[RPG]: Mythic Role Playing, reviewed by Doc Halloween (5/5)

http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/12/12904.phtml

Doc Halloween's Summary:

A great buy is an understatement. No GM, multiple players; No GM, one player; One GM, any number of players; Mythic, stand-alone; Mythic with other RPGs. Mythic has many uses and executes them Mythicly well. You will not be disappointed.

Go to the full review for more information.

[Destriarch]

I am not a huge fan of games that require a look-up table for every action you're going to perform. Is there a simple mathematical formula that can be used to calculate percentage chances, rather than having to look at a table all the time?

Ash

[Dan Davenport]

I'm not clear on how the game allows for GM-free play. Could you go into more detail about that, please?

[Fred]

Not to be snarky, but I'm not clear on how the game works. Could you explain it better?

Tchau!

Edit: it seems my question i being answered in Open.

[Doc Halloween]

Originally Posted by Destriarch

I am not a huge fan of games that require a look-up table for every action you're going to perform. Is there a simple mathematical formula that can be used to calculate percentage chances, rather than having to look at a table all the time?

Ash

I am sure there is some mathematical formula but I play for story and entertainment. I can not see playing any RPG system and not having to look something up in the book (unless it is very rules lite).

The FATE CHART is one sheet and is nicely organized to read. A quick glance at the ACTING RANK (or ODDS) and cross reference the DIFFICULTY RANK (or CHOAS RANK) you get your result quicker than a mathematical formula

[Robin Low]

Originally Posted by Doc Halloween

I can not see playing any RPG system and not having to look something up in the book (unless it is very rules lite).

Not quite on topic, but...

I've played in many games (Werewolf, Mage, Ars Magica, and Cthulhu among others) where the GM never needed to look anything up. Our focus was atmosphere and story, and the prevailing opinion was that nothing wrecks atmosphere and story flow faster than flicking through a rulebook. Better to make a quick judgement call based on circumstance and common sense.

Regards

Robin

[Doc Halloween]

Originally Posted by Dan Davenport

I'm not clear on how the game allows for GM-free play. Could you go into more detail about that, please?

CHAPTER 8: GM EMULATION
I am not sure how to best describe this without revealing too much of the chapter, but I will try.

So no one wants to take the roll of GM? If playing with a living GM then that GM would be in charge of the details, set up the scene, describe what is happening, run NPC's, and resolving PC actions. The players, armed with the Mythic book, become the GM doing all this.

In the most very basic sense the players use logic and interpretation, just like a living GM. You will also practice democracy in that the players brainstorm ideas then vote on the most logical course of either action or atmosphere (scene) or what ever needs fleshing out. The players ask YES/NO questions just like they would a face-to-face GM. "Is there a town nearby?" (The players consult the FATE CHART with the ODDS, majority rules on the ODDS, and roll on the chart). "Is there a monster in the cavern with us?" (The players consult the FATE CHART with the ODDS, majority rules on the ODDS, and roll on the chart). "Can my character break down that wooden door?" (The players consult the FATE CHART with the ODDS, majority rules on the ODDS, and roll on the chart). With all these example questions your group has to decide on the most logical conclusion from the FATE CHART result. If you more detail is needed then keep asking YES/NO questions and roll on the FATE CHART. Random events, caused by the CHAOS FACTOR or rolling double numbers on the FATE CHART, also plays a part and takes the action down a different path the group had no idea was coming thus creating the adventure.

With Mythic's new book, "Variations", you can ask not only ask YES/NO questions but you can ask COMPLEX questions. COMPLEX questions give you more GM powers to flesh out background stories and come up with details and actions of NPC's, places, and things. The COMPLEX questions will help in descriptions of all sort of things. With "Mythic Variations" you are no longer asking just get black & white (YES/NO questions) you are getting techno-color (COMPLEX questions).

I know this is not that specific but if I go into rules detail then you would not go out and buy the book.

Originally Posted by Fred

Not to be snarky, but I'm not clear on how the game works. Could you explain it better?

Tchau!

The above should also give you a little better insight for your question also.

This is to everyone whom may ask a question. I am in no way an expert in using Mythic. With Mythic there is not "one way" to use the book. There are many ways. Plus your style of play factors into making more ways to use the book. What I share with you may be right for my play style but not necessarly official (if there is such a thing with Mythic) or how you would use Mythic. I will tell you that it does work. I have enjoyed two years with Tom's books so far and that seems to be the case for the far future.

My purpose in reviewing Mythic was to share with you what Mythic is, to the best of my knowledge/ability and my opinion of the book. I also wanted to let you all know about this great product and let solo players know that they have a new way to enjoy role-playing without the pre-programed paragraph books.

[The Fiendish Dr. Samsara]

Originally Posted by Doc Halloween

I know this is not that specific but if I go into rules detail then you would not go out and buy the book.

I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and not assume that you are just shilling the product (although your sig makes me suspect just that). In any case, I think it's incumbent upon me to point out that the purpose of reviewing a product is not to get folks to buy the book. It's to enable them to make a fully informed choice as to whether or not they would like the product. Revealing details is at least a significant part of the process. Dan Davenport (who posted above) is one of the best reviewers in the game; I'd suggest that you take a look at some of his reviews here as a model, assuming that you have a genuine desire to review this or any other product.

I don't mean to be unpleasant, but this review reads like an advertisement, with no substance, but much inducement to buy.

[Coglio]

Hello all. I'm the author of Mythic, and will make an attempt to answer some of the questions.

From what I gather, there seem to be two questions/issues about the game itself: how does GM-free play work, and the issue of using a table.

If you don't like tables, then you may not like Mythic. I've never heard anyone complain about them, and it does work very simply. However, if you just don't like 'em, then you're out of luck. There is no mathematical formula you can reduce it to.

As for the GM-less play, it works like this: Mythic is designed to be a kind of pen-and-paper artificial intelligence, using simple logical rules to answer yes/no questions. So, it acts like a GM itself. That means a GM can use it, and generate an adventure completely off-the-cuff. Or, you can play without a GM and have players put questions to the system.

For instance, your characters might be searching a hotel room for a stolen microchip. They search under the bed and a player asks, "Do I find the chip under the bed?" The GM (or players, if no GM) assign odds to what they think the answer would be, consults the chart for a percentage, then rolls 1d100. There are 4 possible results to every questions: yes, no, exceptional yes and exceptional no. The GM or players roll for the answer then interpret the response.

The entire system hinges on using simple logic and interpretation to move everything along, with the chart throwing randomness into it and several mechanics that add unexpected events.

One of the advantages to this is that you can play other rpgs, besides Mythic, and use the GM-emulation rules to simulate a GM.

I hope that helps.

Tom

[allenrmaher]

I read through this and was very impressed, I think that the style is ok for a small press work, but I would not give it a 5 by any stretch (I am stingy, I'd give it a 3).

The substance is tremendous. The system itself is not my cup of tea (not enough crunch or flavour) but it was well presented and functional. The concepts of GM-less play are fabulous (and justify a rating of 5 by themselves). Really that is the part of the book that really stands out for me and the author deserves kudos for this.