It's Friday!

What that means is I do not have to go to the salt mine tomorrow...and so in a fit of activity, I've decided to participate in this week's WISH.

Game WISH #22

The typical party of PCs appears to be composed of equals. They may have Nodwickian henchlings or distant authority figures, but in most of the games I've played, the PCs are equal with respect to each other.
Is this generalization true for you as well? What other group dynamics have showed up in campaigns you have played? What other group dynamics might be workable? What isn't workable, and why?

I admit freely to be of the Equals School. All other things being equal, I prefer to start players on an even footing, and I do try to take pains in Strange Bedfellows to narrow the gap, somewhat, when the most prolific players (contributions wise that is) threaten to throw their compatriots into extreme shadow.

I've played in games, though, where the power levels were more hierarchial. Karen Francis Groves THY KINGDOM COME, for instance, where I played Laertes, Crowin Prince of Rebma. He started off, and by the game end was, part of the newest crop of players, a definite couple of "ranks" below characters such as Lucifer and Erin and Sabre. The way I saw it was that they moved in bigger spheres, and had larger plans and ideas, than the smaller fry...which included my good friend Arref (as Kirwyd), and TGFKAB (playing an Angelica, Ceasarea). What we did counted, and our plans affected the game and story, sometimes strongly, but there was definitely a sense that the older and more established players had a bigger influence and impact in the game. The implication was that, given time and power, the newer players, too, would advance to that level someday. Laertes, for instance, started off as a relatively innocuous Trump Artist, and by the time the game ended, had been named Moire's Heir, had his appearance altered, walked a Pattern (mind you, he was Rebman, not Amberite), and obtained a rather significant artifact of power.

So the egalitarian approach is not the only one...but the hierarchial one takes a lot of work. The players have to be given the chance to advance, and the players lower on the rungs must still count. I can't say this highly enough. No one wants to play a character whose every plan is overwashed, overmatched and ignored in favor of the clash of the Titans.

If you Blog, and it doesn't post, does it still count?

Okay, this is now getting annoying. Unable to load template file, eh?

Popularity has its downside. I mean, Blogs are hitting the mainstream in a big way. Many of the news websites have Blogs, now (part of the motivation for me getting back into the game, so to speak--Blog envy.)

BLOGGER seems to be having trouble today. Figures. At least I managed one uploaded missive...

hmm.

AND YES, I do intend to return to discussing things roleplaying related, etc. etc.

My imagination and such has taken a hit in the aftermath of the painful breakup with TGFKAB. I do not wish to dwell upon it, because frankly it would get dull for you and depressing for me. I am alone, and single and by myself, a strange in a strange land, in the city of Anaheim, California.

But I am still standing. I'm bloody, oh, yes, but I am not dead yet.

Stay tuned for more exciting entries (hopefully) in the days and weeks to come.

--Just what have I been reading lately?
--My ideas for games I might run at ACUS 2003 (assuming I can afford to go)
--Roleplaying ideas, and other things that come on my plate, too.

Until and if I get one of those comment things a la most other Blogs, please feel free to email me.

You didn't think I'd be gone forever now, did you?

Paul

I'm back.

Like Osama, or even Poindexter(!), I've resurfaced for air and returned. I also didn't want to be delisted by Arref. :grin:

Blogging from work, no less! Its not precisely legal...but work has been light in the shadow of Thanksgiving. Besides it does give me a chance to communicate again to all of you.

I've missed it. Much has changed, some for the good, not all of it however. Its like a Native American medicine bundle...good with the bad, and one cannot unmix the two.