The Mixup: When a step back from D&D leads to too many ideas

[MadsVg]

@Alessandro_Piroddi

Beware… written like this it is extremely confusing. I understand that Rotes will reduce the cost of a Push, so instead of 3 resources you would need to spend 2 or just 1 or even 0.
Example.
I have a Skill at rote level 0.
To push it I need to spend 3 resources.
Then I improve, and my skill is now at rote level 1.
Now to push it I only need to spend 2 resources.

This segment I think you’re missunderstanding. It never states that it reduces the resource cost by 1, it states that it reduces the Pushing level by 1. So…
I have a Skill at rote level 0.
To push it I need to spend 3 resources.
Then I improve, and my skill is now at rote level 1.
Now to push it I only need to spend 0 resources.

Is the correct way of using the rules.

As for your first post; Story writing, story telling and crafting Lore is the thing about being a GM I enjoy the most.

As a GM of 20 years; It is what drives my interest to run games, to create a vision of my world, and then let the players interact with it, creating a story on the run, but within the framework of my world and see how my players interact with it.
This comes back to me wanting to run campaigns that often is light-hearted and where doing silly things is allowed, without me denying them what tthey want. This does mean that I attract characters that is liable to “spew lore” and say that a vital npc has the secret nickname “Mr. McBootyTwerker” etc.
This is one of the reasons why I limit the amount of cooperation in creating the world etc. in this aspect. It also means that the players,not just the characters, get to experience exploring the world. They have no idea what to expect. I’ve been working on a segment for session 0 where coop creation of the background comes into play, that I’ve called “The Expeditioners summons”, where the players help out in preparing the expedition itself:

• Where does their financial backing come from? (Single benefactor, selfsupported, Guild etc.)
• What kind of biome are they exploring? (arctic, desert, jungle etc.)
• Is there an established base from before?
• How do they get there
  Etc.

So there are coop elements in it, but not to the degree that for instance DW.

Important to note, that everything I’ve noted as working on here is NOT in the document linked up here, but is made in a document on a different google doc, so won’t show up until I’m happy about it, or ready for some feedback.

[Alessandro_Piroddi]

@MadsVg

Then I improve, and my skill is now at rote level 1.
Now to push it I only need to spend 0 resources.

That’s what I meant
Sorry.
I see what you want to do, but the wording is confusing (to me). If the cost drops to zero then you might as well remove the math and say that Rotes give free Pushes.

@MadsVg

the players,not just the characters, get to experience exploring the world. They have no idea what to expect.

Again, this is a false dichotomy. The players can experience the exploration and the surprise even when offering input about the thing they are exploring.
But that’s irrelevant in this case, because…

@MadsVg

Story writing, story telling and crafting Lore is the thing about being a GM I enjoy the most.

Good. Then this is one fundamental element that the design of your game needs to address
Leave alone the considerations on how surprised Players can be, or on how long the campaign can be… these things work differently in PbtA-land from what you have experienced the past 20 years with D&D and other Trad games.Better not make a problem where there isn’t one

Focus instead on what else you feel is important for the game experience you imagine.
Why did you add the Push mechanic?
Why did you use the attributes with big numbers?
Etc…
How do these serve the idea of exploration of a new land?
Is survival a core theme?
Are the PCs heroes or beggars or something else?

Is combat important? Do you expect “explorers” to have to kill stuff left and right?
You mentioned discovering the past history of this new land… is this truly the core of the game? Or is it just a detail on the background?

I would be curious to know more about these kind of questions

@MadsVg

I’ve been working on a segment for session 0 where coop creation of the background comes into play, that I’ve called “The Expeditioners summons”, where the players help out in preparing the expedition itself:

Awesome!
This can help you A LOT also in understanding what kind of campaign (or even just what kind of current mission/goal) the Players are interested in. And to give their PCs a decent reason to be together in the first place.