tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post465220838887943722..comments2023-10-14T03:58:59.333-06:00Comments on The Tao of D&D: Things I Should Not Write About OpenlyAlexis Smolenskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-61359066878359861452011-01-21T10:43:19.722-07:002011-01-21T10:43:19.722-07:00You may be selling me on the card idea. I've ...You may be selling me on the card idea. I've used dice in my last two games, and it's working. It's fast, the players are picking up on it, and it has just enough depth to allow them to feel like they're accomplishing something. Kind of the way combat works now.<br /><br />The cards add depth to the world, though. They add depth to the characters, too, in a way that alignment kind of wanted to but was unable to do well.<br /><br />I'll have to think on this more.<br /><br />thewbeldOriginal_Carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03521777462227997158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-29027309843820043982011-01-20T15:10:41.731-07:002011-01-20T15:10:41.731-07:00Obviously, not everything is a scouting badge. The...Obviously, not everything is a scouting badge. The organization spent much thought and consideration on what could be considered a worthy achievement to certify as a badge. The same would need to be done here.<br /><br />The various achievements could be classified according to groups: ie., 'experienced circumstances,' 'status,' 'ownership,' 'appearance,' 'good behavior,' 'bad behavior,' and so on (I don't suggest these would be the final names, this is just off the top of my head). More cards in a particular collection would then translate to greater influence in that category. If you wanted to really have a lot of status, therefore, you'd have to do more than 1 thing - you'd have to gather many different sorts of status, to give yourself considerable leverage when tackling a conversation with someone else with status.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-90455024755625117672011-01-20T14:16:23.990-07:002011-01-20T14:16:23.990-07:00My inherent problem with the system you propose,Al...My inherent problem with the system you propose,Alexis, is that ultimately one cannot know what is useful in a confrontation until it is tried.<br /><br />Let me put it this way. I learned that Jim the Guard has, I don't know, a fondness for dogs, when does the DM pass me the "Knows that Jim loves Dogs" card?<br /><br />In essence, some things are only useful for specific people, specific circumstances, and specific times.<br /><br />This is why I proposed "Influence" cards the way I did. The player says "I want to use this, this, and that information against Jim", and the DM says, "Sure, it's worth this, that, and the other."<br /><br />That might be a specific value, a die value, or even kept hidden. For instance, Steve the Bawd could have been lying when he told me Jim loved dogs.<br /><br />Conversations are far more flexible than a series of specific cards, no matter how vast, could ever be.<br /><br />The results are the star of this program, we agree on that. How we come to the results is almost piddling in comparison.<br /><br />Still, I'm glad you posted this. It's given me something more to consider.Pandredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03917809464727878157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-21517741858427779502011-01-20T13:34:58.327-07:002011-01-20T13:34:58.327-07:00In large part both, James; my presence in a room p...In large part both, James; my presence in a room provides a certain effect, and then a greater effect is created if I make the effort. A question of intensity, as opposed to on and off.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-72975382216245362572011-01-20T12:51:33.025-07:002011-01-20T12:51:33.025-07:00Yes, the future relationship aspect of this so far...Yes, the future relationship aspect of this so far has escaped my ability to solve to my satisfaction. My take on IMech is by no means complete.<br /><br />Interesting point you've raised... I see my current five-card deck as something of an abstraction of very specific activity that allows room for some detail to be added through narration, sort of like combat. Yours is a reasonable, differing interpretation.<br /><br />When you say "...I am thinking of a demonstration of the player's ability to affect everyone they came into contact with, not just one at a time." How would this aspect of your system function in contrast to what I have? Do you conceive that IMech is always turned "on" like radar antenna and not the result of some stated activity like "I try to persuade the lackey" or it's combat analogue "I hit him with my mace."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-80640088409568159762011-01-20T12:25:24.012-07:002011-01-20T12:25:24.012-07:00I don't think that card would be in the offing...I don't think that card would be in the offing, James; I'm not suggesting a "crossing the street" card. I am suggesting that the bigger issue for the IMech to handle is the player's future relationship to the bureaucrat, and not whether they get paid this particular time. The bureaucrat's willingness to pay them would then be based on his assessment of what bruisers these guys are, not on the particulars of their dialogue. You call it an abstraction, but from what I can see you're getting into the nitty gritty of moment to moment interaction, and I am thinking of a demonstration of the player's ability to affect everyone they came into contact with, not just one at a time.<br /><br />I'm sure we're closer on this issue than you think.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-30622769937313344662011-01-20T12:19:28.375-07:002011-01-20T12:19:28.375-07:00Alexis, I'm not convinced that's a big pro...Alexis, I'm not convinced that's a big problem (XP for rping) when considering the current differences between what we each want. A lot of the stuff you call out as potential "earned cards" are the sorts of things one is doing while earning XP and not role playing (e.g. first time wounded in battle, first time near death, etc...). Again, for me it comes back to I'm accepting a large amount of abstraction there where you want the interesting details. <br /><br />As an anecdote and by no means an exhaustive proof, the one and only time I've actually used an IMEC in my game it was for the purposes of immediately getting paid in gold, or put another way, acquiring XP. If I understand you correctly. this 100XP would equate in some way to the player in question instead getting a "deals well with bureaucrats" card after the encounter?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-43803052535818978272011-01-20T12:09:51.535-07:002011-01-20T12:09:51.535-07:00Thank you Wicked.
Of course, people could just le...Thank you Wicked.<br /><br />Of course, people could just learn how to use a graphic design program. And a print shop.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-1388042312242694902011-01-20T11:58:21.605-07:002011-01-20T11:58:21.605-07:00Something like this would be helpful:
http://www.s...Something like this would be helpful:<br />http://www.shenafu.com/magic/cc.phpJeremy Murphyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17072164588443858336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-60191489461654309982011-01-20T11:47:34.813-07:002011-01-20T11:47:34.813-07:00James,
I believe what's needed is a format th...James,<br /><br />I believe what's needed is a format that stands apart from experience; it would settle forever all the "give-XP-for-roleplaying" arguments, wouldn't it?<br /><br />Sully,<br /><br />Fine. But if you start selling them, I'm going to lawyer up. I wonder how much Joe the Lawyer costs?Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-68026774680240722822011-01-20T11:22:02.649-07:002011-01-20T11:22:02.649-07:00I use a program called "Magic Set Editor"...I use a program called "Magic Set Editor" to make and print custom Magic-the Gathering style cards for my DnD4e game. Mosty I make power cards, feats, NPCs, that kind of thing. I'm totally going to steal this idea of accomplishment cards! Being able to give character successes more tangible benefits than just experience points would be a huge boost to the RP aspect of the game. Thanks!Sullyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08775443433933924102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-3381451539769554852011-01-20T11:03:37.869-07:002011-01-20T11:03:37.869-07:00The significant difference between what we propose...The significant difference between what we propose is that you're specifying all of the things I'm sort of abrstracting with a "level" card. I've considered further having "class" or "social catse" or "war veteran" cards under the IMech I'm toying with, but they all remian abstractions. <br /><br />I'm comfortable with the abstractions, so no fear of you and I ending up in court or having a message board spat. I'm intrigued to see where you end up, though. How much of your table time would you foresee being taken up by the sort of IMech you describe?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com