Kyrian Linwood |
That's what we're hoping anyways
Halvor Tanner |
I'm glad there were no injuries, Kyrian. These situations tend to bring out the best, sometimes, as your local Red Cross is proving. Glad everything's ok for you.
DM Holden, that's cool that you would even make the trip for the benefit of the game. Just post as you can.
Lynnda Windstrike |
On a side note, are we now just ignoring initiative in response to free actions or in response to any action cause from my view point, it seems that Halvor is attempting to make it seem that he's always got the drop on every thing. Case in point, he's yelling commands at me before my actions and moving himself into a position for my actions to take effect, however he's after me, and there's a whole round before his actions can actually affect mine should they actually make a difference, such as flanking. Are you actually filtering this out in response to initiative Holden, or is this just going to be a free for all, first come first serve type of deal?
In an asynchronous format like PbP, actions by necessity work a little differently than in a synchronous game (like face-to-face, or a VTT-&-Skype game). You can't wait for everyone else's actions to be resolved before you declare your own. I'm only checking the board once or twice a day.
So, everyone declares what they're doing in general terms, and then the GM has to construct a narrative of the round once everyone has posted. For reason of character interplay, then yes, there's some interaction that's more based on who happens to post first.
In particular, right now, we're running in a greater level of abstraction than PFRPG normally assumes: no map. This is more like an AD&D combat, where tactical combat positioning is optional.
And, even at a table, players regularly speak out of turn or kibitz.
TL,DR: I'm OK with how our GM is running things, especially since he's on a camping trip at the moment!
Halvor Tanner |
Talking is a free action, I believe. As far as actions, I have been stating contingencies, such as if Kyrian does not move into a flanking position or the enemy shifts. We're all supposed to state actions at the beginning of the round, then DM Holden is executing them according to our initiative order. This makes the combat seem more realistic and fluid, since in reality we're not all just standing around waiting our turn.
Halvor Tanner |
Reference from DM Holden's stated rules/regulations at the beginning of the Discussion thread:
Combat
Initiative order will be posted at the start of a conflict so you know who is acting when. After that, everyone can describe what you're doing during the current round. You may have to provide alternatives if required (eg: I'll attack the goblin in front of us unless Halvor kills it first, in that case I'll drop my weapon and ready and shoot my crossbow at the nearest target). If you feel you absolutely need to wait and see how the action unfolds before deciding what to do (either because the timing is critical or because the action is complex), then you may wait until your actual Initiative opportunity comes around before declaring what you are doing (this may slow combat down significantly).
Also for reference from the Core Rulebook:
Speak
In general, speaking is a free action that you can perform
even when it isn’t your turn. Speaking more than a few
sentences is generally beyond the limit of a free action.
Not trying to be an ass, just hoping you understand the reasoning behind what I am doing. You're West Coast time, I'm Central. I have the privilege of having a job where I can check the website multiple times a day all throughout the day. In a combat situation I will likely get to my post before you get to yours. Doesn't mean yours does not get resolved first. You can always choose to just ignore what I am saying, if your character feels he knows better.
Kyrian Linwood |
It's not the speaking part that bothers me really, as I can work that without issue unless there's some obvious flaw that pops up lol. It's more the actual actions part that starts to get at me. I do understand that pbp games run combat differently, I'd be friggin retarded if I thought it was going to be the same. However, I do feel that a "free for all whoever posts first gets the first action" style doesn't work, and I see way too many players do that. I've had to tell my players to hold up a moment because they started making aoes before I could actually make a reaction that was going to affect them in a pretty big negative fashion, just because they wanted to straight up jump and do what they wanted to do, and didn't care about the situation. And to add to that, I've been in enough games that ran this "free for all" style and I got shafted hard core, being told that I did this, this and this, was skipped 2 whole rounds, being told that I did this, this and this, when I never did anything, all because I was gone from the computer for a day due to work and school. And that automatically pisses me off when I'm being told that my character is doing this when I never even had the chance to make a decision, all because a few people have so much free time that they never even leave their computer compared to me.
I have no problem with trying to setup tactics like that, but I don't enjoy feeling like I now have to force myself to do something because someone who was able to post before me is now telling me how I need to spend my turn in a game post, rather than saying here "Hey, if I did this, would you do that..."
Halvor Tanner |
I apologize for any misunderstandings, but I will say I have not forced any actions on any of your parts. I have yelled, nodded, and maneuvered to maintain tactical advantage, but don't feel constrained by my stated actions. If you feel Kyrian would withdraw and fire arrows, feel free. Part of a group that is first learning to work together is the miscues. I don't feel Holden is putting my actions before yours, nor are you being forced into an action. He puts his recap in initiative order, and stated we didn't have the flank until i moved. If I post that I maintain flank, then you post later that you withdraw, then that's just a lack of coordination on our character's part and part of the fog of war thing we have going on here that I actually think is pretty cool. Anyways, I hope there's no hard feelings.
