[Nevercast] - Truth through Mastery
Callan S.:
In terms of #1, the "play-to-win" your thinking about would be a reliable simulation. Because your thinking about a simulation of play-to-win, not actually the transgressive, shortest path taking play to win.
If this games just for your group, cool. But if it's for others, I'd strongly suggest putting in some text to explain this...my preference would be to actually say it's simulating play to win on the characters part, not actually about playing to win on the players part. In saying that I'm mostly thinking of people trying to play it with clashing agendas, and along with that having interpersonal clashes which could be avoided. I'm simulating a bleeding heart... ;)
Ron Edwards:
Callan, you're jacking the thread. The topics for discussion were listed. It's OK to bring up concerns like what "winning" may mean, but not to gnaw at them while ignoring the stated topics.
Best, Ron
moderator post
Chris_Chinn:
Hi Ar Kayon,
Quote
1. If you were to play this game, what player role would you most likely choose and why?
2. How do you feel about a game that expects your character to die, but gives you the opportunity to swiftly create a new one?
1. I'd have to really see how the roles actually work within the game, and possibly try them out in play. The general descriptions you've provided doesn't give me enough meaningful information to really make any choices on.
2. I've played a lot of games that do just that, either expecting character death by odds (Basic D&D, Tunnels & Trolls, Paranoia) or by design in story arc mechanics (Bliss Stage, Agon, Hero's Banner etc.) - in the second case you mean "expect to die" as a part of play, not just in the short term expectation.
For me, death by odds is less fun if there's little/no choices I can make to affect those odds. Death by design games have generally designed such things very well, and nearly all of them are entertaining, though in different ways. Agon's serves to cap people from statically holding at top tiers of power, Bliss Stage's serves as a timer to resolve major campaign aspects, and Hero's Banner makes it an end point of a story before tying into your new character's story.
Checking out reports of games that use either method might be more fruitful than polling folks on how they feel about it.
Chris
Ar Kayon:
Chris,
I'm nowhere near playtesting, so the best I can do is provide more detailed descriptions. The general setting information link can provide more background context on the subject. I’ll present two of the roles for right now, and churn out the rest in later posts.
Soldier
The soldier role is typically a foreign services agent from the Urs Prime Republic in the north (for the sake of constructing a baseline, this is the main function of the soldier role, although the GM also has the freedom to design other functions; the player may also transition their character into a mercenary role). The majority of them operate in the Vanaq Ir region of Des Xi: a hostile desert that has been taken over by Outworlder technology cults. Since Vanaq Ir is a hotbed of hidden weapons tech, it is extremely important to the Republic that the area be stabilized. Unfortunately, Urs Prime could not afford to engage in direct conflict with the well-funded and well-armed cults, so all forces were withdrawn except for the specialized units.
As a foreign services agent, your job is to build a team, blend in, and help de-militarize the known weapons tech zones. You may find yourself working alongside an Emissary: a diplomat whose job it is to forge possible relationships with cults, usually by offering legal freedoms and protections or by providing assistance in removing opposing factions.
Deadliness Factor:
This role wields the legal power to forcefully evict unauthorized occupation of tech zones as well as dismantle the facilities of non-compliant technology cults. Since this course of action is nearly inevitable, the soldier role has a moderate rate of death.
Skills:
The soldier role has the greatest range of weapons knowledge, and is the best at tactically coordinating a team during direct conflict. He almost invariably surpasses his enemies in these skills, and remains calm and confident while employing them.
Master of Martial Arts
This role is based on a very old Outworlder religious tradition. According to this tradition, the aspiring exponent dedicates his life to attaining ultimate reality through mastery of his skills, body, and mind. Upon developing mastery of a particular discipline, the exponent enters a drug-induced meditational trance where he converses with the Ancestors of Nature. The ancestor he speaks with will gauge his spirit, and determine whether or not he is ready to wield the Sword of Beauty. If the exponent is ready, the ancestor will send him on his medicine walk: a journey intended to pare away the dead weight of one’s mind and spirit. On these journeys, it is not uncommon for an exponent to travel alongside mercenaries or technology hunters, as moral or ethical gray areas are rarely a concern for him (learning from one’s spiritual follies is part of the journey).
When the Master of Martial Arts is part of a group of technology hunters, he typically acts as the muscle of the operation (offense, division, and intimidation). Since many operations can occur inside old research facilities with poor lighting, the Master can be particularly effective. Although coordinated with the group as a whole, the Master tends to act as an individual unit rather than within a squad like mercenaries.
Deadliness Factor:
For the Master of Martial Arts in particular, it is essential that the exponent become intimate with the Nature of violence and death. Therefore, if the player wants to complete the character’s medicine walk, the character will invariably engage in deadly encounters. The Master of Martial Arts role is expected to have a high rate of death.
Skills:
In this case, “martial arts” refer to many methods of personal combat: pugilism, grappling, close-quarters weapons, and firearms. The master may also be highly proficient in stealth and acrobatic abilities. As the exponent’s practices profoundly affect his strength, timing, and reflexes, this role has no equal in close-quarters combat. Like the soldier/mercenary role, he does not falter in the face of direct conflict.
Chris_Chinn:
Hi Ar Kayon,
What is the -actual- information you're trying to get in asking people which role they would take? And how will you use that info with what you're designing?
Right now, it's a poll question and any feedback you're going to get from folks is going to be guesses in the dark as opposed to specific or useful thoughts about play. It sounds like you have some general design ideas about how those roles should work, but without the mechanics, no one can actually say if those roles fulfill that or not.
It sounds like it might be too early in your design to get useful feedback on this, until things are more developed.
Chris
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