Newbie question about creating my own module and ruleset

[gwd005]

Hello,

My friends and I use the Masterbook system to play a game that has been going on for years. As life does it gets in the way and now we all live too far away from each other to play fact to face. I would like to try and bring that system onto Fantasy Grounds. I do not plan on distributing it or breaking any laws with this endeavor. Can someone point me in the right direction as to where to get the information or guides that would show me how to recreate the Masterbook system here? I am very new at this so i apologize if this question is unclear. Id appreciate any help, direction or advice you could provide. Thank you.

[vodokar]

What a coincidence. I happen to be doing the same thing right now with Torg (which if you know your history is the daddy of Masterbook, as well as, Savage Worlds).

Programming this type of ruleset would be extremely difficult and time consuming even to someone experienced with making a ruleset; which I am. There are just too many requirements for user input and combat moves and such that need to be accounted for in order to make a clean and easy combat script mechanic. Perhaps it could be done, but it would be a huge headache.

So, instead of doing that, this is what I am doing.

Start with MoreCore. Use the /rollon feature which allows you to link a table into the character sheet and roll on it simply by clicking the entry in the character sheet. Then make tables that duplicate the exploding die capability of the mechanics.

Like this:

Attachment 18271

Use other features of FG and MoreCore to help with other aspects of the core mechanics of the game. It won't be fully automated, but it can be handled and played. MoreCore FTW.

[damned]

Welcome gwd005
What are the core mechanics of Masterbook?
Copyright law has this funny thing in that it expressly does not cover mechanics/rules but does cover story/art/names/fluff.
You are perfectly allowed to recreate/port the rule system onto another medium and even distribute it. You cannot however convert the rulebooks themselves without permission.

Have a look at MoreCore its a generic ruleset that allows you to add lots of different rolls to your character sheets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8M4...erBvW3&index=1
https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forum...reCore-Ruleset
https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forum...oreCore-Themes

[gwd005]

Thank you so much for the advice. I am more interested in getting the game going as quick as possible than trying to recreate the entire system so your advice seems perfect. Sorry to bother you with more questions but I am very new at this. How do I go about getting MoreCore and installing it? Thanks again for the help.

[vodokar]

My understanding, based on my research and not having played MasterBook yet, is that they have replaced the Torg d20 exploding on 10 and 20 to 2d10 exploding on 10's, however, I think almost everything else is the same. Basically, the intent of MasterBook was to make the Torg mechanics into a House System usable for many genre's of games using the same mechanics.

In order to do the 2d10 exploding mechanics, you would do it very similar to how I built the tables for 1d20 exploding, but you'll have to change the specifics to match the different mechanics.

[gwd005]

Thanks to both of you. I was able to install it and now I will play around with it. Definitely seems like the way to go. Thanks again.

[vodokar]

I am currently setting up for a campaign of Torg. Perhaps you might find that of interest to you. I can let you know when I get things ready, if you like.

[gwd005]

I have never played Torg but always interested in a new system. From what you said it is what Masterbook is based off of so I would definitely be interested. Thank you.

[damned]

/edie 2d10 in your rolls will do the exploding 2d10s but the /followon command only works with the newer format rolls... at some point I will need to update that roller.

[vodokar]

Some basic info on the system:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torg

and

https://www.ulisses-us.com/games/torg/

Torg was in print from 1990 - 1995 by the original West End Games. Masterbook was a redesign and repurposing of the Torg mechanics in 1994 so that they could make a House System out of it, similar to how Champions was made into Hero System or Chaosium took RuneQuest and made it into BRP etc.

Torg itself is built from the ground up to be a balanced multi-genre game system. The earth has been taken over by several High Lords who bring their own alternate reality of earth with them and try to impose it on the earth; hence different parts of the world are different genre's. In a single adventure, you might be fighting Nazi's pulp fiction Indiana Jones Style and then follow a clue to a different part of the world and fight a gothic horror style vampire and then slay a dragon in the Fantasy part of the world etc. What's more, a typical party is composed of characters from different genre's. So, your party might consist of a Dwarven Fighter, a modern day soldier with an Mk-16, a cyberpunk net runner, a wizard and a space alien with psionics. But, it's all balanced to work together.