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Topics - BG_Josh

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1
Board Business / Old Boards
« on: December 30, 2011, 03:11:32 AM »
Sooner or later the old boards need to go away. 

There may still be some migration issues.  So does anyone have any concerns?  Does more stuff need to be moved?  How long do they need to sat up? and so forth.

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Other RPGs / Ongoing Official Min/Max Contest coming in January
« on: December 18, 2011, 03:11:02 PM »
*Ongoing Official Min/Max Contest coming in January*

The contest rules will be released by January 8, there will be a period for questions and clarifications.  The actual contest post date will be the 22 of January.

Here is the prototype contest post.

3
Brilliant Gameologists Podcast / What Games Are "Good Enough"?
« on: December 16, 2011, 09:27:25 PM »
What Games Are "Good Enough"?
An incomplete list

Separated by genre

Action Adventure
Dungeons and Dragons 4th
Dungeons and Dragons 3rd
Warhammer Fantasy (the latest)
Savage worlds (any after the latest deadland imprint)
Battlestations

Science fiction
Shock Social science fiction
Misspent Youth
Freemarket
Apocalypse world
Microscope

Fantasy
Burning Wheel Gold
Dungeon World
Don't rest your Head
Spirit of the Century
Zombie Cinema
Mouseguard

Mystery/Procedural
GUMSHOE (they are in on a technicality, no competition)
Inspecteres

Horror
Dread
My life with Master


Here the list of excluded games so you know I know about them (again incomplete)
-Anything published before 2000
-Anything White Wolf  (except maybe ares magika 3rd ed, maybe)
-Anything MWP (a cartoonishly awful publisher)
-Anything HERO or steve jackson RPGs (except as non rules source books)
-Dresden Files (just use Spirit)

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Brilliant Gameologists Podcast / New question pulled out of thread
« on: December 16, 2011, 02:21:11 AM »
Deep in another thread we find this:

I think my personal experience on the matter of playing non-D&D games matches up fairly well with many of Basket Burner's points. I don't play non-D&D games, except very rarely, because I don't know anyone who plays non-D&D games, but more importantly I have read non-D&D games and I dislike their mechanics.

From what I can tell, BG Josh has been implying, if not explicitly stating, that this makes me a poor Gamer. In order to become a "better Gamer" I should play games that I doubt I would enjoy, that do not offer the type of gameplay I want, because doing so will lead to some sort of gamist-version of enlightened self-interest? No, no this doesn't make any sense.

Out of a table-top RPG, I want:

  • a reasonably well-constructed setting, even if it is only an implied setting
  • adventure-focused gameplay
  • deep character-creation options combined with meaningful choices of in-game action
  • streamlined action-resolution mechanics
  • and clear, well-presented documents

I am willing to play games that do not do all of those things well, if they pull off one or more of them in intriguingly exceptional good form. Examples of games that I have learned, but not played because I didn't like their mechanics: Exalted, Anima: Beyond Fantasy, Burning Wheel, Risus, World of Darkness, FUDGE, and GURPS. Examples of non-D&D games that I have learned and have enjoyed playing: Marvel Universe Roleplaying, The One Ring: Adventures Over the Edge of the Wild.

Telling me that I'm a bad gamer, or that I'm the exception to the rule, is exceptionally ignorant and elitist. You wrote the rule, and defined the rule by the company you keep. You are basically saying that the only "good Gamers" are exactly like yourself and your friends, and that others at best woefully misguided sheep to be tended by someone of your infinite wisdom, or at worst willfully defiant mongrels to be put down. So, if that's not what you mean, I'd hope you would attempt to clarify and/or amend your statements.

I said, and stand by the fact, that a "good gamer" must be good at a range of games(by definition).  That  playing new and different games makes you better at the original game.  And that most people do not always want the same experience from a game, therefore they should play multiple games.

Also I am implying that: everyone (in the group) is interested in the game you are playing, everyone understands and agrees with the way the game is being played. and that you are playing a game that does indeed do what it claims and does not suffer from critical flaws.

So here's the list.
  • a reasonably well-constructed setting, even if it is only an implied setting
  • adventure-focused gameplay
  • deep character-creation options combined with meaningful choices of in-game action
  • streamlined action-resolution mechanics
  • and clear, well-presented documents
So, burning wheel gold.  It's the only extant game that even does some of these things.

