Posts made by Ghost

I will reiterate my prediction from a few weeks ago that this short 6 episode final season was going to feel very:

AAAAAAAAAAAndABunchaStuffHappenedThankYouGoodbyeTHE-END!

This story is wrapping up at lightspeed pace.

@Lisse24 said in The OOC Masquerade ?:

@Ghost Maybe someone should try a game that has a wiki, but not player pages. I dunno if it would be successful, but I'd like to see what effect it has

I'd be curious, too. I'd like to see a game that stands more on writing than sticking pictures on a web page. In fact, I think it might actually clear out some of the crappy players because the level of effort required would lift a bit.

@Seamus said in The OOC Masquerade ?:

Back in the days of yore, it was something that we took very seriously. Staff was to code everything to keep the masquerade as secret as possible. But the trend toward openness has started -- we'll call it transparency. Is this something to even consider when starting a new project, or is it just something that is ok to break now-a-days. To some degree, I am in the camp of why bother with it anymore, but something, and I really don't know what, keeps me from just nuking it all together.

So what are the hive mind thoughts on this?

I may not be a part of the hive mind, but I can opine on this.

IMO, wikis and PBs have done more damage to mushing than good; doubly so wikis when it comes to WoD, as I think they've normalized some bad habits.

WIKIS: I think they're decent for coordination, listing of rules and policies, and character information for games without secretive masquerade-type elements. I think they're amazing for game logs. Having said that, I think they've also normalized some aspects metagaming and wiki-stalking. In terms of the masquerade, I think wikis have made it so that people can choose to avoid players based on what their wiki says ("His wiki says he's a cop, and my character is a crime boss, so even though his character is just hanging out during the scene, I'm going to leave it") or the opposite (The infamous quasi-OOC bang list).

PB: I won't proselytize on PBs all that much, other than to gripe that thanks to PBs, some people won't role play with frickin Milla Jovovich because of some bad experience from 2009, and apparently the same 100 faces exist in every game thanks to PBs. It's a writing hobby. Create faces and personalities. Dont just play ChrisPrattStarLordWerewolf, and for the love of god please stop dangling "hot/interesting PB" as bait to encourage role play. Far too many people draw to PCs by who their PB is, and I think it's garbage.

If I had my way, wikis would be for game logs and game information, but would nix character pages and PBs altogether. It's a writing hobby. Wanna see what a character is like? Write it. Wanna describe what a character looks like? Write it. Wanna know what clan Lucretia or Donovan are in? Get the fuck on the grid and find out.

***=Spoilz***

***=Spoilerish***

Idea: Perhaps a different approach needs to be concocted for WoD MUs.

One thing I've noticed is that single sphere-type nonWoD games often have some pretty good cohesiveness. Take the BSG games, for example. I've also heard good stuff about HorrorMux. There are lots of other examples.

I've noticed that multiple sphere games (be they factions, mostly houses, or supernatural types) begin as LETS TRY TO KEEP THINGS ORGANIZED and very quickly fall into FUCK, I DUNNO WHO IS DOING WHAT AND I'M NOT SURE IF 3 OR 4 FACTIONS ARE EVEN PLAYING THE SAME GAME. I've seen this happen in Star Wars games with Republic|Empire|Sith|etc factions, Firefly, WoD...

(anyone remember the Star Wars Mandalorian pirates in hip-hugging blue jeans, lip gloss, and baby doll tees?)

What the single sphere games have in common is usually a tentpole metaplot designed for all players to involve in, but also have mutual stake in. When you spread out your players, as well as their interests, some players simply don't understand that the further they distance from the GM-run realm, the less viable their characters are despite the players still wanting to have a meaningful impact on the game.

Rhetorical Idea: I know some people are die-hard Changeling fans or Vampire fans, but would more staff metaplot and less sphere options create a more cohesive gaming experience?

I'm talking about the classic VtM setup, for example, where everyone is either a vampire or a ghoul. Staff may control the Prince over the city. PCs focus on clans and coteries within the city. The problems of the city become the metaplot that EVERYONE has stake in. Werewolf NPCs are sniffing territory, ghosts in the subways, vampire hunters in the city, shifting mortal politics, ancient vampire rumors living in the sewers, the Ventrue Justicar is visiting...all with Storyteller cohesion focusing on clan leads as opposed to spread out sphere admin.

Have places tried this? Feedback?

I just can't help but feel that sometimes the spread of spheres actually seems to make it harder to get a large group roleplaying together, as well as getting an entire cast of characters to give a shit about something.

ETA: I know that WoD works this way. I.e. This game focuses on the lives and times of the Kindred of Chicago where Werewolves and Changelings are visiting plot devices to explore. Then, if so inclined, you don't open the game to Changeling Pcs, but instead create a second venue/game altogether where Vampires are the NPCs and all PCs stick together. I know this works with LARP and TT. So...run it like a LARP.

