TRPG General Chat

The Oracle

01:44

0

Q: What is the exact meaning of [statistics]?

This question was tagged with the tag statistics. However, I thought the term "statistics" were tied to attribute, ability scores, or any other numbers and traits which systematically specify the character's strength and weaknesses in RPG context, and there is a question which fits this meaning. ...

user61230

05:07

Shhhh. Nobody say anything.

Lord_Gareth

05:46

So in honor of SKR leaving Paizo, I thought I'd link to the man's blog.

BESW

@Magician [poke] I don't understand how to actually create fronts.

Lord_Gareth

seankreynolds.com/rpgfiles/gaming/forgottenrumsstory.html <-Witness his passive-aggression and sit in awe of his total mastery of snide condescension

user61230

@BESW fonts?

BESW

Fronts.

@AlexP See above!

Alex P

See above re: what?

BESW

05:48

1 min ago, by BESW

@Magician [poke] I don't understand how to actually create fronts.

You two are the chat regulars with the most A/D-World tags.

user61230

BESW

@Emracool Then try this one.

user61230

Ahhh! Cool. Thanks!

Alex P

@BESW My understanding is that it's really not any more complicated than "Here is a big thing that might happen that is fun to interact with. Here are some signs that it might be happening."

A general thing about AW games is that they have structure but don't really rely much on, like, currency.

BESW

I want to use fronts -detached from the crunch of the X-World system-- as a tool for organising my Fate Core campaign.

Alex P

05:52

So there's no, like, GM reserve of trouble you have to manage or anything.

BESW

But I don't understand the hierarchy of elements.

Lord_Gareth

Oh, hey, @BESW, can I run something past you real quick?

BESW

@Lord_Gareth Yes, but I might blink and miss it.

Lord_Gareth

@BESW Heh.

Alex P

Like, there was a thread today on RPGnet. Someone was like, "I played AW but I think I cheated a bit, because whenever stuff got slow, I'd just spring shit on the players."

Lord_Gareth

05:53

Okay, so, I'm making a subsystem for a heroic fantasy RPG where the group can collaboratively generate a settlement that serves as a home base/collective character

Alex P

And everyone answered, "No, that is what you are supposed to do. You are not at all forced to only do stuff when player moves prompt you."

Lord_Gareth

So my basic thought is this: before the game, all settlements start at a basic level where they're capable only of defending themselves from wandering monsters and feeding themselves. They can't trade, travel, or experience positive population growth

But when forming the settlement at character creation, players can introduce Opportunities, or ask the GM/Storyteller to do so. Opportunities are nearby resources or useful things that the PCs can exploit to improve the settlement somehow

Something like "Nearby Adamant Mine" or "Lost Technology"

Basically certified plot hooks right next to home base

BESW

@Lord_Gareth Sounds a little like the opening round of a Microscope game.

Lord_Gareth

For every X Opportunities you take, though, a Threat (chosen by GM?) plagues the settlement. Left unchecked, Threats can and will wreck the joint

BESW

@AlexP I get that, but I want to use fronts as an organisational tool. I think I understand how they work once they're made, but the procedure for making them has me confused.

Lord_Gareth

05:58

Aaand that's pretty much my concept so far. The idea is to provide initial plot hooks and reasons to care about the settlement, and then from there the GM/Players will seek out the sorts of resources they want in the wider campaign world

Alex P

@BESW To me, they read a lot like "The Big Picture" from Adventure Burner. Which basically says: come up with a change that is happening in the setting that the PCs are likely to notice and care about. Probably a change for the worse, because it's, you know, struggle and stuff. Then that change doesn't wait for the PCs.

To me, the "grim portents" are "INTERACT WITH ME PLZ!"

BESW

@Lord_Gareth Beware tying advantages and drawbacks together too closely, or you wind up with the 3.5 flaw system all over again.

Lord_Gareth

@BESW They're not meant to balance, necessarily. Both Opportunities and Threats are meant to be narrative.

The key difference is that Opportunities are positive plot hooks, where Threats are negative ones

BESW

Well, it sounds like it could be fun so long as the opportunities and threats are chosen carefully.

