Heroica RPG General Discussion

[Actaeon]

The battle against Tarban was one big ole mess.

True that. A really interesting mess, though!

[UsernameMDM]

What's the deal with 103? Kintobar ok?

[Capt.JohnPaul]

What's the deal with 103? Kintobar ok?

I was going to ask the same thing. I hope he's alright.

[Kintobor]

I'm alright, I've just been feeling under the weather, so I haven't been able to make large posts. I'll have an update today, but after that I'll be away for the weekend, so sorry to 105 and 109.

[Scubacarrot]

Ill be away from tomorrow until wednesday.

[Palathadric]

No!!!! Throlar was supposed to win that battle so I could get my hands on that Mythril Mail. My occupation as a Paladin would have been secured.

[Duvors]

No!!!! Throlar was supposed to win that battle so I could get my hands on that Mythril Mail. My occupation as a Paladin would have been secured.

Firstly, I don't think that Throlar would ever have sold it to you, and secondly, that battle was almost impossible to win anyway.

[K-Nut]

No!!!! Throlar was supposed to win that battle so I could get my hands on that Mythril Mail. My occupation as a Paladin would have been secured.

No he was supposed to lose so the part could loot all of their corpses and gain even more cash (seeing as they won't have enough when this quest is over). Stupid Sham had to ruin that dream.

[Flipz]

I think the lesson we've all learned is that Heroes don't do well all alone, and that it's better to cooperate with one's party rather than to antagonize them.

[CMP]

I think the lesson we've all learned is that Heroes don't do well all alone, and that it's better to cooperate with one's party rather than to antagonize them.

Most of us learned that lesson on Quest 53.

[Flipz]

Most of us learned that lesson on Quest 53.

Well...yes, exactly. I still feel bad when I think back to my behavior on 53. Looking back today, I should have been kicked out (or at least given a stern talking-to) long before anything that happened in the final battle; I owe my completion of that Quest solely to Zepher's (and the other players') undeserved mercy. But as much as I get the urge to delete all my posts every time I read the Quest, I'm glad my bad behavior is preserved there, so today I and other can point to it and say "don't do that" (like you just did, Pie).

With one, maybe two exceptions, I can't really think of any examples of players on later Quests following in the footsteps of my mistakes back then--namely, putting my own interests and fun above the other players' enjoyment. There's been plenty of conflict within parties since then, but it's almost always been handled in such a way that the players on both sides of the in-character conflict have made sure to check in with each other to make sure they don't cross the line. IMO, that's ultimately what you have to do in collaborative experiences like RPGs; sometimes you have to keep your character from saying or doing what they realistically would say or do, for the sake of not ruining the other players' experience, because it's not about any one player having fun, it's about all of the players and the QM having fun together. If you're not willing to give and take, then RPGs are probably not for you--in that case, you'll probably be happier with single-player video games, or something like the Fields that's pretty much solely mechanical.

...maybe I/we should take this discussion to the QM's Lounge? Dunno.

[swils]

Firstly, I don't think that Throlar would ever have sold it to you, and secondly, that battle was almost impossible to win anyway.

How dare he make a joke about a loot item that doesn't even matter in retrospect. How dare he not take things so super seriously all the time. How dare he.

[CMP]

Don't know if this pertains directly to QMing.

I have no problem with players diverging from the path like Throlar actually, but the problem is, I personally can't plan for two different quests at once, despite one of my biggest goals as a QM being to offer as much choice as possible. Maybe I'd find a way to make it work, but players are generally pretty reasonable when it comes to the party wanting to make a different choice than their own. See Karie in Quest 84 or I think Benji in Quest 33. They're not stubborn and they understand their choice, while in-character, would kind of hold things up in the quest itself.

Then again, you have to consider the stakes, and the situation. If Arthur was on our side maybe we could've kept Hans or Gnash alive. If a party member stabs me in the back again Atramor is going to attack them. With Karie/Benji/Throlar (sort of), they were offered an outright choice, they just didn't choose what the rest of the party chose.

