MAGES
A downloadable game
MAGES is a Micro Adventure Game master Emulator System.
(Micro refers to the system, not the adventure!)
Game Masters are woefully in short supply. Everyone wants to play, while the GM has to do tons of preparatory work that players don't have to. But every RPG needs a GM for a coherent, exciting story. Or do they? Can you play an RPG game with no GM? Even solo?
MAGES has 3 goals in mind: simplicity, surprise, structure.
Simplicity: 3 different colored six-sided dice, a couple look-up tables, notes. The essence of MAGES fits on a 3x5 card.
Surprise: The adventure is never straight forward. Twists and turns are essential for storytelling. MAGES will repeatedly keep players guessing.
Structure: A real GM will use any plot structure, but most GMEs ignore even having a plot. MAGES will have a climax after many challenges, and facilitate a conclusion based on the success of the players.
CC BY 4.0
MAGES can make a lot of NPCs. Want an NPC Generator? https://warpfodder.itch.io/fiend
Download
Click download now to get access to the following files:
Development log
- New LayoutJul 08, 2022
Comments
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A really great solo oracle system, but I want to clarify to visitors here that it is a mashup of pre-existing tools and mechanics.
From the Acknowledgements: Mythic by Tana Pigeon, Recluse by Graven Utterance, The Oracle by Ray Otus and Chapter System by Rory Bracebuckle.
Definingly worth a look into, I was surprised at its efficiency, with seemingly just a couple dice rolls I had a brand new fully fleshed out world to explore --- it just built itself.
M.A.G.E.S shines in it's ability to organically create and inspire from just a few simple rolls, with the chapter system there to support the actual gameplay/story side of it. It took a second read through to get a handle on all the systems, but with how short the instructions are it didn't take long.
M.A.G.E.S takes what could be considered a simple random idea generator, and turns it into a fully fleshed out world with surprising depth; the more you play, the more it shines. Its bare bones setup allows for the story to write itself, but still brings enough control and guidance to make enjoyable gameplay.
If you're been looking for a lightweight, and unrestrained G.M. emulator this is it, and the best part is it works really well even for solo play, so it only takes a few minutes to get something up and running.