Gaming Post: Writing for ICE, Dennis Sustare (Bunnies & Burrows, Swordbeaerer), Computer Games

[tcpip]

So whilst everyone else was out having fun at Conquest, I was at home doing gaming-related activities of a different kind. As forewarned, I am now an official co-author for the latest edition of Rolemaster's Campaign Law. I'm currently writing the chapter on world building which includes the nature of the divine, magic, cosmology and the earth sciences (oh, you didn't know I had an interest in the earth sciences as well, did you?). I'm also hoping to contribute (for obvious reasons) on the section on societies and cultures. I'm about half-way finished on what is required of me already. OK, so I can write like a demon.

I do confess to taking the Sunday off writing and playing GURPS Bunnies & Burrows, as is an Easter Sunday tradition (photo from 2005). This years story included the setting from the original author, Druid's Valley, published way back in 1979 in Different Worlds Issue #2 with the additions of a Celtic religious site, and a rabbit buried on the first day of spring - which then rose from the dead. Much fun had by all present. I notice that the original game was reviewed this week. Dennis Sustare is truly one of gaming industries lesser known heroes; this Friday I'll be running a game of Swordbearer the other major work he wrote. Not to mention some absolutely brilliant pieces for Paranoia.

I have mostly finished Medieval Total War. Quite liked until the game AI started to cheat by generating utterly implausible oppositions (like hundreds of armored rebel knights in provinces that have been controlled for generations). It is awful when games do this, it breaks the sense of immersion (and Medieval Total War did have a good historical immersive quality). I seem to recall first reading in Sams Teach Yourself Game Programming that having the AI cheat helps keep a game challenging. Personally, I think it's a game destroyer. Because as with interactive gaming, the shared-world immersion comes first and the challenge (or system) comes after that. Destroying the sense of wonder turns the game from an phenomenal experience to an obstinate thing that's just annoying.

Comments

[neonchameleon.livejournal.com]

I have mostly finished Medieval Total War. Quite liked until the game AI started to cheat by generating utterly implausible oppositions

I find that when the game starts cheating that blatantly it's time for me to declare the rest of the game a mopping up exercise. On the other hand, I've won on impossible with everyone save the Holy Roman Empire (never really played them), Sicily and the Kingdom of Aragon. (And that without cheesing the Jihads). The income from sea trade in that game is seriously broken if you build a strong navy (and as my favourite factions are England, Byzantium, and Venice I don't think that going for a strong navy and massive trade routes is out of character for any of them). One thing I notice is that when the computer plays both factions, France always conquers England. Oh, and the Mongols get slaughtered far too easily.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Yes to absolutely everything you've said, especially the shipping lanes. I was a also little surprised (and relieved) by the weakness of the mongols (mind you, I'd been building a great number of steppes cavalry myself).

I was half tempted to hack the game (increase valour, charge bonuses and so forth), but I'm more into editing games to increase their realism rather than cheat for cheating's sake.

[lardarsegreg.livejournal.com]

You may want to read this forum discussion that talks in some depth about cheating AIs and "adaptive difficulty".

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Great comments, especially on those of "adaptive difficulty".

Although I always grin when I read that such games are described as "roleplaying" :-)

[lardarsegreg.livejournal.com]

I think that Aardappel summed it up well with the phrase "interactive movie business".

Two small things, both unrelated: Your link about Conquest is missing an http://, and who is that in that photo?

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

The pictures are myself, Michael Cole and Jay Patterson. The photo was taken by Erica Hoehn.

Fixed the link..

heh

[imajica-lj.livejournal.com]

very cute, sorry I missed this year.

Re: heh

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Rick looked particularly good :-)

Doug walked in to see six of us so adorned and staying laughing. Rick responded, in all seriousness, "This is an important part of our religion; don't mock it".

[aurickandrien.livejournal.com]

Somebody should get a copy of that for the MARS library.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realised that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have.

[aurickandrien.livejournal.com]

Yeah, and a couple of years ago that Somebody would have been me. These days I'm not all that sure what Anybody on the exec is actually doing. Especially now that there isn't a clubroom anymore.

For the time being I'll e-mail the idea to the GHC mailing list.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Actually as I'll get a couple of copies for free I'll just give MARS one. That's probably easier still.

Where's our gaming locker being stored now that we don't have a room?

[aurickandrien.livejournal.com]

That'd be cool. I'm looking forward to reading it.

I'm not sure but I think that the games lockers might be at the current librarian's place.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

A reasonable place for it to be I suppose.

In the first couple of years it resided with me.. Then we scored the locker :-)

[tzunder.livejournal.com]

Rolemaster? Always wanted to like it but roll d100 and add a skill between 1-100?
No, can't do it, just not number friendly enough for me.. yes I know I am a numeracy cripple.. Good on you though.. I am sure you'll make a god job of it.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

The good thing about Campaign Law is that is not Rolemaster dependent in any way. It's a general campaign booklet for designing worlds that make sense. Like why rivers flow downhill or why mountains tend to have a steep slide and a gentle side, etc.

[tzunder.livejournal.com]

So basic 8 year old geography? ;-)
No seriously, sounds good and especially the bit you're doing.
I did some work on GURPS Religion as a proof reader and religion and mythology is my thing.. not so much in gaming sense but in the real world as an interested non-practicing atheist.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

*nods* Yes, basic geography, and basic bontanty, zoology and sociology. IN this edition I'm also doing basic theology and cosmology as well!

GURPS Religion eh? (Checks bookshelf) Well, there you are! Being completely honest it's not my favourite GURPS books by a long shot...

I really grok the being into mythology and being a non-practising atheist tho'...

[tzunder.livejournal.com]

No, it was a rather dry tome.. and I remember that you didn't go for it.. although for many a roleplayer it was a cold calm look at creating some religions.. it lacked the mystery that true religion creates.. even in the the non-divine congregation.

[layniapetrovna.livejournal.com]

Dennis Sustare is truly one of gaming industries lesser known heroes

He must have created the Druid class in D&D (OD&D Supplement III Eldritch Wizardry thanks on its first page "Dennis Sustare the Great Druid") and he was also acknowledged for the 7th level Druid spell Chariot of Sustarre in AD&D 1st ed.

Swordbearer has a race of sentient Bunrabs. He also created the mythology RPG Heroes of Olympus (1981).

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Swordbearer is great, with both the bunrabs and the moonspiders.. I'd forgotten about Heroes of Olympus! Thanks for reminding me.

[tzunder.livejournal.com]

Will you be reviewing Swordbearer on rpg.net anytime soon?
It's time a lot of these old games were laid out anew and popped onto lulu.com as a small feed of revenue to the old masters..

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... I might contact Dennis about that.. It's about time Swordbearer had a new edition.

[tzunder.livejournal.com]

.. it looks like it isn't that hard to find FGU games at all anymore, they have an online store and you can buy Swordbearer as a pdf!

http://tinyurl.com/2n5nxa

Looks like FGU have plans to release a new version of Aftermath too, not my cup of tea but they seem to be reawakwning from their 'quiet' period..

i thought of you when i just saw this

[shorxrore.livejournal.com]

http://simulatedcomicproduct.com/comics/2008-03-13-DexterityRoll.jpg

lol

Re: i thought of you when i just saw this

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Now that's an on-topic post!

Ahh, the old "papers & paychecks" cartoon has a new lease of life *happy sniff*