Raspberry Heaven

I know this sounds crazy, but I believe that one could run a good game on this site using Raspberry Heaven, a free downloadable, and very rules lite system made by Ewen Cluney, the English translator of Maid RPG. I believe the system lends it self well to the play by post format, and that the structure of the system could actually help a game move smoothly.

But first I should elaborate on what Raspberry Heaven really is. It’s mechanics are based off of a Japanese rpg called Yuuyake Koyake and a little card game called Uno, while the theme is emulation of four panel schoolgirl based comedy manga like Lucky Star and Azumanga Daioh. It’s meant to be played in person, with a standard playing card deck and also the be a relaxing. But also heartwarming, experience.

It can be found on Ewen’s [url="http://yarukizero.wordpress.com/"]blog[/url], and I’ll find a way to get it to you if you can’t get a hold of it that way. It doesn’t matter if I have to send to you piece by piece via Pm.

But by now, I’m sure you are asking something in your head: “Oh wise and sexy Stilted, how are we going to pull of playing such a tabletop game in a format it wasn’t intended for?”

I’m glad you asked, because I’ve thought about that and made a list of what alterations we will probably have to make in order to make a smooth freeformesque game using RH:

• Separate episodes would make for separate IC threads.

• Quirks will be the character bases, and mentioned on one’s character sheet, but making a character sheet will be done in the standard fashion. The “I like [name] because…” exercise will be used, and can be an ok way for players to say they Player X’s character to be accepted, because things will be closely knit and done in a small group (like three to four). We al have to be sure that we can work with one another well.

• As far as card dealing goes, we will be using PM and the trust system, and the actual playing of cards each phase will be done in the OoC thread. By using the Ooc for this, we can all know whether or not a play passes their phase. Interjections would be included in this as well, though they’d cause a double post or edit depending on the interjection.

• Actions would be done a little differently, as the constant ending of scenes would make for some limited control over other people’s characters by the one finalizing the end of a scene.

• Players will be numbered to simulate the to the “player on the left” system.

• Who sets up the scene each time will be done either via decision like the tutor or a virtual “dice roll”.

• A mood card is simply a guideline for one’s post on that phase. Really going loose with these. It can determine how the character feels, or perhaps the intended reaction to something that happens in the phase starter’s post.

• A phase turn can last any where from one to however many characters there are. This means that if the beginning post isn’t specifically meant to get no reaction from other characters, or only from select ones, then all take turns in the already decided order.

• We’ll try to use player absence as a way to effect the story for the remaining characters; its not something that we will just handwave. If we know one player won’t be posting for a while, his/her character will be controlled either be controlled by the player who set up the scene (or the tutor, if the former is the one missing), or get sick/injured to get them out of the way. The absent character will move, get expulsion, be suspended, or the like if the player is gone for good. Replacements/newcomers will probably be npcs or extras coming out of the background, or new kids on the block.


Now, feel free to give me any questions or concerns about how this could happen, though I’d also want to know whether or not any of you want to use a different setting for the system other than the Japanese schoolgirl slice of life that it was made for. I mention this because Ewen even mentions that the system has such flexibility, and one of his suggestions really fired me up: “ …the game could easily be about housewives in a certain neighborhood…”

I’ve never played someone married before, and I’m sure not many of you have, since I‘ve only seen such a player character in only a few roleplays. The authority card would be mostly used for calling in family (spouse, child, etc.), with every quirk still reasonable for a housewife. Such a thing is definitely a reason why I love the system.

So, I really hope this is a not suckish idea, and not just a delusion of my fanboyism to Ewen Cluney. Seacrest, out!