Unpopular opinions go here

[payn]

Unpopular Opinion: I think Roll20 is better for the masses because it just works without massive tinkering and is web based. Things Fantasy Grounds (My favorite) and Foundry VTT just can't seem to get right. (And with Beyond20.. The POWER! Muuuhahahahaaa!)

By "Just Works" I mean that a novice can jump on and get going in seconds to minutes as opposed to the large learning curves of Fantasy Grounds and Foundry.

Note that I said "the masses." Most people computer skills are such that they can barely get their Smart TV to work.

(Yes, I'm thinking of going back to Roll 20 because teaching new people to use Foundry and FG is just... exhausting now.)

For sure unpopular. Just thinking about using roll20 again makes me want to break something in my reach.

 

[Aldarc]

Wizards of the Coast should make an actual, custom-made Magic the Gathering tabletop roleplaying game rather than just slapping its settings on D&D and calling it a day.

 

[Doc_Klueless]

For sure unpopular. Just thinking about using roll20 again makes me want to break something in my reach.

It would help MASSIVELY if, when you asked for assistance on the Foundry Discord, that people didn't come out of the woodwork suggesting this module or that module.

In addition, there is no good documentation or videos on how to use Foundry that are 1) easy to find and 2) up to date and 3) easy to follow. Most Foundry videos that pop up are "Top 10 Modules to make Foundry do what you thought it already did!" Except for Encounter Library. His videos are EXCELLENT! But getting a player to watch videos so they can pretend to slay a dragon? Yeah. Hard speed bump.

Keep in mind that I have no issues using Foundry. But I have some grasps on how computers work. But some of the players... sheez.

 

[Maxperson]

Maybe, but at the risk of throwing out a popular opinion, neither does a gripping RPG.

But a gripping bout of viral gastroenteritis does! Different strokes and all that.

 

[payn]

It would help MASSIVELY if, when you asked for assistance on the Foundry Discord, that people didn't come out of the woodwork suggesting this module or that module.

In addition, there is no good documentation or videos on how to use Foundry that are 1) easy to find and 2) up to date and 3) easy to follow. Most Foundry videos that pop up are "Top 10 Modules to make Foundry do what you thought it already did!" Except for Encounter Library. His videos are EXCELLENT! But getting a player to watch videos so they can pretend to slay a dragon? Yeah. Hard speed bump.

Keep in mind that I have no issues using Foundry. But I have some grasps on how computers work. But some of the players... sheez.

I get the steep curve for GMs, but I dont understand how it is difficult for players? I found it easier to use Foundry than roll20 as a player.

 

[Maxperson]

Folks who say RPGs tell stories are using a more colloquial idea of "story" that is not quite the the same as the specific definition used by people engaged in storycrafting as an occupation. (Seriously, look up "story" in any random dictionary.) In ordinary usages, story is just narrative about people doing things, maybe with a little nod to "fiction" or "amusing" or something; plus there are a number of other specialized meanings, as well. Which is why we routinely use the word story to refer to all sorts of narratives, including: novels, kids playing with dolls, newspaper articles, scripts, convoluted lies, epic poetry, travel logs, biographies, RPG narratives, parables, historical accounts. (Hint: history)

So what's the difference between the children's story Jack and the Beanstalk and the solo adventure I ran for my friend here? His PC Jack made his climb check to scale a mile high bean stalk that grew from some magic beans that he traded for, and took on a cloud giant with a goose that laid golden eggs. After some harrowing moments involving some more successful and failed skill checks, Jack made it down the beanstalk and killed the giant by cutting it down while the giant came after him.

They call it a collaborative story because the result for better or for worse is similar to such stories and we all contributed to making it happen.

 

[Maxperson]

I write for a living and I agree with @J.Quondam: Everyone should unclench a lot when talking about writing. (Especially about the Oxford comma, lordy.)

Hmm. After my first post above, I'm not sure that would be wise.

 

[billd91]

The worst thing coming out of the indie game movement is the proliferation of badwrongfun-ism and loaded terms aimed at prior or mainstream RPGs.

 

[Maxperson]

The few examples floating around are designed to push one side over the other, they're not the kind of thing you see in the wild.

Totally disagree! I was out hunting in the woods a few weeks back and shot an Oxford comma. Mounted that sucker over the mantle.

 

[Faolyn]

Literally only 3.0 and 3.5. B/X went up to 14, BECMI went up 36, and AD&D went up as far as anyone wanted to take it, as long as you were human and not a monk. Late AD&D did "epic" stuff starting as early as 9th level, but only really ramped it up in Dark Sun with the Dragon Kings supplement.

The 1e and 2e books went up to 20, even if people could extrapolate from there and continue leveling. So, 1e, 2e, 3x, and 5e.