For the last few months I was gaming with a great group of guys in Chicago which expanded my gaming knowledge. Now I have a promotion starting Friday and I don't know if my schedule will align with typical gaming on weeknights, since right now I don't live that close to the city. But I would like to thank the guys for introducing me to some great games, some of which include:
Apocalypse World: First game I played with them, and I knew I was in for a great time. The system is simple and flexible, and we were able to create RIDICULOUS characters that had fantastic interactions. I suggest this game to anyone who's interested in something a little of the standard path.
InSpectres: Only did a one shot, but having an rpg about managing a spy franchise is fun and new. Also, using confessionals as a saving grace in a pinch is a fantastic mechanic.
Final Girl: Playing multiple characters in a horror story to see who may have a chance to be the final survivor is something so much more exciting (and hilarious) to play than it sounds, and it already sounds awesome!
Everything is Dolphins: A college friend sent this to me (long story) and the group was very willing to try. Simple but easy to have a light-hearted fun time, because eff it, you're all dolphins!
And so many more I'm not thinking about right now but were super fun (guys if you read this please add if you like!).
So although I am sure I shall game with them again, thank you guys for introducing me to these fantastic games. I don't think I would have ever had a chance to try out any of the things we played without your help.
Showing posts with label RPG. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RPG. Show all posts
February 27, 2013
August 8, 2012
Planning Enough
I am so afraid for DnD I do not plan enough.
Part of it is because I like to run my games with a plot line encased in a very open world. It's like Skyrim (which I've been playing a lot of these days), but I'm hoping a better received main plot line.
The problem with this is that you never know what your players will latch on to and want to pursue. It's not only the little tidbits you thought would be easy to have your players forget, it's also the players interpretation of the big things.
For example, the last two times I ran a game in my setting, I definitely had players who took the role of working for the King seriously. They had experience and honor and lineages that they wants to make sure came into play. They knew that they were the best of the best for a reason, and it was an honor to be serving the King.
These players feel they are not the best of the best. They have bad habits and not the most impressive histories. Two of them are from a friendly kingdom, and aren't entirely 100% sworn to the king (they already have one). One was busy trying to sell potent potables to the public as a druid. One is busy trying to impregnate every lady he can. And one is merely amazed that he has a warm bed and food provided to him as a courtesy. They know they are not the best of the best, and if anything it makes this same setting feel more desperate. This isn't a position of honor. This is proof that the Kingdom needs to be pitied.
With the same introduction and the same world, the feelings are entirely different. Imagine then the difference between the person who knows everything in the world as "God" so the speak, and the difference between the players who only know what I tell them.
Therefore, considering all the unknowns with the decisions made, you cannot plan enough.
Part of it is because I like to run my games with a plot line encased in a very open world. It's like Skyrim (which I've been playing a lot of these days), but I'm hoping a better received main plot line.
The problem with this is that you never know what your players will latch on to and want to pursue. It's not only the little tidbits you thought would be easy to have your players forget, it's also the players interpretation of the big things.
For example, the last two times I ran a game in my setting, I definitely had players who took the role of working for the King seriously. They had experience and honor and lineages that they wants to make sure came into play. They knew that they were the best of the best for a reason, and it was an honor to be serving the King.
These players feel they are not the best of the best. They have bad habits and not the most impressive histories. Two of them are from a friendly kingdom, and aren't entirely 100% sworn to the king (they already have one). One was busy trying to sell potent potables to the public as a druid. One is busy trying to impregnate every lady he can. And one is merely amazed that he has a warm bed and food provided to him as a courtesy. They know they are not the best of the best, and if anything it makes this same setting feel more desperate. This isn't a position of honor. This is proof that the Kingdom needs to be pitied.
With the same introduction and the same world, the feelings are entirely different. Imagine then the difference between the person who knows everything in the world as "God" so the speak, and the difference between the players who only know what I tell them.
Therefore, considering all the unknowns with the decisions made, you cannot plan enough.
July 18, 2012
Two ideals that help me plan an RPG game.
Getting back to planning a game as a Dungeon Master is fantastic. Part of the joy of running a game is that you get to see people directly react to your writing, and then add to it. It's a storytelling conversation, that's really an art form. It's improv with statistics and stricter structure.
By the way, if any of you visit Chicago and you have a chance, do the walking tour at Second City. It's definitely fun and funny and you learn some things about Chicago and improv as an art form. Did that yesterday with a college friend and it was fun. Sorry about that interruption. Back to the RPG talk!
The writing skills you need to create a great game for your players are a little different than the ones used for a standard fiction piece. As a writer you should create a linear path for your reader to follow as your main characters go through a hardship and overcome it. But when the person enjoy your story is also producing the main character of your story, there are a couple of things you have to consider when writing. These two rules tend to guide me, and a couple of friends of mine who also run games, into making a game a fun venture for everybody.
1. You must know where you want to go.
My friend who runs my Obsidian game always reiterates this tip. Specifically he says "If you run the scene you're in without knowing where you want it to end, you have already failed." He's absolutely right. In college we though having an open game without railroading the players meant presenting 1 piece of a puzzle and expecting the players to build the rest. But with any game, you have to establish a thread for the players to follow. Whether they know it or not, most players spend the game looking for that thread.
Games that don't do this dwindle fast. When I first started running my D&D day, I built in days where nothing would happen thinking my PCs would go do their own thing those days. But most of the times my players were just waiting for something to happen. As the DM/GM/ST you are in charge of the action, and you know what's coming. Your players don't. Sure, you may want to give them some time to investigate something, and some games you know for certain that they will, so you'll set aside that time. But you can't assume they'll have motivations of their own every single game, especially when you first start. Set up that thread for your players to follow. They are trying to see where it is, and will at least like to know where it's going.
However, at the same time,
2. The players will decided where you really go.
You have to be ready to set up a ton of things for the players to do, but you also have to be ready to be directed by their responses. Just because you think that your players will hold on to one clue or be captivated by one situation doesn't mean that they absolutely will. They may find a certain NPC worthy having as a friend or a lover. They may decide that certain monsters can be trained for good. They may even decide to start a taco stand on the side. You will never be able to 100% predict what a character my want to do. And you don't want to deny them something that they'll find fun.
The great thing about this is that this process is how you can add to the thread that you start. Sure, you may have wanted to have your players explore the catacombs of the city, but certainly you could tie in your plot points for when they try to raid the local sheriff's office. Maybe that NPC noble your players like to antagonize is actually helping them out where they least suspect it. The players pursuits are a tool for writing the plot. You have to be flexible enough to go with the flow.
But why should you make a path that your players are going to veer from anyway? Because then you know better is is off the beaten path. If you know what you would like to have happen, then you have a better idea of what will happen if your players make other choices. And that helps you more if they through you a curve ball. I've had many a times where characters pursue flavor text, but because I had at least made the time to include flavor text, it was easier for me to think up something on the fly. That helps game flow and consistency, which make playing in a particular universe more fun.
In the end, you still have to write a story with a path, but willing to continue in a different direction when the players introduce it. That makes the most successful RPG campaigns fun and memorable.
By the way, if any of you visit Chicago and you have a chance, do the walking tour at Second City. It's definitely fun and funny and you learn some things about Chicago and improv as an art form. Did that yesterday with a college friend and it was fun. Sorry about that interruption. Back to the RPG talk!
The writing skills you need to create a great game for your players are a little different than the ones used for a standard fiction piece. As a writer you should create a linear path for your reader to follow as your main characters go through a hardship and overcome it. But when the person enjoy your story is also producing the main character of your story, there are a couple of things you have to consider when writing. These two rules tend to guide me, and a couple of friends of mine who also run games, into making a game a fun venture for everybody.
1. You must know where you want to go.
My friend who runs my Obsidian game always reiterates this tip. Specifically he says "If you run the scene you're in without knowing where you want it to end, you have already failed." He's absolutely right. In college we though having an open game without railroading the players meant presenting 1 piece of a puzzle and expecting the players to build the rest. But with any game, you have to establish a thread for the players to follow. Whether they know it or not, most players spend the game looking for that thread.
Games that don't do this dwindle fast. When I first started running my D&D day, I built in days where nothing would happen thinking my PCs would go do their own thing those days. But most of the times my players were just waiting for something to happen. As the DM/GM/ST you are in charge of the action, and you know what's coming. Your players don't. Sure, you may want to give them some time to investigate something, and some games you know for certain that they will, so you'll set aside that time. But you can't assume they'll have motivations of their own every single game, especially when you first start. Set up that thread for your players to follow. They are trying to see where it is, and will at least like to know where it's going.
However, at the same time,
2. The players will decided where you really go.
You have to be ready to set up a ton of things for the players to do, but you also have to be ready to be directed by their responses. Just because you think that your players will hold on to one clue or be captivated by one situation doesn't mean that they absolutely will. They may find a certain NPC worthy having as a friend or a lover. They may decide that certain monsters can be trained for good. They may even decide to start a taco stand on the side. You will never be able to 100% predict what a character my want to do. And you don't want to deny them something that they'll find fun.
The great thing about this is that this process is how you can add to the thread that you start. Sure, you may have wanted to have your players explore the catacombs of the city, but certainly you could tie in your plot points for when they try to raid the local sheriff's office. Maybe that NPC noble your players like to antagonize is actually helping them out where they least suspect it. The players pursuits are a tool for writing the plot. You have to be flexible enough to go with the flow.
But why should you make a path that your players are going to veer from anyway? Because then you know better is is off the beaten path. If you know what you would like to have happen, then you have a better idea of what will happen if your players make other choices. And that helps you more if they through you a curve ball. I've had many a times where characters pursue flavor text, but because I had at least made the time to include flavor text, it was easier for me to think up something on the fly. That helps game flow and consistency, which make playing in a particular universe more fun.
In the end, you still have to write a story with a path, but willing to continue in a different direction when the players introduce it. That makes the most successful RPG campaigns fun and memorable.
May 16, 2012
I missed tabletop
In a way, video games are one of the easiest nerdoms to get into, along with TV shows and some books, in the sense that it's something you can easily find and get into. I think that's part of the reason I devote a lot of time to video games in this blog. It's something that easiest for me to enjoy after a long day of work. But I really became a full fledged nerd with tabletop, and now I'm finally getting back to that.
