Should we be familiar with the "Oracle System" or is this something brand new?

I'm pretty sure this is a new system. My first thought was it was the same system used by the Star Wars RPG but after more research that is clearly not the case.

I really wish they gave a little more info with this teaser. I hope to see more from Gencon.

Yeah for real.

Figure first maybe introduce their new "Oracle System" AND THEN talk specifics about the game itself. Does it use dice? Cards? How do players work together? Hows Combat handled?

But judging from little information we were able to gather, the Oracle System might let us play other IP titles in the near future.

It seems like a bridging game between Board Games and RPG's. A far more narrative and less tactical version of Warhammer Quest perhaps. I'm very surprised to see it given we already know Genesys will be used at Gencon to run a Runebound adventure. I guess they are trying to expand the whole Terrinoth world now to solidify its own IP as much as possible.

There's a bit more info on the product page

1 hour ago, Richardbuxton said:

It seems like a bridging game between Board Games and RPG's. A far more narrative and less tactical version of Warhammer Quest perhaps. I'm very surprised to see it given we already know Genesys will be used at Gencon to run a Runebound adventure. I guess they are trying to expand the whole Terrinoth world now to solidify its own IP as much as possible.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking... it looks like a board/card game with heavy RPG elements, but not a full-fledged RPG. Seems very intriguing!

Based on the fact that the big product shot, which would normally show all of the components, has no dice and very few tokens... I'm assuming this is going to be like a big, complex Choose Your Own Adventure game. I think it was marked as 1-4 players. That makes it a cooperative vs. the game thing.

It's definitely intriguing.

The call of cthulhu rpg has solo adventures, I figure this will be something similar.

A GMless RPG experience that will introduce board gamers to roll playing, with a page in the back of the rulebook hinting that they can continue the adventure in genesys.

15 minutes ago, KrisWall said:

Based on the fact that the big product shot, which would normally show all of the components, has no dice and very few tokens... I'm assuming this is going to be like a big, complex Choose Your Own Adventure game. I think it was marked as 1-4 players. That makes it a cooperative vs. the game thing.

It's definitely intriguing.

It's actually 1-6 players on the box.

Just now, Erekose said:

It's actually 1-6 players on the box.

Just noticed that. I also noticed that the picture has only 6 tokens and they seem to be the same picture on both sides, but greyscale on one side. I'm assuming those are probably activation markers so you know which players have gone during each specific round of play.

Just now, KrisWall said:

Just noticed that. I also noticed that the picture has only 6 tokens and they seem to be the same picture on both sides, but greyscale on one side. I'm assuming those are probably activation markers so you know which players have gone during each specific round of play.

Yeah that's kinda what I was thinking too.

I wonder if Oracle is more of an "RPG Lite" system designed for more casual players who might be interested in roleplaying, but don't have the time or money to invest in Genesys or Star Wars, or the lengthy campaigns that often feature in your typical RPG.

It would also be more gift-able, especially if everything the rules are simple. It would be simpler for younger kids to pick up and play. Good for family game night, maybe.

And if they expand this to their Star Wars license? That would be an excellent gift for the above reasons, especially around the Star Wars movie release hype.

So is this like a super deluxe choose your own adventure then?

13 minutes ago, Split Light said:

So is this like a super deluxe choose your own adventure then?

Sure looks that way. Choose Your Own Adventure with multiple players, items (the cards) and a linked campaign of 6 stories. I'm pretty much sold.

I will be going mad to hear more about this new "system" and how it operates. I hope we don't have to wait long for more details. A GM-less narrative adventure for up to 6 people is a casual RPG fan's dream come true. Please don't suck.

Now just make one for Star Wars....I mean Terrinnoth is a great trial ground (see Descent) for great Star Wars Games

I expect we will get a set made for every one of the IP's if the system itself is well-received. I'm thrilled to have something new to look forward to coming out of GenCon this year.

