This introduction section does not form part of the rules for this game, and should not be included on any printout which is intended to fit on the single page of paper which these rules require.
Many years ago, when the only role-playing game I knew about was Dungeons & Dragons, I decided a simpler game was a good idea. So I wrote this, with a pen and a single sheet of note-paper, fitting all the rules on one side of the page. I actually played this game several times with my brother and some friends, and we had a great time.
Then the Internet came along, and I wanted "cool" stuff to post to the newsgroup rec.games.frp (as it was back before it split it several subcategories). So I dug out my old sheet of paper and typed this in. I still hadn't noticed that my acronym should have been "OPGIS" and not "OPIGS".
Unfortunately, as soon as anything gets on the net, it takes on a life of its own. Soon someone had written an expansion set: OPIGS Supers!
Many years later, when my original hand-written OPIGS rule sheet had been lost, and for some reason I was reminiscing, I happened to enter a web search for "OPIGS". Lo and behold... it was still out there, on several web sites, preserved forever!
Now, finally, I have decided to take a copy of one of those web pages and host it on my own web site, with this explanation of the history behind the game. So, without further ado:
Actually, some further ado:
Roll d20+d8 for each of the five attributes - Beef, Brains, Hammer, Coruba and Luck. Refer to table below for penalties and bonuses due to low and high scores.
| BEEF | BRAINS | HAMMER | CORUBA | LUCK
| Damage | Languages | Use Roll | To Hit | Bonus Hit | Chance to
Score | Bonus | Usable | Bonus | Bonus | Points per Die | Be Lucky
2 | -4 | 1 | -4 | -4 | -4 | 10%
3,4 | -3 | 2 | -3 | -3 | -3 | 20%
5-7 | -2 | 3 | -2 | -2 | -2 | 30%
8-12 | -1 | 4 | -1 | -1 | -1 | 40%
13-17 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50%
18-22 | +1 | 6 | +1 | +1 | +1 | 60%
23-25 | +2 | 7 | +2 | +2 | +2 | 70%
26,27 | +3 | 8 | +3 | +3 | +3 | 80%
28 | +4 | 9 | +4 | +4 | +4 | 90%
Hit Points:
Roll a d6 and refer to the table to determine d6 | Hit Dice
starting hit points. Extra hit points are gained 1 | 1d20
in the same way for each experience level 2 | 2d12
gained. If reduced to 0 hit points a character 3 | 3d10
is dead, unless a Luck roll is successfully 4 | 4d8
made. Damage can be healed by resting; a full 5 | 5d6
night's sleep restoring up to Coruba hit points. 6 | 6d4
Be sure to add the Coruba hit point per hit die
bonus to each die rolled for hit points.
Character starting money is $100. Weapons are available as follows:
Weapon | Cost | Example | Damage Bonus Wimpy | $50 | Knife | +1 Normal | $150 | Sword | +2 Beefy | $500 | Gun | +3 Mega | $1500 | Attack Chopper | +4
Miscellaneous equipment is available at $10 each. This includes all non-weapons. If wielded as a weapon, miscellaneous equipment gives no damage bonus.
1 experience point (XP) is gained for each thing killed, puzzle solved or $1000 gained. Only the person inflicting the killing blow on a thing gets the XP. Each square number of XP gained (ie 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, ...) is an experience level and gives extra hit points./
The enemy will have a number of hit points either chosen by its creator or rolled randomly as above for characters, and will be unarmed or equipped with some type of weapon. Anyone can attack first, depending on the circumstances, and attacks then go in a cyclic order until combat is over. To attack, roll a d12 To Hit and add the Hammer To Hit Bonus. Refer to this number to see the attack result. The damage listed as dice is rolled for unarmed combat, modified by Beef Damage Bonus - and also weapon damage bonus if a weapon is used.
Adjusted d12 | Result | Damage
12+ | Instant Kill | Kill
11 | Critical Hit | 2d10
10 | Excellent Hit | 2d8
9 | Good Hit | 2d6
8 | Hit | 2d4
7 | Scratch | d4
6 | Near Miss | Opponent -1 next To Hit roll
5 | Miss | Nil
4 | Bad Miss | Opponent +1 next To Hit roll
3 | Self Hit | 2d4 to self
2 | Critical Jam | Weapon useless
1- | Critical Backfire | Kill self
To use a piece of equipment or do anything tricky, like climb a wall or pick a lock, a d12 Use Roll is made, modified by Brains Use Bonus and referred to on the Use Table. This applies to spells and psionics.
Adjusted d12 | Result | Effect
12+ | Critical Success | Patent idea, get $1000
11 | Amazing Success | Double effect
10 | Excellent Success | +2 next Use roll
9 | Good Success | +1 next Use roll
8 | Success |
7 | Borderline Success| May roll again for better result
6 | Borderline Failure| May roll again for better result
5 | Failure |
4 | Bad Failure | -1 next Use roll
3 | Severe Failure | 2d4 damage to self
2 | Massive Failure | Equipment destroyed
1- | Critical Failure | Kill self
No gamesmaster is required. Each player creates a character after agreeing on a game setting (eg fantasy, space, espionage, etc). Choose equipment and languages, ensuring at least one common language between the characters. Take turns, starting with whoever wants to go first, of five to ten minutes of adventure creating. Throw in anything you want: encounters, fights, puzzles, tricks, traps, treasures, explorations, etc. If something you don't like happens - especially your own death - roll on your Luck chance to see if you are lucky enough for something else to happen instead. Only one such Luck roll per thing happening is allowed, though everyone can roll one after the other.
Look for OPIGS modules - out soon.
Any questions on this game will gladly be answered if sent to me.
Also look for game accessories, novels and game world and universe settings.
Copyright © David Mar 1987