Plot Unfolding Machine for Solo RPG
A downloadable game
The Plot Unfolding Machine (PUM) is a storytelling game system that enables you to develop amazing stories using a tabletop RPG and dice. With it you can play RPGs by yourself, or with your friends, without anybody being exclusively the director! PUM helps you come up with scene ideas, challenges, and stakes for your protagonist characters to fight for. It can also be used for pure storytelling, creative writing, and journaling, by providing a solid improvisation framework under a plot structure that helps you figure out the story as you go.
Now available: PUM Companion, the APP for Solo RPG and Storytelling
What stands between your characters and their goals? Who is opposing them, and how? What happens next?. These are questions PUM helps you answer, moving your game forward. Let PUM make the important decisions in your games through oracles and questions, and play to figure out what it tries to tell you.
Plot Unfolding Machine is an innovative way to play those tabletop roleplaying games you love at your own pace, without need for preparation. Just build your characters, print your preferred PUM sheets, and get going! Through asking questions and rolling dice in random tables, you'll figure out how your plot unfolds.
By placing conflict at the center of the adventure, you'll find your characters having to fight for their goals, interact with your world-building aspects, and have your RPG system to actually matter. PUM's main goal is to bring solo RPG players back to the playing seat, lowering your GM authorship effort when playing.
Features
- Get Random Prompts for those times when your PCs open that mysterious door, or twist your own expectations with Modified Proposals that disrupt your imagination
- Inspire yourself with challenge ideas
- Face problematic complications
- Reminders about your world building elements
- Creative triggers in the oracle answers
- Bring your plots to a satisfying end
- Use various oracles that can answer any kind of questions you have to avoid getting stuck in your game
- (v8+) Fully re-designed from scratch for a more appealing and professional look
- (v8+) Plot nodes to let PUM interact with your game as YOU design it to be
- (v8+) Incorporate custom elements from your world building into PUM
- (v8+) Challenge your scene proposals with emotion based deviations
- (v8+) Plot structures in plot track that unfold your game smoothly
- (v8+) Revisited oracles to come up with ideas for almost anything
Quick comparison with Mythic GM Emulator
Where Mythic relies a lot on your expectation for every next scene, PUM gives you a prompt to work from, allowing you to play with way less "expectations" about where your game goes. On top of that, PUM fits in a single page, including all oracles and plot element needs, where Mythic is probably a bit more comprehensive.
PUM could be for you if you enjoy fast-paced play, where you don't have to think hard about where to drive your game to, or what happens next. PUM includes many evocative oracles and scene ideas to get your game going without getting stuck.
Quick comparison of * Unfolding Machine products
- Plot Unfolding Machine: Focus in narrative playthrough, unfold plots.
- Scene Unfolding Machine: Dedicated to emulating NPCs behavior, and random events, backstory elements and a super powerful oracle.
- Game Unfolding Machine: 30 Pages of abstract and game creation tables, not really an emulator. "Use what you need" by design. Use to play on the fly.
Discuss PUM on Discord
Languages: English, Spanish
Digital Tools to play PUM
- Foundry (Mythic GME Tools) module
- Play by the Writing: https://jeansenvaars.itch.io/play-by-the-writing
Finally, you can expand it with my other systems Scene Unfolding Machine, the Game Unfolding Machine, or Prompty Questions.
Join me and let me know how this works for you :)
Check out my blog here: https://jvhouse.xyz/ for actual plays and other goodies
Purchase
In order to download this game you must purchase it at or above the minimum price of 6.00€ EUR. You will get access to the following files:
Development log
- PUM V8.2 + GERMAN VERSION Release!!!Jun 30, 2024
- PUM v8 Supplement 2: Disrupted PUMMar 26, 2024
- PUM v8 Supplement 1: Story-Driven SheetsMar 25, 2024
- Official Discord server now UP!Feb 07, 2024
- Video explaining PUM (this time with examples!)Feb 06, 2024
- PUM V8-1 Final Revision UPDATEFeb 01, 2024
- PUM V8 Final Release!!! (New stuff)Jan 07, 2024
- PUM v8 rev 1 (reuploaded, formatting typos)Dec 29, 2023
Comments
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I just bought all of the unfolding machine documents on DriveThruRPG and it seems like there is a mistake on the PUM or D-PUM Disrupted Oracles. In PUM on page 7 where it describes the A vs B sides, it describes Side B under the Side A heading and vice versa for the B Side. But between the two documents the Sides themselves seem swapped. PUM page 12-13 has A side with the Someone, Object, Fight or Who/What/Where/How and Description table. But in D-PUM it's flipped, that is the B side. Both documents have the A as the Yes/No and B as the Quantifiers but the bottom 2/3rds of the pages are flipped between them.
