Tomorrow I officially move into my new place at the Hyde School. Things may be quiet for a little while, depending on how much they need from me, how soon, and whether I can get internet access quickly.

Next up are more class writeups. I have all the native classes left to go, plus the Marksman. After that, I should start writing Western-specific game advice. As with the old Consoles, there will be no specific setting described, but I should be able to add more to the "Console Conventions" section. After that, I should start looking for artwork. It's going to be a while still before the game is ready, especially since Sufficiently Advanced still takes some of my attention.

The core system of the game will not appear in this journal before the release of the game. I have it in mind, but not written out. If you want to see it in action, you'll have to catch me in person sometime. For those who were at Genericon, it's not much changed since then.

This is one of the tougher classes to create. The mechanist from older versions of Console needed to keep track of massive quantities of parts, most of which would never come in useful. They had dozens of recipes, some of which would be outdated by the time they had the right parts. All in all, it was a good piece of emulation, but kind of a pain.

The Engineer does things a little differently. My first goal was to not overbalance the class in terms of either usefulness or complexity. My second was to have a bit of "tinkering" available that any player could do - even someone with poor memory or math skills. Beyond that were the usual class goals of making it fun enough that everyone wants to play one.

As a result of writing this class description, I now need to categorize weapon boosts and status effects. At least it's not as bad as if I wrote in a "steal" ability. :) Maybe I'll steal a page from D&D4's book and make the effect levels correspond to character levels...

I'm not 100% satisfied with this class yet. Suggestions for abilities are welcome.

Engineer

Favored Attributes: Luck and Vitality
Unfavored Attribute: Accuracy
Card: Nine. By playing a nine an engineer can assess a monster's weaknesses and strengths. You may declare a monster vulnerable to a particular type of assault: ranged, melee, or elemental. Attacks of that type receive one Raise to damage. Cost: 3 AP
1st level: Enhancement. You can temporarily improve someone's weapon, giving it +1 Raise to damage until the end of combat. Cost: 2 AP
5th level: Gunsmith. The Engineer never needs to buy equipment. Just seeing something he could use in a store lets him know how to build it for himself, at no cost. Engineers cannot build equipment for other people, nor can they loan out their gear - it's too complex and touchy for other people to use.
10th level: Ability Exchange. You can alter a weapon or other item. Exchange one of its existing effects (such as Raise Damage or Fire Attack) for an effect of the same level. This effect is permanent, though you can reverse it later if you like (inside or outside of combat). Cost: 4 AP
15th level: If You Build It... You construct a strange device that monsters can't avoid staring at. Every monster must move at least one area towards you on the battlefield during their next turn. Cost: 3 AP
20th level: It's Gonna Blow! You can make any technological device explode. Used on clockwork monsters, this is a Doom effect. Used on an opponent's guns, it deals damage based on your Luck, plus the damage the gun would normally deal, and destroys the gun. Bosses can pull out a new gun by spending 3 AP. Cost: 3 AP
30th level: Pocket of Gizmos. Engineers always have useful things lying around. By activating this ability you let someone automatically succeed on a resistance roll against a status effect. You can't remove existing statuses unless another roll is allowed. Cost: 3 AP
40th level: Ride the Rails. You can send a train through the battlefield. Draw a straight line through the battlefield. Make an area attack on every area that this line passes through the center of. Cost: 6 AP
50th level: Lightning Rod. You must play a card as if you were attacking; if you miss this ability fails. You plant a lightning rod in an opponent, and stormclouds obligingly gather to strike. Every time the monster hand reloads, this monster is struck with lightning-aspected damage based on your Luck. Cost: 3 AP
65th level: Parts Transplant. You can break down two old weapons to add abilities to a new weapon. You can't do this during combat. Both old weapons are destroyed, and the special abilities from one of them are added to a third weapon. All the weapons should be of the same type.
80th level: Steam-Powered. You've replaced parts of your body with high-tech steamworks and pneumatics. Get a +5 bonus to every stat except Magic, Luck, and Spirit.
95th level: Devastator. Let's just say your train is more than meets the eye. You receive +4 Raises to damage and can attack an area rather than a single target if you wish, as your train punches it into the dust.
99th level: Welshy. You can create any item that exists in the game for zero ISB, except for ultimate weapons. Cost: 3 AP

For someone who just wants huge explosions, we present the Tanker.

I'm trying out a shared MP and AP cost for some of these abilities. They shouldn't take a lot of time to activate, but are still relatively powerful. Right now they say "1/4 MP", which means "one quarter of your maximum MP rating."

