Facing: Cool or Lame?

[Lanefan]

One of the huge problems that I could foresee with trying to use facing nowadays is using D&D miniatures with it. D&D minis have round bases, so I'd have to mark the bases somehow to indicate the figure's front. A little sticker or something would probably be fine, but it's still an extra prep thing I'd have to do for the game, and I have a lot of miniatures.

With most minis it's pretty obvious which way it is looking; that should do for defining the front, and the rest then becomes obvious. I'd guess you would only end up needing to put stickers on about 5% of your minis, ignoring of course those that represent creatures that have no facing at all (oozes, swarms, etc.)

Lanefan

 

[jdrakeh]

It's strange seeing all of these answers that eschew minis as, even just a few years ago, the prevailing school of thought seemed to be that minis were a highly desirable feature of roleplaying games.

 

[I'm A Banana]

It's strange seeing all of these answers that eschew minis as, even just a few years ago, the prevailing school of thought seemed to be that minis were a highly desirable feature of roleplaying games.

Not sure about "prevailing schools of thought," but I've never been much of a minis fan. Movement during combat and opportunity actions and reach and the like count as fiddly bits I don't care about, personally. Add the increased cost and the extra prep and the "mental mode" into the equation, and you've got something I'm pretty happy not to do.

I let the computer get away with it with minimal hassle, but at the table, I want no minis to disrupt the flow.

 

[Stormonu]

It's strange seeing all of these answers that eschew minis as, even just a few years ago, the prevailing school of thought seemed to be that minis were a highly desirable feature of roleplaying games.

Don't get me wrong - I love minis and setting up 3-D dungeons; it often helps to visualize the environment and set the mood. At the same time though, I want their presence to be an aid, not a detriment. Getting into things like facing and other fiddly bits where the miniatures start restricting creativity and imagination I don't like.

 

[Dykstrav]

With most minis it's pretty obvious which way it is looking; that should do for defining the front, and the rest then becomes obvious. I'd guess you would only end up needing to put stickers on about 5% of your minis, ignoring of course those that represent creatures that have no facing at all (oozes, swarms, etc.)

That's what common sense would say, yes... But there are enough miniatures out there with dynamic poses that I could see some players arguing the point. I personally think that a good general guideline would be to assume that whatever direction the face of the miniature is actually facing is the front. Still, I'd put little sticker dots or something on miniatures with round bases because I want to avoid any confusion whatsoever about the facing of a mini.

 

[BryonD]

Getting into things like facing and other fiddly bits where the miniatures start restricting creativity and imagination I don't like.

I'd replace the word "where" with "if" and then I'd agree with you.

On the other hand, if a fighter can go charging through ranks of orcs without fear because AoOs are too fiddly to keep track of, then that restricts other kinds of imagination.

There are a lot of ways to solve the problem. And AoOs are not at all mandatory for getting there. But being overly simplified can be be just as harmful.

 

[Umbran]

But being overly simplified can be be just as harmful.

I'll go out on a limb and say, in general, neither is "harmful". They are simply different. Like vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry - none is harmful, but one of them may not work for you.

 

[Alzrius]

Facing: cool in theory, lame in practice.

...at least, that's how I've found it to be. Adjudicating it has often seemed like more trouble than it's worth.

 

[Mercule]

Could go either way. Really, it depends on how the rest of the system came together and whether it was for a combat-centric or RP-centric system. I suspect that my "ideal" system would probably have enough contrary factors that the ultimate answer would be negative.

 

[Nifft]

I'll go out on a limb and say, in general, neither is "harmful". They are simply different. Like vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry - none is harmful, but one of them may not work for you.

I'm allergic to strawberry, you MURDERER!!!

Cheers, -- N