Cool Student Interview

GunCraze: A Thrilling Adventure Unleashed by C.Thapa

In the realm of immersive gaming experiences, GunCraze stands as a testament to innovation and limitless possibilities. Developed and nurtured by Action Tactics Roleplay Gaming’s Tim Paterson, this game has swiftly captivated the hearts of many role-playing enthusiasts who have tried it. But buying GunCraze is not a simple trip to the bookstore. “It’s not out yet,” Paterson, a retired United States Marine living in Eastern North Carolina, rubs his bald head with a grin, “But there is a reason. As an Indie game developer, I want GunCraze to be a community project. I really care about community input. Many great ideas have come from my awesome group of play testers, and I did an event recently where people trying out GunCraze were very pleased and offered some great ideas. I wrote every one of them down. I am also doing much of my own art. So, there is that.”

When I asked him when the general public would be able to try it out, he alluded to his Action Tactics Roleplay Gaming Patreon. “The current version is 100% playable, but still is incomplete. I have so much more to do. I am taking community advice and making this a game for everyone. The Patreon is $3.00 a month and you get everything I have created as new versions release, as well items made by my faithful play testers and GunCraze fans. There are electronic character generators, form fillable character sheets – all created by people who love GunCraze.”

The brainchild of Paterson, GunCraze is not just a game; it's a stirring journey through a landscape rich with diverse experiences and unparalleled challenges. He went over the story, which is a harbinger in itself for how things could be in 2050 – when the first GunCraze story arc called, “The Days of Reckoning” takes place. In short, a hyper-connected world with digital currency is nearly completely wiped out by a – no THE – computer super-virus. It ends up being a fight for survival, and plays like Walking Dead with no zombies. Tim loosely went over a few moral conundrums which had me reeling with anticipation on how I would react, and he even had me make a roleplaying decision on the fly where I borrowed a dice, and rolled poorly… but Paterson was quick to walk me through the effects of my poor roll. A Game Master (he kindly corrected me to ‘Gun’ Master) for many years, his vast skill in on-the-spot story creation is apparent.

With a visionary zeal, Paterson steered the game's inception, injecting it with an intricate yet accessible classless leveling system that set it apart from the conventions of typical role-playing games. “I’m trying to persuade players against alternate characters. ‘Alt-itus’,” Tim laughs,” is far too common when one player realizes that they aren’t exciting or don’t have a good outlook on the career of their character. Classless leveling means you can change paths easily, and your old skills will still count, 100%. The concept is to craft a Legend.”

Paterson's indomitable passion for creating a unique gaming experience manifests vividly within GunCraze. The game's mechanics delve into five specialized categories - Ranged Combat, Melee Combat, Body, Quickness, and Non-Combat, each meticulously designed to grant players the power to shape their characters as they desire. Each specialization breaks down into several Attributes, two breakdowns which I initially thought strange until the game designer cleared it up. First, Melee Combat is broken down into Unarmed, Stabbing, Slashing, Crushing, and Shields. I thought Axes, Swords, Clubs would be better but Paterson started “Stabbing is a motion,” he explains by stabbing the air,” and if you can stab someone with a knife, you could probably stab them with a Screwdriver or a Pencil (obvious but appreciated John Wick allusion) so once you get a weapon that can stab, you can stay in the fight and use any talents you would be able to with a Knife.” Second was an Attribute under the ‘Quickness’ Specialization called Stunt. “GunCraze is meant to be played with miniatures, and I use Papsikels’ miniatures because of their awesome talent, but one of the abilities Stunt allows is for characters to ignore difficult terrain, sliding through a ladder or over a car and not slowing down on your turn. Jackie Chan is exemplary in this regard. He definitely has 10 Ranks in Stunt!” Paterson's commitment to player autonomy allows every hero to be a true reflection of their player's imagination. 

