SPECIAL NOTICE
Malicious code was found on the site, which has been removed, but would have been able to access files and the database, revealing email addresses, posts, and encoded passwords (which would need to be decoded). However, there is no direct evidence that any such activity occurred. REGARDLESS, BE SURE TO CHANGE YOUR PASSWORDS. And as is good practice, remember to never use the same password on more than one site. While performing housekeeping, we also decided to upgrade the forums.
This is a site for discussing roleplaying games. Have fun doing so, but there is one major rule: do not discuss political issues that aren't directly and uniquely related to the subject of the thread and about gaming. While this site is dedicated to free speech, the following will not be tolerated: devolving a thread into unrelated political discussion, sockpuppeting (using multiple and/or bogus accounts), disrupting topics without contributing to them, and posting images that could get someone fired in the workplace (an external link is OK, but clearly mark it as Not Safe For Work, or NSFW). If you receive a warning, please take it seriously and either move on to another topic or steer the discussion back to its original RPG-related theme.

Heavy Shit in Your Games

Started by el-remmen, April 28, 2006, 10:17:02 AM

Previous topic - Next topic
Print
Go Down Pages 1 2 3 4 5
User actions

gleichman

#15
April 28, 2006, 01:36:06 PM
Motive for the violence committed by the PCs is important to me.
Whitehall Paraindustries- A blog about RPG Theory and Design

"The purpose of an open mind is to close it, on particular subjects. If you never do — you\'ve simply abdicated the responsibility to think." - William F. Buckley.

ColonelHardisson

#16
April 28, 2006, 01:37:56 PM
Don't get me wrong; some heavy shit needs to be in a game occasionally so as to make clear the world is a dangerous place. It's just that most of the really grisly stuff I keep "off-stage." Also, when violence happens "onstage," I don't go into a lot of detail about it - it's like the difference between someone being shot in an old Western serial and someone being shot in a Peckinpah film. Sam liked showing blood flying and people dying gruesomely. I'm more of the school that just shows the gun firing and the guy falling, with nary a bullet hole or blood stain on his shirt.
"Illegitimis non carborundum." - General Joseph "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell

4e definitely has an Old School feel. If you disagree, cool. I won\'t throw any hyperbole out to prove the point.

ColonelHardisson

#17
April 28, 2006, 01:38:32 PM
Quote from: gleichmanMotive for the violence committed by the PCs is important to me.

Same here. The bad guys have some loot; we want it.
"Illegitimis non carborundum." - General Joseph "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell

4e definitely has an Old School feel. If you disagree, cool. I won\'t throw any hyperbole out to prove the point.

David R

#18
April 28, 2006, 01:43:59 PM
Quote from: ColonelHardissonYeah, but there is a whole spectrum of difference between the relatively sanitized violence of RPGs like D&D and real-life violence. Warner Brothers cartoons of the 1940s have more violence in them than maybe a half-dozen modern action flicks combined, but I doubt anyone would be as disturbed by them as they would be watching "One False Move" or Iraqi war coverage on Frontline. I think it would be weird if someone didn't, or couldn't, make such a distinction.

Yeah, which is why I tried to frame my whole post within the context of movies. Some might say that's a cop out, but that was the best way I could think of in answering the question. Heavy themes abound in our games, but just like in movies(fiction) we don't kid ourselves in that we are exploring reality in any way. which is not to say that some groups don't do this, or derive some meaning from their games, but with my crew that ain't what it's all about.

Regards,
David R

ColonelHardisson

#19
April 28, 2006, 01:46:56 PM
If people like to deal with heavy shit at the game table, that's cool. Not my cup of tea, but I just took exception to the whole "violence is violence is violence" assertion. Yeah, violence is a big part of the game, but how it's portrayed and handled varies vastly from group to group.
"Illegitimis non carborundum." - General Joseph "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell

4e definitely has an Old School feel. If you disagree, cool. I won\'t throw any hyperbole out to prove the point.

Name Lips

#20
April 28, 2006, 01:51:24 PM
I remember somebody posted - I don't know of this was on ENworld or NTL or wherever - about a scenario their characters had to go through.

It involved defending a town against an army of zombies. Traditional fantasy fare, right? There was a nearby "safe area." Maybe a cave or something. They sent the women and children there, and the PCs rallied the men of the town to defend against the zombie hordes.

I'm sure some of you can tell what's going to happen next...

Zombies shuffling forward in the night, some falling to arrows, but when they get close enough to see clearly... they're the women and children of the town, all zombified, and on a mission of slaughter. Some of the men just gave  up and killed themselves then and there - they had nothing left to fight for, their families and children were gone, and the future of the town was doomed anyway. And the PCs had to deal with knowing it was their decision to leave the women and children behind in the "safe" place that resulted in their death and subsequent un-death. And they had to kill zombie kids of all ages.
Next phase, new wave, dance craze, anyways, it's still rock and roll to me.

You can talk all you want about theory, craft, or whatever. But in the end, it's still just new ways of looking at people playing make-believe and having a good time with their friends. Intellectualize or analyze all you want, but we've been playing the same game since we were 2 years old. We just have shinier books, spend more money, and use bigger words now.

gleichman

#21
April 28, 2006, 02:00:54 PM
Quote from: Name LipsThere was a nearby "safe area.".

What made them think it was safe?


