Earlier this evening the brave adventurers found themselves fighting side by side with a pair of wolf-mounted orcs. They were taking on a small group of devils/demons over by a large scarred valley. Within the valley was a (relatively) small portal, and some potential caverns and buildings for demons to live in. There was very little other than a fierce battle against that small group, but I could see the terrain offering a very cool dungeon to explore later on.
I'm imaging the players fighting through waves of hellish minions to reach the portal, and then needing to explore the buildings and eventually the cave to accomplish their task. The heroes hack their way through the cave, and encounter periodic reinforcement from behind as more demons enter through the portal. The details will have to be worked out, but I can see this idea turning into a good module that will fit in with a lot of different campaign settings. I've even got some ideas on how to make the module customizable in itself.
P.S. Extra posts coming this week. I spent the weekend on the lake, so I didn't get much done.
-Lance of the Hill People
~~~~
To catch up, last week our party was exhiled from Villhelm, the town encampment in hills. After fighting off attacking hill giants, we (with the exclusion of Flint and Val who had to miss the session) we escorted to the town council, led by a old Paladin of Pelor. After the doors closed we were held at sword point by war forged guards, while the mayor revealed himself as a demon in disguise, who was not pleased that we had engendered ourselves so to his unbeknownst townfolks. Also, he informed us that the children who had taken our hard won mushroom cure had mysteriously died, and we would take the fall.
We were escorted from town, and left to die by a vicious orc encampment.
We slept that night, our Eladrin dozing, before preparing our vengeful return to the city when we were come upon by a couple of orcs. More intelligent than the demon leader had perhaps known, we talked our way into proving ourselves to their camp. And after beating down some of their battle hungry adolescents we were given safe passage in their 2.5k strong encampment. Battle!
Which brings us to tonights adventure- a demon fight. We started off the session by catching up with Val and Flint, still heros in town, who had come to find us. We made a bit of a plan to retake the town. But the orcs offered us another choice. Build up our skill on nearby demons.
Having a plot-lite session was nice for a change. Combat became the big event, and since our party has grown a few people since we started, it was good for us to learn to work as a team. Also, many of us had leveled up, and it gave us a chance to test out our new utility powers. The plot-filled adventures help drive the campaign, fo sho. But an evening of straight forward combant was a nice breather. Sometimes hack and slash is just what the DM ordered.
~Lady of the Hill People
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Making a Board Game Fun
I'm trying to consider the facets of gaming that really apply to board games, and why someone chooses to play, and enjoy, one.
Things that I dislike about board games -
I absolutely hate it when there's multiple paths to victory, but one of them in particular is the fastest path to victory every time. This means that once everybody you play with has mastered the game, they will all attempt the exact same process to achieve victory every time the game is played. I will avoid this at all costs in my game through a balance of randomization, and the ability to quickly change a strategy based on events that transpire.
I also do not like a game that is entirely luck either. It proves nothing, and the competitive spirit is crushed after the first round of play. Take the game Risk, imagine instead of 52 countries, there are now two countries, and only two people can play. The game ends up being nothing more than chance at that point, and would not be a fun game. The current version doesn't get that much different when the players hit a certain skill level and it gets to the end of the game, though. This is something that I also want to avoid.
Some games have a balancing factor that comes into play when one player gets too far in the lead. Often times, this balancing factor can get out of hand quickly, and make it nearly impossible for the player who was first winning to actually achieve victory. And other times, it will make it almost impossible for the winning player to be stopped. The trick is to teach people over time that ganging up on the person who is winning first, can be worse for your victory position than doing nothing at all. As a general rule, it is best to consider every players motivation for participating is to win. This is not the rule for everything, but simply for balancing the game.
Slow turns also get me down. It has to be easy to decide what's going to happen on your turn before you even begin it. One possible way of doing this is to have the resolution of all of your actions be taken during the turn, and then you have everyone elses turn to plan. Whether players take the opportunity or not is up to them, but that it is there is the important part here.
Next week I'll be working on logistics in particular. I want to understand how things are going to happen, and then worry about balancing it all.
Things that I dislike about board games -
I absolutely hate it when there's multiple paths to victory, but one of them in particular is the fastest path to victory every time. This means that once everybody you play with has mastered the game, they will all attempt the exact same process to achieve victory every time the game is played. I will avoid this at all costs in my game through a balance of randomization, and the ability to quickly change a strategy based on events that transpire.
I also do not like a game that is entirely luck either. It proves nothing, and the competitive spirit is crushed after the first round of play. Take the game Risk, imagine instead of 52 countries, there are now two countries, and only two people can play. The game ends up being nothing more than chance at that point, and would not be a fun game. The current version doesn't get that much different when the players hit a certain skill level and it gets to the end of the game, though. This is something that I also want to avoid.
Some games have a balancing factor that comes into play when one player gets too far in the lead. Often times, this balancing factor can get out of hand quickly, and make it nearly impossible for the player who was first winning to actually achieve victory. And other times, it will make it almost impossible for the winning player to be stopped. The trick is to teach people over time that ganging up on the person who is winning first, can be worse for your victory position than doing nothing at all. As a general rule, it is best to consider every players motivation for participating is to win. This is not the rule for everything, but simply for balancing the game.
Slow turns also get me down. It has to be easy to decide what's going to happen on your turn before you even begin it. One possible way of doing this is to have the resolution of all of your actions be taken during the turn, and then you have everyone elses turn to plan. Whether players take the opportunity or not is up to them, but that it is there is the important part here.
Next week I'll be working on logistics in particular. I want to understand how things are going to happen, and then worry about balancing it all.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Chronicle: Another Day in Villehelm
Please re-read the previous chronicle first. There was a late edit, and should be reviewed for continuity. Thanks.
Shreev knew something that Krellion did not. For hours that day, he sat motionless on the wall, staring off into the hills. Wylven had abandoned him almost immediately on introduction, and Krellion had nothing to do but to listen to Shreev. Shreev had very little to say though, and they spent most of the time just looking off into the distance. There was some small talk, Shreev asked about the weather where Krellion was from, and paid little attention when the Eladrin started elaborating on his home town and the people he knew. It was a quiet day on the wall. Too quiet for the Warlord's liking.
"Do you know something, Shreev? Is there something out there?" Krellion asked, as it was nearing sundown.
"Ah, yes. I forget that not everyone can sense it. The battles. They have their own ebb and flow, and one is nearing us." He spoke, but no part of him moved in order to do so, Krellion wondered exactly where the words came from.
"Are you saying you were built to sense a battle just as I was born to see the sky or feel the wind blow? I find that highly unlikely, Captain." Krellion said as he ruffled the hair on the left side of skull.
