Street: Chase Zones

Boys and girls, I just can’t stop tonight. I’ve been working not so secretly on Street, my street racing hack for FATE Core. I have a lot of ideas and some great people have been helpful.

This idea came from +Jacob Poss  last night during our discussions. It still needs a bit of work, but I’m trying to wrap my head around it and figure out how it will work. Essentially, Street will make use of a currency called Chase Zones. The GM will set a limit for a given chase.  Short chases should be about 3 zones. Medium, or standard races would be 6 zones. For long races—races that will probably take an entire gaming session—12 zones.

Once the race has begun, it needs to end within that allotment. It can end with a winner or as a tie. Players and NPCs will roll to create advantage and outmaneuver one another during the race.  It works somewhat like a contest, but different. If anyone ever has three or more successes, they win the race by a good clip. Even by one or two successes, if the Chase Zones have been all used up, the winner…well, wins.

By spending a FATE point, a character can lengthen the race. They add a chase zone. Now, this should only be when it makes sense. In a city chase, they might hop on the freeway trying to get away from their opponents.  They may force the race down a narrow canyon in the desert. This gives them the opportunity to win a race they may have otherwise lost or win by much more than they would have otherwise, which can sometimes make a difference. More on that when I get into the other race rules for FATE.

FATE Core: Retconning Advantages

FATE Core gives us a great many options as a role-playing game. Sure, there are a lot of RPGs out there that people like to modify, tweak, and otherwise hack, but FATE Core seems to be designed for it. Those of you who have been unfortunate enough to come along my little place on the internet before may be aware that I am currently working on a FATE hack tentatively titled Street. It’s a racing game, in which I am trying to emulate modern street racing movies that have been so popular, but also older ones including many Burt Reynolds movies, Cannonball Run, Death Race 2000, and more.

I found myself reminiscing about parts in older action shows. It maybe something they have gotten away with totally in more modern shows, although I know I saw it last in the remake of Knight Rider. This is the moment when the chips are down. The bad guys are about the get away. The good guys are about to get creamed. Then, someone comes over the radio and reminds the hero about the upgrade they put in earlier that day. Oh, there is that rocket launcher add-on, super charger, or something else. It kind of comes out of nowhere and it makes all the difference. That change, modification, or addition made earlier in the story that was not revealed until the moment it was needed most.

In FATE Terms, setting up this special gadget or clever plan would be considered creating an advantage. Here, I propose that players be able to retcon advantages. Retcon is the commonly accepted term for  “retroactive continuity.” This is essentially a way to go back and change the story, alter previously established facts.

I have set up the Retcon Advantage like this:

A player may spend 1 FATE point to pause game time. They then narrate what happened previously, off camera, so to speak. They make the roll, which could be a Modding roll to enhance a vehicle, a Family roll to have a pre-established ambush set up, etc.

Simple enough, no? What does everyone out there in Internetlandia think?

FATE Skills for Street Game

I’ve been thinking a lot about the “skills” I want to use in the STREET game I am working on for FATE. I tried to do a cross between skills and approaches. I may come up with some better names for things, but I think this pretty much covers what characters would need as far as that’s concerned in the game. I am pretty sure it is going to have more stunts, especially with stunts coming from cars as well as characters. However, I think this pretty much lays it out. I wish I was cool, so I knew what all the cool street terms were for things nowadays. Heh…

Aggression (attacking)…this may be renamed to Aggro or Rage

Cred (a cross between contact and influence, more street cred you have, more likely it is for people to help you)

Boost (essentially replaces Burglary, also includes planning on committing a crime)

Family (I got a guy…)

Feel (Both for reading people and emotions as well as persuading them that one is being earnest or impressing upon them important concepts).

Grit (willpower, staring down the odds, etc.)

Modding (supercharging, enhancing, and otherwise modifying vehicles)

Moves (the ability to move, athletics, dodge, etc.)

Notice

Stealth

Style (looking good and playing it cool)

I am thinking capping the pyramid at Good (+3), since we're working with fewer skills.

I am certainly more than open to suggestions

FATE Core: Fast & Furious Style

Ah, I don't care what anyone says, Fast & Furious is a movie series I enjoy. Except for the second one--that one I never even made it through the whole thing. And, as +Jacob Poss pointed out, a much better show would probably be with members of the opposite sex racing around all these exotic locations, but we gots what we gots...for now.

Anyhow, many discussion have led to this point. I finally started putting the digital ink to coded paper to work on a bit of a FATE game. Actually, I'm working on two or three simultaneously. But, this one is for a street racing game. There were some clever ideas shared in a brain jam session (not as scrumptious as it might sound to you zombie lovers) last night.

However, I need to refine what I'm doing with skills before sharing it, so this is the beginnings.

Not much there at all, although I am a big fan of setting the aspects to the genre. I'm not sure these aspects work 100%, but they are a start:

Street

There is another world that exists just below the one you know. In this world, power is achieved by those who take it, respect is given to those who have earned it, and currency is a wicked combination of speed and skill.

For some, it is a dangerous past time. They call it illegal street racing, although it has been known as other things in the past. For those who live in the world hidden within the shadows of steel skyscrapers and concrete overpasses, the race is all that matters. They found a place where they belong, where they can call home.

This is a modification for the FATE Core game. I have combined some aspects from both FATE Core and FATE Accelerated Edition published by Evil Hat.

Character Aspects

High Aspect. This is the overreaching character definition. It is the foundation upon which the rest of the character is built. Examples: Undercover cop turned street racing criminal, Gearhead trying to fit in, Champion of the underground circuit

Trouble Aspect. In this life, trouble seems to be the one thing you can never outrun…for long. It follows your characters from race to race, city to city, even continent to continent. What is it that always seems to be pursuing them, throwing a monkey wrench in their plans? Examples: On the run from a controlling family with too much money, Johnny Law has my number, Owe the Yakuza money

Behind the Wheel. What is your character like when they are behind the wheel? Everybody can drive, what makes them so special? Examples: Monster behind the wheel, Virtuoso with a V8, Fast and dangerous

On the Street. This is the reputation your character has earned for themselves in the racing circuit. It might be all hype or it might be 100% accurate. What do people say about your character? Mad man with a bad temper, He lost…once, Takes care of his family.

Philosophy. Everybody has a story behind how they got into the life. This aspect covers the root reason your character melds rubber and asphalt. Why do they race? Do one thing and do it well, I got no place else to go, I live my life a quarter mile at a time.

Skills

What?!? A racing game without a Drive skill?!? That’s right. It is assumed since the game centers around street racing that all the main characters are excellent drivers. Everyone has the driving skill at an apex level. But, that can get kind of boring. Instead, we got rid of the drive skill altogether. Characters will make use of different skills/approaches while driving as well as stunts and extras to pull off some amazing maneuvers. This will be done through a modified content model. But, it is safe to assume, it has wheels, characters can drive it and the only time they worry about wrecking a car is during a contest or when they do it on purpose.

Meanwhile, I have also gone through and changed up the skill list somewhat in an effort to better emulate the genre. This is not all just terminology and semantics, as some things have been completely gutted and redesigned.

But, more on that in a little while…