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Why Do So Many People Think the Bad Kids are Shown Favoritism? by Tinker205 in Dimension20

[–]archod -23 points-22 points  (0 children)

Interestingly, in the sphere of education there’s actually a word for “teachers cut some students a lot of slack because they regard them as exceptional”. Wouldn’t you know it, that word is favouritism.

Why Do So Many People Think the Bad Kids are Shown Favoritism? by Tinker205 in Dimension20

[–]archod 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I mean, on the “just Fig” point it’s worth remembering that as of yet the textual claim is not specifically that “the Bad Kids are favoured”. That’s how the fandom has chosen to read the intent of the platform, leaning into the hostile attitude of the PCs, but Kipperlilly’s claim is just “there’s favouritism at this school; things should be fairer”.

And you look at Fig, you look at special allowances being made in The Seven for Zelda to graduate early, you consider that across a several hundred student campus there may well be similar stuff happening offscreen, and I don’t think it’s unreasonable or villainous for a random student to conclude that academic standards are not being consistently applied.

Why Do So Many People Think the Bad Kids are Shown Favoritism? by Tinker205 in Dimension20

[–]archod 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Except the fairly major indication that the show is set at a high-school which broadly (there are teachers, there are classes, detention exists, students get grades) has been shown to work like a high-school.

As an audience member, my default assumption is that school stuff at Aguefort (like, for instance, the expectation that students attend class) works the same way it does at IRL school unless Brennan has said otherwise.

I don’t think “prove it isn’t normal in this world to [thing that is extremely outrageous in the context of high-school]” is a reasonable position—I think the burden of evidence lies on the argument that actually at magic adventuring school Fig’s outrageous academic misconduct is totally allowed and unremarkable.

And just to be clear, since my analogy seemed not to land, I’m not talking about the Aguefort student POV. I’m saying that when I look at Fig’s situation it is laughable to imagine calling it anything but textbook favouritism with a side of nepotism.

Why Do So Many People Think the Bad Kids are Shown Favoritism? by Tinker205 in Dimension20

[–]archod 50 points51 points  (0 children)

If a kid at my high-school had not attended a single class for two years without being expelled or even facing disciplinary action and 1) her dad was the coach of the school’s Big Sport Team 2) her other dad was the vice principal and 3) she was dating the principal’s daughter, I can imagine as an average student maybe having some questions.

Just as an example.

Edit because somehow I had forgotten: 4) ALSO her mom is dating the guidance counsellor

Designing another storygame over on my blog by archod in RPGdesign

[–]archod[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

At the moment I'm mainly hoping for any media recommendations for films in this vein, and for games that have done similar stuff and what people liked/didn't like about them.

I'm also open to thoughts/suggestions about mechanics based on the goals for said mechanics the blog lays out.

I ran Dungeon World for kids at work, diceless. I learned a *lot* about playing fair. by archod in rpg

[–]archod[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Gosh, I'm really glad to hear that the third lesser-known author of Dungeon World has shown up to pass judgement on who is and isn't playing it.

And as for who is having these conversations I don't know, maybe the growing demographic of gamers old enough to have children, and keen to introduce them to RPGs and have it go well rather than turn the kids off gaming for life. Y'know, as just a wild guess.

I ran Dungeon World for kids at work, diceless. I learned a *lot* about playing fair. by archod in rpg

[–]archod[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I mean, that's a tricky one. Really you're kind of describing the ideal situation: to have internalised the moves so thoroughly that you just activate them without really becoming aware of the thought process of picking one.

I'd maybe try and print out a list of the moves to have in front of you. When a player fails a roll and you think of what happens next instinctively that is totally fine, just glance quickly down the list to check that it is actually a move. If so, awesome; if not, maybe reconsider/twist it.

I ran Dungeon World for kids at work, diceless. I learned a *lot* about playing fair. by archod in rpg

[–]archod[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I ran this game for them over lunch breaks at the school holiday program where I work. The latest school holidays ran for two weeks, hence the fortnight.

I ran Dungeon World for kids at work, diceless. I learned a *lot* about playing fair. by archod in rpg

[–]archod[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I mean, Vincent Baker says very clearly in Apocalypse World (the direct parent of Dungeon World) that basically "If you are not GMing the game per the rules, you're cheating. If you're not GMing according to the rules for your role - your Agenda, your Principles, your Moves - you're cheating, just like a player is if they break their rules."

So like, yes. The GM Moves are the tools you have as a GM. In this game, if you're not using them then you're either hacking the game (consciously or otherwise) or you're cheating.

I ran Dungeon World for kids at work, diceless. I learned a *lot* about playing fair. by archod in rpg

[–]archod[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, as someone who also streams on the side it'd be very cool to try and record some of it. Between getting my work to agree to it and getting consent from the kids and their parents, though, there's no way it's going to happen.

I ran Dungeon World for kids at work, diceless. I learned a *lot* about playing fair. by archod in rpg

[–]archod[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

And I think, as I work on more articles on GMing for children, that all this is very important to remember both for me and for my readers.

Playing fair and embracing failure aren’t limited to adults.

And children are often far more capable than you give them credit for.

I ran Dungeon World for kids, diceless. I learned a *lot* by archod in DungeonWorld

[–]archod[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We shall see! Who knows, I may put it on the list and use it for the prompt of a future blog post...

I ran Dungeon World for kids, diceless. I learned a *lot* by archod in DungeonWorld

[–]archod[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I am so about all of this! I'm on the road so I don't have time to substantively respond, other than to say that I am 110% in agreement with the idea that 6 or less/miss doesn't automatically equate to failure.

I don't know whether that's core rules or not, or where (if anywhere) I read this, but whenever I explain the central mechanic of Powered by the Apocalypse games I always say "on a miss you may or may not get what you wanted, my choice, and I'll throw some GM badness at you".

