Best posts made by TimmyZ

@Packrat

I'd be happy to ponder FS3 in mildly constructive.

I'm fine with the abstraction (starting is set point limit, not defined by age), my interest is getting players into doing what they want. It can be min maxed, most systems can (even I partake, choose my WoD focus and snag a few high dots, round out with lower because it's cheaper in the long run). It's not gritty realistic, it's action oriented.

If both players app in and stay around for 6+ weeks, I'll be happy even if one went well rounded and the other min maxed.

Fifth Kingdom, but I'm Biased ...

A political system was being worked on. Prior to its potential release, we very publicly offered that we would be running political missions and events in July and asked for interested parties to respond. We received one reply. That one reply, we set up an event to see if others might show up, and one more showed. Spur of the moment, staff offered to run a hunt for new players playing huntsmen that same day. Two players for political and 6 showed up for the spur of the moment hunt, it felt that was the will of the players.

Slightly more successful for July was the beginning of the White Knight Quest. Folks were more keen to take and accept challenges from the mystery knight. This is still ongoing, with a chance to contribute, his identify revealed.

Ulster invasion is concluding at the moment, there was a lull in fighting (from the onset of news) to give the political missions a try. We'll conclude that.

July introduced fae-touched PrPs, a few took part in this, those touched now can meet with the fae courts.

Now, as far as chance of politics relating to strategy game between houses, this will most likely not happen. The interest has been low. We've been offering things to those who show activity, not making things to increase activity.

As far as marriage maker/TS game, lets be honest, marriages happen on all themes, as does the dating. Its going to happen here, but staff are more focused on continuing to do things. The first parts of August were reserved for the end of the year tourney. We're back into the swing once more.

For all it is worth, I'll be honest, don't expect daily events or staff to offer lots to do. I'm shooting for one event a week if I can, an occasional alternate for doing something Friday nights when I can be around. In the end, we are really seeking personal character stories, in line with medieval high Arthurian literature. There is RP and it is what you make it. Log wise, we average between 1-3 logs posted a day, a slight lull currently after the tourney, a few vacations and mishaps.

For politics, its literally up to players to decide if they want to politic (not strategy resource management simulation/game). I've pointed out on several occasions how easy it could be for anyone to actually politic (convince others to see things their way, not roll dice), to get the political powers that be to promote folks within the game.

All that being said, we've had many chime check it out then leave. The group sticking around is a damn good group of folks who enjoy a little bit of everything, the adventures, the tourneys, and yes the romance (even if they are holding out against Daithi). The RP is enjoyable to read in the logs. I enjoy the RP i can find when not running things. I've been very entertained by this group and will try to keep the pace and theme as it's developed by them too.

What we are not.

We are not a historical recreation; following history to a fault. We are not looking at any historical time points to feel, relive, or recreate parts of history that sound interesting to us.

We are not a typical fantasy game; magic is rare, and the other races are just that, other races. We are not a cut and paste fantasy with a mix of whatever game system we randomly decided to use full of options and sub options and complexities in just trying to be the unique version of a prototypical fantasy game.

We are not a strategy simulator; overly detail-oriented combat and options heavy large-scale battles. We are not after accuracy of detail in how sword and armor interacts to the point everyone else is bored and leaves to find fast-paced action elsewhere nor does understanding real world strategy in troop movement, placement and interaction play a part of what we have set out to create.

What is our focus: Character development and stories of those characters as they shape their environment. There is room for knightly adventure, courtly intrigue, and politics even, but the heart of our play is a focus around the characters in a fantasy-light, alternative historical setting. The central focus of play will remain the primary characters of our players, assigned to the court of a High King. It will follow their influence on the decisions and outcomes of that realm, of its trials and tribulations, the telling of its successes and failures to come, while retaining its focus on the growth and development of the interesting characters therein.

Interested: http://fivek.wikidot.com/

@krmbm said in Fifth Kingdom:

Could you please fix your wiki so the pages don't change transparency when you hover over them?

Done and done. Might not have been the most friendly on phone or tablet. Was: poke screen once for hover to solidify, all fully opaque now.

