From a good thing
You can linger too long
In your dreams
Say goodbye to the
Oldies but goodies
Cause the good ole days weren't always good
and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems
Search Posts
Why are pilots like awkward first dates? The entire sub plot with Kara's Sister seemed very unnecessary and only serves as a way to feed her a villain of the week. Villain of the week seems so CW, I did not expect that with a bigger network, But there is a lot to like. The actress playing Supergirl is fantastic. Jimmy Olsen's reveal later in the episode seemed a bit awkward from a script standpoint but the actor plays it off with charm. I'm completely sold on him as a Jimmy Olsen for the modern age. As far as pilots go it was ok but I'm happy to have it behind me. Looking forward to more. -MD
The below listed things make me think "old school". Home made character sheets, no computers or printouts. * No figurines, just x's and o's on scratch paper. And if figs are used they must look gnarly, made of pewter, and are poorly painted if painted at all. * Hand made maps on graph paper. * Beholders * type A poison * Type A-I large lair treasure and type J-Z small lair treasure * Mountain Dew * David A. Trampier * Any argument between a Dungeon Master and Player over option rules from Dragon Magazine Oddly enough Roleplaying does not seem to be a factor for my determination of "Old School". I've played in all editions of D&D and had groups that Roleplayed and many that did not.
It's made for kids, and his art and character sheets are fun. And it's a great price.
While Dark Mater might get some flack for lack or originality I appreciate that none of the characters are neglected. They all get a chance to perform. The dude playing 4, aka "the asian guy" just jumped into that role and is turning it to something better than what was on paper. His physicality is impressive and I bet dollars to donuts he trains in martial arts because he certainly looks like he's been doing it for years. Always drives me crazy when they ask actors to do martial arts and they obviously lack form with kicks having zero hip rotation and poor flexibility such that their kick can only go so high as the opponents waist. (yeah I'm looking at you Lost Girl)
It can do everything it advertises. It really is an amazing product. However make sure your players are committed to using it before making the plunge. I put a lot of work into mine and after a few months players abandoned it so it was wasted energy.
I recommend using tinder. Just put in keywords like "roleplaying" or "group activity" and you will be surprised by all the hits you get.
Dark Matter has a few uninspiring actors such as "poor man's Paul Rudd" and "budget Jayne Cobb". But having a larger cast than Killjoys makes for some fun group dynamics. Killjoys really only has three main characters but one is Aaron Ashmore and how how can you not like Aaron Ashmore? Both suffer from having abysmal fight choreography. I enjoy them both and I am very happy to see space adventure back on the small screen.
I've not seen any threads dedicated to Scyfi's two new (ish) shows. Is anyone watching them? Is anyone enjoying them? Feels like they could inhabit the same universe that was build from the leftover scraps from Firefly.
Lexy and Stephany - Eye of the Tiger Because I hate you all.
I have an opinion on this topic!
I sat next to a visibly terrified child at Jurassic World a few weeks ago. Jurassic World is a pretty hard PG-13 and at one point prehistoric birds are pecking and pulling apart a screaming woman mid air and then continuing the carnage underwater. I just could not get into the movie because this kid sitting next to me should NOT be here. I could not get that out of my mind and it made me very uncomfortable. Now obviously mom and dad really wanted to see Jurassic World. Yeah I get it, I wanted to see it too. but really?? How does a movie relate to gaming? Well at a movie you have no control over the narrative. One the movie starts you are along for the ride. A game however can be adjusted. If a Child sits at the game table the GM can (and should) responsibly alter the game so that the child is protected. So all of a sudden after years of R rated games you get watered down PG or G rated games? I'm not ok with that. I'm an adult, I'm not interested in a PG game and even less interested having a child participate with my/our R rated game. So I'm 100% for dads being active in their kids lives. And to the OP I'm happy you can spend this time gaming with your child and cool that some of your gamers are sticking around. Honestly the gamers who are sticking around are better men than I because I would walk away and find another game group.
Man, I hear you on that! I had an account on Obsidian Portal and would spend hours posting information, pics, histories, back story information on main NPC's, i.e. tons of work, and show up for gaming with people looking at me blankly when I'd reference something I had put up. The first few times, okay - but when it became apparent people were not availing themselves of it, I was both hurt and annoyed. I finally cancelled my account and stopped doing all the recording and recounting what transpired for them.My group had an Obsidian Portal account, too. No one used it but me. I quit bothering with it years ago. We should start a support group. I'm in the same boat.
I use tinder. I just say that I'm into "roleplay" and I get hundreds of hits each day. Most of people who respond want to meet up at bathrooms and reststops which I find odd.
In extreme situations yes they do. Example: I had a GM that had a great idea for an underwater campaign. He of course could not tell us the story prior to character building. Well the archer, horse master and the tumbling dagger chucker were probably character concepts that could have been avoided. (I played the dagger thrower). It was frustrating because it really was an awesome idea and story, we just had three characters that were totally ill fitted for the majority of his campaign (levels 3 to 8'ish 2nd edition D&D). The GM could have said "That character might not work well in this campaign." Problem could have been avoided before it became a problem. However.... Campaigns periodically find characters out of their element. Fish out of water is a normal and healthy trope. This might last one or two adventures; long enough that the table can milk it for all the RP it can but not so long that is grows tiresome.
