On January 31, 2007 12:37 pm, Sam Elliot wrote:
> ...there are actually some interesting threads on this and similar
> topics on rpg.net at the mo. Some of it is, I think, triggered by
> Robin Lawsī new game.
Don't know what game that is. But I don't have time to read my email, let alone read threads on rpg.net. :)
> Oh...itīs MacGuffin, not McGuffin, is it? You maverick you. Youīre
> way out on your own on this one, you are.
You know, I normally write it Maguffin - no C.
> (Feel better now?)
Yes, thank you.
> Yes and no - the alternative strategy (see the rpg.net thread if
> itīs still findable) is that it doesnīt matter two hoots what the
> right answer is. I am sure that mystery writers get a LOT of help
> from editors - a GM doesnīt so his/her solution is likely to be
> obscure. The players come up with a solution to the mystery which is
> different from the GMīs - go with it. Deprotagonize the Plot, letīs
> say.
I think this depends on the particular story. I rarely run straight detective work, so I don't know how married to the plot I would be. But for lots of games I leave it VERY open.
> I still think, personally, that Frank is too attached to the idea
> that the KoW is not defeatable militarily. If the players decide
> they want to take a military approach, the game is in trouble. Big,
> huge resistances in the numbers, sure, but...the game isnīt about
> teaching your friends that War is Bad, I am sure. Anyway, I can
> commment more on that if necessary.
I don't think that's a huge problem. I think if the "You can't beat them militarily without losing your own souls" is fairly clear, then huge resistances and tragic failure if they win seems ok.
> Two of the best things, to my mind, to emerge from HeroWars (as it
> was back then) are the Ernaldan There is Another Way stuff
did that only show up in Hero Wars? Wow.
> and the
> empowerment of those Ernaldan types with the ability to scold the
> big tough hero. As abilities, as contests, I mean. I think those
> things encapsulate what the game is about.
Oh. The power to scold someone into submission and have full mechanical weight behind it is awesome. It's one of the things I sell people on, that you can REALLY make your PC interesting AND effective. (Since the very fact of being interesting usually makes them effective.)
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