I’m dealing with basic mechanics first; the next section will be the broad brush of character creation. The system will always use the interaction of several tables to create a lifepath specific to that game. That core aspect of Character Creation will be tied to the setting, so the Utility System itself isn’t fitted one—although I might give something very simple and generic a bit of thought.

As well as the current version in Dee, I already have some tables sketched out for Safety Lies in Fear and Brace for Impact, a sci-fi game that will tie into the random tables of the supplement of the same name and Some Kind of… I’ll likely jettison the existing rules in Brace at that point in favour of the Utility core set.

There’s a living document in progress, with playtest potential in some measure, and will expand into a releasable state in the near future, including a blank character sheet and basic tables for one (or all) of the games mentioned.

As ever, I welcome feedback at any time. If you want to get early sight of the document, become a patron through Patreon.

In the pursuit of further playtesting, another sheet has appeared in short order – this one tailored to the current mechanics that echo a simplified version of The Cthulhu Hack. There has never been a shortage of tabletop paperwork!

More on the mechanics of the game to come!

While I’ll be attending Furnace in Sheffield, next week end, I will not be running any games – although, I might take something 214 along just in case I have the chance come evening time.

The following month I’ll be at IndieCon for three days (of the four day event). IndieCon, sited at Hobourne in Dorset, on the south coast, runs between 6th – 9th November. I’m there partly to assist with All Rolled Up, but also to run games and catch up with folk.

I will be running sessions of Complex 214, The Dee Sanction and Night’s Black Laundry – though not necessarily in that order. The first two will be playtest sessions for 214, while the NBL session will use my The Laundry/Gaean Reach mashup of the Gumshoe system. As they all use card-based character generation, that will be my focus over the next few weeks. I already have the set prepared for NBL, but only a few for C214 and none for TDS.

All being well, I might even squeeze in a game of Advanced Fighting Fantasy (AFF) – but, we’ll see how the weekend pans out.

Come December, we then have the new and enlarged Dragonmeet to attend. That’s Saturday 6th December at the ILEC Convention Centre.

I will be running a session of Complex 214 – though a different one to the IndieCon adventure. There’s a possibility I might have players attending who have played the previous session, so I had best be prepared. Also, it doesn’t make sense to playtest with the same adventure every time, as that isn’t really giving the system a proper run. I want to stretch my legs and try different approaches.

I will also be running a game of AFF that afternoon – as the game I run intentionally aims at just a 90 minute session. I will, however, look to vary this a little also – as I quite like the idea of having quick, drop-in style games suited to filling a partial slot of even doubling up in a big one.

All very busy – so, I need to get this computer/web stuff sorted and get on with it.

Not Necessarily Related articles…

• Complex 214 – Unethical Ends
• Back This: Chill 3rd Edition from Growling Door Games