Kyrian Linwood |
Oh, no hard feelings. You're not acting like the one guy who told me to suck it up, this is how pbp works in reference to being skipped two full rounds lol. We're still a new group that some of us haven't played together before. I just wanted to address this now before it somehow turned worse lol.
GM Holden |
Most of what needed to be said has been already. No one is going to get missed out on acting. If someone doesn't post for a few days and we really need to move a situation along, then I'll perform appropriate actions for you. Also, another players declaration of action or intent does not "railroad" any other player into a specific course of action.
If you are getting perturbed that someone is getting bossy and yelling commands at you in the din of battle then by all means role-play that situation out. As I've said before, the party should all be working together but that doesn't mean that everyone is best buds with everyone.
I think what Halvor has been doing is calling out short commands (or if you prefer strong suggestions) as a free action (which can be performed pretty much at any time). Also, he has been good about posting alternative actions in response to how the round unfolds. Saying that he is shifting position to maintain flanking on an enemy is just standard tactics (indeed I'm assuming that everyone is attempting to do that unless they specifically say they want to hang back out of reach).
Please understand that technically, when you guys are describing what your character is doing none of that has actually happened yet until I post the results of the round. Some of your posted actions simply stand-in more or less as what you've described (such as Cerin's description of his cure light wounds spell on himself at the end of combat just now). Other actions are more dependant on outside influences and I'll modify the narrative accordingly.
Rest assured, actions are unfolding in initiative order.
Kyrian Linwood |
Okay, so you are going to filter things through so that it all makes sense. That's good to hear lol.
Kyrian Linwood |
Do we have any idea when Holden is supposed to be back from camping? Just curious cause we haven't heard from him here.
Lynnda Windstrike |
He posted on 7/18 that he'd be gone for two weeks.
I'm guessing (hoping) that he'll be back some time this weekend.
I'd really hate it if turned out to be yet another Adventure Path PbP that fizzled out before the end of Chapter 1, Part One.
Cerinnibert |
I'm sure he's just enjoying his vacation. I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't able to post until the end of the weekend, what with the usual post-vacation settling in.
Kyrian Linwood |
I'm not worried, just honestly didn't remember lol.
Kyrian Linwood |
Hey! Speak of the devil lol.
Kyrian Linwood |
Sorry for not posting yet. Been a couple of wild days for me. I'll attempt to post something tonight, so that hopefully the shop keep doesn't stay pissed at me lol.
Lynnda Windstrike |
I've always used Romanian as a stand-in for Varisian on the boards, courtesy of Google Translate. I don't speak Romanian, and have no idea how accurate it is.
GM Holden |
Once again thanks for you patience over the last two weeks. Now that I'm home, I'll be able to post frequently again.
I have a question regarding loot. I'm assuming that you are not interested in completely stripping dead bodies of all their weapons, armor, clothing and other mundane items. In my opinion, the trouble of collecting, transporting and selling these goods far outweighs the monetary value to be gained. When searching bodies for treasure after battle, I'm just going to list actual treasure and items of note if you don't mind.
Lynnda Windstrike |
Agreed. We don't need to try to sell every bad guy's mundane sword, bloodstained leather armor, or boots. We'll just grab their wallets and watches.
We'll also want to take any masterwork equipment, alchemical items, and magic items that our fallen enemies may have.
Kyrian Linwood |
Man, talk about posting with a vengence. Went to bed last night, nothing new. Woke up this morning, Paizo was down. Come home from work, and now I have a novel to read lmao.
*Edit: After reading, and now posting, I can't help but wonder... Have I been set up for failure, or secretly been set up for success? Oh man, I'm gonna have so much fun playing this character to his full extent right off the bat lmao.
Lynnda Windstrike |
Krissina: I just realized that I had been a player in your short-lived Way of the Wicked campaign. I played the bard serial-killer. That was by far and away the darkest PC I've ever run!
Kyrian Linwood |
Gotta say, I'm enjoying this cut scene type of play, it makes me feel like we're in a movie of sorts lol.
Kyrian Linwood |
Eh, it more active than the other Rise game I'm in, if you even want to call that one "active". At least we got off to a good start, so I'm positive about that!
Kyrian Linwood |
That blows. I hope you feel better!
Kyrian Linwood |
Gonna have to NPC me for a potential few weeks. My fiance had a death in the family, so all my efforts need to go to her. Not dropping out, just gotta stay at her side for now.
Kyrian Linwood |
I should be returning sometime this week, Wednesday at the earliest. We appreciate your thoughts and prayers!