So which document has the correct A and B sides?
Hello, yes this was a mistake. The oracles were Swapped in PUM To bring concrete oracles to the front. Could you elaborate to which extent does this matter in terms of correctness? In the future as it is in PUM is correct, concrete oracles first (who where etc)
I don't know if it makes a difference in terms of correctness, I just noticed two documents with half the oracles swapped. I also watched your video with examples and it was the D-PUM version of the oracles and in your examples you did a lot of examples with side A using Interaction and Discovery and Activity, I don't recall if there was an example using the B Side which is now the A side in 8.2 PUM.
Just a confusion on the fact that the tables were presented in a different layout is all. I'm new, still reading and trying to understand how to use the system.
Is it fair to say that where those tables are located aren't relevant and they can be used anytime you want, as in the 6 tables on Side A aren't connected to the Yes/No table above and you could use any of the 12 tables between side A and B anytime and wherever it makes sense?
Truly wonderful. It is inspiring that you pay such attention while learning for the first time! But yes, it is not majorly relevant which of the oracles you use, and they are not connected to the main oracles in any direct way. The reason I swapped them is to place more concrete and potentially more often used oracles in the front, where abstract oracles and ones more related to indirect matters in the app.
My focus is currently on the app at the moment, but one day eventually I'll come back to the documents and apply the various corrections mentioned so far as yours :)
Enjoy and I hope these games bring you joy and excitement!
So close to making a paypal just to get this
Wanted to let you know the PUM Companion was included in The Soloist newsletter. https://open.substack.com/pub/soloist/p/new-solo-rpgs-from-parent-trap-to?r=5okv...
Wohooo!! Thank you so much, makes me incredibly happy. Will take a look, as I was already a subscriber :)
how do I download older files (wanting to get PUM supplement 1)? After purchase only the last 4 files are available to download.
Hello brainylyx, supplement 1 has been integrated in version 8.2 now, it is called "Story Driven" sheets, and it focuses on plot nodes gameplay :)
thank you.
How is this different from the PUM v 8?
It isn't. I've now got two copies I paid for.
Hello, it has a few updates and corrections, but the essence remains the same. The post here shows the precise changes: https://jeansenvaars.itch.io/plot-unfolding-machine/devlog/757338/pum-v82-german...
Yeah, I got the update notification on DriveThru as well. Thought it was a different PUM iteration.
Hey hey! Very much appreciate the Unfolding Machines. I was wondering if there were plans for printer-friendly versions of the new UMs?
Hey there, thanks much! Excuse my ignorance, I am not an expert at editing and printer-friendliness, but I've seen around many players printing PUM without issues, color or black and white. What would you expect as printer friendly? Pure lines and no colors or styling?
I think the thing that would be the most helpful is a version with no background color! My printer sees that lovely pale yellow background as grayscale that it has to use ink on.
I think I can do that, will add it to the backlog!
You still updateding can you now place name generator, please.
There's name generators online, you can go to fantasynamegenerators.com for instance.
How do I download the new version, when I bought the old one? Also can you add a table for generating names you can take inspiration from Mythic GME 2nd Edition.
Hello NJred2000 - Once you purchased PUM, you can see the download files and should automatically get access to the latest, which is V8-1.
Good idea about adding a Name generator, but unfortunately I think this will not receive anymore updates (community asked for more stability)
It's okay I can just borrow the generator from mythic anyway. It's funny how many people choose your GM-emulator, instead of Mythic GME 2nd Edition, but given it had so many pages, it's understandable, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't borrow some ideas from it.
Haha thank you - Mythic and PUM work differently. Mythic is more popular indeed, and PUM is more an indie Emulator :) it is fine if you don't like it or find it funny if others choose it over Mythic.
I'm trying to find light rules GM emulator or GM-less or anything that help me with ttrpg, like I choose a light rules ttrpg over the heavy one cause it simple, it doesn't require to many type of dice, just a single type D6, and any D6 being use, sure there's D4 and D20 but they only use to randomize items and other things, a D6 also use to randomize things, but the point is that I will choose a light rules ttrpg, and add homebrew rules that inspired from things I read or see, or borrowing rules from the heavy rules ttrpg.
These two GM Emulators are very popular and much more lightweight, I think you will like them more:
If I buy the latest very version, and when there's a new version can I download it for free?
