(no subject)

Dreams. Ah, dreams.

I dreamed that I was in a practical class...I don't know exactly what we were learning, but there was a professor and there was work. At some point, I and a few other classmates were talking trash about Bush, and the next day our names were up on the board, under a word: 'Cornsio', or something like that. When we asked, it was announced that those on the Cornsio list had their clearances revoked until they had been fully investigated, just as a precaution. I raised hell, especially when I discovered, in the dream, that the word translated as 'office whore', a colloquialism used in some South American country against white collar workers who were accused of passing infomation to enemy states. Government agents came and started hauling us away...god help me, I think I started on "They came for the trade unionists..." before I got whacked on the head.

As I and another person were being hauled out of the school, it morphed into a survival horror game, complete with colored life bar and soundtrack and lots of really nasty ghouls and ghosts.

The dream ended when I was playing as my subordinate NPC, stuck out a hand too far while in the treasure room, and this big boss shadow-thing descended on me, wrapped me up in a black netting, and then tore out my stomach with its teeth, intending to use my cries and the blood trail to lure the main PC (also me) into a trap. And yeah, I felt the teeth.

I have weird dreams.

[RPGs] Plot Geeking

I'm thinking about plots. Both specifically, for a couple of games, and in general, as one of the driving forces of RPGs. What makes a /good/ plot? Where 'good' is defined as a) fun and b) effective for creating opportunities for roleplay. Here are some of my thoughts on the subject, and I'd love to hear other perspectives on it.

( A good plot... )

[RPGs] Minor Rant (Not fair, completely biased, and YMMV)

From BRPS, not commented there because it would be diverting the discussion from the topic of the post. But.


1. The ability to play a character in a setting where it's kill or be killed is limited. Sooner or later you die, you lose the character and the time you wasted creating the character is gone.

I HATE THIS. Yes, I use the big, scary caps of doom. I hate it. Time playing or creating a character is not 'wasted' if that character dies, damn it. If you're having fun, then the game is doing what it's supposed to do: be a game. You play.

It is not an investment. (Yes, you are investing time. However, the payoff is immediate: fun and interaction with others. That is all there is.)

I hate the line of thought that says it only matters if the character survives. Stop worrying about the damned character.

Play the game. If you didn't spend so much time bending over backwards to try and negotiate your way out of harm, or whining about the danger that you character might die, then you MIGHT be able to seize the moment and get some roleplaying done.

The code of Bushido says something along the lines of, "A samurai must accept that he will die. Death is inevitable. It is only by accepting death that he can live in the present moment, and attend to the battle right here and now. Fear of death distracts. It's only by understanding that you /will/ die that you can learn to truly live."

In RPGs, at least, it makes sense.