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Game Development: Modern Gothic Storypath System
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@Jennkryst I have. I backed it on KS and have the beta document. I can’t say I really loved it. I prefer the Storypath Ultra system with Edges. Curseborn seemed a little too stripped down to me. Though I might need to go and look it over gain.
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I always got the vibe that Storypath would mechanically break with anything larger than a normal tabletop group, but I’m interested in this because my tabletop group has had a lot of fun with both Scion 2e and They Came From Beneath The Sea (which spawned my 100% backed by evidence theory that the natural weakness of fishpeople is 1950s era vacuum cleaners).
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@MisterBoring I think it’ll work okay! Not 100% certain, but I’m hopeful. I really enjoy the system, though I did modify it a bit - removed the default damage system (like what’s presented in the They Come From series) and swapped in the injury system from Aberrant instead.
This is something I’ve wanted to try ever since picking up They Came From Beyond The Grave. And yeah, I agree that the system as presented there never felt quite right for a MUSH environment.
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@Raistlin Color me interested. I’ve been meaning to read that system, but I never seem to get around to it.
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I don’t know the system, but I’d definitely be interested. Modern Gothic horror/fantasy is quite relevant to my interests!
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As an update, I’ve got a few players who will beta test character generation this week. I continue to work on fleshing out the system, focusing on creating the various supernatural paths(Vampires, Demons, Fae, Reanimated, etc.) and their Dark Gifts. I think things are shaping up rather nicely.
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@Raistlin As a jaded old crum bum, sincerely wishing y’all the best!
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I finalized our mission statement today. I thought I’d post it here so others can gauge their interest in it.
Dark City emerges from a deep love of Gothic horror and its timeless narratives. The atmospheric dread of Dracula, the philosophical depths of Frankenstein, the visual poetry of Nosferatu, and the tragic humanity of the Wolf Man have all shaped this game’s soul. These classics don’t merely inspire Dark City—they infuse its very essence.
Our vision builds upon the foundation laid by games like World of Darkness and Chronicles of Darkness. As someone who has played Vampire since its 1991 debut, I deeply respect these games’ legacy. However, Dark City charts its own course. While WoD veterans will find familiar shadows to explore, they’ll discover fresh horrors and new possibilities lurking in these streets.
Accessibility stands as a cornerstone of Dark City’s design. Where other games layer complexity upon complexity, we strip away the unnecessary while preserving the essential. A vampire in Dark City is simply that—a creature of the night, free to be shaped by the player’s imagination rather than confined by predetermined clans or covenants. This philosophy extends throughout the game, offering a low barrier to entry while maintaining rich possibilities for character development.
Dark City embraces its mature nature. Created with adult players in mind, it provides a space where complex themes can be explored without compromise. Love, betrayal, violence, desire, friendship, and loss—all find their place in these shadowed streets. This is a game that acknowledges the sophisticated tastes of its audience while establishing clear boundaries through our Rules section.
At its core, Dark City exists to tell stories that haunt the imagination, challenge the heart, and explore the darkness that lies within us all. Whether you’re a veteran of Gothic horror gaming or taking your first steps into the night, Dark City welcomes you to its shadows.
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Posting here helps motivate me so here is the Theme file I just finished for the game.
Welcome to Dark City, where reality wears a cracked mirror’s smile.
Beneath the fluorescent glare of modern life lies another world—one where ancient horrors have adapted rather than faded. Here, Gothic spires pierce the sky between glass-and-steel towers, their shadows stretching like grasping fingers across urban sprawl. The sun seems perpetually filtered through a veil of gray, as if something vast and unseen drinks its light.
This is a world where monsters have learned to wear designer suits and send emails. Vampires don’t merely lurk in abandoned mansions—they sit on corporate boards and swipe through dating apps seeking their next meal. Ancient fae bloodlines thread through family trees like poison ivy, their gifts manifesting in board rooms and back alleys alike. In forgotten university basements, forbidden sciences mesh with eldritch sorceries, bringing forth abominations that defy both natural law and modern medicine.
Hell itself has gone digital. Demons no longer need to break through—they slip through the cracks in our technology, turning social media into soul markets and smartphone screens into portals of temptation. The old rituals haven’t died; they’ve evolved, finding power in the patterns of modern life.
Every city has its dark reflection here—a twilight realm where gargoyles peer down from art deco facades, where elevated Metrorail tracks cast serpentine shadows that writhe with whispered curses, where gentrified neighborhoods hide covens in coffee shops. Missing person posters fade on rain-slicked walls while security cameras capture glimpses of impossible things. Blood bonds are sealed with electronic signatures, and ancient prophecies are encrypted in blockchain.
This is a world where the old darkness has learned new tricks, where gothic horror wears modern clothes but its heart beats with ancient malice. In Dark City, every shadow holds secrets, every connection conceals betrayal, and every truth masks a deeper deception.
Welcome to the modern gothic. Welcome to a world where the monsters have adapted, but never truly changed. Welcome to Dark City—where the darkness has always been waiting, and it knows your phone number.
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@Raistlin i like this, wanna check it out
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@Raistlin Just curious if you’ve actually seen Dark City (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118929/)?
It’s always been in the back of my mind as “would make a cool MUSH.”
On Dragon Wings · https://pern.gaslightswitch.com · pern.gaslightswitch.com port 4201
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@Artemis Glad to hear it! Helps keep me motivated.
@KarmaBum I have! I actually saw it in the theater—LOL. It’s one of my all-time favorite movies. I bet it’d be pretty fun to switch up your character every few months or so. There was a comic-themed game that did something like that a year or two ago. I didn’t play, and I can’t remember the name, but I thought it was interesting. There was also another game—The Network, I think?—that had a similar concept of changing themes each season, if I’m remembering right.
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@KarmaBum said in Game Development: Modern Gothic Storypath System:
@Raistlin Just curious if you’ve actually seen Dark City (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118929/)?
It’s always been in the back of my mind as “would make a cool MUSH.”
Hilariously, for a while now, I’ve had a hairbrained idea of Dark City crossed with City of 1,000 Planets crossed with Everworld but never had the energy to get it done.
Mummy Pun? MUMMY PUN!
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@Jennkryst said in Game Development: Modern Gothic Storypath System:
crossed with Everworld but never had the energy to get it done.
Every so often I have this intense memory of reading Everworld but can’t remember wtf the series is named, so I go on this crazy google hunt trying to remember and finally figure it out. And anyway this is to say please do this? Thanks.
