Here’s the next installment of Roy’s RPG Tactics! As promised, this session will cover some basic small unit tactics. It’s mostly common sense, but often the ideas presented are overlooked. The examples used are meant to get one’s creative juices flowing for designing an encounter, and hopefully they will do just that.
When you’re attacking or defending with more than one person/unit in a game, you would do well to read the writings of past great generals. Erwin Rommel and Sun Tzu spring readily to mind for ideas as well as mindset. Playing games such as the Total War series of games will give you even more ideas on how to handle larger engagements, if you plan to win.
One of the biggest points these things will teach you is that your surroundings are your best weapon. Hiding in the woods and firing your weapons at the enemy is far favorable to jumping out onto the road for an epic hand to hand fight. If the enemy can’t see you and you keep moving from place to place, they may think you have far more resources than you really do. When this happens, they’re more likely to quit the fight and retreat or surrender.
If you don’t wish to fight your enemies directly, run them into unfavorable conditions, or wait for them to encounter them on their own. Run them into the desert, or force them into a narrow passage of some kind. If the enemy is constricted, they have fewer choices in how to fight back or retreat. Consult the rules for your favored game, and see what they have to say about rough or cluttered terrain. Use those rules to your advantage.
Terrain can be the big factor in determining the winner of a tactical battle; bottlenecking corridors, wide rolling grass fields, and heavy growth forests all dictate the movements of the combatants differently. It’s harder to use long ranged combat (say, a crossbow) from the rear of a melee in a narrow dungeon hallway than on the open field of battle. Aimed magic could be impossible to use in such a tight space without hitting your fellows, while having a pike could mean you have no way to defend yourself if the enemy gets past the point of your weapon.
Fighting in and around a graveyard or similar place would be a nightmare for an organized force; the enemy can crouch behind headstones for cover, or hide an entire unit behind a temple or mausoleum. The ground is frequently uneven in the stereotypical graveyard, which can lead to injuries and losses for fast moving combatants. Low hanging trees or funerary decorations can block effective missile fire and prove to be an obstruction to ground movement. The same basic ideas could be applied to mecha combat in an urban or suburban setting. The varying amounts of cover make such settings ideal for hit and run and long ranged attacks.
That pretty much covers it for this session. I hope this series has been of use to those of you out there who take the time to read this blog. I’m not sure what I’ll be pontificating about next time, but it should be interesting. Tell a friend, and come back often!
Friday, July 18, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
I Am Alone, They Are Many
Well, it’s time for another installment of the RPG Tactics blog. It occurred to me this evening that I’ve not mentioned much in the way of tactics, and I think it’s time to remedy that. Over the course of a couple posts, I hope to share some ideas on ground combat. This time around, we’ll be discussing ways of attacking and defending in as many situations as possible.
Let’s start with a solo act: one unit on a board. Let’s assume they’re capable of both long ranged and melee combat, and have some form of protection. The first thing they’ll want to do is protect their flanks and rear, while assuring themselves maneuverability. Often this means getting above the opponent(s), either on a manmade or natural structure. From here, they can see the majority if not all of the opposition while still effectively attacking (or supporting other combatants).
If you can’t get the high ground, put your back or weakest side to some object that can ensure you won’t be attacked from behind without some notice - trees, a rock, a wall, anything can increase your odds of winning. If it can block your view of the enemies to your sides or rear, then it obviously blocks their views of you. This is both an advantage and disadvantage. Be ready to abandon that cover when necessary, whether for attack or retreat, and don’t be afraid to use the tools you have. If you’ve got access to magic or some other form of destructive force that’s useable at a distance, deploy it from that defensible position.
Conversely, if you’re on the attack, keep your enemies bottled into a tight spot. Ambushing them from the top of a narrow canyon or while they’re on a narrow mountain road will keep them right where you want them while you work your magic or ready your big weapons. Hit and run tactics combine with this style of attack very well. Conserve your resources in ambushes, and you can draw out the enemy and take them down piecemeal.
If you’re attacking only another combatant and are not bound by rules of honor, fight dirty. Throw dirt in their face, kick them in the sensitive parts, and be willing to use the terrain around you. Try tripping them and stabbing or shooting them where they lay. If someone’s wearing heavy armor or driving a land vehicle, run them into thick mud or water. If they’re lightly armed and armored, knock them into a ditch and force them to fight their way out. Most game systems have rules for holding the high ground and fighting dirty - use them! If your enemy suddenly throws mud in your eyes in desperation, it makes the situation (and thus the game) much more believable.
Something else that a solitary combatant can do is to use unique weapons. Whether swords, firearms, magic or missiles, things removed from the status quo will put your opponents off their game. Say the enemy mech before you is used for hand to hand combat; when you suddenly fire on them with a shoulder-fired beam weapon, they’ll reconsider the attack!
While it has been brief, I hope that this has sparked some ideas in the GM-folk and players alike. Next session, I’ll be discussing small unit tactics, and briefly touching on large scale tactics. See you then!
Let’s start with a solo act: one unit on a board. Let’s assume they’re capable of both long ranged and melee combat, and have some form of protection. The first thing they’ll want to do is protect their flanks and rear, while assuring themselves maneuverability. Often this means getting above the opponent(s), either on a manmade or natural structure. From here, they can see the majority if not all of the opposition while still effectively attacking (or supporting other combatants).