One for SW, and most importantly (for me at least) one for L5R, thanks. There's a gazillion games set in the SW universe, and a few good ones in Terrinoth, but L5R is a marvellous setting with only an LCG set in

Lord of the Rings would also be a big wish, but unlikely as to avoid cannibalism on Fantasy Settings. Likely a Chuthulhu version would appear.

6 hours ago, GalaxyUC said:

Should we be familiar with the "Oracle System" or is this something brand new?

As it says in the article this is the first of the system.

Appears to be a choose your own adventure story, although really more complex. The product explicitly states there is no DM and looking at an sample of the work describing an Orc bandit about to fire an arrow and two possible actions you have depending on past actions (check this box if X is met, check this box if X was not met) it is pretty heavy on the choose your own adventure path.

That isn't saying such a system is bad, per say, but it does make one wonder how well something like that will hold up to replays, how long the sessions will be for a given adventure, if the players will feel like their choices have long lasting implications, and more.

I am down with giving a new system a shot to see how well it does. On the plus side to such a system, it really does mean your characters can keep playing with easily released expansions via adventures so their is little need to 'retire' a character. Unfortunately, it also makes me wonder if player death will be something the group should be concerned about. It really is something that should be implemented somehow and I wonder how they will do it.

I am actually more pumped about the world of Terrinoth being expanded than anything else though.

That said, such a system would make for some really awesome horror themed stories with permanent character death for one shot adventures that last 2-4 hours at a time. A big box of those adventures and a simple 'meddling kids' or 'college jerks' character creation toolset to get into the game fast would be up my alley for filler game on nights when the group needs a break from our usual games.

The skills system looks like it might be similar to Tales of the Arabian Nights, whereby each skill you have unlocks narrative possibilities.

I'm all over this, if it can have greater depth than TotAN it should be fantastic.

I can see each adventure having limited replayability, but I would imagine they would be releasing new adventures fairly often (ish). (thinking about when the last update for Road to Legend was!)

17 hours ago, Flamespeak said:

That isn't saying such a system is bad, per say, but it does make one wonder how well something like that will hold up to replays, how long the sessions will be for a given adventure, if the players will feel like their choices have long lasting implications, and more.

I haven't found a game that could both have replay value and a deep rich story (if anyone knows of one, please post). Many CYOA's had multiple paths, and Gloomhaven blocked off certain paths depending on choices you made, but that's just game development that could otherwise have been used as content for a longer single campaign. The problem -- so far -- is that, the more replay you build into the game, the more parts that have to be interchangeable, typically resulting in a game that is more generic, less specific, and less immersive. If you have an app or other computer assistance (I was playing around with a random adventure gear generator!), the app and a database can be used to create a lot of random but specific content that would be too much work or expense (eg. a stack of 75-100 cards just for minor magic items) with a tabletop. But, aside from the plots, the adventures could have *components* that could be used in other adventures. So the potion of whatever in one adventure could be shuffled into the minor magic item deck of the next one. Or you could use a class from the first adventure into the next. Speaking of components, I'm not seeing the plasticfest or art trove that other FFG games have, which is fine with me. At least in theory, that means we won't be spending our money on expensive components that will only be used once, and get more play value, sorta like Gloomhaven with its standees and not more expensive miniatures. Also, many gamers don't play their games more than a few times, anyway, so, at least for them, replay is unnecessary (even thought they won't admit it!).

I tend to agree. Replay value is a nice to have, but I haven't even PLAYED everything I've bought, much less replayed it.

Did anyone notice that the product code is ORA1? Makes me think that the product line is going to be Oracle products and now, say, Runebound stories. I'm certain we'll see Oracle stuff with other IPs (Star Wars, Arkham Horror, etc).

this could be way off base, but the description sounded almost like Near and Far to me. (which is in line with the Choose Your Own Adventure comment above) I suspect this will take the narrative concept much further down the road towards and RPG than Near and Far though.