tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255299705122830812.post7917069782710016877..comments2024-03-28T21:13:43.603+09:00Comments on What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse...: Mentzer Basic Cover to Cover: Players are not characters!Dennis Laffeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03053699552003336733noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255299705122830812.post-35572863610652345702014-04-28T21:30:35.162+09:002014-04-28T21:30:35.162+09:00That point, actually, is why I never got into &quo...That point, actually, is why I never got into "narrative" story games. Whenever I tried to play them, I'd go ahead and allow bad things to happen to my character because it seemed to be in the interest of the narrative (following standard narrative structure such as the five act play or three act film). <br /><br />Other players were playing to "win." So I'd end up in a hole so big I couldn't dig my way out without some amazing luck with whatever mechanical system the game had, and the story would fall flat, while they were practically Mary Sues due to gaming the narrativist (supposedly non-gamist) system.<br /><br />But that's another story for another day.Dennis Laffeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03053699552003336733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255299705122830812.post-67007995033818104082014-04-28T07:11:48.426+09:002014-04-28T07:11:48.426+09:00OK, let me qualify my statement above: yes, in gam...OK, let me qualify my statement above: yes, in games like chess, you often make moves that may seem "bad" to your opponent, for the purpose of deception, with such deception serving as a gambit to potentially gain an advantage over the foe. <br /><br />With making bad decisions in RPGs, it usually means you're doing it in order to add flavor the story you're telling with the other folks around the table, as well as the potential advantage of getting "roleplaying XP" from the DM. BUT this last is never truly guaranteed, especially the older the version of D&D you are playing: if the DM is adhering to the rules as written, you're only getting XP from treasure in some cases...so that roleplaying is all gravy!Anthony Simeonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04312134763577949405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255299705122830812.post-69755849862988756502014-04-28T07:07:40.382+09:002014-04-28T07:07:40.382+09:00"You may even want to make a bad decision if ..."You may even want to make a bad decision if you have a mentally weak character or are playing a Chaotic."<br /><br />Great point, and one that starkly outlines something unique about roleplaying as a hobby: in what other game would you ever consider making a bad decision/move?!Anthony Simeonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04312134763577949405noreply@blogger.com