A little while ago, Frontline Gamer put out a charge to all of us, to think about the games that have shaped us, and talk about when, where, why and so on.
Well, I can't really let that Brit have all the fun, now can I?
I told him I had a lot, and I felt a post was probably a lot more appropriate than a quick reply over on his blog. So here we are at mine, with my ever so verbose thoughts.
After the jump, of course.
Showing posts with label development. Show all posts
Showing posts with label development. Show all posts
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
[RPG][Wonderland] Creating Opposition
I have finally decided on a system to use for Wonderland. I'm going with Risus.
After considering about 6 systems (including Savage Worlds and Mutants & Masterminds) and talking to TheDude about running something I can't "sell", I decided to do what I wanted and worked best for my game idea, and stop trying to do what I "should".
The map has been made (although it needs serious cleaning up) and the setting(s) are defined fairly well, with a lot of room to breathe and change if the soon-to-be players mess things up, confuse me, or otherwise X+1 me.
The next thing I am working on is the "opposition"- the things the players will face in the environment, and decide motivations, mannerisms and so forth for them. Because as much as this game is ultimately intended to be a "players vs. the world" sort of idea, there will be things to Deal With.
Most of what the players face will be much like themselves, but maybe with different beliefs, reasons for doing things, or understandings of the fundamental rules of the world. At some point there will be conflict; or at least I expect so given this is a game and there is an underlying want to "kill orks for beer money" in many gamers I know.
Coming up with those beliefs, values and reasons is a lot harder than coming up with "what they look like". GM's, what is your take on making opposing forces?
How do you make them, what do you consider important, all those things- please share!
After considering about 6 systems (including Savage Worlds and Mutants & Masterminds) and talking to TheDude about running something I can't "sell", I decided to do what I wanted and worked best for my game idea, and stop trying to do what I "should".
The map has been made (although it needs serious cleaning up) and the setting(s) are defined fairly well, with a lot of room to breathe and change if the soon-to-be players mess things up, confuse me, or otherwise X+1 me.
The next thing I am working on is the "opposition"- the things the players will face in the environment, and decide motivations, mannerisms and so forth for them. Because as much as this game is ultimately intended to be a "players vs. the world" sort of idea, there will be things to Deal With.
Most of what the players face will be much like themselves, but maybe with different beliefs, reasons for doing things, or understandings of the fundamental rules of the world. At some point there will be conflict; or at least I expect so given this is a game and there is an underlying want to "kill orks for beer money" in many gamers I know.
Coming up with those beliefs, values and reasons is a lot harder than coming up with "what they look like". GM's, what is your take on making opposing forces?
How do you make them, what do you consider important, all those things- please share!
Saturday, September 24, 2011
[RPG] Innovators
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There are always those people that stand out from the group- doing things differently, being creative and excelling in some non-traditional and exponentially unusual way. Their ingenuity and spark is not always seen in a positive light- sometimes they are seen as rulebreakers or as non-conformists and are chided for "not leaving well enough alone".
I've had the pleasure of knowing (and hanging around with) a lot of innovators in the gaming world. Some of them like to play with rules; designing and kludging until things work to their liking. Others build worlds and environments, ripe for exploration. Others fundamentally change the way a game is played by applying a new concept or practice into the regular mix. Yet others change the dynamics of a group simply through the expression of their personality or behaviors.
I've also had the misery of being the one that had to deal with "that guy". You all know the one- the one that loves to push rules to their ---very--- limit, until they scream; develop lush and verdant universes just BEGGING to be lovingly and thoroughly delved (but NO; a one-off just won't do); the guy that won't leave the game alone and has to keep changing or adding something; or the guy that's just frigging annoying and everyone around him seems to adore him but you... yeah, that guy.
Unfortunately, quite often, they are the same guy. The only real difference is perspective. maybe the group dynamic changed. Maybe the timing is different. Maybe something else has happened to change me from a positive to a negative "receptor" of their innovative ways.
It's not always easy to recognize that one of the guys you hang out with is an innovator. Sometimes you're just in quiet awe of so-and-so's insane comprehension of the WH40K rules and his tactical ability. Other times you just wish Joe Blow would leave the darn Shaharazad alone.
It takes actively being cognizant of those around you to recognize true change and forward progress. It can be tough to turn on our brains to notice the wildly brilliant, especially if they are annoying the crap out of you. Sometimes you have to think differently.
