Cheers for RPG's that starts "high"

[Whitemithrandir]

Too often we get RPG's where the main character is a "newbie" in the form of a fledgling wizard, an orphan, a prisoner, or an adventurer who flees from a Goblin waitress in fear. I actually prefer playing a character that has a thick background that "validates" the heroism that ensues. Like Revan from KOTOR, for example. His deeds that you play through aren't mere side effects of fortune (brought to an island on a prisoner ship, *happened* to be the only student alive capable of clearing out the wizards, or just *born* to be the son of a god.) but the fact that he was a talented general who had the galaxy at his heels. This war veteran in KOTOR 2 sounds just as appealing to me.

 

I don't mind characters that start off at level 1. I just enjoy seeing a deep background and a sense of maturity behind my characters. You?

[Judge Hades]

When I play a 1st level character his or her background needs to reflect that. Sorry, but I just don't see it as plausible for a 1st level character being a veteren of the Mandalorian Wars. 3rd to 4th maybe, but definitely not 1st.

[Fardragon]

When I play a 1st level character his or her background needs to reflect that. Sorry, but I just don't see it as plausible for a 1st level character being a veteren of the Mandalorian Wars. 3rd to 4th maybe, but definitely not 1st.

I agree, that has been bothering me a little too.

[GhostofAnakin]

When I play a 1st level character his or her background needs to reflect that. Sorry, but I just don't see it as plausible for a 1st level character being a veteren of the Mandalorian Wars. 3rd to 4th maybe, but definitely not 1st.

But we don't know yet just how much action or experience the PC got in the Mandalorian Wars. He might have just been in them without actually doing much during it.

 

For example, the current crisis in Iraq. A recruit who doesn't see any more action other than to work in a hospital or fly the helicopter that drops troops in certain areas wouldn't have as much experience as those who are actually fighting on the front lines.

[Fighter]

Game mechanics dont really bother me that much. If you start at level 1 and you are already a veteran, well so be it. In KOTOR1 your level 1 character is still capable of killing plenty of sith soldiers at the beggining.

 

How do you explain for example that you gain levels and significantly increase your strengh after just a few short fights? Or how can you receive combat experience for quests that dont involve fighting? How is it that in KOTOR1 four low level jedis face Darth Revan? In pure game mechanics it does not work, but from a cinematic point of view 4on1 they had a chance.

 

So the whole level thing is really to make it more interesting rather then reflect any real power I think.

[prsrulez]

Also... it is a VIDEOGAME... :-D take that into account.

[Biggs]

Also... it is a VIDEOGAME... :-D take that into account.

^ Exactly.

 

...and so far, I've been very impressed with the graphics and characters that have been shown. Alot of thought is going into the story by the looks of things too, and thats something I don't want to be spoiled on......well....at the moment

[EnderAndrew]

Is the game fun to play? Is the story-worthwhile?

 

That's all I care about. I was storytelling a vampire regional LARP convention when two players got in a fight. They played these super-powered Elder vampires with super-strength and were fighting in a parking lot in Seattle. One character wanted to pick up a car and throw it at the other character. The other player threw a fit about how you can't pick up a car no matter how strong you are. Physics won't allow you to pick it up by the bumper. It would fall off, and there isn't a spot where you can grab the car near the center of gravity.

 

The fight raged on endlessly as they debated physics in real life. I countered with "vampires don't exist in real life either. Either continue to role-play and move on, or I was done running the scene."

[Drakron]

Actually they do, its a medical mental condition.

 

The only thing that happened on that scene is how detailed you want the ruleset to be, the more detailed it is the more complex it became and so more time is required to run certain parts and naturaly the more easy is to break down in some aspect of the rules.

 

As for game mechanics ... well lv1 is not required to start a adventure, many modules are in fact designed for characters above lv1 and are not the continuation of previous module(s).

 

What does matter is giving complete control to the player over the character, both in development and background since the DM already have too much control over the aspects of the game and players sould never be reduced to "rolling dice".

 

A bad aspect of SW:KoTOR was that it removed a big part of control of the player about the character ... I think most people did not cared because of how Revan was displayed as a super character.

