I
came across the archive of original HiBRiD© web site from when i was in
college and learning to use HTML and using the now defunct Geocities
web sites. Though most of the information is already posted on this blog
elsewhere, I thought you all might to read the way I envisioned the
game back in 1997. So without further adieu, enjoy Part One: The Origins
of HiBRiD:
The Origins of
HiBRiD©: A Brief History of
the HiBRiD© Game
Well, to put things in perspective,
let me tell you a little bit of the history of the HiBRiD game, from an
objective, Nordic-man's point of view…
A game is born…
The HiBRiD© rules were not originally
created from mid air, but were developed over the course of a number of
years. Originally designed as a rules supplement to my AD&D
campaign, the inflexibility of the class-based,
skill-anemic game system led to experimentation with a number of other
game systems in the same gaming world. In the end, however, the desire
to keep the linear probability scale, to use a well-balanced skill
system, and to simplify action resolution led to the development of
HiBRiD©, the Highly Bastardized Role-playing Game in Development,
Version 1.0.
HiBRiD© Version 1.0 used a non-random, player-determined 15 Attribute System, with character Attributes ranging in values from 1 to 20. The Skill System was based on only the d%, and a Damage System based on the d10. The system was an amalgam of a number of game systems. The skill resolution and improvement system were adapted from the Morrow Project and Space Opera RPGs, while the actual Attribute and Damage Capacity System was adapted from the Mythus RPG. Speed Factors for melee weapons were adopted from the AD&D system, as well as the psionic and magic systems. Initial Skill Percentages, Skill Improvement, and Damage capacities were all derived from the character’s Attributes. Combat Statistics and Defense Values were adapted from the Gamma World RPG, and also calculated from a formula I derived that depended on each character’s Attributes.
Several new concepts were added from my own thoughts and game experiences. The concept of Aspects was derived simply from the desire to be able to control the level of power in the campaign while the use of a single d10 for all rolls stemmed from his desire to reduce the need for a bunch of dice and reduce clutter at the gaming table. The luck points concept was added to give characters a chance when the die rolls failed and to mitigate character complaints. The Character Concept and History requirements came from the desire to keep the campaign from becoming disjointed, to give the characters a reason to work together, and to give the less experienced players some guidelines for making their characters.
HiBRiD© Version 1.0 used a non-random, player-determined 15 Attribute System, with character Attributes ranging in values from 1 to 20. The Skill System was based on only the d%, and a Damage System based on the d10. The system was an amalgam of a number of game systems. The skill resolution and improvement system were adapted from the Morrow Project and Space Opera RPGs, while the actual Attribute and Damage Capacity System was adapted from the Mythus RPG. Speed Factors for melee weapons were adopted from the AD&D system, as well as the psionic and magic systems. Initial Skill Percentages, Skill Improvement, and Damage capacities were all derived from the character’s Attributes. Combat Statistics and Defense Values were adapted from the Gamma World RPG, and also calculated from a formula I derived that depended on each character’s Attributes.
Several new concepts were added from my own thoughts and game experiences. The concept of Aspects was derived simply from the desire to be able to control the level of power in the campaign while the use of a single d10 for all rolls stemmed from his desire to reduce the need for a bunch of dice and reduce clutter at the gaming table. The luck points concept was added to give characters a chance when the die rolls failed and to mitigate character complaints. The Character Concept and History requirements came from the desire to keep the campaign from becoming disjointed, to give the characters a reason to work together, and to give the less experienced players some guidelines for making their characters.
…then matures…
After several years of playing with Version 1.0, a number of issues cropped up that caused a complete overhaul of the game system.
The first and foremost was the sheer number of dice rolls and math required to carry out combat oriented actions. While being simple and balanced in terms of mathematics, whenever two characters combated one another, both combatants were required to do at least two calculations each combat round. While the calculations were fast and easy, they still slowed down game play. Thus, while well balanced statistically, the fluidity of game play suffered.
The second issue arose from the fact that the players just didn’t like the look and feel of the d10s, as well as the fact that low numbers were better. Such a system forced characters to perform more subtraction (which they felt was slower than simple addition) and required to use of a myriad of modifiers that just made the game system aesthetically unappealing to the various play testing groups. As Ben Zarit, one of the more involved play-testers put it after a marathon night of gaming, “a d20 just looks cool…”
Third, exposure to a new generation of RPG’s brought more elements that I wanted to add to the game. I had been toying with possibly simplifying the game play. Exposure to FASA’s Shadowrun and the various White Wolf Storyteller Games inspired a desire to simplify the game mechanics and seriously decrease the number of dice, but it took exposure to Steffan O’Sullivan’s FUDGE game to finally initiate the reworking of the game mechanics. While the simplicity and flexibility of the FUDGE system were highly desirable, I desired to reduce action resolution to one die roll and leave out as many modifiers to die rolls as possible. I also wanted to bring back the d20 that my group adored so much and maintain the linear probability scale.
Exposure to these new games as well as Biohazard Games’ Blue Planet, R. Talsorian’s Cyberpunk and Castle Falkenstein games, HERO, GURPS, and FUZION systems brought forth not only a new age in the development of the HiBRiD rules, but also in the evolution of the Nameless World Campaign Play Test World as well, into a world with a much less pronounced fantasy element.
…and finally finds itself…
In 1994, I introduced the HiBRiD
game’s new incarnation: HiBRiD Version 2.0. It used the d20 mechanic
currently seen in the game and resolved all tasks in the same manor,
with one simple Task Roll. The concept of Ite’ was introduced, to make
the game more heroic and Aspects were much more well defined. The
resolution and description of a number of well-defined psychic abilities
were also added, as well as the Movement/Time/Action Results Scale to
give the rules a bit more structure. I also rewrote the entire psionics
system to more closely match what I had learned in my neurophysiology
and pharmacology classes while I was in pharmacy school.
While the new system used only one method of resolving actions, there were a number of different damage systems the players could use, depending on whether they wished to tell stories or sling dice. Game play moved much more quickly, and it became much more dependent on the interaction between the GM (referred to in the rules as a Game Moderator or the director) and players of the game to maintain game balance.
While the new system used only one method of resolving actions, there were a number of different damage systems the players could use, depending on whether they wished to tell stories or sling dice. Game play moved much more quickly, and it became much more dependent on the interaction between the GM (referred to in the rules as a Game Moderator or the director) and players of the game to maintain game balance.
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