| From: | Marc Renouf renouf@********.com |
|---|---|
| Subject: | The Power of Chance (was: Matrix review) |
| Date: | Mon, 21 Aug 2000 10:59:37 -0400 (EDT) |
> Like I believe I mentioned (maybe privately and not to the list
> actually) I am, too, handling rules very easily and take a much more
> free form "If you want to do it, do it" approach.
[SNIP]
> While in combat, magic, and even rigging, you can let players do cool
> stuff without rolling for dramatazition, it acts the other way around in
> the matrix.
[SNIP]
> Opposed to "Okay I give the car a little boost, up to 180mph and take a
> risk and jump with the ramp over the river" - here, dicing is what will
> ruin it. In those situations you cn either play hard on the players and
> tell them it fails, or let them for the action and coolness of it, to do
> it. Lettinf dice decide that for you sucks.
Says you. Personally, I think letting dice decide that for you is
one of the coolest aspects of the game. It challenges the GM to describe
exactly *why* it succeeds or fails, which in turn leads to a much less
arbitrary result. When the sammy who has a huge skill manages to totally
flub a roll (hand cramp), or the guy with a pistols skill of 1 manages to
pull off that shot with a 14 target number (eyes half-closed, blazing
away recklessly), these are the things that the players will remember.
Mine do. And the accomplishment (or shame) is all their own.
Further, my players can never accuse me of playing favorites or
picking on them because in most circumstances, I roll the dice openly in
front of them. They succeed or fail based on their own merit, planning,
and skills. Dice add chance to it. That uncertainty, that little element
of "Oh, man, I could totally hose this" adds a lot to a game. It gives
you a reason to have a Karma pool and a reason to improve your skills.
Take that away and you might as well be playing Amber.
Marc