Shreev turned to look more to the west, still not facing Krellion. "It is the same way when a man or elf approaches me and tells me how wonderful it is to be alive. I cannot fathom life, and the concept confuses me greatly. I was built for war, and my life is war."
Krellion stopped short. He sat down with his back against the wall and thought about this until the 8th bell rang. It was getting late, and he was ready for a short rest. Just as he began to enter a meditative state, the warforged jabbed him in his chest with a rounded wooden truncheon.
"When you meditate tonight, meditate not on my words, for they will bend you to do wrong. Every warforged leader needs at least one among the living to advise." Shreev uttered the words as if they would be Krellion's last. And Krellion meditated on them for a full four hours.
Krellion snapped out of his trance just as he heard the final bell of the night. It was dark, but he could still see fairly well with his keen fey-like eyes. "I understand Shreev. And I am prepared to do exactly what you need of me, even if it means destroying you if necessary."
"That's what I needed to hear. Glad to be serving with you, Captain Krellion."
Shreev knew something that Krellion did not. For hours that day, he sat motionless on the wall, staring off into the hills. Wylven had abandoned him almost immediately on introduction, and Krellion had nothing to do but to listen to Shreev. Shreev had very little to say though, and they spent most of the time just looking off into the distance. There was some small talk, Shreev asked about the weather where Krellion was from, and paid little attention when the Eladrin started elaborating on his home town and the people he knew. It was a quiet day on the wall. Too quiet for the Warlord's liking.
"Do you know something, Shreev? Is there something out there?" Krellion asked, as it was nearing sundown.
"Ah, yes. I forget that not everyone can sense it. The battles. They have their own ebb and flow, and one is nearing us." He spoke, but no part of him moved in order to do so, Krellion wondered exactly where the words came from.
"Are you saying you were built to sense a battle just as I was born to see the sky or feel the wind blow? I find that highly unlikely, Captain." Krellion said as he ruffled the hair on the left side of skull.
Shreev turned to look more to the west, still not facing Krellion. "It is the same way when a man or elf approaches me and tells me how wonderful it is to be alive. I cannot fathom life, and the concept confuses me greatly. I was built for war, and my life is war."
Krellion stopped short. He sat down with his back against the wall and thought about this until the 8th bell rang. It was getting late, and he was ready for a short rest. Just as he began to enter a meditative state, the warforged jabbed him in his chest with a rounded wooden truncheon.
"When you meditate tonight, meditate not on my words, for they will bend you to do wrong. Every warforged leader needs at least one among the living to advise." Shreev uttered the words as if they would be Krellion's last. And Krellion meditated on them for a full four hours.
Krellion snapped out of his trance just as he heard the final bell of the night. It was dark, but he could still see fairly well with his keen fey-like eyes. "I understand Shreev. And I am prepared to do exactly what you need of me, even if it means destroying you if necessary."
"That's what I needed to hear. Glad to be serving with you, Captain Krellion."
Monday, August 11, 2008
A Very Special Episode.
I've been behind on our adventure recaps, so let me catch you up: The altar staircase led down to an Eldritch dungeon, teaming with undead-which we discovered after one of our warlocks passed out in the tomb (missed the session) and was snacked upon while we were distracted, by zombies who ventured up the open staircase.
The dungeon wound up being a winding affair with many doors. The walls and floors were finely carved with what seemed to be magically engineered designs. Throughout the dungeon were large elven numbers carved into the floor. Two sets, 0-9. There were a few books on pedestals, written in draconic- fortunately we had a dragonborn in our party.
If we made a wrong turn in the dungeon zombies and skeletons were released from one of the closed rooms, also, a nearby number would begin to fill with liquid. That liquid formed slowly into some variety of intelligent golem. Once the dungeon doors locked behind us at our first wrong turn, the fun began.
Our last session finished the dungeon in a way I've never seen Lance run a session before.
No combat.
Not a lack of opportunity for fights, but each encounter had an opportunity for non-combat resolutions. Taking the hack and slash out of D&D may sound sacrosanct, but in action it encouraged aspects of gameplay often overlooked in favor of a good spanking. Problem solving, roleplay, and skill checks won the day, singing harmony to an epic storyline. Here's how it worked:
Intelligent monsters
While the golems that grew our of our wrong turns were out for souls, they could, and were, reasoned with. With our paladins head trapped in a giant fist of blood, the party agreed to pay the unnamed passage fee in lieu of the 'word' the blood golem sought. With that, the entire defender was absorbed, suspended breathlessly and unharmed inside. The golem, calm and poised, waited as the party negotiated, pondered, and reexamined their surroundings. Examining one of the tomes, the dragon-born wizard found 'the word', simply the draconic word for the number which had born the golem.
But still, it would not release its prize without an equal or superior replacement. While the core of the group- Val the archer, Flint the cleric, and Gahala'la the warlock- went to hunt a worthy replacement, Yorma the halfling sat down to a game of chess with the golem. Using perception and insight checks, Melori the paladin was able to be another pair of eyes for Yorma in the game.
As the rest of the party returned, Yorma defeated the golem, and replaced Melori in her prison. The golem vanished just as he had come, and there went our young warlock. Yes, for reals. We lost a player character. Avoiding combat doesn't mean avoiding danger.
The Voice of God
While many of us have run multiple campaigns with our resident DM, this is the first time he's introduced serious puzzle solving. The mindset of maximizing combat doesn't translate to puzzles. All combat questions are answered in the PHB. So, with the dungeon timed to collapse, the door locked behind us, wailing zombies behind every door, and deadly golems popping up seemingly randomly- solving an old draconic puzzle could have wiped the party. We were unpracticed.
As we ascertained afterward, most of this session was ad libbed. Why would the Golem swallow Yorma, but not Melori? It's a plot hole, but it leads to Yorma now being a dungeon NPC who can prod our thinking. Later in the dungeon we find a tome of his thoughts up until his death, which insinutes we have a time limit, and that our puzzle seems somehow related to the earlier puzzle we solved to open the dungeon door.
Finally, Yorma's tormented soul- trapped by the dungeon's magic, waited us in the final chamber. By now we had figured out the puzzle, and how to escape. However Yorma, giving us a few final cryptic answers to our questions, was forced to materialize and fight us, stoppable only by revealing our most prized possession, and what Yorma had meant to us. This would apparently put him to rest, as would a second death- at which point the dungeon collapse began. Even so, the DM was clearly planning to wipe the floor with us, as he fingered his dice.
Melori removed her emblem, a shell of Melora, and approached Yorma.
"You offer me your holy symbol?" Yorma asked, affronted by it's destructive power.
