SysCards and Attributes

SysCards is a Role Playing Game which borrows "Card Game Mechanics".

Playing a Tabletop Role Playing game with "Card Game Mechanics" enhances the role playing game experience and simplifies the representations of various interactions.

Players will need only two tools to play the game. A pair of Percentile Dice and SySCards.

(SySCards link here).

Features of the SysCard

The SySCard is designed to behold and reflect any specifications of any Entity you want to represent in the game. By Entity we mean absolutely anything. Anything as in: A sub-atomic particle, A grain of sand, a Location, an Area, A living Creature, an Animal, a Character, a Table, a Statue, a Mountain, A Tool, a Weapon, an Electronic Gadget, a Spaceship, a Fireball, a Unique Item, a Relic, a Kamehameha, an Ability, a Skill, a Social Skill, a Knowledge, a Philosphic Idea, a Scientific Research, an Army, a Fleet, a Race, an Art Piece, a Language, a Drop of Water, a Light Saber, a PC, a bowl of Ice, etc...

Anything, (and we can't emphasize enough on "ANYTHING!"), that you can think of can be represented thanks to a SySCard and can interact thanks to the SysCards rules.

In this Chapter, let's familiarize with the features of the SySCard. Each features you will discover in this Chapter will be explained in details in the upcoming Chapters.

 

SySCards Types:

On the top left of the SySCard you can see the "Type" label. On that tab we will write down the Type of the SySCard.

We just stated above that SySCards can represent any Entity. Sometimes, when designing your own SySCards, you may want to classify the cards according to the Entity they reflect. Think of it like separating Characters from Items and spells, or maybe you want to rank some cards based on their rarity like common, rare, unique.

Simply put, the Type label is there to allow you to classify your cards in any way you want, if you wish to.

Name:

On the top/middle of the SySCard you can see the "name" tab. That's where you simply write the actual name of the Entity. (For example, if it's a Character just right the name of the Character).

The Efficiency Tab

On the top right of the SySCard you can see the "#efc%" tab. This is the Efficiency tab. But why the "#"?

Well, please notice the "#" tab on the bottom right of the SySCard. When a card belongs to another Entity, (thus another card), you write down the name of the Entity owning this card on its "#" tab. If the card is not owned, then you leave the "#" blank.

So, the reason why there's an "#" in front of "efc%" is because this tab always shows the Efficiency Rate of its owner.

Here's an example. Imagine you created a Character card. Its "efc%" will automatically represent how this Character uses its basic properties. Its "#" will be left blank.

Now let say that this Character learned Kung Fu. You will need to design a "Kung Fu" card. Of course the Character will have a Kung Fu Efficiency Rate which will be written on the Efficiency Tab of the Kung Fu card. But since the efc% is the Character's Efficiency, on the "#" tab of that Kung Fu card you will write the name of the Character. And so, you will know that the "#efc%" on that Kung Fu card is actually the Efficiency Rate of that Character.

  

The Illustration Area:

The vast "Panoramic" area on the top half of the SySCard is where an illustration of the Entity goes.

Info:

Right below the illustration area there's the Info tab. Info may seem an irrelevant part where we write casual information about the Entity. It is not. In fact it is the Most Important part of the SySCard. That's where you design and explain the main functionality and identity of the Entity on the Card. Anything about the Entity's main functionalities, and basic activities, it can perform which will be reflected in the Capacity of the Entity. Any of its basic properties, particularities, or any impact it may have, any specific rules it may apply, etc..., is written here. The Info Tab is where the Master reflects the main mechanics of its Entity.

 

 

Resistance Tabs:

The five tabs aligned right on the bottom of the info area, with "RES" written on the middle tab are called the "Resistance Tabs". They show the different Zones of the Entity. Zones are different parts or sections of an Entity with different resistances. The tabs reflect the different Resistances of the Entity's different Zones. The different sizes of the tabs can also be used to mirror the different magnitudes of the Entity's Zones.

According to the Entity, the number of Zones may differ. An entity may be constructed of only 1 Zone, or another of 3 Zones and another of 200 Zones.

The most critical Section of the Entity is always at the Center Tab, while the less critical Sections are shown at the extremities.

To give an example, a Human Character would have 3 Sections. Torso, head and extremities.

If your Creature has way more than 5 Zones, here's a simple way to reflect your Creature's Resistance on the Resistance Tabs:

Use one tab for the Zone with the lowest Res, another tab for the Zone with the highest Res, and one tab for the mid-range Res. Use the other tabs for Zones with Res in between the others. Check out "Resistance" to learn more about Zones and Resistance.

Pow, Vel and FCS:

The three round tabs in the middle of the bottom part of the SySCard are where we set the Power, Velocity and Focus of the Entity.

Power:

The Power of an Entity represents the total maximum amount of Base Energy the Entity is able to generate and use per Round.

