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You're right. The second type of collusion is something I think most of us do in a game as SOP. At least a PC or two always has some secret agenda or true identity. That was not the type of collusion I was trying to illustrate. Your terminology is sound. I think that's the key and helps...

Tribbles!

So last night, doing some prep, I had an idea and fired off an email to one of my players. He plays the new (joined last session) ship's mechanic on the Hasselhoff (yes, that's what they named their ship) in my savaged Firefly game. He's described his character as a born tinkerer, tearing...

El ditto

We're in danger of going in circles here. I said "doesn't matter much" not "doesn't matter at all". Yes, a system like that would do more to encourage RP during combat than a system that just helps you come up with your numbers and mentions RP elsewhere. My point is that if we pit such a...

I have yet to meet the player whose throat will close up and who will expire in seconds if you offer them a chunk of bonus XP as a reward for good RP. :p I didn't say system has no impact, I said this is a case where it doesn't much matter. Practically every RPG encourages roleplay in deed...

If RAW was the only consideration, sure. But you can work in a reward or other encouragement yourself. XP awards in D&D editions that don't have such things built in, an action point or equivalent here and there, or something as simple as applying a circumstance bonus (following a taunt like...

I'm horrible at multi-tasking. Heck, I'm often terrible at single-tasking, especially on a computer where there's all this internet at my fingertips. But, that's beside the point. I get where your coming from, but I stand by what I said. It's easy to overcome this, if you want to in the...

I realize that's often the case, which is why I made the thread. I guess my point is that it's just as easy NOT to do that. It just takes a little bit of effort to not fall into the all-mechanics trap. Just a moment to say "once more into the breach!" and wave your imaginary sword around, and...

While everyone seems to be on the subject of posting personal, long standing grievances about perceived attitudes in the gaming community, here's mine. I see discussions all the time along these lines: With so much focus on combat rules, there is less RP in the game With fewer combats overall...

I wouldn't go too far in casting it as an old-timer versus young'un issue. There are a whole lot of us who were around at the beginning who play and prefer modern RPGs and appreciate the evolution of the form through the years. And, for the record, I have always played with minis, from the...

Not my players. I think that's the real key to improv play - dumb players. ;) I'm kidding, of course, I have a great group of players and the two points you raise are valid criticisms of the style. The first issue (the potential increase in logical inconsistencies and the like) is...

I'm not a fan of the "I'd walk away" or "I'd never play in YOUR game" statements. They just seem disrespectful. You'd really stand up in the middle of the game and just walk out? Not talk to the DM after the game and tell him that a certain action or method is just not your cup of tea and see...

Sometimes hack'n'slash happens, its not always a devolution. The first season of my Firefly game, the PCs got into maybe 4-5 fights the entire run. The last one, though, was an action fest. They actually talked their way out of an ambush on a derelict transport ship by a rival group that beat...

I'm talking about freedom, man. Puttin' your conceptions aside and just experience RPG life, man. Let the players do the heavy lifting, just kick back and take it all in, roll some dice, and see what happens, man. Ok, so not quite like that, but the last couple of years, my GM style has...

This is one case where I think system has a lot to do with how these situations play out. Players adapt their expectations, even somewhat unconsciously, to the rules system. I've seen the same group of players drop their weapons and surrender when faced with 10 crossbowmen in Runequest, or by...

20 of 22, the awl-pike got me and I missed spear, ironically. Spear, seriously?

It depends on who the new player is and how they approach things in general. I can speak for my gaming group, I am the primary GM and also the only one who generally hits gaming forums, RPG news, and the like. When I became interested in giving Savage Worlds a try, the first thing I did was...

Why do I get left out?! Man, this world sucks sometimes, with its judgment and bigotry of the historically-thumbed!

In the 4e DMG, on page 42, is a table, broken down by level, for coming up with level appropriate DCs and damage amounts for adjudicating situations on the fly. For example, a PC wants to shoot the rope holding up a chandelier, so said chandelier falls on his enemies head. The table would give...