tcpip: (Default)
[personal profile] tcpip
First post of the year; a rather slow start, but I've been somewhat snowed under. I'm undertaking a massive review of the website and internal wiki at work, plus I have two major assignments due early next week for my MBA (marketing and information systems, god help me). In between all this I'm hanging out with the OpenBSD people as they engage in one of their famous hackathons. After that we're off to Wellington for Linux Conf 2010.

Another time killer has been getting the last issue of RPG Review for 2009 out. There are various reasons (including a dodgy provider of a laptop a/c adapter) but it's been released: RPG Review Issue 6 is a bit of a Glorantha special which includes, among other things, an interview with Greg Stafford. Also there's a pretty hefty retrospective review of Torg: Roleplaying The Possibility Wars.

Went to two small New Year's Eve gatherings on the night; one hosted by BarbaraK and the other by Paula. Both gatherings had fine conversation and it was a genuine pleasure to attend. Also, [livejournal.com profile] roadriverrail is an awesome person.

Date: 2010-01-09 04:48 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mr-figgy.livejournal.com
All hail the hairy hosts of Torg!

Date: 2010-01-09 09:20 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mr-orgue.livejournal.com
When we played it, instead of a "theme song", one of us would shout out "TORG!" in a gutteral, dramatic voice. And then we'd begin.

TORG!

Date: 2010-01-10 03:10 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com
Rather like how we started sessions of "Kill Puppies for Satan".

"My name is xyz and I KILL PUPPIES FOR SATAN!"

Date: 2010-01-10 03:09 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com
I must confeess, Kobolds Ate My Baby is something I have to get around to playing a few times. Or, as is my want, some combination of King Torg and the Gaunt Man.

And maybe Torg from Sluggy Freelance.

Date: 2010-01-10 09:44 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] shorxrore.livejournal.com
yo - happy new year! i wish i knew how to hack....sighs

i wanted to ask you....i'm undertaking the role of "DM" for a play by email rpg...i'm inspired by the on i played with you however many years ago that was.

you got any reading materials that would help me start this up?

Date: 2010-01-10 09:53 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com
Happy new year to you my friend..

I don't have any reading material myself, which probably means that I should write an article on it :)

But in a nutshell, there are two ways that such a game can run. The first is a free-flowing narrative, which is easier for the GM imo, but doesn't have all the crunch.

The second is running it as a normal rpg with round-by-round actions. This usually requires greater input form the players.

In both cases the danger is becoming reliant on one player's actions as they can, for whatever reason, be held up and that stops the entire game.

Date: 2010-01-10 09:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] shorxrore.livejournal.com
yea i'm gonna do the free form narrative for now as i barely have time as is (between video games and magic the gathering and....ya know, real life!)

i think i'm just gonna take a bit more control in the story telling so that if a player does something that could hold things up i'll just expand the story to include an immediate response to it...instead of going back and forth with possibilties. i figure that might work better?

Date: 2010-01-10 11:11 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com
That can work, but make sure that your players know beforehand that that's the sort of ebb-and-flow that you're going to engage in; that if the player doesn't act the story will move ahead and the character will be treated like an NPC when a response isn't forthcoming.

Although it is pretty absolute I would also suggest adding a deadline for responses after posts.

Date: 2010-01-11 05:56 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] shorxrore.livejournal.com
cool - thanks! i'll tell ya how it goes :)

Profile

tcpip: (Default)
Diary of a B+ Grade Polymath

September 2025

S M T W T F S
  1234 56
78910 111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
282930    

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Sep. 14th, 2025 02:57 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios