Ladies and gentlemen, sorry about the delay. This is Michael here, and I kinda agreed a while back to write up my last two days of GaryCon to get the lead-in to Dave's last two days. Sadly, I've been having a host of issues, so I've kept things delayed... a few months. I really need to finish this up. SO! Where were we?
Saturday started pretty well honestly. It was the one day Dave and I were going to be sharing two games, and the first game was Mutant Future. Or to be more accurate, using the Mutant Future setting to play out an episode of THUNDARR THE BARBARIAN! Ah, nostalgia and kids' shows. And the GM honestly rocked. ( +Tim Snider of The Savage Afterworld- Dave) I won't go too heavy into details, god knows Dave might want to, but this was a GREAT game, with the GM playing up the motif with the opening credits played on his laptop, as well as a commercial break. Lots of fun, imaginative playing of the setting, and honestly we really abused some of the opportunities we got. Great game and great start. I think we kinda beat it a bit early, got handed free settings books for if we wanted to do Thundarr ourselves, and went off to eat some before our next game. (Long story short, I managed to quadruplicate Ookla to defeat the enemy. -Dave)
Again, that was intended to be our first game, and I was looking forward to my second as well. See, the followup was a game of Dungeon! I really love that game, and I do need to get a copy of it myself. (I got one! -Dave) Wizards of the Coast did a reprint of the game so if you like board games, pick it up. Again, it was hosted by the creator of the game, who's name escapes me, Dave will probably correct it in. (David Megarry -Dave) And he told again the story of the game, showing the first edition and the tables it was originally played on. Very cool stuff. Sadly, I got to feeling unwell by the time the history was told, and had to excuse myself. So I got to miss out on the actual game itself. Went back to my room and rested most of Saturday away, using my laptop to keep in contact with people online and post some in forums. Even sick, I did some role-playing. Shush.
And that takes me to Sunday, and the last game on my list. The one I'd been looking forward to all con. Call of Cthulhu. Honestly, I'd never played it and I'd wanted to for SO LONG. I love the Lovecraftian setting and I really had been looking forward to it. By the time I got there, there were about five other players waiting, and more showing up as we settled in to talk and chat. Friends and people I'd met from prior cons, I was really looking forward to the game!
And the GM never showed up. Nobody knew what happened to him, where he was. Talked to the con staff, they had no idea what was going on. Table was bleeding players as people went to try and see if there were openings in second pick games when yet again the awesome con staff came through. There was someone with some experience in Call who was willing to GM for us. Great man, I REALLY wish I could remember his name (I am HORRIBLE with names) (Don't ask me, I was playing Traveler at the time- Dave) who more or less ran us through a condensed form of one of his basic sessions. Dave came along during the game, his own game plans kinda shot, and he sat to watch a good deal of the fun as we tried to investigate through a mysterious death and tragic murder. (No, my game went pretty well actually -Dave) All of it looked to lead up to an occult conspiracy and a plan to summon an elder god, and two of our impromptu group got captured by cultists and held in a prison under their base. The rest of us came in, not knowing they were trapped, and confronted the leader of the cult...
And I will admit part of this was my just being kinda tired and feeling ready to head home, but... When the cult leader asked us if there was anything he could say to get us on his side? I sold everyone out, kinda. I'd been hired, NOT paid, and had been working this nonsense without any hope of recompense. I think it rather tickled the GM that I was more than happy to be paid off, and my detective left the rest of them behind to cash his check and get on the first ship he could find to France, get as FAR away from all that nonsense as he could. Honestly? Great end to my last day.
Dave and I had already packed up the car so, we left. Got lunch at a nice out of the way place with... Crap. Dave, tell the rest of the story, my brain is pudding for names.
Afterwards we hung out with +Christopher Stogdill, +Carolyn Stogdill, +Paul Raasch and +Scott Schwartz at Hogs & Kisses in Lake Geneva for lunch before heading home. Overall, it was a great time.