"Yes." She knelt to the halfling. "And this is what I feel for you." Closing her eyes, Melori placed a chaste kiss on Yorma's cold lips.
Lance rolled a d20, seemed flabbergasted, and began the collapse of the dungeon. What followed was an immediate evacuation, following the puzzle correctly, dodging golems and dragging each other to safety.
No combat, plenty of danger, and in the end- a well rounded plot-rich session. It definitely goes down in my book as a favorite.
Finally, Yorma's tormented soul- trapped by the dungeon's magic, waited us in the final chamber. By now we had figured out the puzzle, and how to escape. However Yorma, giving us a few final cryptic answers to our questions, was forced to materialize and fight us, stoppable only by revealing our most prized possession, and what Yorma had meant to us. This would apparently put him to rest, as would a second death- at which point the dungeon collapse began. Even so, the DM was clearly planning to wipe the floor with us, as he fingered his dice.
Melori removed her emblem, a shell of Melora, and approached Yorma.
"You offer me your holy symbol?" Yorma asked, affronted by it's destructive power.
"Yes." She knelt to the halfling. "And this is what I feel for you." Closing her eyes, Melori placed a chaste kiss on Yorma's cold lips.
Lance rolled a d20, seemed flabbergasted, and began the collapse of the dungeon. What followed was an immediate evacuation, following the puzzle correctly, dodging golems and dragging each other to safety.
No combat, plenty of danger, and in the end- a well rounded plot-rich session. It definitely goes down in my book as a favorite.
Frustration
I make it a personal rule to not play a video game when I get frustrated with it. This isn't for any reason except that it's not fun to play a game when it's not fun anymore. Games are fun, enjoyment, and entertainment. There is no good reason to continue on when the game has lost the enjoyment factor.
So! Because of this rule I have, I am dedicated to keep the frustration levels at a minimum in games that I take part in developing. The frustrating part of a game should be done on purpose, and not as a punishment to the players. Frustration in a game should be a result of the events that transpire. It is frustrating to never find the real princess in Mario, but it is more frustrating to spend all your lives trying to get past the same flying koopa who seems to have random flight intervals just to throw you off.
Running an instance in WoW: Frustrating. Mostly.
Dungeons in WoW are not always frustrating, it really depends. However, by not being fully prepared with the perfect group and gear and specs throughout the instance, you will find yourselves being punished frequently. You take extra time dying and running back to your corpses, and that is boring. There is a such thing as a penalty, and there is a such thing as a punishment. Penalties are good. Dying should not be the end of the world. IN A VIDEO GAME. It's not in most, but the penalty is a silent march back to your corpse. What would be a good alternative? A demerit to your inventory. Some sort of penalty that you must commit some play time to make up for, but not right then, not when it's late and you spent all night getting a group together. Repair bills are a great incentive to not die, but put another spin on it. Let people earn or purchase revive tokens. You can res where you died with certain amounts of health and mana. And you could even trade in your Badge of Justice for one! It would be more of a penalty, and less of a punishment.
Oh, and that picture? That was Tylth and Ragnrak switching glasses via webcam. Tylth spent a good while entertaining a few of us from CT by doing sweet webcam tricks. We think he could start his own business, and I want to find a way to market it on a website somehow.
So! Because of this rule I have, I am dedicated to keep the frustration levels at a minimum in games that I take part in developing. The frustrating part of a game should be done on purpose, and not as a punishment to the players. Frustration in a game should be a result of the events that transpire. It is frustrating to never find the real princess in Mario, but it is more frustrating to spend all your lives trying to get past the same flying koopa who seems to have random flight intervals just to throw you off.
Running an instance in WoW: Frustrating. Mostly.
Dungeons in WoW are not always frustrating, it really depends. However, by not being fully prepared with the perfect group and gear and specs throughout the instance, you will find yourselves being punished frequently. You take extra time dying and running back to your corpses, and that is boring. There is a such thing as a penalty, and there is a such thing as a punishment. Penalties are good. Dying should not be the end of the world. IN A VIDEO GAME. It's not in most, but the penalty is a silent march back to your corpse. What would be a good alternative? A demerit to your inventory. Some sort of penalty that you must commit some play time to make up for, but not right then, not when it's late and you spent all night getting a group together. Repair bills are a great incentive to not die, but put another spin on it. Let people earn or purchase revive tokens. You can res where you died with certain amounts of health and mana. And you could even trade in your Badge of Justice for one! It would be more of a penalty, and less of a punishment.
Oh, and that picture? That was Tylth and Ragnrak switching glasses via webcam. Tylth spent a good while entertaining a few of us from CT by doing sweet webcam tricks. We think he could start his own business, and I want to find a way to market it on a website somehow.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Thursday, August 7, 2008
As a Player...
Try to remind the DM that it's not solely his responsibility for supplying the fun. It's important that the players play an equal part in providing entertainment to the whole group. This could be through comedy, serious roleplaying, or just being respectful of the DM and the other players. Find the balance that your group needs, and try to understand when it's right to chime in with something that might be off the beaten path.
I played a PC earlier tonight, it was a good session, and I managed to get some interesting character development in. I'm finding that I make a good leader, not just because of my choice of powers, but that I understand the basic needs of my fellow combatants. I can bark out orders on my turn, and hope that the other PC's follow along. In the long run, it makes positioning for everyone easier, and I can use it for optimal survivability by being able to see everyone to heal them. Other players have different challenges to overcome though, and there ends up being a lot of reasons as to why you should be paying close attention to battles.
About DM's and fun: We're starting to find that this particular DM (who is fairly new at DM'ing) is very easy to verbally accost with questions. We find that what drives his NPC's tend to be things that are easily scrutined, and we end up ganging up on the DM in some ways. While pillaging the brains of his NPC's is fun for us, it might not be the greatest feeling for a DM to have all of his characters reduced to befuddlement by a band of swift-talking adventurers. However, this is a great opportunity for the DM to realize the direction his players want to go, and he now gets to decide if they continue down that path, or if he decides that the adventurers are not so savvy after all, and end up in some very dark and foreboding scenarios.
-Lance of the Hill People
I played a PC earlier tonight, it was a good session, and I managed to get some interesting character development in. I'm finding that I make a good leader, not just because of my choice of powers, but that I understand the basic needs of my fellow combatants. I can bark out orders on my turn, and hope that the other PC's follow along. In the long run, it makes positioning for everyone easier, and I can use it for optimal survivability by being able to see everyone to heal them. Other players have different challenges to overcome though, and there ends up being a lot of reasons as to why you should be paying close attention to battles.
