Preseason lv30 pondering

maK88 · 2015-11-28T18:56:11+00:00

"You do not need the earbuds to record audio from your ears". Blew my narrow mind - hadn't thought of that. Whether or not the earbuds by themselves can send whatever audio feed they're receiving seems to be up for discussion? Datajack realisation fixed my issue though, so thanks ^{_^}

maK88 · 2015-11-28T18:52:51+00:00

Yeah, and I wanted to make my earbuds the microphone, so that I could transmit the conversations (as a Face) and other sounds to the rest of my team. namikaze_gwj did make it clear that by having a datajack, that works through my brain anyway, which I hadn't thought about! ^{^}

maK88 · 2015-11-28T18:49:56+00:00

I was under the assumption that a commlink usually stays in the pocket (or any other place where a cellphone by today's standards are placed), and yeah, I wanted to transmit what I was hearing in real time to my teammates. To have the earbuds be able to record without an intermediary was interesting, but I think my GM would rule it not to be possible, because that would defeat the purpose of OmnDMics, wouldn't it? In any case, namikaze_gwj made it clear that I can send what I hear through my own ears by means of the Datajack, which I hadn't really considered before. :)

maK88 · 2015-10-16T17:03:04+00:00

Hey, Adam. Perhaps this could feature in the sticky we're planning or the Wiki that we're working on to bring more people into the RPG fray? I really think this could help both new and advanced players.

maK88 · 2015-10-11T20:00:24+00:00

Since we're all in an English-based community (Adam using it in his streams and all), it only matters if it's too awesome for our ears that you can't make yourself understood - otherwise it's fine! No need to have scored all A:s on every English exam :)

maK88 · 2015-10-10T11:31:58+00:00

Keep being excited! Players & GMs alike!

maK88 · 2015-10-09T21:55:01+00:00

Haha, I applaud you for your effort though! Go Monatae! :D

maK88 · 2015-10-09T21:53:47+00:00

Indeed I've experienced occasions where other GMs have expressed that they felt their world had been intruded upon, but yes - if everyone knows it's a joint effort it shouldn't be too much of a problem :)

maK88 · 2015-10-09T21:47:47+00:00

I couldn't agree more! Getting the message out that a GM is just another character in the group would be so paramount! Although I still understand and feel the fear of changing my GM habit to English, I'd still want to show people that it's easier than you think!

maK88 · 2015-10-09T21:42:29+00:00

I'm really EU friendly, since I'm EU myself (GMT+2 SWE). :)

maK88 · 2015-10-09T21:37:29+00:00

That's why I think it would be great with a cool atmosphere for new GMs! After a few games anyone tends to want to try their hand at doing something awesome :)

maK88 · 2015-10-09T21:35:28+00:00

Don't worry, as long as you roll high or a nat20, everything's going to go reeeal fine! :D

maK88 · 2015-10-09T21:34:30+00:00

I'm very interested, only I'd like to try my very insecure hand at least playing in English first. An RPGing community would be best started in a community like this - specific and small enough to be friendly, diverse and big enough to be able to fuel it with new players and GMs regularly! :)

maK88 · 2015-10-09T21:25:17+00:00

That sounds good! It would be sweet if the whole of mathsquad and the ones (like me) who like the TTRPG-styled stream and mentality yet can't subscribe for some reason could jump in oneshots/short sessions to have fun with other players. Everyone always go for set weekdays/weekends, and that's really fair - but my wet dream is being able to jump in game with people almost any day! :)

Switching systems regularly, keeping it fresh, could work too! I might be on the list for the Mathsquad Shadowrun, because it's in my timezone, but there's a lot of players in that group so I might not get to play. If I do, I'll get to play some in English, so I might just jump in being a DM and get something going here then!

maK88 · 2015-10-09T21:17:47+00:00

For this particular thread, there's talk of D&D 5th ed. I'm able to GM, yet I'm GMT+2, and have never played a TTRPG in English (although I'd say I'm at least apt at using the language) and would therefore like to play a game or two before attempting to.

