Inglenook
2012-04-28, 01:33 PM
Classroom Deathmatch is a Battle Royale tabletop game, but it could easily be tweaked to work for The Hunger Games, I think, given how similar the subject matter is.
About seven or eight years ago I played in an stat-based Battle Royale RPG via forum. I don't know that it would work well as a tabletop game, though, since so much rests on keeping your location/what your weapon is hidden from other players who would want to kill you.
Afterward I considered running my own version of the game, tweaking the rules some to make it a little more realistic (the original used stats for weapons and HP, but food and water functioned essentially like medkits in video games, and there were no GURPS-esque advantages/disadvantages). I never finished the rules, but maybe the scraps of my notes could inspire someone for The Hunger Games:
PERSONAL STATISTICS
I. HEALTH
Your overall physical vitality and well-being. Your health will start at 100, which will decrease accordingly based on injuries, weariness, hunger, thirst, and your environment. If your health ever reaches 0, for whatever reason, you will die, and your part in the game will be over. Health can be restored (to a certain extent) by having your wounds treated, sleeping, eating, drinking, or finding shelter from the elements.
II. FATIGUE
How tired you are. Your fatigue will start at 0, and will rise according to your lack of sleep. An increase of 1 fatigue point results from: 1.5 hours of sitting/remaining in place, 1 hour of walking, 20 minutes of running, or one battle. Each fatigue point can generally be removed by sleeping for one hour (though sleeping in a bed will result in the removal of an extra fatigue point every two hours). You can have up to 20 fatigue points without suffering any negative consequences, but once it goes over 20, you will lose at least 1 health point every hour that you are over 20. These health points will be restored as you lose the excess fatigue points.
III. HUNGER
How hungry you are. Your hunger will start at 0, and will rise according to your lack of food. An increase of 1 hunger point results from: 30 minutes of sitting/remaining in place, 25 minutes of walking, 10 minutes of running, or one battle. Each hunger point can generally be removed by eating one serving (one-tenth of a loaf) of bread or other food. You can have up to 20 hunger points without suffering any negative consequences, but once it goes over 20, you will lose at least 1 health point every hour that you are over 20. These health points will be restored as you lose the excess hunger points. Note that hunger may increase your rate of fatigue. Also, hunger does not increase while you sleep.
IV. THIRST
How thirsty you are. Your thirst will start at 0, and will rise according to your lack of water. An increase of 1 thirst point results from: 30 minutes of sitting/remaining in place, 20 minutes of walking, 5 minutes of running, or one battle. Each thirst point can generally be removed by drinking one serving (one-tenth of a bottle) of water. You can have up to 20 thirst points without suffering any negative consequences, but once it goes over 20, you will lose at least 1 health point every hour that you are over 20. These health points will be restored as you lose the excess thirst points. Note that thirst may increase your rate of fatigue. Also, thirst does not increase while you sleep.
V. INJURIES
Physical wounds received either in or out of battle. Though many battles will end in the deaths of at least one of the players engaged, certain battles (predetermined for each hour before the game begins) will result in injuries: either you injure your opponent but they manage to escape, or you kill your opponent yet they manage to injure you before dying. Injuries can lower your health and skills (sometimes permanently), though many lesser injuries can be partially or fully healed with a little treatment and rest. The four levels of injury are: mild, moderate, severe, and mortal, which is basically a measure of how damaging it is to your health. The severity of an injury is decided by the difference between the fighters' final battle scores; the closer the final battle scores are, the more severe the injury.
VI. SKILL CHART
The skill chart could be considered the "backbone" on the game, in that it allows us a fair method of determining the results of battles and other things, while allowing the players to keep a flexible schedule. Unlike many online games, you will not be "rewarded" for simply being able to be online longer than others, or for being skilled at puzzles or flash games. The skill chart also encourages the role-playing and strategy aspects of the game, which makes the story more interesting. Using the skill chart, we can have countless permutations of characters, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
You will be given 200 skill points to divide between the 8 categories, with a maximum of 50 points per skill. The minimum is up to you, but it is highly recommended that you have at least 10 points allotted to each skill. Each skill is important in its own way, and how you divide your points is up to you. One thing is certain, however: your skill chart will have a dramatic effect on your performance in the game.
