Evaluating Your Game: Part Two
This is part two in an ongoing series, designed to help you evaluate your game from the ground up.
Often, the first and most important thing that your players will encounter in your game is the process of character creation. For purposes of this discussion, I will assume that the characters being created are done so using the Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 rules, though I believe the process is universal enough that it may be translated into different rulesets without difficulty.
The first step in character creation is the assigning of attribute points. The different methods used to determine attributes all have different effects on the character creation process and how players approach the game.
Random attribute generation is perhaps the most classic, and my personal least favorite method of character generation because it takes a large level of control away from me in the process of character development. While it is true that you can play anything with any stats, it can be very hard to have sufficient attributes to make a character worth playing in the presence of other party members, who’s attributes are far better. Nothing deflates the enjoyment of the game for me like having all elevens and twelves while someone else in the party has all seventeens and eighteens.
Some people, however, prefer random generation. It has the benefit of being more realistic, and forcing players to make do with statistics which may not be quite ideal for them. It can also have the benefit of encouraging people to play different concepts or class types.
The pattern I have noticed with random character generation is that more high attributes tend towards fighter characters, while single high attributes tend towards caster characters.
The second method of attribute generation is the array method. The array method works through taking a set of pre-determined numbers, usually 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18, and allowing players to place them as desired. This method has the benefit of being balanced between party members and discouraging min-maxing.
The third method of attribute generation is the point-buy method. This method works by giving each player a number of points, which are then used to purchase attributes. The purchase cost can either be flat, usually one-for-one, or the cost may increase for higher attributes, so that each modifier increase costs more. This method has the benefit of providing players the most freedom, though it can lead to min-maxing, and the process can take longer with the point-buy method than any other of the others, due to the number of choices to be made. Though the point-buy method is theoretically balanced, the fact that it can lead to min-maxing means that it can result in some unbalanced characters.
The final method of character creation is a hybrid method, combining random generation with the point-buy system. In this method, players generate their attributes randomly as normal. They are then free to use the point-buy system to shuffle points around and customize their attribute distribution. This method can lead to unbalanced characters, as the random method can, though it is rarely as crippling as with pure random generation.
What method do you use to generate characters?
PhilCon Gaming Schedule
The gaming schedule for PhilCon has been finalized. I’ve presented it below, and emboldened my games.
Philcon 2007 Role-playing Schedule
Friday 7pm to 11pm
Star Wars SAGA Edition (Rob Petrone)
d20 Mafia (Tony D.)
Call of Cthulhu (Jason Shelly)
Shock (Mel White)
Shab al Hiri Roach (Dan Peccable)
Artesia Tales (Don Corcoran)
Saturday 9am to 1pm
Spirit of the Century (Dan Peccable)
Star Wars SAGA Edition (Tali Teichman)
Artesia: Adventures in the Known World (Joanna Corcoran)
Tangled Fates (Kat Miller)
Kingdom of Nothing (Liz Teichman)
Chi Chian (Don Corcoran)
Saturday 2pm to 6pm
Ganakagok (Mel White)
Bliss Stage (Dave Cleaver)
d20 Mafia (Tony D.)
Aleph Fantasy (Daniel MacCurdy Burnet)
Mortal Coil (Brennan Taylor)
With Great Power (Kat Miller)
By The Stars (Michael Miller)
Saturday 7pm to 11pm
The Ravaged Earth Society (Eric Avedissan)
Spirit of the Century (Mel White)
Primetime Adventures (Dan Peccable)
Call of Cthulhu (Jason Shelly)
Mortal Coil (Brennan Taylor)
With Great Power (Michael Miller)
Sunday 9am to 1pm
The Ravaged Earth Society (Eric Avedissan)
The Mountain Witch, PA (Joanna Corcoran)
Star Wars SAGA Edition (Rob Petrone)
Shock (Dave Cleaver)
Aleph Fantasy (Daniel MacCurdy Burnet)
Tangled Fates (Kat Miller)
Sunday 2pm to 4pm
Making Gaming Great feedback discussion
Hope to see some of you there!
