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<blockquote data-quote="arscott" data-source="post: 4029489" data-attributes="member: 17969"><p>There are two kinds of modern games: Intrigue games and Action games.</p><p></p><p>Action games focus on combat. If you're an infantry squad fighting Nazis in WWII France, you're in an action game. If you're superheroes, defending New York from invading aliens, your in an action game. D&D 4e is an action game (albiet not a modern one), and most of the design philosophy carries over well--combat roles like leader, defender, controller, and striker. In-combat balance being the focus of the system. And so forth.</p><p></p><p>In intrigue games, most of your encounters involve talking to people, research, sneaking, manipulating strange devices, and so forth. If you're tracking an elusive vampire through the streets of Chicago, you're in an intrigue game. If you're intercepting Soviet Communications in East Germany, you're in an intrigue game. There can be combat, but it's not the primary focus of the game. Often the combat should be very one-sided: either posing no threat to the PCs or being an obvious run away/surrender scenario.</p><p></p><p>In such a game, the idea of scene-by-scene balance becomes impossible--you have to embrace the time-to-shine philosophy. Sure, the Gunslinger is better at combat that the Hacker. Combat is the Gunslinger's time to shine. Likewise, the Hacker is better with the computers than the Gunslinger. Whats important is that each scene either a) provide an opportunity for each character to meaninfully contribute in a fun way (for example, the Hacker can still shoot at the badguys, even if the gunslinger is better) or b) that the scene is resolved very quickly (Since there's no real way for the Gunslinger to contribute the the Hacker's computer infiltration, then it should probably be resolved in a roll or two).</p><p></p><p>The important thing to remember about time-to-shine rules is that the focus is on time. Sure the hacker gets to shine in the computer scene and the gunslinger gets to shine in the combat scene, but if the hacking scene takes five seconds and the combat takes an hour, that's not giving the hacker his due. In the hacking scene for instance, perhaps the meat of the challenge isn't breaking into the computer itself but deciding what to do once you're broken in. This decision making process is something that the gunslinger can participate in, but it's still the Hacker's time to shine because he's the one at the keyboard and probably the one guiding the conversation.</p><p></p><p>As far as roles for this time-to-shine philosophy, I think Alternity had it perfect: Combat Spec, Free Agent, Diplomat, and Tech op. Because many of those roles can very widely in capability and focus, It takes a little more work on the part of the DM than the Action Game. But to me, it's well worth the extra effort.</p><p></p><p>If WotC is going to make a Modern Game, I hope it's an Intrigue game (if only for reasons of variety--I imagine I'll be bored with an action-based D&D game fairly quickly).</p><p></p><p>Heck, if they don't announce plans for a Modern Game by the time 4e comes out, I'll probably start work on my own, maybe even for commercial release.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="arscott, post: 4029489, member: 17969"] There are two kinds of modern games: Intrigue games and Action games. Action games focus on combat. If you're an infantry squad fighting Nazis in WWII France, you're in an action game. If you're superheroes, defending New York from invading aliens, your in an action game. D&D 4e is an action game (albiet not a modern one), and most of the design philosophy carries over well--combat roles like leader, defender, controller, and striker. In-combat balance being the focus of the system. And so forth. In intrigue games, most of your encounters involve talking to people, research, sneaking, manipulating strange devices, and so forth. If you're tracking an elusive vampire through the streets of Chicago, you're in an intrigue game. If you're intercepting Soviet Communications in East Germany, you're in an intrigue game. There can be combat, but it's not the primary focus of the game. Often the combat should be very one-sided: either posing no threat to the PCs or being an obvious run away/surrender scenario. In such a game, the idea of scene-by-scene balance becomes impossible--you have to embrace the time-to-shine philosophy. Sure, the Gunslinger is better at combat that the Hacker. Combat is the Gunslinger's time to shine. Likewise, the Hacker is better with the computers than the Gunslinger. Whats important is that each scene either a) provide an opportunity for each character to meaninfully contribute in a fun way (for example, the Hacker can still shoot at the badguys, even if the gunslinger is better) or b) that the scene is resolved very quickly (Since there's no real way for the Gunslinger to contribute the the Hacker's computer infiltration, then it should probably be resolved in a roll or two). The important thing to remember about time-to-shine rules is that the focus is on time. Sure the hacker gets to shine in the computer scene and the gunslinger gets to shine in the combat scene, but if the hacking scene takes five seconds and the combat takes an hour, that's not giving the hacker his due. In the hacking scene for instance, perhaps the meat of the challenge isn't breaking into the computer itself but deciding what to do once you're broken in. This decision making process is something that the gunslinger can participate in, but it's still the Hacker's time to shine because he's the one at the keyboard and probably the one guiding the conversation. As far as roles for this time-to-shine philosophy, I think Alternity had it perfect: Combat Spec, Free Agent, Diplomat, and Tech op. Because many of those roles can very widely in capability and focus, It takes a little more work on the part of the DM than the Action Game. But to me, it's well worth the extra effort. If WotC is going to make a Modern Game, I hope it's an Intrigue game (if only for reasons of variety--I imagine I'll be bored with an action-based D&D game fairly quickly). Heck, if they don't announce plans for a Modern Game by the time 4e comes out, I'll probably start work on my own, maybe even for commercial release. [/QUOTE]
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