I would imagine even the most experienced GM might have trouble managing a game with insta-level 20 characters. When you slowly level PC's over months/years you have a better grasp of what then can and can't handle. This GM had no way to know this and I'm frankly amazing it went as well as it did. But the end result is that you did not enjoy the game and I can't blame you. Talk honestly to your friends and GM. Make sure to point out what the GM did well as well. A GM can't get better without feedback.
I thought they longer called it global warming because of Republican Strategist Frank Lutz. Frank did not create the term (it had been around for a long time), but he strongly advocated it's use. Frank determined via focus groups that climate Change sounded like something that naturally occurs and less frightening. All the Republicans got memo (and apparently so did you) and used it. The media soon followed and began using it and I believe that's why Global Warming is no longer used.
Was your showing of Curious George 3: Back to the jungle ruined by children?
Rules wise, you're wrong. Art objects, gems and precious metals are sold at 100% price. I was not aware there were rules for such a thing. Now that I know, I can properly ignore it. We use the gem rolling charts from the forgotten realms Adventures book. The GM rolls up the gem and that determines the type of gem and the average value. The player then uses his/her appraisal skill and if they make their check they are given that gem's true value. Like in real life, the value is what a person will pay for it. With a success the player now armed with this knowledge goes in to barter. The buyer or seller must also make a skill check. Once the value is established we barter by way of RP, skill, charisma, sense motive, intimidate...or whatever. This is a Role playing game so we get creative. It's fast, fun, dice are rolled, and in the end coin has changed hands. I had a player who would trade gold for uncut gems, cut them himself and mark up the price on me. I love it, great use of a skill. I don't have magic item shops, so money is not as big a deal as it is in some other games. Don't get me wrong, money is always useful, but when magic item distribution is not dependent on campaign economy it takes much of the luster off the gold.
Our table does not track gold weight in detail but we are cognoscente of it's encumbrance. We trade in gold for gems should the coin become burdensome. Buying and selling the gems at value is the tricky part and that requires various skill checks such as appraisal.
What a loss. :( The Glory Soundtrack remains one of the greatest soundtracks I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. If the Charging of Ft Wagner does not get your blood pumping then you should consult a doctor. RIP James, gone but never forgotten.
A player who lacks charisma should not be penalized when playing a character with charisma. This is one of many ways to handle it. Before we start an in character interaction I might have the player make an charisma check and/or a heraldry or perhaps a local history check so that he addresses the NPC by his proper title. Assuming success I would relay to the other players a quick description of what the players character is doing. You see Ramius take a knee and places his right hand over his left brestpocket and greets the magistrate as Thotar, son of Yolis, slayer of Genthor the horrible. Thotor has a surprised look upon his face. "I did not expect an outsider to know the ways of the Lower Denborian". Thotar smiles and says "Arise traveler that I might know your name" Now at this point I hand the mic to the player. What was established what the characters skill and charisma put them in good favor. I give a great deal of leeway to the player as long as he makes a reasonable attempt to be in character. What I never do is speak for the character. I might relay what he is doing as it relates to a skill or attribute check but I never give voice to a PC. It never hurts to remind your GM that your players charisma is High. You would be amazed how often GM's forget about those things.
You might get some inspiration from watching the tv show Fringe. Years ago ran a game based on the premise that each time the spell "wish" was cast it unknowingly created an alternate reality. I could fill you in on more info if you are interested but I'd probably bore you.
Thinking back to 2nd edition D&D I had a follower who was a fighter/apprentice blacksmith. I was focused on RP'ing my character so the GM handled running my follower's personality and spoke for him when necessary. But I always ran the character in battle. It was so long ago that I don't recall why we broke up the duties like that but it worked for us. Has anyone else had a similar arrangement?
As GM I can proudly say I've never killed a PC. I root for them and hope they are successful in all that they do. However, my dice do not like player characters at all and have murdered several despite many attempts to switch up my rolling technique. Overhand, underhand, on a book, off a book, shaken well... it matters not. They tumble across the table heartlessly drinking deep the tears of lesser gamers.
How about we just get this thread back on topic. Dice fudging is a never ending debate that will not be solved here. How much cheating do you tolerate? What cheating do you tolerate?
Almost all your GMPC rules were broken in this classic comic strip.
I think my description is far from how you run it. I described and all or nothing approach loaded with unnecessary rolling. The way you are running your game is great as , I like it.