You all got a peak of my character in a friend's Obsidian game Amy Valencia. I had never really played a truly carefree character before so I decided in this universe I would play one. She is kind of a ditz following the easiest path of a high power, a high demonic power. She's not entirely stupid, just entirely honest about her love of drugs, parties and the occasional visit to the masseuse. It's been very liberating playing her because she is not one to give two shits about most dramatic stuff. I think the most concerned she got was when a bomb was about to kill her and her group in a tiny office. Having traditionally played characters that have stressed out very easily, it's great to play one that is not.
I think my experiences with Amy have colored my choices in playing a new character in another game. I got invited to play in a Apocalypse World game that has been going for some time but had some people playing new characters due to old characters dying off or becoming unplayable. I came in with Iris, the classiest brainer in the tree town. Brainers actually can manipulate people with their psychic powers and find out personal things just by touching people. Usually people go for the mystic in rags look for brainers. I went a little more fabulous. She has her kinky hair in an up do and wears a shiny pants suit with a corset. Still weird, but a bit more approachable. Like Amy she is a social creature who looks for the fun in life. Unlike Amy, she strategizes more in the long run. She's not really book smart but she is definitely world-smart. If someone has recently become very powerful, you damn well make sure that you are their friend. Things like that.
On top of those two games I am also running my 3.5 D&D campaign again! I'm super excited about it. The last two times I ran the game we had a ton of characters who were honored, privileged and eager to serve a king to the 2nd largest kingdom in the world. This time I have a lot of hesitant characters who decided to go along merely because is somewhat fulfills their alternative goals, which include siring a messiah and selling potables to whoever will buy them. The first session happened last week and even though it ran so late I was working on low brain power, we all had fun. Next session will immediately start with combat!
It's so great to go back to my roots. I really became a nerd when a friend of mine in high school invited me to play a game of Dungeons and Dragons that her father was running. I'm not sure how nerdy I really was before then, but after that there was no turning back. It now feels like I'm really a nerd again, spending a significant amount of time rolling dice and playing make believe with friends.
You all got a peak of my character in a friend's Obsidian game Amy Valencia. I had never really played a truly carefree character before so I decided in this universe I would play one. She is kind of a ditz following the easiest path of a high power, a high demonic power. She's not entirely stupid, just entirely honest about her love of drugs, parties and the occasional visit to the masseuse. It's been very liberating playing her because she is not one to give two shits about most dramatic stuff. I think the most concerned she got was when a bomb was about to kill her and her group in a tiny office. Having traditionally played characters that have stressed out very easily, it's great to play one that is not.
I think my experiences with Amy have colored my choices in playing a new character in another game. I got invited to play in a Apocalypse World game that has been going for some time but had some people playing new characters due to old characters dying off or becoming unplayable. I came in with Iris, the classiest brainer in the tree town. Brainers actually can manipulate people with their psychic powers and find out personal things just by touching people. Usually people go for the mystic in rags look for brainers. I went a little more fabulous. She has her kinky hair in an up do and wears a shiny pants suit with a corset. Still weird, but a bit more approachable. Like Amy she is a social creature who looks for the fun in life. Unlike Amy, she strategizes more in the long run. She's not really book smart but she is definitely world-smart. If someone has recently become very powerful, you damn well make sure that you are their friend. Things like that.
On top of those two games I am also running my 3.5 D&D campaign again! I'm super excited about it. The last two times I ran the game we had a ton of characters who were honored, privileged and eager to serve a king to the 2nd largest kingdom in the world. This time I have a lot of hesitant characters who decided to go along merely because is somewhat fulfills their alternative goals, which include siring a messiah and selling potables to whoever will buy them. The first session happened last week and even though it ran so late I was working on low brain power, we all had fun. Next session will immediately start with combat!
It's so great to go back to my roots. I really became a nerd when a friend of mine in high school invited me to play a game of Dungeons and Dragons that her father was running. I'm not sure how nerdy I really was before then, but after that there was no turning back. It now feels like I'm really a nerd again, spending a significant amount of time rolling dice and playing make believe with friends.
May 2, 2012
This is how not to discuss representation of women in RPGs
As a nerd woman I'm used to being in the minority and having to fight a couple of battles here and there about how I'm represented (if at all) in my nerd spheres. The only nerd circle I knew to not have such a disparity is Anime, but let's not touch the plethora of gender issues in the genre.
So when someone wants to discuss the complicated issue of gender representation in RPG art, there is a lot you can actually say and a lot of opinions you can have. That's the kind of article I expect to read, an article that expresses a concrete opinion. Not some drivel that merely states I'll draw it because I'll get paid.
Jon Schindehette's article had an opportunity to truly engage with a point of view with someone who had industry experience. Instead, we got someone who affirmed that he draws what they're given and asking several times for a reader's opinion without asserting his own. The reason that this is excruciatingly frustrating is that this totes itself about addressing gender in RPG art and then discusses nothing. Not the history, not the depictions, not even a personal opinion developed from years of experience drawing for the industry (specifically the most well known series that started the hobby).
If we continue to pretend we're having a discussion, there is no resolution. We're not even sure what the resolution is because the industry has barely ever talked about the problem. And yes, it can be a serious problem. I do know at least with my experience, DnD has tried to be somewhat equal, but at the same time there are plenty of other RPG publishers who have gone out of their way to not be because they "know" that they have to cater to a male audience.
What's my opinion? I personally don't like that the usual archetype for a chick who kicks ass either has to become male in her mannerisms or becomes the incredible eye candy with a gun. I'm tired of it. Not all gunslinging women have their tits out, just like not all gunslinging men eat raw meat and smoke 2 foot long cigars. I want characters to be complex, no matter what setting I'm in and what gender or color or size or whatever the heck physical aspects they are. That would show some maturity in the industry. It's getting there, but we do have a long way to go.
The next time that someone wants to write an article, please, for the love of the written word, actually SAY something.
So when someone wants to discuss the complicated issue of gender representation in RPG art, there is a lot you can actually say and a lot of opinions you can have. That's the kind of article I expect to read, an article that expresses a concrete opinion. Not some drivel that merely states I'll draw it because I'll get paid.
Jon Schindehette's article had an opportunity to truly engage with a point of view with someone who had industry experience. Instead, we got someone who affirmed that he draws what they're given and asking several times for a reader's opinion without asserting his own. The reason that this is excruciatingly frustrating is that this totes itself about addressing gender in RPG art and then discusses nothing. Not the history, not the depictions, not even a personal opinion developed from years of experience drawing for the industry (specifically the most well known series that started the hobby).
If we continue to pretend we're having a discussion, there is no resolution. We're not even sure what the resolution is because the industry has barely ever talked about the problem. And yes, it can be a serious problem. I do know at least with my experience, DnD has tried to be somewhat equal, but at the same time there are plenty of other RPG publishers who have gone out of their way to not be because they "know" that they have to cater to a male audience.
What's my opinion? I personally don't like that the usual archetype for a chick who kicks ass either has to become male in her mannerisms or becomes the incredible eye candy with a gun. I'm tired of it. Not all gunslinging women have their tits out, just like not all gunslinging men eat raw meat and smoke 2 foot long cigars. I want characters to be complex, no matter what setting I'm in and what gender or color or size or whatever the heck physical aspects they are. That would show some maturity in the industry. It's getting there, but we do have a long way to go.
The next time that someone wants to write an article, please, for the love of the written word, actually SAY something.
February 22, 2012
One of the reason nerdom can be male dominated.
Once again I have a thing I found on the internet that got me thinking. This time it was a video discussing the horrible choices Lego has made in marketing with their new line of Lego Friends for girls. There are two videos, but the first one is the one that I want to post here for you all to watch.
This got me thinking about a lot of my hobbies and choices, and how a lot of the problem is how the producers of game, whether table top games or video games, or even a good amount of fantasy and sci-fi, assume that women are just not interested in the genre.
Now when it comes to the stuff on television, it's a 50/50 chance that your going to have something that doesn't address societal gender roles in a semi-thoughtful way. For every great character that is a strong lead regardless of gender there is one that obviously advertised as a hypersexualized fantasy for the "male audience" to gawk at and drool. I use quotes because again, it's generalizations taken to an extreme in the hopes of making more money. Luckily shows like Buffy, Fringe, and Star Trek exist to help break those stereotypes that media first thought necessary for ratings.
Video games are entirely different story on that front. Part of it may be that the medium is younger, but you would think that all the progress that has been made for television series to stop writing women in a specific corner, video games would be able to use that progress to their advantage. Instead for over 50% of whats out there to play you have two reasons for women to be in a video game: To be hot enough to look at or two be saved. And why is that? Because video games are part of a boys club that their a lot more blatant about than many other mediums and markets.
You have games totally devoid of women, games that only have women in background as stereotypical supporting roles, or games that hypersexualize a female lead in hopes of enticing their target audience. Some game series try to rectify the situation, but most don't and the ones that try rarely ever scratch the surface. I feel a lot of this is done under the assumption that men wouldn't want to play a game where a woman is just as capable as he is, as if a woman who is strong or smart or has choices is a threat.
Yes, for some men this is a threat, but that doesn't make it right to validate this idea to your market. It's irresponsible for producers of any medium to perpetuate ideas that hinder or undermine anyone in society. That's what this representation of women in video games does: undermine the equality of women in our daily world.
I'm not saying this to totally rag on video games. You know I play them, you can even friend me on Steam if you want to help me shoot zombies someday. But I think there are a lot of things we have to think about when we support a game. The gameplay may be good and the multiplayer may be bangin', but does it support ideas you're uncomfortable with? Then don't play it. There are plenty of other games out there that can suit your needs.
And we have to do this for any hobby that we participate in. Not comfortable with the portrayal of women in the artwork of an RPG book? You can probably find a game with what you like that's less offensive, possibly even for free. Sci-fi series makes you cringe at it's representation of minorities? There are so many more for you to watch, past and present. If you want to see women, or anyone for that matter, better represented in your hobbies and interests, you have to work to make sure they get the support they need. Just because people before decided things worked best a certain way doesn't mean they were right and doesn't mean we can't change it.
I just randomly thought about doing a let's play of games with great female leads or female characters that are not just caricatures and stereotypes. Use that let's play to then fund a woman's group. Like a lot of my ideas, it may just go to the wayside, but it definitely is something I wish to consider. Now that I have whole days off of work on a consistent schedule, I would love to contribute to the greater good of video games (and nerdom) in the future.