If you are being flexible on some of these points there are other options.  Of course this list isn't very good for this purpose. 

What you need is the thing you want to do.  Rather than restrictive descriptions of mechanics.

"I want to have epic battles"
"i want to be zorro/Indiana jones/Mr T/joe peshi"
"I want to save the princess/take over the world/win iron chef"

Also, there is the issue that you don't always want to play the same game.

5
Brilliant Gameologists Podcast / Learning to play
« on: December 15, 2011, 01:41:37 AM »
This subject came up in another thread.

Learning how to play the game, whats the "best" way

Some people try to learn everything about a system before they play.  That is just not possible.  You will never learn everything by reading.  You need to play.

Important factors:
1) Pick a good game
2) Make sure you are interested in the game genre, the setting and the mechanics. 
3) Manage your expectations, first game is never perfect
4) play the game exactly as intended
5) Just try the game
6) Play to win

Playing lets you get an idea what you need to learn from the book.
Ideally you can learn from someone who knows the game.

6
Board Business / Clearing up any confusion
« on: December 12, 2011, 11:25:21 AM »
If you make an off topic post, it should be deleted.  Don't make off topic posts.

Hint: If anyone has any sort of issue with anything on the boards they would bring it up here on this board.  In fact, almost by defenition no one has a problem unless they bring it here.

 

7
Other RPGs / Prototype min/max contest
« on: December 11, 2011, 02:46:35 AM »
Here is a sample question for a proposed min/max contest.

-----

Action Adventure games are the cornerstone of the RPG world.  Everyone is familir with the games DnD 3rd and 4th editions.  When making characters you have the chance to make character selections that are better than the default.  Choices that are particularly good are "exploits". Either by making a particular choice or a series of choices. 

The contest: Find and explain a single exploit in initial character generation.  Explain how to do it and why it's a good choice.

-500 words or less
-no extraneous information

Games you can use:
Savage Worlds (any compatible with explorer edition or later), Warhammer Fantasy(3rd ed only), Battlestations, Danger Patrol

Judging(as currently foreseen)
-The goal of this contest is to higlight basic min/maxing skills
-The secondary goal is to highlight the interesting and optimum choices available in some games
-Judging will be done against a "breed standard" choices are compared against the basic choices of the game.

entries will be rated on 3 factors: Usefulness, Cleverness and Originality

-----

Normally there would be a posting date like two weeks from now.  For this one just post immediately.

Post comments on the contest or contest entries in this thread.

-If you post a critique, you have to give solutions.  I don't need complaints I need refinements, that's why this is a prototype.

-and yes, this is outside your comfort zone.

-a range of games makes this easier, not harder.  You need access to only one game.

-if you wanted to test the absolute skill of someone in min/maxing you ideally use a system they are unfamiliar with

-one the games listed is available in it's entirety online.  I can't say that will always be possible but when possible it will be done. 

-----

Examples:
If the contest were looking for exploits in character generation and one of the choices was…

Example 1: Burning Wheel
In Burning Wheel having a skill opens you to advance it with help.  Therefore if you are in a group where someone else has a skill do not waste skill points advancing that skill.  Just paln on helping them and you will get up to speed in no time.

Example 2: Burning Wheel
Under Proffesional soldier subsetting the "runner" has access to the traits "Fleet of Foot" and "sprinter" two excelent traits if you want your character to dominate positioning tests

Example 3: Mouseguard
Always have your parents live somewhere other than lockhaven.  Having a place to stay and resouces to use is one of the key powers of parents.  So you want them to be out where you can use them.

8
Other Games / Risk: Legacy
« on: December 11, 2011, 02:15:31 AM »
So this game, Risk:Legacy has raised some eyebrows.

Has anyone seen or played it?

9
Brilliant Gameologists Podcast / You Don't know This guy
« on: December 09, 2011, 10:35:27 PM »
So, the actual point.  You say "I have had fun, because of the people I play with."  So basically, no matter what you played, you would have fun.  So why not play a good game?  First off you will have more fun, and secondly you will have more kinds of fun.  Thirdly you will do less things that irritate you.  It's simple math when you break it down.

