DRGE (Dice Roller Game Engine)

I created this game in 2018, my first completed game. It is presented below, untouched.

What is this?

• This is a solo game, a story creator, and an imaginative exercise of mine. It’s hard to describe; basically, by the use of random generators and your own imagination, characters have things happen to them and make things happen in a world you create. Similarly to D&D, it creates structure for your imagination. Hope you enjoy.

Rules:

1. These rules are how I play. Try my methods once or twice. Anything you don’t like about these instructions, tweak and make your own. Ultimately, this is a way to engage with your imagination.

2. You need a blank word doc. Copy and paste or otherwise have nearby the category labeled “dice roll”.

3. Make and number your characters on the word doc. I would start with four or five. I usually randomly generate names, two personality traits, a motive, and a place in society (such as a job or position or a caste). I’ve included generators that I use but feel free to use any or no resources in making your characters. 

1. The characters should not start out knowing all of the others. Perhaps two know each other, but part of the fun is seeing how they meet each other and interact later.

2. You can – and probably should – update these details over time as need be. Other information such as relationship information can also be included here.

3. You can also add new characters as they come up. These are usually delineated with a “(added in Round x)”. You don’t need to generate all their personality at first if they are supposed to be mysterious or if they’re not close with any other characters.

4. I have included a sample set of characters below.

4. Decide the premise/setting of the story. It can be literally whatever you desire. Modern day Slavic public housing, an interstellar prison, a cultists’ dungeon, a town in the Wild West, a floating city. You just need the basics. The rest will come along the way.

5. Start with round zero. Using random.org or your own preferences, pick which character will go first. With this character, decide what they’re currently or have been doing, using their job/position, personality, and motivation to help you decide. Repeat the process for the rest of the characters. Type out the details as extensively as you want. See the sample. 

6. With round one, pick which character goes first this time. Then, roll d8 to see what happens this turn for the character. Fill in the details using your imagination. Repeat for the rest of the characters.

1. If a 1 is rolled, roll/flip a coin for a check. If 1, they die. If 2, they get close to death but survive. When characters do die, leave them in the character sheet but indicate that they are deceased. Also, related characters should react to the death either during the rest of the turn or the next turn; deaths have ramifications.

2. If a 2 is rolled, the character continues what they had previously been doing.

3. When a new character is introduced in a round, they become “playable” in the next round. Thus, in this example, Oss would start having the die rolled for him starting Round 2.

4. Personality and motivation changes should not be entire except for good reason. Perhaps add a second motivation or change one trait.

5. After meeting another character for the first time, they can interact with them as often as convenient for you. 

7. With round two, different characters should then go first. The same process of using a d8 dice still applies. Repeat in more rounds.

8. Have fun ☺ 

Generator sites:

Very useful random number generator: https://www.random.org/

Motive generator: http://www.chaoticshiny.com/motivegen.php

Personality trait generator: http://writingexercises.co.uk/random-character-traits-generator.php

Fantasy name generator: http://www.rinkworks.com/namegen/fnames.cgi?d=1&f=0

More fantasy name generators: http://fantasynamegenerators.com/

A site chock-full of generators: http://www.seventhsanctum.com/ 

More generators: http://www.springhole.net/writing_roleplaying_randomators/index.html

Dice roll:

1. Death

2. Nothing changes

3. New character related to them introduced

4. Their motivation or personality changes

5. Something bad happens

6. Something good happens

7. They meet another character for the first time

8. Backstory is revealed

For multiplayer

1. Death

2. Autonomous action

3. Autonomous action

4. Something good happens

5. Something bad happens

6. Backstory is revealed – player or DM created

7. New character related to them introduced

8. They meet another character for the first time

Sample:

Premise: The Labyrinth of Baarbar is an enormous, sprawling underground temple built upon the huge, buried corpse of the lifegiving Vann. The acolytes of Baarbar spend their entire life in the labyrinth after choosing to join: learning, maintaining the temple, and warding off those who seek to harm Vann or the Labyrinth. However, there are no rules underground and no structure, other than the uninterested Ruling Council. People get away with far more than they should, and revenge sickens the soil. 

1. Verlen, m

1. 14 years underground; trainer of novices

2. Personality: Friendly, domineering

3. Motivation: Perverse compassion

2. Yimy, f

1. 0 years underground; novice

2. Personality: Fun-loving, dishonest

3. Motivation: Boredom

3. Sheyr, f

1. 2 years underground; scholar; with Oss

2. Personality: Optimistic

3. Motivation: Desire for knowledge

4. Omgha, m

1. 1 year underground; scholar

2. Personality: Jealous, depressed

3. Motivation: Love

5. Oss, m (added in Round 1)

1. 12 years underground; labyrinth defender; with Sheyr

2. Personality: Charming, violent

3. Motivation: Loyalty

6. Loulina, f (added in Round 2)

1. 0 years underground; novice

2. Personality: Adventurous, course

3. Motivation: False faith

Round 0

Sheyr is studying the ancient scrolls of Vann’s fingertips, seeking to harness esoteric magics related to Vann’s magic.

Omgha is lovesick with jealousy for Sheyr. He became a scholar for her, and would do anything more for her.

Yimy is starting the process of joining the cult, for the experience. She has no belief in Vann’s mystical powers and has no intention of staying with the acolytes for long.

Verlen is preparing for the next batch of recruits. He is perversely excited to see who he will be able to take advantage of this time.

Round 1

Verlen and the other trainer meet with the acolyte pledges for the first time, and Verlen meets Yimy. He is immediately taken to her and decides to pursue her. 

Yimy meets Verlen at the pledge meeting and thinks nothing of it. On the way back out of the Labyrinth, she meets Sheyr, who cautions her about Verlen.

Sheyr offers her brief advice to Yimy and other pledges, remembering how she was harassed when she joined the cult. That night, she sleeps in the embrace of her lover, Oss.

Omgha finds a rare scroll about the relationship between Vann and the stars under a collection of gardening scrolls. He doesn’t understand any of it, but he thinks that maybe he can eventually use it to impress Sheyr.

Round 2

Oss has an opportunity to talk to one of the Council members and is recognized for his 12 years of work, his second milestone so far. 

Verlen continues leading the pledges through the beginning rituals, but does not have any opportunities to go after Yimy, as she is taking Sheyr’s advice for the moment.

Sheyr attends Oss’s recognition meeting and is very proud of him. Later that day, she has a moderately important breakthrough in her understanding of Vann’s fingertips.

Omgha reads some of the scroll on stars, and to his excitement discovers he can learn to harness Vann’s relationship with stars for himself. 

Yimy finds herself getting to know another acolyte pledge, Loulina. They discover neither believes in the powers of Vann and bond over this as they go through initiation rituals.