Quote from: GnomeWorks;1116736Omnipotence doesn't let you do things that are logically inconsistent.

Says who? I reject your unnecessarily limited definition of omnipotence.

This is how we do it in the D.O.N.G.

First you must pen missives in the hickory-scented vellum that you purchase from a D.O.N.G. affiliate - we recommend Martin Grau of Los Angeles (but if he responds in the third-person as 'Biff Roberts' - run. That means he's having an "episode"). The missives must arrive at your prospects abode, or location of leisure of choice, with the appropriate summons.

Make sure your D.O.N.G. Signet is up-to-date (you should have gotten notice in our secret newsletter which outlined our #YouToo issue concerning our old logo), and your wax seal is color-matched to your Belt, otherwise you could be in violation and be given a S.L.E.R.P. demerit which could affect your Secret Standing. All summoning missives must have your correct seal applied.

All games to be considered must be put in a pile in the center of the Ring of Choosing. The Ring of Choosing must be demarcated by official D.O.N.G. Sacred String which must be blessed by a D.O.N.G. Brown Belt or higher. Anointed throwing knives will need to be distributed by the Caller (we've switched to Smith & Wesson brand this year - as they're now a sponsor).

Each potential player has their Throwing Blade of Negation ignited by the Caller, and the D.O.N.G. Licensed GM recites the Litany of the Choosing. Upon the ending of the Litany, the potential players may eliminate the games they do not wish to play by hurling their flaming knives at the games within the Ring of Choosing. Any player that is struck by a flaming knife, forfeits his choice. Any player that ignites the Ring of Choosing (as it is highly flamable) forfeits their choice. The flaming knives are handed out and thrown until only one game is left, or all players are eliminated. If the players are eliminated before the game that survives is known, the GM may simply choose the game from the remainders within the Ring of Choosing.

Once the game is known - the D.O.N.G. approved GM must disrobe down to the Tangerine Speedo of Authority and climb upon the Wheel of Destiny. Once affixed upon the Wheel of Destiny, all the possible themes of the game are to be written down and enumerated, and the Arrow of Righteousness head-garb is placed upon the brow of the GM. The Players spin the Wheel of Destiny until the GM vomits. Whichever themed placard the Arrow of Righteousness is pointing at when the discharge occurs - is removed from the Wheel. This process is repeated until finally the theme of the game is established.

D.O.N.G. bylaws allow for a 1-minute and 30-second respite for the GM between spins.

Easy peasy.

Finally something I can use!

Quote from: Bren;1116838Says who? I reject your unnecessarily limited definition of omnipotence.

The problem is, what does omnipotence mean? We have no example to compare. It's a hypothetical potential, not practically demonstrable.
What would it look like if God created a rock so heavy he couldn't lift it, and proceeded to lift it, while not lifting it at the same time, while making it all non-contradictory.
Imagine that event. How would it even play out?

Thus I think that omnipotence cannot include the non-sequitur. Asking God to make a square circle is just as sensical as asking if God can garbleblatz the hockenpunden.

Clearly you don't understand 8-dimensional mathematics.

Quote from: tenbones;1116874Clearly you don't understand 8-dimensional mathematics.

Could be.

Quote from: Bren;1116838Says who? I reject your unnecessarily limited definition of omnipotence.

Go read some philosophy.

Believe it or not, half the time people have these conversations, it's already been discussed to death and satisfactorily concluded.

Quote from: Ratman_tf;1116867The problem is, what does omnipotence mean? We have no example to compare. It's a hypothetical potential, not practically demonstrable.
What would it look like if God created a rock so heavy he couldn't lift it, and proceeded to lift it, while not lifting it at the same time, while making it all non-contradictory.
Imagine that event. How would it even play out?

Thus I think that omnipotence cannot include the non-sequitur. Asking God to make a square circle is just as sensical as asking if God can garbleblatz the hockenpunden.

How can God create a rock he could not lift?

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Quote from: Ratman_tf;1116867The problem is, what does omnipotence mean?

Quote from: Shasarak;1116906How can God create a rock he could not lift?

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Quote from: Ratman_tf;1116867The problem is, what does omnipotence mean?

That is, indeed the problem. A discussion of concepts about things that may or may not exist, but that even the concept is beyond human understanding are awkward at best.

Quote from: GnomeWorks;1116905Go read some philosophy.

Believe it or not, half the time people have these conversations, it's already been discussed to death and satisfactorily concluded.

Go read more philosophy. Very little, if anything, is ever settled. The same questions that were of interest to the pre-Socratics are, by and large, still unresolved to this day. Also, what Tom the Dancing Bug said.

Quote from: Morblot;1116506Hello.

After a short break from games I've decided to pick up my dice and start gamemastering again. Most of the players from my previous campaign will be returning, except for the one guy everyone ended up hating, and there are no new faces, so I decided to really let these people have a proper say about what kind of game they'd like me to run for them. I've booked a session zero (or maybe minus one) for next week, in which I plan to discuss this.

Thing is, I'm not quite sure what topics we should cover. Here's what I've been thinking of myself:

• Genre -- fantasy, scifi, horror...? Maybe a mix of some kind?
• Game world -- something ready-made, such as the Forgotten Realms or the Third Imperium, or something homebrewed?
• Theme -- exploring places to find people to kill and stuff to loot, or maybe instead focusing on the politics of some city? Or how about solving mysteries? Killing vampires while also trying to graduate high school?
• Freedom -- do they want me to write some epic plot for them to follow or are they content to make up their own goals in a more sandbox-like environment?
• Game system -- something complex or something light?
• Adherence to rules -- should we play by the rules as written or use them more as loose guidelines?
• Level of roleplaying -- the usual cardboard cutout characters with barely a name or maybe try to really create and play complex characters that differ from the players in some meaningful way?
• Player relations -- what should we do if the players end up having OOC problems with each other? Try to resolve issues by discussing them or just black die the offender?
• Don't go there -- any subjects the game should just avoid?

What would you add to the list or remove from it?

I think if your players understand what you are going to be asking them, then you will already know their answers. Hopefully, these are not players that will just sit like lumps on a log and expect you to entertain them.

How can a GM create a rock so large he could not lift it?

Quote from: RPGPundit;1117474How can a GM create a rock so large he could not lift it?

Try to run a game according to someone else's established canon?

Quote from: RPGPundit;1117474How can a GM create a rock so large he could not lift it?

I'm almost positive Hero system allows it.

Quote from: RPGPundit;1117474How can a GM create a rock so large he could not lift it?

Can the GM decide that there is a decision he cannot make? The latter decision is the rock, the former decision is creating it, and making the latter decision would be lifting it.

The original poster listed decisions he would allow the players to make; some replies asserted that, essentially, the GM can make any and all decisions about his game, but apparently not the decision to let players make decisions.

I'm sorry my off-hand comment slightly derailed the thread.