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1 year ago ::
May 02, 2012 - 5:33PM
#1
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Date Joined:
Oct 26, 2004
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I see it again and again people argue back and forth about Balance vs. Roleplay.
For the life of me I don't understand why there's a conflict.
What is it about having the classes balanced that makes it impossible to roleplay?
What would be so bad about a game where the effectiveness of a character is based on what the player wants rather than sloppy design?
What's so horrible about playing a game where you can be either Gandalf or Conan and still be awesome?
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1 year ago ::
May 02, 2012 - 5:52PM
#2
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Date Joined:
Apr 24, 2012
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Its not the balance in and of itself that "destroys" roleplaying. Its the means taken to achieve the balance that can destroy non-menu choosing options and versimilitude for some players.
It is possible to have balance without disrupting the versimiltude.
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1 year ago ::
May 02, 2012 - 5:56PM
#3
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Date Joined:
Oct 26, 2004
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I'm sorry what's "destroy non-menu choosing options" mean?
Ok what methods could be taken to keep classes balanced without destroying versimilitude for some players?
And what's Versimilitude mean in the context of a game with elves and dragons?
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1 year ago ::
May 02, 2012 - 6:14PM
#4
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Date Joined:
Apr 24, 2012
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Non-menu choosing means not having a menu of items that you can choose from and thats it. The greatest thing about a rpg vs. video games is that the computer running the show is a hell of alot better than the one running the video game. Let the DM do his/her job.
Just becuse there's elves and dragons doeesn't mean that versimilitude should be ignored. In fact it should be adhered to vehemently in cases where things correspond with the real world as that adds weight to the realism of the things that are not real.
Methods of increasing versimilitude: (some I use in my 3E/4E game )
-fighters and other non-magical encounter powers can be used more than once per encounter at a minus to hit
- I don't use martial powers per se but rather have broken them down into key components and created an adhoc kind of system but the - above is an easy way of increasing versimilitude
-warlords healing only heals HP on the top half of the HP number
- in my game the top half of the hp is survivability (morale, luck, endurance) ; this can be healed by surges and warlords powers
- the bottom half is physical health ; once your bloodied you need either magical healing or time.
These are just a few things.
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1 year ago ::
May 02, 2012 - 6:28PM
#5
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Date Joined:
Nov 27, 2006
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What's so horrible about playing a game where you can be either Gandalf or Conan and still be awesome?
Don't know. I've been playing various editions of that game since 1980.
It's called Dungeons & Dragons.
Sometimes it has an "Advanced" tossed in front of it. Or it involves #.#s Heck, right now it starts with the letter P....
It never gets old.
What have YOU been playing?
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1 year ago ::
May 02, 2012 - 6:36PM
#6
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Date Joined:
Jan 12, 2012
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Don't know. I've been playing various editions of that game since 1980.
It's called Dungeons & Dragons.
Sometimes it has an "Advanced" tossed in front of it. Or it involves #.#s Heck, right now it starts with the letter P....
It never gets old.
What have YOU been playing?
Same game, different results. Reject notion of personal change when different iteration of same game gives intended results without demanding personal change. Informing designers of new game of this fact with intent to help them secure further support of their product line.
I think that about covers it.
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1 year ago ::
May 02, 2012 - 7:15PM
#7
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Date Joined:
Oct 26, 2004
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@ whispered, could you give me an example of what would be a non-menu choosing option because the explaination you used for what you don't want sounds like every rpg ever to me.
Why the warlord? I mean there are other classes with way more rediculous healing and there is a long literary tradition of the right word at the right time not only getting a dying man back on his feet but even having them get up and be more bad ass than before they got knocked down. I mean hell let me tell you a boxing coach operates a lot like a warlord for the boxer during the match.
@ CCS, I started on third edition DnD, so no, I never saw the Conan get to be awesome when there was a Gandalf in the room. Until 4e.
@ Areleth, um I have no clue what you're trying to say. Rephrase please?
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1 year ago ::
May 02, 2012 - 7:23PM
#8
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Date Joined:
Apr 24, 2012
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@rampant, I guess I just feel like a player of an rpg should have to put himself in his/her characters shoes and think "what should I do?" not "what can my character do?" and can then choose to do anything he can think of. Obviously this would be limited by the rules of the world (gravity? etc.) but I think that helps one get into the skin of their character more than just choosing a power or spell or attack feat or whatever from a list of options.
I have a dream...
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1 year ago ::
May 02, 2012 - 7:26PM
#9
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Date Joined:
Oct 26, 2004
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@ Whisspered1, ok see that sounds like picking your actions this turn rather than character generation/level up. I'm not sure I get your issue. I mean logically you should do both over the course of an adventure or two.
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1 year ago ::
May 02, 2012 - 7:31PM
#10
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@rampant, I guess I just feel like a player of an rpg should have to put himself in his/her characters shoes and think "what should I do?" not "what can my character do?" and can then choose to do anything he can think of.
4e has this covered. Page 42, DMG.
Another day, another three or four entries to my Ignore List.
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