BTW, these 120 character lines are becoming catching, it seems -- is a Netscape thing (I wouldn't understand) for you too, Meirion?
> As an aside, it's only recently clicked how you might use a simple
> contest sort out any form of physical violence beyond a single shot
> type situation. Conflict resolution as opposed to task resolution and
> all that!
My game seems to have gone something of the other way: we used to burn cities with a die-roll, now we're micro-managing everything. ;-) (Though this is partially a side-effect of having gone from (supposedly) 'Pendragon time' closer and closer to 'RuneQuest time'...)
> I'm suggesting drawing a line under the first contest as quickly as
> possible: one roll with maximum AP bid to sort out what happened.
> Then the next contest can proceed immediately.
Yes, I agree that's often, perhaps almost always, what one'd want to do. If one _doesn't_ resolve the first in this manner, better than it be for story-telling (the other thing is important too, we have to get back to it) or dramatic pacing (it'll be _more_ effective if we leave that unresolved for now) reasons, rather than because "oh yeah, we didn't get round to resolving that other thing, best go back and do it now..."
I agree it's not something you ought to start doing simply for 'simulationist' reasons. Ordinarily, one thing ought to be "centre stage", and if there's more than one thing contending to go, in 'goal' terms, then one ought to prioritise. (To elevate the tone that Mikko was complaining about elsewhere, perhaps ask oneself, "What would Pinter do?") Having more than one contest being resolved at once ought to be the gaming equivalent of cutting between scenes, or at least, viewpoints -- you should do it to enhance effect, not to 'juggle'.
> Sort out the fisticuffs with and extended or simple contest to taste!
> If someone survives, the ensuing lawsuit would be another new contest,
> rather than restarting the interrupted one.
Sure, it's a different issue. But there could be some fiercesome carry-over (not to say, hang-over...).
C,
A.
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