Cheating of any kind is not allowed and this starts with the GM.What would constitute GM cheating, pray tell? This is beating a dead horse but GM "fudging dice" is cheating for us. We (all the players and the DM) prefer the honest brutality of the dice. Please note, This constitutes cheating at table. What other groups do is their own business. Excessive railroading is a form of cheating. Harder to prove but most players know it when it happens. Stacking the deck unfairly against the players. Example: Requiring players make excessive successful rolls just to succeed. "Yeah, I'm going to need a int check, followed by a dex check and an acrobatics roll" The problem with this is you are stacking the odds unfairly against them when all that is needed to fail is one bad roll. Stacking the deck really just the GM trying to discourage the player from whatever they are trying to do. Anyway that's a few Jaelithe
"Being promted" is just an acknowledgment that we (the GM and the other players) are paying attention to the upcoming dice roll. The dice rolling in open view is dramatic often eliciting high fives, fist bumps, cheers, and at times groans. I make no judgement on your actions or your game theJeff.
At our table the heartless fates tumble across the table in open view and feast on the tears of lesser men. Cheating of any kind is not allowed and this starts with the GM. The closest I've ever seen to player cheating at our table (in recent years) are players who roll attacks or skill checks before being promoted or before I as GM have given approval. These are most often honest mistakes of eagerness on the players part. In such cases I just ask that they re-roll in the open for all to see. We are all grown ups and this arrangement has never been an issue.
Just curious: Has anyone changed his or her opinion as a result of reading this thread? Or are we just barking at each other to no effect?Fairly sure it's the second. I have totally changed my opinion on GMPC's after readig this thread. I still will not use GMPC's due of my limited ability to be both a good player and a good GM. It's just not a strength I have as GM. So I choose to focus on my better attributes and avoid it. However as some have pointed out they can do both and do it well. Jaelithe (among many) made me realize that just because I've never had a good GMPC experience does not mean they are not out there. And on another rant...What's the point of engaging a conversation if you mind is not open to be enlightened?
Variety is the spice of life. None know this more than Muad'Dib. I think weird animals and monsters break up the predictable types of strategy that come with bipedal monsters.
The guy playing Jimmy Olsen played Egg's in one of the seasons of True Blood. He was good. You probably did not recognize him because he had his shirt on. The show looks like the Black Widow Rom-Com skit SN did a few weeks back. I'll tune in for sure, it looks like too much fun to miss.
Characters often have stats, abilities, and knowledge that are far beyond that of the players that control them. If the character in question is a seasoned fighter I wold assume that they have some sort of grasp or tactics even if the player playing him/her has none. So allowing other players to chime in can fill in the difference between the characters skill and the players lack thereof.
Graph paper, pencil, pen, and imagination I've tried other methods but I always go back to the classics.
If your wine stored over 70 degrees for a length of time run the risk of altering the taste. Over 80 and you get what's called "cooking the wine" Personalty given the scenario you presented I'd go with the lesser of evils and put it in the fridge as far from the cooling element as possible. On it's side so the cork does not dry out. That is the real risk when putting wine in the fridge, it tends to dry out the cork.
That won't happen, the last thing they want to do is pay taxes:-D Well they just gave up their non-profit status a few weeks ago.
I often have many of my elves treat humans like they are children. Talk slow, pat on the head, positive and negative reinforcement. This could be due to the fact that humans live such short lives in comparison...or elves just being pricks. Mountain dwarves tell time by the forge bellows that are constantly active day and night. The cadence of he forge is as constant as the tick of a clock and one would know if it's day or night by what forges are active and what ones are not.
The reality is every time I GM I want to play and every time I play I want to GM. Combining the two just does not satiate either desire. It just makes me a bad GM and a bad player
The NFL has suspended Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady without pay for the first four games of the season, fined the New England Patriots $1 million and taken away two draft picks as punishment Oooff, that is brutal.
I remember going to the Neverending Story for a classmates birthday party. There was about six of us and the prevailing pier pressured opinion was that the movie was lame. And while I too said it was lame (because capitulating with the herd is what you do at that age) I secretly loved that movie.
The analogy was as perfect as something that was really really good. I better stop with the bad jokes before Liz bans me for thread derailment. Sorry I get bored and ruin threads, and I know that grinds some people gears.
A good analogy is like a boxer with a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while.
mmmmm Cheetos
The only time I've ever GMPC'd was running a game for a group of 10-13 year old newbie gamers and none of them wanted to play a healer. So I had made a priest who just followed them around and kept them in the fight as they gleefully hacked their way through the adventure. That might be my only exception. Kids don't care. As long as they do more damage than the GMPC all is good. In my grown up games I never GMPC and instead focus my time and energy on the players and the story. Playing a PC while running a game might send my brain into overload.
Pretty much video games, film, and television outside of table topping. I cant stand fantasy literature. I feel ya on the literature. The good fantasy books seem so few and far between that I've pretty much given up the genre and stick with Fiction and Sci-Fi. I play fantasy video games,admire fantasy artwork and enjoy the good fantasy films that occasionally pop up (not that they pop up very often).
The Beastmaster. Was is Chris Rock who said that HBO was an acronym for Hey Beastmasters On? TBS was lovingly called "The Beastmaster Station". I think I watched it wayyyyy to many times. Beastmaster is awesome.
Old Clash of the Titans. Those skeletons were awesome. I swear that movie changed my DNA. It was my gateway drug and has led me to a lifelong addiction of Fantasy. Is it underrated? In my mind it's one of the greatest fantasy movies ever made.
|