Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="Ariosto" data-source="post: 5421715" data-attributes="member: 80487">It sure as hell is different!First, (1) is NOT &quot;find out what the players want to do&quot;.(1) is &quot;design the 'encounter'.&quot;(2) is tell the players what they're going to do.To paraphrase Winston Churchill, in Step 1 we have already established what is what; in Step 3, we are just settling details.Is it exactly the same thing as having a shoe size and a hair color?No. That things have qualities is not at all the same as that I am required to perform a particular action. It is not at all the same as every possible action requiring X multiple dice rolls to ensure a priori roughly Y probability of failure regardless.In any RPG I've ever played, the only reason to make a &quot;lock picking&quot; or &quot;pocket picking&quot; or &quot;banjo picking&quot; or &quot;nose picking&quot; roll is because I'm trying to do that thing.If I decide to shoot a Dark Troll, then I roll for that attack. If the shot kills the DT, then it's dead. If while it's not dead I decide to Hide and then Sneak and Pick its Pocketses, then Sneak back, that's probably several chances to slip up. If they all pass muster, then I've got what I've got; otherwise, I probably got caught! Maybe I'll try a line that warrants a Fast Talk roll at a plus or minus, or spend my time building longer lasting Persuasion. Maybe I'll do something that calls for another roll, or for none at all.Maybe at some point I'll try on its boots, or otherwise make an issue of its shoe size. Maybe I won't.If it really makes no difference, then why pay cash money for it? Why champion and proselytize for it? If the new boss is just the same as the old, then wherefore the revolution?</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Ariosto, post: 5421715, member: 80487"] It sure as hell is different! First, (1) is NOT "find out what the players want to do". (1) is "design the 'encounter'." (2) is [I]tell[/I] the players what they're going to do. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, in Step 1 we have already established what is what; in Step 3, we are just settling details. Is it exactly the same thing as having a shoe size and a hair color? No. That things have qualities is [I]not at all[/I] the same as that I am required to perform a particular action. It is [I]not at all[/I] the same as every possible action requiring X multiple dice rolls to ensure a priori roughly Y probability of failure regardless. In any RPG I've ever played, the only reason to make a "lock picking" or "pocket picking" or "banjo picking" or "nose picking" roll is [I]because I'm trying to do that thing[/I]. If I decide to shoot a Dark Troll, then I roll for that attack. If the shot kills the DT, then it's dead. If while it's not dead I decide to Hide and then Sneak and Pick its Pocketses, then Sneak back, that's probably several chances to slip up. If they all pass muster, then I've got what I've got; otherwise, I probably got caught! Maybe I'll try a line that warrants a Fast Talk roll at a plus or minus, or spend my time building longer lasting Persuasion. Maybe I'll do something that calls for another roll, or for none at all. Maybe at some point I'll try on its boots, or otherwise make an issue of its shoe size. Maybe I won't. If it really makes no difference, then why pay cash money for it? Why champion and proselytize for it? If the new boss is just the same as the old, then wherefore the revolution? [/QUOTE]

Verification