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Frequently Asked Questions
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If you have any questions not listed below, feel free to let me know.
Questions
Answers
| Q: |
What is a roleplaying game? |
| A: |
"Roleplaying game" is a pretty broad term applied to a wide range of games. However, these games tend to have at least one thing in common — they require the player to take on the role of a character in a story. Like an actor — but with no audience besides the other players, and no definite script — you will decide how your character feels and acts in response to what happens in the game's story. Unlike an actor, you will usually not physically enact your character's actions in a roleplaying game — the action is described, and exists solely in the imaginations of the players. You can think of a roleplaying game as an exercise in "cooperative storytelling" — the players get together to tell the story that their characters share. |
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| Q: |
What is a roleplaying system? |
| A: |
A roleplaying system is a way of defining and quantifying what can happen inside the story of a roleplaying game. Most often, characters will have "graded" characteristics which define their strengths and weaknesses, their aptitudes and affinities. A roleplaying system will also introduce a method of determining the success or failure of a character's actions — this is referred to as the "mechanics" of the system. Depending on the system used, the mechanics may include rolling dice, picking cards, flipping coins, or even just telling a believable story. |
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| Q: |
What are the advantages of the A.K.A. system? |
| A: |
There are two major advantages to the A.K.A. system: simplicity and adaptability.
The core of the A.K.A. system is extremely simple and easy to grasp; aside from the basic mechanics and character format, all of the rest is just "bonus" material, provided for players who want more detail.
But the greatest strength of A.K.A. is its openness and flexibility — it can be adapted for any genre or style of play, and any kinds of characters or players. Future supplements will provide suggested rules for just about any circumstance you might want to roleplay, from ghosts and magic to aliens and superheroes. In addition, the A.K.A. mechanics can be adapted to strategy games, wargames, or any other setting in which random outcomes are influenced by innate attributes. |
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| Q: |
In what story genre is A.K.A. set? |
| A: |
Since A.K.A. is a roleplaying system, not a roleplaying game, there is no built-in genre or setting — the system can be used for games in any genre or setting. This has the advantage of allowing players to make the kinds of stories they like, or even change to an entirely new story, without having to learn a new system. Whether you're into horror stories, superhero stories, science fiction, spy games, or anything else, you can use the A.K.A. system to play out stories in any of your favorite worlds. |
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| Q: |
What style of play is A.K.A. best for? Hack and slash, intense roleplaying, puzzle solving, cartoon zaniness, or what? |
| A: |
Again, A.K.A. is not a roleplaying game by itself — it's a roleplaying system. As such, it can be used as the mechanics for your game no matter what style of gaming you prefer. Whether you prefer fighting or solving mysteries, whether you enjoy the roleplaying side of things or the development of powerful characters, this system will accommodate your needs. |
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| Q: |
Can I convert my favorite character from another roleplaying system or from a fictional story into the A.K.A. system? |
| A: |
Yes, absolutely! Because the character format for A.K.A. characters is so easy and straightforward, not to mention adaptably freeform (without being unstructured) it's a simple matter of figuring out how good your character is at certain things, and "rating" them. Conversion from other roleplaying systems is made even easier by the fact that A.K.A. does not have a "required" set of attributes (though there is a suggested standard set) — whatever attributes your old system used can fit neatly into the A.K.A. version of your character. Characters with completely different attribute sets can be played within the same A.K.A. game, so there's no conflict at all. |
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| Q: |
What do I need in order to play using the A.K.A. system? |
| A: |
Pencils and paper are needed, of course, to keep track of your characters and what's going on. And it obviously helps to have the rules handy, either the "lite" version (A.K.A. In a Nutshell, available soon as a free PDF download!) or the more detailed Core Guidebook (currently in progress). Other than this, all you need are six-sided dice (the kind that come with most standard boardgames) — the more you can get your hands on, the better. If you can't find enough dice, the A.K.A. Dice Roller is available on the downloads page; the Dice Roller is capable of making any die roll that the A.K.A. system might call for. |
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| Q: |
What are the basic mechanics of the A.K.A. system? |
| A: |
The most basic element of the A.K.A. system is called "rolling points." You roll a number of six-sided dice: for every odd number (1, 3 or 5) you roll, you get zero points. For every even number (2, 4 or 6) you roll, you get one point. For every 6 you roll, you get your point, and you also get to re-roll that die, trying for more points; the rules on a re-rolled die are the same as on the initial roll (1, 3 or 5 is no points; 2 or 4 is one point; 6 is one point and a re-roll).
In rolling points, it's possible to get zero points, and it's theoretically possible to get an infinite number of points (if you keep rolling sixes!). The general rule is: the more points you roll, the better you're doing. The number of dice you get to roll for your initial roll depends on what your character is doing, and how good they are at it — the more talent or skill you have, the more dice you roll, and the more points you will probably get.
Sometimes you will be rolling just to see how many points you can roll; other times you will be trying to roll at least a certain number of points; and still other times, you will be trying to roll more points than an opponent. It all depends on the situation. But even without knowing anything else, you can get the hang of the entire system just from this one key element: rolling points. |
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| Q: |
Why the heck is it called the A.K.A. system? |
| A: |
A.K.A. was one of an assortment of clever acronyms and catchy names thought up for this roleplaying system as it passed through various incarnations and revisions (trust me, you don't even want to know what C.O.R.E. or S.T.A.R. stood for!). It means the same thing in this context that it does in the general vernacular: Also Known As. The reference has a double meaning in this case.
First, when you play a roleplaying game, you take on the "role" of your character — in the game, you are that character. So if your name is Jane, and you're playing Violet Gunn, then you're "Jane, A.K.A. Violet Gunn."
Second, and more practically, it's a clever marketing ploy. A.K.A. can be used for roleplaying in any genre or setting, in any style of play. So future supplements will be made available for fantasy settings, science fiction settings, and so on — and these books will be called A.K.A. Fantasy, A.K.A. Space Opera, and so on...a clever nod to the fact that this roleplaying system can be "known as" whatever you're looking for.
Finally, it's also just a quick and catchy name, easy to say and easy to remember. |
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