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Post by shadrack on Jun 20, 2012 5:34:08 GMT -8
In regard to a 'how to play RPGs over Google+' question. I will direct you to a site or two, but won't be able to post links, as I'm at work There's an interesting site => constantcon.blogspot.com The premise being that this site can act as a repository for Google+ games, with a calendar and resources. I believe that it was started as an extension of Zak S (guy who wrote Vornheim) blog. I believe that blog is dndwithpornstars.blogspot.com (I certainly will not be looking that one up). Zak's blog has a lot of 'how-to' type stuff for Google+ games. Some may be outdated, especially if you're planning to use the roll20.net stuff. Regardless, I hope this leads you to some useful stuff. FYI - constantcon and zak's blog typically have a OSR (old school revival) bent, but I think that's just what they like, and therefore who was attracted first. I don't sense that it's a nest of haters.
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Post by ironnikki on Jun 20, 2012 6:35:21 GMT -8
I'm a newcomer to GURPS, as I've only been playing it for less than a year, but unfortunately can't make a hard commitment to any more games. I'm very intrigued with the system, however, and I'd love to see how someone who knows what they're doing runs it. Any chance of allowing occasional spectators or an AP?
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Post by HourEleven on Jun 20, 2012 8:33:33 GMT -8
I just wanted to put in my 2 cents about the whole GM education thing. I'm currently writing my dissertation for my theatre doctorate and I can safely say that training in theatre theory is amazing for what we do.
Possibly the most important courses I ever took in my tenure as a graduate student (as far as GMing is concerned) were about Playscript analysis. I argued in an article a few years back that the GMs role is far more related to the playwright's art than it is to the fiction writer. The main reason for this is the existence of a novel or short story as a single consumable piece of art, while the playscript is only words suggesting a world and characters for other artists to use to create a piece of art. No two actors have ever played King Lear the same - because they only have his words, not his true emotions, not his actions - just his words. The actor has to fill that character with his own self and life. When that playwright releases his play into the wild, he has no idea what those actors will bring into those characters or what that director will latch on to within his themes, or even how the scenic designer will physically construct that world. This is what happens when the GM releases his game plot into the hands of the player/character hybrids sitting around that table.
In script analysis, you learn to see the script as a series of secured points along a path of infinite options (Ophelia will kill herself, but we have no idea from the script what Ophelia is TRULY like, or even the reason why she dies - scholars have argued for decades - but the actress[player] makes it so). In general, this is how we write for our games.
It also teaches seeing the minor characters (NPCs) as tools which serve the overall story. They become bumpers that keep the main characters forever plunging towards their fate night after night - Rosencrantz & Guildenstern for example.
And one final thought from one of my old playwriting professors:
"Comedies are written by the most pessimistic of our kind - those who can find human misery light-hearted, as long some one gets married in the end. Tragedies are written by those who understand the real value of human life - a value that can only be measured when it runs out, a value that is ALWAYS immeasurable." -Dr. Rush
Edit: I accidentally a word.
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Post by HourEleven on Jun 20, 2012 15:11:01 GMT -8
Ok, so I also wanted to weigh in on the whole "one attribute doesn't really describe all that a person is capable of" thing. I agree completely, but I'm a little conflicted about how much complexity is enough and how much is too much. I always wondered why there wasn't more systems that used some form of 'derived attributes' - something like this: Although, looking at it, that may be a bit more book keeping than is necessary. I've always been a 'less is more' fan when it comes to RPGs (miniature war games, however - stat it the hell up), so I enjoy the simplicity of White Wolf's WoD system: Is it a physical, mental, or social test? Does it require power, finesse, or resistance? Ok, roll that and let's get on with it. It seems to cover the essences of ability without actually detailing the ability itself. How much force can your being manifest in a social situation, etc.
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Post by fray on Jun 20, 2012 19:50:23 GMT -8
I really dig that hex chart.
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HyveMynd
Supporter
Dirty hippie, PbtA, Fate, & Cortex Prime <3er
Posts: 2,273
Preferred Game Systems: PbtA, Cortex Plus, Fate, Ubiquity
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Currently Running: The Sprawl
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Post by HyveMynd on Jun 20, 2012 22:37:38 GMT -8
I really dig the White Wolf attribute system as well since you can slice it two ways; the three groups of Power, Finesse, and Resistance or the three groups of Physical, Mental, and Social. It makes creating NPCs on the fly for those unexpected encounters pretty darn easy.
