Re: [BNW] Crescent City Comments and Questions (MATT)

[whytcrow@io.com]

>Good point, whytcrow.  One thing my friends and I have always tried to
>conquer and get frustrated with rpgs' is that when it comes time to get into
>the high action,  the "real" action slows down.  We try to keep combat going
>as quick as we can, even skipping a player's action if he takes too long to
>decide what to do, being "inactive".

I don't skip people (although I may tell them to hold their action, 
so I guess that counts), but I have tried to keep combat simple and 
streamlined.  I don't use minatures b/c I find that it slows combat 
down, rather than speeds it up, as people have to manuever things 
around.  I round modifiers to 5s, to make counting easier on the fly. 
I'm terrible with simple addition in my head.  ;)

Last session, we spent 2 1/2 hours on a fight (I think...I don't 
really know how long it took, but it was a while).  However, it 
wasn't anywhere near 12 rounds.  Now, say at the end, a Timetripper 
didn't like the final outcome.  He rewinds to just before the 
beginning, and starts again.  Of course, he could just alter things 
slightly, allowing only a little bit of revision necessary.  Or, he 
could do something dramatically different, compeltely invalidating 
the stuff that happened before.  So, we'd have had to play it all 
again, which hopefully wouldn't have taken so long, but still...it 
could have taken longer.  And what if he didn't like *that* 
outcome...he can do this 3 times if he wants, even if you only assume 
DPs return after scenes are completed, and not give them at the 
beginning of the new sessions this could have taken.

>We also strive for our "VR" virtual reality, and giving a player information
>that he shouldn't have starts to destroy that even though as players we play
>our character as "in character" as we can.

Slight adjustments of what PCs know vs what players know is going to 
happen.  However, when it becomes a constant thing, that can be hard 
to deal with.

> >  And all it takes is one twink to ruin your game.
>
>This may have buzzed right over my head, but....what's a twink?

Generic slang for someone who is power-gaming or otherwise behaving 
in a disruptive manner.  You can have a really good player with a 
Timetripper and there is no problem.  You can give it to someone who 
wants to use the power all the time, and you have a big problem on 
your hands (And you can't tell me that this would be abuse of the 
char--after all, the char has the power.  It's undetectable by anyone 
outside of the person using the power too).  Then you get a player 
who is in a pissy mood, or is in general obnoxious and you have 
someone who can singlehandedly destroy the game.

And, it doesn't even have to be that kind of situation.  Just a 
screen-time hog.

Jennifer
(Not that someone out to destory a campaign can't do it with any char 
concept.  It's just that some are easier than others).

The White Crow
FUDGE Deryni and Brave New World stuff:
http://www.io.com/~whytcrow/
"I love being married. It's so great to find that one special person you
want to annoy for the rest of your life." -- Rita Rudner