Posts made by Thenomain

I think this thread exists somewhere else, but here's my take.

In RPGs, it has one of two meanings:

• The over-reaching situation that defines the players' world, even if it's not within their grasp to directly effect. It will define a lot of their world. For instance, a nuclear explosion happens in the land of the dead and suddenly it's more risky to go into and out of the Umbra.
• The over-reaching plot that players are part of, usually one that they are expected to 'solve' or directly involve themselves in. Whether this is spread out over time as a chronicle, or something as insipid and non-optional like a blizzard "weather plot".

It can be both or a combination of either. I prefer the first definition, which is what RPG authors tend to use, but we mostly see it defined as the latter.

edit: Found it. I like this kind of discussion, but if anyone wants to read up on what was said before: http://musoapbox.net/topic/1776/the-metaplot

@Sparks said in How much plot do people want?:

I would say that having a concrete goal for your character is also key.

My primary Arx alt does not, at least not one that can be easily worked towards right now[...]

Fair, but:

Conversely, my second alt is laser focused on one very specific small slice of metaplot

Something that has always stopped me in my tracks when playing a new game is that I don't know what's going on, and so making a character that's in-line with the game is very difficult. It doesn't always matter how focused I am if the game does not share that focus.

I love making scouting and crafting types. The former requires discovering something to scout (falling into it) or being told what to scout (falling into quick allies). The latter requires either a crafting system that's more than just MMO-style levelling-up-your-materials, or enough dithering-around time that I can feel like I'm involved in something else while doing so.

Point being, it's not just enough to be focused. God knows this board has been filled with complaints about people being mis-aligned with the game, and this includes Arx (players and staff).

So, yes. Be focused, but that's not going to guarantee anyone a win. It will help, and I'll bandy about with you to go as far as critical (there, we just had the discussion and agreed on it ;), but don't expect that to be enough. Luck or inner knowledge play a huge role in it too.

@WTFE said in RL things I love:

These Korean knock-offs of Japanese "flower cards" are cutting into Nintendo's profits in a miniscule way.

Does Nintendo even still make these?

@WTFE said in RL things I love:

Well, it looks like the Hog Pit is heating up again

I am unbelievably glad, RL, that I unsubscribed from it. So much self-induced rancor fading away like mist.

@BobGoblin said in Which canon property/setting would be good for a MU* ?:

South Park MUSH.

You're posting to it.

@Auspice

I just got one of those, a job I've applied for inside my company several times. In spite of the cheerleading of my immediate bosses, I'm finally at the point where my dedication to this company is not reciprocated.

Yes, that's normal, but I've seen it happen for this job. Just not for me.

Strength to ya.

@Auspice said in RL Anger:

@Thenomain said in RL Anger:

@Auspice

I just don’t get chicken and waffles.

It's so delicious.
So, so delicious.

You should try it sometime.

I have had a bite. I'm normally pretty good at trying new things, but nothing about it was appealing, not the mix of flavors, not the textures, and certainly not the syrup and I'm normally absolutely gaga over maple syrup.

I just accept it as something that people say is awesome but I don't care for. They can have it; more of everything else for me.

@Auspice

I just don’t get chicken and waffles.

@Cobaltasaurus said in The Board Game Thread:

Qwirkle?

The absolute best abstract game ever.

No, that doesn’t go to Go or Chess.

Tsuro is almost as good as Quirkle; it is shorter but more cutthroat.

—

I would like to correct my Favorite 6+ Player Game to Small World.

@Ganymede said in The Board Game Thread:

Does Battletech count? If so, then Battletech.

Sure. One guy in our gaming group has a gridless Battletech mod which, in the day of more approachable/less wargamey dogfighting sims (X-Wing and Star Trek versions, for instance) seems quaint, but apparently it was all the rage back in the day. You know, when Car Wars was doing the same thing.

--

I've only played one 6+ Player Game and that was Werewolf. It wasn't that fun. Plays of Two Rooms and a Boom and Secret Hitler look a million times more fun. I played One Night Ultimate Werewolf with 5, once. That was fun.

@bored said in The Board Game Thread:

Being honest, probably Robo Rally.

The new remake or the original, more chaotic version?

Baking, hockey, politics? Board Games!

Start with a tough one: Favorite board game. Pick only one, but note if there’s a specific number of players to make it so.

I’m still with Terra Mystica especially at 4 or 5 players. It’s not the kind of game I usually like playing, but there is enough going on there that I never feel without an option. And I even sometimes win, woohoo.

Can you explain the use for Yield? Thanks.

@Auspice said in RL things I love:

@TwoGunBob

The biggest issue now with Avalon Hill is 'do you have the hours in the day.' So many of their games take so damn long to play.

Two words for you: Twilight Imperium.

It took my gaming group I kid you not 5 hours to set up and learn how to play and get through the first turn. That is a rulebook that is desperate need of shortening and possibly a cleaner translation from whatever nerd language it was written in into English. (I honestly think it was German.)

@deadculture said in MU Things I Love:

@Thenomain said in MU Things I Love:

@Roz said in MU Things I Love:

Look at all the pretend money we've raised to free pretend slaves!

This reminds me of a scene on a wild west game where they were doing a "date the prostitutes" auction (yes, really) and the pretend numbers got just far beyond believable for the setting. It's good to see this go well, because it can go so, so wrong.

was that a roster based game?

No. It was ages ago; more than a few ages, in fact. Almost every scene I've seen involving an auction turns out to be no more meaningful than some colored brains in jars yelling out "Fifty Quatloos!" in, e.g., a wild west setting.

I've always been envious of people who find this fun, but it does nothing but break any suspension of disbelief for me. It rather sucks.

@Auspice said in RL things I love:

As a warning, tho, BGG is a 'fun' place to find a festering cesspool of the sort of guys who think gaming should be for men and only for men.

So, ymmv if you delve into discussions and are a woman.

Oh hell no, not the discussions, just the games.

So many games.

(edit) Though I haven't gone to the forums for anything more than rules clarifications. The people who run the site are all incredibly nice at cons, and I assume they're nice in general but hey, you never know.

RL things I love.

You know, I never just linked to this website and said "have at it": https://boardgamegeek.com

Our group's new hotness is Century: Spice Road:

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

RPGs are games, right? It's right there in the name, right?

I'm just going to leave this here, then:

https://www.humblebundle.com/books/warhammer-rpg-books

@Roz said in MU Things I Love:

Look at all the pretend money we've raised to free pretend slaves!

This reminds me of a scene on a wild west game where they were doing a "date the prostitutes" auction (yes, really) and the pretend numbers got just far beyond believable for the setting. It's good to see this go well, because it can go so, so wrong.

@Ghost

I would play any video game that had me feeling like Alan Rickman. A living Alan Rickman, I should be clear.