Lord_Gareth

@BESW That is my worry. I'm not sure if I should go for a hard list and risk giving the impression that you shouldn't make up your own, or give suggestions and risk inexperience or miscommunication screwing it up

BESW

06:06

@AlexP Yeah, but... I'm having trouble with the specifics. What's the difference between a front and a danger? It's... kind of unclear.

I'm not actually getting a clear picture of the process of creating a front.

You're telling me how fronts are used.

@Lord_Gareth Give me some examples.

Lord_Gareth

@BESW Opportunities - Lost Magitech (nearby ruins contain blueprints and example of thaumatechnology that can improve the settlement); Underground Complex (the settlement has access to a currently-overrun underground level - clearing it out reveals stockpiles of supplies); Unexpected Survivors (the settlement is suddenly contacted by a small, unexpectedly near village. They've gotten their radio working and have goods to trade, but they're under siege)

Alex P

@BESW A front is something you could hang a whole campaign on and a danger isn't? >.>

BESW

Some of the examples of dangers are groups or individuals, others are events. Aren't events more like grim portents?

Metool

any pathfinder folks online?

Lord_Gareth

Threats - Griffon Roost (predatory fliers harry attempts at trade; regular trade or use of land outside the settlement is impossible until they're cleared or the settlement develops sufficient weaponry to drive them out); Sinkholes (the settlement is on unstable ground and will literally collapse if not moved soon); Strife (political or social conflicts threaten the settlement internally, and the PCs cannot curry favor with the Settlement as a whole until it's resolved)

BESW

06:14

I guess my big issue is that I'm not seeing any place with everything laid out in relationship to each other.

That might help me figure out the procedure?

Alex P

> The grim portents are your way to codify the plans and machinations of your dangers. A grim portent can be a single interesting event or a chain of steps. When you're not sure what to do next, push your danger towards resolving a grim portent.

So, my reading (someone who is more into AW/DW might have a different thing to say): The "front" is a big-picture theme. "Dangers" are the building blocks you have to make that big-picture theme work, i.e. antagonists. In the context of D&D and post-apocalyptic fiction, though, lots of stuff -- like places -- can be antagonists.

Lord_Gareth

@BESW - Examples above, once you've resolved your own concern

Alex P

"Grim portents" are how you keep track of what the point of your "dangers" actually is.

There's a cursed place. So what? So what it poops monsters.

BESW

@Lord_Gareth I'm in something like four different conversations, sorry.

Alex P

Well, I'm about to head to sleep in a sec, which'll simplify this. :P

BESW

06:21

M'rr, okay.

Lord_Gareth

'sokay @BESW

Just thought I'd let'cha know

Poor Rarity. They miss so many chances to deal with her fundamental conflict between the urges that make her selfish, regal, and glamorous and the ones that make her generous, selfless, & loving.

BESW

The latest episodes are doing better.

(At the expense of Pinkie, apparently, because that pony seems to be struggling to stay one dimensional.)

Alex P

@BESW Was that at all helpful?

Lord_Gareth

Don't tell me much, @BESW, I don't like spoilers

BESW

@AlexP A... little? I'm still aching for a procedural, but thanks.

Lord_Gareth

06:25

(That in mind, Pinkie Pie will always have a fan base that appreciates her for being Deadpool)

("Where did you get a party cannon?" "I always keep it off-screen.")

BESW

The writers do seem to be having fun with the fans.

A recent episode hung on Big Mac losing his voice.

Lord_Gareth

Spoileeeers T_T

BESW

Yeah, not too big.

Metool

wait what

I didn't realize I'd missed that many.

Lord_Gareth

Anyway, AFK to use the restroom

But those were some top-of-the-head thoughts

BESW

06:30

Okay, so the town traits need to be customisable because they have to fit the group's interests.

If the group isn't interested in telling stories about coal mines, a rich vein of coal isn't a good opportunity.

(Or if anyone in the group is sensitive about canary fatality.)

That means premade lists are probably out.

How about categories?

For example, ask them to come up with an Untapped Resource, a Potential Ally, and a Convenient Event which provide Opportunities, and then they also must come up with an Implacable Foe, a Natural Disaster, and an Internal Menace.

Stizzle84

Hi guys

BESW

When they start play, one of the Troubles is active and preventing the town from advancing.

@Stizzle84 Hey.

Stizzle84

May i join

BESW

Discovering the other Opportunities and Troubles will define the rest of the play.