[EnderAndrew]

Actually they do, its a medical mental condition.

 

Just because a person is insane doesn't mean that vampires exist.

 

I think I might be better off if I ignored everything before Drakon's signature. The animation is quite entrancing and hypnotic.

[Drakron]

Everyone is insane if we consider anyone with some mental condicion to be one, vampirism does not makes someone insane ... excentric perhaps but not insane.

[nightcleaver]

It makes them insane. Maybe insane doesn't mean what we think it does, what we assume it to be, but it's still insane.

[Drakron]

And I think you dont think enough before you post.

 

Being "insane" is simply slag for what we consider people not being responsible for their actions, many people have some abnormal ractions but in no way its diferent from the 7% of the world population that uses their left hand instead of the right hand.

 

This a good site with a article about it:

 

http://www.forensicnursemag.com/articles/351lifedeath.html

[Alexia]

HEY I am left handed, you saying I am insane also?

[Judge Hades]

A game needs to be plausible, have challenge to it, and have a good story and gameplay for it to be fun. If the story isn't good and plausible then there is no need to play the game.

[Drakron]

I think more people will have a issue with your sexual preferences that you being a left handed person Alexia.

 

A century ago you be in trouble for both, left handed people were "corrected" by being forced to use the right hand and what would happen if certain sexual preferences would come out in public would be far worst.

[EnderAndrew]

From your article I quote, "The cases documented in the medical literature only refer to those cases in which there is obvious psychosis."

 

Supernatural creatures don't exist. The only vampires on this planet are insane people who think they are supernatural creatures.

 

While many people would contend that all humans have some level of neurosis, and normalcy is hard to define, those who have extreme psychosis are insane. Left-handed people are not.

[Judge Hades]

Insanity is the difference of the individual's perception of reality to society's perception of reality, which may or may not coincide with actual reality.

[EnderAndrew]

I think more people will have a issue with your sexual preferences that you being a left handed person Alexia.

 

A century ago you be in trouble for both, left handed people were "corrected" by being forced to use the right hand and what would happen if certain sexual preferences would come out in public would be far worst.

My mother actually slapped me as a child until I used my right hand. Dr. Spock's book on child-rearing suggests this method of raising proper right-handed kids.

 

Yet, I would contend that historically and today, being a Lesbian has been far more acceptable than being a gay man.

[Judge Hades]

My mother actually slapped me as a child until I used my right hand. Dr. Spock's book on child-rearing suggests this method of raising proper right-handed kids.

 

Yet, I would contend that historically and today, being a Lesbian has been far more acceptable than being a gay man.

I dont want to be offensive but what a b*tch. Thank gods that my mom threw Dr. Spock's material where it belongs, in the freaking trash.

[JohnDoe]

My mother actually slapped me as a child until I used my right hand. Dr. Spock's book on child-rearing suggests this method of raising proper right-handed kids.

So you were naturally left handed and you were forced to use your right hand? So what do you use now? left or right?

[EnderAndrew]

Well, that was the thinking of the time. I find it silly.

 

When I found myself bowling and playing baseball left-handed, she admitted to me what happened. Then I tried to switch back. Throw in extreme dyslexia, and I became a very confused kid. So, I resorted back to being right-handed, because I was now more accustomed to it.

[DarthShad]

My mother actually slapped me as a child until I used my right hand.  Dr. Spock's book on child-rearing suggests this method of raising proper right-handed kids.

 

Yet, I would contend that historically and today, being a Lesbian has been far more acceptable than being a gay man.

I dont want to be offensive but what a b*tch. Thank gods that my mom threw Dr. Spock's material where it belongs, in the freaking trash.

PROPER right-handed kids?

 

Okay so that means that left-handed kids are "not proper" freaks of nature??

 

I agree with Hades on this one.

[EnderAndrew]

Left-handed people tend to be more creative, and less logic oriented. And since they are such a small minority, some people consider them to be "deviant"

[Judge Hades]

Hmm... I should have been a left hander but I am really a right hander.