tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post2353531737888672452..comments2024-03-28T23:14:06.156-04:00Comments on The CRPG Addict: Drakkhen: Lots of TearsCRPG Addicthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comBlogger111125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-38933433511021331022016-03-20T16:35:29.706-04:002016-03-20T16:35:29.706-04:00Good to know. I was thinking about giving them a n...Good to know. I was thinking about giving them a new try when they came back around.CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-29654228964946925562016-03-20T07:14:18.376-04:002016-03-20T07:14:18.376-04:00If you rejected Shadow Sorcerer because of "N...If you rejected Shadow Sorcerer because of "No character leveling" in your master list, you can safely reject both Heroes of the Lance and Dragons of Flame because of the same reason.shankaohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06194425920878224732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-69261364733518284312013-02-04T09:07:01.569-05:002013-02-04T09:07:01.569-05:00Not sure if people are growing tired of our discus...Not sure if people are growing tired of our discussion here so I posted on your blog.UbAhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13447678457902055799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-23279784067535397192013-02-03T17:21:15.765-05:002013-02-03T17:21:15.765-05:00I wrote up a blog post based on our discussion: ht...I wrote up a blog post based on our discussion: https://canageek.wordpress.com/2013/02/01/obstacles-breed-creativity/ though I diverged from my original idea. <br /><br />I've done a lot of convention play, where you swap DMs every 4 hours. It lets you experiance a lot of DMing styles, meet a lot of new gamers, etc. However, it also exposes flaws in the rules, where things are better defined on some spells then others, and what you can do changes from table to table, despite the fact that nominally everything should be as close to the core rules as possible. Canageekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03770924810559440307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-58560982421706873092013-02-02T13:40:34.245-05:002013-02-02T13:40:34.245-05:00I think we agree for the most part. The main diff...I think we agree for the most part. The main difference being that I strive for consistency at my table, without spending thought about how other tables do it. I define the tools well for my players and encourage them to ask "would this work this way", and if their PC would know the answer I supply it. <br /><br />I like to define how the world works more than letting the book define it, and I give credit to players who keep their creativity in the confines of what their PC would know how to do. I would even go so far as to punish the guy who casts create water into someones lungs if we were in a world where people don't understand biology enough to know that would cause drowning.<br /><br />So, yes well defined tools, encourage creative thinking, and most importantly encourage good acting the role you picked. The difference is I prefer to define the rules and may even change some in the book to fit my setting or the table. UbAhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13447678457902055799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-64499826008133711332013-01-30T11:30:53.734-05:002013-01-30T11:30:53.734-05:00See, I want to see standard tools used in creative...See, I want to see standard tools used in creative ways. If you don't have any definition then you can write in whatever you wants, and that takes the challenge out of it. <br /><br />For example: The entire above scenario becomes pointless if the party has telekinesis and is high enough level to lift her; They can do exactly what they want, so there is no problem solving. <br /><br />The interesting point is when you have tools, but not the perfect tool. You've got a bunch of lumber, some nails and a hammer, but you want a screwdriver, so you have to figure out how to get that screw out of the wall with what you have. <br /><br />So I want nice, defined magic effects (tools) that you can use like a physical item; It does the same thing every time, therefore you can rely on it to work when you want to use it outside of combat. Ideally I want more out of combat spells that do stuff like glue things together, apply force to things, levitate things.<br /><br />4e went too far, in that every power was very defined, but only withing combat, so you had to resort to slow, unreliable rituals outside of combat that cost gold. Therefore it was a better choice NOT to use them. Pathfinder and 3e are pretty good, but I think they are combat focused, though there are plenty of spells you can use creatively. <br /><br />Example of an ideal spell: Enlarge Person. First level, makes a medium sized creature large (10 feet tall or so). You have no idea how many times you can substitute a 10 foot tall dwarf with lots of strength and constitution for the solution to a puzzle. <br /><br />Basically: Roadblocks breed creativity. If you give the party what they want, they don't have to be creative. Leaving too much wiggle room in spells lets them get exactly what they want, so you want to define them pretty well, thus allowed them to use them as tools.Canageekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03770924810559440307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-44022263591480746512013-01-30T08:32:10.158-05:002013-01-30T08:32:10.158-05:00Canageek, I think I am in the opposite camp on thi...Canageek, I think I am in the opposite camp on this issue. You want your players to be able to think creatively and come up with their own way of doing things, not just what has been documented. That creativity is a big part of the fun that goes into playing a tabletop game. Now if the writer of a module wants to put specific limitations on things for his particular scenario that's fine and can be welcomed as a harder puzzle to figure out.