@Stizzle84 Join what? You're in the chat.

Stizzle84

R u plsying a game

Playing a game

BESW

06:37

No, Gareth has asked me to help him brainstorm ideas for a game subsystem he's designing.

We very very rarely play any games on this site, and never in this particular chat room.

We just talk about them.

Stizzle84

O cool and thanks

Have u seen tyler lately

BESW

Nope.

Stizzle84

O

Is gareth still here

Speek if u r

BESW

He's afk at the moment.

Lord_Gareth

@BESW And then after they've resolved those initial Opportunities and Troubles, the GM/Group naturally seeks more in the wider game world.

Since the goal of the game is to expand into re-establishing global civilization

Stizzle84

06:42

There u r

BESW

@Lord_Gareth Their Potential Ally might be a good hook for that.

Stizzle84

Long time no see

Lord_Gareth

@Stizzle84 - For all future reference, the logs on this chat are saved forever. They might even be carved into stone monoliths.

Spelling and grammar aren't requirements but people can Google your posts in here :p

@BESW So you'd be proposing to setting one each in X amount of categories at the start?

BESW

Yeah. Maybe give them a lot of categories and asking them to select a small number of them.

And keep it broad.

Untapped Resource might be a rich vein of coal, or a buried war machine, or an entire generation of villagers suddenly getting magical powers.

Lord_Gareth

[Nods]

BESW

06:48

...or a friendly local forest spirit.

Lord_Gareth

Or an event, like a Technology Breakthrough that might be a major invention or a new process that makes population expansion viable

BESW

A Convenient Event could be fun to design, too.

Maybe "the fall of a powerful enemy leader."

Lord_Gareth

And you cash in the Convenient Event to solve a plot problem, but in exchange its Trouble shows up immediately

Yeeeees

BESW

Right.

Lord_Gareth

Enemy leader dies, and then a dragon starts demanding tribute on your trade roads

BESW

06:51

You just traded solving your Internal Menace (the leader of the evil cult dies) for an Implacable Foe.

Stizzle84

Guys i have to go to high school see u later

Lord_Gareth

See ya

Stizzle84

School starts at 2:30 am

BESW

@Julix [wave]

Julix

@BESW [wave] - Hey I have stars!

BESW

07:01

@Julix Yey!

Lord_Gareth

@Julix Savor your brief moment of hope, mortal creature, for I shall soon feast upon your dreams and leave you with nothing but ash and sorrow.

Julix

@Lord_Gareth You personally... or is that like a metaphor for something?

BESW

@Lord_Gareth Dream-ash and tears make for great pottery clay.

Julix

@BESW Something about ash and dreams makes me think of Morrowind...

BESW

I wouldn't know.

Lord_Gareth

07:04

I would like to commend Muppet Treasure Island for the titanium testicles they utilized to put this opening song in a kid's movie: youtube.com/watch?v=LX9VxBwvFFo

BESW

Great song.

Julix

Wow, that sounds like pirates of the carrabs

Lord_Gareth

Listen to the whole song

BESW

@Julix They're both riffing on the same earlier sources.

Lord_Gareth

And then remember that this is a Muppet movie

Julix

07:05

but since it's obviously older it must have... exactly

Stizzle84

Well turns out school is closed this morning

No clue why though

Julix

@Stizzle84 strange

BESW

@Lord_Gareth Psh, have you seen The Muppet Show?

Lord_Gareth

@BESW Not for a very long time.

BESW

It regularly had characters getting eaten alive, strongly sexualised jokes and references, and other things which would keep it from getting a PG rating.

Stizzle84

07:08

@julix i know right!!!

BESW

It's only pretty recently that subjects like horrific death were considered totally inappropriate for childrens' fare. Keep in mind that the original Treasure Island was very gory, and that was the least of its disturbing elements.

Lord_Gareth

One moment, I need to check and see if I can blame Republicans for this.

[Checks the 1950's]

Julix

hehe. yeah they used to tell horror stories especially to kids... scare them into behaving

Lord_Gareth

YES I CAN

Stizzle84

I walk in school and next thing you know my homeroom teacher said what the heck are you doing here schoolbis closed

You can always blame republicans!!!! LOL

Lord_Gareth

07:11

@Stizzle84 Sadly not always. They don't have a monopoly on stupidity, for one.

