Maps. Most roleplayers (that I know of) like them. Some (like me) are even fascinated by them. In my opinion they make many situations in games easier to handle and might even inspire the players. Last night while playing Eldritch Sigils the group explored the subway tunnels under Berlin and I happened to draw a map I was exceptionally contended with. This made me think about mapping while playing in general and I decided to share a few of my thoughts.
If I say that Lord of the Rings is the book that has most influenced role-playing games, outside of the RPG books themselves, I don’t think very many of you would disagree. Sure, there are going to be some voices that differ (because there always are), but I think I can safely assume most players would see it that way.
Now, since you are literate, you are probably a bit wary right now. “Where is this leading to? Why is he making such a big deal out of that?” Well, because if Lord of the Rings is the most influential book, why don’t RPGs look anything like it?
I probably don’t have to tell you this, but the world is fucked up. I’ve used actual curse words only a few times during the history of this blog, but this is one of those places, where its completely justified. However, today I’m interested in the places that are specifically very fucked up in a way that you might want to use them for inspiration for your games.
New season for Eldritch Sigils is on. This time we will play in the end of the 22nd century where the PCs are member of the organisation trying to keep the reality from shattering. It’s less than hundred years from “now” but Cyberpunk (as a time and style) is still a thing in the past and that means some changes in the way things work. And during the first session we had an interesting conversation about transhumanism.
I get it. You have a tool (the system), so you want to use it.
None of these subjects are simple, but this is more problematic than most, although I think the line is pretty far from what many traditional GMs consider a good place.
One of those mistakes I’ve made plenty of times myself.
There are groups out there who have been playing campaigns for decades. They get together when they can and go on one more dungeon raid, where they pretty routinely move from room to room, emptying them from threats that just sit there, waiting for them.
My mistakes have been in the completely other direction.
I’m reading a book called Introvertit – Työpaikan hiljainen vallankumous, or originally Introvert – Den tysta revolutionen by Linus Jonkman. Translated into English, the title would be Introverts – The Silent Revolution, and for som reason the Finnish title also inserted the word ‘workplace’ in there. Its about (surprise, surprise) introversion.
I was once in a game where the GM had somehow gotten in his head that he could require as to make harder rolls, because everyone in the group had been playing for so long. So what’s the assumption here? Experienced players get luckier? Experienced players have learned how to get away with cheating? I’m not sure. Sure, we might be able to use the resources we have more flexibly and in different ways, but we still have all the same limitations as the beginning playes.
… actually, I think experience is often a hindrance.