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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
 Posted - 10/18/2004 : 11:04:56 [Permalink]
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Something Awful has a funny article concerning D&D's 30th anniversary.
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
Posted - 10/18/2004 : 19:27:18 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by H. Humbert
Thanks for that lengthy description, Dave. As I said, I never actually played D&D, but for some reason I always had the impression that there was far more role playing involved. You make a fair point about imagination and the limits of computer game options, and you describe role playing as merely one aspect of an individual's choice, which is exactly how it still is in computer games.
Right, HH. When I played, we always spoke about our characters as though they were that-- characters. There was no role-playing required. The games were very much of the type "my paladin will attack the nearest troll using his +2 long sword" said in my normal voice, and not the type "I draw my sword and charge at the foul beast screaming 'to the death, fiend!'" said in your best British accent.
We also tended to stay quite traditional and not too creative. Our DM would probably not think to give us anything besides enchanted weapons (against, say, cooking utensils  ). We were probably as close to mini-maxing as you could get without reducing the whole game to tables, charts, and die rolls.
However, you're right, HH-- some groups do go all out, with people arriving in pseudo-costume and staying "in character" as much as possible. It depends on the group, I think, which is perhaps why they managed to sell so many million games! |
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 10/18/2004 : 20:16:03 [Permalink]
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Firstly, Dave, I did indeed somehow miss the qualification "or at least that you control their actions" in your post. Sorry about that, but I think we understand each other.
As to Dr. M's point that the whole reason for RPGs is to role-play, I still see there being a whole gamut of personal preferences. In that regard, RPG is kind of a misnomer. For instance, I would place my desire to role-play somewhere around zero, while, as I said earlier, others take it quite seriously.
I'm mostly coming from MMORPG experience, where the sheer number of players online at any given time means that some crowd will always feel their play-style hindered. "L33T speakers" tend to get miffed at things like naming policies and such, which prohibit them from naming their characters "SeXyMamA," taking off all their clothes and spamming the /dance emote in the town square. Some hard-core role-players dislike things like abbreviations (LFG, PST, LTS) in general chat, or game features implemented for sheer ease-of-play reasons but which in their opinion detract from overall realism.
I think I tend to fall somewhat in the middle, actually. I have no problem with role-players, but I simply choose not to participate. (The reason I consider this "middle of the road" is because many players will go out of their way to "grief" role-players, interrupting player-weddings or other non-combat oriented game playing. I'm at least fairly tolerant and allow them space to do their thing.)
That said, true role-players tend to be a minority in the community, hovering somewhere around 10%. Most popular games will have a dedicated role-playing server for them, as the great majority of the population could care less about role-playing in general. If you seek "immersion," a dedicated role-playing server is definitely the route one should take.
quote:
Originally posted by Cuneiformist
Right, HH. When I played, we always spoke about our characters as though they were that-- characters. There was no role-playing required. The games were very much of the type "my paladin will attack the nearest troll using his +2 long sword" said in my normal voice, and not the type "I draw my sword and charge at the foul beast screaming 'to the death, fiend!'" said in your best British accent.
I hope you at least shouted "Run away! Run away!" when forced to retreat. But seriously though, that probably sounds closest to how I approach the game. I'm much more predisposed to see things from a game mechanics stand-point and worry myself about things like DPS and hit points.
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
| Edited by - H. Humbert on 10/18/2004 20:23:47 |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26031 Posts |
Posted - 10/26/2004 : 11:43:19 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dr. Mabuse
Ah, but that's the hole point of the role-playing game. You role-play as opposed to merely play.
Actually, that's one of the good things about most RPGs, you can opt-out of the "R" part. We're not talking about LARPs here, in which heavy, full-immersion role-playing is pretty much required (on the other hand, kids playing "cowboys and indians" are, technically, LARPing).
And, heck, you can role-play chess, if you choose to. Not nearly as open-ended, but you can. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 11/09/2004 : 17:39:03 [Permalink]
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For those interested, Blizzard's new MMORPG World of Warcraft has announced its Open Beta.
It looks like a cool game with a very original art style. Even if it's not your thing, I highly recommend checking out the game's Opening Cinematic. Blizzard is the best in the business.
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
| Edited by - H. Humbert on 11/09/2004 17:39:26 |
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Dude
SFN Die Hard
USA
6891 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2004 : 00:15:45 [Permalink]
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Have been playing in the beta of World of Warcraft for a while now. Neat game, but it's nothing all that innovative. No major depatrure from the usual mmorpg out there, but it is done with Blizzard's usual flair.
I'll probably be playing this one when it hits store shelves on the 23rd of this month. |
Ignorance is preferable to error; and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing, than he who believes what is wrong.
-- Thomas Jefferson
"god :: the last refuge of a man with no answers and no argument." - G. Carlin
Hope, n.
The handmaiden of desperation; the opiate of despair; the illegible signpost on the road to perdition. ~~ da filth |
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2004 : 00:29:53 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dude
Have been playing in the beta of World of Warcraft for a while now. Neat game, but it's nothing all that innovative. No major depatrure from the usual mmorpg out there, but it is done with Blizzard's usual flair.
Exactly. What Blizzard lacks in innovation they make up for with polish. The thing that sold me on it was that it's supposed to be casual friendly. I hear EQ2 has a punishing grind. I'm too old to keep up with the power gamers. Fuck that. I want to bust heads in PvP and I don't want to spend a year and half to reach cap before I can participate. I'll give it a chance. If it's fun enough, hopefully I can get a class or two maxed.
