> I mean, I've been playing a variety of RPGs since about 1979 (does that
> make me an old timer?
God, I hope not! Looks like we started at the same time...
> and I can recall many, many instances where the action was hot &
> heavy, adrenaline pumping, and - if only for a moment - RL
> disappeared and the game world was all consuming. Call me an
> escapist, but those moments are what I play for.
Ok, you are an escapist - but then that's what this is all about, eh? We have different experiences about the combat issue, though. I have tons of memories of the "lost in the game" variety, and almost all have not been combat related. Most were contests of some sort - verbal, political, magical, and yes sometimes fights. What made them memorable was that *something* important was on the line - usually the character's property or ego, but sometimes a life (not always the player character's).
This is why I love the direction that HW is going. Anything that makes the fun part of the game (dueling wits) more involved is a winner with me. I recall someone pointed out in an earlier post that it makes no sense to have the grand oration to sway the clan in council be reduced to one "orate" roll. HW fixes this. As for the combat... I say get it over with as soon as possible. It serves only to slow down the action (plot-wise). There are tons of times in my games where the plot was cruising along at an exciting clip, and then we bogged down for two weeks while the party whacked on some broos.
Finally, I'll freely admit that my distaste for the combat portions of roleplaying might come from my being a 20 year RPG veteran. Once upon a time, the fights were exciting. That was a long time ago, though. I am glad that there is going to be another option available, and I am doubly glad that this option is being designed for Glorantha.
Later...
K.Paul McDonald
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