If you can’t get the high ground, put your back or weakest side to some object that can ensure you won’t be attacked from behind without some notice - trees, a rock, a wall, anything can increase your odds of winning. If it can block your view of the enemies to your sides or rear, then it obviously blocks their views of you. This is both an advantage and disadvantage. Be ready to abandon that cover when necessary, whether for attack or retreat, and don’t be afraid to use the tools you have. If you’ve got access to magic or some other form of destructive force that’s useable at a distance, deploy it from that defensible position.
Conversely, if you’re on the attack, keep your enemies bottled into a tight spot. Ambushing them from the top of a narrow canyon or while they’re on a narrow mountain road will keep them right where you want them while you work your magic or ready your big weapons. Hit and run tactics combine with this style of attack very well. Conserve your resources in ambushes, and you can draw out the enemy and take them down piecemeal.
If you’re attacking only another combatant and are not bound by rules of honor, fight dirty. Throw dirt in their face, kick them in the sensitive parts, and be willing to use the terrain around you. Try tripping them and stabbing or shooting them where they lay. If someone’s wearing heavy armor or driving a land vehicle, run them into thick mud or water. If they’re lightly armed and armored, knock them into a ditch and force them to fight their way out. Most game systems have rules for holding the high ground and fighting dirty - use them! If your enemy suddenly throws mud in your eyes in desperation, it makes the situation (and thus the game) much more believable.
Something else that a solitary combatant can do is to use unique weapons. Whether swords, firearms, magic or missiles, things removed from the status quo will put your opponents off their game. Say the enemy mech before you is used for hand to hand combat; when you suddenly fire on them with a shoulder-fired beam weapon, they’ll reconsider the attack!
While it has been brief, I hope that this has sparked some ideas in the GM-folk and players alike. Next session, I’ll be discussing small unit tactics, and briefly touching on large scale tactics. See you then!
Monday, July 14, 2008
Okay, Wizards... I Give Up!
Seriously, Wizards of the Coast; I surrender. You have once again milked the cash cow that is geek fandom, and I hate you all the more for it.
I had a lot of fun with revised AD&D when I was a young teenager; I didn't have many friends who weren't on the internet, and those that I did have all played Dungeons and Dragons. My older brother got me an AD&D rulebook for Christmas, and helped me learn a game that I'd only played one other time before. My friend across town introduced me to a group of dedicated nerds, geeks, and weirdos who played the TSR games religiously.
That group rejoiced when Wizards of the Coast bought out TSR, and nearly sang for joy when an easier to play, more accessible (and only relatively more expensive) update to the classic game was released. We were all happy, because we thought that D&D 3E might give us something the game sorely needed - a dearth of new players.
We were right, as kids and parents alike began to play. The adventure modules were a bit lackluster, but pre-published adventures usually are. The open license format of third edition meant that more and more publishers could jump on the game. Some products were absolutely amazing! I couldn't begin to express my joy as Dragonlance came out, and in a great time setting to boot!
Then came the 'updated' system, D&D 3.5 Edition. I balked, and asked "why do they need to do this so soon?" When I purchased the handbook, I realized it was almost exactly the same, down to the artwork. True, it had a more advanced tactics section for miniatures, and included some needed changes for a couple of the core classes, but still... why?
When my fiancee and I got our hands on a preview copy of Fourth Edition, we nearly vomited with anger; the rules have changed, the classes have changed, and most importantly, the feel has changed. Now miniatures are a requirement to get the full benefit of the rules! What the hell was going on here?
Having talked to several hardcore gamers, as well as shop owners and would-be buyers of the game, we made our decision: we will never purchase Dungeons and Dragons Fourth Edition. There will be no browsing of the half-price bookstores, nor any downloading of the reduced price .pdf files that are available for purchase. The only miniatures we buy are for my benefit as both a hobby painter and sometimes tactician wannabe. They are not just so we can play a rip-off pretender that is a thinly veiled computer game adapted for table-top play!
We spurn you, Wizards. I know that five people won't matter much to you, but mark my words: You have ruined any and all desire we had to purchase your products; anything you touch from now on, we shall boycott.
I had a lot of fun with revised AD&D when I was a young teenager; I didn't have many friends who weren't on the internet, and those that I did have all played Dungeons and Dragons. My older brother got me an AD&D rulebook for Christmas, and helped me learn a game that I'd only played one other time before. My friend across town introduced me to a group of dedicated nerds, geeks, and weirdos who played the TSR games religiously.
That group rejoiced when Wizards of the Coast bought out TSR, and nearly sang for joy when an easier to play, more accessible (and only relatively more expensive) update to the classic game was released. We were all happy, because we thought that D&D 3E might give us something the game sorely needed - a dearth of new players.
We were right, as kids and parents alike began to play. The adventure modules were a bit lackluster, but pre-published adventures usually are. The open license format of third edition meant that more and more publishers could jump on the game. Some products were absolutely amazing! I couldn't begin to express my joy as Dragonlance came out, and in a great time setting to boot!
Then came the 'updated' system, D&D 3.5 Edition. I balked, and asked "why do they need to do this so soon?" When I purchased the handbook, I realized it was almost exactly the same, down to the artwork. True, it had a more advanced tactics section for miniatures, and included some needed changes for a couple of the core classes, but still... why?