Keep in mind that you could possibly lose skill points in certain categories over the course of the game. For example, sustaining an injury to your leg could potentially lower your coordination and speed, etc. Also, you do not have to use all 200 of your skill points; for each skill point you do not use, you will receive 1 luck point.
COORDINATION
Your ability to use your timing and spatial awareness to react quickly. Primarily used in battle for dodging and reacting to attacks, it may also be used when moving around the map to avoid obstacles and traps. A player with high coordination will be balanced and have quick reflexes, while a player with low coordination will be clumsy and slow in close quarters.
DEXTERITY
Your ability to use your hands for precise tasks. Primarily used in battle when attacking, it may also be used for setting traps/alarms and other, more mundane tasks. A player with high dexterity will have nimble hands and fantastic aim, while a player with low dexterity will have little hand-eye coordination and be somewhat of a butterfingers.
OBSERVATION
Your ability to spot and discover various items and locations. Used when moving around the map to spot useful tools, food, improvised weapons, players who may be hiding, and to track players, it will also be used prevent being surprise-attacked. A player with high observation will be more perceptive, while a player with low observation will be oblivious to their surroundings and will have little luck spotting anything or anyone.
RESILIENCE
Your ability to positively cope with the horrors of battle and the stress of the situation into which you have been thrust. Used in battle to maintain your cool. A player with high resilience will stay focused even in the face of death, not letting fear or sorrow cloud their judgement, while a player with low resilience will be liable to panic and lose control.
SPEED
Your ability to move quickly over distances. Primarily used when moving around the map, it may also be used to shake a pursuer. A player with high speed will have the ability to run extremely quickly over terrain (though not necessarily for an extended period of time), while a player with low speed can manage little more than a quick walk.
STAMINA
Your ability to perform grueling tasks for extended periods of time. Used when moving around the map, it will also be used in battle to prevent collapsing from exertion, or when wielding a cumbersome weapon. A player with high stamina will be slow to tire and can run for miles without stopping, while a player with low stamina will be unable to stand exertion for long before their body literally gives in.
STEALTH
Your ability to move quietly and remain hidden. Used when moving around the map to avoid being seen or heard by other players, it will also be used in battle to suprise-attack your opponent. A player with high stealth will be able to move extremely silently and vanish quickly from sight, while a player with low stealth will crash loudly through the forest with every step they take.
STRENGTH
Your ability to move/manipulate heavy items. Primarily used in battle to wield large weapons, it may also be used for interacting with certain other objects. A player with high strength will be able to carry heavy loads and overpower their enemies with huge weapons, while a player with low strength will have to struggle much harder to do the same tasks (or perhaps will not be able to do them at all).
VII. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
In the context of the game, strengths and weaknesses are, respectively, mental or physical advantages and disadvantages that have the potential to affect your performance in the game. These are traits that cannot be adequately expressed by the skill chart.
Examples of strengths: good with computers, resistant to illness, strong leader, intuitive, medical knowledge, etc.
Examples of weaknesses: bad eyesight, unintelligent, asthma, allergies, stalker, night blindness, diabetes, obsessive-compulsive, etc.
It is important to note that strengths and weaknesses only have the potential to affect your gameplay, but by no means is it a certainty. For example, having asthma would not necessarily handicap you, but should you lose your inhaler, your weakness could quite suddenly become life-threatening. Being a strong leader would not necessarily help you, but should you join up with a group of players and take charge, your ability to raise morale and make decisions could boost your group's battle statistics.
Taking on a strength requires you pay a certain amount of luck points, while taking on a weakness means that you would receive a certain about of bonus luck points. Either way, you are receiving benefits: either in-game advantages or extra luck points to use in the future.
Taking on strengths or weaknesses is entirely voluntary, but they can make your character more realistic and interesting. If you are interested in taking on one or more strengths or weaknesses, mention it in your application, and later the Battle Royale staff can give you a clearer idea of the amount of luck points you would be spending or receiving, based on the type and severity of the strength or weakness in question.
VIII. LUCK POINTS
In addition to the 8 main skills and strengths/weaknesses, luck points provide a way to triumph in battles and situations that would normally be unwinnable.
You will automatically be given 20 luck points, but may receive more for skill points not used or for any weaknesses taken. You may also lose some when taking strengths.
Luck points can be spent in battle, or in a multitude of other ways (be creative!). You may spend a maximum of 10 luck points on a single battle or situation.
