Thread by @ThoughtPunks

OK, so people saw the dice pools in Scope, the main stat + skills in Scope SRD, and know there's a vampire game template. And so people have some questions about similarities and differences to the obvious comparison. Let's explore in a thread! 🧵
#TTRPG #IndieGameDev #Vampire

Starting off at the top, there is a functional character concept as you would expect in a Cypher or Fate. This is part of the basic Scope SRD.

Also player-facing with a PC-relative scale. No "objective" stats. NPCs instead have modifiers for PC rolls.

Two big differences!

Some other concepts & design perspective covered in the Scope SRD, along with the core mechanic and basic character structure. Give it a read if you're into #TTRPG #GameDesign and want a "modernized retro" framework inspired by 80s/90s RPGs. [🧵 continues]
open.thoughtpunks.com/library-text/s…

Into Scope Core, note the Traits. They are *not* metrics. They are ways of approaching things. It's now how strong you are but how forceful you are. There's no IQ measurement. A couple are closer to trad stats, but they also take on a different broader vibe in this context.

Similarly the Talents are a retro-style longer list with multiple categories, but also cover broader areas of action and effort than skills in traditional games. They use the same filter of modern and lighter game sensibilities as Traits.

Continuing the 3 categories thing, here is a look at the health system [Stress and ladders]. Again, it demonstrates the mix of classic inspirations and more modern game design sensibilities. "Modernized retro" really is the theme.

https://twitter.com/ThoughtPunks/status/1647309798982008836

World Ties are the other major character piece. Adds grounding and intrigue/world struggles options.

Also note the pattern of a simple basic foundation with some buttons & levers layered on top. That's a design theme. We do templates/layers here.

There's some other bits and bobbles, but that's the key stuff for the basic underlying system. You'll have to wait for the full release of the Scope Core build in order to explore them all.

So let's talk about vampires a little!

First off, no one source of vampires. They derive from numerous lines going back to those cursed by a wide variety of beings. The vampiric state seems a "natural" result of being Cursed. Lines cluster into Lineages, the subtypes or variations of vampires.

History is mysterious and largely unknown. Some Lineages are known to be especially old but their stories and their early line founders are lost to the sands of time.

And OK, that's nice and all but what kind of vamps are we talking here? How do they work?

1) Undead. Animate dead bodies frozen in moment of death.
2) Demons. Being Cursed warps their soul, making them demonic, birthing an inner Demon. Affected like demons.
3) Blood. Classic blood drinkers.
4) Hunger. Human emotion is memory. All is subsumed by hunger & satisfaction.

5) True Will. A weaker counterpart to their Demon, the uncorrupted remnants of their soul retain a voice and will of their own.

Vampire weaknesses? We got vampire weaknesses!
1) The sun hates them. All at least weakened, some outright burned.

2) Pass out at sunrise until at least the sun passes its peak. Those burned by the sun must sleep until full sunset.

3) Stakes to the heart at least slow blood flow, but when driven into a vampire in deep slumber and properly blessed, they can destroy the monsters.

4) Vampires are territorial. Varies by Lineage but all have home and resting requirements based on it.

5) The Cursed are hospitable. Related to #4, they must respect the territory of others and give hospitality to those who respect theirs. Includes classic "must be invited in".

6) Vampires of a Lineage share an obsession. All of them are irresistibly compelled to fulfill it.

7) Lineages also share an allergy, something the repels and burns them.

It's not all terribleness though! It's a noir world, not a grim world. There is hope.

A vampire can also still be redeemed. Salvation and the empowerment of True Will are possible, but difficult. The temptations of power are great. The road of redemption is hard. But it is common enough that everyone has met one or more of their kind well on the way to salvation.

Thrice bitten is a thing. Three bites will infect a person. They will become insomniac, sicky, and obsessive, driven to serve the one who fed from them. The third bite can also create a new vampire. This can be done intentionally with a relatively minor ritual or accidentally.

And that's all I'm going to say for now about Scope Core and The Yearning! The only thing I'll add is that builds like Scope Core are layers over the main SRD and that Schema [game templates] are overlays/mods on the builds. Recall that layering comment!

If you enjoyed this rambling thread, go check out the Scope SRD and some other open licensed materials at our open library. And keep your eyes open for the Scope Core release and more info about The Yearning!
bit.ly/OpenPunks

Oh hey, you know? I'll talk about some the upsides of vampirism too!

Each Lineage has 4 free good things! Support, a way your Lineage will back you. A Trick and a Spell, a minor supernatural power and a major one. And a Privilege, an edge in vampiric society allowed to you.

So the Elite, the super snobs as their name implies, get a free political favor or extra Ties moves, convincing humans they're an authority once a scene, brainwashing a human once a session, and they get first right to speak & win in close cases in vampire society.

There's also blood magic available! Crude Magic is the stuff like healing wounds, intimidation, etc. Pretty easy, everyone can learn them. Mind Magic is all the hypnosis, illusions, etc but also some things like changing form. Demon Magic is the mighty stuff, rare and costly.

Blood rituals are also a thing, but generally complex, time-consuming, and filled with rare or expensive requisites. Some "minor" ones are simpler, like the "marriage" rite to birth a new vampire or a ritual to mark one's territory for your peers. But it gets hard from there.

Upside, sure even with that you can see the nudge toward intrigue and politics, personal stories and world engagement. You can't just intrude on people's things or attack their person. You literally can't. But you can develop ties. You can learn magic. You can explore salvation.

And a random world note: Every Lineage and every local metro is organized differently, even though they more or less share a social credit or ranking system and general culture. One city might be ruled by a classic vampire queen. Another controlled by a rotating elected council.

@threadreaderapp unroll