When my fiancee and I got our hands on a preview copy of Fourth Edition, we nearly vomited with anger; the rules have changed, the classes have changed, and most importantly, the feel has changed. Now miniatures are a requirement to get the full benefit of the rules! What the hell was going on here?
Having talked to several hardcore gamers, as well as shop owners and would-be buyers of the game, we made our decision: we will never purchase Dungeons and Dragons Fourth Edition. There will be no browsing of the half-price bookstores, nor any downloading of the reduced price .pdf files that are available for purchase. The only miniatures we buy are for my benefit as both a hobby painter and sometimes tactician wannabe. They are not just so we can play a rip-off pretender that is a thinly veiled computer game adapted for table-top play!
We spurn you, Wizards. I know that five people won't matter much to you, but mark my words: You have ruined any and all desire we had to purchase your products; anything you touch from now on, we shall boycott.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Between The Walls
Hello all, it’s time for another installment of the RPG Tactics Blog. This time around, I’d like to discuss traps in an RPG. Plots often have their own twists and turns built in, sometimes to the point of being cliché; but what about a good dungeon crawl, or the search for someone through winding streets?
Often the way to make this more interesting (while still introducing conflict) is an ambush or trap of some sort, but how does one go about it? There are many great ways that can be used at times, often to great effect. A good ambush or pitfall can put the players on edge, and raise their suspicions in a way that a straight ‘point a to point b’ interaction could never do. Planning these events out takes only a little effort on the GM’s part, and they can be a regular feature of adventures, but using them too often gets boring.
A great example is a pitfall trap in a dungeon delve. The characters are ambling along in a corridor, when suddenly the floor gives way beneath their feet and drops them several feet into a deep hole. There may be spikes, water, opponents, treasure or any combination of things at the end of the fall. There may be a new passageway they did not know about, or no escape except a tricky climb back out of the pit. If done differently a few times over the course of a campaign, it can provide an excellent challenge to the players.
Another classic item from dungeon delves could provide one of the greatest traps (and sources of player paranoia): the secret door. The door itself could be trapped in some fashion, but one of the best ways to fool someone is to have the door open onto a passage which after a short time provides its own trap - perhaps a dead end that once reached closes the door, locking the characters inside. Maybe a hidden jug of acid falls upon the first person to enter the newly exposed corridor, or even a monster is somehow released on the far end.
Whether hidden or not, a dead end can be a trap in and of itself. Perhaps a group of investigators have followed their nemesis through a dark alley, only to come up against a building or fence with no way over it. Behind them, henchmen await, ready to pounce while the heroes search for a way over or around the obstacles in question. The same scenario could be applied to inside a building or alien ship just as easily as it could a temple to a dark god. Placing the same style of challenge in a natural setting (such as a canyon or cave) would make for an interesting attack during someone’s travels.
As with every minor plot device, the GM must be careful not to overuse the dead-end trap too much; after a while, players become suspicious of such events as seeing a branch from their path where there is no exit but by which way they came in. Even if on this newest occasion there is great gain to be made, the players will often say “No, no, don’t go that way! It may be a trap, and we need our strength!” When that is the attitude the players show towards anything in a game, the GM has failed them; when it’s the attitude the characters themselves take, it’s a sign that the GM has done their job well.
Hopefully this brief foray into traps has been of some minor inspiration. Too often, a game lacks such devices when it could have been made more believable or interesting by the inclusion of some sort of challenge that was not directly related to the characters’ goals.
Often the way to make this more interesting (while still introducing conflict) is an ambush or trap of some sort, but how does one go about it? There are many great ways that can be used at times, often to great effect. A good ambush or pitfall can put the players on edge, and raise their suspicions in a way that a straight ‘point a to point b’ interaction could never do. Planning these events out takes only a little effort on the GM’s part, and they can be a regular feature of adventures, but using them too often gets boring.
A great example is a pitfall trap in a dungeon delve. The characters are ambling along in a corridor, when suddenly the floor gives way beneath their feet and drops them several feet into a deep hole. There may be spikes, water, opponents, treasure or any combination of things at the end of the fall. There may be a new passageway they did not know about, or no escape except a tricky climb back out of the pit. If done differently a few times over the course of a campaign, it can provide an excellent challenge to the players.
Another classic item from dungeon delves could provide one of the greatest traps (and sources of player paranoia): the secret door. The door itself could be trapped in some fashion, but one of the best ways to fool someone is to have the door open onto a passage which after a short time provides its own trap - perhaps a dead end that once reached closes the door, locking the characters inside. Maybe a hidden jug of acid falls upon the first person to enter the newly exposed corridor, or even a monster is somehow released on the far end.
Whether hidden or not, a dead end can be a trap in and of itself. Perhaps a group of investigators have followed their nemesis through a dark alley, only to come up against a building or fence with no way over it. Behind them, henchmen await, ready to pounce while the heroes search for a way over or around the obstacles in question. The same scenario could be applied to inside a building or alien ship just as easily as it could a temple to a dark god. Placing the same style of challenge in a natural setting (such as a canyon or cave) would make for an interesting attack during someone’s travels.
