tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9037809995849136002.post5576782761245890568..comments2024-02-29T00:33:17.328-08:00Comments on Under A Blood Red Sky: Musings on character death, et al.spielmeisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09247265293145424283noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9037809995849136002.post-45624100641763851552010-01-11T21:05:52.684-08:002010-01-11T21:05:52.684-08:00Excellent quote Blair. It brought a smile to my li...Excellent quote Blair. It brought a smile to my lips here in the office this morning. Just what I needed to get me through the day!spielmeisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09247265293145424283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9037809995849136002.post-48152148418186732782010-01-11T16:14:10.962-08:002010-01-11T16:14:10.962-08:00"if everyone started blasting away with their..."if everyone started blasting away with their newly-acquired firepower instead of saving their ammo until the last minute."<br /><br />We have a saying in our group, picked up during bitter experiences, "Dead guys can't drink healing potions."Blairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10884401206802336531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9037809995849136002.post-22772555755259283622010-01-11T07:46:53.924-08:002010-01-11T07:46:53.924-08:00@Chris: I am so sorry for mis-spelling your name- ...@Chris: I am so sorry for mis-spelling your name- this was not intentional! My apologies - being sleep deprived makes me see double.spielmeisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09247265293145424283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9037809995849136002.post-85037026387166318772010-01-11T07:45:33.137-08:002010-01-11T07:45:33.137-08:00@Cris: thanks for the input, man. Reading about yo...@Cris: thanks for the input, man. Reading about your experiences also gives me a feeling of deja vu. I have to struggle to wipe that big fat sarcastic smile of my face when I hear the standard "Do you know PCs aren't supposed to die?" question. Could this also be attributed to a generation gap between me and many players today (ouch! times like these, I'm really feeling my age...) And yes, letting go really helps - the loss of a PC really shouldn't be an earth-shaking crisis.<br /><br />I really hope you find a good new gaming group. I have a player who immigrated to Aussie (in fact two of them!) and we still dream of getting together and rolling the dice whenever they get the chance to visit here. If you do find yourself in Manila, you're always welcome to game with us!spielmeisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09247265293145424283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9037809995849136002.post-10788492058684420072010-01-11T07:37:49.214-08:002010-01-11T07:37:49.214-08:00@Nikolas: yup, that's true. Our common player-...@Nikolas: yup, that's true. Our common player-friend is a pretty dynamic guy. His efforts at simultaneously role-playing two personalities at the same time is just awesome to behold! Hope you are well and doing fine in your classes. Looking forward to gaming with you soon dude!spielmeisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09247265293145424283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9037809995849136002.post-7830372164665977302010-01-11T07:35:23.193-08:002010-01-11T07:35:23.193-08:00@Bill: now that you mentioned it, I'm seriousl...@Bill: now that you mentioned it, I'm seriously thinking of selling off my 4e books (I can sure use the extra cash these days!). And thanks so much for the great advise: your suggestion on the Order of the d30 has a lot of merit in it! I'm sure the guys will jump at the chance of weaving it into the game.spielmeisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09247265293145424283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9037809995849136002.post-55614851177525458152010-01-11T02:38:12.329-08:002010-01-11T02:38:12.329-08:00Man, I feel your pain. I recently joined a gaming ...Man, I feel your pain. I recently joined a gaming group and later GMed for the first time in over 20+ yrs... I never realised how much RPGs have changed <i>for the worse</i>.<br /><br />Most of the players were 3.5 fans and when one of them died (twice) there was the biggest, lamest controversy ever... "Don't you know PCs aren't supposed to die??" "This game sucks: it's so primitive - It needs more rules" etc.<br /><br />Suffice it to say I quit the group. <br />(I despair of ever finding a new one)<br /><br />It really made me appreciate the maturity and <i>skill</i> of my friends in <i>primary</i> school!<br /><br />These new guys wanted everything on a platter and a constant stream of NPCs whose "alignment" and stats were easily identifiable because actually role-playing, taking time to explore and form a strategy would have been too much work and/or risky.