One of the things that becomes very clear reading accounts of actual pagan religion, is the fuzzy distinction, if not lack of distinction between pagan gods and the idols that represent them. In traditional OSR games informed by Gygax's aesthetic, clerics and paladins might on paper be worshipers of any number of pagan deities, usually in some henotheistic fashion that still was virtually indistinguishable from Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox structure, hierarchy, and praxis (with little regard for theology). Given that it was rooted in war gaming, and the role of cleric or paladin mechanically was to provide a different way to win at murder hoboing, this is understandable.
Be that as it may, looking at the way actual pagans treated their idea of gods was different. The idea of a god that actually inhabits a sacred grove, or spring, or tree feeds into the idea that an idol set in a temple can also be the literal inhabited body of the god. This has a few interesting implications for gaming priests.
1) The god is present where their idol is. Unlike the Judeo-Christian understanding of God who is spirit and to whom idols are anathema, pagans would carry their shrines and idols with them where they traveled, be these the deified ancestor shrines, or the more general national god shrines. A properly kitted out pagan priest should likely have variable levels of luggage with commensurate degrees of value to performing ritual petitions; a pocket idol for day travel and small petitions, a coffer sized shrine for short journeys for moderate petitions, and a cart sized shrine useful for longer journeys or semi-permanent establishment and more serious petitions.
Mechanically, this should probably be reflected in the power or scope of miracles available to be petitioned by the pagan priest, with larger shrines making for either easier petition, or greater powered miracles, or both.
2) Defeating your enemies in battle makes taking their gods (the idols in their shrines) as booty a particularly prestigious trophy. The logic is that if the enemy lost, then their gods were less powerful than your gods, and thus just as the enemy can be captured (if not killed) their gods too can be enslaved. For instance, in Samuel I and II, and Kings I and II, there are many examples of pagan peoples carrying away the gods of those whom they had vanquished in order to display them as servants at the feet of their larger and more prestigious home idols.
Mechanically, this should probably mean that captured gods (idols) reduce the power or likelihood of petitioned miracles. That is exactly why the cleric has reason to adventure with the thief; somebody has to go rescue those idols. The ramifications of this alone are grist for many possible side adventures if not main adventures.
3) Establishing shrines as nodes of power, and colonizing an area with more of your idols makes a region more potent for your god or gods. It may very well be that pagan priests could develop a sensitivity to the piety of a region, and the power level or the likelihood of petitions being granted, and this would provide a strategic value to the cleric in decision making that did not exist before. This could get especially thorny if the adventurers were in a land of foreign gods and their priests have the edge. The very real value in planning ways to corrupt their priests and desecrate their temples in order to tip the scales is a fantastic way to change the pacing and layers of story in a mission. Again, it makes a really compelling context for the priest to adventure in the company of the rogue who can grift the foreign priest into defiling themselves with drink, forbidden food, or other carnal infractions in order to block their access to the power of the idols, which in turn allows an opening to break the power of their temple.
27 October, 2016
26 October, 2016
An Idea for Refresh with Flashbacks in Fate
I was thinking about a way to make mechanics support fiction with Refresh in Fate. The default position is that refresh is filled at the beginning of a session. I also want to make it a reward to the players to actively include flashbacks and backstory snippets that explain their histories and the world they have bumped up against.
Rather than giving refresh in the default fashion, I propose that when a player calls for a flashback, or has a backstory moment that explains one of their abilities, they get a fate point refresh. This can happen at any time in play, but is limited to the level of the character's refresh for that session.
A flashback should be about a learning experience involving the skill, stunt, or aspect the player wishes to use, but can be either an account of success or failure. Though not required, if it includes a shared experience with another PC, that PC also gets a point of refresh. If another PC is brought into the scene, they should give some input as to their part in the experience. The player of the flashback character should suggest something about the scene, the reason the other character was there, and something about a conflict or challenge presented either to them both, or between them. It is the job of the second player to use the "yes, and..." principle to add to the vignette. This is a good time to include things that the two characters can banter or bicker about.
Furthermore, the flashback need not be (should not be) long, but a vignette, and need not give a whole or complete resolution, so long as it shows a point that was pivotal or meaningful to the character.
So, for example in play, suppose a character is lining up a tough long range shot at an enemy, and the player needs a fate point. They may call for a flashback at that moment. In the flashback, they describe how they were out hunting with their friend (another PC) before their adventuring days. The deer is in the sights, but it is a hard shot, and the character mentions how they were both very tired, hungry, and annoyed with each other by that time. The other player, following the "yes, and..." principle, keys in on the annoyed bit and says in the flashback, "you'll never make the shot." The first player describes how they squeezed on the trigger, breathing out "damned if I don't...". The flashback ends. The GM passes over a fate point to each player.