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SUPPLIES
I. RANDOMLY ASSIGNED WEAPON
Weapons are randomly assigned to each player number before the game begins, and can be divided into five different categories: ranged, melee, other, joke, and equipment.
Ranged weapons consist of thrown weapons, which use direct human force to propel a projectile (e.g. shuriken, javelin); missile weapons, which use mechanical force to propel a projectile (e.g. nailgun, compound bow); and firearms, which use a controlled explosion to propel a projectile (e.g. pistol, shotgun). Ranged weapons will have realistic ammunition, so be sure not to waste it.
Melee weapons consist of edged weapons, which use a sharp edge or point to penetrate the body (e.g. sword, ice pick); and blunt weapons, which use mass and force to cause blunt trauma (e.g. club, brass knuckles).
Other weapons consist of explosives, which use raw concussive energy to damage the body and spread shrapnel (e.g. grenade, mine); incendiary weapons, which use fire or heat to cause burns (e.g. Molotov cocktail, thermite); toxic weapons, which use chemicals or toxins to damage the body (e.g. hydrofluoric acid, potassium cyanide); and non-lethal weapons, which are designed to incapacitate without lasting bodily harm (e.g. Taser, tear gas).
Joke weapons are essentially useless, but used creatively, do have the potential to cause harm (e.g. fork, baby doll).
Equipment is not weaponry, per se. While theoretically able to do damage, its primary use is to aid you in a way that does not directly involve harming others (e.g. tracking device, ballistic jacket).
All weapons will be further classified as either no-handed (e.g. ballistic jacket), one-handed (e.g. dagger), or two-handed (e.g. shotgun), based on whether it requires no, one, or two hands to use them to the best of their ability. Because they require only one hand each, you can use two one-handed weapons at once, or you can use both hands to use the same one-handed weapon, for added accuracy. It is also possible to use most two-handed weapons in one hand, but this requires a great deal of dexterity and coordination to pull off well.
Your fists may be used as weapons, as can any number of improvised objects found on the map.
II. LIMITED RATIONS
You will begin the game with a small supply of rations: 2 small loaves of bread (10 servings each) and 2 bottles of water (also ten servings each). Assuming you spend the day doing little physical activity, it is enough to survive twenty-four hours comfortably. After that, you will have to find food and water on your own, or take it from other players.
III. MAP AND COMPASS
This season of Battle Royale will be held in rural, southern Indiana, four square miles of forest and farmland tucked into a bend of the Ohio River. The area has been entirely evacuated, so the only living human beings will be the Battle Royale staff, you, and your classmates. You will be given a map of the game area, and a compass with which to navigate.
The map has been divided into coordinates, or "zones". Each zone can be identified by its row (labeled A to J) and its column (labeled 1 to 10), for a total of one hundred zones. Each zone will be further divided into quadrants (labeled I, II, III, and IV) to give you a better view of what each zone contains.
IV. WATCH
Your watch will let you keep track of the current hour, which will become increasingly important as the game progresses.
V. MISCELLANEOUS SUPPLIES
In addition to your supply bag, you will also be given the bags that you brought with you for your class trip. They may contain changes of clothes, a book to read, your iPod or laptop, etc. Girls will also be given their purses so they have access to sanitary products and cosmetics. Bags containing miscellaneous supplies have been searched thoroughly, and any items that could be considered "unfair advantages" (e.g. cell phones, pocket knives, pepper spray, extra food) have been removed.
VI. COLLAR
While not technically considered part of your supplies, your collar is something you will carry with you for the entire duration of the game. The result of the very latest international technology, it is one hundred percent waterproof, shockproof, and tamper resistant; the only way to remove it is to be the last player remaining. Should you try to pry your collar loose, it will set off a small, localized explosion, decapitating and killing you instantly. Your collar will also explode if you leave the game area, you remain in or enter a danger zone, or seventy-two hours pass and there are still multiple players left alive.
Your collar is constantly sending a signal to game headquarters in the center of the map, allowing us to monitor your pulse, vital statistics, and exact location. It also contains a microphone so we (and the viewing public) can hear your thoughts and conversations.
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GENERAL GAMEPLAY
I. HOURLY ACTIONS
The majority of the game (aside from conversations with your fellow players) will take place on the Battle Royale message board.
