One player, 4 PCs Squad Game

Toba · #1 07-23-2012, 02:10 PM

I am currently running a game with 5 players that is a military squad based game, and it's going very well.

This game made me think of a concept that might be very fun, and I was looking to see if anyone had done something like this before, and if it turned out as fun as it sounds in my head lol.

Basically, same premise of a military squad, but the player controls all 4 of the PCs. Basically, for those of us who love character creation, you would manage 4 PCs, and manage the RP between them all in addition to the usual game mechanics.

It seems like it'd be fun for those of us, like I said, that love character creation, and for those of us that enjoy writing stories with multiple main characters.

Again, just looking to see if anyone has done this, or something like this. Thanks!

Cheers,
~Toba

chaosaccountant · #2 07-23-2012, 04:28 PM

The Miniatures Handbook, with it's emphasis on squad-based combat over detailed character roleplaying, was pretty much exactly this; probably worth checking out if you can get your hands on it.

Toba · #3 07-23-2012, 04:44 PM

I have that actually. Never read through it outside of checking out the classes/feats/etc for character creation. Never looked at its game mechanics.

But still looking for if anyone has done this, and if it was indeed fun?

Fil kearney · #4 07-24-2012, 04:17 PM

I haven't done this, though I've considered it in the past.
most games' combat systems are too involved to be practical. ODnD, or ADnD/2ndEd may fair well, but andy D20, palladium, shadowrun... others... would be way to involved for a full 16-20 characters to be shelling out their full options each round.
RPside: it would be difficult to not slide some characters to the background naturally, and keeping track of everyone would be beastly. (check out the 2nd Voltron series as a great example)
but if it's not a full RPG system used, it's little more than glorified skirmishing. There has to be a balance somewhere. Or not. :3

Toba · #5 07-25-2012, 10:21 AM

Ah, I'm not planning that large of a scale. Each player would control a group of 4-5 PC's. Thus you get more individual attention to each PC.

Fil kearney · #6 07-25-2012, 01:58 PM

yeah... but 4 players = 20 characters.
Are you looking at only 1 or 2 players?

chaosaccountant · #7 07-25-2012, 02:07 PM

Even so, you're looking at a minimum of eight PCs fielded at a given time; add an animal companion, a familiar that actually does things, and a summoning spell or two, and you've suddenly got seven or eight turns worth of actions per side. Initiative could become a major headache, if nothing else.
Even if keeping track isn't a problem, you're not going to get in-depth RP. If you're going to do justice to the personal interactions of four characters, you're going to be writing reams and reams of text, all of which will be focused on things that are (unless the player is actually a really good writer) mostly of interest only to the player. You're likely to end up with one, maybe two 'main characters,' and a handful of cohorts who don't say much, and probably act in combat mostly to support the star(s). Consider how much rp air-time the average familiar, animal companion or cohort gets; that's only two characters under control of the player...

Toba · #8 07-25-2012, 02:29 PM

Ah, excellent point chaos. So basically, I'd be turning it into a soul-less strategy board game really.

Fil kearney · #9 07-25-2012, 04:57 PM

hey! That's what I said, but the way I said it was much more efficient less good!

Toba · #10 07-25-2012, 05:03 PM

Lol. Well, thanks for the input guys. Decided to can the idea. Good input!

Cheers,
~Toba

TheDarkTyphoon · #11 08-25-2012, 05:55 AM

It is a neat idea, but I do think the random interaction with other characters makes the game unique. Most people would find it hard to role play multiple characters with each other and keep them separated. If you can do this, then you would be a good DM. Anyone that has been a DM knows that it can be fun, but difficult to manage multiple characters. I think you can get the same feel without having them control each character. Have their character become the leader of a group and they get to pick their members so, they have a say in the formation of the team. They would know many of the abilities and stats by watching the soldiers in training, but they do not acctually make the characters. This makes them have to pair up a team that could work together, but not manifest a team that is perfectly meshed. This enables the person to have to deal with some traits that they may not desire and overcome the obstacle. Also, giving orders and controlling the team around the battlefield would give them that feel of controling all of them, but you would dictate responses, some actions and a few possible flaws by deviating from the plan if it may be something that NPC would do. This would make it more realistic and less gaming the team would occur. That is my input anyways.

Sherlocke · #12 09-02-2012, 08:55 PM

When I was desperately without other players, I resorted to just what you're describing. Speaking as a writer, it's a great way to develop a complex story.