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Paizo Announces Pathfinder 2nd Edition!
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<blockquote data-quote="Sunseeker" data-source="post: 7736727"><p>I'm not saying you can't be engaged in a movie, but there's a different type of engagement in a movie, than a game and a game can't rely on movie-style engagement (which is non-interactive), just as a movie can't rely on game-style engagement (which <em>is</em> interactive). It is important in game design to keep <em>each player</em> engaged, because fundamentally, players are unreliable actors. The game can't assume that Bob is going to do something entertaining, or that Joe or Sue or Frank will either. The only thing the game can do is engage the player in question directly. Attempting to rely on inherently unreliable actors to engage Billy is not a good way to keep Billy engaged in the game.</p><p></p><p>I mean, what if we had two spellcasters? Lets expand this situation a bit.</p><p>Billy the Mage is casting Fireball, it takes 5 rounds.</p><p>Joe the Cleric is casting Heal, it takes 4 rounds.</p><p>Frank the Fighter gets to Hit Things once a round.</p><p>Sue the Rogue is trying to sneak up.</p><p></p><p>For 4 rounds, only two of the players are really "playing" the game.</p><p></p><p>The DM having an exciting story is great and all, but we don't need <em>mechanics</em> for a great story. We need mechanics for a great <em>game</em>.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Sunseeker, post: 7736727"] I'm not saying you can't be engaged in a movie, but there's a different type of engagement in a movie, than a game and a game can't rely on movie-style engagement (which is non-interactive), just as a movie can't rely on game-style engagement (which [I]is[/I] interactive). It is important in game design to keep [I]each player[/I] engaged, because fundamentally, players are unreliable actors. The game can't assume that Bob is going to do something entertaining, or that Joe or Sue or Frank will either. The only thing the game can do is engage the player in question directly. Attempting to rely on inherently unreliable actors to engage Billy is not a good way to keep Billy engaged in the game. I mean, what if we had two spellcasters? Lets expand this situation a bit. Billy the Mage is casting Fireball, it takes 5 rounds. Joe the Cleric is casting Heal, it takes 4 rounds. Frank the Fighter gets to Hit Things once a round. Sue the Rogue is trying to sneak up. For 4 rounds, only two of the players are really "playing" the game. The DM having an exciting story is great and all, but we don't need [I]mechanics[/I] for a great story. We need mechanics for a great [I]game[/I]. [/QUOTE]
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