Each game hour (equivalent to one day in real life, for a maximum, but unlikely, game length of just over two months) you will be given an updated summary of your condition in your personal forum. This will include your personal statistics, supplies, battle chart, and information on any group members.
Once you have read your updated summary, you will need to outline your actions for that hour. Each hour is broken down into twelve, five-minute segments, to allow you a finer degree of control over what you do in that hour. In each five minute segment you can move around, rest, eat, interact with objects, explore various locations, etc. Be creative when planning out your activities! Along with the twelve segments, you need to tell how many luck points you wish to use if you enter a battle, and any other little addendums you wish to make.
II. CONFESSIONALS
III. MOVEMENT
IV. ENCOUNTERS
hour (see the Example Hour section).
Over the course of the game, some of these zones will become "danger zones", which means that they are no longer accessable. If at any point you enter a danger zone, or remain in a zone until it becomes a danger zone, your collar will be detonated, instantly killing you. Likewise, you will be similarly executed should you leave or attempt to leave the game area.
Your skill chart will have a huge affect on how well you use your weapon. Most weapons need certain skills for their use, which are divided into percentages to show how much of a particular skill their use requires (see Battle section below). For example, the Ingram MAC-10 submachine gun might require 55% dexterity, 20% strength, 20% stamina, and 5% coordination. It is important to note that not all weapons will add up to 100%; the weaker a weapon is, the less its total weapon percentage is.
Your movement on across the map will be greatly influenced by your speed, and you may choose to either walk or run when moving. The average walking speed is roughly twelve zones (using roads) or four zones (cross country) per hour. The average running speed is roughly forty zones (using roads) or twelve zones (cross country). While running may seem like the optimal way to travel, you should bear in mind that not only may it be difficult to run for that long, but while running your observation and stealth are greatly reduced, and several of your major statistics (like fatigue, hunger, and thirst) will take a huge blow.
While moving across the map, you could encounter a great number of things. The most obvious encounter would be with other players, be they friends or enemies, but there will also be special locations across the map, such as buildings, which you can enter and explore. Some zones will have certain events attached to them as well, such as finding the body of a deceased classmate, discovering a tree full of fruit, or stumbling upon an abandoned weapon. Be warned, however, that not all such events will be pleasant.
It should also be noted that you will never be forced to move; you can stay in one spot for as long as you like.
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BATTLE
I. BATTLE LIST
Because battles can occur at any point during an hour (when two or more players are in the same zone, and at least one of them spots the other), a battle list is necessary to keep everything on a clear schedule. From the moment the game begins, you will be expected to keep a battle list, which is essentially a list with the names of all your classmates, each with a different situational response listed next to their name. These responses all deal with situations in which you have spotted that person in the same zone as you, and how you react to t
For example, if Billy were on your battle list with the response "HATE HIM! ATTACK, AS LONG AS HE HAS A CRAPPIER WEAPON THAN I DO!", and he had a flamethrower while you had a dagger, you would see him but simply pass him by (unless he spotted and attacked you). If Susan were listed as "INDIFFERENT. ATTACK, AS LONG AS I HAVE THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE!", and she did not see you lurking nearby, you would attack her. If Darren were listed as "VAGUELY FRIENDLY! APPROACH CAUTIOUSLY, BUT DON'T ATTACK UNLESS HE ATTACKS FIRST", you would approach him (losing any element of surprise), but as long as he did not attack you would agree to move on your separate ways. If Amanda were listed as "BEST FRIEND! APPROACH AND ASK TO JOIN UP (AND IF SHE SAYS NO, LEAVE SADLY)", you would approach her (losing any element of surprise), but as long as she had you listed as "MAYBE JOIN UP!" or something similar, you would team up to fight together. If she did not want to team up but did not attack, you would simply move on your separate ways.
You may edit your battle list at any time you would like, and you are encouraged to update it regularly, especially when joining up with other players or after battles. It should always represent your feeling (or lack thereof) towards all the other players in the game.
II. SPOTTING OTHER PLAYERS
To battle someone, obviously you have to spot or encounter them first, and how this is done is decided by the observation/stealth scores of the players in question. If your observation score is higher than the other player's stealth, you will spot them. If their observation score is higher than your stealth score, they will spot you.
