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Legends & Lore 09/03 - RPG design philosophy
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<blockquote data-quote="Crazy Jerome" data-source="post: 6008890" data-attributes="member: 54877"><p>Yes. I might have been a bit more forceful in my previous post than I intended. I don't see making death rare as a necessary component, but one example of the kind of thing that makes it necessary for the GM to use various techniques to compensate, lest the game falter into "almost whole party died, but it worked out well in the end because Joe got away with all the stuff." <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite8" alt=":D" title="Big grin :D" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":D" /> I've successfully run games where death was common and avoided that pitfall, but it was because I tooks steps to avoid it, not because it wasn't a potential pitfall. </p><p> </p><p>I see this kind of issue, when it turns into a problem, as a case of critical mass. There are all these compromises and tricks and mechanics for gaming fun, ease of handling, particular flavor, etc.--none of which can really be singled out as a killer by itself. Yet, it is the collection of exactly these things that, when the tipping point is reached, can turn into something like, well, what Order of the Stick and DM of the Rings parody.</p><p> </p><p>I'm especially interested in these kind of issues because I like to steer a game such that we run right up to the parody line, but stop short of it for something more dramatic. It's a fun DMing challenge for me to skirt that tipping point.</p><p> </p><p>Oh, and the "bites it" bit was deliberate. I started to use "bought the farm" instead, but realized that the former worked better. <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/blush.png" class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":blush:" title="Blush :blush:" data-shortname=":blush:" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Crazy Jerome, post: 6008890, member: 54877"] Yes. I might have been a bit more forceful in my previous post than I intended. I don't see making death rare as a necessary component, but one example of the kind of thing that makes it necessary for the GM to use various techniques to compensate, lest the game falter into "almost whole party died, but it worked out well in the end because Joe got away with all the stuff." :D I've successfully run games where death was common and avoided that pitfall, but it was because I tooks steps to avoid it, not because it wasn't a potential pitfall. I see this kind of issue, when it turns into a problem, as a case of critical mass. There are all these compromises and tricks and mechanics for gaming fun, ease of handling, particular flavor, etc.--none of which can really be singled out as a killer by itself. Yet, it is the collection of exactly these things that, when the tipping point is reached, can turn into something like, well, what Order of the Stick and DM of the Rings parody. I'm especially interested in these kind of issues because I like to steer a game such that we run right up to the parody line, but stop short of it for something more dramatic. It's a fun DMing challenge for me to skirt that tipping point. Oh, and the "bites it" bit was deliberate. I started to use "bought the farm" instead, but realized that the former worked better. :blush: [/QUOTE]
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