Velocity:

Where Actography, (explained later), shows the precise differences in speed between the executions of acts, the Velocity of an Entity reflects the base speed of all the acts of that Entity. (And usually of any other Entity of the same type).

Think of it as the main tempo or pace of that Entity. To put it simply, the acts of Entities of different Velocity cannot enter in challenge and the highest Velocity always has priority.

Here is an example:

Two humans challenging each other in a sword fight will have the same velocity, because humans have the same velocity. But if a creature with higher velocity challenges a human, (like a super being who can act faster than light), the challenge will be automatically won by the super being.

Actography, and Challenge rules are explained in "Core Rules". 

 

Focus:

The Focus is simple. It's the number of different Acts an Entity can process at one time. This is NOT multitasking. Neither is this synchronized ability use like drumming or fighting with two blades.

Focus represents the pure multiple processing power of an Entity. As in being able to perform two, unrelated, very different Acts at the same time. Like to think two completely different thinks at one time, or Playing the Piano while cooking a gourmet menu at the same time.

Obviously, even the extremities of some creatures are not fit for higher Focus values.

To give an example, Humans have a general focus of "1". Some extremely rare cases of Human beings with "2" Focus surface time to time.

The Focus attribute, while not really relevant for most known creatures, is very useful for Entities like machines, robots, or androids.

Attributes:

And finally, the Attributes, and their Symbols.

You will find 3 tabs on the bottom left part of the SySCard, and another 3 tabs on the bottom right part of the SySCard. Those are the Custom Attributes tabs. On the extremities of each of these tabs there's a semi circle shape. In that shape you will note the Symbol of the Custom Attribute which will describe its State.

Any basic properties, characteristics, or another entity, an Entity "Requires", "Consumes", "Possesses", or "Generates" can be described as the Attribute of that Entity. 

Attributes, are designed by the Master and put on the Deal Log for players to purchase with Core Points or directly offered to them if it's an essential Attribute for their Entity.

Attributes are limitless. Any characteristic you wish a card to have, can be stated as an Attribute. And thanks to these, the SySCards may be linked with other SySCards.

Another feature of Attributes is their Symbols. Symbols define the states of each Attribute. According to the Symbol, the Attribute will have a different state.

The Game Master is free to decide which Entity, property or characteristic he wishes to consider as an Attribute.

Usually, Attributes are abstract elements an Entity possesses. Sometimes it can also be basic properties which describe that Entity. From the color of an Entity to one of its particular functionalities, anything can be an Attribute. As for Entities, it's the Game Master who designs and creates Attributes.

Any characteristic of an Entity the Master wishes to matter for that Entity can be considered as an Attribute. Simply put, if an element is part of an Entity and the Master wishes to include it as the Entity's description, but the element is not worth to have its own SySCard, then it can be considered as an Attribute.

Symbols:

Symbols reflect different Functionalities of Attributes. When an Attribute is added to a SySCard, it will have a Symbol. According to its Symbol, the Attribute will have a different Functionality.

Here's a list of some Symbols and their Functionality. If needed, the Game Master can design he's own Symbols and Functionalities. 

O : "Requires". If the Entity on a SySCard has an Attribute with a ring, meaning "Requires", it means that the SySCard requires that Attribute to Function. When a SySCard has a "Requires" Attribute, it will function only if the same Attribute with a Possesses" Functionality is on the same SySCard, or a SySCard with that same Attribute with a "Possesses" Functionality is adjacent to it.

△ : "Consumes". Same as above, but this one means that the Entity on the SySCard needs to consume that particular Attribute. So the adjacent SySCard will need an Attribute with the "Generates" Functionality. When a SySCard consumes an Attribute, it will function only if a SySCard with that same Attribute with a "Generates" Functionality is adjacent, or the same SySCard has that same Attribute with the "Generates" Functionality. A Number in the middle of the triangle will mean that the SySCard will need to consume that much amount of that Attribute per Round. Therefore the adjacent SySCard, or the same SySCard, will need to generate at least that much amount of that Attribute for the SySCard to function.

V : "Possesses". The "Check" Symbol means that the Entity on the SySCard "has" or "owns" that Attribute.

∞ : "Generates". The infinity Symbol means that the Entity on the SySCard generates that Attribute in an amount limited by its maximum Power. A Number as a Symbol means that the SySCard generates that much amount of that Attribute per Round, independently of its Power.

Notes: 

- Entities may generate, require, possess or consume Attributes which have nothing to do with Power.

- For commodity reasons, SySCards always hold 6 Attributes and 5 Zones at maximum. If you need more Attributes or Resistances for the Entity on your SySCard, feel free to use extra SySCards. When a SySCard has the same Type, #, Name and Illustration, it will mean that both cards detail the same Entity's Attributes and Sections.

- Remember that it's not mandatory for Entities to possess each and all of the properties listed above. Some may miss one or several of those. For example, some Entities may not have an Efficiency, or others may have no Resistance, no Power or no Attributes at all. The Master is free to design Entities as he wishes.