After Dragonmeet. I'm actually having the rant looked over.
Another rant has bubbled up over the past few days but I wouldn't be allowed to talk about what inspired it or provide evidence for the title so it's pointless.
My bet is that the rant is on the recent spat of reviews of your work. I'm sure that has been frustrating.
I have been a detached observer, pleased that we are finally reaching a point in the hobby where people are doing seriously critical reviews based on specific points, instead of either sychophantic praise (like you get in most video game reviews) or simple bitching about how something sucks in the mind of the reviewer.
>>My bet is that the rant is on the recent spat of reviews of your work. I'm sure that has been frustrating.
The only frustrating bit is where satisfying the criticism would mean to make what would be to me a cruddy adventure.
I do admit that danger and darkness and gloom and KEEP OUT, MORON! signs being things that discourage PCs completely baffles me. To me that's a very unsubtle sign that says "Adventure here! Come get your adventure! You showed up to do some adventuring, right? Here! It's here!" *shrug*
Doesn't that assume a certain level of meta-game thinking, Jim? Why wouldn't they look for an easier score? They are adventurers, not morons, right?
I do see a kernel of truth in what you say, I mean we are doing things normal people avoid if they can help it. But we are still roleplaying and thus some concern for safety has to factor into it. The player knows they can just roll up a new character, but does the character know that? Should the character think that way? I would say, no.
There's a paradox between a couple of highly-valued old school gaming precepts.
One is that play is expected to be lethal. Monsters & situations are deadly and players are playing with the expectation of fatalities.
Another is that good play is to play your characters as cautious and pragmatic. Checking carefully for traps & hidden treasure, using henchlings as meatshields, fleeing from bad fights, scouting ahead for threats, and making risk assessments about what kind of trouble to get into.
See this current article: http://lordgwydion.blogspot.com/2010/11/tackling-megadungeon-combat.html
Not walking into situations that scream "deadly trap here" is a skill valued and actively cultivated among a lot of gamers. They're just not your audience. Unless you make a point of spelling out to the DM the incentives they need to provide for pragmatic & cautious PCs.
I don't know what you are talking about, but I got my box here in Spain last week, and is an awesome piece of work. Kudos to you. And special congratulations on writing and GMing advice.
So where is the promised rant?
ReplyDeleteAfter Dragonmeet. I'm actually having the rant looked over.
ReplyDeleteAnother rant has bubbled up over the past few days but I wouldn't be allowed to talk about what inspired it or provide evidence for the title so it's pointless.
Take your time so long as you are entertaining. Revenge is a dish best served cold. Not *too* cold mind, that would be a sort of drab salad.
ReplyDeleteMy bet is that the rant is on the recent spat of reviews of your work. I'm sure that has been frustrating.
ReplyDeleteI have been a detached observer, pleased that we are finally reaching a point in the hobby where people are doing seriously critical reviews based on specific points, instead of either sychophantic praise (like you get in most video game reviews) or simple bitching about how something sucks in the mind of the reviewer.
>>My bet is that the rant is on the recent spat of reviews of your work. I'm sure that has been frustrating.
ReplyDeleteThe only frustrating bit is where satisfying the criticism would mean to make what would be to me a cruddy adventure.
I do admit that danger and darkness and gloom and KEEP OUT, MORON! signs being things that discourage PCs completely baffles me. To me that's a very unsubtle sign that says "Adventure here! Come get your adventure! You showed up to do some adventuring, right? Here! It's here!" *shrug*
But no, the rant's about something else.
Doesn't that assume a certain level of meta-game thinking, Jim? Why wouldn't they look for an easier score? They are adventurers, not morons, right?
ReplyDeleteI do see a kernel of truth in what you say, I mean we are doing things normal people avoid if they can help it. But we are still roleplaying and thus some concern for safety has to factor into it. The player knows they can just roll up a new character, but does the character know that? Should the character think that way? I would say, no.
There's a paradox between a couple of highly-valued old school gaming precepts.
ReplyDeleteOne is that play is expected to be lethal. Monsters & situations are deadly and players are playing with the expectation of fatalities.
Another is that good play is to play your characters as cautious and pragmatic. Checking carefully for traps & hidden treasure, using henchlings as meatshields, fleeing from bad fights, scouting ahead for threats, and making risk assessments about what kind of trouble to get into.
See this current article: http://lordgwydion.blogspot.com/2010/11/tackling-megadungeon-combat.html
Not walking into situations that scream "deadly trap here" is a skill valued and actively cultivated among a lot of gamers. They're just not your audience. Unless you make a point of spelling out to the DM the incentives they need to provide for pragmatic & cautious PCs.
I don't know what you are talking about, but I got my box here in Spain last week, and is an awesome piece of work. Kudos to you. And special congratulations on writing and GMing advice.
ReplyDelete