In related news, GaryCon VI has officially been announced for March 27-30, 2014. For more information go to garycon.com
Showing posts with label characters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label characters. Show all posts
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
65 Days Till Garyon! PCs vs Parties.
One of the key differences between a good game and a bad game is how well the party interacts with one another. This isn't so much a matter of role-play or maintaining a 'balanced' party as it is having a group that's on the same page.
Now, I'm a big fan of individual character development. But in the context of a game, that individual is also part of a team, as so explained by Robert DeNiro in this scene from The Untouchables.
Think of your GM as Al Capone right there. Because if you try to put your own interests above that of the other players, you might find yourself on the wrong end of a TPK in no time flat.
So where's the balance. I've talked about this in the past, so I'll try to add a few more notes on what to do tp keep things together.
First, I think it's a good idea to find out what kind of game your GM has in mind before you start playing. If you are used to chaotic evil pillaging and plundering and the GM has a more cerebral game in mind, you may not fit in with the game let alone the group. Figure out what your niche in the game should be before you start.
Next I would recommend creating your party as a group. Too often we have cases of players either having too much of one thing or not enough of another. Or someone being forced to play outside their comfort zone to fill a needed role. Trying to bring a bunch of individual characters together for a common goal works in fiction, but that's because there is only one person controlling everything. Figure out what everyone's strengths and weaknesses are beforehand and you can avoid problems in the future.
Finally, don't grief the rest of the group. Having individual goals is fine. Playing an evil character is fine. But screwing around with the people that are supposed to have your back just because you can will just cause problems. Keep in mind your GM is also part of the game and doesn't want his or her adventure torpedoed due to your stupidity. If your character has a hidden agenda that runs counter to the rest of the party, that's fine. But intentionally screwing over everyone else that came to play isn't.
Now, I'm a big fan of individual character development. But in the context of a game, that individual is also part of a team, as so explained by Robert DeNiro in this scene from The Untouchables.
Think of your GM as Al Capone right there. Because if you try to put your own interests above that of the other players, you might find yourself on the wrong end of a TPK in no time flat.
So where's the balance. I've talked about this in the past, so I'll try to add a few more notes on what to do tp keep things together.
First, I think it's a good idea to find out what kind of game your GM has in mind before you start playing. If you are used to chaotic evil pillaging and plundering and the GM has a more cerebral game in mind, you may not fit in with the game let alone the group. Figure out what your niche in the game should be before you start.
Next I would recommend creating your party as a group. Too often we have cases of players either having too much of one thing or not enough of another. Or someone being forced to play outside their comfort zone to fill a needed role. Trying to bring a bunch of individual characters together for a common goal works in fiction, but that's because there is only one person controlling everything. Figure out what everyone's strengths and weaknesses are beforehand and you can avoid problems in the future.
Finally, don't grief the rest of the group. Having individual goals is fine. Playing an evil character is fine. But screwing around with the people that are supposed to have your back just because you can will just cause problems. Keep in mind your GM is also part of the game and doesn't want his or her adventure torpedoed due to your stupidity. If your character has a hidden agenda that runs counter to the rest of the party, that's fine. But intentionally screwing over everyone else that came to play isn't.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
P is for Party
Put the lampshade down, not that kind of party.
Role-playing games are a team effort. A group of hopefully like-minded individuals work together to accomplish a goal. If the party is not on the same page, things go pear-shaped quickly. I have played in and GMed for parties that have had problems. Here's just a little advice to any would be player that wants to avoid problems.
Fill a niche
This is better known as having a "well-balanced" party. For classic fantasy gaming it means having one member of each character class represented. In classless system it means each character having their own distinct skill set. But what you really want to accomplish is being able to do something that no one else in the party can do. Even if you are playing characters of the same class, you want to customize your PC to be unique. Having a niche in the game means that there is less of a chance of you getting shut out by other players trying to accomplish the same thing, which leads to the next point.