Tanker

Favored Attributes: Accuracy and Strength
Unfavored Attribute: Magic
Card: Eight. Tankers carry around some pretty heavy explosives. By playing an Eight you can destroy one battlefield area's special qualities (such as protective cover, poisonous scorpions, or even darkness effects). The area remains, but it has no particular special effects. If you wish to attack someone in that area, you can do so using the Eight at no extra cost. Cost: 3 AP
1st level: Artillery. You receive one Raise on damage when using heavy weapons.
5th level: Hole Up. You use cover not to avoid assaults, but to absorb them. Using this ability gives you the Armored status as long as you stay in your current battlefield area. Cost: 3 AP
10th level: Indirect Fire. Your attack hits everyone in a particular area of the battlefield (friend and foe alike). Eights may be played on this attack to destroy an area's special effects. Cost: 1/4 MP
15th level: Fire in the Hole! You can warn your allies about incoming area attacks (yours or others'), giving them an additional Raise to dodge such assaults.
20th level: Blown Apart. Remove an opponent's Armored status for the rest of the battle. Bosses resist this as if it were a status effect, based on your Accuracy. Cost: 3 AP and 1/4 MP
30th level: Mine. You can set a trap on one particular area of the battlefield. You get a free attack on the first person who moves into or out of that area, with one Raise on damage. Cost: 3 AP
40th level: Blast It Open. You can blast open a pathway from one battlefield area to a nearby one that is not normally connected to it. The movement cost for this path is 3 AP. Cost: 3 AP
50th level: Tank. You have a tank! When you move into an area on the battlefield, you can make one free attack on anyone in that area. The damage is based on your Luck.
65th level: Shrapnel. When you make an area attack (typically with the Indirect Fire ability), your attack damages everyone in any battlefield area directly connected to the one you attack.
80th level: Blitz. Your movement costs are reduced by one. You can also make a tank attack on every foe in an area as you come in.
95th level: Armored Vehicle. You are always considered Armored. You no longer need to use the Hole Up ability, but it will restore your Armored status if it is somehow removed.
99th level: Howitzer. Your heavy weapons have an unlimited range, gain two Raises to damage, and pierce Armor.

The Gambler was one of the classes that was used in our first playtest. Some abilities worked, others were a total waste of time. Let's see if I can tighten things up a bit. This is a good class for people who like to try their luck, or who are good at counting cards.

Gambler

Favored Attributes: Speed and Luck
Unfavored Attribute: Strength
Card: Seven. Seven is a Gambler's lucky number. Any time a card can be played, a Gambler can succeed in that action by playing a seven, regardless of what card might normally be needed. Keep this in mind with some of the Gambler's abilities that play cards, such as Indian Poker.
1st level: Wager. When you attack, you can discard any number of cards. If you hit, you can draw that number of cards from the deck. Cost: +1 AP to the attack
5th level: Match to Win. You can put up to three cards in front of you, face-down. They do not count as part of your hand. If you are attacked with a card that matches one of these cards, reveal it and avoid the attack. These cards are removed at the end of each fight. Cost: 1 AP to play each card.
10th level: Know When To Fold 'Em. Your team can run from combat automatically. You must be the last to leave.
15th level: Indian Poker. When you activate this ability, spend 2 AP. You and the CPU draw a card from the deck and hold it on your foreheads (so you can't see, but your opponent can). You can choose to attack for 1 AP. If you do, compare cards. If your card is higher, you hit and deal double damage, piercing armor. If yours is lower, you fumble and lose 3 more AP.
20th level: 52 Pickup. You can reload from the top of the discard pile instead of the deck. Pick up those cards before you discard your current hand - you don't keep any cards from your current hand. Cost: as normal for reloading.
30th level: Switch to Stud. Everyone plays with one card from their hand face-up in front of them. They can play this card normally. If they do, they immediately put another card face-up (assuming they have one left).
40th level: Stack the Deck. You can place the top card from the discard pile on the top of the deck. You can do this even when it's not your action. Cost: 2 AP.
50th level: Double or Nothing. When attacking you can play two cards. If both of them hit, you deal double damage and pierce armor. If one of them misses, both of them miss and you immediately discard your hand.
65th level: Ante Up. Play a card face-up on the table. The monsters cannot attack until they play a card at least equal in number to that card. When they do, you suffer damage based on your Luck. Treat sevens played this way as aces. Cost: 6 AP when you play the card.
80th level: Up My Sleeve. Your hand can contain seven cards.
95th level: Sit Facing the Mirror. The CPU plays with the monster's hand revealed instead of hidden. Boss hands stay hidden.
99th level: Dirty Dealer. You can replace any card that a monster plays with one from your own hand.

Ah, snot-nosed comic relief. Gotta love 'em. No, usually you gotta. The plot keeps involving them. You get railroaded into keeping them around, damnit. Kids fight with whatever weapon they can find, as shown by their first-level ability.