As with every minor plot device, the GM must be careful not to overuse the dead-end trap too much; after a while, players become suspicious of such events as seeing a branch from their path where there is no exit but by which way they came in. Even if on this newest occasion there is great gain to be made, the players will often say “No, no, don’t go that way! It may be a trap, and we need our strength!” When that is the attitude the players show towards anything in a game, the GM has failed them; when it’s the attitude the characters themselves take, it’s a sign that the GM has done their job well.
Hopefully this brief foray into traps has been of some minor inspiration. Too often, a game lacks such devices when it could have been made more believable or interesting by the inclusion of some sort of challenge that was not directly related to the characters’ goals.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
The Origins of RPGs
While the late Gary Gygax is universally hailed as the father of the RPG as we know it, one cannot forget his inspirations for Dungeons and Dragons. Robert E. Howard is plainly listed as one of his primary inspirations for creating D&D in the 1970's, and anyone who has read his Sword and Sorcery work will see why.
Robert Howard created Kull the Conquerer and Conan the Cimmerian, which were of great inspiration to Mister Gygax when he created his game. One can see the influences in this pop culture gaming icon's work rather readily, especially in early versions of the game where the settings are openly used. Gary always professed to be a fan of Howard's creations, and is sorely missed by both the roleplaying community and the fandom of Robert E. Howard.
I bring this up because I just came home today from the 2008 Robert E. Howard Days and Barbarian Festival in his home town of Cross Plains, Texas. One of the keynote speakers brought up a personal conversation he'd had with Mister Gygax about Robert E. Howard's influences on his games and ideas, and it reminded me - sometimes, the origins of a game can be more interesting and rewarding than the gamer would ever believe until they've tried.
I encourage all gamers, whether they play video games, table tops, miniatures, or live action games to investigate the humble beginnings of their games. On the way, they may well come across something that opens a whole new world for them. The whole wide world awaits.
Robert Howard created Kull the Conquerer and Conan the Cimmerian, which were of great inspiration to Mister Gygax when he created his game. One can see the influences in this pop culture gaming icon's work rather readily, especially in early versions of the game where the settings are openly used. Gary always professed to be a fan of Howard's creations, and is sorely missed by both the roleplaying community and the fandom of Robert E. Howard.
I bring this up because I just came home today from the 2008 Robert E. Howard Days and Barbarian Festival in his home town of Cross Plains, Texas. One of the keynote speakers brought up a personal conversation he'd had with Mister Gygax about Robert E. Howard's influences on his games and ideas, and it reminded me - sometimes, the origins of a game can be more interesting and rewarding than the gamer would ever believe until they've tried.
I encourage all gamers, whether they play video games, table tops, miniatures, or live action games to investigate the humble beginnings of their games. On the way, they may well come across something that opens a whole new world for them. The whole wide world awaits.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Editions Of D&D and Me
Sometime this month, you've probably seen the advertisements or fliers for Dungeons and Dragons 4E (or seen the books themselves). I admit that I've not looked at them very extensively - nor do I want to. I do, however, have an opinion forming about it from what I have seen and heard; that opinion can be summed up in one word, and that word is 'no.'
Some of the more entertaining classes have been removed from the Player's Handbook; Barbarians were one of the better classes in D&D, and having them added back in was what initially drew me to D&D 3E. Now, one must wait for a supplement or an official release (both of which might cost you) in order to get them.
Another major change is on the list of player races. Gnomes have been removed, and Tieflings and Aasimar are now starting races with no real modifications. I'm sorry, but Tieflings and Aasimar were only supposed to be a rarity, even in Forgotten Realms (where they were apparently most common). Changing it that way seems to remove that last bit of believability that makes D&D so appealing to so many people.
Now, obviously there's nothing I can do, or could have done; but I still don't like these and other changes (such as a near requirement of miniatures and tiles according to the PHB's supplies list), and that's enough to keep me from paying good money to play it. I'll have a good enough time playing my now 'outdated' games that I shouldn't even miss the new stuff.
You may be wondering, what does Roy play, then? Well, for now, I'm engaged in preparing for an AD&D second edition game. My fiancee has a wonderful idea for one and has worked dilligently upon it. When we get together with her brother and his wife, then we'll start playing one of my favorite games of all time. Yes, it's very math intensive and archaic, but it's an excellent vehicle for that nostalgic feel.
One must never forget that their games are about entertainment and sharing; otherwise, it's only money and time you've handed off to someone else.
Some of the more entertaining classes have been removed from the Player's Handbook; Barbarians were one of the better classes in D&D, and having them added back in was what initially drew me to D&D 3E. Now, one must wait for a supplement or an official release (both of which might cost you) in order to get them.
Another major change is on the list of player races. Gnomes have been removed, and Tieflings and Aasimar are now starting races with no real modifications. I'm sorry, but Tieflings and Aasimar were only supposed to be a rarity, even in Forgotten Realms (where they were apparently most common). Changing it that way seems to remove that last bit of believability that makes D&D so appealing to so many people.
Now, obviously there's nothing I can do, or could have done; but I still don't like these and other changes (such as a near requirement of miniatures and tiles according to the PHB's supplies list), and that's enough to keep me from paying good money to play it. I'll have a good enough time playing my now 'outdated' games that I shouldn't even miss the new stuff.
You may be wondering, what does Roy play, then? Well, for now, I'm engaged in preparing for an AD&D second edition game. My fiancee has a wonderful idea for one and has worked dilligently upon it. When we get together with her brother and his wife, then we'll start playing one of my favorite games of all time. Yes, it's very math intensive and archaic, but it's an excellent vehicle for that nostalgic feel.