January 24, 2012
Character Week: Sandahla
Although some of my more memorable characters have been in my table top games, it doesn't stop me from making little stories for my video game characters too. Right now I can't stop playing my dunmer in Skyrim
Sandahla
Unlike a lot of the other video game RPGs I've played, your character doesn't necessarily have a lot of a chance to make a personality in Skyrim. Some of it you just assume along the way. And there isn't any "romance" in the game either, in the sense that there's no story built around it. You want to marry someone? Just complete a favor and wear this amulet and bam! You can get married. It's more economical, really. Although I am not fancying anyone in this game, it seems Sandahla has been gravitating toward a fellow dark elf who keeps a shop at Windhelm.
________________________
Sandahla slammed the door shut right behind her, the sound booming through the shop. Revyn as always was behind the counter. He was shocked to see her.
"Rushing to get in before I close?" He checked to make sure the garnet pieces he had been inspecting before had not fallen away.
Sandahla brushed away the snow on her shoulders and took off her hood, revealing her new moonstone circlet. "You could say that. I had a question for you, friend."
Revyn raised an eyebrow. With the short time they had been doing business, she had yet to call him friend. "Certainly." He had no reason to tell her no. Not only had she brought him rare things that sold for quite the profit, she was also a lovely dunmer. Having her to look at made the time pass agreeably.
"I was hoping I could stay here tonight, Revyn. I only stayed in Candlehearth Hall one night, and that innkeeper didn't trust the way I breathed in her place, let alone me sleeping in one of her rooms. I can't stand that place."
"Oh yes, Elda. She does have no problem taking dark elf coin, though she'll stare you down the entire night. I've only been there once, after that I stuck to New Gnisis."
There was a pause as Sandahla waited politely before asking, "Does that mean I can stay here for the night?"
"Oh, well, of course. I don't think I'll be needing my bed tonight anyway." Revyn quickly put away the garnet on the counter. "I think I have a spare bearskin to keep you warm tonight."
Sandahla gently put a hand on his, her gold ring still cold from the outside. "No rush, please. I do have some things to sell you first. And I don't need to sleep right away. I have books to read."
Revyn looked into her eyes, red and bright. There was no reason for him to trust her initially, but a couple weeks ago when he needed someone to discretely return a ring to the affluent Viola, Sandahla was eager to help. He could tell that it wasn't for the gold. The gleam in her eyes was the one of someone who sought out adventure, no matter how small.
Revyn let the gems drop from his hand. "Alright, what would you like to sell?"
Sandahla realized she left her hand linger too long, and slowly removed it to bring her bag on top of the counter. It looked especially fully today. Could it be more mage robes, Revyn pondered, or possibly elven armor? He tried to hide his anticipation.
Slowly Sandahla reveled what seemed to be over-sized claw bones, which she neatly arranged in the order nature had intended on the counter. She whispered to him, "Dragon bones."
"Dragon bones?!" Revyn gasped. "Where did you find these things?" He picked up a knuckle and began to scrutinize it.
"It's... a trade secret." Her face was stoic with that answer. Revyn could tell she was hiding something, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to pry. She hadn't tried to hide anything before. She had been very forthcoming about retrieving her items from assassins and imperials. She had even mentioned an infiltration job where she had stolen Thalmoor boots out of necessity. Revyn was willing to let that slide since he knew of a buyer who would keep her mouth shut.
He raised his brow. "I hope you're not offended if I ask--"
Sandahla shook her head. "It's not stolen. I wouldn't do that to you."
Again with the familar phrases. What had changed? "Considering what you've done for me before, I will honor your word."
"Thank you. And if you like that, I also have scales from the same dragon."
"You must have been very close to the beast," Revyn supposed.
"I was." A decidedly short answer. Revyn stopped prying.
"Well thank you for these finds. This is a rather lucrative bounty. Right now, for everything, I can offer you 900 gold."
"950?"
He smirked. "You do remember I'm the one who taught you to haggle?"
She smiled back. "950 so you know your lessons taught me well."
"910 at the most and I'll be satisfied with your progress."
"I'll take it then." She left the scales and bones on the counter, took out a spell tome and went toward the fire in the adjacent room. "You can give it to me in the morning. I'll be leaving early, before the sun is up."
"Making yourself at home so quickly?" Revyn organized his new merchandise behind the counter. He wasn't offended by her actions, just surprised.
"I'm sorry. I just wanted to start studying this spell before I went to bed. Could be useful for tomorrow."
"And what, may I ask, is the adventure tomorrow?"
"I have to go kill an ice wraith."
Revyn stopped his sorting and leaned over the counter to question, "Are you certain?"
Sandahla walked back out to him, tome still in hand. "When did you start questioning my actions?"
"I'm sorry, it sounds dangerous. Wouldn't want anyone to get hurt."
"Only the wraith." She walked back up to the counter, her circlet now off, her black hair framing her face. "I'll be fine. I'll take a potion of healing from you in the morning if you're so concerned."
Revyn sighed. "On the house. I would hate to think my shrewd practices would be the death of you." It surprised him how much he meant it. "Shall I get that bear skin for you then?"
She nodded. "Thank you, I still have a chill." She went back to the side room. Revyn finished putting away the bones, scales and garnet, and then went to the cupboard for the skin. He entered the side room to see Sandahla deep in study.
Knowing it may be stepping over unestablished bounds, he gingerly place the bear skin over her shoulders. Sandahla noticed and looked to him, but didn't protest. In the fire light Revyn noticed something typically hidden under her war paint. "Sandahla, may I ask how you got that scar?"
"When I was young on my own I was chased up a tree by a bear, and he swiped a paw at me before falling down eight feet onto stones. I then used the dagger my father lent me to put him out of his misery."
"How old were you?"
"But a child. Why?"
In honesty, Revyn didn't like hearing she had been put in harms way. But he couldn't say that. "I now understand why the ice wraith does not phase you."
Sandahla grinned. "I'll be back with more trinkets at the same time tomorrow."
"And feel free to stay here whenever you like." He was surprised he said that. He was not one to offer up his home so freely.
"Thank you, friend."
"Of course. Someone who helped me so eagerly needs to be repaid."
"I've already spent the gold, Revyn."
"Having a good soul does not get repaid enough."
Her grin lessened, and she looked to the fire. "Thank you for the flattery. I don't know what to do with it." She looked to him, with the question that neither had the answer for behind her eyes. She then went back to her tome.
Before he went back to check his figures, Revyn stood and looked at Sandahla for some time as she studied on his bed. The fire revealed the courageous demeanor hiding behind her eyes, the beauty in her marked face, and the strength under her robes.
Revyn could get used to seeing her there every day.
January 23, 2012
Character Week: Amy Valencia
I've had the writing bug in me, so I want to use it for productive things. This week I'm going to have a fictional story about an RPG character I played (video game or table top) posted Monday through Friday. That's right, I'm giving myself homework! Woot!
It actually all started with
It actually all started with
Amy Valencia
Amy is a character I am playing in a table top RPG, the game being called Obsidian. Obsidian is this great mix of a post-apocalyptic world with future technology. Demons have taken over everything except this one tiny spot in America, which is a literal pillar of humanity. There are good mystics who fight demons and then there are "bad" kultists who worship them. Amy is the latter, a worshiper of the Kult of the Chemical. When I was thinking of motivations for her, I suddenly had this scene in my head.
______________________________
Amy wasn't entirely sure what she was smoking. Why should she care. It was at that magical part of the evening where only a couple people had lasted to the end. The ones where sleep was something that could be postponed, and good company was better than caffeine.
She took another hit of the hookah, and carefully blew the smoke toward Alik, a short, smart man with a muscle tone that was just enough. Amy hadn't decided if she would sleep with him tonight. It could go either way.
Alik's eyes had a longing, but not lustful. He sighed, barely parting his lips. "This is all pointless, isn't it?"
Amy pouted. "Oh, poor dear, I knew this moment would happen. She lay her head on his lap and looked up to him. Her long dark hair blanketed his legs. "You thinkers can get in a funk. Tell me about it."
"We're all in a funk, Amy. Humanity's locked up inside this tiny tube, and the whole world is taken over by everything evil! Why bother living? Why bother surviving? Haven't we already lost?"
"Well, yes, but why focus on that?"
Alik sat up straight. "I thought you a more hopeful type."
Amy giggled. "Why? Because I'm not as smart as you? Oh, you sweet thing, just because I'm not book smart doesn't mean I can't see the truth."
"And what is the truth?"
"The long run game is already won. We got to appreciate the now, any way we can." Amy took another draw of the hookah.
"You're giving up?"
"No, my dear," she exhaled, "I've found a new way."
"To win?"
"To enjoy."
Amy had ensnared his attention. She sat up but kept her face close, keeping their gaze. Alik couldn't look away. She continued.
"So you've figured out the truth: we're screwed. We can't expect to keep this up forever. So what do we do with ourselves? Lay down and die?" She paused. "That was your answer, wasn't it? Just end it all?"
"What else is there to do when life is pointless?"
"We still have things to live for. Appetites to sate, thirsts to quench. Ones you've probably never thought of before. Imagine not eating for a week and then finding a full meal with real meat and everything. Imagine how good it feels. Close your eyes and think about how that would taste."
Alik closed his eyes, leaning toward her, an inch between their noses. "Nothing could taste better."
"I can get you something that would make you feel twenty times better than that meal."
He opened his eyes. "You can?"
"Yes. I have many ways to make you feel better than that. And you'll forget this 'meaningless' stuff and really start living. For the things that make you feel the best."
She wrapped her arms around him. He put his hands on her hips. "How?"
"I've made friends with great power and connections, mystical you could say. I can introduce you to them, see how much you like us."
"Are they all like you?"
"Like what?"
"Beautiful?"
"Oh no, you got lucky on that one."
She knew by the end of the night, the demonic affiliations would no longer bother Alik. She had shown him the only rational path for his rut.
There was no longer a question of whether they would sleep together.
January 8, 2012
Skyrim. Blame Skyrim.
I'm sorry dear readers that I haven't posted anything of late, but my brother did me the disadvantage of buying me Skyrim, the latest of the The Elder Scrolls video game series, and dear sweet merciful Tolkien did they ever make a fabulous game. I usually not as much of a fan for something this superiorly open-ended in a fantasy RPG, but this is AMAZING! It's a beautiful world that is constantly engaging and unique.
