Posts made by Ganymede

@ThatGuyThere

CoD does have that problem and weakness, sure. I would argue that you should toss Languages into "Academics," as Supernatural Lore gets tossed into "Occult," but I digress.

I did not explain what I meant by "mechanical growth." By that, I mean "an increase in total XP spent on the PC." I omitted that when I jumped to my argument that there should be mechanisms for "mechanical change," such as a re-spec. So, in response to your bullshit claim, I'd amend my statement to: no form of role-playing requires an increase in total XP spent on the PC.

Of all of my previous reasons for wanting to cap growth, I strongly lean on the idea that PCs should not be able to effectively eliminate all of their weaknesses, which is what unlimited growth permits. If a PC at the limit learns a new language, then they should be able to shift their expenditures to permit that change. Of course, the change means that the PC sacrifices some other ability or merit, but that's not unreasonable, e.g., I probably used to have Athletics 2, but, thanks to age and lack of practice, that's probably down to a 1.

@Kanye-Qwest said in Good or New Movies Review:

And not for nothing, Iron Fist is not just a rich boy turned martial arts vigilante. He's the rich son of a rich man who discovered a mystical city where everything is martial arts, honor and dragons and everything is Chinesey. There he becomes the bestest of all the scrubby native students, and duels a dragon that burns a dragon tattoo on his chest, and learns how to channel his Chi into an amazing IRON FIST.

Being Chinese, this fills me with an immense amount of loathing. That said, if they could make Kingpin and Stick compelling ...

@Arkandel said in Good or New Movies Review:

So... dunno, if you pick Scarlet Johansson for a role in an A-list movie that's gonna cost $100m I can kinda understand the producers - they needed a big name for their big-tent film.

This isn't just any generic A-list film, however. It is an A-list film based on material that has a very strong connection to Japanese culture. I mean, you wouldn't cast a Scotsman as an Egyptian God, right?

Oh wait.

@Lithium said in Alternate CoD/WoD Character Growth / XP Systems:

I also find it somewhat amusing that anyone, anywhere, is telling people that they're doing pretendy fun times /wrong/ when they are having fun. Some people enjoy increasing the size of their character sheet.

I feel the need to clarify my previous comments. My argument is aimed at an implicit argument in this statement:

@ThatGuyThere said in Alternate CoD/WoD Character Growth / XP Systems:

In short I enjoy RP very much, but the type of rp I enjoy is the type that pretty much requires mechanical growth to go with it, adventuring, discovering new shit, etc.

That argument is that certain RP requires mechanical growth, which I've previously described as "advancement." My response to that is: no form of role-playing requires mechanical growth. It's true, PCs evolve and change; thus, I support changing a PC's stats based on what's happened in RP by re-spec, but am adverse to a full-out re-spec, which is where a player simply re-arranges their +sheet for reasons other than misunderstanding rules out of CGen or rule changes made during play.

This is not a "wrongfun" argument; this is a "I do not agree with your presumption/premise/implicit argument" argument.

@saosmash said in Good or New Movies Review:

Yeah but isn't it more racist and gross to constantly exclude Asians than it is to, you know, sometimes cast one in a role that is arguably racist?

The current movement of Asian actors is towards including Asian actors in movies where race isn't a factor.

My interest in Iron Fist is low because the concept is, in my mind, lame as shit. Rich white guy becomes martial-arts vigilante? Way to rip off Batman, yo.

Do I think the Marvel TV crew can do it justice? Absolutely. They made me forget how shitty Daredevil and Elektra were.

@Vorpal said in Good or New Movies Review:

Maybe one of the next Marvel phases will include Kamala Khan's Ms. Marvel or the Young Avengers. That would be cool, especially if they have a good America Chavez.

I'm personally satisfied with what they are doing with Marvel TV.

Daredevil and Jessica Jones are so good it hurts.

@ThatGuyThere said in Alternate CoD/WoD Character Growth / XP Systems:

For me it boils down to I have no desire to play a character that is mechanically stagnant. RP is great and the focus of an RPG but the Game part is just as important to me.

I find this disingenuous, but not by design or intent.

As you pointed out, not every game allows one to branch out and advance in all directions. For WoD games, this is a feature, not a bug. Yet WoD goes to great lengths to hammer home the point that characters are going to have weaknesses -- profound weaknesses -- but these can be overcome now merely by spending XP.

Games are contests where the participants compete against one another for a goal. In an RPG, what the goal is can be anything. But people with weaknesses can still compete and win, based on intangibles and chance. And the most sporting of contests is one where everyone is equal in skill and talent; more compelling, those contests where the winner is the underdog.

When we talk about XP, we're talking of advancement and improvement. We're not really talking about the game. And my beef is that, in the World of Darkness, you can overcome just about any weakness, save for scant system-based or thematic ones, with the right amount of XP. If XP and its spending is free-flowing, the problem in the system becomes more obvious.