One must never forget that their games are about entertainment and sharing; otherwise, it's only money and time you've handed off to someone else.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
It's Been One Week Since You Looked At Me
So I noticed that it's been a week since I last posted to this blog. I'd been having some writer's block about what subject to discuss next, but with the passage of time it finally hit me: Let's discuss time itself.
In my game on www.rdfrpg.com, the time progression has been very slow. Over the course of about a year of gaming, the time line has only progressed about a year and a half. Many times in a ROBOTECH RPG, the game can stretch over several years in just a few session's time. This is not necessarily the standard, but seems to be a common practice among many GMs. Time progression is dependent on the style of game one is running, as well as the gaming system itself.
If there is a lot of character development interspersed among conflict or other events, often a GM would be well advised to have the time pass slowly; months of gaming may produce only a few short weeks of progression. Conversely, if there are lots of chunks of time between events in one's games, progressing by years at a time could be the key to smoothly transitioning from one section of the campaign to another. Time can be as viscous as corn syrup or loose and fast as a river, and it's entirely up to the GM how to use it.
As another example from the game I currently run, consider this: three of us have been playing the same character for almost a decade. From time to time they are set aside, or reworked as we mature, but the core being of that character is still there. While for a time the game progressed by nearly 15 years, we have returned to our roots, and begun a reworking of our old histories. This very involved process requires lots of character exposition interspersed with intense giant-robot action. So far, we've progressed only about a year, and most of that time was due to some of the characters needing time to recover and rehabilitate after a devastating loss and injury.
Normally in a game such as this, I'd already be into the third or even fourth year of the story line, but that's just how I do it. How will you handle time?
In my game on www.rdfrpg.com, the time progression has been very slow. Over the course of about a year of gaming, the time line has only progressed about a year and a half. Many times in a ROBOTECH RPG, the game can stretch over several years in just a few session's time. This is not necessarily the standard, but seems to be a common practice among many GMs. Time progression is dependent on the style of game one is running, as well as the gaming system itself.
If there is a lot of character development interspersed among conflict or other events, often a GM would be well advised to have the time pass slowly; months of gaming may produce only a few short weeks of progression. Conversely, if there are lots of chunks of time between events in one's games, progressing by years at a time could be the key to smoothly transitioning from one section of the campaign to another. Time can be as viscous as corn syrup or loose and fast as a river, and it's entirely up to the GM how to use it.
As another example from the game I currently run, consider this: three of us have been playing the same character for almost a decade. From time to time they are set aside, or reworked as we mature, but the core being of that character is still there. While for a time the game progressed by nearly 15 years, we have returned to our roots, and begun a reworking of our old histories. This very involved process requires lots of character exposition interspersed with intense giant-robot action. So far, we've progressed only about a year, and most of that time was due to some of the characters needing time to recover and rehabilitate after a devastating loss and injury.
Normally in a game such as this, I'd already be into the third or even fourth year of the story line, but that's just how I do it. How will you handle time?
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
/b/ Talk
No discussion about tabletop role-playing is complete without at least mentioning dice. The polyhedral objects used so frequently to determine success and failure alike are really quite simple. Any geometric shape with an even number of sides can be considered for die-hood.
The game store aficionado knows all too well the huge range of dice that are available, from four sided dice all the way to 100 sides and even beyond. The little blighters come in sizes varying from 2 millimeters across to the size of a good summer watermelon. Dice can be made from nearly any material and often are; just in the small gaming shop in Huntington, W.Va. I can find over one hundred colors in at least thirty materials. In some gaming centers (such as Dragon's Lair in Austin, Texas) there are entire counters devoted to dice and their containers. Many of these extreme sizes, shapes, or colors are gimmicks and collectibles, but they're so popular they're worth mentioning.
Why do so many games use dice? Think about that, for a moment. You have to come up with numbers for the spaces to move on a board, or the damage done by a weapon... do you let the player decide? How do you know what is what, without some chance involved? A die is nothing more than a percentage generator, and you can know what to expect out of it by knowing what its average roll will be. Assuming the dice are fair, it's a completely honest way of determining how far to move across the game board, or wether or not you succeeded in attacking your enemy.
Any die or dice that a player rolls will turn up the median score +1 for roughly 17% of the rolls. That is its average. As an example, let's say you roll two six-sided dice: 17% of the time, you should roll a score of seven. This is twice as likely to happen as rolling a four or a ten, and four times as likely as rolling a two or an eleven. Using these same standard deviations, you can calculate the percentages for any die or combination thereof that you would roll.
From a GM's standpoint, dice are important but still secondary to the story. All players with any experience can recall at least one time where they feel the GM cheated them out of a victory for one reason or another; most often that was for the good of the story. How can the players stop an apocalypse brought on by the evil cleric if they kill the villain months before he can research the spells from the book he just stole? Often, a GM will have to fudge things in the direction needed, which brings up the need to be good at solving disputes as well as writing adventures.
Nearly every game comes with some form of rolling table for determining everything from random encounters on the road to what odor a person has. A GM will spend more time rolling on these tables, or on tables which help determine the effects of particular actions than anything short of combat encounters. The dice can determine nearly everything, if you let them. All of this information needs to be recorded or memorized, which goes back to organizing the game.