Plus there's all the crap I have to blame Victorian England for.

Like Bowlderization

Stizzle84

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha gasp tear ha etc

BESW

Moooving right along.

Stizzle84

Or racisim

Lord_Gareth

Bro, racism is ancient

Stizzle84

Raceis as in color

Lord_Gareth

07:14

I'm aware.

Trust me, it's ancient. It's far older than Victorian England

Stizzle84

Of your skin

Lord_Gareth

Frankly Victorian England's great claim to fame was the perfection of classism.

To the point of the rich hunting the poor in the streets, slaughtering them like dogs in the rookeries

Julix

@Stizzle84 Did you know publishers are racist towards goblins?

Stizzle84

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ........................... lol lol lol lol lol lol lol

Raceisim is big bang old :.D

Julix

@Stizzle84 nope - no racism without race - no race without life

Go to goblindefensefund.org to learn why it matters and then go to petitiononline.com/Goblins1/petition.html to get some fair representation of Goblins going.

Stizzle84

07:19

Stop u r killing me i am laughing so hard

Julix

@Stizzle84 you racist! laughing at the Goblins mistreatment by the rulebooks :-P

Stizzle84

Lets rob all the goblins

Lord_Gareth

@BESW - I think I found a theme song for a 3.PF that deconstructs how insane and horrific adventuring is.

Julix

@Lord_Gareth I'd like to see that! :)

Lord_Gareth

►

Stizzle84

07:21

What horific rasisim

Did u know obama got sued for ten million dollors

Lord_Gareth

"This ain't no place for no hero/This ain't no place for no better man/This ain't no place for no hero/Go home..."

3

Stizzle84

I am home in my warm bed

:D

So i cant go home

Julix

haha, took me a moment to get why you said you were in bed :D

I'd love to have an NPC Goblin bard sing that to motivate the psychopathic "good" heroes to seize the destruction of his home town.

Stizzle84

Lol

U know that song sexy and i know it

Julix

yeah?

Stizzle84

07:29

They should make i'm racist and i know it

Lord_Gareth

They already did, "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist"

Stizzle84

Really??????????????????????¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿

Julix

►

Not on "Sexy and I know it" melody though

Stizzle84

Omfg

Julix

same people as "The internet is for porn" youtube.com/watch?v=m5z5U_xd8EU

Stizzle84

07:38

Did u get my invite

Julix

to what? - so probably not - oh see it now

Stizzle84

Go to general communications

I will meet u there

BESW

11:15

Blarghenflooph.

I am just not wrapping my head around fronts.

Phil

11:44

0

Q: Is it the same using 1d100 and using 2d10 (one percentile)?

I know d100s are shunned because they take too much time to roll, and 1d10+1percentile is really fun, but do they share the same probabilities? Is it better to use a (digital) d100? Also, do d100s have 0? You can't roll a 0 with percentiles, I think.

dice

sigh - what's the betting this has only been posted because of the popularity of the previous similar question

BESW

Doesn't change whether it's good or bad.

Phil

my concern is that there are potentially a whole raft of similar questions that could be asked

2d4=d8

2d6=d12

2d10=d20

etc etc

and they all have very similar answers with different stats plugged in

BESW

I believe the sf.se chat recently had the same qualm about Bechdel Test questions.

I think the reasonable thing to do is not encourage them. In this case, the d100 question seems legit, because he's asking more than "is the curve the same"?

But we can't have a witch hunt on questions that might presage more nearly-identical questions because it's anticipating a problem we don't have yet and that's not how the SE works.

Phil

true

BESW

If it happens, we start downvoting.

If it continues, we go to meta.

Phil

11:50

fair enough

BESW

I am not voting on either the question or the answer you just linked.

It's a little harsh, and I'll give it some thought and I might change my mind.

But right now I don't want to encourage copycats. Once it's dropped down the page a bit, upvoting will be less like throwing oil on the fire.

Dear Wizards: I, too, like the word "taint" to describe corruption. It feels very Lovecraftian. However, none of my players can keep a straight face when "tainted" templates and mechanics hit the table. Can you please suggest some alternatives?

BESW

12:25

Okay, I think I'm getting the hang of fronts. Ish.

I'm having trouble with an impulse for the sewer mutants, though.

Phil

which system? Dungeon World?