This gives us four possible scenarios:
- You spot the other player and they do not spot you, giving you the opportunity to leave them be, approach them, or surprise attack them
- The other player spots you and you do not spot them, giving them the opportunity to leave you be, approach you, or surprise attack you
- You spot the other player and they spot you, giving you the opportunity to leave each other be, approach each other, or attack each other
- You do not spot the other player and they do not spot you, meaning that neither of you know that the other is there, and you walk right past
III. BATTLE FORMULA
When players engage in a battle, the Battle Royale staff fairly calculates each player's battle score. The player with the higher total battle score wins the battle, either killing or injuring the loser. The formula to calculate battle score is:
([first attack bonus + weapon score + mental score + physical score + luck bonus] x [health / 100]) + luck bonus = FINAL BATTLE SCORE
IV. FIRST ATTACK BONUS
In each battle, one person must inevitably get the first strike. Should it be a mutual attack, observation and stealth are looked at. If your combined observation and stealth levels are higher than your opponents, you receive 3 points. If you surprise attack your opponent, there is no need to combine the observation and stealth, and you receive 6 points.
V. WEAPON SCORE
How well you can use the weapon. As discussed in the Randomly Assigned Weapon section, each weapon has a distinct series of percentages that tell what skills are needed to optimally wield it. To find your weapon score, take each of these percentages and multiply them by your level in that particular skill, then add up the products.
VI. MENTAL SCORE
How well you can handle the stress of the battle and keep your senses sharp. To find your mental score, add your observation and resilience levels.
VII. PHYSICAL SCORE
How well you can dodge attacks and handle the exertion of battle. To find your physical score, add your coordination and stamina levels.
VIII. HEALTH
Your health is obviously a very large factor in whether or not you perform well in battle. Your current health will be divided by 100 to receive a decimal, which will then be multiplied by the sum of your first attack bonus, weapon score, mental score, and physcial score.
IX. LUCK BONUS
Whether it takes the form of your opponent tripping over his shoelaces, being distracted by a ray of sunlight glinting off his weapon, or something else entirely, luck may mean the difference between surviving a battle and dying a horrible, painful death. For every luck point you decide to use in a battle, you receive 1 point toward your final battle score. You may use a maximum of 10 luck points in a single battle.
X. TEAMING UP
Players may wish stick with a group of friends (safety in numbers, right?), working together to eliminate their classmates or simply to stay alive. Keep in mind that there are numerous pros and cons to this strategy.
Groups can only move as quickly as their slowest member, and similarly, the group stealth score is only as good as the least stealthy member.
There are two main types of battles between groups: one in which a group battles a smaller number of players, and the other in which two groups of the same size battle each other.
For the first scenario, let us look at the example of a group of four attacking a single player. To get the group's battle score, the best scores of the group are put together in a single group battle score to acknowledge the numbers advantage. So if Annette has the best weapon score of the group, and Seth has the best mental and physical scores, so those would be ones used in the calculation. For the first attack bonus, the group's member with the worst stealth level, Tina, would be the one used. And as for the luck bonus, the group may only use five luck points between them all.
Along with the group's battle score, they will have their individual battle scores calculated as well. Because even if their group manages to kill off the lone player they attacked, the single player could
Teaming up can obviously cause complications with battle lists. What if you encounter two players who have teamed up: one that you wish to join up with, but the other that you hate and want to attack? The answer is based on the overall sentiments of all the players involved (based on the battle lists). Let us look at the example of Laura, who encounters the group of Dave and Corinne.
Laura has a huge crush on Dave (very positive), who has always been nice to her, but hates Corinne, who has tortured her since middle school (very negative).
Corinne regards Laura as a pathetic and beneath her (negative), while she finds Dave hot, but is not at all interested in his personality (slightly positive).
Dave thinks Laura is very sweet (positive), though he does not know her too well, and at the same time is friends with Corinne, even though he knows she is bitchy (positive).
Overall there is a lot more positive sentiment between the three (Laura's love for Dave, Corinne's interest in Dave, Dave's appreciation of Laura and his friendship with Corinne) than negative (Laura's hatred of Corinne and Corinne's indifferent disgust toward Laura). Unless Laura had something like "HATE HATE HATE! KILL, NO MATTER WHAT!" next to Corinne's on her battle list, Dave could probably convince Laura to join them, and she and Corinne would form an uneasy truce (for the time being).
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