The Gaming Ideal

Mark · Jul 25, 2003

In the past couple of days I've asked some questions about the past and current situation for your games. Now I would like to take the time to listen to your goals and desires. The following questions should help any publisher who reads the responses direct some of their production closer toward "The Gaming Ideal"

1.) What is the best number of players at the table, whether as a DM or player yourself?

2.) How often should you be able to game in an ideal world?

3.) How long should those sessions be?

4.) The poll handled percentage of Crunch to Flavor, but what are some of the specifics behind your vote?

5.) If you could choose the single best next book to become available to you, what would it be, what form would it be in (hardback, softback, PDF), and how much would that book cost (please be reasonable)?

Thanks very much for your time and indulgence...

Don't forget to chime in on the entire RPG Survey Round-Up!

Chris_Nightwing · Jul 25, 2003

Woohoo! Get to work and first vote is meeeeee!

Basically I like half and half, never get bored that way no matter the composition of the party. I have played campaigns with too much crunch (and no thinking) and too much flavour (too much thinking - I don't want to play chess!). The best sort mixes them both up, even in a dungeon you can put in flavour, and there is always a little bit of mindless violence in a murder mystery

.

From a publishers point of view, sell me crunch! I can make the flavour up myself, I want some nice things to fit in around it.

GravyFingerz · Jul 25, 2003

Mark said:
In the past couple of days I've asked some questions about the past and current situation for your games. Now I would like to take the time to listen to your goals and desires. The following questions should help any publisher who reads the responses direct some of their production closer toward "The Gaming Ideal"

1.) What is the best number of players at the table, whether as a DM or player yourself?

3-5 players for myself.

2.) How often should you be able to game in an ideal world?

At least once a week. During fall, we do once a week and barely twice a week. During summer, as many times as 4 times a week.

3.) How long should those sessions be?

4-6 hours in length.

4.) The poll handled percentage of Crunch to Flavor, but what are some of the specifics behind your vote?

I love crunch, but I love fluff too. Unapproachable East is a perfect 50/50 in my opinion. Half the book is crunch, and the other half is fluff. Very well done as far as setting supplements go.

5.) If you could choose the single best next book to become available to you, what would it be, what form would it be in (hardback, softback, PDF), and how much would that book cost (please be reasonable)?

Malls & Morons, softback and PDF, $20 for the softback and the PDF for free

Thanks very much for your time and indulgence...

Anytime

Skade · Jul 25, 2003

1) 4 players and a DM
2) I'd like weekly, but bi-weekly is fine.
3) Six hours of game time. It's usually around 8-9 actual time, including food and chatting
4) Rules bore me. *shrug* There are only so many prestige classes, feats, skills, and weapons I can read before my brain turns to mush. I love reading the flavor text, and explantory text of prestige classes, but I only give the actual mechanics of the class a cursory glance until I consider using it on its story purposes.
5) Hardback, 250+ pages, at around $30. I go through runs where I buy a whole bunch of pdfs at once, as I find teh price and utility very good though.

Belphanior · Jul 25, 2003

1: 5 players, though 4 or 6 can also work out. Strangely enough, my current Exalted chronicle (which has the potential to become my best game yet) seems to work best when only 3 out of 4 players are there. Time to change my standards?

2: In an ideal world? Never, because I'd really be out there blasting arcane energy from my hands and flying above the treetops.

3: At least 4 hours, though I won't be really satisfied with anything less than 5.

4: 30 crunch / 70 flavour. Killing things for treasure might be fun, but I'd much rather see my players outwit and rob them. Even in hardcore combat, I want them to stay in character and show realistic approaches (taking cover, ambush, the works).

5: Exalted - the Sidereals. Hardcover, $25

rounser · Jul 25, 2003

Mark, are adventures flavour or crunch under your poll?

Bloodstone Mage · Jul 25, 2003

Mark said:
1.) What is the best number of players at the table, whether as a DM or player yourself?

Click to expand...

IMO, 5 people, including the DM (which would be me).

2.) How often should you be able to game in an ideal world?

Click to expand...

Twice a week, spaced about evenly apart.

3.) How long should those sessions be?

Click to expand...

6 to 8 hours in length, with an hour break halfway.

