The summer didn't go the way I thought or hoped it would. Now the fall isn't going the way I thought it would.
This has lead me to question why I participate in gaming. Is it really fun? Is it what I want to do? Is this how I want to spend my free time? Do I really enjoy rpgs or do I just like hanging out with my peers? Would I prefer a tactical combat rps (Pathfinder) or a cinematic story (Vampire) or a rules-light hackfest (OSR), maybe a miniatures combat game (BattleTech) or a ccg (Magic) or a non-ccg (Dominion)? Would I gleen more satisfaction from watching football on any given Sunday?
I cannot answer these questions with any confidence. About the only thing I can say with any certainty is that I know that the kinds of games I run is the kinds of games I'd like to be playing in. Which makes the question my wife (a licensed massage therapist) posed this weekend more interesting: "how can I feel my own massage to figure out if I'm doing a good job?" She can't ever experience her own massage and I can't ever experience my own campaign. All we can really do is ask for feedback from those we respect/trust to give us honest evaluations. We can "sample" little bits of our work - working a forearm/leg, recording a game session; we can never experience the full thing.
So back to the original question - what to do?
Maybe I'll just go hide behind grad school till I figure things out.
Showing posts with label osr. Show all posts
Showing posts with label osr. Show all posts
Monday, September 19, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Dungeon Crawl Classic - swirling down the funnel part II
In reflecting on the previous sessions and anticipating the upcoming DCC session(s). I think I have come upon what irritates me about this - the complete openness of player options and the complete lack of player choice. Yes, you read that correctly - I can't stand having all the options available without actually being able to make a decision that matters.
But I can do anything I want - yup, I can play a fighter with 7 str and 4 con; I can play a wizard with 9 int and 16 dex - the stats don't matter. But they do matter, in that I have had 25+ years of games conditioning me to think that they do matter and 36 (soon to be 37) years of life telling me that you do what you are good at. There's a reason I'm not a translator for the UN (not good with foreign languages) or a fighter pilot (poor eyesight). There is a reason I'm a computer guy (I understand the logic of a computer) and practice kenpo (good coordination and physical ability).
But ultimately, I'm not sold on the system because I'm not playing what I want to play in the manner that I want to play it (yeah, I know, boo-fucking-hoo). I don't play a lot of console games because I didn't want to play Hero X who has powers Q, 7, Power Gleek and Flash Bang. I'd rather play a computer game where I get to choose Defensive Power: Shield Increase or Offensive Power: Ice Spell Enhancement. (Yes, I know that console games have moved more towards the latter in the recent years - I'm too cheap to go buy a new TV, console, extra controllers and games).
So what to do about this issue? Well, I don't know. Any advice is welcome, but don't get butt hurt if I think your opinion or idea stinks. In the mean time, let's see how the character creation of DCC plays out and this module -C is running us through: Malice of the Medusa.
FYI -C is holding back posting his take on the whole thing till it's over and he can evaluate it. I'm taking the opposite approach and posting about how I feel at each step of the evaluation.
But I can do anything I want - yup, I can play a fighter with 7 str and 4 con; I can play a wizard with 9 int and 16 dex - the stats don't matter. But they do matter, in that I have had 25+ years of games conditioning me to think that they do matter and 36 (soon to be 37) years of life telling me that you do what you are good at. There's a reason I'm not a translator for the UN (not good with foreign languages) or a fighter pilot (poor eyesight). There is a reason I'm a computer guy (I understand the logic of a computer) and practice kenpo (good coordination and physical ability).
But ultimately, I'm not sold on the system because I'm not playing what I want to play in the manner that I want to play it (yeah, I know, boo-fucking-hoo). I don't play a lot of console games because I didn't want to play Hero X who has powers Q, 7, Power Gleek and Flash Bang. I'd rather play a computer game where I get to choose Defensive Power: Shield Increase or Offensive Power: Ice Spell Enhancement. (Yes, I know that console games have moved more towards the latter in the recent years - I'm too cheap to go buy a new TV, console, extra controllers and games).
So what to do about this issue? Well, I don't know. Any advice is welcome, but don't get butt hurt if I think your opinion or idea stinks. In the mean time, let's see how the character creation of DCC plays out and this module -C is running us through: Malice of the Medusa.
FYI -C is holding back posting his take on the whole thing till it's over and he can evaluate it. I'm taking the opposite approach and posting about how I feel at each step of the evaluation.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Dungeon Crawl Classic - swirling down the funnel
My Wednesday gaming group completed the funnel portion of the new Dungeon Crawl Classic Beta last night.
We all started with 5 0-th level 3X5 notecard characters with little more than a pickfork/hammer/pick for weapons, a helmet for armor and some pretty random inventory items: 10' of chain, lantern (no oil), 1lb of clay, empty vials, a cow, dog, mule, goose, duck, etc. etc. The purpose is to play through the funnel, have 1 or 2 of the notecard characters survive and then they become your 1st level character(s).
My overall reaction to the experience, to the dismay of my DM, was - meh. I understand people's desire to go old-school on stuff. I understand the appeal of 60's-70's-80's themed parties, but I don't attend them. Maybe I'm not old-school enough, but I remember not really liking playing Advanced Dungeons and Dragons once I was exposed to other game systems, to the point that I pretty much swore I'd never play AD&D again - ahh, youth and powerful declarations.
What don't I like about it? Nothing and everything, I think. I really can't quantify what I don't like, -C is convinced that I'm just burned out on *high* fantasy settings - maybe. But that doesn't change the fact that I'm just pretty underwhelmed with what I've seen so far. The upside is that apparently, the actual character classes are pretty powerful and interesting, so I'm at least looking forward to seeing what involved there. I think I'll d/l DCC and read it over the holiday weekend.
We all started with 5 0-th level 3X5 notecard characters with little more than a pickfork/hammer/pick for weapons, a helmet for armor and some pretty random inventory items: 10' of chain, lantern (no oil), 1lb of clay, empty vials, a cow, dog, mule, goose, duck, etc. etc. The purpose is to play through the funnel, have 1 or 2 of the notecard characters survive and then they become your 1st level character(s).
My overall reaction to the experience, to the dismay of my DM, was - meh. I understand people's desire to go old-school on stuff. I understand the appeal of 60's-70's-80's themed parties, but I don't attend them. Maybe I'm not old-school enough, but I remember not really liking playing Advanced Dungeons and Dragons once I was exposed to other game systems, to the point that I pretty much swore I'd never play AD&D again - ahh, youth and powerful declarations.
What don't I like about it? Nothing and everything, I think. I really can't quantify what I don't like, -C is convinced that I'm just burned out on *high* fantasy settings - maybe. But that doesn't change the fact that I'm just pretty underwhelmed with what I've seen so far. The upside is that apparently, the actual character classes are pretty powerful and interesting, so I'm at least looking forward to seeing what involved there. I think I'll d/l DCC and read it over the holiday weekend.
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