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Post by ecocola on May 31, 2014 14:51:05 GMT -8
Don't get me wrong i love every element of this game, but i recently had a very good player whose characters i thoroughly enjoyed drop, the main reason, she didn't like the system and thought it was too silly. This was just as the group (Well two players and me, sadly enough) came against their first encounter, a Mud Grabber, and the resident mutant used his energy blade mutation. I suppose that (What i'm guessing are) mutant crayfish and energy blades sprouting from people's hands are too silly for today's gaming community?
It was a big downer for me since I was so excited for having a new group, it took me months to find a new one, and i already lost one due to real life, and now i'm down to two players, one of whom is very busy.
Since i barely ever get players for the game in my forum i use, i can only assume that others have also avoided it due to that reason.
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Post by providence13 on Jun 2, 2014 7:44:01 GMT -8
had a very good player.. drop she didn't like the system and thought it was too silly. I suppose that (What i'm guessing..) mutant crayfish and energy blades sprouting from people's hands are too silly for today's gaming community? i'm down to two players, one of whom is very busy. i can only assume that others have also avoided it due to that reason. I always hate to lose players. I've had a few that don't contribute much and it still makes me feel down for a few days. If she really didn't like the system, then what can you do? What part didn't agree with her? Was it the game mechanics or story? Every GM's is bound by the game mechanics of their rpg. That's why you chose this specific game to run. You like it. You can HR (house rule) and we all do, but it's still ME. "This is how you fight and this is how you use skills.." etc. If she didn't like the story.. Each one of my players asks something different of our game. This player likes combat. That one enjoys roleplaying. Another might just want hanging out with friends they've known for 20+ years. They don't mind rpg's as long as it's fun, 'doesn't matter. We're not hanging out in bars (but we might have a few beers over the course of a 5 hr game). Like you said, not everyone likes gonzo. But is it really over the top? I wonder what this player would say to a high magic/fantasy game. Giant creatures and flametongue swords wouldn't be out of the realm of (magical) possibility in that venue. I've ran Marvel Superheroes. We still played a serious game. Running Gamma World (one of the games to which ME pays respectful homage) can still be serious. While I GM'd Top Secret (Espionage/spy game) I always wondered how the tech level of the 70's and 80's could make car submarines "just because it was in a James Bond film". We still had them in our game because it was cool! I never cared much for the Star Wars rpg, yet it's really no different from a fantasy game. Didn't love the mechanics- too many D6's in one roll. Still enjoyed the movies (First three in their original versions.). Some people like a more scientific/real life approach to their understanding of sci-fi, or any rpg. Maybe that's what she's looking for in a game. How did a crayfish "mutate" into this horrid monster? That's near impossible, given the time frame, in my humble opinion. It might be possible, in the future, to recover segments of fossilized DNA and splice it to modern/near future animals- for whatever reason.. Here's a lighthearted but still mostly accurate article about giant critters that did live. www.cracked.com/article_18445_7-thankfully-extinct-giant-versions-modern-animals.htmlA giant dragonfly may or may not be viable in today's world as the O2 levels aren't what they used to be when it lived. Again, tech could help with that. Some future tech could be added to its make-up; synthetic genes to process O2 more efficiently/nanotech/bacteria that pulls in more.. whatever. The hows and wherefores don't matter when the mutant crayfish is in your face! The energy sword might be a little harder to explain, but not impossible. Is it really energy or just appears that way without scientific instruments. Would this player be ok with a monofiliment, single crystal artificial diamond sword assembled on command and vibrating at such a high frequency to appear as an energy blade? Everyone else would just call it a "laser sword" or plasma or whatever.. The effect is the same, either way. She could have been waiting for a spot in another game to open. Who knows? If you know her, you could ask her how to make the game better. You don't have to try to get her back. Starting off on the "please come back to the game" argument could make her feel defensive. She's an adult (I'm guessing) and has every reason to game or not based on her own tastes. This puts her in the wonderful position of honestly critiquing your game. Her advice might be bitter medicine. It might actually help. There is not much you can do to alter her tastes, wants and needs of an rpg. Hopefully, an honest critique could only improve any game where the GM cares and you obviously do!
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Post by rexbannon on Jun 3, 2014 3:43:30 GMT -8
Ecocola, Ill give playing in your onlline forum game a try just let me know were to go to find the website and when you intend to play next. we can work out the rest of the details latter.
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Post by ecocola on Jun 3, 2014 15:11:04 GMT -8
Nah I don't want to make you play the game with me, i have the two players and i'll get them together. then i'll just hunker down and search for more, plus i also run an Only War game, so i'm full up, it was just a downer to see her go, i liked her characters.
Also pbp posting is actually different from FtF, instead of setting up times of playing, we sorta post infrequently throughout the day, like 2-3 actions a day, most days.
