatable with that element. From Fire you can move Yangward (counterclockwise) towards Earth (Strength), as agression combines intensity with strength. This is cool, don’t hide it.
My larger concern has to do with framing scenes that play out in 5 minutes or less for a game that lasts an hour. From my experience with Polaris, a single scene that lasts 15 minutes does not feel long, so I wonder how much roleplaying goodness can be packed into 5 minutes. By its very nature roleplaying a sequence is going to take longer than watching that same sequence on TV, just because roleplaying lacks a director and a script. This may or may not actually matter, that’s something for actual play to decide.
–Chris
April 30, 2007 at 6:56 pm
Your points about movement around the Avatar Cycle are noted. Actually, the yin/yang oriented movements were not intentionally based on combinations of elements (Fire + Earth = Aggression), just on obervations of characters in the show (Fire people are angry and like to plot and scheme). But it would be neat if they would all work out that way. I’ll think about it.
Yeah, the micro-scene thing is something that just happened in the original playtest, where it was really amazing. I can’t recommend it enough. Check out these scenes from Shreyas’ playtest a few months ago:
—–
Qin approaches Floating Lake Mansion, hoping to see Mika practicing in the garden. So beautiful!
One of the teachers notices him and beckons.
Qin bows. “Yes, wise sensei?”
Madame Zeng says, “You’re that boy Qiong, right? Didn’t I ask Master Endai to keep his boys on his side of the river?” She looks over Qin’s shoulder across the river, clearly annoyed.
“My apologies, I was practising my Stilled Surface Walk, and…. I got too enthusiastic. And it is Qin, Madame.”
“Qian, right.” Zeng looks mollified by Qin’s show of contrition, and returns to whatever she was doing - rearranging the stones in the meditation pool, apparently.
—–
Prince Bluefeather is rudely interrupted at martial arts practice by his younger brother, Blackwind. “Elder brother, elder brother, elder brother! Papa says you have to come to the sitting room at once!”
PrinceBluefeather rolls his eyes. “What now? I have to complete the Twelve Perfect Forms to finish my chi realignment, or my arm will fall off.”
“Yeah, but not right AWAY. If you don’t come to the sitting room, Papa will send us both to bed with no dessert!”
Blackwind kneels before his brother and makes puppy eyes.
“All right, all right.”
PrinceBluefeather heaves his little brother over his shoulder and dashes the hundred yards to the sitting room in about half a second.
—–
“Chicken feet! Chicken feet!”
Sun fumes as climbs back up on the lattice to resume the second position. “Shut up; you broke my focus!”
Sifu Kun Wan ignores the other children. “Student Sun! Do you have something to share with the class? Perhaps you have has a flash of -satori- and suddenly understood the Twelve Golden Hours form?”
“No sifu. I will try harder, sifu”
“Please demonstrate.”
Sun gets up on one hand, and sweat pouring, raises it from the lattice, intensely focused on keeping his body elevated.
The jeering of “chicken feet!” does not subside, but Kun Wan just nods to Sun and moves on to the next student.
—–
Endai looks at Qin sternly. “HOW MANY TIMES do I have to tell you not to do that? At least don’t get caught!” He clenches his braided beard. “In my day, we would never make such a mess of amorous visitations!”
“I am sorry to have disappointed you, Master Endai. I was just so eager to see her, and in my haste I was exposed. Now I shall face even greater suspiscion!”
“Sit down, Qin. Drink some tea.” He unclenches his beard, with some difficulty. “I understand your feelings, but you must understand that sometimes the hunter needs to wait and watch. Endless pursuit simply frightens deer and rouses tigers.”
“But Master Endai, I yearn to see her! I must see her without delay! Every moment I am without her is a moment without poetry!”
He rests his head in his hands. After a long silence, “The restlessness of youth! Fine then, go and chase your girl, but this time, leave me out of it.”
“And wash the teacups.”
—–
PrinceBluefeather steps into the sitting room, tossing his brother idly to the ground. “What NOW, father? You know I hate to be interrupted between tea time and dinner.”
His father steps out from around the dividing screen, and says, “Yes, well, one night of unfinished martial arts practice will not kill you. Come sit. Clay Girl is here to see you.”
