Messages

1

General Chaos / TNMT Video from Cinemassacre!

« on: April 27, 2011, 11:55:16 PM »

The AVGN is as big a TNMT nerd as some of out community leaders.   Shine on you crazy, detail oriented diamond.

Cinemassacre Chronologically Confused TNMT
http://cinemassacre.com/2011/04/26/chronologically-confused-about-tmnt-dvds/

2

General Chaos / Re: What RPPR Does to a Man

« on: January 30, 2011, 10:23:41 PM »

I am a perfectly normal human worm baby.   I'm fine, we're all fine here.   How are you?

(Yeah, that is a dangerous presumption.   How about "like average gamers"?)

3

General Chaos / What RPPR Does to a Man

« on: January 26, 2011, 09:34:07 PM »

I can no longer have normal conversations, nor can I keep them to myself.   This is a conversation I had recently.

<a href="" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win"></a>

How has RPPR ruined your ability to appreciate role-playing games like normal people?

4

General Chaos / Re: How did you find RPPR?

« on: March 23, 2010, 09:08:28 PM »

<a href="" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win"></a>

Found while looking up interviews about 4th Edition, before it was released.

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General Chaos / Re: Best Internet Vidyas

« on: March 21, 2010, 12:54:41 PM »

Insaaanity!

http://www.littlebuzzers.com/

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General Chaos / Re: Post good webcomics or die

« on: March 21, 2010, 10:52:06 AM »

I admit I read bad and mediocre webcomics

My reply, the mediocre: http://www.thezombiehunters.com/index.php

And next, something much better! Since he started doing the comic again, it keeps getting better!
http://www.orneryboy.com/

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RPGs / Re: I am a horrible monster because I didn't let a player control another PC

« on: March 19, 2010, 01:01:49 AM »

Roll for initiative!

8

RPGs / Re: I am a horrible monster because I didn't let a player control another PC

« on: March 19, 2010, 12:12:26 AM »

This question is really telling about the type of GM who is running the game.   Should a player's character be able to over-ride other player's choices by using a "social" skill in-character?   Should a player's character's social skills inform other players as to the level of persuasiveness or an argument?

I would say No and No, to each of these questions.   

To the first question: I am in the camp that believes that, short of supernatural intervention, a the character's player is in control of that character's choices.   It's bad enough getting players to go along with scenarios that involve them getting captured or losing any sort of physical control over their character's destiny.   Say the party captures a baddie and the everyone in the party says that the prisoner should be tortured except for my character.   As a player, I would probably flip out if I was in a game, playing pacifist-type who was protecting a prisoner and another player rolled a persuade skill and the GM had my character go along with, or even happily step aside from the situation.   This is because it is important to me that my character to be presented in the story as I intend.   Which leads me to my next question!

So, if a player makes their social skill roll and gets a high result, but the player is essentially saying "Go, hit thing with rock! Make it smash!" can the GM turn to the players and say "So-and-So makes a good argument to make smash with rocks."   The opposite of this is if a player makes an argument that would make Daniel Webster weep somberly, and then completely fluffs his roll, does the GM turn to the players and say "So-and-So sounds like a jerk and you hate his face for what he just said." (After all, a lot of games impose negative reactions on badly failed reaction/influence rolls.)   Neither of these scenarios really would sit well with me.   There's also the argument that a highly persuasive character on paper, with a dunce player, (just like a highly intelligent character, or a lawyer with high law skills) is supposed to have a character with the ability to make highly persuasive arguments.   Well, this is true, the character's skills allow them to have a great effect in the context of the game, on the NPCs.   This way a lot of abstraction can be had to keep things flowing.   I, personally, do not want to sit down and have a GM role-play out a character persuading 40 people, in real time, with another player.   Have you watched a town hall on CNN?   I shudder thinking about it.   So, yes, the dunce player, with the highly intelligent, persuasive super-lawyer can make amazing arguments and defenses as described by the GM and as they effect the NPCs and story accordingly... NOT the other players' characters (unless a player decides to change their character's mind.)

So says me.

And, who thinks the next episode of BearSwarm is going to cover social skills affecting players? Hands?         

9

RPGs / Re: War in table top RPG's?

