Re: Intro

From: Bo <lorgryt_at_...>
Date: Sat, 26 Nov 2011 11:03:58 -0800


On 11/26/2011 9:57 AM, Aaron Stockser wrote:
> Oh I understand completely how (in the context of HQ... or even
> "traditional RP" gaming now) a Knowledge Roll can kill you or leave you
> (physically or metaphorically) dying.
>
> I'm just talking about 20 years of "I have Egyptian Hieroglyphics at 27, do
> I know what they say?" and having the player make the roll with little
> consequence of failure... and now having a completely different mindset as
> a Narrator when that question is asked:
>
> -Is it crucial to the story that they can translate them?
> -Is there something interesting that can happen with Failure?
> -Can I progress the story if the Player Fumbles a Mock Contest?
> -Am I rolling in the open or not?
> -Am I prepared for a Fumble result by the Character?
>
> I should've been asking some of those questions for a long time, but others
> are unique to HQ and how it works.
>

I was going to say, don't you do most of these in other systems? But, I see you came to it already. :)

It seems to me that open rolling only tells players that hidden rolls are important. I try to avoid that. As for most of the questions, arn't they endemic in playing any RPG? As the GM you always need to ask this of everything that happens, and be prepared to deal with it.
> One thing I don't think the HQ Rules stress *nearly* enough is that a
> Narrator should only ask for Contests at fairly crucial times, where
> Success *and* Failure really matter, especially if you as a Narrator are
> rolling in the open.
>
> In RAW, if I'm reading it correctly, *every* failed Contest has
> Consequences, and the risk/reward is *not* balanced. A Marginal Success
> means the Character succeeds, and that is their only benefit, but a
> Marginal Failure still leaves a Character with a -3 Penalty (not to mention
> they also lose any associated Lingering Benefits while a Success generally
> doesn't "heal" a Character).
>
> Also in RAW, *every* relatively-even Contest (let alone difficult ones)
> leaves a window for a Character to end up unable to act because they are
> physically or metaphorically dying.
>
> There are plenty of ways around it if that's what you or your group want
> (the system is easily-modifiable/extendable) but (for me personally) the
> focus on Narrative/Character/Story can clash with the arbitrary (almost
> punitive) Consequences rules.
>

Interestingly, I read the system as placing the rewards/consequences process as part of a major contest, not a simple one or even an extended one. Kind of like a climax reward/penalty. Obviously some contests will have that result (combat for instance) but not every roll. And, like combat, there is a "healing" precess to any effect. If you have intimidated a crowed in a bar on Wednseday it doesn't mean the bar's crowd is still affected on Saturday.

Seems to me the "how does this affect the story" aspect of the game may be the guiding factor in deciding how much and how long some of these things last. And that placing the opportunity for healing in the game is one way of dealing with it.

Bo

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