Game Design Journal: Pointman, Hacker &Thief Pt. 2

In the Game Design Journal series, we’ll track my progress on creating Pointman, Hacker & Thief, a spy-themed RPG.

The elegant simplicity of the Wyrm Roleplay System just astounds me. It takes all of 5 minutes to make a new character (or NPC for that matter) but it doesn’t feel like a thin system at all. Everything you need is there, and it’s simple to create new skills or talents if you don’t see what you want there.

WR&M has quite a heavy implied setting simply in its three basic stats, due to the fact that every single hero is going to have a little Warrior, a little Rogue and a little Mage, depending on how you split it up. Even the most battle-hardened warrior is fully capable of casting spells. The simplest peasant has a Mage of 1. Then Michael fleshes out a world in which it all makes sense.

This is why I think it works well for an espionage game. Every hero is going to be a little Pointman, a little Hacker and a little Thief. It makes sense, as in most spy films, every member of the team knows at least a little bit of the other jobs, if only enough for them to be dangerous to themselves.

I’m going to include a small mission in the back for players to use. I’ll probably do a bit of a “ripped from the headlines” stealing, and have it involve Iran and nukes in some way.

As far as NPCs go, what types of characters would you like to see? There will be the natural “scientist”, “guard”, that type of thing, but what else should be in there? I welcome any and all suggestions.