My steam account is d20Sapphire, if you want to friend me on their just say you're a fan of the blog when you do and I'll friend you, and then you'll get to see the tons of screenshots I have taken from that game with my Khajit named Akousa. I'll post some pictures up here on the near future.
Other awesome nerdy Christmas gifts: More RAM for my netbook thanks to Mystic, Batman: Arkham Asylum also from my brother, and zombie slippers courtesy of my friends in central IL. Overall, it was an awesome haul. Did any of you get awesome nerdy presents? Feel free to let me know in the comments so I can tell you how jealous I am.
A new year, new posts and hopefully more time toward table-top is my new years resolution. Hooray for 2012!
My steam account is d20Sapphire, if you want to friend me on their just say you're a fan of the blog when you do and I'll friend you, and then you'll get to see the tons of screenshots I have taken from that game with my Khajit named Akousa. I'll post some pictures up here on the near future.
Other awesome nerdy Christmas gifts: More RAM for my netbook thanks to Mystic, Batman: Arkham Asylum also from my brother, and zombie slippers courtesy of my friends in central IL. Overall, it was an awesome haul. Did any of you get awesome nerdy presents? Feel free to let me know in the comments so I can tell you how jealous I am.
A new year, new posts and hopefully more time toward table-top is my new years resolution. Hooray for 2012!
September 5, 2011
My New Sabbat Character
The last LARP game I wasn't able to go because I had twisted my ankle at work, driving to and from LARP wasn't going to be easy with two crutches. I realized I missed my peeps too much so I decided to try Sabbat, knowing that I would probably get pulled into going every game and now gaming 3 weekends out of the month. Is that such a bad thing? No.
So up to the night before I wasn't sure what to make for a character. Luckily a friend of mine told me a general idea of Sabbat. It's not related to my Vampire: The Requiem character or world at all. That's new World of Darkness, with different rules and a different setting. New World of Darkness doesn't have the presence of Sabbat, just the Camarilla with smaller sects of off groups that go against the, like the Brood and Seven. Old World of Darkness had the Camirilla, a group of Vampires who were extremely hierarchical by age and were about being hidden from mortal society by almost hiding in it, and the Sabbat, who were about freedom and earning your status and being proud of the fact that you are Vampire and not hiding it. You still couldn't reveal to mortals you were a vampire and make it obvious, but killing a mortal when drinking or eating them is not a bad idea. Ripping people's faces off with your brute vampire force is cool if you know the fucker is going to die and not tell anyone. Have some fun, just don't be stupid.
Now with this in mind I decided that for once I wanted to play a character who could actually kill somebody. I love Ellen, she's a brilliant quiet power player who kind of fell into being Seneschal of Chicago (and gladly), but she is not a fighter and she rarely uses any of her powers. With that in mind I made a character that wouldn't mind getting her hands dirty. Also, my friend asked me "what kind of monster do you want to be?" And my reply was "motherly". With that, and mostly on the car ride over to game, I figured out the story of Rose, my Sabbat vampire.
Rose had always lived in the woods, near a river and a bog, always lived off the land. Her parents were originally from city life and decided to rough it in the woods. Rose was an only child, and her family was extremely isolated in there cabin. They were self reliant and knew only a few neighbors. They were pretty happy with only the three of them.
Rose had seen her father hit her mother sometimes, but only after her mother had been hysterical. Rose never thought much of it, so when she finally married Peter from three houses down, she tried her best to be a team with him. At nineteen she was happily married with child, and still able to talk to her family. Peter didn't start hitting her until after the boys were born, beautiful identical twins with blond hair and brown eyes. Rose named them Andrew and Anthony. She loved them. Peter was jealous of the attention, something Rose never really thought about until she was already embraced.
Any time Peter felt that the boys were coming before him, or that Rose wasn't listening or moving fast enough, she would get some sort of hit. Possibly to the face, but usually on her torso. When the boys were just one her mother asked about a bruise on her arm. Rose didn't tell, but that was when Peter insisted she didn't see her parents anymore. Letters would have to suffice.
Rose was alone with the boys a lot, gathering food and water while they were nearby. She didn't have the internet or even a telephone, nor did she have any news outlet. She hadn't been to the town center since she married Peter, with him pleading that he could not live with her that far away. Rose didn't know any better, and her only comparison was now shut away from her.
When Anthony and Andrew were four, they were little explorers. They would touch anything that Rose didn't already say don't touch four times. So it wasn't any surprised that Anthony found an old thing of Peter's to play with. Rose never remembers exactly what it was, but it was something Peter had treasured since he was a child. Rose can only imagine the rage that Peter had after coming back from butchering a chicken to see Anthony had broken one of his favorite things, in pieces on the floor.
Rose heard the screams and rushed inside to see Peter had swiftly chopped Anthony to pieces in the kitchen, his butcher knife spraying the blood along the walls. She feared to make a sound, just rushed over to Andrew, covered his eyes and looked away. When Peter was done, he took the pieces of their son out and burned them. Rose tried to wash the walls, but she was thinking. Would Andrew ever survive this life? When would be the next time Peter would snap? Rose had no problem with dying by Peter's hand, but she only wanted the boys to go in her arms if they had too.
The next morning Rose took Andrew out to the bog. She told them that they were going to take a nap under the water, something no one had tried before. They laid in and Rose kept him under. His nature caused him to struggle, but Rose held him tight and close under her until he stopped, whispering "Trust me". She stood there for hours, grieving, crying. When her eyes were dry enough and her nose stopped running, she went back to the house and cooked dinner. She stayed away from Peter, who made a stand for his butcher's knife.
That night noises came from outside. Peter always slept like a rock, but Rose shot up and got a lantern to look out. She walked around, first to the chicken coop, then south of it into the forest. She saw shadows moving, trying to follow them. Who knew they were here? Not even the mail man came by more than once a week, who would stop by here? And then suddenly she was knocked back into a tree. The lantern went out. She felt the blood leaving her, a pain in her neck, a hand holding her on her waist. She passed out.
She awoke abandoned in the middle of the night, a pain coming over her entire body. She knew something was different, something was wrong. She felt hungry, but nothing she knew would satisfy her. She went back to the house, and she saw Peter, sleeping. Instinct that had never been there before kicked in. She jumped on his back and chomped on his shoulder. She held on as he tried to get up. She was stronger than before, the blood was helping. He struggled, she sipped. It wasn't a lot, but she didn't want much from him. She jumped back and ran out the house. Peter yelled out to her, threatening to get the knife. She knew he couldn't kill her though.
Right before sunrise she made a shelter, but as the sky lightened it was now obvious what she had become. She dug swiftly into the earth and made a canopy of leaves and dead branches. It worked. The next night she decided to head west. Her mother always hinted the west was where people seek freedom. Rose didn't know if she needed freedom, but she knew she had it.
Rose would walk or run for miles, trying to stay near wooded areas and follow highways. She would run when she knew no one could see. When she was starved nearby animals would be ripped apart and sucked dry. Hunting them kept her focused. She got to route 66, and stayed outside a rest station, where she heard somebody arguing. He was saying something about being a Cainite, being more than human, needing to protect that. And that's when Rose came up to him, explained her story, explained her urges, and hoped he understood. He did
He was the leader of a pack, a ductess they called him. They were The Defensive Line, fighting against anything that threatened the Sabbat. What was the Sabbat? Vampires who were proud. So we are vampires? Yes, didn't your sire tell you? What is a sire? The vampire who made you this way.
The pack taught her everything she needed to know. What to avoid, how to hide, and even what her lineage was--Lasombra. Everyone seemed confused that she was left to fend for herself and that she survived as well as she did, but they were happy to help. And she was happy to help them when they said they would help with the siege of Chicago.
Rose had never been in an urban area before but she fought well. Her newfound comrades, however, were cornered in the fight and all perished. Afraid of what was to become of her, once again Rose fled, finding the nearest wooded area and sleeping there. She got out to feed once in a while, hunting animals, keeping to herself. Was there more sabbat?
After a year she went out to hunt only to careless miss a human that had been looking around the area late at night. She didn't need him to know she was there, so she feed on him. It was much more satisfying sucking his life out of him than it was a bird or a coyote. But the woods didn't have enough people. She decided to find the Sabbat again, maybe find some other pack. Did they still need fighters? What if all of the Sabbat perished? What if she could've stopped that.
One old contact was still around, a Revenant named Zoey. And with her help Rose came back to find that the Sabbat was still around, but fighting petty fights amongst each other over hats and still quibbles. But maybe she can still help. There are some that need some guidance, some that need some teaching. Maybe she can help. It still seems to be better than being alone in the woods forever.
So up to the night before I wasn't sure what to make for a character. Luckily a friend of mine told me a general idea of Sabbat. It's not related to my Vampire: The Requiem character or world at all. That's new World of Darkness, with different rules and a different setting. New World of Darkness doesn't have the presence of Sabbat, just the Camarilla with smaller sects of off groups that go against the, like the Brood and Seven. Old World of Darkness had the Camirilla, a group of Vampires who were extremely hierarchical by age and were about being hidden from mortal society by almost hiding in it, and the Sabbat, who were about freedom and earning your status and being proud of the fact that you are Vampire and not hiding it. You still couldn't reveal to mortals you were a vampire and make it obvious, but killing a mortal when drinking or eating them is not a bad idea. Ripping people's faces off with your brute vampire force is cool if you know the fucker is going to die and not tell anyone. Have some fun, just don't be stupid.
Now with this in mind I decided that for once I wanted to play a character who could actually kill somebody. I love Ellen, she's a brilliant quiet power player who kind of fell into being Seneschal of Chicago (and gladly), but she is not a fighter and she rarely uses any of her powers. With that in mind I made a character that wouldn't mind getting her hands dirty. Also, my friend asked me "what kind of monster do you want to be?" And my reply was "motherly". With that, and mostly on the car ride over to game, I figured out the story of Rose, my Sabbat vampire.
Rose had always lived in the woods, near a river and a bog, always lived off the land. Her parents were originally from city life and decided to rough it in the woods. Rose was an only child, and her family was extremely isolated in there cabin. They were self reliant and knew only a few neighbors. They were pretty happy with only the three of them.
