Nostalgia isn't what it used to be
Nov. 2nd, 2006 11:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kingandyHurm. Skimming the ALL NEW ALL DIFFERENT SoS rules, because I'm thinking about going this month, and I've already spotted stuff I'm wary of in just the basics section. Being a LARPer, I shall bitch about this in my personal journal rather than mentioning it to the relevant people.
The One Second Rule: Doesn't that make the Off Hand Use skills next to pointless? It's a great idea in Maelstrom, where skills are few and combat is greatly streamlined, but there you don't pay for basic use and all the modifier skills apply to all your hands. You can be holding as many weapons as you like and still only attack once a second, so making people pay to be able to hold extra weapons seems obtuse. Since the main point of the changes was to reduce the number of skills, it would seem to me that dropping the Off Hand Use skills would be a logical companion to the One Second Rule.
Spell Vocals are now apparently four lines no matter what level of spell you're casting ("Normal casting is where the character recites the appropriate vocals for the spell (typically about 4 lines, each line containing 4/5 Syllables)"), where before it varied with level of spell. I'm not sure if this is an accidental omission or intentional, or even if people will remember (LRPers being notorious for playing the rules as they remember them rather than as they actually are or have ever been). If it's a keeper, I'll miss rattling off those long vocals for the high level spells.
I'm not initially impressed with the layout of the rules themselves, as that "basics" page is overly long and imposing and the skill costs really should be displayed next to the names (having to click into each one to check costs is aggravating), and the tone varies between overly technical and overly simplistic. Also the lack of text style and/or formatting is slightly off-putting, but that could just be my web design sensibilities.
Other gripes:
So, slightly apprehensive, but I'll probably give it a go, sure why not.
The One Second Rule: Doesn't that make the Off Hand Use skills next to pointless? It's a great idea in Maelstrom, where skills are few and combat is greatly streamlined, but there you don't pay for basic use and all the modifier skills apply to all your hands. You can be holding as many weapons as you like and still only attack once a second, so making people pay to be able to hold extra weapons seems obtuse. Since the main point of the changes was to reduce the number of skills, it would seem to me that dropping the Off Hand Use skills would be a logical companion to the One Second Rule.
Spell Vocals are now apparently four lines no matter what level of spell you're casting ("Normal casting is where the character recites the appropriate vocals for the spell (typically about 4 lines, each line containing 4/5 Syllables)"), where before it varied with level of spell. I'm not sure if this is an accidental omission or intentional, or even if people will remember (LRPers being notorious for playing the rules as they remember them rather than as they actually are or have ever been). If it's a keeper, I'll miss rattling off those long vocals for the high level spells.
I'm not initially impressed with the layout of the rules themselves, as that "basics" page is overly long and imposing and the skill costs really should be displayed next to the names (having to click into each one to check costs is aggravating), and the tone varies between overly technical and overly simplistic. Also the lack of text style and/or formatting is slightly off-putting, but that could just be my web design sensibilities.
Other gripes:
- There's far too much detail on the reproductive cycle of the new cow people, especially as compared to the other races, which mention it not at all.
- Spell descriptions still contain reference to spells that no longer exist.
- There don't appear to be appreciably fewer spell tables, and WTF, Elemental Summoning, no.
- Things aren't as good as they were in my day
- "Glossary is confusing and incomplete
- These kids today, with their "For Shizzle McFizzley Ding Dong Dizzle" Snoopy Dog language and their general disrespect towards their elders
So, slightly apprehensive, but I'll probably give it a go, sure why not.
no subject
Date: 2006-11-03 01:32 pm (UTC)as a starting character you wander into tavern an attack happens.. the campaigns member in charge is aware there are 800 point characters in tavern.... and unless the tavern is balanced with effectively kiddie fights for 15 pt characters you feel about as useful as a one legged man in an ass kicking contest. Not a good feeling for new players to be given...and you can also feel slightly worried that one wrong word to one of the more powerful characters and pop
As a high level character (and this is where I guessing only ever got to 100 pts before resetting) you have the fact that if you enjoy fighting all the fights are almost assuredly boring and you don't even break a sweat, you can't be hugely inclusive to the new people all the time because you can't exactly invite a 15 pt character on your 500+ request dungeon because he/ she will(reffere to one legged man comment) and then die hideous;y if a monster notices them, AND if the new guy who has had a wholly subjective opinion of things like the gods of the world given to him and he says something insulting a very religious characters god, the high level player has a choice of either be nice to the newbie and let it slide this once (possibly setting a bad precedant) OR horribly butcher a new player... which could end up with that player never coming back to sos and him telling all his friends how we are horrible and exclusive (or if he is of the correct mind set going off telling his friends how we are all really good roleplayers that stick to what the character should do as appose to slipping out of character when it suits them)
That was my opinion on the fault with the giant gap... other people may see it differently
no subject
Date: 2006-11-03 01:33 pm (UTC)