Have you decided on a race/class for when the game launches yet? I was 90% positive I was going Paladin until I saw the new changes to the class. Now I think I might just roll a warrior, although for some reason a musket-booming Dwarf Hunter really sounds cool.
Well, off to play. I just got done downloading the Beta myself.
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
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BigPapaSmurf
SFN Die Hard
3192 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2004 : 05:51:21 [Permalink]
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| just got a great new game called heroscape, kind of a 'final fantasy tactics' type game, except in board form. Its cool it comes with nice minis of all types (military to future to dragon...) and a huge hex grid system which can be arrainged in numerous varied layouts... http://boardgames.about.com/b/a/065794.htm |
"...things I have neither seen nor experienced nor heard tell of from anybody else; things, what is more, that do not in fact exist and could not ever exist at all. So my readers must not believe a word I say." -Lucian on his book True History
"...They accept such things on faith alone, without any evidence. So if a fraudulent and cunning person who knows how to take advantage of a situation comes among them, he can make himself rich in a short time." -Lucian critical of early Christians c.166 AD From his book, De Morte Peregrini |
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NubiWan
Skeptic Friend
USA
424 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2004 : 10:59:56 [Permalink]
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| Just checked this thread for the first time, [Never claimed to be 'fast']. Like RTS games for the most part, but have gotten mildly hooked on "MorrowinD." It is a single player RPG, a hack and slash joy. And with all the 'mods' written for it, seems to have endless replayability. Will just say I waste far too much time in its spell. Was always curious about D&D, but just never had a chance to play and the time to do so, together. Anyway will track with interest your ideal of a game within SFN ranks. |
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BigPapaSmurf
SFN Die Hard
3192 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2004 : 11:35:41 [Permalink]
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Well neverwinter nights is probably right up your alley. Its D&D at its finest digital style. What makes it great is the ability to program your own mods in infinite ways, You can litterally program pretty much anything into it if you have the scripting skills, there are numerous 'worlds' available to play that are created by players and have DMs who regularly update and check the world. This allows a never ending adventure that you can play online with your buddies.
An example of a scripted scene, you make a bar in town, stock it with sailors, thieves and other vagrants. The tension is high by putting the reaction meters of each type of NPC at the breaking point. (so if someone bumps into another an all out brawl will break out). If the PCs enter the bar and start trouble a bar riot will take place, all the NPCs fight until theres only one type left standing, the others are beaten to death. But you script it so the corpses ressurect after 2 minutes (to allow the anger levels to relax and make it seem like the corpses were just knocked out) Also in the scene if you or anyone pulls a weapon out, everyone in the bar pulls a weapon and then they really die that way...
A different example would be the dart board script, you take a human and give him a script so he wont die (heals self every time he takes damage or something) then you script the human to look like an archery target. Then you script the human target to say 'thunk' every time its hit. then you immobilize the human target and make it so it cant fight back. then set up some targets in the back of a bar, create some dart playing NPCs, give the NPCs three darts, script them to throw three darts at their target, walk to the target, and respawn three darts into its inventory when it walks upto the target, have it walk back and repeat.
A few examples of the detail possible, anyway I dont actually play it because Ive banned online games after I bought everquest and woke up three years later, none the wiser. |
"...things I have neither seen nor experienced nor heard tell of from anybody else; things, what is more, that do not in fact exist and could not ever exist at all. So my readers must not believe a word I say." -Lucian on his book True History
"...They accept such things on faith alone, without any evidence. So if a fraudulent and cunning person who knows how to take advantage of a situation comes among them, he can make himself rich in a short time." -Lucian critical of early Christians c.166 AD From his book, De Morte Peregrini |
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Dude
SFN Die Hard
USA
6891 Posts |
Posted - 11/22/2004 : 21:19:05 [Permalink]
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Blizzard's new game, WOW, will be available to play retail tomorrow.
If anyone is interested I'll be playing on a MST server, normal rules, horde faction.
Not sure what server name yet, as I don't have access to the game until tomorrow morning.
I'll post the server name here if anyone is interested in playing. A bunch of my friends and I have a guild for mmo's.
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Ignorance is preferable to error; and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing, than he who believes what is wrong.
-- Thomas Jefferson
"god :: the last refuge of a man with no answers and no argument." - G. Carlin
Hope, n.
The handmaiden of desperation; the opiate of despair; the illegible signpost on the road to perdition. ~~ da filth |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9696 Posts |
Posted - 11/22/2004 : 22:37:40 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by BigPapaSmurf
A few examples of the detail possible, anyway I dont actually play it because Ive banned online games after I bought everquest and woke up three years later, none the wiser.
This reminds me of one of my favourite Red Dwarf episodes: "Back To Reality" where the Red Dwarf crew dies and wake up to find their whole adventure on Red Dwarf was just a "total immersion game", Virtual Reality-game. |
Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
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Dude
SFN Die Hard
USA
6891 Posts |
Posted - 11/23/2004 : 07:44:07 [Permalink]
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Ok, if anyone is into the mmo gaming thing (as I know I am), I and many friends are playing World of Warcraft:
Server- Doomhammer (in the MST zone)
Faction- Horde
If you are planning on playing but don't have a good group of people to play with, get in the game on this server and type /join DM
Look for/ask for a character named Diaven.
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Ignorance is preferable to error; and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing, than he who believes what is wrong.
-- Thomas Jefferson
"god :: the last refuge of a man with no answers and no argument." - G. Carlin
Hope, n.
The handmaiden of desperation; the opiate of despair; the illegible signpost on the road to perdition. ~~ da filth |
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