Rose had seen her father hit her mother sometimes, but only after her mother had been hysterical. Rose never thought much of it, so when she finally married Peter from three houses down, she tried her best to be a team with him. At nineteen she was happily married with child, and still able to talk to her family. Peter didn't start hitting her until after the boys were born, beautiful identical twins with blond hair and brown eyes. Rose named them Andrew and Anthony. She loved them. Peter was jealous of the attention, something Rose never really thought about until she was already embraced.
Any time Peter felt that the boys were coming before him, or that Rose wasn't listening or moving fast enough, she would get some sort of hit. Possibly to the face, but usually on her torso. When the boys were just one her mother asked about a bruise on her arm. Rose didn't tell, but that was when Peter insisted she didn't see her parents anymore. Letters would have to suffice.
Rose was alone with the boys a lot, gathering food and water while they were nearby. She didn't have the internet or even a telephone, nor did she have any news outlet. She hadn't been to the town center since she married Peter, with him pleading that he could not live with her that far away. Rose didn't know any better, and her only comparison was now shut away from her.
When Anthony and Andrew were four, they were little explorers. They would touch anything that Rose didn't already say don't touch four times. So it wasn't any surprised that Anthony found an old thing of Peter's to play with. Rose never remembers exactly what it was, but it was something Peter had treasured since he was a child. Rose can only imagine the rage that Peter had after coming back from butchering a chicken to see Anthony had broken one of his favorite things, in pieces on the floor.
Rose heard the screams and rushed inside to see Peter had swiftly chopped Anthony to pieces in the kitchen, his butcher knife spraying the blood along the walls. She feared to make a sound, just rushed over to Andrew, covered his eyes and looked away. When Peter was done, he took the pieces of their son out and burned them. Rose tried to wash the walls, but she was thinking. Would Andrew ever survive this life? When would be the next time Peter would snap? Rose had no problem with dying by Peter's hand, but she only wanted the boys to go in her arms if they had too.
The next morning Rose took Andrew out to the bog. She told them that they were going to take a nap under the water, something no one had tried before. They laid in and Rose kept him under. His nature caused him to struggle, but Rose held him tight and close under her until he stopped, whispering "Trust me". She stood there for hours, grieving, crying. When her eyes were dry enough and her nose stopped running, she went back to the house and cooked dinner. She stayed away from Peter, who made a stand for his butcher's knife.
That night noises came from outside. Peter always slept like a rock, but Rose shot up and got a lantern to look out. She walked around, first to the chicken coop, then south of it into the forest. She saw shadows moving, trying to follow them. Who knew they were here? Not even the mail man came by more than once a week, who would stop by here? And then suddenly she was knocked back into a tree. The lantern went out. She felt the blood leaving her, a pain in her neck, a hand holding her on her waist. She passed out.
She awoke abandoned in the middle of the night, a pain coming over her entire body. She knew something was different, something was wrong. She felt hungry, but nothing she knew would satisfy her. She went back to the house, and she saw Peter, sleeping. Instinct that had never been there before kicked in. She jumped on his back and chomped on his shoulder. She held on as he tried to get up. She was stronger than before, the blood was helping. He struggled, she sipped. It wasn't a lot, but she didn't want much from him. She jumped back and ran out the house. Peter yelled out to her, threatening to get the knife. She knew he couldn't kill her though.
Right before sunrise she made a shelter, but as the sky lightened it was now obvious what she had become. She dug swiftly into the earth and made a canopy of leaves and dead branches. It worked. The next night she decided to head west. Her mother always hinted the west was where people seek freedom. Rose didn't know if she needed freedom, but she knew she had it.
Rose would walk or run for miles, trying to stay near wooded areas and follow highways. She would run when she knew no one could see. When she was starved nearby animals would be ripped apart and sucked dry. Hunting them kept her focused. She got to route 66, and stayed outside a rest station, where she heard somebody arguing. He was saying something about being a Cainite, being more than human, needing to protect that. And that's when Rose came up to him, explained her story, explained her urges, and hoped he understood. He did
He was the leader of a pack, a ductess they called him. They were The Defensive Line, fighting against anything that threatened the Sabbat. What was the Sabbat? Vampires who were proud. So we are vampires? Yes, didn't your sire tell you? What is a sire? The vampire who made you this way.
The pack taught her everything she needed to know. What to avoid, how to hide, and even what her lineage was--Lasombra. Everyone seemed confused that she was left to fend for herself and that she survived as well as she did, but they were happy to help. And she was happy to help them when they said they would help with the siege of Chicago.
Rose had never been in an urban area before but she fought well. Her newfound comrades, however, were cornered in the fight and all perished. Afraid of what was to become of her, once again Rose fled, finding the nearest wooded area and sleeping there. She got out to feed once in a while, hunting animals, keeping to herself. Was there more sabbat?
After a year she went out to hunt only to careless miss a human that had been looking around the area late at night. She didn't need him to know she was there, so she feed on him. It was much more satisfying sucking his life out of him than it was a bird or a coyote. But the woods didn't have enough people. She decided to find the Sabbat again, maybe find some other pack. Did they still need fighters? What if all of the Sabbat perished? What if she could've stopped that.
One old contact was still around, a Revenant named Zoey. And with her help Rose came back to find that the Sabbat was still around, but fighting petty fights amongst each other over hats and still quibbles. But maybe she can still help. There are some that need some guidance, some that need some teaching. Maybe she can help. It still seems to be better than being alone in the woods forever.
May 8, 2011
Bad Surprises for the GM.
First of all Happy Mother's day! I hope you all are giving your mother or special women in your life candy and flowers and hugs.
Second, I was hoping to do a proper recap of my DnD campaign yesterday, but things apparently exploded on me. I'm not going to get into details, because it's not necessary, but unbeknownst to me the group of players in my game we're fizzling away due to personal problems with each other, and it came to a head last night in what would've been the beginning of a dungeon crawl. Well, cave crawl, but the specifics aren't necessary. It ended with me flabbergasted with a maker in my hand still trying to draw the entrance area of the first level of the cave as people left because they were mad at other people.
I'm not going to blame anyone for it, sometimes things just happen, and I'm not going to rant about upset I was, because I'm sure many of you have been in similar situations and have been similarly frustrated. But I figured I can use this to make some sort of plea towards some... I'm not sure if game etiquette is the right word for it, but I will go with that for now.
If you have a good GM, one who listens and is genuinely making a game for you to enjoy, let them know if you're not enjoying it for any reason. Good GM's want to give you a fun challenge. Good GMs want to have a fun time with everyone. If that's not happening for some reason on a consistent basis, let them know so the GM can try to rectify it. Sometimes he can't, or he can't immediately, but a good GM will try to make sure the game is fun for the players.
I know this isn't always an option, but there a lot of GMs out there, like myself, who put in the work they do to make a fun, enjoyable world who want to know if what he or she is doing isn't working. It's really disappointing to try to make a fun game and realize no one is having fun out of the blue.
I've seen situations like this that would be rectified by a good conversation with the GM before, mostly in other games though where I wasn't running anything. This, to be honest, was the first time something had to break up completely mid-game over any kind of issue when I was participating. And now part of me is kicking myself for not seeing it and trying to fix it sooner, or wishing someone could've told me so I could've helped.
I need to see what to ret-con and where to go from here, and I'm really hoping to get back to the campaign, especially with characters that are engaging in the world I gave them and want to find out more. I'm hoping to work around my recent move, because I would hate to start out with a new group again. After a while you get attached to the PCs, no matter how ridiculous they are or how much they may annoy you with finding the chink in your GM plans. It's actually kind of more fun when that happens.
In the hopes of ending this post on a lighter note, I'm going to share a video that Dan Eastwood was nice enough to share with me earlier this week. Enjoy!
Second, I was hoping to do a proper recap of my DnD campaign yesterday, but things apparently exploded on me. I'm not going to get into details, because it's not necessary, but unbeknownst to me the group of players in my game we're fizzling away due to personal problems with each other, and it came to a head last night in what would've been the beginning of a dungeon crawl. Well, cave crawl, but the specifics aren't necessary. It ended with me flabbergasted with a maker in my hand still trying to draw the entrance area of the first level of the cave as people left because they were mad at other people.
I'm not going to blame anyone for it, sometimes things just happen, and I'm not going to rant about upset I was, because I'm sure many of you have been in similar situations and have been similarly frustrated. But I figured I can use this to make some sort of plea towards some... I'm not sure if game etiquette is the right word for it, but I will go with that for now.
If you have a good GM, one who listens and is genuinely making a game for you to enjoy, let them know if you're not enjoying it for any reason. Good GM's want to give you a fun challenge. Good GMs want to have a fun time with everyone. If that's not happening for some reason on a consistent basis, let them know so the GM can try to rectify it. Sometimes he can't, or he can't immediately, but a good GM will try to make sure the game is fun for the players.
I know this isn't always an option, but there a lot of GMs out there, like myself, who put in the work they do to make a fun, enjoyable world who want to know if what he or she is doing isn't working. It's really disappointing to try to make a fun game and realize no one is having fun out of the blue.
I've seen situations like this that would be rectified by a good conversation with the GM before, mostly in other games though where I wasn't running anything. This, to be honest, was the first time something had to break up completely mid-game over any kind of issue when I was participating. And now part of me is kicking myself for not seeing it and trying to fix it sooner, or wishing someone could've told me so I could've helped.
I need to see what to ret-con and where to go from here, and I'm really hoping to get back to the campaign, especially with characters that are engaging in the world I gave them and want to find out more. I'm hoping to work around my recent move, because I would hate to start out with a new group again. After a while you get attached to the PCs, no matter how ridiculous they are or how much they may annoy you with finding the chink in your GM plans. It's actually kind of more fun when that happens.
In the hopes of ending this post on a lighter note, I'm going to share a video that Dan Eastwood was nice enough to share with me earlier this week. Enjoy!
May 6, 2011
Managing Battle
With any RPG, you're going to have to manage battle. I'm running D&D two Saturdays in a row, and considering last week was uber investigation time (part of the reason why I'm recapping after tomorrow night) I'm going to do battle.
Oh battle.
The thing is, in any RPG, it gets complicated. D&D has a lot of rules to manage, but in games with less rules you have to figure out how certain things work together. Even if everyone knows exactly what they're doing in battle, it can get confusing. So how do you keep all of it together?
