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1 RPGnet <http://www.rpg.net> |
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5 Reviews <http://www.rpg.net/reviews/> Forums <http://forum.rpg.net> |
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6 News & Press <http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/press.phtml> Columns & |
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8 <http://wiki.rpg.net> RPG Shop <http://shop.rpg.net> |
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9 <http://www.rpg.net/members/> |
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10 |
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11 |
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12 The Impossible Dream |
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13 |
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14 |
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15 Balance of Power |
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16 |
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17 *by Hunter Logan* |
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18 Jan 20,2003 |
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19 |
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20 |
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21 Balance of Power and Player Goals |
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22 The Impossible Dream Installment #2 |
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23 by Hunter Logan |
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24 |
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25 Intro |
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26 |
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27 Let me begin by saying thank you to all the people who read and |
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28 responded to Installment #1. I appreciate your input and I hope you are |
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29 all satisfied with the work I'm doing here. I want to take a minute here |
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30 to say a few words about what I'm doing and where I'm going with the column. |
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31 |
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32 * I'm not saying, "This is what you must do and this is the way you |
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33 must do it to design your game." Instead, I'm supplying |
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34 suggestions in the pattern, "This is what I've thought, this is |
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35 what I've tried, and this is what has worked for me." I want to |
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36 share that in the hope that I can help readers who have faced some |
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37 of the same game design dilemmas that I've faced. It's all about |
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38 making better games. |
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39 * I regard game design as an art. It's not exactly like painting, |
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40 drawing, or singing; but it's an art all the same. To me, that |
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41 means there are many ways to reach the desired result. Take |
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42 painting, for example. Some painters paint from dark to light. |
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43 Others paint from light to dark. Still others paint midtone first |
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44 and then build darks and lights. The process is different, but the |
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45 challenges and tools are the same. No matter how the painter |
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46 paints, he must deal with color, value, composition, form, and |
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47 materials. So it is with the game designer. Whether you choose to |
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48 think of play flow, mechanics, characters, setting, and so on |
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49 first or last is up to you. The problems are the same, the method |
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50 of solving them differs from person to person. |
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51 * I'm not presenting */The Definitive Tool for Game Design/*. I |
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52 doubt such a thing actually exists. Instead, I'm presenting |
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53 thoughts and processes that work for me. How you choose to use |
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54 this information is up to you. I hope you find something useful. |
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55 * I'm not telling you, "This is what I like. You should like it, |
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56 too." I'm saying, these are the many and varied possiblilities I |
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57 have found. They barely scratch the surface of what's possible. |
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58 You should pick the ones you like or find your own and use them to |
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59 suit yourself. I may eventually talk about what I like, but I will |
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60 only present my preference as one more possibility for your |
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61 consideration. |
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62 * Some topics may generate some heat. You don't have to agree with |
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63 me. I'm not trying to convert you and I'm not going to attack you |
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64 for holding a different viewpoint. Please extend me the same |
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65 courtesy. |
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66 |
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67 Next, a correction. In my discussion of /mechanics/ in installment#1, I |
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68 really should have specified /resolution mechanics/. I wanted to make |
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69 the term more general, but that was a mistake because the structure of |
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70 resolution mechanics is different from, say, death mechanics or |
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71 alignments or any of the other rules and guidelines that naturally fit |
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72 under the mechanical umbrella. So much for my aura of flawlessness and |
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73 my apologies for any confusion. |
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74 |
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75 Balance of Power |
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76 |
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77 Last time, I pushed play flow as a primary consideration for game |
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78 designers. This time, I'm going to explore that a bit further by looking |
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79 at some differences in play flow that can happen depending on your |
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80 intended Balance of Power. |
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81 |
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82 /Balance of Power/ is a term I use to express the relationship between |
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83 rules, GM, and players. As I originally envisioned it, BoP was a linear |
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84 scale. At one end, the GM had all the power. In the middle, the GM |
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85 shared power with the players. At the far end, the players had all the |
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86 power. That was fine as far as it went, but John Morrow pointed out that |
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87 games and players give power to the rules. The more I thought about it, |
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88 the more it made sense. I'd even seen examples of it in actual play, so |
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89 BoP is now a triad. Whether you think about it or not, any game you |
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90 design will have a BoP. Here is a more formal definition. |
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91 |
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92 */Balance of Power/* is an expression of the relationship between the |
