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<blockquote data-quote="Balesir" data-source="post: 6565948" data-attributes="member: 27160"><p>Well, Hârn is strictly speaking a game <em>world</em> that can be played using various systems (we are currently using FATE Core for one campaign)... but, assuming you are thinking in terms of HârnMaster (the "tailor made" system) then, yes, it is most certainly a possibility.</p><p></p><p>I have found, over the last several years, that the way to control this is to realise the nature of the desired play and not try to make it do things it's unsuited to. It seems to me, at least, that the essence of what is often described as "Sim" or "immersionist" play is <em>exploration</em>. It stems from the simple desire to explore, whether that be a personality, a situation, an idea or an imaginary setting. It is actually quite fundamentally unsuited to long-term "campaign" play; this is a feature that tends to die hard - it is a much beloved conceit that we can live through several lifetimes of "day in the life" exploratory gaming, but sadly it inevitably collapses under its own weight.</p><p></p><p>The functional methodology I have found for exploratory play is to swallow the limitations - however painful that may be - and aim for short, specific series' of play focussed on exploring some specific thing that the players (including the GM) want to explore. This gets around the "illusionism" issue by explicit participationism or by an agreed arena for exploration. Essentially, you set up a situation, a setting or a combination of characters (characters with "dramatic needs" are often helpful, here, however humdrum those needs may initially appear - as long as they are determined about pursuing them) that everyone is interested to explore and then set about exploring. Rules that do not punish mistakes terminally are useful, and it's helpful also to dispense with any notion of "adventuring" as a necessary focus for the characters' activities.</p><p></p><p>By way of examples, some of the most successful Hârn sessions I have been involved in have been focussed play through (1) a manor village Hallmoot, beginning the night before a particularly memorable one, with the village jurors discussing matters over a mug or two of ale, (2) the meetings, doings and manoeuverings of the Royal Family and Tennants in chief of the Kingdom of Kaldor just after the old king has died without issue and (3) the life of a sundry group of travellers from around Venarive in the hours and days after they have been marooned on a somewhat remote island following a shipwreck.</p><p></p><p>Basically, a multi-book series tends to work poorly in this sort of play, in my experience, but a gritty, focussed movie or short story of character exploration or the exploration of an idea in the tradition of good early sci-fi can be very fun indeed.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Apart from guidelines ("say yes or roll the dice") in the DMGs, the thing I think that really makes a difference with 4E skill challenges is that they are worth XPs. Taking this seriously really gives GMs pause before either (a) using serialised skill rolls or (b) expanding them ad nauseam. Basic questions are "is this really a challenge that the PCs need to overcome?" - if not then don't enforce a challenge, just say yes (the 13th age idea of a montage can work well, here) - and, if so, "what level and extent of challenge should it be?". The very fact that the non-combat challenge is a full member of the "challenges to beat" team means it has to be proportionate and deliberate, rather than ad hoc and arbitrary in difficulty.</p><p></p><p>As it happens, I would have loved to see some expanded non-combat systems for situations that come up as "challenges" commonly in adventure stories. I honestly don't think there are an unconquerable number of them; they commonly revolve around sneaking, tricking, persuading, building, mending or navigating - not that huge a number of situational classes to cover (and for the remainder you still have skill challenges). But, alas, it was not to be (and now most likely will not be for a <em>loooong</em> time...)</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Balesir, post: 6565948, member: 27160"] Well, Hârn is strictly speaking a game [I]world[/I] that can be played using various systems (we are currently using FATE Core for one campaign)... but, assuming you are thinking in terms of HârnMaster (the "tailor made" system) then, yes, it is most certainly a possibility. I have found, over the last several years, that the way to control this is to realise the nature of the desired play and not try to make it do things it's unsuited to. It seems to me, at least, that the essence of what is often described as "Sim" or "immersionist" play is [I]exploration[/I]. It stems from the simple desire to explore, whether that be a personality, a situation, an idea or an imaginary setting. It is actually quite fundamentally unsuited to long-term "campaign" play; this is a feature that tends to die hard - it is a much beloved conceit that we can live through several lifetimes of "day in the life" exploratory gaming, but sadly it inevitably collapses under its own weight. The functional methodology I have found for exploratory play is to swallow the limitations - however painful that may be - and aim for short, specific series' of play focussed on exploring some specific thing that the players (including the GM) want to explore. This gets around the "illusionism" issue by explicit participationism or by an agreed arena for exploration. Essentially, you set up a situation, a setting or a combination of characters (characters with "dramatic needs" are often helpful, here, however humdrum those needs may initially appear - as long as they are determined about pursuing them) that everyone is interested to explore and then set about exploring. Rules that do not punish mistakes terminally are useful, and it's helpful also to dispense with any notion of "adventuring" as a necessary focus for the characters' activities. By way of examples, some of the most successful Hârn sessions I have been involved in have been focussed play through (1) a manor village Hallmoot, beginning the night before a particularly memorable one, with the village jurors discussing matters over a mug or two of ale, (2) the meetings, doings and manoeuverings of the Royal Family and Tennants in chief of the Kingdom of Kaldor just after the old king has died without issue and (3) the life of a sundry group of travellers from around Venarive in the hours and days after they have been marooned on a somewhat remote island following a shipwreck. Basically, a multi-book series tends to work poorly in this sort of play, in my experience, but a gritty, focussed movie or short story of character exploration or the exploration of an idea in the tradition of good early sci-fi can be very fun indeed. Apart from guidelines ("say yes or roll the dice") in the DMGs, the thing I think that really makes a difference with 4E skill challenges is that they are worth XPs. Taking this seriously really gives GMs pause before either (a) using serialised skill rolls or (b) expanding them ad nauseam. Basic questions are "is this really a challenge that the PCs need to overcome?" - if not then don't enforce a challenge, just say yes (the 13th age idea of a montage can work well, here) - and, if so, "what level and extent of challenge should it be?". The very fact that the non-combat challenge is a full member of the "challenges to beat" team means it has to be proportionate and deliberate, rather than ad hoc and arbitrary in difficulty. As it happens, I would have loved to see some expanded non-combat systems for situations that come up as "challenges" commonly in adventure stories. I honestly don't think there are an unconquerable number of them; they commonly revolve around sneaking, tricking, persuading, building, mending or navigating - not that huge a number of situational classes to cover (and for the remainder you still have skill challenges). But, alas, it was not to be (and now most likely will not be for a [I]loooong[/I] time...) [/QUOTE]
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