I said:
"Question 3...
Contests should always end up with consequences and benefits. The results of a contest are one way players get to modify their characters in the short term, let 'em.
Or to put it another way - if a contest doesn't appear to provide interesting consequences bin it and find another."
You said:
"Really? That's an interesting view. Just to clarify, you would apply the numerical bonuses and penalties to every contest?"
I do always apply consequences as a result of a contest. One thing about Heroquest is that the narrative is so closely tied the mechanics that the more cross over you get between the two the better. Penalties are good as it ups the drama in future contests (which is partly balanced by the decrease in difficulty of the next contest - but that's a whole different story). Bonuses are great as it gives the players additional narrative hooks to use. It's like having a bunch of decent augments kicking around in HQ 1 but (and this is the really cool bit) the players don't have to think about where the augment's coming from - everyone at the table knows as they saw an in game what led to this bonus.
Quick "real world example": In my current game one of the adventurers has a consequence on his character sheet: "Wizards are easy to nail +9" as in the first adventure he got a complete defeat against a wizard trying to kill him. All the player has to do is say in character is "Wizards are easy to nail" and we all know exactly why the character thinks that and what the bonus is.
Incidentally, the character sheet in the back of the rule book is a bit crap. BUT it has one redeeming feature, plenty of space for consequences, almost as much as for abilities. I'm not sure if that was a pointer as to the relative importance of abilities and consequences but I'm taking it as one until someone punctures my bubble.
I said about escalation:
"Use extended contests, they handle escalation really well, simple contests don't. If you're a point away from defeat in a simple contest you can always change ability and tactics to get what you want - at the risk of upping the ante somewhat. Drawing a sword or summoning Quark the Undying Cheese in a debating chamber makes everything suddenly a bit more tense."
You asked:
"Please say more?
I actually find this part the hardest to adjudicate in both HQ1 and HQ2. The mechanics involved are never clear to me for upping the ante/drastically changing the contest part way through. I mean sure, throw the former contest out for something like the debate (probably). But how about the "friendly sparring contest" that then turns into a real fight? The "I now turn into a werewolf, rules change" moment?
>From a dramatic point of view this seems more significant than just using a new ability for the roll."
When a player changes the ability his or character is using in an extended contest (but hasn't changed what he or she is after, i.e. what their goals are) then you can still consider changing the consequences of the contest. So if a contest starts as an attempt by two parties to verbally humiliate each other and it escalates into a punch up halfway through feel free to apply physical penalties against the looser rather than social ones - especially if they were the ones that escalated what's going on. The change of ability can also help generate interesting consequences of victory: "I back up what I say with my fists +3" for example.
Going slightly further off the diving board you can even apply this when one of the characters is behind in an extended contest - or having to use exceptional means to stay in the game, i.e. a hero point. However you let the player change his or her character's goal.
If Adam's loosing out to Bruno badly then I'd be perfectly willing to let Adam switch his goal to "Run away!!!" and continue the contest rather than say "Oh dear, new stakes, new contest!" If Adam turns thing around and wins the contest he doesn't get to grab any cash, he's got away with his hide intact. If Bruno wins, well, no change.
I hope that clarifies what I was wittering on about a bit,
Cheers,
Ash
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