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93 GM, the players, and the game's rules. As a game designer, you can write |
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94 play flows and rules that define BoP. When you give the GM or players |
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95 express powers, those usually have an impact on how people play your |
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96 game. Otherwise, three factors determine BoP: The degree of trust |
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97 between GM and player, the GM's approach to running a game, and the |
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98 players' approach to playing a game. |
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99 |
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100 Visualization |
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101 |
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102 I visualize BoP as a triangle, a polygon with three edges and three |
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103 vertices. Your BoP can lie on a vertex, along an edge, or anywhere on |
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104 the surface of the triangle. In the BoP diagram, the rules occupy the |
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105 top apex of the triangle. This is deliberate, because in most games, the |
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106 rules have at least a little bit of power over how events are set up and |
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107 resolved in the game. The GM and players form the bottom edge of the |
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108 triangle. |
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109 |
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110 |
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111 Rules |
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112 |
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113 / \ |
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114 |
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115 / \ |
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116 |
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117 /_____\ |
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118 |
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119 GM Players |
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120 |
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121 |
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122 |
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123 BoP and Play Flow |
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124 |
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125 I think BoP affects play flow. If BoP favors the GM, the play flow will |
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126 be a lot different than if BoP favors the players or the rules. |
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127 Sometimes the differences are subtle. Other times they're blatant. I |
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128 think the best way to look at this is to examine some permutations of |
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129 BoP and show examples of associated play flows. These play flows are but |
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130 one possibility for a given BoP. I present them as points of reference, |
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131 not definitive or limiting statements. These are mostly based on play |
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132 flows that I've used, heard about, or seen used in other games. All this |
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133 is intended to help you think about the Balance of Power you might want |
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134 in your own game. Let's look at some examples. |
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135 |
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136 * BoP favors the rules (weak GM, weak players). The rules determine |
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137 what players can do and what happens in the game. The game |
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138 designer provides rules for many contingencies. The players may |
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139 know the rules as well as the GM. Everyone is expected to use and |
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140 follow the rules without any sort of fudging or cheating. |
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141 o Description. As play begins, the GM describes the locale for |
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142 the players. The rules may require the GM to randomly |
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143 generate some aspects of the scene. |
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144 o Clarification. The players ask questions about specific |
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145 details. The GM answers as appropriate. The GM may randomly |
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146 generate some of this information. |
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147 o Decision Point. The players discuss what they want to do and |
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148 decide on a course of action for their characters. Rules |
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149 concerning character behavior may require a specific course |
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150 of action for some characters. The players have their |
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151 characters do this as appropriate. This decision may spawn |
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152 an event. If the players have difficulty making a decision, |
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153 the GM may add an event to the game. This might involve |
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154 rolling dice to find out what happens next. |
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155 o Event. Something happens. The GM describes the event and the |
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156 players ask questions to clarify the situation. |
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157 + Decision Point. The players evaluate the event and |
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158 decide what, if anything they want their characters to |
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159 do about it. Rules concerning character behavior may |
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160 require a specific course of action for some |
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161 characters. The players have their characters do this |
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162 as appropriate. |
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163 + Resolution Point. The players' decision produces a |
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164 resolution point. Using the mechanical tools designed |
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165 for this purpose, the GM and players resolve the |
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166 event. No matter what happens, all results are |
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167 accepted at face value. |
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168 o Repeat. This flow of play is repeated until the characters |
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169 work their way through the adventure. |
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170 |
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171 * BoP is shared between rules and GM (weak players). The GM knows |
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172 the rules and uses them to help determine what happens. The player |
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173 has very little power or resources for affecting the game except |
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174 through the action of his character. The GM is expected to follow |
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175 the rules in order to keep the game fair and balanced. |
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176 o Description. The GM describes the locale and situation for |
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177 the players. |
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178 o Clarification. The players ask questions about specific |
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179 details of the description. The GM answers as appropriate. |
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180 o Decision Point. The players discuss what they want to do and |
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181 decide on a course of action for their characters. This |
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182 decision may spawn an event. If the players have difficulty |
