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Oct. 28th, 2003 02:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dewinged-12:40 PM
Something one of my gamer friends RL said a long time ago. "People want the D&D games to play like a video game, with levels and fights, and that's where they get disappointed."
In some ways, I can see this being true. I know a lot of gamers who tend to get listless during downtime, and I have done so myself. But, something struck me a few minutes ago, in my wandering throughts.
The games I usually play, console-wise, are RPGs. Most of my Rom files are RPGs...
And you know something? In a good console RPG, you end up giving a damn about the characters. I know one MUSher who said she wants to be Chris from SUikoden 3 when she grows up. (I wouldn't mind being that tough, either, but I would have serious issues with having breasts, like Chris does. I'd much rather be Fred.) I know people who are STILL pissed over Aerys in FF7. I know I was made virulently angry at the end of Phantasy Star 2 (ask![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kaibara about that one. She knows I am still cheesed over that ending).
Why?
Because they're characters that, as players and viewers of the story in a console RPg, we care about. We keep playing the game so we get more of the story so we find out if they succeed, and what happens to them. Because we care about what happens to the characters. (Oddly enough, I stopped playing FF7 because I found myself not caring what happened to them.)
And it hit me...Eur-fucking-eka. That's it.
That's what I want out of my tabletop. Characters and stories like THAT.
I am almost flipping out right now, actually excited. I finally know what I want out of my gaming.
So now, ladies and gents, it's time to make things happen.
Something one of my gamer friends RL said a long time ago. "People want the D&D games to play like a video game, with levels and fights, and that's where they get disappointed."
In some ways, I can see this being true. I know a lot of gamers who tend to get listless during downtime, and I have done so myself. But, something struck me a few minutes ago, in my wandering throughts.
The games I usually play, console-wise, are RPGs. Most of my Rom files are RPGs...
And you know something? In a good console RPG, you end up giving a damn about the characters. I know one MUSher who said she wants to be Chris from SUikoden 3 when she grows up. (I wouldn't mind being that tough, either, but I would have serious issues with having breasts, like Chris does. I'd much rather be Fred.) I know people who are STILL pissed over Aerys in FF7. I know I was made virulently angry at the end of Phantasy Star 2 (ask
kaibara about that one. She knows I am still cheesed over that ending).Why?
Because they're characters that, as players and viewers of the story in a console RPg, we care about. We keep playing the game so we get more of the story so we find out if they succeed, and what happens to them. Because we care about what happens to the characters. (Oddly enough, I stopped playing FF7 because I found myself not caring what happened to them.)
And it hit me...Eur-fucking-eka. That's it.
That's what I want out of my tabletop. Characters and stories like THAT.
I am almost flipping out right now, actually excited. I finally know what I want out of my gaming.
So now, ladies and gents, it's time to make things happen.
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Re: Subtle Suggestions Work The Worst
Date: 2003-11-03 06:18 pm (UTC)I'll lay it out to you, Elsewhere...if I may call you that (insert evil laugh here). The rp forum I frequent has been rather slow. One of the moderators thought it be a good idea to go looking for new blood. His idea of going for new blood was to post an ad in a forum that's part of the same message board system where mostly people who already post to the rps go. As a result, he's potentially able to get three other people, and most likely he'll get none. Now, you know how we do things. You almost signed up for Legacies, which is hurting due to illnesses, writer's block, and one unexpected pregnancy(!). Plus that one loquacious fellow you no doubt remember has been a rather infrequent visitor in the past few months, as he just can't get computer time for one reason or another.
So, in an independent attempt to get new blood to the forum...I'm asking if you would like to come back. Doesn't even have to be to an existing rp. Like I said, we should talk. I'm hoping to find some truly dedicated roleplayers who feel like you do ('cause, dammit, that's how I feel about Legacies) and who I know to be a good writer, like yourself.
Re: Subtle Suggestions Work The Worst
Date: 2003-11-04 09:43 am (UTC)See, one thing that happened on one of my MUShes: The Titans got visited by their children from an alternate future timeline. One of them was cal;led Dynamo. The daughter of Damage and his In-game girlfriend.
Oh, the girlfriend? Mary Marvel.
Power levels, dude. Power levels...
Continuing the Conversation
Date: 2003-11-04 11:17 am (UTC)Fer instance: the current storyline divided into two separate stories. There was disagreement on where to send Red Dragon, the all-knowing martial artist, between myself and the other fellow running the game. Both of us had some concern that Red Dragon might, might do some crazy shit or something, as it had happened before, given his player is a little enthusiastic when he's around (and I like this guy, I really do). Well, the solution was I took him for the Gotham City storyline and gave the character a solo mission where said player could do all he wanted just knowing his mission would only turn up a little information and go from there. Everyone was happy that way.
So long as a new player respects whatever rules are laid down, especially with power levels, things tend to be cool. I know a couple different ways to neutralize all kinds of crap when it looks like someone's going too far. Never doubt the power of the retcon when all else fails.
Oddly enough, we've seen neither Damage nor Mary Marvel in Legacies so far, so we could in theory see this Dynamo character pop up!
Now, what about a new story? OK, right now, we have someone trying to develop a science fiction Star Trek/Babylon 5 type environment called the United Planets Legion.
Legacies is still there. You had a pretty good character for that in mind, Elsewhere if I do say so myself, and we currently have no mystically-powered or -inclined player characters. And there are currently two different storylines to jump into.
Oh, and someone showed up asking about a proposal someone made a while back called B.A.R.D. a sci-fi spy game involving spies for another planet who protect the planet but take code names based on Shakespearean characters. That one's a longshot right now since this morning was the first anyone mentioned it in a few months.
I'd also like to give one final shot at a WoD game. Hunter probably. My last two attempts didn't get very far. Third times the charm, right?
The problem is, as I said, some of these would work much better with new people who aren't committed too much to existing games, and in the case of existing games, players aren't participating for a variety of reasons. It'd be nice to bring in new blood. But the only attempt made so far won't, IMO, get any new blood unless there's an attempt to reach out beyond the message boards to people like you or places like here for new people who care about having fun with an rp, doing stuff with their characters, and who enjoy a bit of writing.
Re: Continuing the Conversation
Date: 2003-11-04 11:57 am (UTC)Re: Continuing the Conversation
Date: 2003-11-04 12:55 pm (UTC)