| From: | Mark Steedman <M.J.Steedman@***.RGU.AC.UK> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: Fudge? : dice rolls and major NPC's / assisting PC's |
| Date: | Tue, 14 Oct 1997 13:31:31 GMT |
> on 05.10.97 dbuehrer@****.ORG wrote:
>
> d> Well, there's a couple philosophies about GMing. One is that the
> d> game should reflect RL and that all die roles should be honored by
> d> the GM. Another is that the story is the most important part and the
> d> GM can fudge die roles if they interfere with the story. I'm about
> d> 90/10. Most of the time I go along with the dice. But every now and
> d> then I need that NPC for a later story and when the PC roles all
> d> sixes I gotta tweek random chance to have the NPC survive.
This can be a good idea 'if the story benefits' or in cases where it
was supposed to be a minor encounter and the dice are a long way from
average, a bit of tweaking back towards average can help overall
entertainment.
The important thing is the intent behind it.
1) tweaking for a better more fun game - acceptable in moderation
2) tweaking just so the GM's fave NPC doesn't die - very rarely
tolerable
> Well, I figured that I can always tweak the background (the part of the
> story nobody knows, except for me) the way that I can continue the run.
Often best, they killed 'x' so.... 'y' takes over the job. depends on
the run of course but, works in some situations, heads of security,
special agents etc are easy enough to replace even if they were
supposed to be the centre of the story. [in most instances]
> If just seen to many of these roll-tweaks in my time to accept
> them.
Quantity is so important, same as its a bit off if PC's die just
because they are rolling under 1/3rd the successes average says they
should and they are getting thier tactics right same goes for NPC's
but it needs to be kept rare i agree. I have seen cases of terrain
thats designed as you move about it so you cannot escape and much
worse even blatant disregard of rules, the bad guys abilities etc or
even any consideration of dice. Thankfully such terrible fudging is
rare.
> The most
> important thing (to me) is that everybody has fun,
Simple easy bottom line.
> and I don't have fun
> when -as a player- the GM can completly control my -as a GM- when the
> players do exacly what I want them to. If I wanted that, I could write a
> book (as GM) or watch a movie (as player).
>
A problem that impacts on things like the tactics thread as well.
The GM has to draw a line beyond which you don't try to force the
PC's, tricks the bad guys are not allowed to use (like snipers on the
roof opposite thier doss unless they brought the bad guys upon
themselves).
I am running into a problem at the moment with the game i am running,
the power levels are reaching a stage where although a lot of fun can
be had small mistakes can be terrible, as the level of power
available to the opposition is terrifying (yes another 20 goons over
here please). I run into the problem that players come to 'i need to
do something about this.... but cannot think of a solution. While the
GM has one and i have decided it words, now i have to draw a line at
what i will give away to players for skill tests and the like or i
will be running tactics for both the PC's and the NPC's as the PC's
will be acting based on my suggestions all the time if i say to much.
[example, PC gets badly hurt fighting a physad, but escapes, now the
NPC's have ritual links they will use on the PC, the player
eventually remmembered the problem (after a hint that he was
forgetting some class 1 critical to his character), now he has a
problem, i know you can destroy ritual links [it's done in the novels
a couple of times but by VERY powerful characters] but what advice
can i let slip as basically i know one solution that keeps the PC in
the game but even the slightest hint and i might as well forget the
whole problem (due to how), i'm not looking for suggestions specific
to this case but it shed some light on the problems that can come up]
Mark