I'll offer a few of my tips, but I know some of you who've played longer probably have you're own to share. Please do so in the comments! I think anyone can benefit from them.
1) Grids for Initiative. Using them not only to establish turn order but knowing when certain sustained effects go way are great. Graph paper is your best friend.
2) Maps are also great. Even if you don't have a battle map with miniatures, use graph paper to draw out where everything is as the DM. That way, it's easy to say how far something is when a PC asks.
3) No distractions during battle, especially laptops. This is one I'm recently deciding on, but computers are multitasking machines that can delay battle if you're looking up your email.
4) Clarity is something that the DM must convey. Be clear about what is going on, who is hitting whom, and why certain things happen.
5) Planning the next move is something every PC playing should do. Have a good idea what you're going to do when the DM comes to you, don't look up spells and effects at the last minute.
Oh battle.
The thing is, in any RPG, it gets complicated. D&D has a lot of rules to manage, but in games with less rules you have to figure out how certain things work together. Even if everyone knows exactly what they're doing in battle, it can get confusing. So how do you keep all of it together?
I'll offer a few of my tips, but I know some of you who've played longer probably have you're own to share. Please do so in the comments! I think anyone can benefit from them.
1) Grids for Initiative. Using them not only to establish turn order but knowing when certain sustained effects go way are great. Graph paper is your best friend.
2) Maps are also great. Even if you don't have a battle map with miniatures, use graph paper to draw out where everything is as the DM. That way, it's easy to say how far something is when a PC asks.
3) No distractions during battle, especially laptops. This is one I'm recently deciding on, but computers are multitasking machines that can delay battle if you're looking up your email.
4) Clarity is something that the DM must convey. Be clear about what is going on, who is hitting whom, and why certain things happen.
5) Planning the next move is something every PC playing should do. Have a good idea what you're going to do when the DM comes to you, don't look up spells and effects at the last minute.
April 13, 2011
DnD Recap: New Additions
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License
The PCs decided to stay in the superbly urban Ouestpolis to find Jareth, having to leave Roto behind across seas to pursue other growingly important life pursuits.
Atreyu did some reconnaissance to find a place where Jareth was known to hang out. Instead, Escrow found an old (and strange looking bat-like) druid friend of his named Pippy, who was travelling with Oakland Bash, cleric of many missions. Escrow invited them along, though the urgings of Atreyu and Bram prevented them from revealing their true reasons as to why to seek out Jareth. Pippy had seen Jareth the other day in another inn, and the PCs head over there. Indeed Jareth was there, and he was joined by two bodyguards, who didn't seem to be natural creatures. After observing him for a while, Atreyu approached him and with a little help from Bram, learned a little bit about who may have bought young Teleport Mavericks for nefarious reasons. The team was sent on the trail of a coin.
A particularly thin coin of Vidrigan origin was found in a shop where Jareth restrung his ukelele, that was originally from a brown haired gentleman. The druids did scrying to find that the man was someone who was talking to a notable man in Vidrigan politics. The team decided it was best to not follow the man and start acts of war.
Instead, they headed back to the capital, where Pippy and Oakland were introduced to Queen Elish before being excused while the other three shared their findings. They were dismissed and after a couple hours the group was about to meet up where Atreyu was enjoying his house arrest on the Hughes estate when there was an attack in the front of the castle. More undead with long arms, talking and preaching, before the team, old and new, defeated them.
March 10, 2011
DnD Recap: The Saboteur Confesses
My campaign last Saturday had a couple of good twists, and now I finally have time to write about it! (Don't ask, work this week is friggin' bizarre).
Legal Jargon!
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License
The PCs had just recovered from a random attack of what seemed to be large metal ramming beasts, unlike anything they had seen before, all while capturing Teleport Mavericks who had been transporting boxes from the port they had just visited. They secured the TMs in cells that would be protected from magic. Bram and Atreyu decided to retire early while Escrow and Roto did a little more investigating by questioning the TM in her cell. Both were interrupted by a huge attack within the capital with a dozen of those metal chargers. The party woke up and took half of them out of the capital, the town guard able to take the other half out. Some were captured and taken back to be questioned and studied. Finally, the party had some time to rest.
The next day the party spoke to Councilman Hughes to report their findings and how next to proceed. And then Atreyu confessed that he was acting as a double agent for Vidrigez. He stated that these acts of war are not going to help Vidrigez or the Cornwellian Kingdom, so he wanted to stop a war before it was started. Atreyu was immediately escorted to the Queen to report his confession, and the rest of the party spoke about what value he has. Queen Elish was willing to give Atreyu a second chance, where Councilman Hughes would keep close watch on him through his agents in the city. Atreyu did meet with one of his contacts and is now keeping an eye out on Councilman Pullman, seeing if he can be bribed.
Meanwhile, the questioning of the Teleport Maverick revealed that a man named Jareth was recruiting Teleport Mavericks straight from the university and giving them reasonable amounts of money for transporting things that they had no knowledge about. The party is thinking of going undercover to discover Jareth and his connections, but they're still figuring out exactly how....
This may seem a little short but battle and deliberation can take up a lot of time in a game session. Also, we lost the person who plays Roto this week, so we're on the lookout for another player. We'll see who joins, and how it may change the dynamic of the game.
Legal Jargon!
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License
The PCs had just recovered from a random attack of what seemed to be large metal ramming beasts, unlike anything they had seen before, all while capturing Teleport Mavericks who had been transporting boxes from the port they had just visited. They secured the TMs in cells that would be protected from magic. Bram and Atreyu decided to retire early while Escrow and Roto did a little more investigating by questioning the TM in her cell. Both were interrupted by a huge attack within the capital with a dozen of those metal chargers. The party woke up and took half of them out of the capital, the town guard able to take the other half out. Some were captured and taken back to be questioned and studied. Finally, the party had some time to rest.
The next day the party spoke to Councilman Hughes to report their findings and how next to proceed. And then Atreyu confessed that he was acting as a double agent for Vidrigez. He stated that these acts of war are not going to help Vidrigez or the Cornwellian Kingdom, so he wanted to stop a war before it was started. Atreyu was immediately escorted to the Queen to report his confession, and the rest of the party spoke about what value he has. Queen Elish was willing to give Atreyu a second chance, where Councilman Hughes would keep close watch on him through his agents in the city. Atreyu did meet with one of his contacts and is now keeping an eye out on Councilman Pullman, seeing if he can be bribed.
Meanwhile, the questioning of the Teleport Maverick revealed that a man named Jareth was recruiting Teleport Mavericks straight from the university and giving them reasonable amounts of money for transporting things that they had no knowledge about. The party is thinking of going undercover to discover Jareth and his connections, but they're still figuring out exactly how....
_______________
February 25, 2011
Recap Session 7 though...???: A clear enemy emerges
So It's been forever since I posted about my D&D campaign, but it has not died off! We had a couple of unfortunate long breaks and lost one player, but the story still forges on with some interesting developments.
Again, legal jargon for all characters and setting that I, d20sapphire, have created.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License
Last time, it was quite apparent that Ingard, the head of the city guard, had Prince Aeriche in his custody. The next session Atreyu finally confronted him, when Ingard said the man was found drunk in the woods, recovering from a stupor. Atreyu called him out for his treachery and sent him along to the capital, where he privately talked to the King Aust. Ingard was executed, with his wife and child sent to opposite ends of the country, and the party was handsomely rewarded before heading back to the Cornwellian Kingdom, where Queen Elish asked some questions about the state of the Vidrigez kingdom.
After a couple days of rest, Samsana, the holy fighter blessed from a relatively unknown goddess, wanted help from the party to investigate the organization of the Yuan-ti armies. The party was willing to investigate for the good of the crown, even without the promise of pay. Samsana navigated the jungle with them, bumping into a couple of monsters and taking a rest at a tribe before they found themselves at half power after a tussle with some Yuan-ti. Dreamatar and Roto had to head back early due to complications, and the rest of the team realized they weren't strong enough to do it on their own. They headed back to see the tribe they had stayed with had been attacked, and Samsana found one lone scared child to save. Another Yuan-ti scuffle on the way before they could go back to the capital and report their findings.
Continuing with their investigation when the first king of Cornwell's body had been stolen, the party made way to the Xephs lands, which border the Monster's Forest. With the help of one of Bram's old adventuring friends, the adventurers traveled deep into the forest and fought some monsters. They talked to some minotaurs about people in black robes, and were pointed in the direction of the dangerous range, the thick jungle that no empire or kingdom has ever been able to conquer due to dangerous flora and fauna as well as disease. A couple days more journeying and they were in the jungle, one that is thicker and more dangerous than the Amazon. A perfect hiding place.
There they found individuals, later proven to be connected to the Yuan-ti and the Vidrigez Kingdom, training tweens and teenagers of previously unknown origins to be spies. In fact, these young people could easily change their appearance, and the training improved their metamorphoses as well as their strength. They killed most of the trainers, sparing one to take back for questioning. The children went off on their own, except for one who is almost a young man, and decided to follow Escrow back to the Cornwellian Kingdom. The party went back to Queen Elish to report what they found, only to find Queen Elish would only greet them veiled, gloved and completely covered. She didn't reveal what ailed her but was very appreciative of the information.
In the meantime, Escrow gave the changeling child a new family, Roto started a temple for his rare dragon god, Atreyu began to court Swan Hughes with Councilman Fox's close eye, and Bram began to miss the taste of seafood while inland.
Councilman Fox Hughes asked the party to investigate shipments that had been coming in around the South-Eastern ports, in ships seemingly small with cargos reported from all over the place. The PCs travelled to what was called the "beard" of the continent. They set up shop very close to the coast and kept watch. In the wee hours of the morning they noticed a strange shipment come in. Following it, they lead to an empty building that should've been stacked with 20ft cube boxes. Finding ribbon to scry made locating the foreign Teleport Mavericks in the Cornwellian Kingdom easy, and the surprise attack on them in the slums of the capital even easier. And the Warforged Chargers bursting out a floor below to attack our heros, proving to be the cargo in the crates, only was a minor setback.