Time For Feedback
I’ve been posting long enough now that I think many of you have an idea of what to expect from me. What I’d like to hear from each of you is what you’d like to see more of, or what you’d like to see less of. What haven’t you seen yet that you’d like to?
This is your opportunity to have direct input through providing these ideas and suggestions. The only thing that I ask is that you keep your comments as constructive as possible - if you are offering criticism so that I may improve things, please do so kindly.
New Reading
Few things make me happier than expanding my RSS Subscription list, there is just something about finding new and interesting things to read, and knowing that I’ve also found a new steady stream of them. Here are some of the new sites I’ve subscribed to:
Catch Your Hare is a relatively new blog by Graham which has some good advice on what attitudes to have and how to look at games in order to have a good time.
d20 Magazine Rack is exactly what it sounds like, an e-zine dedicated to d20 games.
Game Design Heretic is a live journal blog, focusing primarily on game design, both as applied by the author and in general theory.
Game Designer in the Wilderness is Clinton R. Nixon’s blog about gaming. You can find topics there ranging from reviews to game design and theory. Highly recommended reading.
Jonathon Drain’s d20 Source is a good weblog with material for the d20 system, both along the lines of original game material and advice for game masters and players alike.
Hopefully these sites will provide you with some excellent reading. If you have any you’d like to share or recommend, please feel free to do so in the comments.
General House Rules
In a previous post, I discussed a new set of house rules I was going to introduce for the start of a new d20 Dark Matter campaign. Today, I’m going to share with you some of my longer standing house rules.
Critical Roleplaying. Any time a character makes an interaction-based skill check, and the player appropriately role-plays his character, a critical failure is treated simply as a one, and the player suffers no additional penalties.
Roleplaying Re-rolls. Any character who role-plays sufficiently to earn a bonus to any roll may instead choose to re-roll after seeing the results of the original roll. Regardless of the new result, the player is stuck with it.
Cell Phones Are Silenced. Once gaming actually begins, the most disruptive thing that can happen is an unexpected phone call, which the player either takes or doesn’t. Even the simple ringing of the phone can be enough to throw people off, especially if they were in the middle of role-playing. Scheduled calls or taking a break at an appropriate time to make a phone call is perfectly acceptable, however.
One Man, One Job. Everyone at the table has a job, and for the most part they may be swapped around freely so long as everything gets done. Examples of common jobs include:
- Party Leader
- Note Taking
- Initiative/Combat Tracking
- Referencer/Researcher
- Cleaning Up
Participate Even When You Can’t Help. If the party encounters a puzzle or similar situation in which not all the players are adept at dealing with the situation, do not walk away from the table or put your head down - your character almost certainly isn’t doing so; he’s learning HOW to deal with the situation, or at the least doing everything he can to assist those who are good at dealing with it.
Secrecy. Ninety-five percent of the time, I keep all my players at the table, including times when the party is separated. I trust my players to maintain the line between In-Character and Out-Of-Character knowledge; but those who are repeatedly unable or unwilling to respect this line will be sent away from the table. Additionally, any player may call for the group to be split up according to the division of characters for the purposes of secrecy, character development, or a dramatic element of the story.
What house rules do you generally employ at the gaming table?
RPG Giveaway Extravaganza
If you haven’t heard from elsewhere yet, DriveThruRPG.com is having a ThanksGiveAway sale, where they are giving away dozens of RPG PDFs everyday this week.
Check it out for free games!
