BRP Imperial China

[GianniVacca]

I had published a rolegame set in Imperial China (roughly 618 AD-1911 AD) in French on my website:

BaSIC Chine Impériale

but it was based on the French version of the BRP that had been published by Casus Belli about 12 yrs ago.

I am now busy translating it to English, adapting it to the new BRP, and adding setting- rather than game mechanics-related information. I am modelling the chapters' content and order on Pete's most excellent BRP Rome.

I am curious as to what may be of interest to the members of this forum, so that I may address it.

The current, tentative title is 天下 [Tiān Xià] -- see Tianxia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cheers

[KjetilKverndokken]

It would be great to have a good rpg book on that era so thumbs up from me.

[dragonewt]

The current, tentative title is 天下 [Tiān Xià]

How about 天下大亂 [Tiān Xià Da Luan] - "Chaos Everywhere"?

[GianniVacca]

How about 天下大亂 [Tiān Xià Da Luan] - "Chaos Everywhere"?

Actually, the book's emphasis is on those periods of Chinese history where the government's power is strong and characters are outlaws (à la Water Margin) or constables (à la Judge Dee). Chaotic periods of time (Taiping rebellion, inter-dynastic troubles...) are rife in Chinese history, but each of them would need their own source book since the setting would be so much more different every time!

[soltakss]

As a huge fan of the Water Margin, I'd be interested in buying this.

As to what we would like to see, I'd like a solid BRP-style setting, with good character generation, chinese professions rather than generic ones, name lists, good background material, examples of the laws of the time and special rules for the Mythic elements (Taoist sorcerers, shamans, magical swords and other weapons and rules for over the top things such as Chi, Kung Fu and martial art fighting). I'm not particularly in to the modern chinese films style Kung Fu, I preferred the type of stuff in the Water Margin and Empress Wu - low level, almost believable but still breathtakingly awesome.

Oh yeah, you need to have rules that allow someone to be cut in two lengthwise with a sword - that was one scene in the Water Margin that blew my mind as a kid.

Isn't there a supplement coming out from Alephtar Games covering Chinese Kung Fu? Maybe you could tap into some of that. Yours would be a solid setting rather than just being generic rules.

[GianniVacca]

As a huge fan of the Water Margin, I'd be interested in buying this.

As to what we would like to see, I'd like a solid BRP-style setting, with good character generation, chinese professions rather than generic ones, name lists, good background material, examples of the laws of the time and special rules for the Mythic elements (Taoist sorcerers, shamans, magical swords and other weapons and rules for over the top things such as Chi, Kung Fu and martial art fighting).

Those are exactly the elements I have in mind (the Water Margin is my all-time favourite book).

Chinese shamans are out by 618 AD, but there will be rules for Barbarian shamans.

Have you seen A Chinese Ghost Story?

[rust]

Have you seen A Chinese Ghost Story?

I love that one. If you manage to get both the feeling of the Outlaws

of the Water Margin and the Chinese Ghost Story across, you definitely

have one more customer.

[Charles Green]

Isn't there a supplement coming out from Alephtar Games covering Chinese Kung Fu? Maybe you could tap into some of that. Yours would be a solid setting rather than just being generic rules.

The book I'm working on for Alephtar is not a generic rulebook for Kung Fu. It's a fleshed out setting similar to what you've described, with some additional rules for porting over the Martial Arts system to other BRP games.

Otherwise, I'm very glad BRP Imperial China is getting an English translation. I've wanted to read it for years, but my grasp of French is lacking (read: non-existent).

Edited September 9, 2009 by Charles Green

[Al.]

Have you seen A Chinese Ghost Story?

Did someone say Diamond Sutra?

[Pete Nash]

You know I'm in favour of it. I can't wait!

[Mugen]

Do you plan on translating the optional rules for combat also ?

[Jarulf]

This does sound like something I'd love to get. One thing that I think would be of value is an adventure or two that really showcases the setting. Something that firmly establishes that it is not primarily intended for over the top wire-fu shenanigans but tries to fully capture the feeling of the source material.