The game store aficionado knows all too well the huge range of dice that are available, from four sided dice all the way to 100 sides and even beyond. The little blighters come in sizes varying from 2 millimeters across to the size of a good summer watermelon. Dice can be made from nearly any material and often are; just in the small gaming shop in Huntington, W.Va. I can find over one hundred colors in at least thirty materials. In some gaming centers (such as Dragon's Lair in Austin, Texas) there are entire counters devoted to dice and their containers. Many of these extreme sizes, shapes, or colors are gimmicks and collectibles, but they're so popular they're worth mentioning.
Why do so many games use dice? Think about that, for a moment. You have to come up with numbers for the spaces to move on a board, or the damage done by a weapon... do you let the player decide? How do you know what is what, without some chance involved? A die is nothing more than a percentage generator, and you can know what to expect out of it by knowing what its average roll will be. Assuming the dice are fair, it's a completely honest way of determining how far to move across the game board, or wether or not you succeeded in attacking your enemy.
Any die or dice that a player rolls will turn up the median score +1 for roughly 17% of the rolls. That is its average. As an example, let's say you roll two six-sided dice: 17% of the time, you should roll a score of seven. This is twice as likely to happen as rolling a four or a ten, and four times as likely as rolling a two or an eleven. Using these same standard deviations, you can calculate the percentages for any die or combination thereof that you would roll.
From a GM's standpoint, dice are important but still secondary to the story. All players with any experience can recall at least one time where they feel the GM cheated them out of a victory for one reason or another; most often that was for the good of the story. How can the players stop an apocalypse brought on by the evil cleric if they kill the villain months before he can research the spells from the book he just stole? Often, a GM will have to fudge things in the direction needed, which brings up the need to be good at solving disputes as well as writing adventures.
Nearly every game comes with some form of rolling table for determining everything from random encounters on the road to what odor a person has. A GM will spend more time rolling on these tables, or on tables which help determine the effects of particular actions than anything short of combat encounters. The dice can determine nearly everything, if you let them. All of this information needs to be recorded or memorized, which goes back to organizing the game.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Set the Table With the Good China!
Alright, you as the Game Master/Dungeon Master/Story Teller/God in miniature have selected your game, arranged a playing schedule and gotten everyone started on character sheets. Hopefully by the time your first session rolls around you have had time to create your campaign.
Many well-run games have been created entirely on the fly and can last for long, long times provided that the GM and players have a very sharp memory. For example: my first real foray into non-AD&D gaming was an online version of the ROBOTECH RPG. I'd had the books for about a week but no one to play with here. Instead, I joined a group of friends in playing in a very off the cuff game which lasted years in some form (and is currently in its ninth year over at http://www.rdfrpg.com). The original GM of that game did nearly everything on the fly or from memory, keeping only a folder of our character sheets, a few quick tables for enemies, and a log of what we did last week. It blossomed from a group of 12 kids to over 65 active members in all age groups.
The most successful method of campaigning is still the most work intensive: writing it all out ahead of time. For a quick game not meant to last more than a few sessions, only a few notes may be necessary for memory's sake. A game that lasts more than just a couple of weeks may well require lots of set up, notation, and rolling of the dice.
So, now that you've got your system in hand, what is your setting? Is this going to be a short adventure, or the humble start to a long winding road for the players? The longer the game is going to last, the harder everything gets to be. Adventures, contact lists, histories and backgrounds all get more complex as a campaign evolves.
Start with the largest slice of your setting you reasonably can; let's assume one starts with a single planet. What color sun does it orbit? How are its seasons and temperatures? Does it have a moon, or multiple moons?
Next, move down a stage to the land the players will walk on: what kind of history does this world have? What are the major religious beliefs, the social climate? Are there other races about the planet? How do they get along? A brief history that can be expanded upon or referred to easily can answer all of those questions.
Is this game going to be combat intensive? Will anyone at the table need access to lots of dice, or writing space? If you play a power-gamer version of Vampire: The Masquerade, often the rolls can get very high very quickly. Some dungeon delvings may run so long or be so massive that an entire table could be devoted to just the map and any miniatures that are used. Once that has been completed, often everything is ready for the GM to pick the first adventure for the group.
If you want more depth, then by all means go into great detail! One of the more fascinating things about the Faerun setting for AD&D was the creation of a few minor races, and the alteration of some of the accepted fantasy races. The world was different from Earth in many respects, and not just topographically; entire species of plants and common animals were introduced and described, just to make the place seem different. Consider designing a map on a computer with some of the many software systems that are available for free use or direct purchase. Sometimes, these come bundled with free software that helps to create characters, situations, rewards, or even track an entire campaign.
Working out a map on paper with your own artistic talent can add to the overall experience as well. Hand drawn maps have an entirely different feel to it, something your players will notice right away. This is YOUR campaign, not some print shops! Maps for entire settings are best drawn carefully, and made permanent once you know what you want to include.
Maps of dungeons, military bases, pipe systems and what have you are best done on a per-game basis. The old stand-by of gridded paper usually works the best. With it, you can make a well regulated, even sided room, building or other structure, and know how far it is to what. Sometimes for combat systems (especially miniatures based systems like Battletech) the system is marked off in hexagons instead of squares. Depended on the combat system or your needs, either way can work so long as you know how you must use it.
