One of the hardest elements of tabletop gaming is getting people to care about the world and circumstances they’re playing with. Not everyone wants to search for bejeweled swords, solve political unrest, or put those pesky bandits in their place. Not everyone can get behind mounds of number crunching and character sheets, nor spend the money to keep up with the endless tomes of new gameplay and plot additions.
In an effort to make tabletop gaming more accessible and open to new ideas, game designer Corvus Elrod has been concocted a new system that is designed to work with any possible story a group of people can come up with. Because character creation in Bhaloidam relies more on universal attributes and emotional states than conventional gaming statistic types, players can take their character into any situation they can think of. One can take a relatively cunning and impulsive person into both the underworld and a speed dating circuit without having to wonder why he or she is still lugging a crossbow around. The rules look simple and have been able to be taught to frequent and first-time gamers of all ages.
The labor of love is now looking to be published very soon, but needs just a little bit more help before it can see the light of day. The project needs about $7,000 more in donations over the next few days, and those who help get early access to a number of features and helping a number of other causes too. Hopefully players will be able to test Bhaloidam for themselves in the near future. If you’re interested, you can even contact Corvus to join in a demonstration.
Have you tried Corvus’ new model, or are an avid tabletop gamer yourself? Share your thoughts and experiences in the forums.
Tags: Bhaloidam, Corvus Elrod, dream projects, gaming, storytelling, tabletop