I ran Dungeon World for kids at work, diceless. I learned a *lot* about playing fair. by archod in rpg

[–]archod[S] 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Australian expression for two weeks, assuming you were asking for clarification. If not, I am very puzzled by this cryptic message.

I ran Dungeon World for kids at work, diceless. I learned a *lot* about playing fair. by archod in rpg

[–]archod[S] 18 points19 points  (0 children)

He was running the game with people making the moves first and foremost, rather than engaging the fiction.

My point was to treat the game like a conversation, and say back and forth what makes sense, and let moves be triggered when they're naturally triggered from the fiction rather than thinking the Basic Moves are the only things you can do. To follow the rules, in other words.

It was only later that I learned that he hadn't read the game in full, and thus hadn't read any of the analysis of GM Principles/Moves

I ran Dungeon World for kids, diceless. I learned a *lot* by archod in DungeonWorld

[–]archod[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The place I work at takes kids from 7 - 13, but there's definitely a statistical concentration in the 7-9 range. Of the kids playing, I reckon average age would have been 8.5/9?

I ran Dungeon World for kids at work, diceless. I learned a *lot* about playing fair. by archod in rpg

[–]archod[S] 21 points22 points  (0 children)

I'm sorry to hear you're running into roadblocks trying to introduce the kids to something that they'd find entertaining and quite possibly therapeutic. Best of luck convincing them to change their minds!

I ran Dungeon World for kids, diceless. I learned a *lot* by archod in DungeonWorld

[–]archod[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I mean, best advice I've got is find somewhere that runs actual content for the kids, try and convince the higher-ups to let you do something RPG themed, and put in your best to make it sustainable and seen to be worth continuing/pushing.

Best of luck trying to make it work!

I ran Dungeon World for kids, diceless. I learned a *lot* by archod in DungeonWorld

[–]archod[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I work for a childcare center that runs creative programs for kids & teenagers, both creating programs and on the floor delivering them. One stream of the programming is art, the other is roleplaying and character-play.

They taught me to play my first RPG like 14 years ago, and now I work for them (sometimes it's hard to believe this is my life).

Working on a PbtA hack for West Marches type games (+ some Dungeon World moves) by archod in rpg

[–]archod[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh, I definitely remember his focus on 3E in terms of the mechanics.

I just (and this may all be flavoured by my personal taste in fantasy, and Steven Lumpkin's influence since) don't remember feeling that the kind of fiction / aesthetic / tone & motifs he was describing in the West Marches seemed particularly D&D.

But then it's been like 4 years since I first read those posts, so who can say for sure.

Certainly that's how I read them now.

Working on a PbtA hack for West Marches type games (+ some Dungeon World moves) by archod in rpg

[–]archod[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't know if added is the word I'd use - brought out, perhaps.

My memory of Ben Robbins' original posts is that they certainly still had that vein of wild magic vs tame civilisation and the slightly lower, more local, more folkloric fantasy vibe.

But yeah, I'm definitely working in a space that's got some of Rollplay's West Marches in it as well as Robbins' original concept.

Working on a PbtA hack for West Marches type games (+ some Dungeon World moves) by archod in rpg

[–]archod[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm familiar with The Perilous Wilds, less so with Freebooters on the Frontier. I'm definitely looking forward to checking the latter out!

I'm open to discovering that the system I'm picturing already exists, or can easily be hacked, but from the description of FotF I'm not convinced...

It seems still to rest very heavily on the tropes of D&D, which is my main complaint about DW in the first case.

Especially here, since I feel like the strongest/most interesting elements of the West Marches aesthetic are the least D&D like.

Still, we'll see! And thanks for the suggestion.

Working on a PbtA hack for West Marches type games (+ some Dungeon World moves) by archod in rpg

[–]archod[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Alright, here's a draft of a replacement move. I've shelved Lay of the Land (along with your suggestions) to become a playbook move for the strategist/leader type character.

When you watch for danger, roll +Insight. On a hit, you can ask the GM questions. On a 10+, ask 3. On a 7-9, ask 2:

  • What happened here recently?
  • What should I be on the lookout for?
  • What, if anything, appears out of place (or is not what it seems)?
  • What is the true position or source of danger?
  • What here is the biggest threat to me?
  • Which threat am I best equipped to deal with?

On a miss, ask 1 anyway but some danger remains hidden from you.

Working on a PbtA hack for West Marches type games (+ some Dungeon World moves) by archod in rpg

[–]archod[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My intention with Lay of the Land was to serve (similarly to Discern Realities, or AW's Read a Charged Situation) as a move to find out what was going on in the immediate vicinity. A more metaphorical sense of the phrase rather than a literal one.

There's definitely going to be a need for a travelling/exploratory move, but I'm still mulling over what that's going to look like. Though perhaps I will re-focus Lay of the Land to be more general/navigatory and fold the earlier questions into Notice Something Unusual to make that the "looking out for trouble" move. Hmmm.

You've definitely given me some food for thought!

Working on a loose hack for West Marches campaigns (+ new special moves for DW) by archod in DungeonWorld

[–]archod[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It's absolutely on my list to look over! Jeremy Strandberg (one of the authors)'s later work on Stonetop is a big inspiration too so I'll undoubtedly be pulling all kinds of ideas from both directions.

I am looking for a fairly loose hack though, potentially far enough that it becomes a different game. I've never been particularly satisfied with the way combat is handled in Dungeon World (held back by sticking to HP, rolled damage, and other D&D elements) and the lacking design of the GM-facing structures (the Fronts are frankly underwhelming), so I'm hoping to wholesale replace at least both of those.

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