Over time, extensive notes about non-player characters, settings, events, and scores are often key to the long-term success of a tabletop or online RPG. I'm not advocating that the GM has to have a detailed sheet for absolutely every NPC, town, and rock in their little universe; but if that GM has some basic stats and a quick description of the NPC on paper, and a flow chart showing where that ugly old man with the scar knows the players from the game may go much more smoothly.
I usually keep a little 3/4" binder for each campaign I'm running; inside will be character notes, an action order sheet (which will be posted eventually), game notes and maps, and copies of the player characters' sheets all go inside. The operating order of it is personal preference, but I like to keep all the character notes and combat sheets up front, with the group's progress directly behind them for reference. Any actual game notes I have will be sitting just beside the binder in case I need to check something.
One of the most important things to consider for your GM's notebook is use of flow charts. A flow chart can outline the entire campaign, the possibilities of an individual adventure, or who knows whom and why. They can take some time to craft, but are worth their weight in rare earth metals once they're completed. They're not for everyone, but they can be read by anyone and thus save some trouble.
Sometimes, I keep note cards in a tiny recipe box or check keeper for easy access. What is contained on those cards determines whether or not I'm willing to share them with the group I'm running the game for. The last stack of cards that I made was an alphabetical list of spells for D&D 3E; each spell was completely described on one card, front and back. This particular set of cards was kept around for both the players and the DM to use.
Using these few tools to your own liking may well help a new or failing GM to organize their thoughts and prepare their worlds for exploration by the players. No one says that all GM's must do it this way, but it seems to be universal that all the greatest hosts have done at least a few of the things listed here today.
Next time, something random!
Many well-run games have been created entirely on the fly and can last for long, long times provided that the GM and players have a very sharp memory. For example: my first real foray into non-AD&D gaming was an online version of the ROBOTECH RPG. I'd had the books for about a week but no one to play with here. Instead, I joined a group of friends in playing in a very off the cuff game which lasted years in some form (and is currently in its ninth year over at http://www.rdfrpg.com). The original GM of that game did nearly everything on the fly or from memory, keeping only a folder of our character sheets, a few quick tables for enemies, and a log of what we did last week. It blossomed from a group of 12 kids to over 65 active members in all age groups.
The most successful method of campaigning is still the most work intensive: writing it all out ahead of time. For a quick game not meant to last more than a few sessions, only a few notes may be necessary for memory's sake. A game that lasts more than just a couple of weeks may well require lots of set up, notation, and rolling of the dice.
So, now that you've got your system in hand, what is your setting? Is this going to be a short adventure, or the humble start to a long winding road for the players? The longer the game is going to last, the harder everything gets to be. Adventures, contact lists, histories and backgrounds all get more complex as a campaign evolves.
Start with the largest slice of your setting you reasonably can; let's assume one starts with a single planet. What color sun does it orbit? How are its seasons and temperatures? Does it have a moon, or multiple moons?
Next, move down a stage to the land the players will walk on: what kind of history does this world have? What are the major religious beliefs, the social climate? Are there other races about the planet? How do they get along? A brief history that can be expanded upon or referred to easily can answer all of those questions.
Is this game going to be combat intensive? Will anyone at the table need access to lots of dice, or writing space? If you play a power-gamer version of Vampire: The Masquerade, often the rolls can get very high very quickly. Some dungeon delvings may run so long or be so massive that an entire table could be devoted to just the map and any miniatures that are used. Once that has been completed, often everything is ready for the GM to pick the first adventure for the group.
If you want more depth, then by all means go into great detail! One of the more fascinating things about the Faerun setting for AD&D was the creation of a few minor races, and the alteration of some of the accepted fantasy races. The world was different from Earth in many respects, and not just topographically; entire species of plants and common animals were introduced and described, just to make the place seem different. Consider designing a map on a computer with some of the many software systems that are available for free use or direct purchase. Sometimes, these come bundled with free software that helps to create characters, situations, rewards, or even track an entire campaign.
Working out a map on paper with your own artistic talent can add to the overall experience as well. Hand drawn maps have an entirely different feel to it, something your players will notice right away. This is YOUR campaign, not some print shops! Maps for entire settings are best drawn carefully, and made permanent once you know what you want to include.
Maps of dungeons, military bases, pipe systems and what have you are best done on a per-game basis. The old stand-by of gridded paper usually works the best. With it, you can make a well regulated, even sided room, building or other structure, and know how far it is to what. Sometimes for combat systems (especially miniatures based systems like Battletech) the system is marked off in hexagons instead of squares. Depended on the combat system or your needs, either way can work so long as you know how you must use it.
Over time, extensive notes about non-player characters, settings, events, and scores are often key to the long-term success of a tabletop or online RPG. I'm not advocating that the GM has to have a detailed sheet for absolutely every NPC, town, and rock in their little universe; but if that GM has some basic stats and a quick description of the NPC on paper, and a flow chart showing where that ugly old man with the scar knows the players from the game may go much more smoothly.
I usually keep a little 3/4" binder for each campaign I'm running; inside will be character notes, an action order sheet (which will be posted eventually), game notes and maps, and copies of the player characters' sheets all go inside. The operating order of it is personal preference, but I like to keep all the character notes and combat sheets up front, with the group's progress directly behind them for reference. Any actual game notes I have will be sitting just beside the binder in case I need to check something.
