Really...it's NOT laziness...

I mean, I HAVE been lazy in the past. I admit it...I can be an undisciplined, procrastinating slacker of the highest magnitude, but the lack of blog posts (especially actual play posts about my recent play-test sessions) has NOT been due to laziness.

Well, I did take a two (or three) hour nap this afternoon...but I was tired, folks! And most of today was spent in quality time with my wife and child or running errands or prepping meals (and bottles). Hell, it's ten o'clock and I still have a bunch of errands before I hit the hay.

But I just want to make it clear: this is NOT laziness that's keeping me from posting more on the recent game experimentation. The fact of the matter is, the game's been on my mind non-stop, all-day. It really went well. And the two or three speed bumps along the ride are barely wrinkles that need ironing...hell, they just made me realize (again) that simpler is better (specifically with regard to ballistic armor and how it functions...or rather, does not). There IS a more major wrinkle with regard to the magic use (the new rules worked great by the way), but I think I know how I'm going to fix it without making the system needlessly complex ("needless" being the operative word...but really my needs regarding complexity are few).

Here: I'll tell you maybe the coolest thing that came out of last night's game...and I didn't even think about it till I was "debriefing" with Tim down at Gary's this afternoon.

Real role-playing.

The game has got some teeth to it that I think help promote delving into character. And we saw more than a little of it last night. For people who have spent recent years just dealing with the mechanical/tactical aspects of D20-style games, having the ability to "get the rules out of the way" (as simple, old school RPGs like B/X do) is one thing. But having rules that define and reward in-character behavior is taking it to a whole 'nother level.

There were traces of this in the earlier sessions, but the amount we're seeing...the interaction between the alignments, the relating to both the mission objectives and the other characters (PC and NPC alike)...is definitely picking up. No, it's not hammy. No, nobody is talking in funny voices (well, maybe I do occasionally to distinguish between NPCs). But players are taking actions in character that have a LOT less to do with the "strategic value" of gaming the system (there's no system to game, really...especially now that "random skill checks" have been taken out completely) and much more to do with A) what seems cool to do giving the setting and situation, B) what "my guy" would do given said setting and situation.

I dig it.

All right, I really need to get to those chores I was talking about (it's now 10:24). More later when I have time, I promise.

: )