Infinitas, an explicitly Catholic roleplaying game, is based on the mechanics from my preceding project Potentes Limen (which will be cross-pollinated and receive the love later; right now, however, I felt it necessary to work on openly Christian projects.) Basically, it is a system of d100 minus abilities and other modifiers, trying to get as low as possible (negatives are definitely a good thing!). It is versus a target number that varies with difficulty, with the standard being 40.

Unlike Potentes, Infinitas does not rely entirely on the difference between the target number and the player’s roll for the amount of fatigue (fatigue being what a character takes on before they take a serious injury, representing skill, luck, mental/physical stamina, and stick-to-itiveness.) Potentes will keep that mechanic, because it fits with the over-the-top setting and conceit of classical- and early-medieval-era superheroics; the short playtest seemed to confirm the fit. Infinitas on the other hand will give characters a more difficult time hitting, but give more consistent damage, in keeping with the bloody setting in which it takes place.

There is not “magic” (at least not on the side of the player characters), but characters will have access to stunts and powers that resemble what a lot of fantasy calls “magic”; namely inherent supernormal talents. I take magic (that is, the consulting, summoning, and contracting with spirits) as a very seriously evil act, so I take pains not to give players the impression that magic is something to be dallied with; not that most people are given the idea to do so by the Vancian magic in most RPGs, but still a factor in my mind.

I am doing much better with Infinitas than I was with Potentes in part, I think, because of the more definite vision I have of the setting and the simpler (but I think more versatile) system of powers. For instance, with Potentes, I was working out the various pagan deities and their mechanical bonuses and penalties for numerous hours–and at that I wasn’t even finished! Focusing only on the real God of the Trinity allows me to make use of material I understand and keep the work I need to put in to a minimum.

Another help in my progress has been the relatively long commute to and from my temp job. Having set times to work and to stop at seems to really help me and my productivity.

Just wanted to let you know what I’m working on! It is a new year, and I am done with college, so I am hoping to be able to make more frequent posts. Right now I am aiming at once a week, but if I can I’d like to hope for more. I have some posts saved up, so I don’t have to feel quite so on-the-spot with writing posts.

On the subject of writing posts, I think I am going to open this blog up for some socio-cultural and religious posts. I still plan on avoiding talking about politics, mostly because I don’t feel much like a trash-talking man, but I think I would enjoy having a wider range of topics to talk about. This may seem like a distinction without any weight, but that is only because everything is politics now (something I refuse to go along with.)

Anyway–merry continuing Christmas!