In-Game Systems vs Web Sheets
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I've started migrating away from traditional MUSH/X systems the more I use Ares. The combination of the scene system, the dice roller plug-in, and the ability to display PDF sheets are just too convenient. It means I can spend time working on the game world rather than the mechanics that power the system.
So I'm just curious, how important are in-game systems to you as a player? Would you be turned off from a game with a theme that interests you because it uses a web-hosted PDF sheet? Why is that?
I worry that, as a community in general, we don't welcome new things. Be it new ways of doing things or new game themes or ideas. So I worry about stepping out of the WoD/Comic zone after seeing a lot of cool games come and go with little to no fanfare.
So just curious about what people's thoughts on the matter are.
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@ZombieGenesis I think this stems from a belief that people will invariably cheat. What I want to do for a Cyberpunk game is have as minimal of in-game systems as possible for things like chargen/sheets. And then just stick to the basics plus a little automation to bolster activity/lack of needing staff to do things, etc.
In short, I'm all for web sheets. Even on games where PVP was more prevalent I'd regularly leave my +sheet public. It was never those games where I ran into problems with character deaths.
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@Nessa By cheating, do you mean altering their sheets or not going by their sheets when they make their dice rolls?
For sheet alteration, it is possible to lock the sheets. Though one of the cool features of the web-based sheets is that you can link directly to a D&D Beyond sheet if you're doing D&D.
Or do you mean just ignoring the sheet and saying they have this or that or whatever? In that case, I think I'd have a low tolerance for it as an admin or player, really. Don't RP with people who do that if you're a player, and if you're a game admin, kick them off the game.
I see what you're saying, though. Automated in-game systems are difficult to abuse in such ways.
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@ZombieGenesis You know I love me some Ares. I still eff it up sometimes, but I do love it.
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@ZombieGenesis I mean lots of things by it. Altering it, saying they've earned more xp than they have, updating it unlawfully, etc. There's lots of ways of 'cheating' but most of it doesn't happen. A few bad actors have made the general community gun shy on public character information. I'm happy to see that some Ares games have reversed that to some degree, but still, there's plenty of distrust amongst strangers to be had. Even on games where pvp or permadeath isn't even possible.
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@ZombieGenesis said in In-Game Systems vs Web Sheets:
So I'm just curious, how important are in-game systems to you as a player? Would you be turned off from a game with a theme that interests you because it uses a web-hosted PDF sheet? Why is that?
I like it when I can access all the information I need from a single window. If I have to use something available elsewhere, it is just a tiny jarring for me. This isn't to say I won't do it, but it's just a preference: us old farts are used to fully-integrated games.
