One, Two, Kickout!
Overview
Roles: Systems Designer, Writer
Genre: Action
Platform: Pen and paper RPG
Team size: Solo project
Production length: ~13 Weeks
One, Two, Kickout! is a tabletop RPG where players are professional wrestlers in a world where pro-wrestling is 100% real. It was designed to be a fast paced, not so serious game that appeals to fans of pro-wrestling while still being engaging and accessible to players who have little to no knowledge of it.
The main system that powers interactions in One, Two, Kickout! is a system called Step-up Modifier Dice. In this system, instead of adding static boosts from their stats to a roll, players roll additional dice and add it to the initial roll.
One, Two, Kickout! was made as an academic project at DigiPen Institute of Technology for the Role Playing Game Design class.
What I did:
- Created TTRPG mechanics and rules, then playtested them and used that data to improve the game.
- Wrote and rewrote the mechanics and worldbuilding content to be easily digestible, then formatted all of the content into one ~50 page book.
- Worked in three distinct passes: creation, refinement, then simplification and polish.
Process
Concepting and Prototyping (Weeks 1-2)
I brainstormed mechanics and settings, with a goal in mind of making a game that was fast paced, over the top, and relatively simple.
Changes were made early to fit the design goals, such as increasing the amount of ‘Modifier Dice’ rolled and scrapping a complex critical cancelling system.
Brainstorming work for the system.
The page of the book that describes the archetypes (classes).
Some attacks that characters can learn.
First Edition (Weeks 3-5)
Character creation was a focus as customization was a big appeal of this game, so I designed a fluid class system to encourage players to be unique.
I designed a combat system where players choose a specific attack, this proved to be bad due to not having much depth, slowing the game, and making each turn feel similar.
Second Edition (Weeks 6-8)
Besides general polish, I improved character advancement by raising the level cap and reworking stat point distribution, these were done to fix advancement that was too fast and unsatisfying.
Combat was changed by improving the attack list formatting and adding more attacks, while this helped, it wasn’t a vast improvement as it failed to address the core issue.
Stat point requirements in first versus second edition.
Graph comparing points gained in total and per level.
The page describing the new ‘Move Categories’ system.
Some of the new ‘Perks’ that player characters can take.
Third Edition (Weeks 9-13)
Changes and cuts were made to anything unnecessary or too complex, such as removing the archetype level cap, cutting inventory limits, and changing status effects.
Combat was completely redone so that players now choose from one of five ‘Move Categories’, advancement and customization is handled through added ‘Perks’.
These changes made the game more streamlined, easier to play, and made it more in line with my initial design goals.