tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32029386.post3752444669722758866..comments2024-03-15T03:18:11.032-04:00Comments on How to Start a Revolution in 21 Days or Less: Oh Ettercaptain, My EttercaptainNataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15528192783751011497noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32029386.post-66025934079100068472010-02-10T22:00:52.745-05:002010-02-10T22:00:52.745-05:00The title quote alone is classic!The title quote alone is classic!Keith Sloanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07319879076978887933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32029386.post-56211286942849590712010-02-08T01:26:31.462-05:002010-02-08T01:26:31.462-05:00Hey thanks again for sitting in. Things are very d...Hey thanks again for sitting in. Things are very difficult for now as this is really my first experience DMing. But in any case I hope I can provide some fun to those playing. As Travis may have mentioned, we do have about two out of our four players completely new to playing and the rest of us haven't played in 3 years or so. Im just glad so far that i haven't fallen upon my face. I'd welcome your attendance any time.Joenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32029386.post-39690696212553563462010-02-07T13:05:49.958-05:002010-02-07T13:05:49.958-05:00Huh. See, I felt like there was a lot of "rol...Huh. See, I felt like there was a lot of "roleplaying" in the Traveller game. You folks all had interesting characters, and they were all up to interesting things. Yeah, there was way too much focus on the trade tables, but...<br /><br />Anyway. Your comments about "good play" are why I (mostly) don't play games with social mechanics. ;) A combat system, magic system, and set of saves are where it's at for me right now; at least in a low tech fantasy game I can handle the rest by talking it through.<br /><br />And finally...<br /><br /><i>Dungeon crawls aren't, actually, my favorite thing to do in RPGs. They simply slow down a developing story too much.</i><br /><br />This amused me. You shall find I have prepared a rebuttal: http://revolution21days.blogspot.com/2009/09/dungeon-soap-operas-are-best-kind-of.html<br /><br />Though it's not so much that I disagree with your statement as I find that developing a story slowly can have some really good results. Your mileage, and play style, may vary.Nataliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15528192783751011497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32029386.post-79263224540104953522010-02-07T04:40:40.353-05:002010-02-07T04:40:40.353-05:00By "roleplaying" I mean getting into the...By "roleplaying" I mean getting into their character's head and going after more complex objectives than "the loot."<br /><br />Vanilla Exalted is good for that because characters have a stat-governed set of values. Having stats that represent the nebulous ideas of compassion, temperance, conviction, and valor encourages the player to think about what their character would want to do instead of what the player wants to do.<br /><br />Tabletops lose some of their charm when the story isn't character-driven. If you're familiar with Luke Crane, I think you'll find that I echo his position.<br /><br />I think the rules in any RPG should never be ignored, but a good GM should reward good play by secretly smudging them. Suppose the player concocts an argument about why Mr. Big Bad should join them to fight Mr. Biggest Baddest. They tie in elements of multiple characters' pasts and established personalities. They offer a storyline that, while I didn't plan for it, definitely intrigues me. And they deliver the argument in-character. I'd still call for opposed roles, but I'd probably nerf the NPC's resist roll, and regardless of the outcome of that I'd give the clever player some reward.<br /><br />Dungeon crawls aren't, actually, my favorite thing to do in RPGs. They simply slow down a developing story too much. One of the most fun sessions I ever had was a Shadowrun 3e session in which half the group talked its way into the security room of a Mega-Corp hotel, shot the guards and disabled the equipment while the other PCs broke in through an upper level and stole a jewel. Then we all met up outside at our limo and made a clean getaway. It was tense, fast paced, dirty, and allowed the story to advance quickly.<br /><br />If anywhere, I think a big dungeon is best-placed at the crux of a campaign, or perhaps at the end (if that's not too stereotypical).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09518807888750337921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32029386.post-39231438563967403332010-02-06T16:05:50.357-05:002010-02-06T16:05:50.357-05:00d7: I do myself, sometimes. So every so often I...<b>d7:</b> I do myself, sometimes. So every so often I'll make a point of reminding myself. Though I will allow that I'm personally less interested in "fun" than "getting what I want out of the game," which are similar but distinct things.<br /><br /><b>JB:</b> Yeah, I was surprised by how interesting this was, both watching and writing about it. I might see about getting an opportunity to do something like this again.