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Power Gaming: the result of leveling power driven design
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<blockquote data-quote="Keravath" data-source="post: 7435665" data-attributes="member: 6916036"><p>1) Unfortunately, the GM in your examples appears to not take the characters into account when designing encounters. The Alert feat or high perception may prevent that character from being surprised but depending on the timing it may not prevent the rest of the party from being surprised. </p><p></p><p>2) In general, a good game/campaign avoids the same type of encounters over and over. In addition, the storyline gives characters motivations for their actions beyond gold/xp/magic items. However, for this to work the DM needs to understand a bit about the characters and their back-story if they have any. Ideally, the characters will have a background that has been at least roughed out along with general attitudes and preferences of the character. Many of these can be used as "hooks" to motivate the character actions. These involve the character in the game and xp (when the character is properly motivated) is just a side effect. In the case, where the DM just throws more challenging combat encounters at the party ... eventually it might get boring unless these encounters are part of a logical sequence and story line and make sense in context. </p><p></p><p>3) One of the largest challenges for the DM is dealing with the spontaneity that drives a really good role playing game. The decisions on what to do and how to do it belong entirely to the characters. Ideally, the DM sets the scene and offers commentary and aids to visualization of what is going on. If the DM gets a certain encounter and expected response to it stuck in their head then it becomes a problem when the characters may quite logically choose to do something else or solve the problem in unexpected ways ... which is a part of the fun of role playing games. Being a DM is not an adversarial relationship with the players ... a DM works with the characters to create a common story environment that is as fun and as exciting as possible. </p><p></p><p>4) I once played a few sessions of a middle ages role playing game. The party was composed of the men at arms at a castle. We trained, sparred, slept, drank ale at the tavern, had one encounter with poachers when we were patrolling the lord's lands. The game did not have levels. We were paid a few coppers a week. It was probably the MOST boring role playing game I have ever played. Real life in the middle ages was not exciting ... most of the time it was boring ... and perhaps not surprisingly, a middle ages role playing game actually captured that. It wasn't a game I would want to play again. However, a good part of that was the game system and the lack of adventure. </p><p></p><p>Finally, in terms of increasing character power level over time. This partly reflects the concept that as people grow and learn they acquire new skills and abilities over time. People are not static in real life. They learn new things, learn new skills, pursue new careers, become more advanced in their field or capabilities in their work. Role playing games like D&D take this to an extreme such that each character working in a chosen profession (character class) will acquire similar skills and capabilities after studying their profession for a certain length of time and applying those skills in the gaming world. This progression also allows the DM to introduce new opponents and more challenging encounters. It allows the characters to progress in society and take on more responsible roles. This progression occurs in level-less systems as well but if you are playing any game which encompasses some significant progression of time then characters/people tend to change, acquire knowledge, and learn new skills.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Keravath, post: 7435665, member: 6916036"] 1) Unfortunately, the GM in your examples appears to not take the characters into account when designing encounters. The Alert feat or high perception may prevent that character from being surprised but depending on the timing it may not prevent the rest of the party from being surprised. 2) In general, a good game/campaign avoids the same type of encounters over and over. In addition, the storyline gives characters motivations for their actions beyond gold/xp/magic items. However, for this to work the DM needs to understand a bit about the characters and their back-story if they have any. Ideally, the characters will have a background that has been at least roughed out along with general attitudes and preferences of the character. Many of these can be used as "hooks" to motivate the character actions. These involve the character in the game and xp (when the character is properly motivated) is just a side effect. In the case, where the DM just throws more challenging combat encounters at the party ... eventually it might get boring unless these encounters are part of a logical sequence and story line and make sense in context. 3) One of the largest challenges for the DM is dealing with the spontaneity that drives a really good role playing game. The decisions on what to do and how to do it belong entirely to the characters. Ideally, the DM sets the scene and offers commentary and aids to visualization of what is going on. If the DM gets a certain encounter and expected response to it stuck in their head then it becomes a problem when the characters may quite logically choose to do something else or solve the problem in unexpected ways ... which is a part of the fun of role playing games. Being a DM is not an adversarial relationship with the players ... a DM works with the characters to create a common story environment that is as fun and as exciting as possible. 4) I once played a few sessions of a middle ages role playing game. The party was composed of the men at arms at a castle. We trained, sparred, slept, drank ale at the tavern, had one encounter with poachers when we were patrolling the lord's lands. The game did not have levels. We were paid a few coppers a week. It was probably the MOST boring role playing game I have ever played. Real life in the middle ages was not exciting ... most of the time it was boring ... and perhaps not surprisingly, a middle ages role playing game actually captured that. It wasn't a game I would want to play again. However, a good part of that was the game system and the lack of adventure. Finally, in terms of increasing character power level over time. This partly reflects the concept that as people grow and learn they acquire new skills and abilities over time. People are not static in real life. They learn new things, learn new skills, pursue new careers, become more advanced in their field or capabilities in their work. Role playing games like D&D take this to an extreme such that each character working in a chosen profession (character class) will acquire similar skills and capabilities after studying their profession for a certain length of time and applying those skills in the gaming world. This progression also allows the DM to introduce new opponents and more challenging encounters. It allows the characters to progress in society and take on more responsible roles. This progression occurs in level-less systems as well but if you are playing any game which encompasses some significant progression of time then characters/people tend to change, acquire knowledge, and learn new skills. [/QUOTE]
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