One of the most important things to consider for your GM's notebook is use of flow charts. A flow chart can outline the entire campaign, the possibilities of an individual adventure, or who knows whom and why. They can take some time to craft, but are worth their weight in rare earth metals once they're completed. They're not for everyone, but they can be read by anyone and thus save some trouble.
Sometimes, I keep note cards in a tiny recipe box or check keeper for easy access. What is contained on those cards determines whether or not I'm willing to share them with the group I'm running the game for. The last stack of cards that I made was an alphabetical list of spells for D&D 3E; each spell was completely described on one card, front and back. This particular set of cards was kept around for both the players and the DM to use.
Using these few tools to your own liking may well help a new or failing GM to organize their thoughts and prepare their worlds for exploration by the players. No one says that all GM's must do it this way, but it seems to be universal that all the greatest hosts have done at least a few of the things listed here today.
Next time, something random!
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Someone Set Us Up The Game!
Welcome to the first post of the RPG Tactics blog! Since this is the beginning of the blog, I feel it's only fair to discuss the beginnings of an RPG campaign. Let's get started, shall we?
Before anyone gathers around the table, before the dice are set to rolling, and certainly before the pizza arrives, all those involved in the game should have a clear idea of what to expect from the coming game. Is it a sword and sorcery fantasy? An exciting deep space thriller? A murder mystery? There are almost as many different settings and styles for games as there are people in this world, and picking the right one is the first step to any good game.
There are other questions to consider, as well:
What system will you be using?
There are so many systems available, with varying compatibility to a game. Systems like Alternity, GURPS, and d20 give game masters incredible options and basic rules that can apply to nearly any campaign. Generic systems have the ability to mold themselves rather closely to any setting.
Other systems, like Battletech or The Call of Cthulhu are tailor-made for certain styles of gaming. Fantasy or inter-spacial psychological thrillers often require more complex and theme specific rules which could put off some players.
Will everyone know the rules well enough to begin playing, or are cheat sheets needed?
Some systems have nearly all the rules of play contained on ready-made character sheets. Others are so complex or setting-specific that some new(er) players may need some guidance by the game master or other experienced players. A great example of this is ROBOTECH: The RPG. The rules are what Palladium Games later based Rifts upon, but so much of the system is setting specific that a player needs to know about both the show and the gaming system in detail before the game begins to make sense.
How much time and energy do you have to devote to play?
Is everyone going to be staying the same length of time each session? What night(s) will your group gather to play? Is it an online game, and how is it run? All of these need answers, and many require a group consensus. An online game can be held in a chat room or on a message board, and both have their advantages and disadvantages.
Play-by-post on a message board allows everyone to meet a minimum schedule, but often players can be stuck waiting for unresponsive players or GM's. It can get frustrating quickly, or fall apart while no one is watching.
Playing in a chat system allows the GM to tailor each session to who is available, and in theory no one will have to wait very long for the next player in line to react to the game. However, one player's absence can completely change the game's direction.
I hope this brief foray into starting your games has helped in some small way. Much of it is common sense, but sometimes a person still needs a clear idea of what to expect in their minds. Next post, I'll be discussing choosing a setting, and what one needs in order to begin crafting their campaign.
Before anyone gathers around the table, before the dice are set to rolling, and certainly before the pizza arrives, all those involved in the game should have a clear idea of what to expect from the coming game. Is it a sword and sorcery fantasy? An exciting deep space thriller? A murder mystery? There are almost as many different settings and styles for games as there are people in this world, and picking the right one is the first step to any good game.
There are other questions to consider, as well:
What system will you be using?
There are so many systems available, with varying compatibility to a game. Systems like Alternity, GURPS, and d20 give game masters incredible options and basic rules that can apply to nearly any campaign. Generic systems have the ability to mold themselves rather closely to any setting.
Other systems, like Battletech or The Call of Cthulhu are tailor-made for certain styles of gaming. Fantasy or inter-spacial psychological thrillers often require more complex and theme specific rules which could put off some players.
Will everyone know the rules well enough to begin playing, or are cheat sheets needed?
Some systems have nearly all the rules of play contained on ready-made character sheets. Others are so complex or setting-specific that some new(er) players may need some guidance by the game master or other experienced players. A great example of this is ROBOTECH: The RPG. The rules are what Palladium Games later based Rifts upon, but so much of the system is setting specific that a player needs to know about both the show and the gaming system in detail before the game begins to make sense.
How much time and energy do you have to devote to play?
Is everyone going to be staying the same length of time each session? What night(s) will your group gather to play? Is it an online game, and how is it run? All of these need answers, and many require a group consensus. An online game can be held in a chat room or on a message board, and both have their advantages and disadvantages.
Play-by-post on a message board allows everyone to meet a minimum schedule, but often players can be stuck waiting for unresponsive players or GM's. It can get frustrating quickly, or fall apart while no one is watching.
Playing in a chat system allows the GM to tailor each session to who is available, and in theory no one will have to wait very long for the next player in line to react to the game. However, one player's absence can completely change the game's direction.
I hope this brief foray into starting your games has helped in some small way. Much of it is common sense, but sometimes a person still needs a clear idea of what to expect in their minds. Next post, I'll be discussing choosing a setting, and what one needs in order to begin crafting their campaign.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