Probably an obvious comment, but an RPG book that describes a setting should always have an adventure at the end which really makes use of all the wonderful setting info.

[GianniVacca]

Do you plan on translating the optional rules for combat also ?

With the move from French BaSIC to the latest Chaosium edition of BRP, I think I will drop that. Also I will probably tap into Dragon Lines.

[GianniVacca]

This does sound like something I'd love to get. One thing that I think would be of value is an adventure or two that really showcases the setting.

Agreed. That's the part that bothers me... I have notebooks chokefull with notes on Chinese weapons, Chinese religion, Chinese family life, customs, professions... Notes taken whilst reading Chinese novels... But no solid scenario (I tend to improvise a lot in my own games, so I do not have the skills to write a solid adventure but submissions are welcome )

[Jarulf]

Don't look at me :-) I'm not very good at writing adventures and I know little of the setting.

But I hope you find someone who can help.

[dragonewt]

... so I do not have the skills to write a solid adventure

That sounds like a healthy challenge. I am interested in participating.

[Baron]

I'd be interested in both BRP China, and the Kung Fu product!

[KjetilKverndokken]

How big will this book be? By the sound of it, it could be even bigger then Brp Rome, and probably should be so it could be filled enough information. As the world of Imperial China is big and a lot to cover, even if you choose only a particular age.

But I love the sound of this.

Could we get a small sketch on how the chapters would be built up?

[GianniVacca]

How big will this book be? By the sound of it, it could be even bigger then Brp Rome, and probably should be so it could be filled enough information.

I have about 90,000 words, and I still have some notebooks that I haven't typed yet

As the world of Imperial China is big and a lot to cover, even if you choose only a particular age.

I am covering a huge period of time (618 AD-1911 AD), but I explain in the introduction that the GM should focus on China's peaceful periods of time, when society was ruled by the same conventions throughout the dynasties (with some differences under the Yuán).

Could we get a small sketch on how the chapters would be built up?

I am actually re-organising everything so as to closely follow BRP Rome's model.

[Trifletraxor]

Gianni, how do you plan to publish this one? Through your website, Chaosium or a third party publisher?

SGL.

[GianniVacca]

Gianni, how do you plan to publish this one? Through your website, Chaosium or a third party publisher?

I am actually going to submit it to Alephtar Games.

[Trifletraxor]

Nice! Do you have a blurb and a picture for me to use, or shall I just find something to use?

SGL.

[GianniVacca]

Nice! Do you have a blurb and a picture for me to use

I don't have anything yet in terms of 'logo', but I like this picture:

http://www.basicrps.com/chine/images/bandit6.jpg

He is one of the Outlaws of the Marsh (Water Margin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)... I hope he captures the spirit of the game well!

[Trifletraxor]

Pagecount and estimated time of submission of the manuscript? What kind of stuff will we find in it?

SGL.

[GianniVacca]

Pagecount and estimated time of submission of the manuscript?

As I wrote three days ago:

I have about 90,000 words, and I still have some notebooks that I haven't typed yet

Of the 90,000 words:

• 46,000 are rules sections
  
• 30,000 are an encyclopaedia of Imperial China
  
• the rest are background material (religions, peoples, languages...)
  

Plus all the stuff still in the notebooks.

So at the moment I have no idea of when the draft will be ready!

What kind of stuff will we find in it?

I am basing the structure of the book on Pete's BRP Rome, meaning a summary along the lines of:

• Chinese society
  
• Chinese culture
  
• China and the neighbouring lands
  
• Religion & Philosophy
  
• Character generation
  
• Professions and skills
  
• Spot rules
  
• Martial Arts
  
• Magic
  
• Cults
  
• Creatures
  
• Equipment
  
• Chinese campaigns
  
• Historical timeline
  
• Glossary
  

+ I was thinking of having the encyclopaedia interspersed through the main text in lateral boxes.

Edited September 14, 2009 by GianniVacca