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183 making a decision, the GM may add an event to the game. |
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184 o Event. Finally, something happens. The GM describes the |
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185 event and the players ask questions to clarify the situation. |
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186 + Decision Point. The players decide what their |
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187 characters will do about the event. In this case, |
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188 indecision is a decision as the GM may push things |
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189 along as he sees fit. |
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190 + Resolution Point. The players' decision leads to a |
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191 resolution point. Using the appropriate mechanics, the |
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192 GM and players resolve the event. |
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193 o Repeat. This flow of play is repeated until the players work |
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194 their way through the adventure. |
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195 |
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196 * BoP favors the GM (weak rules, weak players). The GM has |
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197 considerable power and resources for affecting the game including |
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198 the setting, the course of the story, the setup of events, and |
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199 what happens, The GM may use the rules to determine the outcome of |
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200 events, but the GM may also take liberties with the rules in order |
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201 to make the game go the way he wants it to go. The players accept |
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202 that the GM basically controls the game. The GM will have power to |
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203 fudge results. The GM may allow some player initiative, but it's |
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204 still the GM's show. Here is a possible flow of play: |
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205 o Description. The GM describes the situation to the players. |
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206 The GM supplies the players with two or three possible |
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207 courses of action. |
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208 o Decision Point. The players ask questions about specific |
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209 details and select from the presented options. If the |
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210 players want to do something else, the GM may require a die |
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211 roll or use some other device to make this possible. |
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212 o Event. The players' decision results in a new event. The GM |
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213 provides the players with options for handling the event. |
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214 + Decision Point. The GM offers options for resolving |
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215 the event. The players decide what they want their |
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216 characters to do. The players select an option for |
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217 handling the event. If the players don't like the GM's |
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218 choices, they may suggest an alternative course of |
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219 action, but it's really the GM's call. |
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220 + Resolution Point. The players' decisions produce a |
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221 resolution point. Using the appropriate mechanics, the |
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222 GM resolves the event with input from the players. |
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223 o Repeat. This flow of play is repeated until the characters |
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224 work their way through the adventure. |
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225 |
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226 * BoP is shared between GM and players (weak rules). The rules are |
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227 minimal, but they determine the flow of play. In this flow, the GM |
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228 is still the GM, but the players can change the flow of events or |
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229 rearrange the whole situation to their own liking within the |
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230 limits of a few simple rules. |
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231 o Description. The GM describes the situation for the players. |
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232 o Clarification. The players ask questions about specific |
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233 details. The GM answers as appropriate. |
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234 o Decision Point. The players declare what they want their |
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235 characters to do. Their declarations may change the situation. |
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236 o Event. Player declarations lead to an event. If the players |
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237 don't really say anything that leads to an event, the GM may |
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238 add an event to the game. |
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239 + Decision Point. The players decide how to handle the |
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240 event. They declare courses of action for their |
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241 characters. |
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242 + Resolution Point. The GM uses his best judgment and |
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243 declares the effect of the characters' actions. The |
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244 players may make other declarations to modify the outcome. |
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245 o Repeat. This flow of play is repeated until the players work |
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246 their way through the adventure. |
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247 |
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248 * BoP favors the players (weak rules, no GM). This is interactive |
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249 storytelling or roleplaying without a system. The game has no real |
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250 GM and no hard, fast rules for determining what happens in the game. |
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251 o Determine Speaker. The players roll dice to determine the |
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252 speaker, a sort of temporary GM. The player with the highest |
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253 die roll is speaker. |
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254 o Description. The speaker declares the current situation. |
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255 o Clarification. The other players ask questions about |
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256 specific details. The current speaker answers as appropriate. |
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257 o Declaration. The players make declarations for their |
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258 characters. These declarations may change the situation. The |
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259 speaker may rebut each player's declaration. This rebuttal |
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260 may again alter the situation. This process continues until |
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261 an event occurs. |
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262 o Event. Sooner or later, the players will cause an event to |
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263 occur in the game. |
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264 + Decision Point. The players declare what their |
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265 characters will do about the event. |
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266 + Determine Speaker. The players roll dice to determine |