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Post by mook on Jun 21, 2012 8:53:54 GMT -8
Possibly the most important courses I ever took in my tenure as a graduate student (as far as GMing is concerned) were about Playscript analysis. Hmm, sounds shiny! Short of actually taking a course though, are there maybe any general intro books you could recommend?
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Post by HourEleven on Jun 21, 2012 17:20:44 GMT -8
Possibly the most important courses I ever took in my tenure as a graduate student (as far as GMing is concerned) were about Playscript analysis. Hmm, sounds shiny! Short of actually taking a course though, are there maybe any general intro books you could recommend? There's scores and scores of them. This is text book that my old Tony Award winning play analysis professor wrote (he wrote it after I took his classes, so i havent read it, but it should encapsulate his ideas pretty well): www.amazon.com/A-Student-Guide-Play-Analysis/dp/0809326094/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340326710&sr=8-1&keywords=David+rush+play+analysisWhen I teach script analysis, I have my students buy the 2nd edition of Thomas' text. I like the 2nd edition because it doesn't mince words. He's concise and to the point. The new editions look much thicker - students don't like it when texts get too thick, but I'm sure the information is even better in the new edition: www.amazon.com/Script-Analysis-Directors-Designers-Edition/dp/024081049X/ref=dp_ob_title_bkThat's a good starting point. Either one should be full of structural ideas and useful mechanics.
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Post by henryhankovitch on Jun 21, 2012 17:27:48 GMT -8
Thing is, trying to subdivide attributes into some kind of mathematical model of real-world human performance just leaves with an unwieldy mass of stat mechanics. You end up with a clusterfuck that looks like this: For most situations and systems, there's simply no good reason to have more than 6-9 main character attributes. The areas of narrow distinction are better handled via the skill system. You don't need to model the difference in physical ability between a watchmaker and an Olympic gymnast within the agility/dexterity attribute; you just give the watchmaker a high Watchmaking skill and no Gymnastics skill. Differences in innate physical ability tend to be much less pronounced than differences in training and experience anyway. No matter how naturally agile or intelligent he is, a novice watchmaker is going to have trouble fixing watches compared to the person who's been doing it for ten years.
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Post by Stu Venable on Jun 21, 2012 18:28:23 GMT -8
One of the reasons we wanted to divide dexterity is because of its tendency to be an uber-stat.
It would be easy to house-rule several systems to both give more simulation and end the uberstat-ness.
For instance, in GURPS (which only has 4 stats -- and creates derived stats from the base 4) could easily either divide DX or have a secondary stat that could be bought up and down.
Though overall, I do agree that less stats is better, but DEX is almost always overpowered and over-utilized compared to the others.
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Post by HourEleven on Jun 21, 2012 19:43:39 GMT -8
. You end up with a clusterfuck that looks like this: What the hell-ass-balls-game has that character sheet?
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Post by Stu Venable on Jun 22, 2012 4:41:45 GMT -8
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Post by HourEleven on Jun 22, 2012 6:31:47 GMT -8
I'm fascinated by the "Emotional Status" quadrants. I can think of handful of systems I could use something like that in - first that comes to mind is tweaking it into a 4-way sanity/fear status for a Cthulhu game.
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Post by ericfromnj on Jun 22, 2012 16:40:44 GMT -8
shadrack and HJ crew, thanks for pointing me in various directions for google+ stuff. Old School Gaming bent is fine since my little exploration sandbox is probably going to end up in TMHBD&D (Basic D&D) for friends I used to play with in the 80's. Very Isle of Dread exploration man versus environment sandbox (or maybe a more updated version would be Western Marshes).
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Post by ericfromnj on Jun 22, 2012 17:52:23 GMT -8
Oh, yeah. Never played GURPs because, well, it always looked like it was a bit much for me.
Sort of like Google+4 Though my wife's laptop has a mic and camera and - things.
She's the brains of this outfit.
So is the 6 year old.
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