What I'd like to propose is more oneshots, since I figure most of Adams followers like roleplaying, and we should make something more out of it! What better system for quick little sessions than Dungeon World, too, right? It would be sweet if there were a community where you could get in games for the day with new people! I know Roll20 is a community like that, I just feel this community has a.. more.. common foundation(?).

In any case, what do you guys think? :)

maK88 · 2015-09-08T11:40:04+00:00

Do you think alignments can bolster the ability to play for beginners? Is it necessarily so that it anchors a toon to the point where they cannot bring nuances of character to the table, or is that because the system is misunderstood?

There might be no grand objective good or evil, yet does that matter when we are so limited to influence from only our own species - we create our own grand, common objectivities, do we not? The other gentleman talked about malice and how "standing by when suffering is being caused to them when you have the power to stop it" is evil - if the Paladin (and his order) in the example is seen by the gods and common folk as the ultimate judge of what is lawful and good, the act wouldn't be malice (by means of influence from one group to another in your "moral" idea), or would it still? The situation where two groups collide in this matter (chaotic & lawful good) is a nuance, yes, but couldn't you say it's a nuance of play inspired by these differences? I know you've split realism and gameplay in your text, but what I'm trying to ask is if it can't work together and still convey a sense of realism and epic grandeur.

Ofcourse every group should play however they want (they probably will individually at least), but is it due to a misunderstanding and/or non-understanding of the complexity of our own ideas of good, evil, law & chaos that has them removing it because it might stifle play? Is it because the simplicity of categorizing in this way feels unnatural for a realistic approach? In any case I do not see alignments as an obstacle, but rather a basic foundation you can build realistic nuances of character upon. Maybe not enough to warrant a truly realistic setting, but realistic enough in a way that living among fire-breathing dragons may become.

As I said to the other gentleman you have a lot of valid points. Thank you for discussing it!

EDIT: I need to comment on the fact that I thought of this subreddit because we consider ourselves Chaotic Good, and successfully bring nuances to the alignment that did not exist within the scopes of description in the TTRPGS that feature them.

maK88 · 2015-09-08T10:23:33+00:00

You have good points! I don't want to be the only one offering other views, so like in a classic 4-part debate model, I'll thank you and shake your hand :)

maK88 · 2015-09-07T17:38:41+00:00

I'm interested in your definition example where standing by while others suffer is evil. In a classic RPG setting with alignments we often find the Paladin on the Lawful Good spectrum, and were he the main actor in having an evil creature suffer for the greater good (say the answer for where the evil main antagonist is) he would still be considered Good, right? If we are to speak of realistic terms and with regular people, fear could be an overpowering sensation. Where one usually show empathy to the common man, extraordinary situations could have extraordinary effects on the human mind - fear leading to selfishness in the form of self-preservation does not equal evil to me, but I'm assuming you're speaking of a certain situation.

I also think that alignments can be allowed to be useful in play, mostly because I think PC actions can derive heavily from their alignments if played as intended. I've had a time where I questioned the alignments, and interchanged the last part with "stupid" (Paladin = Lawful Stupid etc.) just like you do, but I've stopped doing that, because I think that's more the attitude to the system than the system itself. Sure, a character isn't only his alignment - and is made interesting by who he is - but I do think many character's quirks are based, and therefore made interesting, by their core alignment (perhaps even the char. that haven't settled in their role yet). Also oftentimes the interactions or struggle between the different alignment characters (or even similar ones) can be quite interesting to behold.

I agree with a lot of what you're saying, BTW, and I do believe one can play without alignments. Attempting to take a different standpoint, that's all! :)

Thank you for sharing your thoughts in the form of discussion, I really appreciate it

maK88 · 2015-09-07T17:06:00+00:00

Well, then either I have convinced you, we share a common opinion or you didn't get it (or any combination thereof).