I next asked about Talents. “Now, don’t get me wrong,” Paterson holds his hands out together, gesturing peace,” I appreciated the Feat system of Dungeons and Dragons 3.x/Pathfinder, and what it did for creating so many possible character creation combinations… but it was still done wrong. Some feats were so strong they were Meta, and remained so. You would have 3 Human fighters with the same 3 feats, because they were really, really good. In GunCraze, Talents cost certain values, and you could take a 3 Point Talent, which is a powerful talent, or you could take three 1 point Talents, giving value and variance to a different set of special abilities.” The game's Talent system, which feal similar to feats from Dungeons and Dragons 3.5, unfolds under Paterson's careful guidance, where players discover an extensive array of over 180 Talents that is ever expanding. These Talents grant characters a diverse set of skills and maneuvers, from formidable attacks to life-saving actions, enhancing their survival chances in the high-stakes arena of combat.

Tim Paterson's ingenuity goes beyond combat prowess, encapsulating mental agility and skill mastery through the game's Skills system. “I’m still polishing up skills. They are really great, have a lot of depth, and fulfill the RPG aspect of GunCraze nicely,” he continues, “and if there isn’t a skill that you want to be in there, that is when, as a subscriber, you can shoot me a message and I will consider it. One of my closest friends explained how he wanted to be a Drone Controller. We spent an hour and created the concept together, and it is awesome!” Each skill mirrors a character's specialized training, offering bonuses that are intricately woven into their attributes and the equipment they wield. Paterson then explained each character can have up to two Jobs, as well, which makes it even more exciting to use those two particular skills.

“In the post-Calamity world of GunCraze, the thrill lies in the meticulous details. Every tactical move, every decision, and every roll of the dice counts,” Paterson went on to describe the concept of Hit Locations, “ensuring every attack brings with it unpredictable consequences which a far cry from the standard RPG trope of a character remaining combat-capable at a single Hit Point.” He went on to explain there are many ways to adjust the Hit Location dice, and with a Called Shot, to ignore it completely. 

Tim went on to describe Stamina Points. The introduction of Stamina Points adds yet another layer of strategic depth, reflecting a character's endurance and resilience. He explains by patting his chest. “Imagine wearing Armor, but being struck by a Round in the chest.” Surely, it will save your life, but you are going to feel that attack by suffering points of Stamina Damage. When you reach zero Stamina, you are knocked out. There are several ways to lose Stamina, for instance if you lose your last point of Stamina underwater you can instantly drown.” This nuanced mechanic, envisioned by Paterson, necessitates a blend of tactical precision and strategic foresight, distinguishing GunCraze from its contemporaries.

Tim Paterson's ingenuity further manifests in the utilization of Craze! Points, a distinctive resource that fuels character motivation and offers strategic advantages. “It follows the Action Hero concept from movies,” he clearly becomes excited explaining this, “These aren’t action points. As a hero, your character is not expected to fail at the beginning of the mission. You can expend Craze! Points, one at a time, to add the result of a D6 roll to your Statistic Test. I’d try to keep at least three for defense, but if you run out, it’s time to be very safe or consider falling back.” Earned through successful rolls or exceptional actions, these points open avenues for enhancing combat statistic tests, providing players with a strategic edge, “GunCraze is a D10 System, and every time you roll a Combat Statistic Test result of a 9 or 10, you gain a Craze! Point. You want to manage these very carefully.” 

I asked anything else Paterson wanted to add, “Yes. Certainly. There is so much I didn’t mention. Robot Characters, amazing Vehicle Rules, and there is so much more coming for GunCraze… but I am a one-manned army with and even with my amazing group of friends and play testers assisting me, it’s time consuming. I would love to be working on GunCraze full time, but until I can get enough subscribers to quit my day job, it’s an evening/weekend venture in most respects. But it’s absolutely great. I’ve heard a few times now that it is clearly better than Cyberpunk Red, which I haven’t read anything about or played. I’ve even been asked when SwordCraze, the fantasy version, will come out. That is so far out though,” he laughs and pretends to wipe the sweat off of his brow. 

In conclusion, GunCraze isn't just a game; it's an immersive experience being crafted with precision and care, and above all, community. With its gripping narrative, engaging mechanics, and the creative mastermind behind it all, GunCraze offers players an unforgettable journey into a world teeming with possibilities, ready to be explored and conquered.

- Chad Thapa