No worries Doug
> > From: "Mike Holmes" <mike_c_holmes_at_y...>
> > Subject: Re: Digest Number 1824
> >
>
> > The problem occurs because of play style. For some groups (mine
and others)
> > what you call a problem is a feature.
>
> :nods. I do find it hard to imagine a play style that is
built on
> constant digressions into which attribute might apply or whether
the
> GM understood the player's intent correctly.
Hmmm. I am not sure that this is how HQ games proceed but ok...
> But I do understand that
> it works for you, and, because I like many things about the
> system, I
> want to see if there is a way it might work for us.
Doug, I am not being rude but, have you played HQ yet? Have you read the example of play in the rules - the two page spread? HQ P72- 73.
> > From: "Rob" <robert_m_davis_at_h...>
>
> > > Every context could (can? will?) becomes
> > > an exercise in trying to convince the other players and the GM
> > > what skills and augments apply. Then, after the roll, there is
> > > still a huge judgement call in how the results apply.
> >
> > The narrator should, IMO, always ask what the players intent is.
> > Even if you assume he wants to kill the broo, he should be asked.
>
> That's my point. The GM asked and got 'save my children'.
Dice
> are rolled and we get a marginal success. So, we know the children
> are alive. But we don't know much else. As I wrote before,
>
> > > Did she 'save her children' by killling the raiders,
driving
> > them
> > > off, chasing them away after they started the sted burning and
> > > stole the cattle, or even by dying while seeing the youngest
> > carried
> > > off to be sold into slavery (still alive!). Obviously level of
> > victory is
> > > one input into figuring out what should happen. But if the
goal
> > is
> > > ambiguous ('save my children'), there is a lot of room for
after
> > the
> > > fact arguing.
Lets take a step back. Here is how I figure it would run,
Narrator: Right, you wake up and you hear screams from outside, and
smell burning and hear men yelling. There are sounds of fighting.
Player: Do I have any weapons?
Narrator: There is your husbands boar spear but he is not there...
Player: I grab the spear and take a peek outside.
Narrator: Your husband and the other men from your stead are
fighting what look like raiders. Some of the buildings are burning.
Player: Who are they fighting, do I recognise them?
Narrator: Do you have Recognise Foe?
Player: Nothing like it.
Narrator: I tell you what, whats your know local area? Lets have
that at -3 for an improv. The resistance is just 14.
[Both roll dice - success v failure in favour of the player]
Narrator: Those are Black Oak clansmen. The villains. And whats
more you spot one slavering brute standing over your two children,
who are crying huddled in a corner, hefting his blade menacingly.
Player: NO! I charge screaming - 'Leave them alone, yeee-ahhhhh!!'
Narrator: How pissed are you? Do you want to kill him? What are you
doing?
Player: I just want to save the kids. My character is a healer and
has never killed before, but she's ready if she has to, damn it!
Narrator: Ok, ok. Um...Whats your spear skill? Rating?
Player: Drat!! I don't have one so its 6 I guess.
Narrator: I tell you what. There is nothing in nature like a
female protecting her young. Hell hath no fury like a seriously
pissed off woman eh? Whats you love family, lets use that as a
primary skill.
Player: Love family? 5W. I'm nimble as well, can I get an augment
for that?
Narrator: Ok, so that 5W add 2 for an auto augment off of Nimble
15. Add +3 for the boar spear. Thats 10W. Cool. We'll run this
as a simple contest then. This guy is not a great fighter. Maybe
thats why he's avoiding the men and taken to threatening children,
the villain. The resistance is 3W. Masteries cancel, so thats 10 v
3 ok. Lets roll.
[Both roll dice - success v failure in favour of the player, again.]
Narrator: Ok, you run at him screaming, brandishing the spear. You
crash into him. He makes to run off. What are you doing.
Player: I'll let him go and stand over the kids, protecting them.
Whats happening?
And thats when the story continues. I have run games that have had arguments. But with experience I find you get a feel for how the interaction should flow. I found the scenario's in the book a great introduction to the system. I would even go so far as to maybe use some pre generated characters so that people can have a go at the game before character generation. Just an idea.
> I realize some of the issue comes from our very standard RPG
> background.
Each game has a certain vibe. I love a good AD&D game. I love Cthulhu and I also love the White Wolf Vampire game. I also am a big fan of Pendragon. I found it tough picking up a wholly narrative game. But after a while you get the hang of it.
People can be really creative with how they respond to challenges.
There are people who say that all fights involving armed warriors must be resolved with weapon skills alone. But IMG when a player wants to attack with 'caustic wit', then I will tend to allow it if it seems appropriate and fun. Sounds odd? Well, if you have a group of players who want to engage in a fun and creative way and don't deliberatly try to derail your game then I say it works great.
> Task based rolls, the rules generally tell you if you
> succeeded or failed.
The narrator is the final arbiter on what effect occurs, after taking into account what the player was trying to accomplish.
> You may or may not get what you want from
> succeeding on the roll, but you never hurt yourself by succeeding.
> With stating goals like 'save my children', it seems like there is
so
> much room for interpretation of 'how' you succeed that the roll
> becomes less meaningful. It is the interpretation afterwards that
> matters.
I hope my little (large?) example has helped.
> Sorry for being so long,
> Doug
Me too!!
Regards
Rob
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