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267 a new speaker. |
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268 + Resolve Event. The new speaker declares the result of |
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269 the characters' actions in the event. |
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270 o Repeat. This flow of play is repeated until the players |
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271 reach a logical end point, a time limit, or the end of the |
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272 game session. |
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273 |
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274 * BoP is shared between players and rules (Distributed GM). The |
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275 players know and apply the rules for themselves. They determine |
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276 the course of play as a group. They use a distributed GM |
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277 arrangement. That is, the power normally given to the GM is |
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278 distributed among the players. The players either take turns being |
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279 the GM, or each player is a sort of mini-GM with some control over |
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280 what happens at any point in the game. |
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281 o Description. Each player sets his character in a scene. If |
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282 one player wants other characters in the same scene, each |
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283 player decides whether or not to do this. Two or more |
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284 characters in the same scene may interact. |
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285 o Event. After each player has set his character in a scene, |
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286 each player declares some sort of action that affects his |
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287 character, his scene, or someone else's character or scene. |
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288 This sets one or more events in motion. |
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289 + Decision Point. The players decide whether or not to |
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290 accept the events now in motion. |
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291 + Resolution Point. The rules provide each player with |
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292 limited means to challenge the outcome of events. |
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293 Unchallenged actions automatically succeed. Challenged |
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294 actions are resolved. If the challenge is successful, |
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295 the action fails. Otherwise, the action succeeds. If |
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296 something special happens, like a character is injured |
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297 or killed, players apply whatever rules exist to |
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298 handle those events. |
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299 o Repeat. Once actions are resolved, each player assesses his |
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300 character's situation and the flow of play starts over. In |
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301 this way, play progresses until the session ends or until |
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302 something happens to bring play to an end. |
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303 |
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304 * BoP is shared between GM, players, and rules (weak GM). This is |
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305 center mass of the triangle. The GM and the players both have a |
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306 say in what happens and how it happens, but rules moderate the |
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307 sharing of power. The GM might make a statement, but the players |
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308 have resources at their disposal to override the GM. Then a player |
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309 may make a statement, but the rules help determine whether or not |
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310 the statement proves true and the GM has some input on the outcome. |
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311 o Description. The GM describes the situation for the players. |
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312 The GM may set an event in motion. |
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313 o Clarification. The players ask questions about specific |
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314 details. The GM answers as appropriate. |
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315 o Decision Point: The players have the option to accept or |
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316 reject the information provided by the GM. If the players |
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317 don't like what they hear, they may alter the GM's |
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318 description or set some other event in motion. This often |
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319 requires an expenditure of resources or some sort of die |
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320 roll. As long as the players go about their business as |
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321 prescribed by the rules, the GM is obliged to support the |
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322 players in their intended endeavor and facilitate the changes. |
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323 o Event. The interactions up to this point should set events |
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324 in motion. If an event is not in motion, a player or the GM |
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325 may add an event to the game. |
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326 + Decision Point. The players now decide how they will |
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327 deal with the event. They may either decide what their |
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328 characters will do or they may use means at their |
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329 disposal to change the event. |
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330 + Resolution Point. Once the decisions are made, the GM |
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331 and players work to resolve the event. The GM |
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332 determines what happens, but the players may decide to |
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333 modify the results within the rules of the game. |
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334 o Repeat. Once the event is resolved, the process starts over. |
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335 In this way, the GM helps the players find their own adventures. |
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336 |
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337 That wraps up Balance of Power. Next time, I will discuss player goals. |
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338 |
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339 |
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340 What do you think? <http://trio.rpg.net/pf/list.php?f=110> |
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341 |
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342 Go to forum! <http://www.rpg.net/pf/list.php?f=110> |
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343 Go to Top <http://www.rpg.net/pf/list.php?f=110> | New Topic |
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344 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/post.php?f=110> | View Threads |
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345 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/list.php?f=110&collapse=0> | Search |
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346 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/search.php?f=110> |
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347 |
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348 Topics Author Date Latest Reply |
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349 cooldog cotangent |
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350 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=98&t=98> (1) new |
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351 cranial_index 01-31-2006 20:46 01-31-2006 20:46 new |
