roseembolism (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
roseembolism) wrote2010-03-18 03:10 pm
roseembolism) wrote2010-03-18 03:10 pm
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Some comments on last Saturday's game
In retrospect, the Under the Green Moon game last Saturday went pretty well, considering that a) I changed my mind about the scenario four days before the game, b) I lost a day to a computer virus and c) it was a party and there were a ton of distractions. It seems that people. Had fun, and the Heroquest system worked well, even though I forgot the rule book. I also didn't follow the recommended rules for increasing or decreasing difficulties according to the time in the game, and the final battle looked nothing like the rules in the book for extended contests. Oh well The only thing I regret is that the ending/denoument was rushed so that no proper explanation could be given. An epilogue needs to be written.
I did get some feedback from RacerxMachina, to the effect that I need to give myself more time to write the game, and that it would benefit from the sort of sandbox setting and player investment that comes from an extended campaign. Also, to get that investment, I need to write more. To all of which I agree completely. I myself was concerned about the game being linear- part of which comes from being a convention game.
She had another comment that took me by surprise, but which in retrospect makes sense: the UTGM games have been too focused on the past. It's been all about dealing with ancient wonders and threats, which overshadows the current age. Where, she wondered, were the new discoveries of the current cultures? What was going on in politics, art, and the like? They can't all be obsessed with the past, can they?
That's a valid concern. I confess I've been emphasizing "applied archaeology" both to emphasize some of the differences of the setting (being our far-future Earth), and because dealing with ancient artifacts, whether in a fetch and retrieve quest or a free-for-all McGuffin chase makes for a simple, obvious convention game. But she has a point- there is a lot that should be depicted as going on in the setting that has nothing to do with the past.
So my next project will be to do a list of some of the current events in the setting. That, and I need to get a map posted one of these days.
So does anyone have any additional comments, either on the game last Saturday, or in general?
Post from mobile portal m.livejournal.com
I did get some feedback from RacerxMachina, to the effect that I need to give myself more time to write the game, and that it would benefit from the sort of sandbox setting and player investment that comes from an extended campaign. Also, to get that investment, I need to write more. To all of which I agree completely. I myself was concerned about the game being linear- part of which comes from being a convention game.
She had another comment that took me by surprise, but which in retrospect makes sense: the UTGM games have been too focused on the past. It's been all about dealing with ancient wonders and threats, which overshadows the current age. Where, she wondered, were the new discoveries of the current cultures? What was going on in politics, art, and the like? They can't all be obsessed with the past, can they?
That's a valid concern. I confess I've been emphasizing "applied archaeology" both to emphasize some of the differences of the setting (being our far-future Earth), and because dealing with ancient artifacts, whether in a fetch and retrieve quest or a free-for-all McGuffin chase makes for a simple, obvious convention game. But she has a point- there is a lot that should be depicted as going on in the setting that has nothing to do with the past.
So my next project will be to do a list of some of the current events in the setting. That, and I need to get a map posted one of these days.
So does anyone have any additional comments, either on the game last Saturday, or in general?
Post from mobile portal m.livejournal.com
no subject
now I can look at those links you mentioned at Tank....
no subject
Some comments on last Saturday's game
no subject
Inevitably whatever you've created will get shortcut to fantasy tropes by the players, even when they don't quite fit, to give them a recognizable image to grasp. E.g. "so she's the elf of this world."
I think a current plotline instead of one involving the past reduces the information intake and broadens the players' ability to process and enjoy what they are given.
I'd be happy to talk with you about this at some point if you like.
no subject
Taking advantage of pre-existing tropes/cliches/etc. can allow newbies to enjoy your setting and still get to play, even if doing so is not "true" to your visualized game setting. Thankfully, the newbies probably won't know the difference.
For your weekly/monthly game, however, it's all fair game.