Exploration Cycle
A downloadable game
Exploration Cycle
A set of rules and tables for exploring overland areas written for solo play. They will allow you to:
- Create a character and define an aim for your character, should you want one.
- Generate terrain using outsize hexes - the terrain of a new hex is influenced by the hex you're currently in, so there is an element of 'clumping' of terrain types rather than fully random hexes.
- Discover locations within each hex from cliffs to lakes to caves and astronomical constructions.
- Find villages, meet people, encounter events and advance your plot.
- Delve into underground locations and discover the importance of torches and lamp oil.
A deck of regular playing cards and some paper is all that is needed to play.
A few pages of how to play and a set of tables to generate everything. The game is system agnostic, but there are also a light set of rules for resolving situations, including fighting and a simple economy.
These rules will continue to develop over time, mostly by adding new parts and tweaking things for a better experience. At the end of #Explore24, an extensive set of event tables will be available for each terrain type.
Changelog:
28/01/24 - entry 7 on table 35 should refer to values of new cards drawn on table 31. Changed in download version.
Purchase
In order to download this game you must purchase it at or above the minimum price of $2 USD. You will get access to the following files:
Exclusive content
Support this game at or above a special price point to receive something exclusive.
Community Copies
If you don't have the means to purchase a copy for any reason, or if you want to try before you buy, then take a Community Copy. I'll add more as copies are purchased.
Comments
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Whats the purpose of suits in stats?
Hi! Thanks for your question! They don't affect anything in Exploration Cycle, but I have a role-playing game, Treasured Possessions that the systems come from. In Treasured Possessions, the characters are spirits protecting a village and the interact with the world by inhabiting the villagers. To be compatible, the spirit needs to match the suit of their trait, Will, with either of the villager's traits, Strength or Skill.
Because you can use both games together, I left the suits in here so they're 100% transferable.
I'm hoping to publish a play test version of Treasured Possessions soon, maybe once I've got an example adventure to go with it.
Hope that helps!
A very neat tool, with a robust set of tables! With some neat art, its over 50 pages. Very much worth the price of entry.
Thank you so much for your comments, I’m really pleased you like it, I am a big fan of your art and games.
Loving this so far! Nice system of exploration and discovery. It does require a lot of hopping between tables and without a dense layout or interactive table of contents, that can be clunky. That’s my only complaint so far that’s not on the actual system. Excited to keep exploring!
So glad you're enjoying the game! The table of contents was supposed to be interactive, so let me take a look at that and see what's happening.
I put the four tables that you use most often inside the back cover so they'd be there for easy access.
Thank you for taking the time to comment, it's really helpful to hear your thoughts.
oooh I now see that I can click on the contents in the ToC. That’s much more helpful than before. I was talking about having the ToC be available as a.. like a drop down menu sort of a menu thing if that makes sense. Either way the ruleset has worked just fine so far
I get you - that's a bit beyond my skills, but something to think about figuring out. Thanks for the feedback, I really appreciate it!
I've just checked on the PDF on my laptop and downloaded the file here and both of then have links to the pages in the table of contents. If I however over a name of a table or the page number and click, it takes me to that page. If that doesn't work when you download it, let me know.