Now, sometimes, a spade is a spade. Sometimes that guy really is a jerk or he really IS brilliant. That's fine. Just take a moment to examine the situation and try to see if you can see the other person some other way.
All that being said, I was really considering who I felt innovated in my local crowd; and why I thought that way. I realized a few things I wanted to share.
1- Innovation isn't constant. It doesn't stay the same, all the time. Some times it comes in a short burst or it might be spread out over a longer period of time, but it can't be counted on.
2. Innovation is dependent on attention. Paying attention to the thing you are working on only increases your knowledge of that subject, and that knowledge actively helps achieve excellence. You know the old saw, "practice makes perfect"... well, it's true.
But now the questions....
Is there a way to encourage visionaries? How do we feed and nurture those that dream? How do we keep ourselves from kicking them square in the [OUCH]?
Still pondering.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
[Weekly Whimsy] A Deeper Look, Part 2
[Welcome to Weekly Whimsy! What, words? Why? When worried, worked and worn, wander into wonder, and witness whimsy's will.]
What she say? She said - Prince, Joy In Repetition
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I'm back from a brutal week. Somehow my brain and life got disconnected and I'm really feeling it. I see my comments and queries this week as much more analytical and less personally involved- for good or bad, I'm not sure.
I am taking another look at the questions asked previously and offering insights. I hope my cogitations are more open to gamers in general, with a nod to the ladies, as I wasn't aware I was being exclusionary last week. That's never my intent. I like to talk to everyone!
Dungeonmum asked a really great starter question: How did you get into RPGs?
I ask a variant of this to nearly every person I game with (mine is: How did you get into gaming?) I love hearing the stories- of finding an outlet for creative expression, of united geekiness, and of community. I was really glad to see this question; but not just for ladies- for everyone. I find this topic fascinating for any gamer. The “anatomy of a geek” is really fun to explore. I love finding the common elements and discovering new ways of involvement in our hobby.
In the FGRT, the responses showed that most ladies were self-induced, introduced via peers or adults, with a few SO's in the picture as well. I was excited to see how many of “us” found gaming on our own; it sort of validates a pet theory of mine that geekiness is inherent and nerds will self congregate. Given all that, I found Dungeonmum's assessment that “dating a guy who played” “seems to be the most common way” to get into gaming absolutely revealing.
The IDEA that women get into the hobby through SO's is out there. It's really prevalent when crowdsourcing or taking opinion polls across a large group of people. But in actual interviews of gamers who happen to be female, it's rare. In the FGRT, there were 3 out of 18 responders who indicated they got in via SO's. Late last year, I did a survey of the women I know personally; and responses were similar- only 1 out of the 15 gals I spoke to got into gaming via their SO. The overall response rate of introduction via SO's I have seen appears to be less than 9%. That's a pretty small amount.
Where is this idea coming from? Why is the “theory” so well believed despite other indicators?
Th next question I'll examine today is one I liked a lot; just on principle. We're asked: Who was your favorite character to play ever? Why?
This is one of the most fun questions to ask a player- because everyone has an answer. I love seeing what motivates people's passion for their creations- from wordplay (woohoo, a fellow word nerd!) to kicking butt (which is also fun), all our answers were personal and resonated to us in some way. This is pretty true no matter who you ask. I love seeing people's faces light up when talking about the badassery and/or awesome they managed as their favorite character. I like it so much so I asked
about it here and got some great responses.
Many responders talked about being able to tap into their “ultimate” or “fantasy” selves- playing someone they are not; but want to be. Jak was a definite example of this sort of character for me, but he was very difficult to pull off. Jak was essentially my personal opposite: male, decisive, aggressive, hostile, proficient and goal driven. Despite all these personality differences, he shared something with almost all of my other characters. Jak (and almost every single one of my imagined personalities) was fundamentally broken- a tragic hero who sought redemption for past transgressions.
I love to play these kinds of characters- people who are somewhat damaged; but trying to find solace in their actions. To me, it's a great way to work on some of my own “mental junk”; kind of therapy through roleplay. It's also a way to show the depths of tragedy, pain and ultimately; hope. I've truly enjoyed the moments when one of my characters inspires another to greatness, to betterment, or simply to kindness. I know those are pretty small things in the scheme of a game, but they matter to me.
What other players liked was equally interesting. I saw a lot of really fun answers. Our responders enjoyed being smart, tough, or game-changing; not any different than anyone else in any other game setting. I loved that the answers were so diverse and that there didn't appear to be any one “type”; because that'd be boring as hell.
