Hidden Realms - Games For The Younger Gamer

[MaxBantleman]

Hello All,

I'm planning to run a game on Saturday morning for the younger gamers, based in the 'Hidden Realms'.
(The Hidden Realms game system / rulebook may or may not be ready by Indiecon...)

The slot is designed for the much younger gamer, though it can be played and enjoyed by anyone, and if parents want to play with their kids, that'd be fine.

If there's more interest than one slot, I'd be happy to roll it out to another...

I think Mick is planning to run a 'younger gamer'slot / game too.

Anyone wanting to pre-register some interest, feel free to do so and we'll see how many slots we should run.

'Hidden Realms' - A 'fantasy' setting utilising a d6 based skills system with difficulty level target numbers.
Easy to pick up, easy to play, with the focus on the story and the players - interactive with input welcome from all, though can be driven by the GM with a story / plot.

[MaxBantleman]

For some clarification:

Anyone who can read a bit and add upm a bit is welcome.
The Hidden Realms is designed to get the young uns in to gaming from 5-6 upwards and to allow the games to grow with the players for style and content.

[Omnifray]

Tell us a bit more about this please Max. Setting? System? Motivation for writing it? [Yeah, please don't anyone ask me that one about any of my games!!]

[Grinnen Baeritt]

I expect my daughter might be wanting to play this.. though she'll be 11 by then.

[MaxBantleman]

I expect my daughter might be wanting to play this.. though she'll be 11 by then.

I'm sure she'd enjoy it, if we can get enough to interest to run two groups, one for under 11 and one for 11+ we will...

[MaxBantleman]

Tell us a bit more about this please Max. Setting? System? Motivation for writing it? [Yeah, please don't anyone ask me that one about any of my games!!]

The idea originally was to allow for a realm that lived along side our own, a parallel world of adventure that could be accessed via portals in our 'real'world, and to base it havily on fairy / folk tales, but it soon became apparent that once you have that premise, the hidden realm can pretty much contain any other fictional world that has ever existed / can be imagined.

Younger gamers usually get introduced via a 'beginners' session of D&D, which is great, but focuses the action in a very 'd&d world,' we wanted something much broader and able to appeal to all gamers at any young age.

Motication was easy: to allow younger gamers to experience role playing.
Both Greg (co-writer) and I believe in role playing as a fantastic way to develop all kinds of social and mental skills.

We just thought it would be cool to present a game that parents could run for their kids, or that kids could easily developfor themselves, without having to rely on the sometimes rules crunchy 'beginners' variants of other, well established games.

The system is simple: skill 'rank' plus governing 'stat' plus dice roll to hit target number based on difficulty level - uses a d6.
Lots of room to grow the system and make it more 'realistic' once people get in to it.

And that's it really.
Biggest challenge we have is getting the artwork together: it needs to be a very visual game as far as presentation and play aids goes, and art is expensive
(Any publishers our there want to come on board with us on this, please feel free to drop us a line )

[MaxBantleman]

Tell us a bit more about this please Max. Setting? System? Motivation for writing it? [Yeah, please don't anyone ask me that one about any of my games!!]

Motication was easy: to allow younger gamers to experience role playing.
Both Greg (co-writer) and I believe in role playing as a fantastic way to develop all kinds of social and mental skills.

Motivation was easy, even if spelling it apparently isn't...
(sighs... bleedin fingers... )

[Omnifray]

... the hidden realm can pretty much contain any other fictional world that has ever existed / can be imagined. ...

... including presumably a world with a school for wizards who play something a bit like a ballgame on flying broomsticks and use wands and embarrassing quasi-Latin incantations to cast their spells, no doubt...

... though I'm sure you're far too sensible to market it on that basis...

[MaxBantleman]

... the hidden realm can pretty much contain any other fictional world that has ever existed / can be imagined. ...

... including presumably a world with a school for wizards who play something a bit like a ballgame on flying broomsticks and use wands and embarrassing quasi-Latin incantations to cast their spells, no doubt...
... though I'm sure you're far too sensible to market it on that basis...

Far too sensible!
Greg had a heart attack when I mentioned 'Narnia'...

[Mick Red]

Awesome one Max
I have indeed read the rules for HR and they are easy and fast and suprisingly fun.... hope people with kids take up your offer for a gaming saturday

[MaxBantleman]

I have indeed read the rules for HR and they are easy and fast and suprisingly fun.... hope people with kids take up your offer for a gaming saturday

Cheers Mick
I hope so too: it would be good to get a couple of sessions in and get the feedback of the target audience: I've run a few sessions with 3 younger gamers to get a feel for tweaking the rules down to bare minumin, but I think I got a skewed view as they'd played a couple of games of Talisman and had a feel for the concept already.

Just going to re-write the combat rules... tricky one... combat / violence in a young players game... tricky one...

[monkeykenobi]

I'm bringing my kids on the weekend, two boys 10 and 12, so sign me up, if poss!

[MaxBantleman]

I'm bringing my kids on the weekend, two boys 10 and 12, so sign me up, if poss!

Excellent, will do!