tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post7262498941198586047..comments2024-03-27T22:32:17.055-05:00Comments on Jeffs Gameblog: it's a family affairJeff Rientshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17493878980535235896noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-12856527241595854532009-04-24T13:06:00.000-05:002009-04-24T13:06:00.000-05:00And I might do something similar for my dwarf in T...<I>And I might do something similar for my dwarf in Trollsmyth's game . . .</I>Feel free. Now that we've got a rough outline of clan and family structure it shouldn't be so difficult to work out, and cross-clan/family politics based on female roles could really mix things up. (Is Mom more loyal to the family/clan she married into or the one she was born in? What about her old friendships, or sisters/aunts/bffs who are now in other clans/families?)<br /><br />But only <B><I>after</I></B> you get your papers finished. ;)trollsmythhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-9526372263542123472009-04-24T06:56:00.000-05:002009-04-24T06:56:00.000-05:00Dragon 121's charts are nice, but a bit random - y...Dragon 121's charts are nice, but a bit random - you can end up with a character named Tofu, which is surely going to be embarrassing.<br /><br />Still, the idea of any PC taking a bit of time to fill out their immediate family tree (or the interesting bits) is great for character development, and, as with everything, a table to fill in makes it easier and more focussed. Thanks for highlighting this little (transferable) gem.Pukakonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-44222021772851655602009-04-23T21:54:00.000-05:002009-04-23T21:54:00.000-05:00One of the things that struck me most in the secon...One of the things that struck me most in the second Baldur's Gate computer game is the subplot about a Paladin suffering marital problems because of the strain imposed on his marriage by an adventuring lifestyle. The first interesting thing was that this subplot existed at all. The second interesting thing is that it was genuinely non-linear, and as the party of potential "bad influences" on his life, you ended up having the power to nudge him toward misery, bliss, or at least a couple of tense states in-between (and, conversely, the power to keep him around more often or lose him for stretches of time, or entirely, from the party ... and he was a very useful Paladin).<br /><br />In terms of pen-and-paper gaming, Baldur's 2 came along years after I'd already been-there-and-done that in other RPGs ... I'd played family-man characters in space-opera games, in military games, in Cthulhu games, in wild-west games, in Star Trek games, in pulpy-adventurey games, and even in straight-up trad fantasy games using RuneQuest and GURPS. And of course, because it's a genre cliche, I'd played them in superhero RPGs and gotten points back for how often the family would be kidnapped or threatened. I'd played them in games where they were a distant deal and I'd played them in games where the whole family were either PCs or always-along NPCs.<br /><br />But ... I'd never played a family man in D&D ... and for whatever reason it struck me as astonishing that anyone would think to, or that it would be implemented so well in a computer game. It's one of the things that made Baldur's Gate 2 feel, not just like D&D, but like better-than-average D&D.<br /><br />I also enjoy the process you're doing here, where you learn about how the game-world works just by looking at the rules and structure provided. It's kind of like that magic moment during chargen in Mekton where you realize the life-table paths make it equally likely for any given character to have a boyfriend or a girlfriend in his life (or in his past), or multiple examples of each, implying mechanically that a large percentage of anime mecha-pilots are (or have been) bisexual.<br /><br />And then the moment, half a second later, where you pick your jaw back up, quietly nod, and roll the dice, because yeah. They're anime mecha pilots. Makes perfect sense :)S. John Rosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12284417121877141161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-19180703892484902662009-04-23T13:24:00.000-05:002009-04-23T13:24:00.000-05:00"I may snag it and draw up some tables for nobles ...<EM>"I may snag it and draw up some tables for nobles in my Traveller game."</EM>That's genius.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-9844717346607229442009-04-23T12:16:00.000-05:002009-04-23T12:16:00.000-05:00Oh yes...R&R material. I really must get off m...Oh yes...R&R material. I really must get off my ass and polish the honor rules, <I>and</I> complete all the monsters I've been promissing, <I>and</I> the duelling rules.<br /><br />My damn job has been draining me too much, I haven't felt inspired lately but gosh darn it, I'll try!Edsanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11619248696115787815noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-9983701164754459702009-04-23T12:12:00.000-05:002009-04-23T12:12:00.000-05:00I really like this idea, particularly the random g...I really like this idea, particularly the random generation aspect. I may snag it and draw up some tables for nobles in my <I>Traveller</I> game. I've got the idea that family/clan is a big deal to them, but so far it hasn't been a really big issue, partly because I haven't pushed the guy playing a noble to come up with much beyond his immediate family. This would help crank up the intrigue.<br /><br />And I might do something similar for my dwarf in Trollsmyth's game . . .Nataliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15528192783751011497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-78279115258094965922009-04-23T10:50:00.000-05:002009-04-23T10:50:00.000-05:00Lord Kilgore,: There might be some supplements put...<B>Lord Kilgore,</B>: There might be some supplements put out to add those if people want to add it to their games, but I don't plan to include it in the initial rules.<br /><br />We have worked on some honor rules (well, Edsan has) that are pretty cool.Mike D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13199531732115178349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-56567997599867144402009-04-23T09:16:00.000-05:002009-04-23T09:16:00.000-05:00Mike D: I noticed no family or honor in R&R. I...<B>Mike D</B>: I noticed no family or honor in R&R. Is that something you're thinking of adding at a later date or for the Core version or something? Or should I cook up my own if I feel the urge?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-79021942896642087082009-04-23T09:15:00.000-05:002009-04-23T09:15:00.000-05:00This chart and the honor system in OA were what I ...This chart and the honor system in OA were what I liked most about it. (Well, and the non-weapons proficiencies but I've soured on those over the years.)<br /><br />Though I used some elements of OA in standard games from time to time, we never went full OA. I did roll up a lot of characters, though. That "Jack the Samurai" article was a godsend at the time. Now you can just look stuff up online.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-10411071135005116922009-04-23T07:35:00.000-05:002009-04-23T07:35:00.000-05:00I'm with edsan. This was the first you have me...I'm with edsan. This was the first you have mentioned an actual sandbox game of OA, please keep us updated. <br /><br />Will you use OA for this? <br /><br />I have not included any of the traditional OA stuff into Ruins & Ronin - no honor rules, no family development, etc. My game is vanilla D&D for a Japanese flavor.Mike D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13199531732115178349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-45671721684016016232009-04-23T07:31:00.000-05:002009-04-23T07:31:00.000-05:00Ah, so you are going to run an OA sandbox game!
M...Ah, so you <I>are</I> going to run an OA sandbox game!<br /><br />Make sure to keep up posted, inquiring minds are always wanting to know about the game developments of the "Blogger Made of Solid Awesome". ;)Edsanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11619248696115787815noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-78902873559719495332009-04-23T07:17:00.000-05:002009-04-23T07:17:00.000-05:00I remember that family cart. I loved it. But we ne...I remember that family cart. I loved it. But we never got that far to play any <B>serious</B> oriental campaign... I think I will roll up a family these days, when I find some spare time...<br /><br />Speaking of family, I hope your wife is getting better.Bardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06020447449864895480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-30869723547168123842009-04-23T06:50:00.000-05:002009-04-23T06:50:00.000-05:00Yes, part of play in Pendragon is the pursuit of a...Yes, part of play in <I>Pendragon</I> is the pursuit of a wife, so it's rare (perhaps impossible, I'm not sure) to begin play with a family already established.thekelvingreenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01928260185408072124noreply@blogger.com