Recent content by Campbell

My personal view is that Daggerheart will most likely exist in the same liminal space as Cortex Heroic/Prime, Dune 2d20, D&D 4e and to a lesser extent Dungeon World do. All of the above utilize conflict resolution and lack mechanics like alignment or paladin vows that reinforce specific themes...

I think we should be careful about assuming things are the same just because there are some conceptual similarities. For example, Chronicles of Darkness and Legend of the Five Rings Fifth Edition are first blush look like (and are likely somewhat inspired by) Masks and Monsterhearts. However...

So, I don't think a given process or mechanic is sacred and only belongs in a single given arrangement. If I did Chronicles of Darkness and L5R Fifth Edition would not rank as two of my favorite games. I do believe there is value in particular arrangements of mechanics, play processes and...

So, what's great about the prompts we see in Daggerheart or most PbtA games aren't that we have questions or connections at all. It's that the questions are provocative and if answered correctly will result in actionable stuff we can frame conflicts around. However, what actually sets the model...

So, I don't think Blades or Masks or Burning Wheel are like special. My experience bears out that play where we specifically frame and specifically play into the thematic premises associated with a given character or setting element are more reliably going to result in play where these things...

Let's take specific games out of it. Do you think it would be fair to say that some techniques and processes of play might get you there more reliably or more easily? That different processes also come with their own sets of tradeoffs?

I would note that my example above is remarkably different from the sort of approach I have taken in more traditional but still character focused games my home group plays and runs. Here's my most recent Vampire character's background workup: The process for creating Laurent was all about...

I think Masks probably provides a crisper view of what playing to premise can look like: Let's say I am playing The Protege playbook. The main thematic premise is that you have trained by a more experienced hero and are defined by your relationship to them. As part of character creation I...

I don't particularly care to get into the particulars of what is and is not a sandbox, but what I would say differentiates say typical Blades from typical Worlds Without Number is that we focus on the thematic premises of everything (not just the player characters) over our detailed conception...

I think a game ran and played according to best practices will look a lot like that and I think it's where the game really sings. It's what the reward systems seem to point towards (the stuff you get personal and crew XP for). It's also what I got out of the actual plays I saw John Harper run...

Let's forget about labels and instead discuss the sort of play experience I look for when playing games like Blades in the Dark. I am playing Tal Rajan (a Lurk) who has the following set of premises: He is an Iruvian Noble (so someone who comes from privilege but is a foreigner) His Vice is...

Um. Daggerheart uses conflict resolution. It explicitly uses Apocalypse World style GM moves and its rules for action rolls snowball in exactly the same sort of way action rolls do in Blades. Success With Hope = You get what you want. Success With Fear = You get what you want and GM Makes a...

I don't speak "player driven" is a very good descriptor. I think play that addresses the thematic premises embedded in the character is a much better one. What conflict resolution brings to the table is a way to keep the focus on consequences that relevant to things players are trying to address...

Violence and fight scenes are not a problem (and often play a big role in games like Maks, Apocalypse Keys and Avatar). What is an issue for me (when I am looking for Story Now play) is the 'combat mode' where the normal flow of the conversation is disrupted. It's stuff like cyclical...

Just because a game or style of play is not for you does not mean you should not respect its place in the hobby.