Don't try to upstage the other players
Part of playing as a team is working with your teammates, not against them. Unfortunately, some players are under the impression that they have to beat everyone else at the table in order to win. They get in the way, kill-steal and overall make nuisances of themselves. I know one game where a player was so obsessed with taking the limelight from the front-line fighters that he was completely ignorant of his character's ability as a long-range sniper, a skill set that would have been a greater asset to the party. But he preferred to be the center of attention, which only served to make the rest of the group resent him. No one is going to watch your back if you're constantly turning yours to them.
Speak up!
Not every person is an extrovert. Even my Myers-Briggs test has that big letter I in it. But at the same time if you're not giving any input into the party, you're not contributing anything of value. Sitting in your chair, playing with your phone and waiting for the GM to tell you it's your turn isn't adding to your enjoyment of the game, and it's certainly not adding to everyone else's fun. One of the nice things about role-playing games is the escapism involved. While it may take a while to loosen up and get comfortable around the people you game with, it will be well worth your while.
Role-playing games are a team effort. A group of hopefully like-minded individuals work together to accomplish a goal. If the party is not on the same page, things go pear-shaped quickly. I have played in and GMed for parties that have had problems. Here's just a little advice to any would be player that wants to avoid problems.
Fill a niche
This is better known as having a "well-balanced" party. For classic fantasy gaming it means having one member of each character class represented. In classless system it means each character having their own distinct skill set. But what you really want to accomplish is being able to do something that no one else in the party can do. Even if you are playing characters of the same class, you want to customize your PC to be unique. Having a niche in the game means that there is less of a chance of you getting shut out by other players trying to accomplish the same thing, which leads to the next point.
Don't try to upstage the other players
Part of playing as a team is working with your teammates, not against them. Unfortunately, some players are under the impression that they have to beat everyone else at the table in order to win. They get in the way, kill-steal and overall make nuisances of themselves. I know one game where a player was so obsessed with taking the limelight from the front-line fighters that he was completely ignorant of his character's ability as a long-range sniper, a skill set that would have been a greater asset to the party. But he preferred to be the center of attention, which only served to make the rest of the group resent him. No one is going to watch your back if you're constantly turning yours to them.
Speak up!
Not every person is an extrovert. Even my Myers-Briggs test has that big letter I in it. But at the same time if you're not giving any input into the party, you're not contributing anything of value. Sitting in your chair, playing with your phone and waiting for the GM to tell you it's your turn isn't adding to your enjoyment of the game, and it's certainly not adding to everyone else's fun. One of the nice things about role-playing games is the escapism involved. While it may take a while to loosen up and get comfortable around the people you game with, it will be well worth your while.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
N is for Names
A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet, but a bad character name can really stink up the joint.
Choosing a name for a PC is never easy. A good name should be appropriate for the campaign setting, as well as help establish the character itself. For example, when I was playing Engines & Empires, I played a fighter named Lt. Reginald Hornsby. The name was perfect for the character. First, it fit the pseudo-Victorian pseudo-England setting of the campaign. Second, the rank helped establish a sense of authority from a character that started with an 8 Constitution and a 9 Charisma. Third, the name was remarkably versatile in determining who was addressing him. Those that recognized his authority called him Lieutenant. To those who new him more formally, he was Reginald. To his best friends, he was just Reg. And you always knew when an enemy approached when they shouted "Hornsby!" By the time the campaign ended, he added "Lord Reginald" and "Baron Hornsby" to the list of addresses. It's of little surprise that he became the leader of the party. The only name that came close to my PC's in coolness was our party's scholar, Dr. Matthew DeVault. That was a name that said, "I am an erudite and cultured individual, and I slay monsters for a living." No wonder he ended up with the Sword of Dracus.