The dirt grovelers were going for dirt floor/thatched roof concepts. I think it stemmed from Vikings and folks pushing for homes closer to where Ragnor started. In my mind, the period was closer to the homes/abodes of the Jarls. A gathering hall, separated private rooms (solar) for the family, possibly an extension or two. We specifically opened the manor homes with some history in the area, not newly enfoeffed knights given a plot of dirt to build up, they were at least established. The gripes were the few extremists wanting dirt poor and those wanting super fancy, ignoring that most were at about the right level.

@Three-Eyed-Crow said in Good TV:

@Meg said in Good TV:

I plan to, one day. But I started with the books first and I want to end with the books first.

Oh, honey.

Well, maybe GRRM will live.

They'll put his head in a jar, next to Walt Disney. We'll get our final books. Because of the plotlines and characters the show skipped or never included that I'd like to see what GRR intended no matter what folks think of his writing.

@Packrat said:

With 1xp a week, lets compare two people who are not that extreme. The first person takes (Skill) at 8 and (Skill2) at 8, the second person takes (Skill) at 8, (Skill2) at 4 then (Skill3) at 2 and (Skill4) at 2.

It would take the second person 5+6+7+8 or twenty four weeks to raise (Skill2) to 8.

It would take the first person 1+2 plus 1+2 or six weeks to raise (Skill3) and (Skill4) to two each and catch up on the 'well rounded' skills of the second person.

This is something i wanted to look at. It's only looking at how fast to catch up.

I wanted a common goal, all four stats at master level (10).

This takes first player 146 weeks, the second 160 weeks. Four less weeks than the catch up math, 14 weeks difference.

But honestly that may takes years to get to an end build.

Also for putting in a warning that the system can be min/maxed is kind of silly. No game system does this, I'm not sure why FS3 would.

@faraday said in Fifth Kingdom:

The design of FS3 expects you to combat this with a soft app review (e.g. "no, sorry, there's no way your nobleman doesn't know how to ride or deal with politics - spend some points in those") and by setting minimal starting skills. For example, on BSGU everyone has to start with a set of skills to represent basic military training, plus some background skills. As long as you meet those minimums, you can min/max yourself to your heart's content.

This, yes. Our focus is a kings court and players taking positions of importance. Most chars should have some thought given to being in said court. They have the position, their skills should reflect this.

End of the day if a player hardwires for combat, and the adventure of the week is dealing with the plague. Your just out of luck with no skill to help.

Secondary we're looking at it as PvE. Group effort, when it comes to needing a tank, the non combatant types will appreciate the min/max overload.

Action skills will all be relevant to play on a regular basis. Limiting to 3 to 4 at a high level would sell the character short on versatility more than anything else. If they want to sit in the tavern to wait for the next combat to shine, that's the choice they made.

@Packrat said in FS3:

If deliberately (and very strongly) encouraging specialized characters without any skills outside of their focus areas is the goal then the FS3 character generation/advancement system certainly works but the issue is that in most cases? People are not in fact aiming for that when it comes to making their MUSH, or fail to realize that this is a goal of the system they are using because it is nicely coded.

It's not encouraging either way. Because someone with a more mathematically aligned perspective sees this, get big silks now, slowly round out others as needed, it doesn't mean that is encouraged or intended.

My experience: take advantage of min maxing, be tough from the get go, others get tired of it and go play with other people.

Deliberately encouraging or forcing specialist approach isn't necessarily by design. Plenty of systems do this. I have no problem with them. It just seems there is a mindset to single out FS3.

Honestly the weeks one spends getting politics or hunting could well be the weeks of time lost not rping with the right individuals, no matter how stacked the dice or build is.

@Packrat said in Fifth Kingdom:

I have to admit that my first thought after looking through the website was along the lines of:

'Ohh god, not vaguely medieval Irish, this is going to be insufferable'. It is going to attract the worst typed accents, weird hagiographic interpretations of inherent Irishness, etc.

This hasn't sat with me quite right and is misleading. Namely the /not vaguely medieval irish/ portion. This statement alone paints the very image you speak of into everyone's minds; it has nothing to do with irish history and its a game of pretend fun with knights with shamrocks on their shields, who speak in poor dialect and all live in Castle Blarney. And, namely, because care was given to incorporate Irish elements without dominating in history to bore the typical player that doesn't want to read actual Irish history. And this very topic is addressed on the wiki.