« on: March 12, 2010, 11:05:47 PM »

In short, Reign is amazing and the best fantasy rpg to tackle shit like that

So, when are we going to see a "Reign: New World" supplement?

I actually ordered the hard cover from LuLu and in the span of two weeks managed to get my group into the system and concept.   Then again, I had given them a little taste of ORE with Nemesis. 

10

Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Re: The Arcadia Signal

« on: March 07, 2010, 12:17:53 PM »

Existen^shal d^red cann ot be foght with w^epON! Existenchal dred _wins!

or.

This isn't madness? THIS IS BAT COUNTRY!

11

General Chaos / Re: Best of Youtube

« on: February 21, 2010, 12:54:34 AM »

I wanna see yalls on yours baddest behavior.

<a href="" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win"></a>

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RPGs / Re: Player problem

« on: February 13, 2010, 11:26:41 PM »

Firstly, there are worse things imaginable.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unusual_deaths

Secondly, the oft expressed mantra of "It's only a game" does only go so far, but its important to realize the special type of game.   This is a pen and paper "roleplaying" game.   This is not a first person shooter, or a round of Contra, or Ninja Gaiden.   When a character dies, the story does not go to "Game Over."   Especially in D&D where death is not always permanent.   A group must decide when it starts the game how character death is handled.

In two campaigns I have played in, the characters were either a group of "Chosen Ones" or one character was the "Chosen One."   Then, through players leaving and characters failing saves vs. deadly nasty stuff, the plot felt apart because it all hinged on one character.   Typically getting killed in "chump" fashion (Invisible Ogre Magi w/ Cone of Cold in the parlor).

Yes, no one envisions their burly character, strong of will and mighty in their martial prowess, is going to get blindsided and dropped.   They also don't envision their character getting poisoned, caught in a collapsing building, landing in a pool or water while wearing full plate armor, or failing a save against a gelatinous cube while the rest of the party is in another room.   Shit happens, and a new character is right around the corner ("O, hi Mark II" "O, hi party who I have just met.")

"If you can't take a little bloody nose, maybe you oughtta go back home and crawl under your bed. It's not safe out here. It's wondrous, with treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross; but it's not for the timid." - Q, Star Trek:TNG

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Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Re: RPPR on reddit

« on: February 08, 2010, 06:39:39 PM »

Don't work, I am sure you'll get slash dotted soon enough.   Then all that fat internet loot will pour in and you'll forget about us.   Gold plated micro phones and major print deals... then you'll get introduced to the hard stuff, you'll convert the site to an avant garde video site to showcase your one-man LARPing.   Then the real horror show will begin... it's madness!

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Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Re: Episode 40: First Time GMing

« on: January 24, 2010, 12:27:02 AM »

Getting back on topic? Zoom!

The episode brought back my earliest gaming memories.  Running WEG Star Wars and Red box D&D around the age of 10.   Before that, yeah, I played TMNT and Other Strangeness.   The first RPG I ever played was that Red Box D&D, then TNMT, 2nd ed. AD&D then Robotech, then Heroes Unlimited, then WEG Star Wars... then I stopped playing RPGs, and really only sat in with my brother's Vampire: The Masquerade group once... then came college, and with college, 3rd Ed D&D, GURPS, Traveller, Marvel Superheroes, ShadowRun 4th Ed., CoC D20, Fading Suns D20, D20 Modern, D20 Future... so... much D20... ... now my group is in talks to change over to Pathfinder. . . .

Why do the round dice roll so well, mommy?     

15

RPGs / Re: Gamming Recommendation

« on: January 24, 2010, 12:15:58 AM »

Classroom Deathmatch can be run episodic, but by it's subject matter doesn't promote long term growth of characters (though a Lost style deathmatch could be interesting).

Toon is pretty fun and fast paced, but if you don't want people staring at you for laughing like maniacs, might not be a good choice.

I second All Flesh Must Be Eaten, even though I am not a huge fan of the rolling mechanics, it's fun and allows for some fast paced cinematic stuff.

If you just want to get a game of something in, and don't mind expanding beyond RPGs, the card game Dominion is quite nice, though you might find it difficult to get the first couple games done in 45 minutes.

Avoid GURPS.   I love that system to death, but 45 minutes is not enough time.