Again, legal jargon for all characters and setting that I, d20sapphire, have created.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License
Last time, it was quite apparent that Ingard, the head of the city guard, had Prince Aeriche in his custody. The next session Atreyu finally confronted him, when Ingard said the man was found drunk in the woods, recovering from a stupor. Atreyu called him out for his treachery and sent him along to the capital, where he privately talked to the King Aust. Ingard was executed, with his wife and child sent to opposite ends of the country, and the party was handsomely rewarded before heading back to the Cornwellian Kingdom, where Queen Elish asked some questions about the state of the Vidrigez kingdom.
After a couple days of rest, Samsana, the holy fighter blessed from a relatively unknown goddess, wanted help from the party to investigate the organization of the Yuan-ti armies. The party was willing to investigate for the good of the crown, even without the promise of pay. Samsana navigated the jungle with them, bumping into a couple of monsters and taking a rest at a tribe before they found themselves at half power after a tussle with some Yuan-ti. Dreamatar and Roto had to head back early due to complications, and the rest of the team realized they weren't strong enough to do it on their own. They headed back to see the tribe they had stayed with had been attacked, and Samsana found one lone scared child to save. Another Yuan-ti scuffle on the way before they could go back to the capital and report their findings.
Continuing with their investigation when the first king of Cornwell's body had been stolen, the party made way to the Xephs lands, which border the Monster's Forest. With the help of one of Bram's old adventuring friends, the adventurers traveled deep into the forest and fought some monsters. They talked to some minotaurs about people in black robes, and were pointed in the direction of the dangerous range, the thick jungle that no empire or kingdom has ever been able to conquer due to dangerous flora and fauna as well as disease. A couple days more journeying and they were in the jungle, one that is thicker and more dangerous than the Amazon. A perfect hiding place.
There they found individuals, later proven to be connected to the Yuan-ti and the Vidrigez Kingdom, training tweens and teenagers of previously unknown origins to be spies. In fact, these young people could easily change their appearance, and the training improved their metamorphoses as well as their strength. They killed most of the trainers, sparing one to take back for questioning. The children went off on their own, except for one who is almost a young man, and decided to follow Escrow back to the Cornwellian Kingdom. The party went back to Queen Elish to report what they found, only to find Queen Elish would only greet them veiled, gloved and completely covered. She didn't reveal what ailed her but was very appreciative of the information.
In the meantime, Escrow gave the changeling child a new family, Roto started a temple for his rare dragon god, Atreyu began to court Swan Hughes with Councilman Fox's close eye, and Bram began to miss the taste of seafood while inland.
Councilman Fox Hughes asked the party to investigate shipments that had been coming in around the South-Eastern ports, in ships seemingly small with cargos reported from all over the place. The PCs travelled to what was called the "beard" of the continent. They set up shop very close to the coast and kept watch. In the wee hours of the morning they noticed a strange shipment come in. Following it, they lead to an empty building that should've been stacked with 20ft cube boxes. Finding ribbon to scry made locating the foreign Teleport Mavericks in the Cornwellian Kingdom easy, and the surprise attack on them in the slums of the capital even easier. And the Warforged Chargers bursting out a floor below to attack our heros, proving to be the cargo in the crates, only was a minor setback.
______________________________________________________
Oh man, that was a lot of typing. Luckily next session will be less catch up and more "Oh, so about Vidrigez... what are we going to do about it?"
Yeah, I love being a DM.
February 21, 2011
My First (amazing) experience with Hero's Banner
The great thing about RPG Chicago (gotta plug my awesome group) is that you get a chance to meet new people and try new games that you'd probably never find out about before. That's the real reason I decided to step up and run it when the previous leader stepped down--it's a resource that not a lot of nerds have in a hobby requiring you to be social. With that in mind, a few Friday's ago I decided I needed some nerd time with new people, so I showed up to GamesPlus to play Hero's Banner.
Hero's Banner: The Fury of Free Will is an RPG where the mechanics are there to drive a story along. There are a lot of games that claim this, when they really mean mechanics aren't based around Dungeons and Dragons style battles. Hero's Banner actually succeeds at that goal. Each person plays a character who is a young noble, in a land of four countries who are constantly at odds with each other. They're at a point in their life where they have three possible paths to take, and someone pushing them towards one or another. While your story unfolds with the rest of the group, your character is forced to make choices that will eventually sway them to one cause more than the other. After a certain point, your character will have to decide on one path, and tell the epilogue of how that path went.
There were three of us, so three characters who's stories did intertwine, affecting each other in little ways. There was Victor, who's fighting family's tradition was clashing with his desire to stay home and write. There was Uriel, who's mother was a notable Guildmistress, though he thought of leaving the family spice trade for heroic glory. And there was Danica, my character, who was ready to marry but had the skill to be a great advisor.
Throughout over 6 hours of gaming that happened over 2 session, Victor, Uriel and Danica found their paths, although none of them were without losses. Victor teetered the line between brazen fighter and comfortable coward, pursuing an army assignment from his father but not to completion, finding information about a spy and taking that back to the information while allowing the court to believe that high general Dragos was killed He didn't admit to not being able to torture subjects and letting Dragos abandon Victor's leadership to pursue the original mission. After a tall tale of victory, the traitor was found to be the brother in law of the King, Mihale. After Mihale was almost publicly executed and awaiting the cruel judgement from the King of Prodan in a jail cell, Mihale's wife pleaded with Victor to recant the story, and with a heavy heart and a convenient distraction due to other more pressing political matters, freed the traitor that he had named, running away from his family and homeland and instead settling down far away to write a a tale that warned of the dangers of lying.
Uriel, after once again being on the run with his mother from a shipment gone wrong , settled in Prodan for a while to sell the spices that he had saved from a burning ship. Although heroics had helped him before, they later sent him the jail when he and a friend were arrested from a bar fight that got way out of hand. Apparently Uriel had friends who thought using chairs in a fight was awesome, and not capable of bringing someone close to death. In jail he heard of the possibility of slaying a "demon" and was released to the church's custody to hopefully become such a hero, only to find the church wished him to slay his own mother. Stabbing the one priest that was in his way and about to make a run for it, he finds his boyhood crush, Magda, as a stable girl married to a less than desirable husband. Uriel ended up punching the husband, saving the girl, and with the help of a convenient lady of the court, escaping the capital of Prodan and meeting up with his mother, only to have his mother leave town without him to save her own hide. Uriel settled down with Magda and had a family, finally finding the love of his life.
Danica's story started out with an attempt of love, from the Prince of Prodan no less. After her father, a close and trusted advisor to the King, introduced to two and everything was going splendidly at a court function, the King intervened and made sure that both the Prince and Danica's father knew that such an affair was not to be decided on a whim. The Prince sent a note to Danica later to meet her at night, where he not only confessed his attraction, but that he needed her help in assassinating his own father. Danica said she'd helped, but towed the line in court when apologizing to the king about what happened between her and the Prince in court. Danica planned a couple of events to keep suspicion away from her Prince, including a reconciliation between father and son for all to see in church. She thought she had found a sucker to commit the murder when helping the church preach to those stuck in the local prison, convincing one prisoner that the king was a demon and releasing him to the custody of the church. She discovered how this plan backfired when she found Josef stabbed through the gut, and through prayer a miracle occurred and she saved his life with the power of the Ancients. Offended that her Prince never respected the church, she immediately went to the King and confessed the sins of the heir, renouncing everything she had done and preaching the truth of the Ancients, in the hope of unity across all the four kingdoms.
In the end, this game is ridiculously rewarding because it allows the player to become a character with goals and conflicts that they have to figure it out. Now, the only downside is that this isn't a game for people new to RPGs, especially when it comes to the GM. The GM has to be ready to take something and make a scene out of it quickly. Like within a minute or less. That said, once you have a GM who can master that art, you're bound to have a engaging experience that is unlike any other RPG out there.
I already know this is a game I'm going to be playing and GMing again and again and again for years to come.
Hero's Banner: The Fury of Free Will is an RPG where the mechanics are there to drive a story along. There are a lot of games that claim this, when they really mean mechanics aren't based around Dungeons and Dragons style battles. Hero's Banner actually succeeds at that goal. Each person plays a character who is a young noble, in a land of four countries who are constantly at odds with each other. They're at a point in their life where they have three possible paths to take, and someone pushing them towards one or another. While your story unfolds with the rest of the group, your character is forced to make choices that will eventually sway them to one cause more than the other. After a certain point, your character will have to decide on one path, and tell the epilogue of how that path went.
There were three of us, so three characters who's stories did intertwine, affecting each other in little ways. There was Victor, who's fighting family's tradition was clashing with his desire to stay home and write. There was Uriel, who's mother was a notable Guildmistress, though he thought of leaving the family spice trade for heroic glory. And there was Danica, my character, who was ready to marry but had the skill to be a great advisor.
Throughout over 6 hours of gaming that happened over 2 session, Victor, Uriel and Danica found their paths, although none of them were without losses. Victor teetered the line between brazen fighter and comfortable coward, pursuing an army assignment from his father but not to completion, finding information about a spy and taking that back to the information while allowing the court to believe that high general Dragos was killed He didn't admit to not being able to torture subjects and letting Dragos abandon Victor's leadership to pursue the original mission. After a tall tale of victory, the traitor was found to be the brother in law of the King, Mihale. After Mihale was almost publicly executed and awaiting the cruel judgement from the King of Prodan in a jail cell, Mihale's wife pleaded with Victor to recant the story, and with a heavy heart and a convenient distraction due to other more pressing political matters, freed the traitor that he had named, running away from his family and homeland and instead settling down far away to write a a tale that warned of the dangers of lying.
Uriel, after once again being on the run with his mother from a shipment gone wrong , settled in Prodan for a while to sell the spices that he had saved from a burning ship. Although heroics had helped him before, they later sent him the jail when he and a friend were arrested from a bar fight that got way out of hand. Apparently Uriel had friends who thought using chairs in a fight was awesome, and not capable of bringing someone close to death. In jail he heard of the possibility of slaying a "demon" and was released to the church's custody to hopefully become such a hero, only to find the church wished him to slay his own mother. Stabbing the one priest that was in his way and about to make a run for it, he finds his boyhood crush, Magda, as a stable girl married to a less than desirable husband. Uriel ended up punching the husband, saving the girl, and with the help of a convenient lady of the court, escaping the capital of Prodan and meeting up with his mother, only to have his mother leave town without him to save her own hide. Uriel settled down with Magda and had a family, finally finding the love of his life.