On the other hand, we had a few characters that naturally fell to the back of the pack. First there was Bob the gnome, a character that was sadly played by a woman who had no idea how to play an E&E gnome/tech. Bob's major contribution to the party was being cursed to grow an inch a week until he was 6'8" tall. Not exactly the stuff legends are made of. On top of that was one of the party's halflings. Engines & Empires replaced the thief class with the more versatile expert, a skill-oriented character that could quickly become a master of many things. Halflings were the demi-human counterpart to the human expert. So one would expect a character that made up for his lack of size by using intelligence and guile.
Instead we got Bayonetta, the halfling stripper.
Yes, a gaslight fantasy campaign filled with high adventure and political intrigue had a character named after a then-popular video game character whose weapon of choice was based on it doubling as a stripper pole. John eventually made the player change the character's name to something more appropriate, but I'll be damned if I can remember it. And why should I? The player obviously didn't give a damn about the game, and came up with a character that was only memorable because of some juvenile shock value. So it's no surprise that it fell into the ranks of the supporting cast. In the end, the party really consisted of four or five heroes and a bunch of glorified hirelings. and those at the front of the line were played by players that cared enough to give their characters a decent name.
After all, you can't make history if no one knows who you are.
Choosing a name for a PC is never easy. A good name should be appropriate for the campaign setting, as well as help establish the character itself. For example, when I was playing Engines & Empires, I played a fighter named Lt. Reginald Hornsby. The name was perfect for the character. First, it fit the pseudo-Victorian pseudo-England setting of the campaign. Second, the rank helped establish a sense of authority from a character that started with an 8 Constitution and a 9 Charisma. Third, the name was remarkably versatile in determining who was addressing him. Those that recognized his authority called him Lieutenant. To those who new him more formally, he was Reginald. To his best friends, he was just Reg. And you always knew when an enemy approached when they shouted "Hornsby!" By the time the campaign ended, he added "Lord Reginald" and "Baron Hornsby" to the list of addresses. It's of little surprise that he became the leader of the party. The only name that came close to my PC's in coolness was our party's scholar, Dr. Matthew DeVault. That was a name that said, "I am an erudite and cultured individual, and I slay monsters for a living." No wonder he ended up with the Sword of Dracus.
On the other hand, we had a few characters that naturally fell to the back of the pack. First there was Bob the gnome, a character that was sadly played by a woman who had no idea how to play an E&E gnome/tech. Bob's major contribution to the party was being cursed to grow an inch a week until he was 6'8" tall. Not exactly the stuff legends are made of. On top of that was one of the party's halflings. Engines & Empires replaced the thief class with the more versatile expert, a skill-oriented character that could quickly become a master of many things. Halflings were the demi-human counterpart to the human expert. So one would expect a character that made up for his lack of size by using intelligence and guile.
Instead we got Bayonetta, the halfling stripper.
Yes, a gaslight fantasy campaign filled with high adventure and political intrigue had a character named after a then-popular video game character whose weapon of choice was based on it doubling as a stripper pole. John eventually made the player change the character's name to something more appropriate, but I'll be damned if I can remember it. And why should I? The player obviously didn't give a damn about the game, and came up with a character that was only memorable because of some juvenile shock value. So it's no surprise that it fell into the ranks of the supporting cast. In the end, the party really consisted of four or five heroes and a bunch of glorified hirelings. and those at the front of the line were played by players that cared enough to give their characters a decent name.
After all, you can't make history if no one knows who you are.
Monday, April 4, 2011
C is for Character
One of the things that separates RPGs from board games is the fact that the characters within the game are unique individuals. Granted, there are archetypes and stereotypes in every game (the miserly dwarf, the sneaky thief, the mysterious man in the black cloak, etc.). But what allows RPGs to be more than other games is the investment the players and GMs put into the characters. Fleshing them out turns the game from a series of combats in a dungeon into an interactive story where the players have a vested interest in what happens beyond "what is in the treasure chest?""Well... lah-dee-freakin'-dah! Seriously, where does this pig-headed macho bullshit keep coming from? If you want to play in a role-playing game where the characters don't have any character, that's fine, I guess. But it sounds damned dull, if you ask me." - John Higgins, Ludandi Gratia
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