This is good, since it allows an ambiguous ending to the flashback that gives both players something to work with. The second player can decide that the shot missed, using that moment for their character to say "it's too far. We can't afford for you to miss this one", which invites a response, tense, cocky, or otherwise. Or they may choose the generous route, and offer "good thing you finally learned how to shoot" which still invites a response, whether banter or bickering, such as "yeah... too bad you still haven't". Roll. Spend fate point. Be awesome.
Rather than giving refresh in the default fashion, I propose that when a player calls for a flashback, or has a backstory moment that explains one of their abilities, they get a fate point refresh. This can happen at any time in play, but is limited to the level of the character's refresh for that session.
A flashback should be about a learning experience involving the skill, stunt, or aspect the player wishes to use, but can be either an account of success or failure. Though not required, if it includes a shared experience with another PC, that PC also gets a point of refresh. If another PC is brought into the scene, they should give some input as to their part in the experience. The player of the flashback character should suggest something about the scene, the reason the other character was there, and something about a conflict or challenge presented either to them both, or between them. It is the job of the second player to use the "yes, and..." principle to add to the vignette. This is a good time to include things that the two characters can banter or bicker about.
Furthermore, the flashback need not be (should not be) long, but a vignette, and need not give a whole or complete resolution, so long as it shows a point that was pivotal or meaningful to the character.
So, for example in play, suppose a character is lining up a tough long range shot at an enemy, and the player needs a fate point. They may call for a flashback at that moment. In the flashback, they describe how they were out hunting with their friend (another PC) before their adventuring days. The deer is in the sights, but it is a hard shot, and the character mentions how they were both very tired, hungry, and annoyed with each other by that time. The other player, following the "yes, and..." principle, keys in on the annoyed bit and says in the flashback, "you'll never make the shot." The first player describes how they squeezed on the trigger, breathing out "damned if I don't...". The flashback ends. The GM passes over a fate point to each player.
This is good, since it allows an ambiguous ending to the flashback that gives both players something to work with. The second player can decide that the shot missed, using that moment for their character to say "it's too far. We can't afford for you to miss this one", which invites a response, tense, cocky, or otherwise. Or they may choose the generous route, and offer "good thing you finally learned how to shoot" which still invites a response, whether banter or bickering, such as "yeah... too bad you still haven't". Roll. Spend fate point. Be awesome.
21 October, 2016
Man Against Nature in Fate
In an interesting discussion on G+ Fate Core page, the question of how to "fight the environment" came up. The setting in question is a zombie apocalypse world, and after some discussion, here is my take on a man vs. nature (or un-nature) challenge.
I'm a fan of Zombie fiction like Dawn of the Dead, World War Z (book not movie_) or The Walking Dead not because the zombies are the villain (they are pretty boring for that) but because a zombie apocalypse strips us naked and forces us to confront inexorable death with grace and humanity, or with savagery and terror...
Of course the zombies of the apocalypse are part of the environment, as often as they are directly an opponent, properly done.
Consequences are a mechanic that supports us understanding what the cost of our choices successful or not, is in the fiction. As such, I would argue that the zombies themselves, as a practically endless horde, make consequences a moot issue.
Stress is about the near misses or the things that could have cost us but didn't. It's alternatively a way to pace conflicts, but as a pacing mechanism without consequences or the ability to take out the opposition, is no different than scoring successes in a challenge or a contest. So mechanically, again I would say stress for the zombie horde itself is a moot issue.
It makes more sense to address the horde part of the apocalyptic environment as an obstacle to be overcome, and that you can create advantages on. An advantage you create mechanically may be "Hacking the Horde to Bits" with your chainsaw in the fiction; your Zombies! approach vs. the player's Fight skill. Likewise, PCs can create an advantage like "rickety barricades" with the Twinkie shelf and the ice cream freezer mechanically, which in the fiction prevents you from using your Zombies! approach till you have overcome their barricade. That all works out neatly mechanically with little fuss, and reflects the fiction perfectly. The Brick can still do all the fighty stuff while the Brainiac does the crafty stuff, and it would just be as created advantages mechanically even though in the fiction it would be hacking the zombies to bits with garden tools while the other is fixing the car.