“No, it won’t KILL me, but I don’t want to have to talk to the Heavenly Leper and get another arm again. Last time he went on…who is Clay Girl?”
The screen falls down as Clay Girl comes up to the door. She glances at it just long enough to indicate, ’someone else should fix that.’ “I am Clay Girl. You are going to marry me.”
PrinceBluefeather blinks. “You and what army?”
—–
The jeers dies off as Sun lifts his arm, yet fails to fall to the ground. Instead, spinning around in the air he kicks off from the lattice and flies backwards through the air, rapidly moving through the seven forms of the Great Solar Stance.
The sifu takes a few steps forward as Sun regains his footing on the floor, and bows. Just a tiny little bit.
—–
It is sunset, and Qin can feel Mika’s breath through the lattice fence.
“I have been waiting so long to see you, Qin… …why have you made me wait?”
“Mika, I am so sorry. Your teachers are suspiscious. They would come between us. I cross the river daily but only today have I managed to find you absent their watchful stares.”
“I wish it didn’t have to be like this. I want to see you, be seen by you.”
“We can be together, Mika. I would cross worlds for you; a mere fence will not hold me.” Qin assumes the Flowing River Stance, and his form begins to quiver, and stretch, and pour through the holes. With a rush and a gasp, Qin reassembles his form on the other side. “I knew I could do it! With you to inspire me, anything is possible!”
Mika gasps and covers her eyes. “You are so bad! We’re not supposed to see men’s martial arts!”
“I would share all the wonders of the world with you, Mika. He shall share everything together.” He leans in for a kiss.
—–
Clay Girl picks uncomfortably at the vegetarian food in front of her. “So, what do you do for fun around here?”
“Oh, you know. Loiter about, come up with madcap schemes, end up having ridiculous adventures. For example, I have to head down to the Pavilion of Dust tomorrow and get another arm.”
PrinceBluefeather irritatedly puts down his chopsticks and takes a drink before struggling to pick them back up and arrange them.
“You did look sort of funny this morning, but at first I thought it was your face.”
“Excuse me? That’s easy for you to say, considering that you’re mostly made out of ROCK. Where’d you get that nose, a riverbed?”
“I inherited it from my mom.”
“That explains the spackle.”
Clay Girl examines the food on the table thoughtfully. Selecting a particularly squishy-looking peach, she throws it at Bluefeather.
The prince leaps neatly out of his chair, flipping over the peach as it flies by, comes down on his missing arm and falls on his face.
“Haha. Okay, now we’re even. You want to show me this Pavilion?”
Clay Girl offers the boy a hand.
Bluefeather cocks an eyebrow, and takes the hand up. “Sure, if you think you can handle it. I’m not bringing you back to dad in a wheelbarrow, so be prepared.”
May 1, 2007 at 3:49 am
Your “examples of play” are neat to read, but I still see no game part of this. What did the players do? Who set up what? How did it work? I just don’t get it. The examples of play only reinforced my theory that you have a vehicle for fanfic, since that’s exactly how it reads.
Jonathan, we’re obviously not only not on the same page, we’re reading different books… in libraries on opposite continents. At the risk of saying anything more ignorant-sounding or offensive, I’ll just leave this particular thread because I don’t think I can help you with this game. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve helped you at all with anything I had to say.
Good luck with the Avatar game. I’ll try to offer my opinion or help on any of your other projects if I deem it at all beneficial to your process.
May 1, 2007 at 3:56 am
Yeah, it’s cool. If it’s not your type of game, that’s totally fine. I’m sad that you can’t seem to see the neat things about it, even if it isn’t your thing, but I totally understand.
May 1, 2007 at 6:51 am
It’s interesting that you percieve it as fanfic. I think I may have been the only player involved in that game who has actually watched Avatar.
May 2, 2007 at 3:56 am
I’m neither a fan of the show nor is that really my style of play, but I can see some neat stuff in there.
May 5, 2007 at 3:28 pm
Sheryas, I’m glad to hear that most of the players haven’t watched Avatar, because those examples are full of deviations from the source material - these aren’t the cultures or the magic powers we see in the show.
But reading the system, I can see why Jonathan calls it a vehicle for fanfic: the combination of short scenes and constant recording of stuff about the Dharma paths seems to emulate fic-writing, lingering on character bits and building a story arc.