Hello, yes, if there are any future new version of PUM, you would get access to the newest version of the files in this page itself.
Couple of points. If I have bought version7 do I need to pay for version8?
Second point is I would be willing to pay for a collection of examples.
Hi! Yes, you get all updates for free once you get any +v6 versions. More examples are always hard :) Everyone plays differently, but I would love to have a long-adventure example.
Whether or not the current revisions reflect the final layout of PUM I have to say I’m very impressed by the amount of hard work and creative thinking you’ve put into this emulator. However it ends it quite possibly could be my favourite.
7.2 looks very cool. It shares some common ground with ‘Radiance’, a card deck system that I very much like right now and of course ‘Mythic’, whilst also being entirely its own thing.
It also justifies my restless shifting from one system to another. It was worth it!
Appreciated! This means a lot to me. Indeed, Preview for V7 can be the next "big thing" if it works well (I am currently play testing it as much as I can, and feedback is definitely welcome). I have heard of Radiance but couldn't get my hands on it yet, definitely on my watchlist :)
The links in Community Tools don't work. I found horusofoz on Github but I have no idea what to do with the pum stuff there. The perchance generator is for "GUM+SUM+PUM" but currently says it only offers prompts for SUM, although they probably work just as well for all three.
Thanks for letting me know. Yes, horusofoz told me he can't maintain his webapp anymore. Perchance has only this one now: Game Unfolding Machine ― Perchance Generator
This would be a great submission for the Tabletop Game Tool Jam: https://itch.io/jam/tabletop-game-tool-jam
Thank you! good idea, I also submitted my Storyteller's Prompty Questions one :D
Is this suitable for any setting or is it geared more for fantasy?
It's suitable for any setting. The author himself on his YouTube channel usually plays SciFi. Give a look to his actual plays https://youtube.com/@saif1234
Will there be an epub version of this?
I would love that, and I'd love for modules to embrace epub too. Much easier for those of us with worsening eyesight, and once you have the size you want it stays set and doesn't get reset every page like PDFs tend to.
Hmm..it looks like all the earlier versions are available to purchase, but only the most recent update is available without paying a second time. Is that an itch thing, or maybe I'm missing something?
Hey there. It is strange that you can even see earlier versions... They should be all hidden except the most recent one. And no, none of them should have any price tag at all (other than donation). Which version were you looking for?
What I see is (1) the Download section with only v4-5, and (2) the Development log with a partial list of previous versions. The Devlog also has a "View all posts" entry that takes me to a page with ALL prior versions. All this is exactly the same whether I am logged into my account or not.
The one difference when I am logged into my account is that I have the grey bar at the top that says "you own this game". That bar has a download button that allows me to download without being asked for $$, and I can see only the 4-5 versions there, as you would expect.
When I look at other games I own via itch, I notice that some of them display a Devlog list and some of them don't, so I assume it's a configuration thing. The items in the Devlog are always available for sale as separate purchases, and never show up as files that can be downloaded because you already own them. (They are sometimes older versions but more often seem to be related content.)
I am not looking for a particular version. I was just going to look through the old versions to see if you had taken out anything that I actually wanted to use, or whether I could safely ignore them. It's not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. This is great stuff and I appreciate your efforts!
Thanks, yes. Not sure about how itch io manages the devlog, but for the simplicity of things, I hide the old versions not to confuse people. As of removals, no big things were removed but indeed lots of renaming and refinement. Most of the changes went in the direction of "evoking" ideas on the player, where older versions were more frontal, for example what now is "Room for hidden things or intentions", before it was "Perception test". I like the newer more because it opens to more different interpretations, where the old one forced the PCs to do something in a specific way.
The most different release of all, was version 3.x, which coincidentally, is the one implemented online, here: https://perchance.org/plot-unfolding-machine
Version 3 did everything quite differently, in a sense that it helped players "build sentences". But it forced you to roll many more times to complete those sentences. Works well if automated, but not so much on paper.
Hi JV! :)
I was wondering--I've been following PUM for a few weeks now and I'm really excited to see where you're going with this. Was just wondering, would it be possible to have the 4.2 version up for a while longer? I missed out on it and I was wondering if I could look at the differences between 4.2 and 4.3.
Thank you!
Sure thing, good idea! I also re-published old Legacy v1 version, it holds a special place :) (You can see how it was originally, with skills and stakes)
Thank you!
Had to remove it now, to avoid confusion. Ping me if you would like to get any older versions.
