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Message: <blockquote data-quote="InVinoVeritas" data-source="post: 5214482" data-attributes="member: 41485">Judgment, Round 1, Match 8: Wik vs. howandwhy99Well, this one was a doozy. Two entries, heavy on the humor, worthy of The Bard (or, more likely, just A Bard). Wik went with the full-on comedy angle, while howandwhy99 could be played straight… but why bother? Wik’s “Let us call thee devil…” vs. howandwhy99’s For Love or LustFirst, the ingredients: Honorable Man: Wik gives us Richard Hart, proprietor, and the legend of St. Richard. Both quite honorable people, and victims of legend and the oddest game of dodgeball ever. From howandwhy99, we have the magistrate Marcan. Marcan’s position within the community and his wife’s affliction make him a very sympathetic character, while Richard Hart is put upon in a humorous way. Both are good uses, but Marcan garners more sympathy, so advantage to howandwhy99. Heavenly Station: One of those phrases that can have multiple meanings, howandwhy99 turns it into exalted positions, and Wik makes it a place where angels meet. Both uses are quite appropriate, and integral to the action. I must say, though, that the sheer insanity of how Wik runs the affairs of angels is inspired—advantage to Wik. Slings and Arrows of Outrageous Fortune: In both cases, we have slings, we have arrows, and they cause outrageous actions. Lots of good and bad luck abound. The Merrymaker and Loverfinder’s tools are interesting, but I have to say that Wik’s use of angels that don’t really care about the people is more original, so this goes to Wik. Winter of Our Discontent: It’s in the background for Wik, but it is in the foreground for howandwhy99. The discontent for Wik leads to the events of the piece, while the winter is near and the discontent far for howandwhy99. The advantage is for howandwhy99, mainly because more action is driven by it. Bugbear of Small Minds: Ah, Feruzz vs. Toby vs. Rograr. I felt that Toby and Rograr were better uses of this ingredient, because the “small minds” aspect was clear in many ways: how they were controlled, how weakness in mental fortitude compounds the situation. Feruzz has his small-minded goblins and lots of beer, but he’s just a bit too clever. BEEEEER!!!: I like the multiple ways that this ingredient got used. In Wik’s case, we have the Chairman make an appearance as Feruzz, the event requiring lots of beer, the wisps of steam. In howandwhy99’s case, we have a full Iron Chef challenge, requiring lots of beer. Excellent use by both contestants, and really, this is not what decides the round, so I’ll just say that both sides did a great job with a nonstandard ingredient. Overall: Playability, originality, and ingredient use all sort of blend on this one.  In Wik’s case, we have a situation, not a standard plotted adventure. Anything or nothing may happen, yet it is through the sheer insane humor of the piece that it becomes playable. The PCs might not have anything in particular to do or accomplish, but as a piece for everyone to simply blow off some steam, this activity gives that chance. In howandwhy99’s case, we have another situation that becomes a plotted adventure. The PCs would be trapped in a very surreal, difficult situation. A neverending winter, everyone becoming increasingly bound to their wants, while the way out is far from clear. Because of the plot and the need to exit the situation, we end up needing more direction for the story. With a scratch beneath the surface, the questions start piling up: if no brew gnomes mean no beer, then what are those cursed by the Merrymaker’s slings drinking? I find myself lost in the details—not enraptured as much as confused. It’s a pity, because Grack and Gargle are a particularly interesting, enthralling pair of characters. They just happen not to be ingredients. In a different story, Grack and Gargle would definitely shine, and they are an excellent driver of action. A plotless adventure never seemed, to me, to be the better way to construct a situation that players would enjoy. However, Wik has managed to accomplish just that through clever writing, a freeform happenstance, and interesting details that can dovetail later into direction. I guess sometimes, we do not need direction. What a lesson to learn! Wik wins this round.</blockquote>

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