BESW

I'm trying to use the Dungeon World "fronts" system as an organisational tool for the Fate Core campaign I'm designing based on an aborted 3.5 setting I made a few years ago.

Phil

sounds like a bit of a mish mash

BESW

....yes.

I'm not interested in the mechanics of fronts in play, though, just the plot-organisation power of them.

My campaign has a LOT of balls in the air (the villain is a Chessmaster type guy).

Phil

good luck :o)

BESW

12:31

Thanks.

Phil

I'm coming to the end of a 2 and a half year campaign, and am feeling the pressure somewhat to ensure the climax is fitting and good enough

BESW

I know that feel.

Phil

It's based off of a published campaign, but as written the ending is really naff

so I'm basically doing a complete rewrite of the last 4 sessions

BESW

Urf. I did a 30-level 4e campaign that was largely based off modules, but I vigorously re-skinned and re-fluffed until I'm not sure anyone who played the modules as intended would've recognized much except the maps.

And then, yes, the last ten levels or so were pretty much me.

Phil

the problem with this one is that the same company who wrote it has also released a follow on sandbox style setting, and because of this they deliberately left the first campaign's end open ended

not impressed

BESW

12:36

Blurgh.

Phil

that just about sums up my feelings about it too

the phrase 'cop-out' springs to mind as well

BESW

Okay, I'm happy with this front. Anything that gets to use the phrase "an army of mutants rampages through the streets" can't be too bad.

@mxyzplk Hi!

@RedRiderX Also hi!

RedRiderX

12:59

Oh hey!

BESW

[blink] I think that's a reference I'm not getting.

RedRiderX

Has anyone here heard about twitch plays Pokemon?

you can read up on it a bit here: reddit.com/r/twitchplayspokemon

basically it's a live stream of a game of Pokemon, but the game is controlled by people typing button inputs into the live stream chat

what is almost more interesting is how quickly reams of lore and fanart surrounding events in the game have been produced

Aaron

13:25

Hello!

wax eagle

@Phil we close them as dupes of the 3d6 or other questions.

Aaron

So my first question after my vacation. How would you stat this thing?

wax eagle

@Aaron reskin a purple worm

Aaron

@waxeagle Those are rather weak for a joker dragon I think. I was thinking a Great wyrm dragon.

Is there a chaos dragon?

wax eagle

@Aaron ah, I was thinking they were a solo, you're right

Aaron

13:30

Maybe I could reskin a gibbering orb.

BESW

....Jokerwocky.

2

wax eagle

a 4e compendium search hits on an Abyssal Elder Gold Dragon

Aaron

@BESW That... Sounds terrifying and awesome.

BESW

Statting it up in Fate Core, I'd give it a skill pyramid starting at +6 with skills like Provoke and Intimidate at the top followed by heavy Fight, Athletics, and Physique; a stunt that lets it take one physical action and one verbal action on its turn; and immunity to mental stress on any round when he's successfully inflicted mental stress.

Aspects might include My smiles are all teeth and Razor-sharp wit.

(Maybe the pyramid would start at +8.)

GamerJosh

14:02

'morning

BESW

Hi.

GamerJosh

How have you been, @BESW?

BESW

Tired, busy. Confused.

Yourself?

GamerJosh

Same, less the confused... I think.

Meh, maybe I'm confused, too.

I have a question that perhaps is better for meta, but wanted to bring it here first.

My problem is that I don't understand how in a question like this: rpg.stackexchange.com/q/33870/9058, "play a different game" is a reasonable answer

wax eagle

relevant: meta.rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/3318/…

BESW

14:06

@waxeagle Beat me to it.

wax eagle

:)

BESW

That's why I upvoted Gareth's answer, and not Ryan's.

Gareth answers the question within its frame, and then proposes an alternative frame and accompanying answer.

GamerJosh

@BESW Thank you.

BESW

You might consider downvoting Ryan's, and maybe leaving a comment with a link to that meta post.

GamerJosh

That puts to words how I felt about the difference between the two answers.