MURRAY'S FULL SERVICE AUTO STATION
Aspects:
Decrepit Zombie-Infested Gas Station
Broken Glass And Debris
Collapsing Veranda Roof
Scene Goal/Murray's: Hinder and Devour the Living
Scene Goal/PCs (Pick One):
Scavenge fuel (3 victories) - Applicable Skills: Notice, Investigate, Survival, Crafts, Drive. Tasks: Find gas can and siphon; find a vehicle with fuel, siphon fuel.
Scavenge a working vehicle (5 victories) - Applicable Skills: Notice, Investigate, Survival, Drive. Tasks: Find vehicle keys; Find matching vehicle; Scavenge Fuel (as above).
Scavenge a part to fix a vehicle (7 victories) - Notice, Investigate, Survival, Crafts, Drive. Tasks: Find needed part; remove broken part; replace part; scavenge fuel (as above).
Zones: Behind the Service Station; In the Service Bays; In the Convenience Store; In Front of The Service Station
Skills/Approaches:
- Zombies! (+4): Can Overcome, Create advantages, Attack, and Defend. The behave like Romero Zombies, slow, mindless, tireless, hungry.
- Hazards (+3): can attack and defend. This is strictly reactive, and cannot create advantages or overcome, but can harm or hinder direct actions by characters who move through, or interact with the environment (other than zombies).
- Notice (+2): Can overcome, discover (CAA), or defend. This assumes the area has active agents to notice things - e.g. the endless hordes of Zombies. You use this to make active agents (zombies) become aware of characters.
- Scarcity (+2): Can create advantages, and overcome. This represents the lack of, or requirement to have to improvise for characters to find the resources they need. You use this defend against character's attempts to find things they need.
Stunts:
- No Straight Paths: Murray's gains a +2 to Defend with Hazards when Heroes move from one Zone to another to Attack.
- Wake The Dead: adds +1 to Zombie! for one scene on a successful create an advantage roll with Notice when and if loud noise, bright lights, or recklessly obvious movement draws attention in Murray's. Yes it starts small, but is open ended as a zombie horde grows. Reckless parties could find themselves in a sea of hungry dead...
- That's Not The Item You're Looking For: Murray's has a +2 to Scarcity when creating the advantage That's Not The Item You're Looking For after the Heroes think they have found the item they were searching for.
Game of Death - an October Challenge Game, Mostly About Punching
http://dcugames.blogspot.com/2016/10/game-of-death-first-draft.html
This is the first completed game for my October challenge. The month is two thirds done, and I have learned that it is very hard business to try to create a game a day. I might try again in a more modest form with a game idea seed a day next time... we'll see.
But here it is, a complete, but simple game. It uses a decreasing resource management mechanic, with two different die resolution mechanics used in a hybrid tandem; a die pool for gaining successes, and a die target number mechanic for determining binary pass/fail success.
Having put it out unplaytested, it is sure to have problems that need to be addressed, but it should be fun (though brutal).
I have about half a dozen other half done ideas to choose from next. Hopefully, I can get the rest out by the end of month!
This is the first completed game for my October challenge. The month is two thirds done, and I have learned that it is very hard business to try to create a game a day. I might try again in a more modest form with a game idea seed a day next time... we'll see.
But here it is, a complete, but simple game. It uses a decreasing resource management mechanic, with two different die resolution mechanics used in a hybrid tandem; a die pool for gaining successes, and a die target number mechanic for determining binary pass/fail success.
Having put it out unplaytested, it is sure to have problems that need to be addressed, but it should be fun (though brutal).
I have about half a dozen other half done ideas to choose from next. Hopefully, I can get the rest out by the end of month!
05 October, 2016
When Consensus Is Wrong...
There are times that a wave of consensus demands that you comply with the latest invented ideology of the day... and in those times it is necessary to refuse to comply.
Truth is not a thing defined by particular men in particular times and places... Truth is that which does not change with time, and defined by something higher than mortal men. Stand with that.
04 October, 2016
Rewards Schemes In Game Psychology
Was reading about a study that measured results of performance based on intrinsic and extrinsic reward schemes HERE.
The short of it is this...
People were relatively happy to solve puzzles for free because of intrinsic motivators.
Adding an external motivator (cash payments) increased how many puzzles they solved. Yay!
Subsequently taking that extrinsic motivator away tanked their motivation and reduced their performance to less than it was originally. Boo!
Offering an external reward and then taking it away is sometimes worse than never offering it in the fist place. It’s something psychologists call “the overjustification effect” and it has been found in various other studies as well.
Whether an external reward will trigger the overjustification effect depends on a few things. The person must be intrinsically motivated to start with, then she must start receiving an external reward that gradually takes center stage in her mind. It also helps if the external reward comes at first as a surprise.
