tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post8147763925898426048..comments2023-05-27T11:14:02.426-04:00Comments on Some Space to Think: Symmetry and AsymmetryAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14216103531396452644noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-37243402487813598832012-12-10T18:31:11.608-05:002012-12-10T18:31:11.608-05:00Something kind of awesome, actually. Higher skill...Something kind of awesome, actually. Higher skill starts translating into greater reliability rather than greater outcome, and if difficulty levels are accrued in penalty dice, then high level skill is still more rewarding at high levels of skill. This, Einstein might have 9 bonus dice in physics, while your high school teacher has one. For a simple problem, they'll probably both do fine, but for a SUPER HARD problem, Einstein is going to CRUSH your teacher. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14216103531396452644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-4587854825253754612012-11-29T03:54:38.353-05:002012-11-29T03:54:38.353-05:00Bonus dice (as given, nearby, in 3d6 and Bonus Dic...Bonus dice (as given, nearby, in <a href="http://rdonoghue.blogspot.com/2010/11/3d6-and-bonus-dice.html" rel="nofollow">3d6 and Bonus Dice</a>) have natural diminishing returns. What ensues if templates' ranks are given in bonus dice?Ezra Bradfordnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-14076469562837615932010-10-26T19:06:32.442-04:002010-10-26T19:06:32.442-04:00I'm currently playing a game of old redbox D&a...I'm currently playing a game of old redbox D&D. Because it's so brutal, we keep a stable of heroes that are basically unlocked as we play. However, because we can't take it seriously (and, honestly, we need something to beef up the experience), we're breeding our stable of characters.<br /><br />We use a sort of Punnett Square to determine passed-on stats and abilities, effectively creating unique, hybrid characters immediately.<br /><br />In theory, we'll eventually be able to breed together characters with the same ability to create a character with a better version of that ability. However, this comes with a risk, because that character might end up with other bad stats.<br /><br />If a game had additive templates, I think it could work as long as there was a rule for addition - not that it had diminishing returns, but that it came coupled with an interesting flaw, a sort of genetic risk.<br /><br />There are already tons of games that feature a voluntarily trade of flaws for merits, but this is effectively just a veiled system for min-maxing most of the time. If, instead, it has story implications, you can use the imbalance to drive the game. Consider that if you get two templates that overlap, that combination is embedded with an Aspect with an undeniable compel. Now you're powerful, but everyone at the table can be assured that your power will be used to fuel the game instead of trivializing it.<br /><br />The only problem, then, is making sure that character doesn't frequently take over scenes. While a game like chess is symmetrical for the sake of balance and fairness, symmetry in rpg design seems frequently intended to protect time in the spotlight.Paulhttp://podgecast.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-66238482597346298272010-10-26T17:10:20.810-04:002010-10-26T17:10:20.810-04:00Mention of Rolemaster reminds me of how fond I hav...Mention of Rolemaster reminds me of how fond I have always been of their Arms/Essence/Mentalism/Channeling breakdown with semi-, hybrid, and full users, et al. Many cool mixes if you went two-class primary and secondary.Cam_Bankshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16162534181760938499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-52129552126767870692010-10-26T16:05:26.699-04:002010-10-26T16:05:26.699-04:00The two "half-characters" setup has been...The two "half-characters" setup has been used in a few computer games, and I've generally been a big fan of it.<br /><br />The two that stand out in my memory:<br /><br />Guild Wars: Not 100% symmetrical. Each class gives you a few skills to work with, but the primary class gives one additional bonus skill. Outside of spending points on skills, the main thing you get is the ability to pick powers two both class lists. At any given time, you may know a bunch of powers, but you only get to slot 8 of them on any given adventure.<br /><br />Titan Quest: My memory is a little fuzzy. I remember for certain that each mastery had its own talent tree to spend points on. Much like other diablo clones, you got attribute and talent points at every level.<br /><br />What I remember most about TQ was that the masteries were a bit more distinctive fitting reasonably well in the tank/healer/melee damage/ranged damage roles common to so many games.<br /><br />Another nice gimmick in Titan Quest was that each mastery combination came with its own name. Essentially, masteries let them design 81 classes while only needing to create 9 distinct talent trees. Arguably, I'm sure they had to spend some effort making sure that each tree had abilities that provided good synergy. But it handled specialists and hybrids very well. If you picked two classes with good synergy (e.g. using the same attributes, or two spell using classes), you might be weak in some areas, but focused in your specialty. Pick melee and spells, and you've got a character that can do both, but as a generalist.<br /><br />It goes back to some discussions from when we played 3e a number of years ago, but the thought in my head is to take the 4e structure for at-will/encounter/daily/class powers and make templates for race, power source, and role. Pick one from each column, and get the powers for each.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11205728554265781888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-70383677680103360722010-10-26T11:26:09.599-04:002010-10-26T11:26:09.599-04:00I really need to finish up my mind map for posting...I really need to finish up my mind map for posting.Fredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08362641974657304051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-62506438147463936012010-10-26T10:47:44.168-04:002010-10-26T10:47:44.168-04:00Chess isn't perfectly symmetrical. White moves...Chess isn't perfectly symmetrical. White moves first, putting black on the defensive most of the time and giving white a 2-6% winning advantage.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-56917343167687387272010-10-26T10:21:33.870-04:002010-10-26T10:21:33.870-04:00@Cam I think you totally -could- do it, it just re...@Cam I think you totally -could- do it, it just requires a different perspective on things, different enough that it wouldn't be "real" D&D.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14216103531396452644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-88082718424060759032010-10-26T10:16:51.207-04:002010-10-26T10:16:51.207-04:00Cowboy/Ninja/Diplomat: "C'mon, Billy. C&#...Cowboy/Ninja/Diplomat: "C'mon, Billy. C'mon, Billy-Boy."<br /><br />I still remember that whole session. It was awesome. NOT the same one as my sackfuls of cash character.<br /><br />I remember wanting to make template-style chargen for d20 back in the day to ape Rolemaster, but it never worked.<br /><br />Mind you, with D&D4E, perhaps the issue is that we treat Race as being a pivotal choice, when it could in fact just be a color thing like Gamma World handles it. Rat Swarm + Felinoid = Swarm of little kittens, for instance.Cam_Bankshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16162534181760938499noreply@blogger.com