@BESW Something along the lines of, "we need to try to answer the question asked before we suggest an alternative?" -- I'm still not sure about the "politics" of this site, and how we handle situations like this

@waxeagle (And thank you for the link, btw.)

wax eagle

14:10

@GamerJosh yeah, and link to the meta

Zachiel

My take on your doubt. First of all, "you might be looking for a different game" is not the same as "do play a different game". KRyan only put it as his third point (and I guess that's because more often than not in RPG history there are people who keep using a system only because they got foiled by the marketing, or because they know no alternatives).
Then, if you're homebrewing D&D so much to get what you need, you're already plying a different system. The differences with existing other systems are varied, from "mine is built on my player's needs" to "I'm not an experienced game designer…

wax eagle

it's a common issue. it's coming up in the 4e crit fail question right now too

BESW

@Zachiel Issue is, he buries the one "You can do it this way" bit at the end of the second of his three "You're trying to do something the system doesn't support" points.

GamerJosh

@Zachiel I understand, and I fully accept that to get the result someone wants, it may be easier (for some definition of easier) to change to a different system. However, the question is not a system recommendation question. It's, "I play this system. I want to accomplish this in the system. I'm okay with house-ruling it. How do I do it?" In this case, "play a different system" just feels obnoxious.

BESW

When there's one half-sentence of actual answer buried in five lengthy paragraphs of "Don't even try," we have a problem.

wax eagle

14:14

really the problem, ultimately, is the DM letting them get to that point at all.

BESW

Gareth gave basically the same answer, but without the unnecessary extra four paragraphs of rant.

Which, while true, is not helpful.

Zachiel

@GamerJosh I guess some see an XY problem in those questions. As in "you're asking how to make ice cream with a meatgrinder. Have you tought about asking which utensile you need to make ice cream, instead?". (I don't even know if that is a XY problem.)

wax eagle

@BESW yeah

Zachiel

@waxeagle who's the yeah for?

wax eagle

@Zachiel It's a version. It's not quite the classic version. It's the "all I have is hammers, how screw" problem

BESW

14:16

I'd be approaching Ryan's answer differently if it wasn't clear he actually DID know a way for D&D to deal with the question at hand.

GamerJosh

@BESW How so?

BESW

I'd be more lenient, probably.

If he honestly thought the only possible answer was to use a different system, that'd be much more reasonable than knowing the system has a mechanic for that situation but burying the solution in a massive rant about how the system can't deal with the situation...

GamerJosh

I see.

BESW

I'm composing a comment.

wax eagle

Banukai's answer that D&D players don't know they're losing until it's too late is a nice bit of insight, not sure it's relevant to the question, but it makes a lot of sense

GamerJosh

14:22

@waxeagle Agree.

BESW

Since you do include a half-sentence about the coup de grace rules which cover this situation, the accompanying five paragraphs about how the system can't handle the situation seem a little... out of place. GamerJosh beat me to the relephant meta link, but it feels like the issue runs a little deeper than that here. — BESW 12 secs ago

GamerJosh

relephant =p

BESW

I mean, in terms of actual advice both Ryan and Gareth's answers are identical: "The system provides coup de grace for these situations, and if it seems inadequate you might want to try a different system."

But for delivery.... yeah.

Zachiel

I guess @KRyan's answer provides a lot of context, which might be able to prevent similar questions by the same querent on slightly different topics and is concerned with him enjoying the game and not getting to burnout more than answering the question.
I think the best way to do that would be answering, then mentioning and linking *en passant* a question where KRyan himself asks about the specific realism problem and answers it.
That's so complicated I wouldn't be willing to do it if I needed to, but looks the most rpg.se-compliant thing to do. What do you think?

wax eagle

@Zachiel If he led with the coup de grace, and then wrote the following 4 graphs he'd be fine

or the majority of the answer was focused on solving the problem as presented

though I'm definitely not saying leading with the solution is always the answer, I think that leading with a "don't do that" is OK at times. I certainly did it today: rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/33924/…

BESW

14:35

@Shianra Hi!

GamerJosh

I agree. I feel like I've been reading a lot of "play a different system"-type answers recently, and I've been struggling to understand how that helps anybody. If every "I want to add a little realism to D&D in this way; how do I do that?" question is answered with, "play a different game", why should anybody continue to come here and ask?

wax eagle

@GamerJosh I think that often the assumption is that OPs off the street aren't aware that there is a great big world of RPG specially when they're asking D&D questions that try to do things D&D isn't equipped to do

GamerJosh

@waxeagle I agree, and that's probably the case, but I thought we were supposed to assume that the questioner was "an expert in their field" (or however it's put).

