MODIPHIUS ADVENT CALENDAR - 19th DECEMBER

Hello all, Michal here. Let me tell you a story…

Back in 2005 I discovered a new skirmish game called Infinity. The game was right up my street - the setting, anime-inspired feel (Ghost in the Shell, anybody?) and the almost RPG-like system of rolling multiple d20s under a target number. It wasn't all that surprising that I began playing it loads with fellow wargamers and roleplayers in London. A few months later, I played an old school RPG (a Bloody Arduin variant) that had a very similar core d20 roll under - but as high as you can - mechanic.

Cut to 5 years later, and I had stopped playing both. Friends and players had moved on (and away), I was married and pushing around a 2 year old roleplayer in the making. After seeing many online challenges, I decided to write an RPG within 24 hours for my gaming group, with the core system determined by a random die type. The die turned out to be a d20. Needless to say, I was inspired by my experiences with Infinity and the Arduin variant to when I wrote the game. The result was Drifting Through Space (free to download from RPGNow). 

Cut again to a few years later. I'm now working at Modiphius laying out an Achtung! Cthulhu book when Chris says, "We've got the Mutant Chronicles license. Want to help design the system?"

After my first reaction of "What's Mutant Chronicles?", I jump at the chance. Coincidentally, the previous editions used a d20/roll under system... Hmmm... So after I put fingers to keyboard, we created the Alpha versions of the game, which all had heavy influences from Drifting Through Space (8 stats) and Infinity (multiple d20s). The results were a great core that was fun and quick to play, but with some issues. When Jay Little came on board to develop the system (OMG! Jay Little?!), he perfected it and took the game to new levels of awesome! The result of his great work is the 2d20 System, our wonderful shiny house system.

Now we come full circle. Can you imagine my excitement when we get the license to make an RPG for my favourite skirmish miniatures wargame: Infinity?! And guess which system we're using? It's funny how things turn out.

And the fanboy in me is jumping with joy!