*dreamy sigh*
Mar. 18th, 2004 04:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bloodsong1I don't often do this, but sometimes something is found that must be shared.
http://www.aliendice.com/
Intriguing. Dramatic. Romantic. Enchanting. Well written, well drawn, very well done. Anyone interested in dice gaming or M:TG might appreciate this. Die hard romantics might as well. It's beautiful. And addictive. I spent WAY too much time at work reading the archives. *blush* Not often you find a comic that includes text as part of the story.
Still not sure what to do about the Keep. Wolf hit me hard with a very valuable point. It wouldn't have mattered _who_ gave just a character blurb. The reactions from all of us would've been about the same. Maybe not quite as antagonistic, given that we all knew who it was, but still. There it is. Wolf doesn't approve of our gaming method. He thinks it's too many DMs and not enough players. We all know each other, so mysteries and surprises are harder to do and when they do come up, they tend to backfire. Especially when LG plays.
Sildar and I talked long about this last night. He had a good idea to shake things up, get us more focused on the game and not on each other. I passed the conversation on to Kyther. I don't know what they decided on, guess I'll find out. I'm leery of sticking my neck out again for the sake of change. Already did that once and got slapped hard for it. Some good may still come of this. I shouldn't be afraid of the pain. Truth hurts, especially self-truths. I can't blame LG for what happened to AC. I followed the procedure. I followed LG's pattern by my own free will. In a way I'm relieved that he didn't stay, because I know he and LG would fight. And fight. They like each other even less than LG and I do. But I'm also sorry I contributed to his departure. The main question now is, what do I do about it? Talk to him? Let it go? I honestly don't know.
The Keepsters have been living in their own little cocoon for two years now. Some new players make it past the hurdles of rules, regs and requirements and stay on as good players. Others just shrug and say "No, I don't want any part of this." Some have stormed off in disgust. The system we've developed is pretty specific in what is and isn't allowed. We had to do that to stop the powergaming. Sometimes I wonder if it worked.
It's depressing, realizing how much I've contributed to the problem at hand. I broke down and cried on Wolf's shoulder last night. Seems silly in retrospect. It's just a game. If I chose, I could walk away from it. Just talk to my friends through chats or emails or the occasional phone call. Or I could lurk. Not participate at all, just throw in random comments or observations on the Discussion board. The only catch is when something starts going down, I want to jump in and fight. Things aren't going down, per se. They're in a strange kind of holding pattern. There's been two big surprises in less than a week; my suggestion and AC trying to start a thread. Both received negative reactions and now people seem to be holding their breath, waiting. No one wants to start a ruckus, yet SOMETHING has to be done. We've been given a strong reminder of how we used to play, way back when. Granted, some may not want to go back to that. I do, or at least find a way to incorporate the spirit of mystery and suspense back into the game. I'm not interested in trashing the rules, but I do think they need to be held to a guideline form, not set in granite carved 12" deep. They can be modified, changed or rewritten as the needs of the players change. Now if only everyone agreed with that.
Well, I'm going to wait and see. My threads are stalled for various reasons and I don't feel particularly interested in jumping into anything. Who knows what tomorrow may bring.
*walks off humming Cure*
http://www.aliendice.com/
Intriguing. Dramatic. Romantic. Enchanting. Well written, well drawn, very well done. Anyone interested in dice gaming or M:TG might appreciate this. Die hard romantics might as well. It's beautiful. And addictive. I spent WAY too much time at work reading the archives. *blush* Not often you find a comic that includes text as part of the story.
Still not sure what to do about the Keep. Wolf hit me hard with a very valuable point. It wouldn't have mattered _who_ gave just a character blurb. The reactions from all of us would've been about the same. Maybe not quite as antagonistic, given that we all knew who it was, but still. There it is. Wolf doesn't approve of our gaming method. He thinks it's too many DMs and not enough players. We all know each other, so mysteries and surprises are harder to do and when they do come up, they tend to backfire. Especially when LG plays.