My stance: Take King Arthur, the 2004 film, where Arthur and the knights are Slavic horsement. My Arthurian since is 'no, no, not even good from literature standpoint'. I see where they got it, Hengst and Horsa and props to Hussaria. My Polish heritage is upset cause it could of shown Poland in a good light. Its none of these things, yet I enjoyed this film. if it led people to find more interest to learn of the many elements borrowed to make this what was the better. If anyone actually did study some Slavic history, even more better.

Fifth Kingdom is not shamrock knights and blarney stones, we discourage dialect.

What Irish are we:

Namely we are provinces (fifth) with a different 'nobility' than most typical fantasy, L&L and historical games address.

The Clan system is the most important thing in play, most warfar will be Clan>Clan, involving raids, there may be some chance for Clan to Clan even within the same province we focus on.

We have established a terminology page to give correct historical perspective and explain where we are different. And yes, Knights are not Irish. And no, we do not involve glassgallows (derivded from the arrival of more Scottish.

Berhon law is important in the game, while we acknowledge writing, the idea of the berhon and the fili remain important to society. For those unfamiliar with brehon law, its close to modern law, it is in part the past precedence by other cases and rulings, preserved by the berhon, a class of legal, oral tradition, poets.

We have used terminology page to give some context and hopefully inspire folks to look at actual history of Ireland from both time points (6th and 16th centuries, both radically different and interesting, and at the heart, basically a war amongst provinces and clans that just continues)

From a larger standpoint at this actual time in history, we're looking at the convergence of religions versus the 'canon' history of St. Patrick showing up and everyone is just suddenly Christian too.

So while the game is not an Irish historical recreation and like the French authors throw in high gothic elements of France into 4th and 5th century Engand, the game is a fusion. But care has been given to include Irish elemnts, which are part of what make it unique compared to just another tale of knights.

Just an update.

Things are slowly growing. This is good from my end, slow growth means more attention to the players coming in on my end.

The most common time for things to happen here is not the typical EST Evening (PST Late afternoon into evening). Euro Evenings and daytime US seems to be the best times here.

I know those of us in this time usually have a hard time and carve our own way, making our own plots, but here, this is one of our more active times. If this is your common connect times and the theme interests you, we would be glad to welcome you. After the stateside holiday here today, should pick back up again tomorrow.

@icanbeyourmuse Alts ... Exactly this. Anything. There is no win, except enjoying story.

Someone could honestly be the Head of a Sept and go to war with their rival Sept. It would be short lived without support of other septs, especially those in your clan. It give Ulster some ground to. But we're not stopping it, staff is more focused on larger plot and threat to the Fifth of Kidare.

It's old school politics, have to go talk and rabble rouse others to your side. But Sept conflict and division could make things interesting.

We're looking at politics, much thanks to @Ganymede. Makes it more tangible, may make Sept conflict and clan vs clan raids a little more work. But our focus is making environment against Kidare to drive personal stories.

Lancelot has great story that is widely known for his character development and personal struggles that go against his presumed nature. Not for fighting giants with Galahad, not for being a de Orkney ( check the c map, hard to imagine someone from there like Lancelot), not for slaying the Dragon near King Pellinore during his visit their. If I ask a random stranger, he's a tramp and Guinevere is a harlot ... They all know love triangle, which is made better with Kay, Galahad, other knights and Arthur's take on this. Knowing it's happening letting it happen, dealing with it after. Redemption, redemption too late. It's effect on the kingdom and later judgement calls.

We have everyone mostly in court to deal with broader issues ... Raiders, famine, foods, bad political decisions, to make the right ones, to fund the right septs to give in times of need. To decide whether we invade Ulster, defend, what to do with Leinster, Munster, who to trust and not trust. Everytime Ronain is available, he's there to listen to what the court folks want or think on ideas. Like Munster now, the lean on his decision is 'no fer now'. There may be more tomorrow to come of this and other situations.

The politics should be more concrete going forward of that helps, but convincing your fellow players of your agenda goes miles now (actual politics and diplomacy, convincing the others your right or they're wrong).