The Kid turned out to be more of a status monster than I anticipated. That's enough of those. I might switch up some of his abilities to deal more with battlefield control later, but I'm happy with him for now.

Kid

Favored Attributes: Speed and Luck
Unfavored Attribute: Vitality
Card: Joker. By playing a Joker, a Kid can mimic the last ability used by a Main Character. The target of the action can change, but the effects are identical, including any chance-based or class-specific effects.
1st level: Beginner's Luck Kids can use any weapon or item, even those normally restricted to a specific class.
5th level: Hotfoot. You light an opponent's feet (wings, wheels, etc.) on fire, inflicting the Mired status. Cost: 3 AP
10th level: Hide Behind the Barn. You can improve the defensive bonus of any piece of terrain by +2. You receive one less AP each action you do so.
15th level: I know you are, but what am I? Any status effect placed on you can be immediately reflected back onto the person who tried to inflict it upon you. They are hit with the effect instead of you. You can choose to do this after you check for resistance, and your opponent can also try to resist. Cost: 3 AP
20th level: Monkey Climb. You climb an appropriate piece of terrain (tree, building, cave wall, train, etc.). You are considered high-flying until you move again. If you are forced to move, take damage based on your Vitality as you fall. Cost: 3 AP
30th level: I know I am, but what are you? You may steal a status effect from anyone, Main Character or monster. Your target loses the status and you gain it. You cannot steal statuses to which you are immune, and you can only do this on your action. Cost: 3 AP
40th level: Doggie! You can convince an unintelligent monster to follow you around by playing a Joker. You get one monster at a time, but can switch one out for another if you relinquish control first. Your pet acts on its own, more or less at random, though it will not normally attack Main Characters. It can be killed or healed normally, and will stay around between fights if it survives. Pets are normally Varmints or Birds, though others are possible with the CPU's approval. Cost: 6 AP
50th level: Firebug. You light a battlefield area on fire. Its old effects are gone; in their place is an elemental damage effect that deals damage determined by your Luck. Cost: 3 AP
65th level: Whitewash. Stupid varmint fell for the oldest trick in the book. One monster is Stunned. Cost: 3 AP
80th level: Fireworks Display. You've used heavy arms enough to feel comfortable with them. You receive a Raise to hit when attacking with any weapon with +2 or more Raises to damage.
95th level: Shortcuts. You know every town, cave, gulch, and hill in the west like it was the back of your hand. You no longer pay AP as normal for movement; instead, you just pay 2 AP to move to any adjacent area, even if it's blocked off.
99th level: Meddle. You can stop a monster from using a special ability (anything other than movement or attacking) by spending the same amount of AP they would have to spend.

Ladies are, above all else, proper. They insist on others being proper as well, and even big bad monsters find it difficult to say no. They carry parasols, but fight with pistols. A lady must be practical, after all.

Any of the Lady's powers that affect one target can be resisted as statuses, using her Spirit as the effect strength. Powers that affect everyone on the battlefield, MCs and monsters alike, cannot be resisted.

Lady

Favored Attributes: Spirit and Luck
Unfavored Attribute: Accuracy
Card: Queen. A Lady can play a Queen to completely ensure the success of one of her abilities that would normally be resisted. Boss monsters can still resist, but at a penalty of two Lowers.
1st level: And Stay There. A monster targeted by this ability cannot leave its current area on the battlefield. It can still attack and use abilities normally. Cost: 3 AP
5th level: How to Treat a Lady. The Lady may only be attacked if every other Main Character on the battlefield has been knocked out.
10th level: Mother May I? You can prevent a monster from taking one specific action until its next round. For instance, you could prevent it from attacking a wounded teammate, after which it could choose to attack someone else. You could prevent it from moving south, in which case it might move north, or decide to cast a spell, or do anything else it would normally be capable of. Cost: 1 AP
15th level: Sharp Eyes, Sharper Tongue. You can use any class abilities that target a single opponent or teammate even when it's not your turn, by paying a surcharge of 1 AP.
20th level: Beauty Sleep. You receive an extra 1 AP every time your turn comes up, and can store an extra 2 AP.
30th level: Control Yourself! You can remove any mental status from a teammate. Mental statuses include Gone Bats, Bewildered, Scairt, and anything else the CPU deems appropriate. You can even remove these from yourself if you are currently under their effects. Cost: 2 AP
40th level: I Require A Favor. You may use your AP to control the actions of a monster, paying for it to attack or use an ability that you know it has. Cost: 2 AP plus what you pay for the monster to do.
50th level: I Find It Offensive. Pick one type of ability: ranged attacks, close attacks, magical powers, status effects, movement powers, or utility effects (i.e. everything else). That type of ability becomes unavailable for everyone on the battlefield. Cost: 6 AP.
65th level: The Boys. A veritable brigade of sons, nephews, courtiers, in-laws, soldiers and more appear from nowhere to assault your foes. Make one attack with +3 Raises to damage and the Multi-Attack bonus. Cost: +3 AP to the cost of the attack.
80th level: Troublemakers Beware. You can immediately attack any monsters in your area who make an attack of their own. Cost: 1 AP
95th level: I Have My Eyes On Both Of You. You can affect two monsters (or Main Characters) instead of one when using your abilities.
99th level: Politeness Counts. Any Main Character who says "Please," "Excuse me," "May I," or other politeness before their action is healed by an amount related to their own Spirit.

