And so it begins! Hi there! My name is Justin and I am creating the Horror Film Simulation Tabletop Role-Playing Game!

First off, thanks so much for the click! I've put a lot of love into this system and I hope that you can find something that strikes your fancy with it! The HFS RPG is my attempt to recreate the horror and humor from your favorite horror films in a super simple package that is simple enough for systems to be added later but complex enough for a fun night to be had by all with the base game. As this is the first Devlog, I figured I'd just give an update on what the current status of the project is and the plan going forward.

THE CURRENT STATUS:

The game is currently far into home playtests and nearing the point of real-world Open Beta playtests which I am extremely excited about. This means that the rules are mostly written and the rulebooks are currently being designed, though I am still making small changes with each test so we’re not quite there yet. That being said, here is what the game looks like so far.

THE RESOLUTION MECHANIC:

The HFS RPG uses a D8, “Roll High” Resolution Mechanic when deciding if a player’s character succeeds on their various rolls to perform actions. The Director (Game Master) simply decides a Difficulty Class (D.C) depending on the difficulty of that action and the player rolls their die. If the end result is equal to or more than the Director’s decided D.C., the player succeeds. If not, failure awaits them.

SKILLS:

Every Character a player creates will have three base skills that they will use when rolling checks to perform actions. These skills are Grit, Influence, and Insight.

GRIT amounts to a character’s ability to perform challenging physical actions.

INFLUENCE amounts to a character’s ability to perform challenging social feats.

INSIGHT amounts to a character’s ability to perform challenging mental and perceptive actions.

MIND & BODY

Every Character will have two health bars for the Director to rip away at: Mind and Body.

MIND damage is any mental damage that a character takes. Examples include: Seeing into the void, hearing a god speak, being attacked in a dream or flashback, etc.

BODY damage is any damage that a character physically takes to their body. Examples include: Being stabbed with a knife, taking falling damage, being crushed by a giant, etc.

LUCK

Luck is the last major feature the bunch, this being a rules-light system. A character’s Luck is a pool of points that they can use to add bonuses to specific rolls. Each character has the abilities to do the following:

Spend 1 Luck point and add 1 to any roll.

Spend 2 Luck Points and add 2 to any roll.

Spend 3 Luck points and give another player an automatic success.

The ability to help other player’s succeed strongly encourages the teamwork that will be necessary to survive a session of The HFS RPG!

IN-DEPTH CHARACTER CREATION:

The HFS RPG includes a character creation process that is both fast and puts more character into the character creation process. Here’s a bit of what I mean:

ARCHETYPES:

There are four base character Archetypes to build your character from:

The Carver: Carvers are the wielders of Carvings, this world’s version of magic. Their power, though sometimes flashy, is not particularly potent or obedient, and comes at a definite cost: their Luck. Carvers have forgone truly mastering a Skill in the pursuit of their paranormal prowess.

The Enforcer: Enforcers are the wielders of physical prowess in this world. They get what they want with their physical might, though their Influence seems to lack.

The Influencer: Influencers are the wielders of charisma in this world. They find it easier to create relationships and get what they want from people, though their awareness of the larger situation falls to the side.

The Thinker: Thinkers are the wielders of intellect or perceptiveness of this world. They are quick thinkers, though in their pursuit of knowledge, they have lost a little in the way of physical prowess. But that’s just the beginning.

BACKSTORY:

Character Backstories help round out each player’s character and gives the Director juicy ammunition against them.

Beginnings: The Beginnings section is all about deciding where your character comes from! Did they have a cursed blood-line? Were they children of celebrities?

Priority: The Priority section is all about deciding what your character cares about! Do they care about a family tradition? An ideal? A family member? A best friend?

Context: The Context section is all about deciding where your character currently finds themselves! Do they work in a creative field? A scientific one? Are they on the run?

Fear: The Fear section is all about deciding what your character fears the most! Do they fear the elements? The unknown? Do they have a completely irrational fear? Don’t worry if you don’t have an idea of the character that you want to create right off the bat. In case you need a little something to go off of, each section also offers a random table that provides a vague yet interesting place to start.

PROPS:

Every character gets a couple of props, or items, that their character would believably have. You choose two items at the beginning of the session, but you can change that item at any time as long as you haven’t used it. If you somehow find a way to use the items that you chose at the beginning of the session, you get extra Luck points!

PERKS:

Each player gets a Perk that gives them a random advantage in the harsh world of The HFS RPG. Each Perk offers a part of your character’s personality to role-play and an extra ability that uses their Luck Points. These can be character traits such as Intimidating, Empathetic, Communicative, or Surprising.

FLAWS:

Each player also gets a Flaw that gives them a random disadvantage in the game. Each Flaw offers offers a part of your character’s personality to role-play and a problem that your character will have to attempt to face during the session. These can be character traits such as Curious, Lone-Wolf, Over-Confident, or Clumsy.

CHARACTER QUESTIONS:

In addition to all of the previous character creation entries, the process ends with a set of questions that seek to connect the player’s characters and allow them the ability to choose certain things about their connection. Questions like…

What is something you admire about this character’s approach to challenges and how does it compliment your own skills?

If you could change one decision made by this character, what would it be and why? What hobby or interest do you and this character share and how has it brought you closer?

Have you ever covered up a mistake made by this character and why did you keep it a secret?

WRITING CREDITS:

The HFS RPG encourages player input in the form of their character’s words and actions as well as what we call Writing Credits:

Rewrites: We encourage leaving sections of your settings open for the players to effect in some way: whether that is naming a location, npc, or otherwise! Letting players effect the world of the game encourages immersion and immersion leads to fear!

The Bargain: Players are encouraged to bargain with the director. Is a weapon a bit too far for you to grab? Offer a bargain. Want to give up 2 Luck points to be able to reach said weapon? Make the offer and see if the Director is feeling giving!

Now that you’re more familiar with the system, here’s a bit of what’s coming…

PLANNED FEATURES:

The Director’s Cut (Game Master’s Handbook) – A handbook with the full rules of the game and the tips on being the director and of your very own horror films!

The Actor’s Handbook (Player’s Handbook) – A handbook with the “need to know” rules and tips on being a character in a horror film!

Director’s Run Sheet – A simplified sheet to fill out with the information of the evening’s Feature.

To Be Continued/Last Time On – Ever heard the words “let’s recap” and panicked? This feature is for you! Fill in the sheet at the end of the first session so you have a ready-made introduction into the next!

Character Sheet (Digital and Printer-Friendly)

3 Original Horror Features to get you started (Darcy Can Move Things With Her Mind, Terra Terror!, Welcome To Carver Cove)

HOW TO KEEP UP TO DATE WITH THE HFS RPG:

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