As far as just the solo roleplaying thing goes (which I think is what you mean by putting your own interests/fun above others) it generally doesn't directly detract from the fun of others, it's just sort of...there. Sorrow in 93 and Karie in Quest 93 and 105 suffer from this. I feel it was kinda the same with Arthur in Quest 53. The only issues with it are that it clutters the topic, and nobody even seems to care, which kind of defeats the purpose of roleplaying. It makes other characters trying to interact with them awkward and kind of uninteresting.

[Kintobor]

I can understand how Karie was acting solo roleplaying in 93, but how so in 105? I don't mean this to be rude or anything, I just want to catch it and snuff it before it kills Karie's character.

[Endgame]

I was thinking the same thing: Karie consoled Masson over a plot point in the tundra, and that's the only instance I can think of. She's been interacting with Boomingham/Em/Jeaux quite a bit, as well as other NPCs, as far as I can tell.

Masson has been trying to pacify her bitterness towards Boomingham, but Karie has been doing it anyway.

Edited August 15, 2014 by Endgame

[CMP]

I can understand how Karie was acting solo roleplaying in 93, but how so in 105? I don't mean this to be rude or anything, I just want to catch it and snuff it before it kills Karie's character.

I was thinking the same thing: Karie consoled Masson over a plot point in the tundra, and that's the only instance I can think of. She's been interacting with Boomingham/Em/Jeaux quite a bit, as well as other NPCs, as far as I can tell.

Masson has been trying to pacify her bitterness towards Boomingham, but Karie has been doing it anyway.

It's more Masson than Karie I think Karie's been getting better about it. He seems like he's kinda just there for her. Punii's got a damn good reason to be there. Masson, not so much.

I might add between the extensive internal monologue each of them gets, whatever drama they've got going on between them, and their current situation, it seems more like a soap opera than an actual relationship, to be honest.

[Endgame]

Yeah, he's more or less back up the Sand Queen hired. He will be getting pretty big plot relevance after the second battle, but you're right when you say that Masson doesn't have nearly as good of a reason as Punii to be there.

They've had their quite moments! (Moving Masson's stuff and the thing directly after 79 come to mind.) But then he had to get over his issues with adultery, get married, and now he knows the Harvester is currently in the hands of an omnicidal maniac.

Not to mention Masson is royally FITH. (I'll give you a hint, the last three letters stand for "in the head." )

Edited August 15, 2014 by Endgame

[UsernameMDM]

Not a fan of PC story lines in the Quest. PC development is fine, but lengthy monologues/cut scenes, not so much.

[CMP]

Not a fan of PC story lines in the Quest. PC development is fine, but lengthy monologues/cut scenes, not so much.

I'm in the same boat, but I don't think it's been a problem in Quest 105 thus far.

I'm really happy to see the number of cutscenes in the Hall has dropped significantly, too.

[UsernameMDM]

I'm really happy to see the number of cutscenes in the Hall has dropped significantly, too.

& If there are any, spoiler tags are greatly appreciated.

[Zepher]

I feel any complaints about Karie in 105 should be leveled at Boomingham as well. Only fair. As for cut scenes, I understand where you guys are coming from and I agree with you, but if that's how a person enjoys playing the game I think they should absolutely play it that way. I for think it's any more fair for us to limit them than it is for them to limit us.

[UsernameMDM]

I feel any complaints about Karie in 105 should be leveled at Boomingham as well. Only fair. As for cut scenes, I understand where you guys are coming from and I agree with you, but if that's how a person enjoys playing the game I think they should absolutely play it that way. I for think it's any more fair for us to limit them than it is for them to limit us.

This is a community game, not a single player game. It's ok to do all that stuff, but don't force it on the other PCs/quest. Spoiler tag that mess out of it!

[CMP]

As for cut scenes, I understand where you guys are coming from and I agree with you, but if that's how a person enjoys playing the game I think they should absolutely play it that way. I for think it's any more fair for us to limit them than it is for them to limit us.

I'm not suggesting we enforce a limit on cutscenes. I'm just saying I really dislike them. Real character interaction is the difference between an RPG and a video game.

[Endgame]

I thought the both of you have been roleplaying incredibly well, so no complaints from me.

For the record, I only consider something a cutscene where other players cannot interact or react to it afterwards.

Edited August 15, 2014 by Endgame

[CMP]

For the record, I only consider something a cutscene where other players cannot interact or react to it afterwards.

That's what I'm referring to as well.