About DM's and fun: We're starting to find that this particular DM (who is fairly new at DM'ing) is very easy to verbally accost with questions. We find that what drives his NPC's tend to be things that are easily scrutined, and we end up ganging up on the DM in some ways. While pillaging the brains of his NPC's is fun for us, it might not be the greatest feeling for a DM to have all of his characters reduced to befuddlement by a band of swift-talking adventurers. However, this is a great opportunity for the DM to realize the direction his players want to go, and he now gets to decide if they continue down that path, or if he decides that the adventurers are not so savvy after all, and end up in some very dark and foreboding scenarios.
-Lance of the Hill People
Monday, August 4, 2008
What's a MUD?
A MUD is an acronym for Multi-User Dungeon, or Multi-User Domain. It is an all text MMO, with completely endless possibilities. They are almost always role-playing games, and they are typically player driven to a certain extent.
MUD's are played by issuing text commands to a text world, and then living the experience in your imagination. From my experience, they are extremely fast paced, but very difficult to learn. I see MUD's as the exact middle ground between tabletop gaming, and full blown 3D rendered worlds. The gameplay is automated, but real-time turn based. And the entirety of the world is in your imagination. All of the people you group with and encounter in the world will see things different than you, but they are all bound by the same rules. And at the same time, they are also able to contribute to and change the world that they are in. MUD's truly breed heroes of online gaming.
But there are flaws! MUD's are neither of the extremes, and can easily get tiresome when you know that there are better ways of fulfilling both gaming urges. I will delve deeper into some of the pros and cons of MUD'ing at the end of the week, when I do my review of Medievia.
MUD's are played by issuing text commands to a text world, and then living the experience in your imagination. From my experience, they are extremely fast paced, but very difficult to learn. I see MUD's as the exact middle ground between tabletop gaming, and full blown 3D rendered worlds. The gameplay is automated, but real-time turn based. And the entirety of the world is in your imagination. All of the people you group with and encounter in the world will see things different than you, but they are all bound by the same rules. And at the same time, they are also able to contribute to and change the world that they are in. MUD's truly breed heroes of online gaming.
But there are flaws! MUD's are neither of the extremes, and can easily get tiresome when you know that there are better ways of fulfilling both gaming urges. I will delve deeper into some of the pros and cons of MUD'ing at the end of the week, when I do my review of Medievia.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Hill People
This weekend was spent mostly in the woods, and in the rain. It was my friend's bachelor party, and it's been a long time since I've been camping quite like that. The experience was fun, and tiring, and also inspiring. My previous attempts at designing a board game have been lost, so I am now coming up with a new concept and a brand new design.
The game board will be individual layouts for each player, and they will have different regional locales. There will be a forest, a plains, a plot of fertile land, and a village. Depending on my ambitions and practicality, this might also expand. Villagers will be assigned to different jobs on the board, and players will be able to draw resource cards and other things based on where they have their villages allocated. Not all resource cards are the actual resource though, some of them come with misfortunes, such as drought, or overhunting of the nearby wildlife. My goal here is to capture the problems of a semi-nomadic/early farming community.
Victory conditions are yet to be determined, but I already know the order of the turn phases. All conflicts get resolved before the allocation of villagers. A conflict is defined by any action that takes place outside of the village. This includes attacking, trading, and stealing from other players. This way, a player is able to allocate defenders in response to an attack, but if they don't have enough farmers and hunters to keep their defenders fed, then the defenders will be uneffective against the attacks, and villagers may die as a result. I'll be working on those types of balance once I actually get the game board laid out so I can easily visualize the flow of gameplay.
I think I'm going to call the game "Hill People".
-Lance(, maker) of the Hill People
The game board will be individual layouts for each player, and they will have different regional locales. There will be a forest, a plains, a plot of fertile land, and a village. Depending on my ambitions and practicality, this might also expand. Villagers will be assigned to different jobs on the board, and players will be able to draw resource cards and other things based on where they have their villages allocated. Not all resource cards are the actual resource though, some of them come with misfortunes, such as drought, or overhunting of the nearby wildlife. My goal here is to capture the problems of a semi-nomadic/early farming community.
Victory conditions are yet to be determined, but I already know the order of the turn phases. All conflicts get resolved before the allocation of villagers. A conflict is defined by any action that takes place outside of the village. This includes attacking, trading, and stealing from other players. This way, a player is able to allocate defenders in response to an attack, but if they don't have enough farmers and hunters to keep their defenders fed, then the defenders will be uneffective against the attacks, and villagers may die as a result. I'll be working on those types of balance once I actually get the game board laid out so I can easily visualize the flow of gameplay.
I think I'm going to call the game "Hill People".
-Lance(, maker) of the Hill People
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Where I've Been
So, I inadvertently decided to take a week or two off from the blog. There wasn't much for me to write about, and I was having some difficulty finding the free time to sit down and get analytical, or creative. I do intent to keep it up though, but at quite the same rate as I did.
From henceforth on, I shall be updated only 4 days a week. Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday will be days of choice. However, depending on what is happening in my life, I may postpone a post till the next day, or do a double on the next posting day.
I want to get into game design. There are many aspects of it that I enjoy, but the first thing I want to do is to actually make some games.
From here on out, I will be working extensively on three different projects.
Project Board Game: I will be designing and making my own board game. This will teach me balance, and give me the opportunity to create a game both mentally and physically as I get to construct the actual pieces that are used in the game.
Project Modules: Another project will involve me writing up some of my favorite quests into modules. I believe that my writing has matured enough that I could start doing this for some extra cash if they get published.
Project Cooperation: Me and my former roommate once began designing an RPG. I am going to seek his permission to take this to a whole new level, and see if I can coordinate a group of people to contribute, revise, and playtest his brainchild to a "completed" state.
To keep me on track, I will be dedicating my Sunday post to describing any progress I have made on at least one of these projects. Wish me luck.
-Lance of the Motivated People
From henceforth on, I shall be updated only 4 days a week. Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday will be days of choice. However, depending on what is happening in my life, I may postpone a post till the next day, or do a double on the next posting day.
I want to get into game design. There are many aspects of it that I enjoy, but the first thing I want to do is to actually make some games.
From here on out, I will be working extensively on three different projects.
Project Board Game: I will be designing and making my own board game. This will teach me balance, and give me the opportunity to create a game both mentally and physically as I get to construct the actual pieces that are used in the game.
Project Modules: Another project will involve me writing up some of my favorite quests into modules. I believe that my writing has matured enough that I could start doing this for some extra cash if they get published.
Project Cooperation: Me and my former roommate once began designing an RPG. I am going to seek his permission to take this to a whole new level, and see if I can coordinate a group of people to contribute, revise, and playtest his brainchild to a "completed" state.