PhilCon Schedule Update
The update for my panel scheduling at PhilCon has come through, and I’ve been added to two new panels. Here are the panels, along with times and locations, you can expect to find me at:
Fri 8:00 PM in Salon 1 (1 hour)
BEST… COMIC-BOOK MOVIE… EVER!: THE COMICS ON FILM AND TV (399)
[Panelists: Glenn Hauman (mod), Mike Pederson, J. Andrew World,
Jennifer Williams, Kimberly Ann Kindya, Daniel Burnet]
We’ve seen the best, like SPIDERMAN or BATMAN BEGINS. We’ve seen the worst, like THE PUNISHER, or BATMAN & ROBIN. But what makes a great comic-book movie or TV series? What changes should and should not be made to adapt a classic comic-book to the screen.
Fri 9:00 PM in Salon 2 (1 hour)
WHO AM I? WHO IS HE? CHARACTER CREATION IN LITERATURE AND ROLE-PLAYING
GAMES (548)
[Panelists: Alex Padilla (mod), Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Eric Avedissian, Daniel Burnet, John Wright]
Join our panelists in a discussion about character creation in fiction and role-playing. They will be looking at the similarities and differences in the process within the different genres
Sat 11:00 AM in Salon 2 (1 hour)
O’ WHAT A BRAVE NEW WORLD: WORLD BUILDING IN LITERATURE AND
ROLE-PLAYING GAMES (547)
[Panelists: Alex Padilla (mod), Eric Avedissian, Michael Ryan, Daniel Burnet, Mike McPhail]
Join our panelists in a discussion of world building from different perspectives: that of fiction and role-playing games.
Sat 12:00 PM in Salon 2 (1 hour)
“SO I HAVE THIS GAME I DEVELOPED…” GAME PUBLISHING 101 (551)
[Panelists: Michael Miller (mod), Eric Avedissian, Brennan Taylor, Tony DiGerolamo, Daniel Burnet]
Join our panelists as they discus getting games published whether independently or through larger companies
Sun 10:00 AM in Parlor A (1 hour)
THE “BALONIUM” FACTOR (432)
[Panelists: Daniel Burnet (mod), JJ Brannon, Ariel Cinii, John
Wright]
Balonium is that substance or effect that suspends the laws of the universe as the plot requires, producing cheap interstellar travel, time travel, egg-laying alien princesses and the inexplicably powered sandworms of Dune. Yet we know all of these things are impossible. Can science fiction be written about things that are actually possible without using liberal doses of Balonium?
Chatty DM
One of the regular gaming blogs I read is the Chatty DM, which has just moved to a new domain, ChattyDM.net Everyone drop by, check out his excellent content, and say hello.
Fan Service in RPGs
There is an aspect of gaming that has receieved little attention, yet I believe it can be found in the history any RPG group that has been together for any length of time. Fan service has appeared in almost every medium in one form or another, whether it was called an “easter egg,” “outside reference,” or whatever else. RPGs are no exception.
In fantasy RPGs, perhaps the most commonly encountered (and certainly the most infamous) fan services are something relating to LotR, or Monty Python. Another famous example of fan service which has cropped up more recently are the Sword-Chucks (I believe another reference was made in one of the bigger card games, but I cannot find it.)
My first personal experience with a fan service in an RPG was in a DnD game, where our party had landed on a island occupied by vampires with a striking similarity to those in the Blood Omen series. As we explored, we began meeting several characters who were obviously based on primary characters from that same series. This did nothing to enhance the story by itself, but it made everyone at the table who had any experience with that series to suddenly find the game more enjoyable, if just because of those outside ties.
When including a fan service in your game, becareful that you are not accidentally falling prey to GMPC or the Pet NPC problems - and that your players don’t think that is what’s happening either.
How have you taken advantage of fan services in your game? When’ve you seen it done well, and what pitfalls have you seen attached to it?
Thursday Links
A few recent articles have been popping up over the web, I thought I’d share with you.
Ticking Goblins - An excellent article from Neitherworld Stories exploring just what makes goblins special.
GameCraft - A good article regarding modes and stances in RPGs. Thanks to RPG Theory Review for the heads up!
Little Things That Give It All Away - A rant by the RPGPundit about decisions regarding the default mythology in DnD 4e.