BESW

I've been on that side of the fence; a year ago I was trying to formulate a meta question about exactly what Mxy's post addresses, because I was asking Fate Core mechanics questions and just being told "narrative first!"

GamerJosh

if so, then we should assume there's a reason that person is playing D&D, and there's a reason that person wants to make these house rules; and that reason is not simply "because that's all I know about".

wax eagle

14:40

@GamerJosh yes: meta.rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/3095/…

just because that's the ideal, doesn't mean our users follow it

GamerJosh

@waxeagle Thank you.

wax eagle

@GamerJosh no prob

BESW

Aaaaanyway.

@Shianra Sorry, we aren't usually all meta-tastic. What's new?

Okay, question about at-the-table linguistics: If I name a pirate Bluebird, is that just asking for extra distraction/confusion as everyone calls her Bluebeard?

wax eagle

@BESW hmmm, could be a distraction, could be a fun character thing

GamerJosh

@BESW I initially read it as Bluebeard

BESW

14:52

It's a relic from the days when I really liked wordplay, whether it was at the expense of clarity or not.

Nowadays I like calling a spade a spade, unless my players are less confused if I call it a shovel.

But since I'm converting a three-year-old campaign, I have to wade through all this old cleverness.

GamerJosh

If any of your players would appreciate that kind of wordplay, I'd leave it in. But, I like wordplay and would probably get a kick out of it.

BESW

Heh. You would've liked some of my old campaigns.

Have you seen my old maps?

I ran a game with this map for a year, and my players never did figure out the naming convention for the five cities:

Aaron

@BESW Is it obvious?

BESW

@Aaron I thought it was.

GamerJosh

I don't see it, either.

Aaron

14:59

@BESW I don't see it. Did you use a map maker to make this?

BESW

I used the Caesar III mapmaker program, and then modified it with Photoshop.

GamerJosh

Hrm... Fiascos is an anagram of Ossifica

Das could obviously be "sad"

oh, that's a B, never mind

wax eagle

@GamerJosh 2 i's in ossifica too

GamerJosh

ah, bummer

Zachiel

15:15

Hint: hover on me

Phil

1

Q: Being a looser Dungeon Master

I am playing a campaign of my own with my friends, and the thing is that I don't want to bust anyone's balls, telling them what to do etc. I can't remember where I read about the following quote: "No matter how many options you have in mind, a player will always think of one you haven't thought a...

dnd-4e gm-techniques new-gm campaign-development

VTC?

wax eagle

@Phil yeah, too broad, see my comment

or POB/UWYA

really take your pick, it's all those things

Zachiel

I have something about magic item parcels to tell him but I don't think it could solve his problem.

Phil

Not even sure exactly what his problem is

its far too broad

Zachiel

But also "what is fun for you isn't necessarily fun for them. Stop saying no"

wax eagle

15:17

my answer right now would be "create 3-5 encounters you can pull out of your ass and skin them to your needs"

Shianra

15:42

@BESW Well, now I feel like an ass. :( Sorry. I came here to ask something then decided to wake up properly and go make 2 AM breakfast first... now I've completely forgotten it. </end pointlessness>

Aaron

I was messaged but it was removed?

Shianra

@Aaron That was an accident. I think, in my sleepiness, I somehow clicked on you thinking it was something else.. :(

Aaron

@Shianra Ah. It's fine I was just wondering what happen.

Aaron

16:20

Did anyone else watch some of the twitch plays pokemon?

wax eagle

@Aaron haven't watched, heard about it on the news last night though

MadMAxJr

I've read a summary on what has happened so far.

Aaron

@waxeagle It was actually on the news?

MadMAxJr

There's a meta-channel of twitch plays tetris by playing pokemon.

Reads the same feed, uses them for tetris inputs

Aaron

I watched it for about 10 min. All that happen was he moved around in a dark cave of some sort.

wax eagle

16:26

@Aaron NPR has 2 hours to fill every afternoon :)

Alex P

16:42

@BESW Sometimes I ask questions about nuanced, tactical use of BW mechanics and get "This is a difficult situation! You are at a disadvantage!" And it's like, duh, that is why it is a real question and not just me asking you to use the index to find a page number for me.

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