Do you think there is a type of character ladies are “expected” to play?
Further on expectations is the question of bending gender. It appears that there's at least a little bit of an idea that playing against one's own gender is difficult (based on Zak's comments) or strange. I personally find the opposite to be true. I like playing dudes, and hope to keep at it when given the chance.
The question is: How often do you play male characters?
The comments on this topic seemed to be split roughly 50/50 – with half playing at least some, and the other half not so much. My personal take on that is: that seems fair. It's like asking how often we play fighters, or people in space; simply a matter of preference rather than any big statement.
I didn't get any sense that playing a guy was any more important, consequential or earthshaking than playing a druid, a demon returned from hell, or anything else we might play.
The question itself seems to indicate switching up is an oddity. Am I inferring to much from the poser, or does it strike the same chord with you?
Lastly, how one decides gender when creating a character came up.
Concept & gut are the most consistent answers, with equity thrown in for good measure. Again, I think this is as unimportant as how one decides occupation or education- it all comes down to character creation, and what women do seems to be the same as what men do.
I'd love to hear your take on these inferences and opinions, as well as differing opinions. Next week, I'll hit on a few more of the questions, the responses and anything else that hits my fancy. Thanks for joining me this time!
What she say? She said - Prince, Joy In Repetition
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm back from a brutal week. Somehow my brain and life got disconnected and I'm really feeling it. I see my comments and queries this week as much more analytical and less personally involved- for good or bad, I'm not sure.
I am taking another look at the questions asked previously and offering insights. I hope my cogitations are more open to gamers in general, with a nod to the ladies, as I wasn't aware I was being exclusionary last week. That's never my intent. I like to talk to everyone!
Dungeonmum asked a really great starter question: How did you get into RPGs?
I ask a variant of this to nearly every person I game with (mine is: How did you get into gaming?) I love hearing the stories- of finding an outlet for creative expression, of united geekiness, and of community. I was really glad to see this question; but not just for ladies- for everyone. I find this topic fascinating for any gamer. The “anatomy of a geek” is really fun to explore. I love finding the common elements and discovering new ways of involvement in our hobby.
In the FGRT, the responses showed that most ladies were self-induced, introduced via peers or adults, with a few SO's in the picture as well. I was excited to see how many of “us” found gaming on our own; it sort of validates a pet theory of mine that geekiness is inherent and nerds will self congregate. Given all that, I found Dungeonmum's assessment that “dating a guy who played” “seems to be the most common way” to get into gaming absolutely revealing.
The IDEA that women get into the hobby through SO's is out there. It's really prevalent when crowdsourcing or taking opinion polls across a large group of people. But in actual interviews of gamers who happen to be female, it's rare. In the FGRT, there were 3 out of 18 responders who indicated they got in via SO's. Late last year, I did a survey of the women I know personally; and responses were similar- only 1 out of the 15 gals I spoke to got into gaming via their SO. The overall response rate of introduction via SO's I have seen appears to be less than 9%. That's a pretty small amount.
Where is this idea coming from? Why is the “theory” so well believed despite other indicators?
Th next question I'll examine today is one I liked a lot; just on principle. We're asked: Who was your favorite character to play ever? Why?
This is one of the most fun questions to ask a player- because everyone has an answer. I love seeing what motivates people's passion for their creations- from wordplay (woohoo, a fellow word nerd!) to kicking butt (which is also fun), all our answers were personal and resonated to us in some way. This is pretty true no matter who you ask. I love seeing people's faces light up when talking about the badassery and/or awesome they managed as their favorite character. I like it so much so I asked
about it here and got some great responses.
Many responders talked about being able to tap into their “ultimate” or “fantasy” selves- playing someone they are not; but want to be. Jak was a definite example of this sort of character for me, but he was very difficult to pull off. Jak was essentially my personal opposite: male, decisive, aggressive, hostile, proficient and goal driven. Despite all these personality differences, he shared something with almost all of my other characters. Jak (and almost every single one of my imagined personalities) was fundamentally broken- a tragic hero who sought redemption for past transgressions.
I love to play these kinds of characters- people who are somewhat damaged; but trying to find solace in their actions. To me, it's a great way to work on some of my own “mental junk”; kind of therapy through roleplay. It's also a way to show the depths of tragedy, pain and ultimately; hope. I've truly enjoyed the moments when one of my characters inspires another to greatness, to betterment, or simply to kindness. I know those are pretty small things in the scheme of a game, but they matter to me.
