tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446461178381374626.post3593892001087614536..comments2024-03-27T23:28:19.341-07:00Comments on Telecanter's Receding Rules: Tools not RulesTelecanterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07238356788092725244noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446461178381374626.post-81788746829214326182014-07-08T15:59:06.492-07:002014-07-08T15:59:06.492-07:00Yeah, people can make anything competitive and D&a...Yeah, people can make anything competitive and D&D has had tournament play from way back. But I think that kind of play is really missing the point. This is a game where a group of friends get to play together , helping and working as a team. In fact, if they don't work together the dungeon will probably eat them alive. What other kind of play is like that? Maybe some video games? Maybe a few board games?<br /><br />Again, I'm influenced by thinking of it as a parlor game with a small group of friends. If I had 20+ people playing on different days and still had the same limited prep time I imagine the players would by necessity start feuding over resources. Jeff Reint's online Wessex campaign was like that. That's all right I guess. It gives the world an aspect of life where things happen outside of the DM, but I don't think it would be very fun to fight a bunch of wandering monsters, survive, and then find all the loot gone. Which I guess is a long winded way to say, there is probably an upper limit on the number of players that can be in a campaign and still produce the kind of play I like. Or, if I had that many players I might need to guide them to be less muder-hoboish and still work together even when they play on different days.Telecanterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07238356788092725244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446461178381374626.post-4553717953762899502014-07-08T14:21:53.842-07:002014-07-08T14:21:53.842-07:00There are game rewards and table rewards. Players ...There are game rewards and table rewards. Players might be competitive over game rewards, but they are seeking the table rewards together and in common. Scott Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12067161332003628237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446461178381374626.post-515619819173375422014-07-08T14:07:54.574-07:002014-07-08T14:07:54.574-07:00Well, I wouldn't say it's not competitive....Well, I wouldn't say it's not competitive. Gygax's old campaign rules assumed some level of competition between players ("We need to find the treasure before they do!"). Hell, before it became D&D, some players would act as the monsters, which is something I've considered bringing backHolly Oatshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01703437987958922954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446461178381374626.post-30699632836134087852014-07-08T13:54:29.341-07:002014-07-08T13:54:29.341-07:00Yes. I think D&D is actually quite innovative...Yes. I think D&D is actually quite innovative in ways that even some avid players don't seem to grasp. 1) It's collaborative and not competitive 2) It let's you take part in making your own entertainment rather than consuming something pre-made. Both of which require you to have a bit of faith that some cool things will emerge, but they usually do. I have no idea what might happen if my player gets a hold of a whole barge of fireworks in the upcoming auction but I'm sure it will be funny and possibly exciting. :)Telecanterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07238356788092725244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446461178381374626.post-88694917893427366412014-07-08T07:30:55.318-07:002014-07-08T07:30:55.318-07:00Emergent story is a key element to what I want to ...Emergent story is a key element to what I want to get out of the game. Railroad or otherwise, if I as the referee know basically what's going I happen, in going to be bored. "Story" is what happens when you pour the ingredients into the box, crank the handle, and then see what develops.Scott Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12067161332003628237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446461178381374626.post-37903686087983496082014-07-08T06:43:52.223-07:002014-07-08T06:43:52.223-07:00Thanks for the comments.
@Scott: Yeah, I'm n...Thanks for the comments.<br /><br />@Scott: Yeah, I'm not even sure there needs to be a player's handbook as such (maybe little class booklets or something) because it implies there is a ton of stuff you need to know and do to make a character which isn't the case in my games.<br /><br />@ProfessorOats: A foundation is good, I agree, and the system can really help a DM know what kinds of things they will need to decide on (like how to handle leveling, or new spells, or hirelings, etc) I also agree that DMs should know that they can edit and tinker with all that to set their own baseline and get ready to make rulings because they are inevitable.<br /><br />The three-hole sheets is a great idea because I think modularity is a good approach to this problem. I would looooove to have a simple mini-game to resolve 7 samurai style village sieges, but you wouldn't need that very often.<br /><br />Something I realized after posting is that some of the tools I desire aren't because I don't do enough prep or I'm not good enough at improv, but that I value emergent story and I really value player involvement. So I would probably favor a tool that gets my players involved somehow. I think this is related to my thinking about the game evolving as I've grown older. D&D is often treated very much like a war game (just with no win conditions) and I see it more like a collaborative parlour game.Telecanterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07238356788092725244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446461178381374626.post-50331415330552251782014-07-07T08:33:30.716-07:002014-07-07T08:33:30.716-07:00ProfessorOats, you might find Microlite20 interest...ProfessorOats, you might find Microlite20 interesting. It's 3e chopped down to its barest essentials.Gordon Cooperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12907319916602597979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446461178381374626.post-18871985592689772542014-07-06T20:50:37.313-07:002014-07-06T20:50:37.313-07:00I plan to release my own game as a boxed set, and ...I plan to release my own game as a boxed set, and included in it will be three-hole punched sheets for the referee. These cover the type of material you're talking about here. The idea is to continue pumping these out and individual refs can just pick what they want and include them in a binder with their notes and maps<br /><br />I do think some standardization's good for improv; it can provide a firm foundation to make rulings you'll be happy with even after a session's over. 3.0 actually did a pretty great job of that, but they also codified quite a few rulings DMs could've handled themselves and made sure to beat you over the head with so much repetition. Sometimes I get the urge to write a slimmer version of 3E that cuts the fat and actually empowers the DM instead of spelling everything out for all the rules lawyers. You wouldn't even need to change the actual game (though I'd be tempted to)Holly Oatshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01703437987958922954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446461178381374626.post-2419452569035846062014-07-06T20:17:10.430-07:002014-07-06T20:17:10.430-07:00The standard third book in any core rules set shou...The standard third book in any core rules set should be a book full of ideas and solutions like the ones you have made. Monsters can either go in the referee's guide or in their own fourth volume. <br /><br />These kinds of ingenious tools to get you through on the fly are way more important than how many hit points a Thoul has. Scott Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12067161332003628237noreply@blogger.com