tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post4026214469314766661..comments2024-03-28T23:09:07.656-07:00Comments on B/X BLACKRAZOR: Cooperation and Your Own Objectives (Part 2)JBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263662621289630246noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-68246103018217448312011-02-27T08:57:42.136-08:002011-02-27T08:57:42.136-08:00JB, this series of posts has stirred up something ...JB, this series of posts has stirred up something that was already stirring in my head. <br /><br />As you know, I'm running Traveller right now, and in Traveller there are no experience points or other "instant" means of character progression. (You don't suddenly gain a level, or have enough xp to bump your Gun Combat skill up to 4, etc.) The only way to improve skills is to train/study them, which takes only time...unlike most other rpgs, there are no xp or resource or improvement points you have to dump in get it... find the time and a suitably skilled instructor (which might cost some cash) and that skill level is yours. One of my players suggested that his character spends almost all of his time studying combat skills. <br /><br />I call bullshit. <br /><br />I take wing chun kung fu at a local school here in town. I've been taking it since April, 2008. I can go up to three nights a week. Under Traveller, I should be master with deadly hands of steel by now.<br /><br />I ain't. <br /><br />There are nights when I don't feel like going. There are nights where I go and just don't seem to get anywhere, training wise. There have been weeks, and months, where I've been too personally distracted with other things to even go. Most of the other guys at the school are like me...even the die hard guys aren't there every time, and go through stretches where they're practicing but not really learning anything new. <br /><br />Anyway, where I'm going with this hearkens back to your concept of "player's goal for the character" vs. "character's goals for himself." If I were a character, my player would probably be like "oh yeah, Ryan loves kung fu, never misses practice." Of course not; my player wants me to max out that kung-fu/unarmed skill ASAP. This could also apply to learning an alien language, piloting, or any other "useful" skill. I've also played D&D with characters who refuse to spend gp on food or drink, insisting their character likes to eat trail rations and sleep outside rather than paying for an inn, and I suspect it follows the same pattern... basically using your character as an interface to the game rules, and trying to "win" the game by having enough gp to buy that Vorpal Flaming Dragonbane sword as soon as you can, to max out your kung-fu/piloting/xenology, etc. <br /><br />Good posts. Food for thought.DMWieghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03682249561077936507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-20371987172911847562011-02-26T21:38:50.269-08:002011-02-26T21:38:50.269-08:00Eggselent post, man. I agree with you totally.Eggselent post, man. I agree with you totally.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00671606521244105599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-33627810902327252602011-02-26T19:53:04.250-08:002011-02-26T19:53:04.250-08:00It's funny that you mention videogames, since ...It's funny that you mention videogames, since I gathered that the main point you were trying to get across is very videogame-like; playing the character as is, not as a representation of yourself. Sacrificing what you would want to do for the sake of a good character story.Mercury War Godhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09911786635023067607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-19254622735067988592011-02-26T18:18:05.836-08:002011-02-26T18:18:05.836-08:00I was really hoping to be a little offended, but I...I was really hoping to be a little offended, but I wasn't even miffed. So I bought B/X Companion (finally), and haven't much to add here really.<br /><br />When the players are actively trying to "do things" that affect their characters in negative ways, then either their DM is not doing his job (i.e. making the players weep and gnash their teeth) or someone's made a horrible mistake and everyone's accidentally playing a game of [INSERT PRETENTIOUS INDIE GAME HERE].Greg Gorgonmilkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15397374629757817360noreply@blogger.com