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352 CORONA <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=97&t=97> (1) new |
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353 corn_chamomile 01-31-2006 20:25 01-31-2006 20:25 new |
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354 Fendi Spy Bags WHOLESALE@WizardReplica.com |
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355 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=95&t=95> (1) new 514 |
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356 12-02-2005 10:55 12-02-2005 10:55 new |
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357 Designer Handbags Wholesale@WWW.WIZARDREPLICA.COM |
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358 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=94&t=94> (1) new 868 |
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359 11-14-2005 19:41 11-14-2005 19:41 new |
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360 REPLICA HANDBAGS LOUIS VUITTON REPLICA WHOLESALE@ |
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361 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=93&t=93> (1) new 794 |
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362 10-20-2005 21:37 10-20-2005 21:37 new |
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363 Death/playing style |
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364 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=92&t=92> (1) new Searcher |
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365 09-22-2003 11:35 09-22-2003 11:35 new |
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366 Death and actual immortality |
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367 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=89&t=89> (3) new Cpl Ferro |
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368 07-19-2003 08:53 01-13-2006 15:22 new |
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369 Non-death death |
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370 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=85&t=85> (5) new Sérgio |
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371 Mascarenhas 07-18-2003 03:07 07-23-2003 02:38 new |
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372 Thanks, Hunter |
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373 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=80&t=80> (4) new Allan |
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374 Sugarbaker 07-16-2003 00:18 07-17-2003 19:34 new |
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375 Realism <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=74&t=74> (3) new |
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376 Robin 06-20-2003 01:23 06-25-2003 02:34 new |
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377 Something you might have mentioned. |
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378 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=65&t=65> (3) new Yamo |
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379 06-19-2003 16:13 06-19-2003 18:11 new |
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380 BTW, excellent column, Hunter! |
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381 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=63&t=63> (2) new flyingmice |
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382 06-19-2003 13:11 06-19-2003 18:13 new |
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383 Armor and Damage Thereto |
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384 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=56&t=56> (2) new The Student |
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385 06-19-2003 08:45 06-19-2003 11:44 new |
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386 Armor <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=54&t=54> (9) new |
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387 flyingmice 06-19-2003 08:29 06-20-2003 06:12 new |
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388 Death spiral and unconsciousness |
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389 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=53&t=53> (7) new Torben |
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390 Mogensen 06-19-2003 07:31 06-20-2003 06:52 new |
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391 lucky or skilled |
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392 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=51&t=51> (2) new rhyme |
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393 05-12-2003 18:49 05-13-2003 09:25 new |
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394 Absolute, unopposed and opposed |
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395 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=48&t=48> (2) new Torben |
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396 Mogensen 04-16-2003 02:19 04-16-2003 09:26 new |
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397 0-9 open ended = brilliant! |
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398 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=31&t=31> (8) new Vibropod |
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399 03-12-2003 10:41 07-18-2003 01:28 new |
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400 Smooth rerolls |
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401 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=27&t=27> (10) new Torben |
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402 Mogensen 03-12-2003 00:47 03-16-2003 23:57 new |
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403 Resolution Mechanics |
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404 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=110&i=25&t=25> (8) new Kyle |
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405 Schuant 03-11-2003 22:14 03-29-2003 21:28 new |
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406 |
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407 Go to Top <http://www.rpg.net/pf/list.php?f=110> | New Topic |
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408 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/post.php?f=110> | View Threads |
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409 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/list.php?f=110&collapse=0> | Search |
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410 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/search.php?f=110> |
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411 |
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412 Newer Messages |
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413 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/list.php?f=110&t=98&a=1&> | Older Messages |
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414 <http://www.rpg.net/pf/list.php?f=110&t=25&a=2&> |
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415 |
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416 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
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417 |
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418 |
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419 Previous columns |
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420 |
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421 * #8: True Death </news+reviews/columns/dream17jul03.html> by Hunter |
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422 Logan, 17jul03 |
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423 * #7: Assessing Damage </news+reviews/columns/dream19jun03.html> by |
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424 Hunter Logan, 19jun03 |
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425 * #6: Putting Theory to the Test |
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426 </news+reviews/columns/dream12may03.html> by Hunter Logan, 12may03 |
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427 * #5: Resolution Mechanics II |
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428 </news+reviews/columns/dream14apr03.html> by Hunter Logan, 14apr03 |
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429 * Resolution Mechanics I </news+reviews/columns/dream11mar03.html> |
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430 by Hunter Logan, 11mar03 |
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431 * Player Goals </news+reviews/columns/dream10feb03.html> by Hunter |
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432 Logan, 10feb03 |
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433 * Balance of Power </news+reviews/columns/dream20jan03.html> by |
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434 Hunter Logan, 20jan03 |
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435 * Play Flow First </news+reviews/columns/dream01jan03.html> by |
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436 Hunter Logan, 01jan03 |
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437 |
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438 |
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439 Other columns </news+reviews/columns.html> at RPGnet |
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