Game Masters
I visited a debate forum and someone asked the question, "What is wrong?" What is ethically or morally wrong and how do we decide this? Murder is wrong, but can you say why, without resorting to the Ten Commandments or other religious texts, or just saying that it's against the law or society? And how does this apply to gaming?
This campaign setting is a bit different from most in that it does not revolve around a location or a time or even a mood. It can, in fact, change from film to film. The campaign could go from action to comedy to drama to horror and back again. It is the world of the movies. Some GURPS 3rd material can be found near the end.
Hello, and welcome to my class. Today we shall embark on a satirical exploration of stereotypes found in RPGs - players and Game Masters alike. Everybody is parodied equally! Have fun as we apply each of these stereoypes to the "Orc and Pie" scenario.
So, you're heading for the Northlands are you? Well sit down, let me tell you a few things you'll be glad to know, and I'm not talking about the white behemoths or the ice trolls. Everyone who's ever heard a nursery rhyme knows plenty about all that. I'm talking about the toughest people you'll ever have the pleasure of meeting. It's a tribe from the furthest Northwoods, as told by a veteran of the troll wars (and a character for GURPS 3rd edition).
Is it desirable, or undersirable, to have referee moderation of (and intervention in) an imaginary or virtual game world? Is it the sign of a healthy game, or a sick one? Is there such a thing as a perfect set of rules that would never require referee moderation? Are computer games superior to referee-moderated games, due to their enforced consistency and lack of bias? The Lurking Gherkin ponders these questions....
Magic is a fundamental force in many campaign settings. Most players have come to expect it, and a lot of the things you are thinking about adding to your world will rely upon it, so unless the world you are designing is barren of magic it is important to consider some things about how it works. When you are using ideas from pre-published sources, it becomes even more important to take the time to figure out how it's all going to fit together.
By now, you've heard a lot about Dungeons & Dragons Online, and so I won't write this as if you know nothing. For a primer, you can visit the DDO website, or check out one of the more detailed reviews popping up online. What I will do here is share my overall feelings on the game, laying out what I think are the positives and the negatives.
Has anyone ever seen a mage who didn't have combat or healing spells? I'm talking about pure mages here, not multi-classed whatevers. I know that there are the illusionists, the occasional thief-like mage, and bards. I know that the rules state that you can play different types of mages, but who does? I've only seen a couple of examples of mages who, while far from worthless, had absolutely no combat or healing magic.
What makes a monster so monstrous? Whutaguy explores the question by talking to the monsters themselves. That's right, it's time for MackTalk. Today's topic: Monsters and the Adventurers Who Fear Them. With special appearances by the Alien, Freddy Krueger and He That Shall Not Be Named.
When designing your own campaign world, life can be made easier by incorporating elements from pre-published sources. As we get older, time to sit and plan becomes hard to come by. The plethora of products available for RPGs (d20 specifically) makes this job easier, however it can be just as time consuming trying to make it all fit the flavor of your world. How can one bring together the ideas from these various products without watering down the feel of your own world?