Hi, friend, I am very excited for your system, and I print it and laminate it so that I can use it with my solo games. But could you add a little change log to every new version, to know if the changes are worthy for me to print it and laminate again? I can do it, but reading comparing side by side both versions is not comfortable. Thank you.
Thank you, and sorry for the frequent releases. I continue refining it as I play, but all are good and as long as you are okay with them and see nothing wrong it is what matters. Regardless, you are right, and I will try to be more specific as in the past.
For now, V1 is the "classic" version, where skills were specific and the tables were open to be used as you like. V2 is a focused version where prompts are more vague and up to you to read, and V3 is like a "sentence builder" you roll phrases that give you everything you need to setup a scene.
Don’t worry. I like the fact that you keep refining it. I read the third version and found it better than the second one, but maybe I would keep the second one for more options to roll on tables but using the third one as base. I also printed the first one, for reference and will be using it for inspiration. What I meant is that, for instance, if I print and use the version 3.0 and then I see that you have already published the v.3.2, I wonder what the changes can be compared to v.3.0. Will it compensate me to print it again, will it be just cosmetic changes, one phrase, or a new table that maybe would make the game much better? Without a log, I can only just forget about successive improvements or otherwise it will never end, or check carefully side-by-side the previous version and the new updated one. If you just include a small developer’s log explaining “I changed two phrases, this and this”, or “New table X added”, or “Mechanics revamped”, then it would be easier to correct my own print with a pencil for small changes or decide if it’s worthy to reprint the new version, or just pass until a new major update. I like a lot what you are doing. And I intend to deepen in the use of Foundry and Obsidian to play ttrpgs, following your advice in your blog. It would be nice if you could show more how to setup Obsidian for that.
Hi the 3.0 and the 3.0 Print are the same.
Thanks! fixing
Thanks but there is a little difference on page 2 Scene Prompt #3 "take risk" (v3-0) "an opportunity to" (v3-0 Print)
Hey Steve! You do have a keen eye my friend!!!
Today I found the time to correct this. Sorry about that. The correct phrase is "A risk to... {Risk}, in order to... {Goal}". Thanks
Thanks!
Oooo print version is very welcome :) As well as the detailed advice. I haven't had a chance to play yet but looking extra forward to busting this out as it looks like a unique way to guide the story along. I especially like the focus on the 'game' aspects in it's design. Also thank you for your blog too, it's very inspiring!
Hello RestlessThoughts, thank you so much for the nice words! I just updated to Revision 21 so I hope you didn't print yet :) I have made some cool changes!
Revision 21 looks really good! I wanted to second the appreciation of the detailed advice on how to use the tool.
I'm downloading all updates as they come in and really appreciate their frequency.
PUM has quickly become one of my core tools for playing solo rpgs.
This is amazing.
It's done so much to make starting up a solo campaign easier. There are a number of ideas that I've never been able to explore that I now have prepped and ready.
This thing is absolutely brilliant!
Really appreciating the additional oracles.
Oracles like action/theme and descriptor/focus like in Ironsworn Starforged would be nice.
Keep up the great work!
Thank you!! I have been wanting inspirational oracles too. Currently, "Looks" is a bit bare bones and "Intent" or "what" are quite pin-pointed to certain questions. Will be thinking about it, but don't underestimate them either! I'll think what is really missing, intent is really powerful.
Hi, I am very interested of this document but there is an error.
The attached file is a txt instead of a pdf, and opening the txt, it contains a lot of meta data etc. Would you please upload the correct format?
Thank you
Cheers
I am so sorry about this. One should never make changes at 2AM. Fixed! The txt file was just a wrong file I uploaded
Thank you very much!
Hi, I red it and it looks great, now I have to try it in play.
May I suggest you to change 3 lines in the document?
1st page: 1.Propose a scene, then roll Scene Designer Expectation Checker to verify it,...
2nd page: In the scene 1 and 4 has to be written like in Scene 2 and 3: Scene Designer ->... and
SceneChallenge Designer ->...Thank you
Good job.
Very appreciated that you took the time to point out this errata. I've been doing short edits during travel, also playing with it :) thanks
It looks very interesting, but could you explain me how to better visualize the file?
I am so sorry about this. One should never make changes at 2AM. Fixed! The file type is now a PDF you can check with any PDF Reader.
Very cool product. Like the scene designer. I very much like your blog.
Ohh you are so kind, thank you! I really enjoy the topic of playing RPGs without a game master, firmly believe there is so much to explore :) - and even more sharing such ideas with others
may i suggest you add a preview
absolutely!