4.) The poll handled percentage of Crunch to Flavor, but what are some of the specifics behind your vote?

Click to expand...

I like 70% Fluff, 30% Crunch. I've always favored storyline over stats and rules, but they serve as good mediums to take fluff through.

5.) If you could choose the single best next book to become available to you, what would it be, what form would it be in (hardback, softback, PDF), and how much would that book cost (please be reasonable)?

Click to expand...

If I had my way, it would be "Elements of Magic" in print. It really doesn't matter if it is in softback or hardback (although hardback would be nice), so as long as I have a print version of it. I'm willing to pay about $20 for such a product.

Thanks very much for your time and indulgence...

Click to expand...

Your welcome!

Cheers!

Ferret · Jul 25, 2003

Mark said:
In the past couple of days I've asked some questions about the past and current situation for your games. Now I would like to take the time to listen to your goals and desires. The following questions should help any publisher who reads the responses direct some of their production closer toward "The Gaming Ideal"

1.) What is the best number of players at the table, whether as a DM or player yourself?

3-5, Idealy 4

Mark said:
2.) How often should you be able to game in an ideal world?

Twice a week

Mark said:
3.) How long should those sessions be?

1-2 hours maximum

Mark said:
4.) The poll handled percentage of Crunch to Flavor, but what are some of the specifics behind your vote?

60% crunch 40%Flavour, unless it is very good and interesting flavour then it's reversed.

Mark said:
5.) If you could choose the single best next book to become available to you, what would it be, what form would it be in (hardback, softback, PDF), and how much would that book cost (please be reasonable)?

Gnomes: Druids and rangers (applicable to other clases and races) about th rangers and druids who are gnomes, soft back and hard, £15, or $21.50.

Mark said:
Thanks very much for your time and indulgence...

Thats ok.

Steverooo · Jul 25, 2003

Mark said:
1.) What is the best number of players at the table, whether as a DM or player yourself?

2.) How often should you be able to game in an ideal world?

3.) How long should those sessions be?

4.) The poll handled percentage of Crunch to Flavor, but what are some of the specifics behind your vote?

5.) If you could choose the single best next book to become available to you, what would it be, what form would it be in (hardback, softback, PDF), and how much would that book cost (please be reasonable)?

All IMHO, of course!

1) 6-8 for the DM (the more the merrier, as a player)!

2) 2 - 3 time a week.

3) A few hours.

4) I like a world which is realistic, sans magic. One where things work normally (as in real life) unless there is a reason for it being otherwise. No "A Mad God/Lord of Chaos built it!" Some people like silliness, I perfer to leave that to the characters, and quirky NPCs.

Zappo · Jul 25, 2003

Mark said:
1.) What is the best number of players at the table, whether as a DM or player yourself?

3 or 4.

2.) How often should you be able to game in an ideal world?

Once per day?

3.) How long should those sessions be?

4 to 6 hours, excluding table talk and other wasted time.

4.) The poll handled percentage of Crunch to Flavor, but what are some of the specifics behind your vote?

In my games, I don't really have a distinction between crunch and flavor; the rules exist to represent the world. If you meant something like combat vs. social, I do whatever the players like.

5.) If you could choose the single best next book to become available to you, what would it be, what form would it be in (hardback, softback, PDF), and how much would that book cost (please be reasonable)?

Either a hardback Planescape 3E for around 50$, or a PDF Magic: the Gathering d20 setting for around 15$ (or hardback, for around 40$).

The Gaming Ideal

Ideal Percentage of Crunch and Flavor

100% Crunch - 0% Flavor

90% Crunch - 10% Flavor

80% Crunch - 20% Flavor

70% Crunch - 30% Flavor

60% Crunch - 40% Flavor

50% Crunch - 50% Flavor

40% Crunch - 60% Flavor

30% Crunch - 70% Flavor

20% Crunch - 80% Flavor

10% Crunch - 90% Flavor

0% Crunch - 100% Flavor

Mark

CreativeMountainGames.com

Chris_Nightwing

First Post

GravyFingerz

Gravymancer

Skade

Explorer

Belphanior

First Post

rounser

First Post

Bloodstone Mage

First Post

Ferret

Explorer

Steverooo

First Post

Zappo

Explorer

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