<br /><br />Non standard ways to use things are what makes it fun to play a rogue or non battle spellcaster, it even makes it fun to play characters who have dismal stats as you have to try and survive without just brute forcing your way through.<br /><br />Even if we disagree here talking to you about gaming and reading posts on yoru blog make me think it would be fun to have you at my table or be at yours. UbAhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13447678457902055799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-17831150856306350872013-01-29T10:38:01.750-05:002013-01-29T10:38:01.750-05:00Actually I find that in combat pretty much any sta...Actually I find that in combat pretty much any standard use has been outlined. It is puzzle solving situations where I want to know what is going on exactly. For example, in one Living Greyhawk scenario there is a monk tied to a chair, on a platform over a water pit. The platform is freely rotating, and connected to the wall with a pole. Now, if you can get her free somehow, she is high enough level that she can either dive into the water or balance along the greased pole back to the catwalk. Alternativly you could levitate her back, or like we did, accidentally knock her into the water, dive into it pirate-style and cut her loose just in time (low level party, very limited magic resources). However, if I had my higher level cleric around, I want to know the exact limitations of Stone Shape to see if I could lock the pipe in place, how much weight can I life with telekinesis, can mage hand apply enough force when lifting a dagger to cut the ropes, etc. Since this adventure is being run by a lot of DMs the more clear the rules are, the more consitant experience each party will have, and thus the more fun it is to share stories after the game.Canageekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03770924810559440307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-41062570032084526772013-01-28T11:37:43.187-05:002013-01-28T11:37:43.187-05:00Well I guess it depends on the style of game you a...Well I guess it depends on the style of game you are running. If you are running a very tactical, hack and slash, or lootfest game you want to have some hard definitions that help with tactical planning. If you run a more acting (playing the role) based game then rulings help more. <br /><br />I usually have a gimme redo if someones plans hinge on some physics they thought exist but their character should reasonably know does not exist. I also encourage players to run such plans by me so that I can let them know if things can possibly work the way they are thinking before they base an entire plan on it.UbAhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13447678457902055799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-88198863071170285352013-01-28T11:03:29.128-05:002013-01-28T11:03:29.128-05:00UbAh: That is infact a rule in 3rd edition, one th...UbAh: That is infact a rule in 3rd edition, one that I hate as it means if I go blind I can't randomly lob Fireballs around. >.><br /><br />THe problem with the 'Rulings not Rules' is that it makes the game very inconstant from table to table, and even week to week at the same table, so I'm never sure of EXACTLY what I can do, leading to making creative plans much more difficult. Canageekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03770924810559440307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-6174169651701574272013-01-28T08:22:21.820-05:002013-01-28T08:22:21.820-05:00As a GM I would just say that you have to be able ...As a GM I would just say that you have to be able to see where you want the water to go. So no casting it into lungs because you cant see inside the lungs. Really these kinds of problems only come up with rules lawyers who like to argue the syntax of things, and as long as you consistently represent how you the GM interpret the rules you can easily say "Ask me, not the book".UbAhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13447678457902055799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-44223205905094526472013-01-26T19:22:19.423-05:002013-01-26T19:22:19.423-05:00I gave up on HotL a long time ago. But I did want ...I gave up on HotL a long time ago. But I did want to get DoF to work since a lot of sites indicate it has more RPG elements. I just can't get the controls to work right. Nothing seems to switch me from scrolling view to top-down view.CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-65094720820002036552013-01-24T16:41:10.691-05:002013-01-24T16:41:10.691-05:00True, however it also brings in over powered thing...True, however it also brings in over powered things you have to watch out for (Create water is a 0 level spell that creates 2 gallons of water/level of caster at any point within X distance. There is a note that you can't use it to create water inside living creatures, evidently due to people using it to create water inside of monsters lungs, making a 0-level spell super powerful)Canageekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03770924810559440307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-8157607579126143132013-01-24T07:44:10.521-05:002013-01-24T07:44:10.521-05:00Though in tabletop you have the GM who can arbitra...Though in tabletop you have the GM who can arbitrarily state how it works or does not. Also the odd ways of using spells are part of what makes table top fun, so I encourage (usually with extra XP) my players to think of non-standard ways to solve problems like that. UbAhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13447678457902055799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-1723178724289725872013-01-23T18:13:40.501-05:002013-01-23T18:13:40.501-05:00Heh, yeah. A CRPG is also a lot easier to design t...Heh, yeah. A CRPG is also a lot easier to design then a tabletop RPG, since spells can only do what you code them to do, not the million and six things players will think up to do with a minor telekinesis spell. Canageekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03770924810559440307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-7650512681980598882013-01-23T15:37:31.526-05:002013-01-23T15:37:31.526-05:00Depends on how you set up the world. If you have ...Depends on how you set up the world. If you have an event which slightly alters physics, like the Shadowrun universe, and explicitly state that some crazy theories that didn't work before now work you have put on your disclaimer. <br /><br />Actually it would fit with a world I have been toying with for running games. One where x-files/fringe/coast-to-coast strange conspiracy theories are occurring.