Poll: Rating your D&D game based on criteria in Monte Cook's article in Dragon #300
- Thread starter Shadowdancer
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Desdichado
Hero
I'm not sure that Monte's categories were completely useful. Some of the "vile" stuff was actually less vile than what you typically see in books by authors like George R.R. Martin or Terry Goodkind and I'd classify as mature, or even standard. Others of his vile categories I'd agree were actually quite vile.
But ignoring his definitions and trying to go for the spirit of what he intended to do, I'd say we're somewhere between standard and mature. I think I prefer to game at an edgy PG-13 rating.
But ignoring his definitions and trying to go for the spirit of what he intended to do, I'd say we're somewhere between standard and mature. I think I prefer to game at an edgy PG-13 rating.
Desdichado
Hero
It'd be hard to sum up the criteria without reprinting most of the article. Basically, it's rated G, PG, PG-13 or R, to use the MPAA guides. Although it's not very clear-cut from his examples, as in theory the mature game is R, but most of his examples are PG-13. In theory the vile game is almost NC-17, but his examples range from PG-13 to actually NC-17.
But I'd say you can equate his ratings fairly well in spirit to the common MPAA ratings, even if his examples don't work very well. That is, light-hearted is pretty much G, standard is probably PG, perhaps leaning towards PG-13, mature is somewhere between PG-13 and R and vile is R with perhaps dips into NC-17.
But I'd say you can equate his ratings fairly well in spirit to the common MPAA ratings, even if his examples don't work very well. That is, light-hearted is pretty much G, standard is probably PG, perhaps leaning towards PG-13, mature is somewhere between PG-13 and R and vile is R with perhaps dips into NC-17.
Wicht
Hero
I voted mature, but perhaps could have gone with standard. I have rotting heads, flesh eating ghouls, maggots, plenty of death and soon I will be adding corpses ripped to pieces with their hearts torn out. We do not have any sex or swearing or evil PCs. However, it sounds like the system in Dragon is a bit arbitrary.
Desdichado
Hero
In my opinion it is. I'm not sure it really equates to much of a system anyway, as it is a guideline with some examples of what one guy (Monte Cook) thinks belong in each category. Since the MPAA has four (five really, if you count NC-17) ratings, it probably would have been simpler if the "system" in Dragon more closely mirrored that, as most people, especially in the States, are familiar with it.
Although if you count swearing, I've had groups that would turn a PG game into R or NC-17 just based on the language in the room. I don't particularly appreciate it, and my group now doesn't swear much (if at all) but that also throws a wild card into the "rating" of the game.
Although if you count swearing, I've had groups that would turn a PG game into R or NC-17 just based on the language in the room. I don't particularly appreciate it, and my group now doesn't swear much (if at all) but that also throws a wild card into the "rating" of the game.
barsoomcore
Unattainable Ideal
*looks around the Wild Speculation Booth, nods to familiar faces*
Sure is crowded in here.
I guess mature would be the right term for our campaign. Rape of a PC was threatened but not carried out (the PCs escaping and burning bad guy's house to the ground before he could carry out his threat) -- there's occasional sexual content but never completely graphic -- well, there was the time that guy got murdered, his head and his, erm, manhood removed, and the sorcereress found the head (eventually) and used dead man's eyes to view the last minutes of his life -- it was hard to avoid pretty graphic content at that one. Especially since the head went second.
Then there was last weekend's encounter with the Spider Women. The Spider Women need men. Yep, that's exactly why.
But that was more "Ew!" sort of comic relief than anything. And our heroes passed on the invitation anyway.
But I don't think it's VILE. I have some extremely VILE NPCs running around, that's true, but there's no wallowing in the horrors they commit.
Sure is crowded in here.
I guess mature would be the right term for our campaign. Rape of a PC was threatened but not carried out (the PCs escaping and burning bad guy's house to the ground before he could carry out his threat) -- there's occasional sexual content but never completely graphic -- well, there was the time that guy got murdered, his head and his, erm, manhood removed, and the sorcereress found the head (eventually) and used dead man's eyes to view the last minutes of his life -- it was hard to avoid pretty graphic content at that one. Especially since the head went second.
Then there was last weekend's encounter with the Spider Women. The Spider Women need men. Yep, that's exactly why.
But that was more "Ew!" sort of comic relief than anything. And our heroes passed on the invitation anyway.
But I don't think it's VILE. I have some extremely VILE NPCs running around, that's true, but there's no wallowing in the horrors they commit.
barsoomcore
Unattainable Ideal
When my players start swearing constantly, non-stop, under their breath, I'm so proud of myself.Joshua Dyal said:
Arkham
First Post
I voted Vile, but that is for only one of the 2 games I am currently involved in.
The one I am running is quite light-hearted. There are no descriptions of gore, or really even blood. The action is cinematic in a Final Fantasy sort of way.
Now the other game in which I am _not_ the DM, is an evil campaign. We've more than touched on the subjects of human adult and infant sacrifice, and necrophelia. Some of the PCs have been looking for an excuse to borrow PKitty's baby-shield tactic, just to prove how 'eeevil' they are.
Despite being one of the players, I cannot help but root for the other team...
I'm hoping the DM decides, once we've gotten fairly high level, to take the current PCs and make them villians in his next campaign.
The one I am running is quite light-hearted. There are no descriptions of gore, or really even blood. The action is cinematic in a Final Fantasy sort of way.
Now the other game in which I am _not_ the DM, is an evil campaign. We've more than touched on the subjects of human adult and infant sacrifice, and necrophelia. Some of the PCs have been looking for an excuse to borrow PKitty's baby-shield tactic, just to prove how 'eeevil' they are.
Despite being one of the players, I cannot help but root for the other team...
I'm hoping the DM decides, once we've gotten fairly high level, to take the current PCs and make them villians in his next campaign.
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