So, yeah, I'm not sure if I really believe that you enjoy the RP part of RPing. Or even the gaming, for the status quo of games currently makes any "games" unsporting.

Yes, this is full of hyperbole. Hopefully, the point is clear.

@Thenomain said in Alternate CoD/WoD Character Growth / XP Systems:

I ... don't have anything to say about it, unfortunately. Just, ah, here we are again. Back in the car. (See: The funniest scene in Jurrasic Park.)

Well, at least you're out of the tree.

@ThatOneDude

"Or would it be better to leave the "big PCs" as the actual "big PCs" that hold big positions and train and teach the less experienced PCs of their sphere? In mage this could be master/student or someone to go to for advice, to learn rotes from or when the shit hits the fan and you need to call in some big backup. The RP available is pretty substantial to allow for the gap between old and new."

There is no reason why an older PC cannot tutor a newer PC where there are XP caps. These concepts are mutually exclusive. This RP exists in the absence of XP caps too, so I think this is an unrelated issue.

Then again, you asked what a PC who has reached the cap can do; this is one such thing. Presupposing there is a political off-screen mini-game, as I previously described, engaging in this sort of tutelage is a good way to gain PC allies that can assist in your political games.

Hence, why we should be sitting and focusing on creating a reasonable political mini-game for the online MU* environment. It would enhance gameplay substantially.

@Derp said in Alternate CoD/WoD Character Growth / XP Systems:

In an effort to keep the Mage thread actually, you know, on the point of Mage, I vote that we move the discussion about XP systems and whatnot over here.

Thanks, @Derp.

@ThatDamnGuy

I'm not a fan of throttling spending by imposing timed limitations. I figure that if you have gained the XP, you have already gone through the time necessary to justify an instant raise. It's not our fault that 2e nWoD eliminated scaled spending; I argued strongly against flat-spending.

But I go back to other video games. For many games, there's some point where you simply cannot advance further. We all know and accept this. So, why is it so hard to accept XP caps?

As long as there's something for capped PCs to do, the game should be just fine, barring other problems. So, like you, I'd focus on the game experience. In my opinion, a cap will provide a different experience than a game with unlimited gain and spending, and that experience would be better.

@Rick-Sanchez said in The State of the Chronicles of Darkness:

I prefer to deny the past rather than accept the present.

#ShitLawyersSay

More like #GoodAdviceForBadHookups

@Rick-Sanchez said in The State of the Chronicles of Darkness:

Well, like I said, the bar for scrutiny is spending more than a minute with someone. So yes. I would scrutinize my date, probably before the making out part.

I prefer to deny the past rather than accept the present.

@fatefan said in What would a superhero game need to be/do to bring in a new player base?:

First, you need a system. Don't use some vague bullshit-system, all right? I'd recommend FS3, but Scion/Aberrant works fine. You could also tailor the Chronicles of Darkness system reasonably to achieve similar results. Keeping the above in mind, I have the following comments.

Specifically, I'm thinking of a game that uses feature characters (characters from published comics, like Spider-Man, Batman, Hellboy, etc.).

If you're going to use FCs, use lower-end ones with minimal, well-defined superpowers. For example, Jessica Jones, as portrayed in Marvel/Netflix's series, has super-human strength and stamina, but she can, and has, been defeated by mundane means. More fantastic heroes ought not be playable, e.g., Spider-Man, Superman, etc.

Is a more broadly inclusive theme important, where players don't have to know tons of canon details? (Related: what about giving players the opportunity to change the game world status quo with high-impact TPs?)

Yes, and no. What players should do, if they want to be an FC, is to describe their version of the FC in detail. This is where Wikis come in.

Is a more concise application process important, so that players don't have to draft entire manuscripts of details?

When it comes to FCs with existing canon storylines, I believe that more detail is better. This will eliminate the discussion of what version of the FC one is playing from; e.g., is it homosexual or heterosexual Bobby Drake.

You should also allow OCs. Since you have a system, you don't need to worry about details as to the powers, so their process ought not be as rigorous.

Is a mechanical system (like Mutants and Masterminds or even Venture City Stories) important to help adjudicate conflicts a bit/lot more impartially than relying on consent?

Yes, among other things.

@Lithium:

I don't really consider sitting in a good spot and mowing down people rushing down a corridor at me going out of my way to get kills, but I brought it up more to point out that Bastion suits my play-style for gunfights: take the superior vantage point.

Which was, for this round, sitting atop of a slowly-moving truck, like a good turret.

@Arkandel said in Overwatch, anyone?:

I played as Mercy for a few games in random groups and it was pretty painful. For starters I often healed like crazy and my team-mates weren't winning - sometimes after the game I couldn't see any of the 3 healer types on the other team, so what gives? Did they suck or is healing not that crucial in Overwatch (given it's my preferred type of gameplay)?