@Cupcake said in RL things I love:

I just learned something mind-blowing - although admittedly it has no real relevance to my life, unless I go to a convention and meet the guy.

My 11th great grandfather is a fellow named John Harington, who many people credit with the invention of the flush toilet.

You know who else is a direct descendant of John Harrington?

So I can be all, "Hey, cuz!"

(Does this make me a Stark or a Targaryen or both?)

If you were his aunt, you'd have a shot at tapping that.

@Auspice Rain: Dobie Gray "Drift Away" reminds me of sitting on a porch with a light rain going on, having a beer.

@Taika I think there's a worthwhile conversation there about game cohesion.

In truth, WoD was designed to involve 1 ST at a table with x# players consisting of either PCs of ONE supernatural type or a small spread. (I.e. 4 vamps, one mortal)

LARP expanded it to focus on 1 or more STs at a venue with a larger number of players, usually all the same super type, and could interface with other separate chapters (note:separate) for coordination purposes. These chapters also followed a unified ruleset. These LARPs typically did not run multiple supertype venues all in unison, but with some coordination and occasional cross-over.

So with all of this in mind, what is a good answer for spreading out so many STs across so many players, with coordination, across so many spheres? I dont know, but my initial gut feeling is to treat the mush like a single sphere LARP with less sphere options but more ST oversight.

I think the reasons why the hurdles got so stringent are because WoD has two kinds of players (when it comes to sheets and dots)

1. I want to explore my character discovering and learning through IC experiences

2. I need renown 5 for this one gift, and if I get that gift and apply it to my other skills and merits I can do parkour ninjustu with a claymore and ride a motorcycle in full blown Crinos form. So fuck it, let's check those renown boxes off.

#2 is why these games got in the habit of making players to through hoops for renown. Some players want the dots more than they want to earn/justify them.

I'm a personal believer in requiring story development to justify the deeper dots on a character sheet. This requires ST oversight, which is something that's very important to the system(s) <oWoD, nWoD, v5>. Unfortunately, the more distanced STs and staff get from whats going on ICly, especially given dozens of players at a time, this gets more difficult.

Sadly, it's the truth: WoD was designed to have an ST in place most of (if not all of) the time. So you're gonna run into logistics issues with the MU format.

Fucking SEKIRO, man. It's like a gloriously abusive relationship.

I will spend HOURS retrying to fight the same boss over and over and over. I die. I die. I die. I almost win. I die 10 more times. Almost win again. I die 10 more times.

AND THEN?

I climb onto the back of the horse mounted Samurai and ram my katana through his throat, throw him to the ground, and collect my XP and it's like...

DOANFACE, BITCH.

So fucking rewarding, but 30% of the time it's OMGFUCKTHIS. WHY? Because it's challenging, doesn't promise you a win, and you need skills to play it.

I love games made by FROM SOFTWARE (Dark Souls, Bloodborne) for this, but at the same time they're some sadistic bastards.

@Arkandel said in Game of Thrones:

Spoiler-free but can we all agree the music score not just this season (although that, too) but for the last several years has been knocking it right out of the park?

What an incredible soundtrack GoT has. I can't say enough about it. These people are so good.

Ramin Djawadi pretty much scores everything these days. He's fantastic and I love his use of cello. Reminds me a lot of the cello in Dark Souls/Bloodborne/Sekiro, which is burned into my memories.

Ever. Y. Thing.

Pacific Rim, GoT, the Strain, Westworld...

@Arkandel Haha Haha Coin and I had it out recently, wasn't gonna go there.

Yeah, I was telling someone RL a few days ago that the reason we haven't seen Edmure since Red Wedding (last we heard he was in a Lannister cell) is probably because Tobias Menzies is playing the lead role on The Crown and he's too busy with that to reprise a character that hasn't been mentioned in years.

So fans might yell "Where the fuck is Edmure?!! #Riverrun" and the answer might be that this ending simply won't touch a number of things.

We both agree. I suspect the die hard fans will have questions left over, which GRRM will claim to be writing in his novels, the next of which is probably coming out in 2056.

Not a spoiler. So no tags. We might see Edmure; it's anyone's guess, but I think we won't.

@Arkandel I'm not Coin.

FYI it's been reported that Spyglass Entertainment is revitalizing HELLRAISER. They'll be working with Clive Barker and it will be penned by David S. Goyer (Dark Knight).

Break out the war drums and chant "Doug Bradley".

My prediction...

***=Presto! Predicto!***

I wanna see Cersei and Danaerys fight.

And by that I don't mean "dragon vs mountain", I mean Cersei vs Danaerys in a fuck you too, bitch showdown where two characters who are about as martially proficient as Gilly the Wildling choke the fuck out of each other.

Hey so....

***=Spoilerificish***

I will give results.

Yanno that really is the worst thing ever, really. Having external meats is the worst when you jump onto something and end up kinda crushing one.

Sittin on your balls is like...

I don't wanna jinx it, but I might get to literally jump into a bathtub full of orbeez today.

Life is good.