Danica's story started out with an attempt of love, from the Prince of Prodan no less. After her father, a close and trusted advisor to the King, introduced to two and everything was going splendidly at a court function, the King intervened and made sure that both the Prince and Danica's father knew that such an affair was not to be decided on a whim. The Prince sent a note to Danica later to meet her at night, where he not only confessed his attraction, but that he needed her help in assassinating his own father. Danica said she'd helped, but towed the line in court when apologizing to the king about what happened between her and the Prince in court. Danica planned a couple of events to keep suspicion away from her Prince, including a reconciliation between father and son for all to see in church. She thought she had found a sucker to commit the murder when helping the church preach to those stuck in the local prison, convincing one prisoner that the king was a demon and releasing him to the custody of the church. She discovered how this plan backfired when she found Josef stabbed through the gut, and through prayer a miracle occurred and she saved his life with the power of the Ancients. Offended that her Prince never respected the church, she immediately went to the King and confessed the sins of the heir, renouncing everything she had done and preaching the truth of the Ancients, in the hope of unity across all the four kingdoms.
In the end, this game is ridiculously rewarding because it allows the player to become a character with goals and conflicts that they have to figure it out. Now, the only downside is that this isn't a game for people new to RPGs, especially when it comes to the GM. The GM has to be ready to take something and make a scene out of it quickly. Like within a minute or less. That said, once you have a GM who can master that art, you're bound to have a engaging experience that is unlike any other RPG out there.
I already know this is a game I'm going to be playing and GMing again and again and again for years to come.
February 9, 2011
Let's Categorize Gamers: Internal and External Explorers.
I was going to start this a different way, but then I realized that this works better in a dual-relationship sort of thing. With RPGs, I'm realizing that there are two different types of personalities, that of course work more in a spectrum than just one or the other, but it something that exists. On either end of the spectrum is essentially the kind of games I find exciting, and the kind of games the Boyfriend finds exciting.
With most RPGs, in the traditional western sense and not exactly JRPGs (or at least not in my experience) there are the Internal Explorers and the External Explorers. Some of you may have an idea about what I'm getting at, but since I'm blogging about it the whole point is explaining what I think.
The Internal Explorer is very interested in understanding the main character's motivations and goals. This is the player who loves a deep detailed backstory that influences decisions later on. This is also the player who is more likely to mingle with other characters in the world and make bonds with them, whether its romance or political allegiances or even declared enemies. Through these relationships and past experiences, the main character will make choices and grow, making them a dynamic character reacting to social and emotional stimuli.
The External Explorer is more intrigued about the world around them. The main character is a vehicle for the player to understand more of the material world around them. Sometimes this is through fighting strange monsters and gaining rare treasures, sometimes it's a little more anthropological in the intrigue, finding out everything concerning history and traditions of the world around them. The main character is more about discovering something grand and (mostly) tangible.
I'm sure some of you are thinking that you do some of both, which is why I suggest it's a spectrum. There are a alot of players that do both, but very rarely does a player do both to so much detail due to just pure joy and not just because they're completionist, which applies more to video games then RPGs. And I can understand using certain games to enjoy both sides of the spectrum. As much as I consider myself more of an Internal Explorer, I prefer doing more External Exploration goals in Dungeons and Dragons or SLA.
I think the point is to be honest about what kind of game play you're actually doing, and knowing how in depth you want to be. This is important as a gamer because if you know exactly what kind of experience you're looking for, it's easier to get it. If you know you enjoy characters that have a tortured past, make sure that tortured past is something that works with the GMs world. If you know you love rewarding your players with massive amounts of treasure, be upfront as a GM with you players about creating a materially motivated campaign.
This is not to say, however, that a game can only exclusively cater to one explorer or another. Sure, there are games that are more linked to one of the other. But with many games, RPGs or video games, you can easily cater to both. The first example that comes to my mind is Dragon Age. It is litered with rewards and surprised for both gamers. The completionist External Explorer can find some of the best treasures, and rare goods with fantastic bonuses are in every level. The Internal Explorer can communicate to all his or her compatriots and through befriending them gain bonuses. And both paths can change the story in monumental ways.
I think herein lies the challenge to many game designers: Sure, you can easily make a game that caters specifically to one of these players on either extreme of the spectrum. But it takes a very thoughtful designer to make a game that is fun and lets both types of players the discover the world both ways.
I'm writing this realizing I don't really have a conclusion for the end of this, but more of a suggestion. For gamers, realize what kind of game play you prefer more, and the figure out how to use as a strength if it's part of your RPG style. For designers, catering to both is going to be more profitable over time... why not explore these choices in games and reward smart players from either camp? Let both the Internal and External Explorers have something to look forward to. You may be surprised how appreciated this can be.
With most RPGs, in the traditional western sense and not exactly JRPGs (or at least not in my experience) there are the Internal Explorers and the External Explorers. Some of you may have an idea about what I'm getting at, but since I'm blogging about it the whole point is explaining what I think.
The Internal Explorer is very interested in understanding the main character's motivations and goals. This is the player who loves a deep detailed backstory that influences decisions later on. This is also the player who is more likely to mingle with other characters in the world and make bonds with them, whether its romance or political allegiances or even declared enemies. Through these relationships and past experiences, the main character will make choices and grow, making them a dynamic character reacting to social and emotional stimuli.
The External Explorer is more intrigued about the world around them. The main character is a vehicle for the player to understand more of the material world around them. Sometimes this is through fighting strange monsters and gaining rare treasures, sometimes it's a little more anthropological in the intrigue, finding out everything concerning history and traditions of the world around them. The main character is more about discovering something grand and (mostly) tangible.
I'm sure some of you are thinking that you do some of both, which is why I suggest it's a spectrum. There are a alot of players that do both, but very rarely does a player do both to so much detail due to just pure joy and not just because they're completionist, which applies more to video games then RPGs. And I can understand using certain games to enjoy both sides of the spectrum. As much as I consider myself more of an Internal Explorer, I prefer doing more External Exploration goals in Dungeons and Dragons or SLA.
I think the point is to be honest about what kind of game play you're actually doing, and knowing how in depth you want to be. This is important as a gamer because if you know exactly what kind of experience you're looking for, it's easier to get it. If you know you enjoy characters that have a tortured past, make sure that tortured past is something that works with the GMs world. If you know you love rewarding your players with massive amounts of treasure, be upfront as a GM with you players about creating a materially motivated campaign.
This is not to say, however, that a game can only exclusively cater to one explorer or another. Sure, there are games that are more linked to one of the other. But with many games, RPGs or video games, you can easily cater to both. The first example that comes to my mind is Dragon Age. It is litered with rewards and surprised for both gamers. The completionist External Explorer can find some of the best treasures, and rare goods with fantastic bonuses are in every level. The Internal Explorer can communicate to all his or her compatriots and through befriending them gain bonuses. And both paths can change the story in monumental ways.
I think herein lies the challenge to many game designers: Sure, you can easily make a game that caters specifically to one of these players on either extreme of the spectrum. But it takes a very thoughtful designer to make a game that is fun and lets both types of players the discover the world both ways.
I'm writing this realizing I don't really have a conclusion for the end of this, but more of a suggestion. For gamers, realize what kind of game play you prefer more, and the figure out how to use as a strength if it's part of your RPG style. For designers, catering to both is going to be more profitable over time... why not explore these choices in games and reward smart players from either camp? Let both the Internal and External Explorers have something to look forward to. You may be surprised how appreciated this can be.
January 6, 2011
What I Try Never To Be
Sometimes, in any hobby but prominently in RPG games, you find someone who takes the hobby a tad too seriously.
Part of me hopes this is a joke, but part of me knows this could be all too real. A note to all readers: people play RPGs for fun. When it stops being fun anymore and it becomes a lifetime investment of doom, just stop. You'll be doing everyone a favor.
A LARP friend of mine found this atrocious example of one such individual.
Part of me hopes this is a joke, but part of me knows this could be all too real. A note to all readers: people play RPGs for fun. When it stops being fun anymore and it becomes a lifetime investment of doom, just stop. You'll be doing everyone a favor.
December 11, 2010
The Glory of a One Shot
Those of you who follow my twitter (d20sapphire, unsurprisingly) may know that while running RPG Chicago I have lobbied the idea of a One Shot Night in multiple locations in the area. I know a lot of people love being in long standing campaigns. You guys know that I love running one. But the one-shot... it's a glory all on it's own.
The thing about a campaign is that everyone starts it knowing that it's an investment. With each session you have to give enough to keep the players involved, but not every session has to be on point. In fact, it's almost impossible to keep it on point, because every player is going to have goals that diverge from your main plot. As a DM you become half story-teller, half manager. It's still fun, but it's not the same as a one shot.
The one shot is a one-time chance to prove to the players that this story is awesome. It is a one time chance to give them something sensational, and it has to hit immediately. Slow story is not an option.
Players love it too. For once they have a character that they don't have to fear about losing, they can just be reckless and take bigger chances. It's time to shine, because this character only has once.
The glory of the one shot is exactly that: you have one shot to make an impression. And it makes the difference in how people play.
The thing about a campaign is that everyone starts it knowing that it's an investment. With each session you have to give enough to keep the players involved, but not every session has to be on point. In fact, it's almost impossible to keep it on point, because every player is going to have goals that diverge from your main plot. As a DM you become half story-teller, half manager. It's still fun, but it's not the same as a one shot.
The one shot is a one-time chance to prove to the players that this story is awesome. It is a one time chance to give them something sensational, and it has to hit immediately. Slow story is not an option.
Players love it too. For once they have a character that they don't have to fear about losing, they can just be reckless and take bigger chances. It's time to shine, because this character only has once.
The glory of the one shot is exactly that: you have one shot to make an impression. And it makes the difference in how people play.
December 2, 2010
Hooray for RPGs in Chicago!
Great news! I am now the coordinator for RPG Chicago. If you're in the area, please check it out!
In general, I suggest you RPG lovers see if there's a similar group in your area. If not, see if you can start one. It's totally worth it to bring gamers together. Good friends to run a one-shot or a campaign with are hard to find, and I'm all for making it easier. Meetup.com helps make it easier.
In general, I suggest you RPG lovers see if there's a similar group in your area. If not, see if you can start one. It's totally worth it to bring gamers together. Good friends to run a one-shot or a campaign with are hard to find, and I'm all for making it easier. Meetup.com helps make it easier.
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