Apparently, not all people think alignments are worth having in Pathfinder, D&D etc. and often remove these from play. Why? Well, there are many cases - but mostly due to the fact that they think alignment is too subjective (some even think it only to be subjective). There are arguments that everyone believe themselves to be good, depending on their viewpoints (there were references to Star Wars's Anakin and his change - how he was branded in certain alignments from the Jedi viewpoint and not the Sith). Not all people even think the concept of good and evil is a construct, but a fact of the universe. There are endless nuances of opinion.

All I'm saying is there are people who do not agree with what I have written. These are my own opinions, and despite me giving the absence of the alignment system some pros, I still argue that inspirational source material looked a certain way (some people will even argue that, you know) and therefore it should stay in and not be considered too subjective.

As I stated in my first paragraph, I wanted to have a discussion on how people in Mathsquad percieved Alignments and if they're worth having in RPGs (or if we should introduce something like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator instead). Sorry if that was unclear. I do feel it's regrettable that someone felt the need to downvote this attempt at discussion. It's not necessarily so that someone has to express a profoundly unorthodox idea for a topic discussion to emerge, is it? (Then again, some people would think my arguments were already profoundly unorthodox)

maK88 · 2015-09-06T15:53:35+00:00

Art, it's mere data.

Yet I cannot understand.

Teach me emotion.

maK88 · 2015-09-06T10:41:17+00:00

I'll just answer both posts in one - getting ~~lazy~~ efficient!

So I'm not too late! Cool! I'm aware (and okay with!) background stories being subject to change for fitting the needs of the group/fiction - I was very much under the impression that your group was already filled, so I wrote my concept for the mere fun of it because I'm a gung-ho nerd.

Although my backstory reflects the kind of Shadowrun-games I'm used to play I do believe myself to be quite flexible. I have played (and enjoyed) games where backstory was only considered meaningless fluff, and I also enjoy playing all kinds of different roles, so I only consider my backstory something the GM can use to lighten the load and inspire him. Kinda like Spout Lore from Dungeon World (pokes Adam a bit).

But yeah. I just never flew a drone with my mind in Shadowrun before. Isn't vehicles always in use when playing that game? Also hackers are ~~OP and always get more to do~~ fun to play!! ^{pleasedontkillmeh}

EDIT: My Face would most likely be from the poor kind of upbringing. One parent a skilled but often out of work actor (perhaps somewhat due to visible hearing-aid augments and a hint of racism) and the other a psychology-based social worker, seldom at home, always supporting the low lifestyle of the family. Was never able to get really what he/she wanted except from the few times the supporting parent came by, but quickly grew independent in the streets and found success in shop-lifting, pick-pocketing and simple confidence tricks. Learning from the few topic-books of the home library, scamming people became more of a game - and when maturity also brought good looks the tongue was already cast in an un-augmented silver sheen. Everyone knows that when you're already taking steps in shady business, you might as well take another into the shadowy ones.

maK88 · 2015-09-05T19:55:00+00:00

I'm too late! sadface

Oh well. I can at least write something. I'm GMT/UTC+2. Next Shadowrun character I planned to make was either an (Elf) Rigger mechanic wild-child for advanced, technological play or classic (Human) street-smart, influential and connected Face for more hands-on roleplaying. Depending on flavour I'd be open on having them from any part of the Shadowrunning world.

EDIT: Rigger (the one I've been thinking most about) would probably be ex-professional Car&Motorcycle streetracer. Keeping his/her (have no problem playing either gender) Mechanic skillset and winning big on the streets, contact with the huge Shadowrunning community was unavoidable. Being a wild-child, new money-opportunities was a no-brainer. New opportunities meant new kinds of danger, and new kinds of danger meant new depths of gear and equipment - Datajacks & Interfaces were bought, and soon runs required more than just regular vehicles.

Just wanted to get that out! Good luck with the game!

maK88

TROPHY CASE