Devlog: Threats and damage

Over the Christmas period I paused development to relax and focus on family, so not much to report since last time. The draft rules are ready for a quick internal playtest, which should happen later this week. I’ve prepped the introductory investigation to use for the playtest and built out the current two core specialisms, profiler and occultist.

Threats and damage

My approach to damage in Midnight of the Century is worth explaining, since this is a no-combat game. You’ve got three stats that govern saves: body, mind, and spirit. Every time you fail a save, the stat you rolled against is reduced, making further saves with that stat more difficult. How much the stat is reduced (how much damage you take) changes depending on the doom phase. The later the phase, the more damage you take. How this damage is healed depends on the stat but all involve some form of rest or reflection.

Your bonds (such as your connection, haven, or vehicle) can also be damaged or destroyed in the course of an investigation, typically as a result of fracture. More on that in a later update!

Recently worked on: Changing up inventory to remove item management; instead, your inventory is filled with skills, your connection, haven, and any consultants. Essentially, this is now similar to a cognitive load. I may end up changing the term from inventory to something more meaningful but the core idea is there.

• Word count: 9226