To keep me on track, I will be dedicating my Sunday post to describing any progress I have made on at least one of these projects. Wish me luck.
-Lance of the Motivated People
Thursday, July 17, 2008
What I've Learned
I was recently asked, while being filmed, what I've most improved upon since I first started DM'ing was. I didn't have to think for too long about the answer, and thus, I shall post it for you here:
"When I first started out, I didn't understand how to make the game fun, while still applying the rules of the game. I think since then, a certain amount of investment in learning the rules, and learning how you can use the rules to make it fun and balanced is the important part."
I can't stress this enough, in fact. Making the game fun is number one. You don't always have to follow the rules, but knowing as much about the rules and the game system as you can is truly invaluable.
I've been awfully busy lately, and the blog is suffering. However, I've got some works in progress coming up that should be very interesting.
"When I first started out, I didn't understand how to make the game fun, while still applying the rules of the game. I think since then, a certain amount of investment in learning the rules, and learning how you can use the rules to make it fun and balanced is the important part."
I can't stress this enough, in fact. Making the game fun is number one. You don't always have to follow the rules, but knowing as much about the rules and the game system as you can is truly invaluable.
I've been awfully busy lately, and the blog is suffering. However, I've got some works in progress coming up that should be very interesting.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Chronicle: Krellion's First Day
Doctor Wilven sighed, "It's not easy up on the wall, you sure you got what it takes?"
Krellion, the Warlord, looked at him through his Feyborn eyes and replied, "Yes."
"Straight to the facts. Ok, I'll introducte you to Captain Shreev." Wilven burst out of the door to his his home and office and into the streets of Villehelm, Krellion walked firmly by his side. Neither of them showing the slightest inflection of emotion as they marched toward the northern gate of the village.
The northern gate to the village was quite impressive considering the amount of people and resources that they were able to expend in these parts. It was nearly 30 feet high, which was just out of reach of the largest giant they have yet to see, and braced on either side by enormous hunks of metal. The metal hunks appeared to be nothing more than a collecting of wagon rims, horseshoes, and old weapons and tools fused into 40 foot long polls. This was keeping the main gate from falling to the swings of 15 foot stone clubs.
Krellion was led up the stairs inside the gatehouse to a small office on what could only be called the second floor. Captain Shreev was there, and he wasn't breathing.
Captain Shreev was not living. At least, not in the traditional sense. He was not undead either. He had a soul, but it was bound to the object that he, and everyone around him, considered his body. There was no flesh, no blood, no heart, but he still felt. He was a warforged, and he was the most valuable asset Villehelm has ever had.
"The warforged are more than just metallic statues of fierce warriors, they are soulful, and they are not too different from those born of more natural methods." Said Wilven. He can think, and care, and hate. To us, he is another person, and a member of our family.
"Are you ready for your first mission?"
Krellion nodded.
Krellion, the Warlord, looked at him through his Feyborn eyes and replied, "Yes."
"Straight to the facts. Ok, I'll introducte you to Captain Shreev." Wilven burst out of the door to his his home and office and into the streets of Villehelm, Krellion walked firmly by his side. Neither of them showing the slightest inflection of emotion as they marched toward the northern gate of the village.
The northern gate to the village was quite impressive considering the amount of people and resources that they were able to expend in these parts. It was nearly 30 feet high, which was just out of reach of the largest giant they have yet to see, and braced on either side by enormous hunks of metal. The metal hunks appeared to be nothing more than a collecting of wagon rims, horseshoes, and old weapons and tools fused into 40 foot long polls. This was keeping the main gate from falling to the swings of 15 foot stone clubs.
Krellion was led up the stairs inside the gatehouse to a small office on what could only be called the second floor. Captain Shreev was there, and he wasn't breathing.
Captain Shreev was not living. At least, not in the traditional sense. He was not undead either. He had a soul, but it was bound to the object that he, and everyone around him, considered his body. There was no flesh, no blood, no heart, but he still felt. He was a warforged, and he was the most valuable asset Villehelm has ever had.
"The warforged are more than just metallic statues of fierce warriors, they are soulful, and they are not too different from those born of more natural methods." Said Wilven. He can think, and care, and hate. To us, he is another person, and a member of our family.
"Are you ready for your first mission?"
Krellion nodded.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Traps! When?
Theogre Fytestuf moved slowly down the dimly lit corridor. The walls were lined with picked shale deposits, and the air was stale and a little moist. He knew the wet droplets running down his brow were a clear indicator that danger was imminent, it was an 8th sense to him at this point. However, the question on his mind was of great importance to his immediate future: why is the next 10 feet of ceiling made of sandstone?
Theogre Fytestuf might not be a rogue, but he is certainly perceptive. This is what's important about being a player in a dungeon that is potentially full of traps. The player-DM interaction here is a very important one, and it is important to choose your words carefully when describing the elements of your world. The warnings should never be too obvious. The trick is to have something go off in the minds of the characters, and not necessarily the minds of the players. Meta-gaming is a big issue here, and you need to understand how to avoid it. Meta-gaming is not only a fun-sucker for the fantasy that the players live in, it is also a time sucker on your game. And traps and treasure are some of the biggest purpoteurs of meta-gaming in all of gaming.
The Dungeon Masters Guide has a lot of good info on how to disguise a trap with your words, but there is also a really important element of when to use traps in a campaign. Don't just throw them out willy nilly, and as a player, don't go looking for them everywhere. Don't place your traps like they're free, because they aren't. Someone or something had to put that trap there, and they most likely went through a lot of effort to protect something valuable. Sometimes it's important to just let the trap go undetected, and still affect the players, because the trap itself may indicate a treasure trove.
Conversely, as a player looking for treasure, don't simply assume that traps will be placed at every hallway, intersection, etc. Let the DM's clues and the context of the dungeon tip you off as to whether it's appropriate to spend some time searching.
This is Lance of the Hill People saying, "Don't Let Traps Slow You Down".
-Lance of the Hill People
Theogre Fytestuf might not be a rogue, but he is certainly perceptive. This is what's important about being a player in a dungeon that is potentially full of traps. The player-DM interaction here is a very important one, and it is important to choose your words carefully when describing the elements of your world. The warnings should never be too obvious. The trick is to have something go off in the minds of the characters, and not necessarily the minds of the players. Meta-gaming is a big issue here, and you need to understand how to avoid it. Meta-gaming is not only a fun-sucker for the fantasy that the players live in, it is also a time sucker on your game. And traps and treasure are some of the biggest purpoteurs of meta-gaming in all of gaming.