Healing is pointless if you aren't taking damage, so use Mercy to bump offensive abilities in combat and heal when waiting for the next wave OR if your tank(s) are taking too much fire. Healing's not as crucial as beating the living shit out of your opponent. If your Bastion player has any skill, boost his offensive capabilities, and you've got a good shot of winning at anything.

Also and this is more of a L2P thing, Mercy is so fragile. I've been 1-2 shot before although I always try to play the angles and stay behind my team-mates - somewhere toward the side, partially covered by walls making people chase me... is that also a matter of the group not protecting the healer or is it something I'd just need to learn to deal with?

Deal with. Some players like to pick off healer's first. Remember that the staff kind of has a bendy-arc thingie, so once you lock in, you can hide behind a corner or better cover. Nothing you can do if the other team wants to hit your first, though.

Final question! Is there a social element in OW? Clans/guilds so I won't have to play with randoms and there are actual strategies involved other than 'let's all go out and shoot at red things'?

Most experienced players can plug-and-play into a group. I've given my handle if you're on the PS4. The good part of Overwatch is that the game tells you what you may want to pick at the starting screen.

Some characters are more forgiving for new players than others. Stick with Mercy, Bastion, and Soldier: 76 if you're starting out. If you want to take a tank, I'd suggest Reinhardt or Roadhog.

Winston is all about choice: You have to /choose/ to take some damage, to dish it out. Winston is attack, disengage, attack, disengage. Rinse and repeat and use Ulti's a /lot/ because not only does it refresh often if you play that way, but it heals you to full when you use it.

Yeah, I'm not as good at close-fighting; I prefer picking them off from afar with superior firepower. My best game -- and this probably isn't impressive, I don't know -- is 38 kills to 0 deaths.

I'm not saying Winston isn't good; I just don't have the experience with him to say that he is good or bad. His strategies aren't in my skillset, but I'll give him another go of it at some point.

@Lithium said in Overwatch, anyone?:

If all a person does is babysit a turret with Torb they are not playing anywhere near remotely to his potential imho.

Same here.

The turret is great for a decoy. If I don't have Bastion around, I'll stick the turret atop the payload on offense or defense, modify it, and then camp out elsewhere. When the Zerg rush hits, take 'em from behind and no one will notice because everyone will be focused on taking out the turret.

Winston played well is almost impossible to stop because he is even more mobile than D.Va in many ways. The shield bubble is great, and his main attack is short range, but AoE. His ultimate is also pretty nasty if used well.

I dislike playing as Winston because he can't compare in kills with others. That said, the fun part about Winston is taking the high road and dropping behind a defensive team. Most people keep their sights on the ground troops first.

That said, I love playing as Bastion. I really do. Call me "cheap," but there are so many ways to stop me that I don't feel bad about it. I can't help it if the entire opposing team wants to rush on the ground.

@Arkandel said in Overwatch, anyone?:

Because of course it is.

Hey.

Fuck you, that's why.

By the by, I don't know if the game cross-platforms, and I figure you're all computer gamers, but my PS4 handle is LowVirtualMemory, in case anyone wants to go rampaging in this game, or in SW: Battlefront.

@Lithium said in Overwatch, anyone?:

I kill Bastion with D.Va all the time (It's all about the rocket propelled flight to the face with the defense shield up to knock him off his perch).

You can also counter Bastion really easily with Roadhog. Do the Scorpion kill, and no more turret! Also, D.Va: as stated, run up and crush. Same with Reinhardt.

Reload times are a bitch, and there are more than enough folks with shielding and healing that can outlast a barrage. Also, Bastion in turret mode is a target. My team tonight kept kicking Bastion's ass by rushing with D.Va with Widowmakers in back. And I've had great times with Soldier: 76 by tossing the healing beacon, and triple-missile the turret, and then hit it with the heavy assault rifle.

That said, I love Bastion. He's easy to use, but I wouldn't go so far to say that he unbalances the game severely. Tore through 35+ opponents without dying, but mainly because our Mercy healer was spot on.

@Arkandel said in RL Anger:

But some bros even mark their territory by leaving their shakers/towels on the bench while they chat up cute girls or do supersets across the gym, etc.

That's fine. I'm saying that if they don't do that, wipe down their bench. If they don't get back to the bench by the time you're done, it's yours. And that's bro code: mark your territory or lose it, bub.

Most racks only have 2x plates other than the 45s which there are multiples of. It's not like you ever need more than two of the rest to make up whatever weight you're going for.

There is a bit of slack (I think for 5s and 10s) since people borrow them for stuff and don't bother returning them to the racks, naturally.

That's not responsive to what I asked, but I was being illustrative.

There are times when using multiple plates is appropriate: for example, a pyramid set. Used to do those when I was younger: started with 1 25-plate on each side of a leg press, knocked out 20 presses, then took a 30-second break before I added a plate to each side and repeated; did that until 5 plates were on each side, and then started taking them off, set by set.

Maybe it's the same here? If not: yeah, total douche.