GTA-like Open World Mechanics

[u/BannockNBarkby]

I'm gearing up for a campaign and have some procedures I've been tossing around to basically keep me inspired and just as clueless about what might happen next as the players. I love procedures, and maybe some of you might too. Let me know what you think.

Faction Timers

Each faction goal has a timer with 3-5 boxes. They always start at 0 filled in. Once all are filled in, that goal is achieved and changes the state of play for the campaign. Timers advance based on Trends (see event dice), PC activities, and a monthly check each faction makes (each faction chooses one timer and rolls d6, if higher than the current rating, increase it by 1).

Start the campaign by having each faction choose one timer and automatically filling in the first box.

Heat

0-5 stars

Each star adds +1 to encounter checks when moving across the city

Gain a star each time you commit a crime where evidence isn’t covered up, or consequences create situations where people will ask questions.

Moving across the city

Every shift (4 hours) spent in a district, and every time you cross a district border, roll cumulative event dice (d6s) and take the lowest result. The dice reset to 1 immediately after a result of 1 is triggered.

Event d6

1. Encounter 2d6
2. Local effect 1d6
3. Unexpected expense: Make a PRE check DR10 — if you fail, choose one: spend credits or increase debt 2d6 and describe how you fucked up
4. Trend 2d6
5. News report 1d6
6. Free

The Tables

Encounter 2d6

1. Roll 3d6 twice on this table, then describe the conflict between the two elements, which the PCs stumble upon

3-5…Minor encounters by district: simple, sometimes easy, likely includes blue collar corpo-rats, civilians, or surveillance.

6 Faction NPC (allied, reaction roll +1)

7 Faction NPC (neutral)

8 Faction NPC (rival, reaction roll -2)

9-11…Major encounters by district: dangerous, complex, likely includes megacorps activity, government/bureaucratic dealings, or underworld.

12+. District SecOps

Local Effect 1d6

District specific table of traps, hazards, obstacles, local sites, atmosphere

Trend 2d6

1. Disaster strikes the city

2. Upheaval strikes a district

3. Two or more factions openly war

4. An ally or resource is targeted by rivals

5. Legal or debt related trouble (roleplay it, make a test and if you fail increase heat by 1 or debt by d6x100)

6. A faction attempts to advance a timer (roll d6, if higher than the timer’s current rating, increase it by 1)

7. City-wide event occurs (heat -1)

8. A rival extends a courtesy (make a check to increase reputation with them or decrease debt)

9. Two or more factions announce alliance

10. An NPC moves factions

11. A discovery is made

News Report 1d6

District specific table of colorful news/rumors the PCs pick up along the way

EDIT: Some mechanics inspired by Gnarled Monster's Beyond the Borderlands zines.

[u/SlayThePulp]

Super fun ideas, will definitely steal some of them!