Quote from: Name LipsAnd the PCs had to deal with knowing it was their decision to leave the women and children behind in the "safe" place that resulted in their death and subsequent un-death.

"This is defeat. Avoid it."
Whitehall Paraindustries- A blog about RPG Theory and Design

"The purpose of an open mind is to close it, on particular subjects. If you never do — you\'ve simply abdicated the responsibility to think." - William F. Buckley.

ColonelHardisson

#22
April 28, 2006, 02:04:07 PM
I think I'd use the zombie situation, and those like it, very sparingly. Just enough so the players would get the idea that I wasn't just fucking around.
"Illegitimis non carborundum." - General Joseph "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell

4e definitely has an Old School feel. If you disagree, cool. I won\'t throw any hyperbole out to prove the point.

Name Lips

#23
April 28, 2006, 02:05:00 PM
Quote from: gleichmanWhat made them think it was safe?
I doesn't much matter - they thought it was safe, and obviously they were wrong. It's also possible the DM deliberately hyped it up as the safe place through his cronies (er... NPCs) just to try to force the scenario described and make a memorable encounter.

Quote"This is defeat. Avoid it."
The secret to doing well in life: Don't do anything stupid. Not very helpful before the fact...
Next phase, new wave, dance craze, anyways, it's still rock and roll to me.

You can talk all you want about theory, craft, or whatever. But in the end, it's still just new ways of looking at people playing make-believe and having a good time with their friends. Intellectualize or analyze all you want, but we've been playing the same game since we were 2 years old. We just have shinier books, spend more money, and use bigger words now.

gleichman

#24
April 28, 2006, 02:10:21 PM
Quote from: Name LipsI doesn't much matter - they thought it was safe, and obviously they were wrong. It's also possible the DM deliberately hyped it up as the safe place through his cronies (er... NPCs) just to try to force the scenario described and make a memorable encounter.

I think it makes a very great difference in light of very possiblity that you give.

If the DM/NPCs was considered a trusted source and they played it up as the best option, the players can't be faulted for following the DM's bread trail. In fact, I'd say that the DM was an asshat.

But that judgement gets heavily into the group's social contract and expectations. The only reason I bring it up is that I have seen GMs rig adventures in this way, sometimes for good reasons and sometimes for bad.


Gandalf: "This ring must be taken to Mount Doom and cast into the fire from which it was made".

Frodo: "Ok, I'll do it"



Gandalf: "Stupid Hobbit, doesn't he know that will result in complete victory for the Dark Lord".
Whitehall Paraindustries- A blog about RPG Theory and Design

"The purpose of an open mind is to close it, on particular subjects. If you never do — you\'ve simply abdicated the responsibility to think." - William F. Buckley.

BOZ

#25
April 28, 2006, 03:21:51 PM
"Tonight, in a Very Special session of D&D..."
don't quote me on that.  :)

Visit the Creature Catalog for all your D&D 3E monster needs!  :)

Name Lips

#26
April 28, 2006, 03:31:48 PM
Quote from: BOZ"Tonight, in a Very Special session of D&D..."
Aahhg! The Oprah RPG!
Next phase, new wave, dance craze, anyways, it's still rock and roll to me.

You can talk all you want about theory, craft, or whatever. But in the end, it's still just new ways of looking at people playing make-believe and having a good time with their friends. Intellectualize or analyze all you want, but we've been playing the same game since we were 2 years old. We just have shinier books, spend more money, and use bigger words now.

el-remmen

#27
April 28, 2006, 03:42:19 PM
Quote from: ColonelHardissonIf people like to deal with heavy shit at the game table, that's cool. Not my cup of tea, but I just took exception to the whole "violence is violence is violence" assertion. Yeah, violence is a big part of the game, but how it's portrayed and handled varies vastly from group to group.

I only meant that "violence is violence" in the sense that someone who has experienced terrible violence might be distubed by it on any level - sometimes even when they don't expect to be.

And yeah, I am totally a "his guts fall out onto the ground" or "there is a spray of blood and brains as your mace smashes into his skull" kind of descriptive DM.
Check out the "Out of the Frying Pan" D&D Aquerra Story Hour (Now with Session by Session DM Commentary!)

"Just because you're buff, don't play tough, 'cause I'll reverse the Earth and turn your flesh back to dust. . ."

gleichman

#28
April 28, 2006, 03:56:34 PM
Quote from: Name LipsAahhg! The Oprah RPG!

With rules for weight gain/loss. Sounds like a winner. I expect it to show up at the Forge any day now.
Whitehall Paraindustries- A blog about RPG Theory and Design

"The purpose of an open mind is to close it, on particular subjects. If you never do — you\'ve simply abdicated the responsibility to think." - William F. Buckley.

Paka

#29
April 28, 2006, 06:21:21 PM
Quote from: Name LipsIn one of my previous campaigns it was commonplace...

That is fantastic.

This all reminds me of a D&D game I was running just before the Fellowship of the Ring movie came out.  One of the players was a halfing ranger and he was really passive.  The other players were proactive, moving and shaking but he was just back-up, kind of taking it all in.

I asked the player if all was well, wanted to make sure things were cool and he was having fun.

He said, "Y'know, Judd, I am engaged, I am having fun but in my day to day life I do so much political activism and standing up for what I think is right that when I game, I just want to sit back and have some fun."

And for that game, that kind of support stance was entirely cool.
Print
Go Up Pages 1 2 3 4 5
User actions