The Dungeon Masters Guide has a lot of good info on how to disguise a trap with your words, but there is also a really important element of when to use traps in a campaign. Don't just throw them out willy nilly, and as a player, don't go looking for them everywhere. Don't place your traps like they're free, because they aren't. Someone or something had to put that trap there, and they most likely went through a lot of effort to protect something valuable. Sometimes it's important to just let the trap go undetected, and still affect the players, because the trap itself may indicate a treasure trove.
Conversely, as a player looking for treasure, don't simply assume that traps will be placed at every hallway, intersection, etc. Let the DM's clues and the context of the dungeon tip you off as to whether it's appropriate to spend some time searching.
This is Lance of the Hill People saying, "Don't Let Traps Slow You Down".
-Lance of the Hill People
Sunday, July 13, 2008
The Krevmeister
Introducing: The Krevmeister!
Seriously, Bro, that's my wench yer hittin' on.
Who is that fine piece of Dragonborn Fighter? That, my friends, is the Krevmeister. Proud member of the senior class of the Military School of Hard Knocks! As you can tell by his stunning photo, the Krev is your number one goto guy for any and all on campus parties! He's the kinda D.B. that plays wingman for a total stranger, and never lets a gentleman disrespect the lady folk. The big lizard on campus, this is your guy for any and all partying!
Some of his most famous parties include:
Rescuing a maiden from brigands in the woods
Finding the lost staff of an ancient wizard who cast the fading protection spell on the land
Delta Kappa Gamma's earthquake fundraiser
Stopping ninjas from stealing the Dean's roster
Panty raiding the Sorcerority
And his most famous party, Naked Dwarven Ale-Drink
Where he invented this:
Seriously, Bro, that's my wench yer hittin' on.
Who is that fine piece of Dragonborn Fighter? That, my friends, is the Krevmeister. Proud member of the senior class of the Military School of Hard Knocks! As you can tell by his stunning photo, the Krev is your number one goto guy for any and all on campus parties! He's the kinda D.B. that plays wingman for a total stranger, and never lets a gentleman disrespect the lady folk. The big lizard on campus, this is your guy for any and all partying!
Some of his most famous parties include:
Rescuing a maiden from brigands in the woods
Finding the lost staff of an ancient wizard who cast the fading protection spell on the land
Delta Kappa Gamma's earthquake fundraiser
Stopping ninjas from stealing the Dean's roster
Panty raiding the Sorcerority
And his most famous party, Naked Dwarven Ale-Drink
Where he invented this:
The Krevstand
Dedicated to Aaron, for his 1st DM'ing experience with 4th Edition. Great job Bearplane!
Dedicated to Aaron, for his 1st DM'ing experience with 4th Edition. Great job Bearplane!
Online D&D - Webcam
Last night I tried my first attempt at playing D&D with 2 of the 3 PC's in the room, while the third was watching via the webcam.
We had a mic set up so that he could hear everybody around the table, and we had the speaker pointing at me, but in such a way that the other PC's could hear him, and there would be no feedback into the mic. Apples, from a player perspective, found it tiring to have to concentrate on 3 different worlds at once. There was the real world, with me and the other PC, there was the digital world, with Tylth in Connecticut, and there was the game world.
I didn't think of it until she mentioned it, but it's true how that can easily break ones focus. Normally, when sitting around a table, you are able to see people's expressions, and gestures, and what they're pointing at. But even if we had positioned the camera so that Tylth could observe the entire room, we still would be unable to see who he was gesturing at.
These attempts at online D&D are by no means a replacement for sitting around a table. Personal interaction turns out to be the most satisfying and enjoyable part of almost any adventure.
Example: The starting quest I had planned was full of exciting tracking and chasing, ambushes, booby traps, and a manhunt through the woods to the bandits lair. This was entirely overshadowed as the players were spending so much of their energy getting accustomed to the fact that one of the players wasn't really there. The online locale turns out to be a big drain. However, I believe that of the diffferent methods I've considered so far, this one seems to be the best. As all new things take some getting used to, this method might simply take a little practice and fine tuning, and we might be able to work it into a regular campaign.
Next attempt: I'm going to see if there's a way we can get two webcams going, one pointed at the players, and one pointed at the game board.
Yesterday's post was delayed due to an extremeley gorgeous summer day. I will be doing an extra one today to comepensate.
We had a mic set up so that he could hear everybody around the table, and we had the speaker pointing at me, but in such a way that the other PC's could hear him, and there would be no feedback into the mic. Apples, from a player perspective, found it tiring to have to concentrate on 3 different worlds at once. There was the real world, with me and the other PC, there was the digital world, with Tylth in Connecticut, and there was the game world.
I didn't think of it until she mentioned it, but it's true how that can easily break ones focus. Normally, when sitting around a table, you are able to see people's expressions, and gestures, and what they're pointing at. But even if we had positioned the camera so that Tylth could observe the entire room, we still would be unable to see who he was gesturing at.
These attempts at online D&D are by no means a replacement for sitting around a table. Personal interaction turns out to be the most satisfying and enjoyable part of almost any adventure.
Example: The starting quest I had planned was full of exciting tracking and chasing, ambushes, booby traps, and a manhunt through the woods to the bandits lair. This was entirely overshadowed as the players were spending so much of their energy getting accustomed to the fact that one of the players wasn't really there. The online locale turns out to be a big drain. However, I believe that of the diffferent methods I've considered so far, this one seems to be the best. As all new things take some getting used to, this method might simply take a little practice and fine tuning, and we might be able to work it into a regular campaign.
Next attempt: I'm going to see if there's a way we can get two webcams going, one pointed at the players, and one pointed at the game board.
Yesterday's post was delayed due to an extremeley gorgeous summer day. I will be doing an extra one today to comepensate.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Closer Look: Powers
This is an extremely important aspect of 4th Edition D&D, and I've already seen it overlooked on a few occasions. Sometimes it's not immediately apparent as to what you really should be doing in an encounter. Powers will do two things to guide your actions in an encounter. You will either find yourself spending your turn deciding the right power to use, or you will entirely misinterpret the purpose of your character build, and not use any powers. This post will outline some of the general guidelines to what to do with your turn.
Step A: If you aren't using a power on your turn, there had better be a good reason why.
Obvious Reasons Why You Wouldn't Use a Power
1) You have used all of your encounter powers, and none of your at-will powers fit the situation
2) None of your encounter powers fit the situation, and none of your at-will powers fit the situation
3) You prefer to save your daily and specific encounter powers for the right time, and none of your at-will powers fit the situation
4) You need to spend the round either positioning yourself, or using a second wind.
