Author Topic: Sode #4: Player on an Island  (Read 4344 times)

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Zeke

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Sode #4: Player on an Island
« on: December 18, 2007, 10:55:01 AM »
     Have you ever been the player on an Island?
     I know I have.
     I would get so invested in my character concept that I neglected to think how my character would fit in with the rest of the group.
     It's easy to  fired up about your character. You mold and shape and polish and pedicure your Orc barbarian, and you sit down at the table and the GM announces that you're playing a game set in an Elven Emergency room.

     Have you encountered this?

     as a player or a GM?

     what did you do about it?
« Last Edit: June 23, 2008, 10:48:28 AM by Meg »

Dragon Snack

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Re: episode 4, Player on an Island
« Reply #1 on: December 18, 2007, 05:05:08 PM »
All the time as a DM.  My players always seem to want to play whatever they want, without thinking about what anybody else is playing.  That has lead to a group of 3 Druids and a Cleric, groups without a Cleric, and many, MANY groups without a Rogue.  I made them talk to each other once and it worked out really well, but they didn't keep that up...

As a player I try to play what the group needs.  I always seem to have a couple of character concepts in the back of my head, so I can usually work with the group.  It's most annoying however, when a player has his own plans that don't include ANY of the other players and actively works against the rest of the group (which I've encountered all to often).

As a GM, I just try to run what I have planned and let the dice fall were they may.  I do however skimp on the amount of traps they face, since I don't want to dead end an adventure with a trap they can't get by (since, even if there is a Rogue, it's usually only a level dip for skills not a straight Rogue).  It's a little tougher as a player, after character creation there's not much to do short of being a jerk and getting the other character killed (if even that is possible, I've seen characters survive insurmountable odds thanks to lenient DMs).
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Jim

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Re: episode 4, Player on an Island
« Reply #2 on: December 23, 2007, 03:52:49 AM »
I don't think I've ever been the player on an island, but I have seen it many times.

Concerning groups that ignore the balance and advantage that having one of every class present grants, I have to admit that I will often point out such issues, but only once.  Then, I make it clear that I will not alter the world to suit their party make up.  I may even give examples such as, 'You will not have anyone to heal your characters, since you do not have a Cleric.  Understand, that I will not add hundreds of Extra Healing potions or a Cleric NPC, just because you ignored the precautionary step of having a Priest on hand.'  If they don't take steps to rectify the situation (like visit a temple and carefully recruit an NPC Priest or have someone play a Cleric), then they will certainly be tested as players and will hopefully learn from the experience.
I'm not saying I will try and mess them up (people should be able to play the accepted PC classes they want to), but I won't alter the world to make it easier for them.  Sometimes the players are up to the challenge of playing a party with no Mages or with only Mages (or whatever) and in those cases, I applaud them, but most often they are quickly undone by their lack of party balance.  Hopefully, when this happens, it is not too late for them to correct the situation within the game.
A game I am preparing to start in January has just such an issue.  The party has no Cleric.  They are fortunate enough to have a lot of Healing Potions from the previous campaign, but those won't last that long and won't make up for the other spells and abilities a Cleric would give them.  I curious to see what happens (especially since once they get going in the game, they will not have contact with any other friendlies for a long time).

 

Jim

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Re: episode 4, Player on an Island
« Reply #3 on: December 23, 2007, 04:11:11 AM »
Concerning Gaming Methadone:
I Play by Post.  A lot.  I can play D&D at any time and for as long as I'd like (within reason) and (most important) I play every . . . single . . . day.  I can also play in as many games as I can handle all at the same time.  I know some people who've played in twelve games simultaneously!
I'd call this the Gaming Methadone clinic.  Open 24 hours.  And free!  It is also almost exactly like tabletop (unlike computer RPGs), if you were to slow it waaaayyyy down.
Ever have a DM set your PC up to have to give an important speech in front of a moody king?  During a tabletop game, that sucks!  Your PC may have a 16 charisma, intelligence, and wisdom, but you just have the last fantasy novel you wrote and a two liter of Moonmist to help you through.  However, in PbP, you can take a day, even a few days to word the address just perfect.  Does the DM care?  Hell no.  His game is just that much better because of the care you took and he (or she) already knows your PC is smarter than you (you are playing make believe on a computer and your PC is smart enough to be talking to a freakin' king, who will undoubtedly toss untold riches his way).
So, although it isn't quite the 'masterbation' Meg mentioned, it is a great way to play on your own time.  Sort of like a quicky . . . with people you may never meet watching you (some of whom aren't even joining in).

Josh

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Re: episode 4, Player on an Island
« Reply #4 on: December 28, 2007, 06:08:32 AM »
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Dragon Snack

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Re: episode 4, Player on an Island
« Reply #5 on: December 28, 2007, 10:17:55 AM »
So, how long did that game last?
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Zeke

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Re: episode 4, Player on an Island
« Reply #6 on: December 31, 2007, 12:21:30 PM »
So, how long did that game last?

     Fairly long for a CoC game; a couple of months I think.
     Ironically, it was E who ran that game.

Josh

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Re: episode 4, Player on an Island
« Reply #7 on: January 04, 2008, 12:17:39 AM »
So, how long did that game last?
It did run long for a CoC game.  It was High school and we played it for 2 or 3 weekends.  The reason it fell apart was because  after that long the characters had done everything they could.  The original CoC system is very flat in the character advancement department.
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Dragon Snack

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Re: episode 4, Player on an Island
« Reply #8 on: January 04, 2008, 04:08:51 PM »
Long for a CoC game, that's funny...
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If you look at the entire history of the RPG industry, you'll see the same, long, sad story: a mountain of conventional wisdom, usually backed by selective listening, that leads to a long chain of failed games and bad ideas. - Mike Mearls

Zeke

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Re: episode 4, Player on an Island
« Reply #9 on: January 04, 2008, 04:48:55 PM »
    CoC was a sprint not a marathon.
     It focused on short, exciting adventures rather than character advancement and long campaigns.
     CoC die hards (and by this I mean E) will tell you that you can do long campaigns, but with the possible exception of Masks of Nyarlathotep, they're wrong.

Josh

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Re: episode 4, Player on an Island
« Reply #10 on: January 05, 2008, 03:22:47 AM »
    CoC was a sprint not a marathon.
     It focused on short, exciting adventures rather than character advancement and long campaigns.
     CoC die hards (and by this I mean E) will tell you that you can do long campaigns, but with the possible exception of Masks of Nyarlathotep, they're wrong.

The problem was not the adventures, the problem was that the characters did not actually advance or change. And, we were itching to play a different game. 
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Peaboo

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Re: episode 4, Player on an Island
« Reply #11 on: January 11, 2008, 04:22:13 AM »
You know, I find I'm usually the "water" around the island.

"We don't have a cleric! We need a cleric so we have some healing!"

"We're all playing spellcasters, so we need a fighter."

I'm always the "fill in" character- whatever role is needed, that's the character I end up with.

BobismyRhino

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Re: episode 4, Player on an Island
« Reply #12 on: June 10, 2008, 04:32:38 AM »
Pardon me as I emerge from the n00by depths that be, but everytime I try to listen to this podcast, it says there's an "Error Opening File." I have no idea where else to mention this.
All of the other podcasts work just fine. It's just this particular one that's being buggy.

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Josh

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Re: episode 4, Player on an Island
« Reply #13 on: June 10, 2008, 05:56:15 AM »
It should work now.  If any other episodes stop working, let us know.
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