The Lady and Gent will both need a lot of playtesting before I'm confident that they're balanced. Some classes almost balance themselves, but status and control effects are very tough to balance properly.

Gentlemen are from Back East, well-spoken and well-mannered in addition to being well-monied. They carry canes, but they fight with their words (and occasionally small pistols). It is one of the wonderful ironies of the game that a character concerned about social status would inflict status ailments.

Status ailments are powered by Spirit by default, and resisted by Luck. Most can be shaken off. Some oddballs are different, but those will get notes of their own. The Gentleman's status ailments are inflicted at close range (same battlefield area) until 30th level.

Gentleman

Favored Attributes: Spirit and Luck
Unfavored Attribute: Accuracy
Card: King. Gentlemen can play a King to dust themselves off and regain their composure, healing damage based on their Spirit and removing any one negative status effect of their choice. Cost: 3 AP
1st level: Come Now, Take It Like A Man. You shame a monster into purposeless bravado. It gains the Jinxed status. Cost: 3 AP
5th level: Adding Insult to Injury. Any status ailment that you can inflict on someone can be done at the same time that you strike them with your cane. Add an extra 2 AP to the cost of your cane attack.
10th level: Pure Bribery. You pay an opponent to leave you and your friends alone for the rest of the fight. That monster is treated as if Scairt. Cost: 3 AP
15th level: Kneecap. You impale your opponent's lower extremities with your cane. That opponent is Mired. Cost: 3 AP
20th level: Particularly Cutting Remarks. Your foes have trouble resisting your status effects, suffering two Lowers on their draw. Boss monsters are not immune to your status effects.
30th level: Words Will Always Hurt You. The Gentleman may incite or intimidate monsters merely through his words. Targets for his status ailments no longer need to be in the same area as him.
40th level: I Challenge You! You slap an opponent in the face with your glove, inflicting the Wrathful status. You are that opponent's target until the status is removed. Cost: 3 AP
50th level: Rally the Boys. All Main Characters in your area gain the Burning Bright and Lucky statuses. Despite the name of this ability, it can affect both men and women. Cost: 3 AP
65th level: Stifling Glance. You can Silence someone simply by looking at them disdainfully. Cost: 3 AP
80th level: Quick Wit. You may now inflict status by spending 2 AP instead of 3. When you inflict status with a cane attack, the additional AP cost is only +1.
95th level: And So's Your Mother. You can affect two foes at once with your status abilities.
99th level: Merely Your Presence Insults Me, Sir. You get 4 free AP each time your turn comes up, which you can use only to inflict status ailments.

Lesson for would-be game designers: this is what happens when you start to write a game. Something else interesting or important comes up and you forget to post for a week, then two weeks, then a month. Next thing you know, you honestly forget that you were writing that particular game for two whole weeks. My gaming energies (minimal recently) have been focused on Sufficiently Advanced, reading Dreams of the First Age, and playing Citadels with my wife.

Now that we've had graduation, and my grades and comments are basically taken care of, I will try to put Sidearm on a daily to-do list. Poke me if you don't hear from me tomorrow.

Here's some monster types. Feel free to add your own suggestions.

Bird - vultures, rocs, firebirds, etc.
Boss - a meta-type that I might not keep. I may just try "add ten levels," and see how it works.
Dino - I don't know why, ok? It just fits.
Ghost - Classic part of old west mythology
Gunman - other humans with guns
Spirit - From angry nature spirits to guardians and ancestor spirits. Part of the natural world, unlike Ghosts.
Thug - for bandits and goons that aren't PCs
Undead - Zombies and Skeletons, mostly.
Varmint - any sort of extra-large or mutated animal

Hmm... I definitely feel like I'm missing some.

At RPG.net there's a forum thread entitled What is there to do in the Old West? that may be handy for people who are asking just that sort of question. I will no doubt be mining this thread for advice/plot ideas.