If it turns out you spend the entire battle simply using your basic attack, then you may want to reconsider your character choices. It is always possible to simply explain to the DM why your decisions at character creation have not panned out with your adventuring group, and either ask to make a new character, or simply make some changes. It's always a good idea to have an in-game reason or story as to why you might have different powers now, so as to add some incentive to the DM to allow you to make these changes.
Step B: Make your decisions early, and you won't feel so pressured when everyone waits on your turn. Give yourself a few choices before your turn, so that you can easily change your mind on the fly based on the actions between your decision and when it's your turn.
Step Awesome: Know your powers! Even if you have to look it up, know the intricacies of your powers beforehand, so that it's easier and faster for you to reference. For instance, get a good idea of what kind of exceptions will come up when you use your power. It's good to know the specifics, but it's better to have an understanding of those powers.
All in all, you're better off being prepared for multiple situations, but in the long run, you're going to have turns now and again that will take time, and those should be the exception. Not the rule.
P.S. I'm posting this while playing an Elven Cleric. We're currently in the wolf den, and I'm confident in knowing that I'll know what power to use when the DM calls my name.
-Lance of the Boy Scouts?
Step A: If you aren't using a power on your turn, there had better be a good reason why.
Obvious Reasons Why You Wouldn't Use a Power
1) You have used all of your encounter powers, and none of your at-will powers fit the situation
2) None of your encounter powers fit the situation, and none of your at-will powers fit the situation
3) You prefer to save your daily and specific encounter powers for the right time, and none of your at-will powers fit the situation
4) You need to spend the round either positioning yourself, or using a second wind.
If it turns out you spend the entire battle simply using your basic attack, then you may want to reconsider your character choices. It is always possible to simply explain to the DM why your decisions at character creation have not panned out with your adventuring group, and either ask to make a new character, or simply make some changes. It's always a good idea to have an in-game reason or story as to why you might have different powers now, so as to add some incentive to the DM to allow you to make these changes.
Step B: Make your decisions early, and you won't feel so pressured when everyone waits on your turn. Give yourself a few choices before your turn, so that you can easily change your mind on the fly based on the actions between your decision and when it's your turn.
Step Awesome: Know your powers! Even if you have to look it up, know the intricacies of your powers beforehand, so that it's easier and faster for you to reference. For instance, get a good idea of what kind of exceptions will come up when you use your power. It's good to know the specifics, but it's better to have an understanding of those powers.
All in all, you're better off being prepared for multiple situations, but in the long run, you're going to have turns now and again that will take time, and those should be the exception. Not the rule.
P.S. I'm posting this while playing an Elven Cleric. We're currently in the wolf den, and I'm confident in knowing that I'll know what power to use when the DM calls my name.
-Lance of the Boy Scouts?
Thursday, July 10, 2008
New Stuff
So, I'm attempting this post from my new laptop, using the windows sidebar gadget. Yep, I gots Vista.
Yesterday I worked the layout a bit, and added some quick search links and tags to a lot of the posts thus far. I'm currently in the process of designing and organizing GHoG to be more of what I first envisioned it. Bear (sic) with me as I may miss some posts here and there in the next couple weeks in lieu of other improvements.
Yesterday I worked the layout a bit, and added some quick search links and tags to a lot of the posts thus far. I'm currently in the process of designing and organizing GHoG to be more of what I first envisioned it. Bear (sic) with me as I may miss some posts here and there in the next couple weeks in lieu of other improvements.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Chronicle: Of Politics and Prejudice
A.J. Thomas was not the oldest member of the village, yet he held the title, Eldest. He has seen few more than 50 winters, and still goes strong to this day. His position in Villehelm is one of great posterity, and one of great importance. He and four other elders oversee the business and politics that are designed to protect and nurture their fellow villagers.
It was this day though, that A.J. Thomas, or Eldest Thomas, as he preferred to be addressed as, was having a bit of turmoil with one his most valuable assets.
"Goblins in the forest kill without mercy, Eldest. Each of them risked their lives to get us this medicine. And all they've got from us so far is a free night at the inn and a few meals." Doctor Truss Wilven was accosting the Elder Council at this point. The 5 of them sat straight backed against their oaken chairs, staring at a kneeling Doctor pleading.
Eldest Thomas snorted, his wrinkled bronze nose leaked a bit as he took a dirty cloth to his face. He spoke with muffled words through the cloth, "I don't understand..."
"We would have lost 10 men doing the same-" Wilven burst out.
"And they will be compensated doctor." Thomas interrupted him, "But, can you prove to me that we could not have got a cleric here in ample time for less money to perform a decleansing? I believe there is one that is able to teleport and perform a ritual for less than 700 gold pieces these days. Why did we not pursue this option?"
"Damnit, Arthur. This is not why I'm here, and this has nothing to do with your damned gods!" Wilven was extremely tired by this point. Tired and irritable, as many doctors are.
Thomas sighed, "Now now, I understand that you were simply trying to help, but perhaps you might reconsider consulting the council before sending wanderers off to perform life threatening tasks in the name of our village. Perhaps we will look the other way on this one, and let you reward them from your own pocket?"
Wilven spat, "You! You bitter old Paladin. You think that an atheist doctor is a threat to your god maybe? That people will start believing in me rather than believe in your mystics?" He started to clench his fist as tight as he could, a drop of blood trickled out from under the one fingernail he had not chewed to the bone. "I'm sorry. I should... not... have spoken that way. I request that you not punish these heroes, and take out whatever necessary discipline you feel necessary out on me."
"And we shall do both. But you may find some things changing soon, good doctor." Thomas laughed, "In fact, you can be assured they will change. And you can be assured they will change you. They will receive 800 gold pieces from our treasury, and we shall deliberate on your punishment until tomorrow. You may rest now, at 8 bells we will see you back here, and you will know our decision."
It was this day though, that A.J. Thomas, or Eldest Thomas, as he preferred to be addressed as, was having a bit of turmoil with one his most valuable assets.
"Goblins in the forest kill without mercy, Eldest. Each of them risked their lives to get us this medicine. And all they've got from us so far is a free night at the inn and a few meals." Doctor Truss Wilven was accosting the Elder Council at this point. The 5 of them sat straight backed against their oaken chairs, staring at a kneeling Doctor pleading.
Eldest Thomas snorted, his wrinkled bronze nose leaked a bit as he took a dirty cloth to his face. He spoke with muffled words through the cloth, "I don't understand..."
"We would have lost 10 men doing the same-" Wilven burst out.
"And they will be compensated doctor." Thomas interrupted him, "But, can you prove to me that we could not have got a cleric here in ample time for less money to perform a decleansing? I believe there is one that is able to teleport and perform a ritual for less than 700 gold pieces these days. Why did we not pursue this option?"
