Re: Re: HQ with a d12 [was genre & setting for HQ2]

From: John Machin <trithemius_at_...>
Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2009 11:17:34 +1100

2009/3/1 L C <lightcastle_at_...>:
> Interesting.  I've always been torn by Burning Wheel as a system. I
> really do like the idea of the dice mechanic underlying it, but I can't
> stand all the life path stuff, and never had the patience to sit down
> and figure out if I could pull them apart easily.

The BW Lifepaths are a great example of encoding setting data into game mechanics. You learn about the setting by interacting with the mechanics as you build the character. E.G. We know that knights are a privileged class, since it is hard to become one in the lifeparth system. I think it is a very striking and effective demonstration of using gamer-speak to communicate meaning to gamers.

The Burning Empires (BE) lifepaths are just as good (if not better!).

(And in my experience you can pull them apart really easily - if you have the Monster Burner it has the mechanics for how they were assembled in the first place!)

-- 
John Machin
"Nothing is more beautiful than to know the All."
- Athanasius Kircher, 'The Great Art of Knowledge'.