What other players liked was equally interesting. I saw a lot of really fun answers. Our responders enjoyed being smart, tough, or game-changing; not any different than anyone else in any other game setting. I loved that the answers were so diverse and that there didn't appear to be any one “type”; because that'd be boring as hell.
Do you think there is a type of character ladies are “expected” to play?
Further on expectations is the question of bending gender. It appears that there's at least a little bit of an idea that playing against one's own gender is difficult (based on Zak's comments) or strange. I personally find the opposite to be true. I like playing dudes, and hope to keep at it when given the chance.
The question is: How often do you play male characters?
The comments on this topic seemed to be split roughly 50/50 – with half playing at least some, and the other half not so much. My personal take on that is: that seems fair. It's like asking how often we play fighters, or people in space; simply a matter of preference rather than any big statement.
I didn't get any sense that playing a guy was any more important, consequential or earthshaking than playing a druid, a demon returned from hell, or anything else we might play.
The question itself seems to indicate switching up is an oddity. Am I inferring to much from the poser, or does it strike the same chord with you?
Lastly, how one decides gender when creating a character came up.
Concept & gut are the most consistent answers, with equity thrown in for good measure. Again, I think this is as unimportant as how one decides occupation or education- it all comes down to character creation, and what women do seems to be the same as what men do.
I'd love to hear your take on these inferences and opinions, as well as differing opinions. Next week, I'll hit on a few more of the questions, the responses and anything else that hits my fancy. Thanks for joining me this time!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
[RPG] Development
A friend of mine and I are both working on an RPG setting. We both have worlds that lend themselves to fast, flexible and probably easy systems like Savage Worlds. We both have magic, technology and otherworldly stuff going on in our games.
Out settings have a vastly different feel to them- his is very Wild West and mine seems more fantasy. I find this particular fact extremely odd as I really don't like fantasy very much and I can't fathom where this idea took root in my head as the soil for it to grow in is pretty sparse.
Why I'm developing a strange combination of fractals and fantastical action is beyond me- but I know it's what is brewing in my head. I've come across ideas that work slowly, and I am in no rush. This idea has already been in the works for more than 2 years. A little more time won't hurt.
My idea isn't even finalized enough to have a summary statement, where my friend's idea sounds almost complete. He's got an incredibly creative concept and he's been able to express it eloquently and definitively. My idea is still in the "squishy development stages"; and takes on the shape of things around it pretty easily.
I find it interesting to see how these two ideas have moved along in their development stages, and I like comparing notes - it's sort of like raising a baby. The overall outside is the same- but how it grows and becomes more sophisticated and defined is all independent and unique.
My friend and I are asking a lot of questions. So I have some for you-
How do your games develop? Do you share notes? What things inspire you to grow your settings? What makes a fascinating concept work for you and how to you cultivate it?
Out settings have a vastly different feel to them- his is very Wild West and mine seems more fantasy. I find this particular fact extremely odd as I really don't like fantasy very much and I can't fathom where this idea took root in my head as the soil for it to grow in is pretty sparse.
Why I'm developing a strange combination of fractals and fantastical action is beyond me- but I know it's what is brewing in my head. I've come across ideas that work slowly, and I am in no rush. This idea has already been in the works for more than 2 years. A little more time won't hurt.
My idea isn't even finalized enough to have a summary statement, where my friend's idea sounds almost complete. He's got an incredibly creative concept and he's been able to express it eloquently and definitively. My idea is still in the "squishy development stages"; and takes on the shape of things around it pretty easily.
I find it interesting to see how these two ideas have moved along in their development stages, and I like comparing notes - it's sort of like raising a baby. The overall outside is the same- but how it grows and becomes more sophisticated and defined is all independent and unique.
My friend and I are asking a lot of questions. So I have some for you-
How do your games develop? Do you share notes? What things inspire you to grow your settings? What makes a fascinating concept work for you and how to you cultivate it?
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
[Looking Back] Breaking Away - Aych's Hiatus
I discovered that old loves need a break now and then to bring fresh flames.
For me, it was a ten YEAR break from games in general before I remembered why I love them so and fell head right over heels again. (Thanks, Christian, for bringing this to my attention again. I meant to talk about this sooner, but real life got me. So here we are.) (NO, I am NOT going on a hiatus NOW.)
Between 12 and 14 years ago, I took a semi-voluntary break from gaming that lasted well over 10 years.
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