Re: Re: Introducing new players

From: Sam Elliot <SamLElliot_at_...>
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 09:24:35 -0300

On Tue, Feb 26, 2008 at 5:13 AM, Jane Williams <janewilliams20_at_...> wrote:
> Part of the problem, I think, is that HQ as presented
> in the book hovers uneasily between gamism (I'm not
> going to call it "powergaming", because that's
> slightly different) and story-telling. I've run into
> this before, and had problems with it.
[examples snipped]

I agree here. HQ has a number of those little extra rules, especially around magic, which seem to be there for an odd form of game balance. I agree that these things lead to a fairly mixed message being sent.

As for this whole discussion and CJ's situation...

This discussion has been done a thousand times on rpg.net and is probably being reincarnated right now. For the powergamer, perhaps try to break it down, more or less as Jane suggests, into power in-game (e.g. political power) and power to affect things (numbers). the latter can possibly be dealt with via relationship augments and so on. The power to fail spectacularly too - perhaps chat a bit about a few cinematic examples.

I obviously missed an opportunity, when I worked in Cheltenham, of spending a Wednesday evening sat in the pub with CJ and J-Lo.

Sam.