Sildar and I talked long about this last night. He had a good idea to shake things up, get us more focused on the game and not on each other. I passed the conversation on to Kyther. I don't know what they decided on, guess I'll find out. I'm leery of sticking my neck out again for the sake of change. Already did that once and got slapped hard for it. Some good may still come of this. I shouldn't be afraid of the pain. Truth hurts, especially self-truths. I can't blame LG for what happened to AC. I followed the procedure. I followed LG's pattern by my own free will. In a way I'm relieved that he didn't stay, because I know he and LG would fight. And fight. They like each other even less than LG and I do. But I'm also sorry I contributed to his departure. The main question now is, what do I do about it? Talk to him? Let it go? I honestly don't know.
The Keepsters have been living in their own little cocoon for two years now. Some new players make it past the hurdles of rules, regs and requirements and stay on as good players. Others just shrug and say "No, I don't want any part of this." Some have stormed off in disgust. The system we've developed is pretty specific in what is and isn't allowed. We had to do that to stop the powergaming. Sometimes I wonder if it worked.
It's depressing, realizing how much I've contributed to the problem at hand. I broke down and cried on Wolf's shoulder last night. Seems silly in retrospect. It's just a game. If I chose, I could walk away from it. Just talk to my friends through chats or emails or the occasional phone call. Or I could lurk. Not participate at all, just throw in random comments or observations on the Discussion board. The only catch is when something starts going down, I want to jump in and fight. Things aren't going down, per se. They're in a strange kind of holding pattern. There's been two big surprises in less than a week; my suggestion and AC trying to start a thread. Both received negative reactions and now people seem to be holding their breath, waiting. No one wants to start a ruckus, yet SOMETHING has to be done. We've been given a strong reminder of how we used to play, way back when. Granted, some may not want to go back to that. I do, or at least find a way to incorporate the spirit of mystery and suspense back into the game. I'm not interested in trashing the rules, but I do think they need to be held to a guideline form, not set in granite carved 12" deep. They can be modified, changed or rewritten as the needs of the players change. Now if only everyone agreed with that.
Well, I'm going to wait and see. My threads are stalled for various reasons and I don't feel particularly interested in jumping into anything. Who knows what tomorrow may bring.
*walks off humming Cure*
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no subject
Date: 2004-03-18 07:44 pm (UTC)I have no problem with that either.
Date: 2004-03-18 09:32 pm (UTC)I can't help but get the impression he was hoping to be welcomed back with open arms, no questions asked, and start something. It didn't happen, he took it personally and walked off. Not much we can do about that.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-18 11:04 pm (UTC)And the surprizes you're talking about are more on the order of 'plot twists'. I see no problem with a character being mysterious and unknown. That's the joy of a new book - you're discovering the character as you read along. When you lay everything out beforehand, it takes something away from that... If you *want* to reveal those details, fine. I just don't think you should *have* to.
I completely agree with you!
Date: 2004-03-18 11:32 pm (UTC)*feels a headache coming on*
Date: 2004-03-19 09:45 am (UTC)Screening is useful. There have been people coming in wanting to play gods and do whatever they want. When they find out they can't, they leave. That is fine.
However, we don't ask for everything up front. All the new players that have stayed gave as much background information as they wished. Some of them had detailed lives, some of them didn't. ALL included basic magic and physical capabilities, as well as checked to make sure what they wanted would work.
AC did not do this. He gave a physical description and nothing else. NOBODY on the boards accepted that as enough. We all asked for more details without specifics. He decided he didn't want to play that way and left.
I am all for plot twists, mysteries and all that. It's what makes the game fun. We ask for a character sheet, similar to what you'd roll up in a tabletop game, up front to make sure things are compatible with our gaming system. Would anyone's responses be any different if it _hadn't_ been AC? Honestly? I know mine wouldn't.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-19 09:46 am (UTC)Pikey? I want to apologize.
Date: 2004-03-19 11:07 am (UTC)*leans on Pikey* Can I have a cuddle? Please?
no subject
Date: 2004-03-19 11:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-19 12:35 pm (UTC)*giggles*
Date: 2004-03-19 08:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-18 09:05 pm (UTC)Good Bloody.
*scratches behind your ears*
It was "Picture of You".
Date: 2004-03-18 09:33 pm (UTC)Okay
Date: 2004-03-18 10:14 pm (UTC)*sticks her tongue out*
Date: 2004-03-19 09:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-19 12:51 am (UTC)I find that is hardly ever true. People who say that are the people to whom it is only a game. For the people who need to be reassured that it's only a game, it's far more than that.
Yeah, that's real helpful. I'll shut up now. :)