I think I got too excited in making this blog that I missed the game creation step in Fate core altogether. So before I continue with my DnD classes adaptation, I will backtrack and start the right way as recommended in the books. That way, the critical questions such as on what certain aspects of play to focus on will be revealed and answered early, giving us a sort of constitution or superstructure for the tweaks we have to make for Eberron to fit in Fate core's rules set.
One of the more intriguing characteristics of Fate games is that game creation is not just the GMs job, but is shared equally with the players. I know this has been done before in other games such as in Vampire: the Masquerade and other White Wolf storyteller / storytelling RPGs, but the extent of how Fate does it is unbelievable. It's tied mechanically to the system itself, so no one can just forget it during play, unlike some random Background characteristics in character record sheets that have no bearing in the game whatsoever if one chose to ignore it. It also cuts down on a lot of work for the GM and makes for more character-driven story lines because of the players' input, making the game very much more personal and enjoyable for everyone.
That said, until my group finally decides to let me run a game for them, or I find another group online, I will have to do this project by myself for a while. So, on to the question and answer portion, then:
- Decide what the world that surrounds the protagonists is like.
I've already decided to set the game in Eberron, so this is a no brainer :) - Decide on how epic or personal your story will be.
I want the game to be epic, since being a Fate game, the personal will always come out to the forefront anyway because of aspects and such. - Decide what threats and pressures inherent to the setting will spur the protagonists to action.
Eberron's Campaign Guide has a lot of suggestions on what games to run, from the typical dungeon delve, to the more esoteric (for DnD at least) urban intrigue. But what I like to run would be under the Last War theme. For the uninitiated, this campaign theme focuses on the tenuous peace in Khorvaire. The Last War, a century-long war that has divided the main continent of the planet, has ended formally two years ago, but there is still bitterness in the hearts of many in Khorvaire because of the experience. Countries that have lost lands during the war want their property back; the cause of the destruction of a whole nation, Cyre, is still unknown; there is lingering paranoia that each neighboring country is arming itself to make new war; etc. The whole continent is a power keg waiting to explode -- what will be the incident that will spark the Next War? Life there is like the experience of people during the years after World War I -- there is a sense of palpable bitterness and lost, along with desire to regain glory and extract revenge.
There are other issues at hand that can be explored in Eberron, mind you. There are the mysterious Draconic Prophecies, which the dragons of Argonessen seek to uncover. There are the Dragonmarked, who like the multinational companies of today, rule everyday commerce across the borders, insidiously some would say. Aside from these, there are also dungeons to delve and urban intrigues to uncover!
Obviously, the main issue to be dealt with by the PCs should be the Next War, the real all encompassing threat on everyone's heads right now. The PCs should try to stop any border skirmish, any military action, that could spark the next big war. But there should be another issue to deal with, a impending issue, that would be the focus in future adventures. For that I think I will go with The Return of the Demons, which ruled in Eberron before its written history and are now trying to go back.
So, current issue would be the Next War, and the impending issue would be the Return of the Demons. - Making the Issues in Aspects
So now I have the Next War and Return of the Demons as issues, I have to turn them into aspects. I think The Next War is okay as an aspect, but I have to copy Fate core's sample The Doom that is to Come as the aspect for the Return of the Demons to make it less obvious to the players :)
That's it for now. Will have to work on the rest of the game creation for my next post. Til then.
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