The narrative horse

From: antalvarez2001 <antalvarez1976_at_...>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 2002 21:17:53 -0000


My opinion in all this stuff

Narrative vs Simulationism?

I don't believe too much in this credo, applied to game systems.

All the RPG's are narratives, they are tools for participative stories.
All the RPG's that I know try to emulate some kind of "reality"
(fantastical, mythical, etc) for these stories. All of them are
simulationist.

The simulation can't be perfect. We need a bit of common sense. If I find a rule that doesn't fit in a concret context, I just ignore it
(in HeroWars, RQ or whatever); if the general rule doesn't work well
in most contexts, I will change it.

What is the difference between games like HeroWars and RuneQuest? IMO the level of detail in the simulation. Of course, trying to achieve a perfect level of detail is impossible or unplayable (reality is bigger than our simulations) but there are rules more detailed than others. In HeroWars we have very few rules and very flexible, so it is a good `skeleton' that we adapt to every situation; we have to improvise but it's good. It's better if we have good references for improvising. Sample resistances (HW p. 119-120) or creature stats aren't less narrative. It's help for take decisions. If my story need a terrible tiger, I will improve de default tiger, both in RQ and in HW, trying to use logic and common sense.

The narrative horse.

There is a PC, who is a trained runner (5W) and a powerful devotee
(18W2 in Movement magic). A dangerous lunar patrol is pursuing him
and they want to kill him. The player says "I use burst of speed for augmenting my Run ability" or perhaps he use run for augmenting burst of speed (If the narrator admits so) He wants to use an Hero Point. The narrator could say:

-Horses are faster than Humans. They take you. But my players would think it's unfair. It's a live-or-die situation, the hero has magic and do a heroic and mythological effort ;-)

-Oh, the hero uses his magic to improve his speed and win the horses. That's good in my story, is perfect at this moment. You win. My players would think that his abilities doesn't matter and that the story is only MINE.

-We have to resolve this situation with a contest (for these thing there are rules about contests). At this point, the narrator needs horse statistics. He could improvise, or he could find some help from Anaxial's Roster. He changes the statistics for his story, of course. If I want to emphasize the superpower of the hero against petty villains, there are slow horses; if this is a major event and it has to be a very difficult encounter there are superpowerful mearas. The statistic of Anaxial Roster is my reference and it is more useful if it is comparable with my player characters at some point. If Horse Run is a completely different ability it works worse. If it's too low in most situations, it's a bad statistic. A higher statistic, comparable with humans IS ALSO comparable with horses so it's better for me.

Improve the statistics is not less narrative. It's changing a general rule because it doesn't fit well. It could be a bit difficult reaching the new stat, and I will NEVER find a perfect-completely satisfactory one. I will have to change it in some situations but is BETTER than the first one.

The spirit of the game breaks if there are too much, boring level of detail in the rules. But changing the skeleton it isn't dangerous if you don't like some bone of if you thing that some other number is more suited for general cases.

There are more examples. If a Tusk Boar is thought 2W and I am thought 2W I am as though as a Tusk Boar, so I can use my ability as a resistance in combat at the same rate. "Tusk Boar are always thougher than humans" means nothing: in combat you need a number, and you are using the same one. If you want that Tusk Boar were thougher, simply say Tusk Boar: Though 10W2 or whathever.

If I say "Gods have a magical power incomparable with humans" you never can defeat a god, like Yanafal Tarnils. All is comparable, god's power is only VERY hight.

If I say "A human can't defeat a Luatha in Close Combat" Why I need Luatha statistics?

Etc.

Regards,

Antonio

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