Another factor that’s important is whether the external motivator is seen as controlling and even manipulative rather than simply informational. It matters if a game tells you “Hey you aren’t playing right if you don’t aim for this achievement.” That’s controlling and hurts intrinsic motivation. But if it tells you “Hey, you’ve been doing your thing and that earned you this achievement” that’s informational and should increase intrinsic motivation.
The short of it is this...
People were relatively happy to solve puzzles for free because of intrinsic motivators.
Adding an external motivator (cash payments) increased how many puzzles they solved. Yay!
Subsequently taking that extrinsic motivator away tanked their motivation and reduced their performance to less than it was originally. Boo!
Offering an external reward and then taking it away is sometimes worse than never offering it in the fist place. It’s something psychologists call “the overjustification effect” and it has been found in various other studies as well.
Whether an external reward will trigger the overjustification effect depends on a few things. The person must be intrinsically motivated to start with, then she must start receiving an external reward that gradually takes center stage in her mind. It also helps if the external reward comes at first as a surprise.
Another factor that’s important is whether the external motivator is seen as controlling and even manipulative rather than simply informational. It matters if a game tells you “Hey you aren’t playing right if you don’t aim for this achievement.” That’s controlling and hurts intrinsic motivation. But if it tells you “Hey, you’ve been doing your thing and that earned you this achievement” that’s informational and should increase intrinsic motivation.
October Challenge... Harder Than I Thought
SO, I set a challenge for myself on the 1st to write a game a day just as a brute force method of priming the creative pump.
It used to be so easy... alas!
But as I look at it, I have had the second thought that there are 24 hour RPG challenges (like THIS for instance) that are described as a designer's triathlon meant to push the limits of creativity in design, fiction, and layout, and these only happen once a year.
And I blithely thought I would do 31 in a row.
SO I have decided to be a bit more modest in my plans, as one of the designs I spent some hours with this weekend past kept bogging me down with the perfection monster. As such, I will strive not to be concerned if there is a complete game per se every day, so much as a vignette of a game. I suppose that much of what I will expect would count as a subsystem of a game.
But, there it is... Art and Fear... quality comes out of quantity.
It used to be so easy... alas!
But as I look at it, I have had the second thought that there are 24 hour RPG challenges (like THIS for instance) that are described as a designer's triathlon meant to push the limits of creativity in design, fiction, and layout, and these only happen once a year.
And I blithely thought I would do 31 in a row.
SO I have decided to be a bit more modest in my plans, as one of the designs I spent some hours with this weekend past kept bogging me down with the perfection monster. As such, I will strive not to be concerned if there is a complete game per se every day, so much as a vignette of a game. I suppose that much of what I will expect would count as a subsystem of a game.
But, there it is... Art and Fear... quality comes out of quantity.
01 October, 2016
Art And Fear
Some years back, I read the book The Artist's Way, which is a program for creativity through writing discipline. It was useful to me a couple run throughs, and one of the key points is that creativity comes from the discipline of just writing... good or bad... every day.
I read Art and Fear more recently, and the authors related a story about a college art class in which the professor split the students into two groups. The first he would grade on one project alone for the whole semester, but it had to be completely perfect in every way. The other group he graded solely on quantity; they had to produce something every day, even if it turned out terrible. What the professor found is that even though the second group produced a lot of crap, they also produced as a group, the best work by the end of the semester, even though the other group was expected to.
That is something that I find helpful if I can hold on to it.
I am going to try to set a challenge for myself with that idea in mind.
It is October.
For this month, my goal is to try to write a mini game every day. I will give myself the leeway to go back to previous games or previous ideas and re-skin them, or re-imagine them if something really interesting comes to mind, but the point is to try by virtue of quantity, to find something good in the lot... to capture creative inspiration hiding in the clutter.
We'll see how this goes!
I read Art and Fear more recently, and the authors related a story about a college art class in which the professor split the students into two groups. The first he would grade on one project alone for the whole semester, but it had to be completely perfect in every way. The other group he graded solely on quantity; they had to produce something every day, even if it turned out terrible. What the professor found is that even though the second group produced a lot of crap, they also produced as a group, the best work by the end of the semester, even though the other group was expected to.
That is something that I find helpful if I can hold on to it.
I am going to try to set a challenge for myself with that idea in mind.
It is October.
For this month, my goal is to try to write a mini game every day. I will give myself the leeway to go back to previous games or previous ideas and re-skin them, or re-imagine them if something really interesting comes to mind, but the point is to try by virtue of quantity, to find something good in the lot... to capture creative inspiration hiding in the clutter.
We'll see how this goes!
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