Re: GM-controlled Bad Luck points

On Tue, 24 Jul 2007 07:05:37 -0700, gleichman <fox1_217@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
wrote:

>On Jul 23, 9:42 am, Simon Smith <simon_smith_n...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>
>> Here's an attempt to articulate why ultra-low (but non-zero) failure
and
>> fumble probabilities are sought by some game designers (incl. me and
Peter,
>> it appears):
>
>What followed really just agreed with my view of the subject- it just
>put a happy face on it. The mechanics exist for a designer goal that
>means nothing to the normal player, and is unreachable and almost
>always unused in any case (unless you actually require rolls for
>taking a bath or driving to work and every other routine task of the
>day).
>
>And after all that work, how valid is the result? I seriously doubt
>that the final numbers are anything but the most general estimate that
>would be horribly inaccurate when applied to the individual cases of
>each call to the resolution system. Most likely the number was
>basically pulled out of the air by you (I see Eorl shares my viewpoint
>on this element).

You rang?

>
>And to get this 'advantage', you create a dice system that blocks
>player understanding and proper usage.
>
>Good for you, I'm sure you happy with the result. Myself, even talking
>about it is distasteful let alone playing it.

A couple of quick comments. 

1. I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss players' sharing in the
designer's goal. After all, in Age of Heroes "the mechanics exist for
a designer goal that means nothing to the normal player" i.e. a system
strongly sup****ts gamist goals and severely rebukes any lack of player
tactical skill. You yourself have mentioned the shock that players new
to Age of Heroes have experienced, due to how different that game is
from the usual run of rpgs - and yet you still manage to find players
for an Age of Heroes game. As agruments against thoroughgoing fumble &
critical systems go, "most players don't care for it" is a weak one. 

2. If you find it "distasteful" to even talk about such systems, then
WHY ARE YOUR HERE???

As I understand it, this group is all about discussing and
understanding gaming viewpoints that one would never ever tolerate in
a game one played in or GMed oneself. 

-- 
Erol K. Bayburt
ErolB1@[EMAIL PROTECTED]