<br /><br />And that's the main force behind the temptation to run a dungeon game myself. See how they react to such a thing done "right." Maybe learn 'em a thing or two. ;) But then, social considerations aren't unimportant, either.<br /><br />Most of what I have to say on the Traveller campaign can be found here: http://revolution21days.blogspot.com/search/label/traveller Here I'll add only that we never did pick it up when I came back to school this year, for a variety of reasons.Nataliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15528192783751011497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32029386.post-31296094712622186642010-02-06T14:08:04.678-05:002010-02-06T14:08:04.678-05:00@ Odd: I really enjoy this kind of post. Personall...@ Odd: I really enjoy this kind of post. Personally, I find it fascinating to watch different groups of game players playing and "take notes" (mentally at least) of the differences in play style.<br /><br />Kudos to you for being less judgmental than myself. I'm glad they were enjoying the game; I wonder how long people playing in that particular style (linear dungeons "search rolls" to resolve challenges, etc.) can sustain game play. It certainly doesn't seem very interesting to me, and I wonder how the particular group will play out over time (how many people continue to remain in a gaming group due to other social considerations, e.g. boyfriend-girlfriend relationships). <br /><br />But that's just me waxing cynical.<br /><br />As an aside, I'd certainly like to hear more about your Traveler game.<br />: )JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08532311924539491087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32029386.post-51089604216071569882010-02-06T02:28:30.053-05:002010-02-06T02:28:30.053-05:00"And the players were all into it and enjoyin...<i>"And the players were all into it and enjoying the game. Which is really what matters."</i><br /><br />And this is where my head exploded. I love gaming theory and can get so caught up in it that I forget this essential measure of GMing success. <br /><br />This sort of anthropology of a gaming group is fascinating. Thanks for sharing.d7https://www.blogger.com/profile/08635926744710532548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32029386.post-81962280824925243272010-02-06T01:54:26.239-05:002010-02-06T01:54:26.239-05:00By roleplaying, you mean folks hanging around talk...By roleplaying, you mean folks hanging around talking? Or something else?<br /><br />I actually tend to find that novice players are more into what I'd describe as "roleplaying" than the old hands. They don't know the rules as well, so they fall back on them less.<br /><br />And, well, this is my own personal bias showing, but it's not so much the dungeoncrawl as it is the kind of dungeoncrawl. But I've rambled on about that more than enough here on the blog.<br /><br />My lips are sealed on the subject of what you may or may not have unleashed in Traveller. ;) I will say, while we're on the subject, that I wasn't totally happy with that game, for a number of reasons. Plenty of fun was had, but I've learned quite a bit in the past year or so that I'm looking forward to putting into practice in the next game.Nataliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15528192783751011497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32029386.post-35482198867772145792010-02-06T01:44:58.217-05:002010-02-06T01:44:58.217-05:00Traveller Player here.
I realize I can't real...Traveller Player here.<br /><br />I realize I can't really expect it when playing a dungeon crawl with more than one novice in the group, but I'd love to see more roleplaying in the game. In Traveller I didn't get to do much because of the constant math. LARPing has taught me to appreciate the roleplaying even more. (Hi. My name is Travis, and I'm a LARPer.)<br /><br />Maybe I just need to find a way to play Exalted again. That game is always roleplay-heavy for some reason.<br /><br />On the subject of dungeons: In Traveller, I get a sneaky feeling that I made some lucky choices in that cave with the snake people. Fuck knows what you had in store for us.<br /><br />I wish someone would GM Shadowrun. I love that game and what I've seen of 4e makes me happy. Shadowrun is one of my favorites for its versatility. The game system can be applied to any fantasy magi-tech world, but I love the given setting. It's always gritty, but the story can embrace or entirely diverge from the classic dungeon crawl. Since it's so deadly, you have to take events slowly, roleplaying with the other characters to plan every step. If you don't, you run through some monofilament wire and come out in seven pieces.<br /><br />Looks like I accidentally deleted my comment. Don't ask how. Fortunately I have a habit of pressing ctr+a, ctr+c before posting anything.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09518807888750337921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32029386.post-86199919503887250022010-02-06T01:40:55.767-05:002010-02-06T01:40:55.767-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09518807888750337921noreply@blogger.com