RE: augment-foraging

From: Mike Holmes <homeydont_at_...>
Date: Mon, 03 May 2004 12:22:15 -0500


>From: David Dunham <david_at_...>

> >(Something like this came up on the Forge, and one reply was to the
> >effect of, if I may paraphrase brutally, screw 'em over once they go
> >beyond the point of the 'social contract' about what's an appropriate
> >number of augments to forage for.
>
>I wasn't aware that there was a social contract for augment-foraging.
>If there is, it's probably the second time the Narrator vetoes
>something not very relevant: "No, you can't use Disrespectful of
>Authority to help stab the Lunar officer."
>
>But as Narrator, I've encouraged players to look for whatever they
>can, and it's how Jeff runs things too. I sort of thought
>augment-foraging was part of the game.

I completely agree. It was I on The Forge, actually, who said that one could "adjust" a player's behavior by "screwing them over." I normally don't advocate that sort of thing, but the example was in response to some player who apparently would always try to get everything (literally) to be an augment.

"Can I augment with my Peacefull to kill the baby Trollkin?"

What I advocated was actually useing these as flaws against them. The point being to indicate to the player that not only plausibility, but the laws of dramatics were important in the foraging process. The silly method that I outlined aside, the question is one of getting everybody on the same sheet of music as to what's appropriate in terms of "stretching."

Because, like David, I believe in allowing just about anything if there's even a slight explanation to be an augment. The explanations themselves are an act of creativity, and they highlight the character. Which is what contests should be all about (IMO). I've said it before, but when you have everybody understanding this, when they're augmenting to make the character cool, not to win, then suddenly, the whole foraging process becomes one of the funnest parts of the game.

Or that's been my experience.

Mike



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