After closing out the first arc with David, I’m more sure than I’ve ever been that Crescendo isn’t just a great or unique game, but of its total uniqueness. I’ve never seen a design push so hard to knock the status quo away, or refuse to compromise the core experience. It’s a game faithful to its source material in a way I’ve honestly never seen in any game before. But Crescendo has a ways to go yet. With further clarity comes a responsibility to see that clarity through.
Crescendo has proven to me, over and over again, that it is truly a game of spiritual and psychological development. All of the stories that have come out of using the rules and procedures of Crescendo have been deeply intensive expositions on the characters’ outlook. From Sorin’s admittance of his inability to choose the truly right course, to Judah’s betrayal of his former mentor Caleb so that the ideals Caleb taught him would survive, to Yoshiko throwing herself between a mob and her family so that her insecurities about being a burden could be assuaged, Crescendo has put the evolution of character first in a way no other game I’ve seen ever has. By making these emotions killable and fragile, Crescendo forces the question “How does your character feel about that?” into a context that’s not just gameable, but fun. Most of this has played out in what’s called a Melody scene, where the “main” plot of the story is addressed. Melody scenes are intense and dark, filled with failure and hope in varying measures. They hinge upon a rolling mechanic called a Save, which is the most chaotic mechanic I’ve ever seen in a game. And because of the Save Melody scenes are always unpredictable and dangerous.
There’s other scene types however, and they could use some work: Interludes, Harmony, and Fantasia scenes.
Interludes are scenes that don’t address the main plot but yet are important to the characters: journeys, dreams, and visions are examples of Interludes scenes. You bump into the worlds, inner and outer, and have to deal with how they challenge you. The issue, however, isn’t with these scenes, but with the Save mechanic; the Save is so random that it’s only fun in small spurts… which is a problem if you go by the idea of a universal resolution mechanic. And I normally would have, given my storygamer roots.
I care much more about the quality of Crescendo than any stupid RPG camp.
Before we get started, however, a note. There’s a counter in the game called the Black Swan Counter (CBS, if you can’t figure out why I switched it say CBS out loud. Yes I think it’s funny. Too bad if you disagree!). The CBS acts as a measurement of resistance the gods have towards your character (difficulty) and how soon a sudden twist, called a Black Swan, is likely to happen. The CBS goes up and down during the game, showing the ebb and flow of the gods’ favor.
Also keep in mind: I deliberately design mechanical ecosystems. If a mechanic does not push on at least two different mechanics I do not bother designing it. This makes my designs dynamic and sometimes intense, as one story event can lead to multiple reactions at once.
So there goes a universal mechanic! Fortunately Crescendo is rich in untapped mechanical resources: Stones and Resilience Points. It wouldn’t take much to snap new mechanics onto Stones and RP.
Interludes are meant to be important, but not chaotic. They’re not the moments of great change. So I figure why not just make a static difficulty class system, which can be beaten by adding your stat and skill, making up the difference with Stones, which you earn after every Melody scene? You do get what looks like a lot of them, sometimes twenty plus… although my playtesters know that’s actually not a lot. At all. So, this is actually a huge deal. But if failures help lower the CBS, thus making future rolls easier, then failing isn’t so bad, is it? Failures are better for narrative than successes by and large, after all, and if a player gives a failure willingly isn’t that best?
The Harmony is where I really feel the siren call to overdesign. I have a really clever idea I want to implement… and I know I shouldn’t. What I have already works and it works damn well. This is one of those times I just need to bite my tongue and do what works for the design already, and possibly port that idea to something else. The game works because the Harmony is so open and free form. I am going to hold course. And not try to be overly clever.
Fantasia scenes may be the trickiest to playtest; they’re amalgamations of all the previous scenes. Ruins and journeys, where differing scenes are part of a larger experience, are examples of fantasias. I just came up with these kinda scenes only recently, so a lot of the design here will be a bit more exploratory.
Playtesting from here on out will focus on the scenes not directly connected to the plot: the Interludes, Harmony, and Fantasia. Trying to replicate the feel of long fantasy and mythology is the goal, which is a subtly challenging affair. While the eradication of a universal resolution mechanic hurts Crescendo’s accessibility, previously existing mechanics are given new life and will hopefully help cement these mechanics into the players’ minds all the more. I never wanted Crescendo to feel like a one trick pony, but to have the kind of systemic depth that would reward years of play. And these mechanics may aid that aim.
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