Introduction and Overview

Introduction and Overview #

Goals #

This is what I want Total//Effect to be and accomplish.

Fast//Efficient #

Resolution of any resource expenditure, roll, or other mechanic should ideally be quick and, where it would be interesting, produce multiple separable results.

Why does this matter? Because it’s a lot easier to slow down a game if desired than speed it up.

Modular//Configurable #

Everything here is presentable as a separable building block. These can interact with each other (and will have a few ideas), but don’t need to. Everything here can be tweaked as desired as well. Ideally I will provide enough context that you can make informed decisions about it.

This is not intended to be a “reflavor and you have a game” kind of SRD. This is a toolbox, a framework, and a set of principles for making games the way I like them. It will provide you with tools and advice, but you’ll have to do it. I don’t think providing something that’s purely a template to slap a coat of paint on does anyone any good in the long term.

Generic//Opinionated #

Ideally this will be a framework that you can use to make a lot of different games - generic, in that sense. But I don’t believe that you can make a truly generic framework. As such, I will also do my best to explain why certain decisions were made. I’m not claiming to be objectively correct on anything here: a lot of this is just my preferences. If you want to do something divergent from what I have here, by all means. I’ll highlight when I think it’s a particularly bad idea to diverge, but I have no interest in stopping you beyond that.

To put my cards on the table: as of writing this (early 2025 through early 2026), a lot of my games are combat-heavy adventure games, and as of writing I have produced three games with very prominent combat systems, so a lot of advice is going to be considered through this lens, intentionally or otherwise. In general this framework is originally intended for making games with “traditional” tabletop roleplaying game player roles (i.e. one player - DM, GM, MC, Narrator, etc - “runs” the game while every other player “plays” in that game) and a lot of advice will largely be given in that vein. None of this is strictly necessary - I don’t think there’s anything inherent to the game that forces either of those to exist, I intend to make games with it where neither are true, and I’ll give advice for diverging where it makes sense. But those priors are bound to inform at least some things you read here.

Overview #

Basic Concepts #

Some of the more “fundamental” bits in the system.

  • Rolling: Basic concepts of the Total and Effect roll that names the system, as well as various tricks you can use to create mechanics.
  • Escalation: A measure of increasing dramatic tension, and how it’s used.
  • Measuring Time: Establishing measurements of time and pacing.
  • Resources and Abilities: Classifications of resources and abilities, and examples and philosophies of both.
  • Challenges, Threats, and Goals: Tracking basic concepts of short-term and long-term resolution of narrative tension.
  • Advancement: The concepts of Levels and Tiers, and horizontal vs. vertical improvement.

Conflict #

The drama at the heart of a story.

  • Conflict Basics: Some general ideas of kinds of conflict, as well as some concepts that will be used in other kinds of conflicts presented.
  • Danger: Environmental, situational, and societal peril.
  • Duel: 1 on 1 clashes, or pursuit and escape.
  • Skirmish: Traditional group combat.

Relations #

The glue tying characters, settings, and concepts to each other.

  • Relations Basics: Some philosphies of what the things in this section are trying to do.
  • Relationships: The pull of a character on another character or a faction, for better or worse.
  • Reputation: The perception of the setting at large on players, and what players can do with that.
  • Party/Faction: Uniting player characters into an explicit, mechanical concept independent of each individual player character.
  • Economy: Gaining and spending currencies, abstract or otherwise.

Asides and Worked Examples #

As we go along, sometimes I’ll write an aside in a box like this.

These various games will include fragments of various games, in progress and otherwise, highlighted as such:

Valiant Horizon #

Valiant Horizon is a heroic fantasy game about regular people chosen to gain the powers and mentorship of departed heroes through magical means, learning from and bonding with other fledgling heroes, developing their own legend, and eventually becoming enshrined in legend themselves.

As of writing, Valiant Horizon may be found here.

NULL_SPACE #

Regular people in space in the 24th Century are thrust outside of normal society and must find a way to survive amidst corporate rule of the solar system.

As of writing, NULL_SPACE may be found here.

Machinations of Court and Frame #

Exceptional and noble mecha pilots with mixed loyalties are thrust into relationships, proxy wars, and byzantine power struggles.

As of writing, part of a Visual Novel based on this (which includes an approximation of intended dueling) may be found here. This is much more in flux than the other two!

Licensing #

This is released under CC BY 4.0. As such, you can use this to make games/etc with if you give the proper credit:

This work is based on the Total//Effect SRD by Binary Star Games ( https://binarystar.games) and licensed for use under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)