Mathematica Design Journal
The form of Mathematica is solidifying. My planned Gen Con release is starting to look achievable. It's now mostly a matter of filling in the gaps. Here's what the game is about in a capsule:
Mathematica is an over-to-top alternate history steam punk Renaissance game where Leonardo Da Vinci builds giant spider war machines and Machiavelli commands a cabal of vampire spies across Europe, or something like that. Or maybe it's The Three Musketeers with lasers, or Henry VIII and his seven undead wives.
In Mathematica, your character's action are tied to a wider war of ideas. Can women decide their own fate? Does the pope speak with the voice of the divine? Is it lawful to worship death? Is torture permissible to fight evil? Are good and evil valid categories at all? These are the kinds of questions that characters can fight for or against and ultimately answer.
Mathematica is built on Clinton R. Nixon's The Shadow of Yesterday, a fantasy role-playing game with plenty of room for character change and development, high flying action, and compelling story.
I also just posted an actual play report of a playtest session", and I'm also looking for suggestions for a better name for the game.
Labels: Mathematica