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Post by providence13 on Jun 3, 2014 21:00:31 GMT -8
We used to game like that with a Trade Wars BBS or VGA Planets, back in the day.
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Post by rexbannon on Jun 5, 2014 2:47:57 GMT -8
well if you ever need players hit me up! ive never really tried playing it online in a post by post format before, would like to give it a try some time.
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Post by GreyKatana on Jun 6, 2014 3:09:01 GMT -8
I was thinking about asking for a Play-by-Post forum to be created on these boards. It helps keep player interest, with many posters coming back more often on the forum to check on how the game is going.
Back to the original topic, I too feel that the game is a bit too gonzo for my tastes. Though it is not that much the game (mechanics) but more the implied setting (even if you don't get the settings book there is a lot of implied setting information in the Hub rules). That means that if I want to use TME for a more "realistic" PA game, instead of adding to a basic set of rules, I must delete whole sections. That said, if TME was more of a basic set of PA RPG rules, it wouldn't be TME.
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Post by providence13 on Jun 6, 2014 4:18:05 GMT -8
In the front of the rules, ME gives examples of how to change the rules/setting to better suite each game. To me, this says "whatever your story and game needs, these easy but efficient rules can help. Keep in mind, this rule framework will be used for other genres. We already know he's working on a Fantasy game with these rules.
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Post by GreyKatana on Jun 6, 2014 9:15:43 GMT -8
I totally agree with you Providence, it's just that I'm the kind of guy that prefers to tell his players: "Take this simple rulebook and I'll add to it." rather than "Take this book, but don't read chapter 4 and 5, forget about page 122-135 and forget about the last appendix, we won't be using that."
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Post by SavageGM on Jun 6, 2014 11:13:30 GMT -8
Yeah that sucks to lose a player, sorry.
I've never thought of TME as being too gonzo. I guess because it's a gonzo game so I've come to expect that from it. In fact for me it's one of the main things that makes me love it. More stable PA games or ones more grounded in a believable PA future are a dime a dozen and I was glad to find one that it had many of the elements I wanted in other PA games which were missing, and wasn't that serious about it. The system, setting and gonzoness isn't for everyone that's for sure. A RPG can be stripped down to make it what you want of course as has been already stated. Not everyone is gonna enjoy that either. I always tell people that RPGs is a difficult hobby and between people's RL, time, money, many other entertainment distractions out there it's tough to get a group to really gel.
Maybe Atomic Highway, Mutant Future, GURPS, Savage Worlds, Fate or any others set in a more grounded PA setting would be more her style.
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Post by ecocola on Jun 6, 2014 14:57:23 GMT -8
yeah i lose players quite a bit because that's kinda how PbP rolls, but they usually leave because of life, she left because she said it was silly and she had to force herself to post. It came real unexpected because i was just so used to thinking "oh it's just The Mutant Epoch, over the top goodness"
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Post by providence13 on Jun 7, 2014 7:26:50 GMT -8
I totally agree with you Providence, it's just that I'm the kind of guy that prefers to tell his players: "Take this simple rulebook and I'll add to it." rather than "Take this book, but don't read chapter 4 and 5, forget about page 122-135 and forget about the last appendix, we won't be using that." I have said with confidence "no, you can't block a laser with an energy sword. I don't care what the book says."
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Post by GreyKatana on Jun 7, 2014 14:44:15 GMT -8
I totally agree with you Providence, it's just that I'm the kind of guy that prefers to tell his players: "Take this simple rulebook and I'll add to it." rather than "Take this book, but don't read chapter 4 and 5, forget about page 122-135 and forget about the last appendix, we won't be using that." I have said with confidence "no, you can't block a laser with an energy sword. I don't care what the book says." But come on! The scene is so cool in episode 6
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Post by ecocola on Jun 7, 2014 17:29:47 GMT -8
with my old players when i would say something one of them would flat out ignore what i said, like i know once i tried to introduce a new dynamic, Green Walkers implanting seeds in live victims. The player i used it on (who was hit by a critical from a green walker, leaving him with a big ol' gash) was not happy i didn't use the random hit location table for every attack (i seriously hate that table) so he just said, "Nope, you don't use the random hit location table so no they don't try to go after my characters wound."
I was infuriated to no end. So at one point i gave up trying to add to the rules since i couldn't replace him as the market for new players was dry. Now i have new players, even if it is only two, i'm glad with them.
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Post by providence13 on Jun 8, 2014 10:32:30 GMT -8
Ecocola, I've been there. Even the other players were frustrated with his "rules lawyering". I finally had to say, "let's make an agreement. I'll describe the world and you'll tell me your players reaction. We can discuss disputes after the game. That's how we are going to game from now on." After a few more games, he dropped. The other players were relieved. Glad things worked out for you.
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