"Damnit, Arthur. This is not why I'm here, and this has nothing to do with your damned gods!" Wilven was extremely tired by this point. Tired and irritable, as many doctors are.
Thomas sighed, "Now now, I understand that you were simply trying to help, but perhaps you might reconsider consulting the council before sending wanderers off to perform life threatening tasks in the name of our village. Perhaps we will look the other way on this one, and let you reward them from your own pocket?"
Wilven spat, "You! You bitter old Paladin. You think that an atheist doctor is a threat to your god maybe? That people will start believing in me rather than believe in your mystics?" He started to clench his fist as tight as he could, a drop of blood trickled out from under the one fingernail he had not chewed to the bone. "I'm sorry. I should... not... have spoken that way. I request that you not punish these heroes, and take out whatever necessary discipline you feel necessary out on me."
"And we shall do both. But you may find some things changing soon, good doctor." Thomas laughed, "In fact, you can be assured they will change. And you can be assured they will change you. They will receive 800 gold pieces from our treasury, and we shall deliberate on your punishment until tomorrow. You may rest now, at 8 bells we will see you back here, and you will know our decision."
Chronicle: The Heroes Return
Truss Wilven had done all he could to help the poisoned children. His day was spent gathering some select herbs from outside the village, looking specifically for a certain root that was known to slow blood flow. It was a common remedy for slowing poison until an antidote could be found, and a common poison applied to the blades of assassins. Too much would be quickly fatal, and a tired doctor could be a dangerous killer at this perilous time.
There was no danger though, Truss himself had quaffed an entire pot of some of the most vibrant tea he could brew, and as such would be livelier than a stampede of tigers. The potion was made, and the children had taken their share. The first of the children turned pale almost immediately. He looked half dead, unable to move save for some slow, light breaths. The four of them were almost entirely unconscious, and not one would see their demise just yet.
Wilven made his way to the battlements by the north gate, where he would sit and wait. A haphazardly armored young guard stood by him as he crouched, leaning over the edge of the stockade wall.
"There's goblins out there, Larr." Truss said to the guard, eyes glazed, and mouth hardly moving.
"'s true doc, worried?" Larr Catyk replied.
Truss sighed, "No. But I'm wondering if I should be." He took a deep breathe and leaned against the back shelf of the battlement. "Everything I've ever believed in, which has not included any god or immortal that you could name, is telling me that these kids aren't going to die yet. I just can't believe for a second that they wouldn't survive."
"I believe it, doc. They're young, and don't deserve it."
Wilven shrugged, "How old are you?"
"Old enough to know when to run from a critter in the hills. 17 now."
Wilven stood up, and looked Larr in the eye, "Daniel is 15 now, son. I'm 34. We live in the hills, and any one of us could die any day to a number of things. But we're not going to run from everything that looks at us funny. We stand and fight, and we lick our wounds when we win, and we bury the dead when we lose. But either way, people are going to get hurt, and get sick, and they're going to die. But they're not going to die if I can help it. That's why every town needs a healer, even if they have to settle for one of those god-loving clergymen."
Larr slinked back, and looked off into the hills to the north. "Hey, hey doc! It's them! And it looks like one of 'em has a full sack! I bet it's the mushroom!"
Wilven was ecstatic. There was nothing he wanted more than to forget about the reality he just painted for the boy next to him.
There was no danger though, Truss himself had quaffed an entire pot of some of the most vibrant tea he could brew, and as such would be livelier than a stampede of tigers. The potion was made, and the children had taken their share. The first of the children turned pale almost immediately. He looked half dead, unable to move save for some slow, light breaths. The four of them were almost entirely unconscious, and not one would see their demise just yet.
Wilven made his way to the battlements by the north gate, where he would sit and wait. A haphazardly armored young guard stood by him as he crouched, leaning over the edge of the stockade wall.
"There's goblins out there, Larr." Truss said to the guard, eyes glazed, and mouth hardly moving.
"'s true doc, worried?" Larr Catyk replied.
Truss sighed, "No. But I'm wondering if I should be." He took a deep breathe and leaned against the back shelf of the battlement. "Everything I've ever believed in, which has not included any god or immortal that you could name, is telling me that these kids aren't going to die yet. I just can't believe for a second that they wouldn't survive."
"I believe it, doc. They're young, and don't deserve it."
Wilven shrugged, "How old are you?"
"Old enough to know when to run from a critter in the hills. 17 now."
Wilven stood up, and looked Larr in the eye, "Daniel is 15 now, son. I'm 34. We live in the hills, and any one of us could die any day to a number of things. But we're not going to run from everything that looks at us funny. We stand and fight, and we lick our wounds when we win, and we bury the dead when we lose. But either way, people are going to get hurt, and get sick, and they're going to die. But they're not going to die if I can help it. That's why every town needs a healer, even if they have to settle for one of those god-loving clergymen."
Larr slinked back, and looked off into the hills to the north. "Hey, hey doc! It's them! And it looks like one of 'em has a full sack! I bet it's the mushroom!"
Wilven was ecstatic. There was nothing he wanted more than to forget about the reality he just painted for the boy next to him.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Gametable: Suplemental
Here is the basic mode of Gametable. An aerial view of a gridded world, with drawn in surroundings, and movable 'pog' units. There's a chat window for player rolls and talk, and when combined with Ventrilo is the closest thing to a live D&D session I've seen online.
But it's not real D&D. At least not the way I know it. It WANTS to be D&D, but it is only a robot with dreams. Like instant messengers want to be conversations, and Pinocchio wants to be a real boy; Gametable is a wannabe. But as it neither lies nor shows my mother as a talking icon of an ant- I can accept it for what it is.
What it boils down to is that Gametable's greatest strength, and greatest drawback is its DM. A creative mind that can make full use of the wide utility GT offers, with an engaging story line and fun, sometimes skin of the teeth, battles- is what makes the 'game' worth playing.
The other side of the coin is that this IS a computer game. How long do you usually wait before you know your attack hit the enemy? How long does it take a computer to record and adjust your enemy's hit points and status effects? For a true computer game, this is all instantaneous. But we're dealing with a hybrid here, a computer game run by a human. Instead of the time-is-not-an-object pace of live D&D, there's a gas-brake-gas-brake feel as control of the game is traded between human and machine. For every instantaneous dice macro roll the computer makes at your request, there is several seconds of delay while the DM calculates, or tags are changed.
Maybe it's an aquired taste. For it's multiplayeriness and customizability it's better than alot of games out there. Players are also allowed to draw embellishments on the playing field, which is a worthy trick, and the easily designed dice macros are neat.
In conclusion, Gametable is like D&D on robo-crutches. Not quite as cool as it sounds though.
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