Josh, this has always been my biggest problem with your posts.  You don't know the OP, you don't know his group, and so you can't effectively tell him what he will find to be more fun. 


Sorry for the off-topic post.

My problem is you assuming that I don't know what I'm talking about, so you don't consider that I may know what I am talking about, so you don't think about it.

I do know this guy.  He admits he does not like the system.  This means if he played a system he liked, he would have more fun because, he would have fun with his friends AND from the system.

It's math.

10
So this contest would be run and judged by the BG's.  It would be simple and relatively small scale. 

Rewards and many other details would depend on interest and involvement

Here is a link to the prototype

http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=2078.0

11
Creations & Ephemera / Good Reads
« on: November 06, 2011, 08:34:37 PM »
If you like to read books go to Good Reads http://www.goodreads.com/

You can friend me there: BG Josh Crowe

It is a website where you can share what you are reading and how you like it with others

12
Introduce Yourself / Hey, Hey, Hey this is Josh
« on: November 06, 2011, 01:30:11 AM »
Hi this is Josh, or BG_Josh
Member of the Brilliant Gameologists one of the two currently existing Gaming Advice Podcasts.  If you want to know about podcasting or need gaming advice, I'm the guy.



Back in the 00's I picked up a copy of Dungeons and Dragons 3ed.  I had been playing, running and modding RPG's for over 10 years at that point and I realized that someone actually sat down and decided to build a "House of Bricks." 

I had always been a min/maxer but in most games min/maxing was like boxing with a kitten.  Until 3ed games had two problems
1) They were so precariously built the GM had to constantly alter the game to keep it from falling apart
2) You had to go off system to do anything other than "swing and hit" so min/maxing makes little sense. All games were boring or "GM Please May I?"

The back of the book had a CD with a prototype character builder and a link to the WotC website.  So I started hanging out on the WotC message boards and we started the modern min/maxing culture.  In 2000 it was considered approprite to scream at someone until they went away if they brought up the term "min/maxing" and did not follow it with "is stupid."(real example)

So I had two goals mainstreaming min/maxing and developing a methodology for it.  For methods I figured out how to show that you did not want to sacrifice spellcaster levels or that weapon plusses were better than powers.  For mainstreaming my pitch was "just because you are good at something, it does not mean you have less fun doing it."  (somebody later bizzarely stole this idea and named it after themselves)  I wrote the origional intro thread to the min/max board and Meg and I coinvented the term "Character Optimization" to stop the hissy fit to end all hissy fits.


RPG's I play
  • Burning wheel
  • Free Market
  • Apocalypse world
  • Fiasco


twitter: @bg_josh
g+: Josh Crowe

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Unofficial Errata Project / Unofficial Errata Project
« on: November 04, 2011, 03:01:34 AM »
I changed this group to "experienced only" for posting, rather than needing special permission.

The idea is to keep not only the quality of the errata high but also the perceived value of the errata high.  In other words, what will make this the "go to" place for errata.

Post any ideas to increase the quality of this errata board here.

14
Handbooks / Handbooks
« on: November 04, 2011, 03:00:57 AM »
in order to post here you must

Profile -> Modify Profile -> group membership and then select "DnD Handbook Writer"

15
Gaming Advice / Ask A Question
« on: November 04, 2011, 02:57:16 AM »
Anyone should be able to post questions here

This is a place for people to ask any questions they have about gaming.  Currently it is set so only people who are committed board members can respond to these questions.  That helps ensure quality.

What this means is only people with 50+ posts should be able to answer these questions.  This is something of an experiment to see how well it works.  (people set as handbook writer or PbP Gm should be able to as well)

PM me directly if this is not working correctly.

