From:	Duke Diener <DukeDragon@***.COM>
Subject:	Re: POLL--PLEASE REPLY
Date:	Mon, 14 Aug 1995 17:47:39 -0400

Damion Milliken wrote:

>I generally agree, but remember that there is a HUGE difference between the
>situation the character is in, and the situation the player is in, so their
>states of mind are likely to vastly different. Sitting in the living room
>munching pizza is a tad different to trying to flog off an automatic weapon
>to Mr. Sleazy Jr the Fixer in a rat infested garbage littered back alley.
>Not to mention that the player is a very different person to the character.

Yes you know there is a world of difference and your players know there is a
world of difference. It is your job to set the mood, to encourage the
suspension of disbelief so the players can think in character.

>I wouldn't force them to do something drastic that they didn't want to (like
>give all their equipment to the charasmatic bum they met on the sidewalk),
>but if an NPC with a suitable skill makes the neccessary roll, I'll usually
>abide by it. Like, for example, negotiation tests. If Ala Fasta Talka
>Johnson manages to get 6 successes on the bargaining test with the teams
>chosen negotiator, then the team gets paid less. He has, by making his skill
>roll, convinced the team, and the made them see the "truth", of the value of
>their actions.

This is the definition of Roll-playing vs. Role-playing. If the group
doesn't buy what your NPC is saying then keep at it until you convince them.
If the groups decision is truely out of character then warn the players that
they are using "player knowledge" and that their characters would not know
such things. If they still persists make a point of subtracting karma from
the award at the end of the run. If you subtract karma you must be sure to
tell the group that you took away X karma because they did not stay in
character, then tell them when they were out of character.

Duke