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  1. innerdude

    What does it take / how long does it take to "get into" a character?

    I read this last week, but didn't really fully grasp the implications until I re-read it earlier this morning. This is more interesting / provocative than it might seem at first glance. So, just to make sure I'm following what "neo-trad" play actually means --- as I understand it, "neo-trad"...
  2. innerdude

    What does it take / how long does it take to "get into" a character?

    This brings up a very interesting point --- how open is the "average" player to modifying an internalized view of their character based on something like a failed action declaration? My character isn't as "hard" as he thinks he is could be (and very well might have been) an interesting turning...
  3. innerdude

    What does it take / how long does it take to "get into" a character?

    One of things I've noticed over the years is that the most memorable characters are usually memorable based on what they do within the campaign. There doesn't seem to be a strong correlation between character internalization and being memorable. The things a player does with a character are...
  4. innerdude

    What does it take / how long does it take to "get into" a character?

    There's a strong overlap between these answers, I'd think. "Stakes mattering," at least in my experience, almost always involves connectivity to the game world through relationships and goals.
  5. innerdude

    What does it take / how long does it take to "get into" a character?

    I very much agree with you about not trying to shoehorn too much into a character profile/personality up front. There's a definite feeling out of a character's general persona as he/she starts interacting with the rest of the group and the game world. There's little details you start to see that...
  6. innerdude

    What does it take / how long does it take to "get into" a character?

    I had an interesting experience a few weeks ago. We were building level 5 characters for a very, very short 5e, 3-session mini-adventure. And I'm not sure what happened, but I somehow stumbled on a really interesting character concept and personality that resonated with me. I ended up playing...
  7. innerdude

    Too much prose in RPGs?

    So much this. I can't +1 this enough. *Honestly, this right here is one of, if not the biggest turn-off for me around the World of Darkness products from the '90s / early 2000s. The first 20+ pages of every book is a long, meandering, generally mediocre (or worse) block of prose trying to...
  8. innerdude

    Too much prose in RPGs?

    Have been noticing this exact problem with the FFG Star Wars rule sets. Have you seen how thick those books are? Edge of the Empire is 445 pages. Age of Rebellion is 460. And this is full-size 8.5x11 pages with tiny, miniscule font. The font is so small I can hardly read it if I'm wearing my...
  9. innerdude

    Need some refreshers on sandbox / scene framing GM techniques (FFG / Genesys)

    So after a sharp right into PbtA GM-ing with Ironsworn this year, I'm going to be running an FFG Star Wars game starting in January. And I'm actually a bit nervous about it, because I haven't flexed those GM muscles in a while. In the "Apocalypse World" thread from earlier this year, I brought...
  10. innerdude

    Fantasy Craft (I'm late to the party.)

    I've owned the hardcover since 2011, but have never played it. However, I've read through the system 5 or 6 times, and based on my reading, it's the only iteration of the d20 OGL rules I'd ever GM ever again. The monster templating system is pure genius, and all the races+classes are rich with...
  11. innerdude

    I am a better DM than a player (THREAD-O-MANCY)

    I'd hate to say it, but I'm definitely a better GM than player. As a player I have many of the same traits noted by others --- I get impatient/restless if things move too slow. I don't find character optimization to generally be satisfying, but as a player it's one of the only loci of control...
  12. innerdude

    Same As It Ever Was: Define the Players of RPGs, then Define the Theory of RPGs

    Two quick notes --- I think player typologies are useful, but moderately to largely overstated as a driving factor in RPG game development / theory evolution. I love board games. I love deep, tactical, heavy resource management and combat in board games (FFG Imperial Assault, LotR Living Card...
  13. innerdude

    Structuring a "Score" in Forged In the Dark

    Thank you, everyone, this thread is a veritable gold mine. @Manbearcat, at some point I'd love to take you up on watching a session, but as it turns out, my bi-weekly game that usually runs on Thursdays is actually running tonight (Weds.), so I won't be able to pop in. Feel free to PM me in a...
  14. innerdude

    Same As It Ever Was: Define the Players of RPGs, then Define the Theory of RPGs

    David Byrne I'm sure would have a comment on that . . . .
  15. innerdude

    Same As It Ever Was: Define the Players of RPGs, then Define the Theory of RPGs

    I disagree with this. Prior to 2015 or so, I was completely blind to any theory that didn't directly play into my preconceptions about "the way RPGs are supposed to work"---rules had to "process simulate" the game world. Dissociated mechanics were "bad" and "wrong", and not only that, were going...
  16. innerdude

    Same As It Ever Was: Define the Players of RPGs, then Define the Theory of RPGs

    "And you may say to yourself, 'My God, what have I done?'"
  17. innerdude

    Structuring a "Score" in Forged In the Dark

    So I backed the Court of Blades kickstarter a few months ago, and only now just started digging into the "preview" PDF. Everything I've read so far has been tremendously compelling, and very much in line with what I hoped it would be when I backed it. The "preview" is a 90-95% complete set of...
  18. innerdude

    Musing on the Nature of Character in RPGs

    So I'm thinking about two approaches I've made to character building recently, one for our Tiny Frontiers (Tiny D6 sci-fi), and one for D&D 5e (using a standard PHB). I think there's some really interesting "stuff" in the way you described setting up your The Between character, @Ovinomancer...
  19. innerdude

    3 Most Underrated Traits for Gamesmasters

    Willingness to self-reflect and incorporate feedback. Being fans of your players. Knowing how and when to push pacing / move ahead, and when to slow down / scale back.
  20. innerdude

    Describe your last rpg session in 5 words

    Aarakocra present deceitful, feathery nemeses.
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