16
Introduce Yourself / Things you might want to include in your first post
« on: October 31, 2011, 11:42:58 AM »
This is your chance to introduce yourself.  People interested in new people will keep an eye on this board to see who is joining.  Here are some things you might want to include (there are no requirements.  You don't need to include anything you don't want to)

-Your name
-Your favorite games
-Your non gaming hobbies
-Where you live, including country, without using abbreviations
-What other communities you belong to meetups, message boards etc
-Your twitter, facebook or G+ handle

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Board Business / New Day, New Boards, New System
« on: October 31, 2011, 04:19:37 AM »
New Day, New Boards, New System
Ver 2.0

Here are the rules:
- No linking to porn
- No linking to illegal filesharing sites
- No IRL Threats.  No death threats or threats of violence or threats of legal action or financial ruin 
- No hate-speech, misogyny or racism directed at the real world
- Moderators may only delete posts, they do not edit posts
- No flaming or spamming
- Don't make multiple threads about the same topic
- Do post a few times when you join. Accounts over 24 hours old with only 0-2 posts may be deleted
- Get along with the other people on this site
- Post in the correct forum and stay on topic
- No harping.  This means don't say the same thing over and over again.  After you make a point don't repeat that point again.  Say something new or stop.  This includes making multiple posts.
- In the forum for a game do not make threads or posts about how much that game sucks. 
- Don't be a douche.  Don't piss people off just to piss them off, don't be an immature ass
- Don't do anything with the intent of being destructive.  Add to the community.
- Don't like something?  Suggest an alternative.  Better yet, fix it yourself.  Empty complaints are worthless.
- If you are too much trouble, we'll boot you.  All comes down to what you add to the community versus how much work you take.


Here are the reasons we have those rules

- No linking to porn
- No linking to illegal filesharing sites
These are required by the hosting service

- No IRL Threats.  No death threats or threats of violence or threats of legal action or financial ruin 
- No hate-speech, misogyny or racism directed at the real world
Behavior like this is not cool.  It reflects poorly on everyone here so we will not tolerate it.

- Moderators may only delete posts, they do not edit posts
This is an issue of legal responsibility.  By not editing your posts it means they are your ideas and not ours.

- No flaming or spamming
- Don't make multiple threads about the same topic
- Do post a few times when you join. Accounts over 24 hours old with only 0-2 posts may be deleted
Rules like this help fight spam also they help keep the site running well.

- Don't be a douche.  Don't piss people off just to piss them off, don't be an immature ass
- Get along with the other people on this site
- Post in the correct forum and stay on topic
- No harping.  This means don't say the same thing over and over again.  After you make a point don't repeat that point again.  Say something new or stop.  This includes making multiple posts.
- In the forum for a game do not make threads or posts about how much that game sucks. 
- Don't do anything with the intent of being destructive.  Add to the community.
- Don't like something?  Suggest an alternative.  Better yet, fix it yourself.  Empty complaints are worthless.
We are all here to talk about gaming and have fun.  Let us not forget that

Above all:
- If you are too much trouble, we'll boot you.  All comes down to what you add to the community versus how much work you take.  It's subjective and an inexact science, but know that you almost definitely will be warned first (if it's super serious, we'll boot without a warning. Don't be that guy.)  Learn from it. If you are mature and post thoughtful, interesting stuff you have not a thing to worry about.



Unlike other message boards
- Thread necromancy is fine.  If you want to bring up an old topic, go for it.
- Arguing and more importantly Disagreeing with people is just fine.  We do not expect you to toe the line


Special
- The "Bitch like you have to" board does not exist.  But if it did you would need to have 100 posts to see it.
- The mature board (only visible to members) is where all mature material goes, reguardless of system.  So do not post mature NC17 stuff elsewhere.
- Please feel free to promote suff in the promo board.  In fact promote everything you can think of. But, don't feel like you cannot recommend stuff elsewhere.



Here is how things should work when new people join
  • You Sign up for an account.
  • You click the link on the email we send you
  • You need to make one post on the Noob Board before you can do anything else
  • If you do not post and you account has less than two posts in the first 24 Hours it may be deleted.
  • enjoy
.

Guests cannot see some boards
Newly joined people can only post in the Noob Board and can only see the Noob Board



Features(these are ways the boards work that may seem flawed):
- Signature size is reduced to help keep the boards running quickly.
- Signatures can't have links, to cut down on spam.
- Given that this is now the min/max board i changed the structure of the min maxing areas
- the calendar does not work 100% yet
- you have to enter your favorite game as a form of spam control.



The Moderating structure is:
Admins: Me and BG_Josh: . We own it and pay for it.
Global Moderators: Prime32 and Dan2. Something about those 2's... They oversee things like we do.
Mods: Agita, veekie, Sinfire Titan, and RobbyPants-- they each have specific areas they oversee, so if you have questions, go to them first.

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