<br /><br />If you didn't live out in the frigid white wastelands of Canadiatown I'd work on it with you.UbAhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13447678457902055799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-39980478163725293252013-01-23T13:09:35.937-05:002013-01-23T13:09:35.937-05:00Magic systems are hard, since they are a pain in t...Magic systems are hard, since they are a pain in the rear to balance. I think I'd want to work with a game designer on that. <br /><br />It would be fun though, bringing in some old theories and alchemy and such. I'd be a bit guilty for propagating myths though, at least with the 4 element system no one actually believes it, while a lot of people are deluded by psudoscience. Canageekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03770924810559440307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-82170663751027271092013-01-23T08:52:44.905-05:002013-01-23T08:52:44.905-05:00Heroes of the Lance, oh man I remember that game, ...Heroes of the Lance, oh man I remember that game, and not fondly. I bought (or stole I was a delinquent) it in the bargain bin at egghead because I liked the gold box games. It ran ok on the 386/486 I had at the time but it was a horrible action game with a crappy control scheme. I remember getting so upset and thinking that they were just trying to use the popularity of real rpg's to sell a garbage tittle that no one put any real effort into.<br /><br />From my memory it is definitely not an RPG. I know I am a month behind on your posting but I hope you dont waste a bunch of time trying to get it to work.UbAhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13447678457902055799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-16752015791200881752013-01-23T08:39:15.009-05:002013-01-23T08:39:15.009-05:00Canageek if you have the inclination and game desi...Canageek if you have the inclination and game design chops this sounds right up your alley.UbAhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13447678457902055799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-69381214118590737972013-01-02T09:23:08.860-05:002013-01-02T09:23:08.860-05:00As far as I can tell, the only benefit is that you...As far as I can tell, the only benefit is that you can walk through locked doors. Why this doesn't translate to enemies' attacks swishing right through you, I don't know.CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-20164018874733758092013-01-02T09:01:45.144-05:002013-01-02T09:01:45.144-05:00I must say I absolutely adore "Impalpability&...I must say I absolutely adore "Impalpability" as a status effect. Even Firefox's spell checker things that word is a typo.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-18315636594504247022013-01-02T03:25:21.084-05:002013-01-02T03:25:21.084-05:00Personally I don't think you'll be missing...Personally I don't think you'll be missing much if you skip it - I remember playing the Amiga version a few times and thinking it was crap, despite being into the books at the time and generally being pretty forgiving of games with anything approaching an RPG theme.<br /><br />That said I don't remember many useful specifics of why that was the case, other than dying frustratingly often.BonusWavePilothttp://bafflegab.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-85641151064576559702013-01-02T03:18:03.452-05:002013-01-02T03:18:03.452-05:00@Amy K - I see! I must have had an early build of...@Amy K - I see! I must have had an early build of DM then I suppose... It only seems fair to have the wall check in there at least, since running into them damages your party.<br /><br />Although I finished DM, like a few of the commenters above, CSB kicked my arse. I still remember some of the nastier puzzles I ran across, but I don't think I ever made it very far in (though I do remember wasting quite a bit of time messing with the portrait editor).<br /><br />I too am hoping you manage to get further than I did CRPG Addict, I'd quite like to see some of the later fiendishness... <br /><br />Fortitude! Fireballs! ...Ful Bro Neta!BonusWavePilothttp://bafflegab.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-85721956814593831672013-01-01T19:39:57.858-05:002013-01-01T19:39:57.858-05:00BWP, the fountain-drinking and wall-clicking impro...BWP, the fountain-drinking and wall-clicking improvements were first made in an updated version of Dungeon Master. I've witnessed the changes in v3.6 on the Amiga, but I think the changes were made in 2.0. :)Amy K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10892876651484617812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-52152769628340741382013-01-01T03:10:11.314-05:002013-01-01T03:10:11.314-05:00IIRC, CSB has a couple of minor interface differen...IIRC, CSB has a couple of minor interface differences - you could drink directly from fountains by clicking them with the pointer (character delineated as party leader gets the hydration), and you could test for illusionary walls by clicking on them - if the wall was fake, the pointer would disappear for a second.<br /><br />I remember glitching the Amiga version of CSB by testing for a fake wall like this but moving while the pointer was still invisible, and it never came back!<br /><br />Been reading here for a while, but this is my first post - this is an epic undertaking, CRPG Addict, good luck!BonusWavePilothttp://bafflegab.orgnoreply@blogger.com