<br /><br />As you say, and as the old school rules would take pains to make clear: it doesn't matter who lives or dies (<i>there are no winners or losers</i>) but how you play the game that makes it so much fun.<br /><br />I've played enough RPGs to understand almost instinctively that more rules means a more <i>boring</i> game: more looking up rules in-game, more sad lawyering and slower play. Combat that takes 30 mins for just one or two rounds is not my idea of fun! It's not rocket surgery.<br /><br />Jame Raggi makes some great points, esp. about never fudging the dice ever. <br /><br />I'm not trying to be snarky but I really worry about players who have to great an attachment to their characters. It's not as though you've been dumped by your girlfriend, or lost your job or are totally broke. Losing a PC should not be a crisis.Chris Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11064988977152302364noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9037809995849136002.post-54075469619451208272010-01-11T00:49:25.233-08:002010-01-11T00:49:25.233-08:00Great Post! I personally hate having to learn exce...Great Post! I personally hate having to learn excess data I can't use in other things, cause I'm already cluttered enough as it is. <br /><br />I think the level of responsibility affects the level of efficiency and practicality in a GM's approach. <br /><br />"whereby ensuring that a single die roll does not result in the death of the character" <br /><br />I really agree to this. In fact, listening to fellow (well meaning) Players and their admonishments is how you prevent from getting into this point in the FIRST PLACE.<br /><br />Although knowing the player, he likes testing limits and has a pretty used to getting over character death.justin aquinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03191474595831304520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9037809995849136002.post-38509945105115039552010-01-10T08:13:43.200-08:002010-01-10T08:13:43.200-08:00Nice post. Sounds like you and I are on the same ...Nice post. Sounds like you and I are on the same page regarding 4E, I sold all of my 4E books and haven't regretted it. <br />One thing I have noticed about Old School games is the lethality factor seems to be higher than in more "modern" games. Even my Castles & Crusades Campaign was alot more lethal than my previous 3.0-3.5 Campaigns combined. <br /> Have you thought about using the Order of the d30 option? If the players save their one d30 roll per sessio for those save or die rolls it might help them feel like they have a 'bit' more control and not so totally at the whim of the dice, course you get one roll per game also.Brutorz Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10261330634648140358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9037809995849136002.post-28284273103312194362010-01-09T22:16:44.103-08:002010-01-09T22:16:44.103-08:00You know, that's true Eli. The face-to-face ro...You know, that's true Eli. The face-to-face role playing aspect of our game still has a social aspect we can never deny. Essentially, it boils down to continuous communication between the players and GM, as well as healthy amount of respect, empathy and sensitivity in the interest of what you aptly call "the greater good".spielmeisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09247265293145424283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9037809995849136002.post-34357411588649712472010-01-09T21:57:10.246-08:002010-01-09T21:57:10.246-08:00This is a good post. I agree with much of what is ...This is a good post. I agree with much of what is said here, though the ability of the player and their emotional maturity must factor into things as well. <br /><br />A player may be a good player and able to keep his favorite character alive, however, there may be players who are not as able to play but who may still become meotionally invested. For these players there is, I think a bit of a dramatic license that cane be taken with the game play until they have matured enough.<br /><br />Those players that cannot or do not mature enough might want to think about another hobby. If you want them in your game for social reasons or whatever, then players and GMs have to consign themselves to continuing this license for the duration of the game.<br /><br />I would also say that allowing for some dramatic license, even with experienced players may work for "the greater good" in many cases and staving off player death for a bit to let the story flow for a bit is acceptible in my experience.<br /><br />I remember killing my little brother's character in front of his friends in an adventure I ran during a birthday party of his. I was scolded by mom so much for that and in retrospect it really may not have been the best time to kill his character.Eli Arndthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10445801567500822187noreply@blogger.com