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Ideas for a 'balanced' event...

Started by Kaled, March 27, 2012, 11:04:40 PM

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Kaled

Quote from: Bloodpact on March 27, 2012, 09:44:14 PM
i think a few limitations would go a long way to reducing the power creep of warbands.
If you do run an event with limitations on characters I'll be interested to see the characters that people bring. I do wonder if a lot of people would brings characters that are right up on the limit of what is allowed because they feel that to go much less than the limits would penalise them too much. (E.g. if the limit was one power weapon per warband, would pretty much everyone bring a power weapon.) I'd definitely try to attend, mostly because I really enjoy these events, but partly I'd want to see for myself how it turns out compared to previous events.

What sort of limitations were you thinking of? I'm now curious as to how many of the warbands I've taken to events, or faced at events, would be outside the limitations you're considering.

You should definitely organise an event - it'd be good to see a different approach in action...
I like to remember things my own way... Not necessarily the way they happened.

Inquisitor - Blood Bowl - Malifaux - Fairy Meat

MarcoSkoll

Quote from: Kaled on March 27, 2012, 11:04:40 PMYou should definitely organise an event - it'd be good to see a different approach in action...
On which note, I've been reading the Shadows of Chaos article, and there are some ideas in there that I think could be very worth trying to incorporate into an event.

Quote from: Bloodpact on March 28, 2012, 07:52:09 AMI'm not sure how many players would enjoy the restrictions I would put on character equipment!
That's gonna depend on how tight and strict the restrictions are. I wouldn't really be happy if the rules meant I had to start something new rather than get some of the things I want to get finished tidied up.

The easy example is the Ecclesiarchy warband I want to do, which will mostly be exploring characters whose focus isn't combat (a Preacher, non-militant Sororitas, penitents, pilgrims, etc), but will also include a Battle Sister. If the restrictions stop me taking her, the warband is then pretty much invalid - it destroys the dynamic I have in my head and I'd find myself very undergunned.
S.Sgt Silva Birgen: "Good evening, we're here from the Adeptus Defenestratus."
Captain L. Rollin: "Nonsense. Never heard of it."
Birgen: "Pick a window. I'll demonstrate".

GW's =I= articles

Kaled

If you think an event with restrictions would be preferable then chances are that you're not the only one. I've certainly seen people asking whether events have restrictions on characters in the past, so I think there may well be a 'market' for something like that. And I wonder if it would appeal to new players and tempt them to join in as I know that creating appropriate characters for these events does cause people anxiety.

I think it's worth trying - the worst that can happen is that it won't work and we'll know to try something different for next time.

If you do come up with a proposal I'd be happy to take a look.
I like to remember things my own way... Not necessarily the way they happened.

Inquisitor - Blood Bowl - Malifaux - Fairy Meat

Stormgrad

If you do create a event proposal and post it here you have the advantage of knowing that you will get lots of fair feedback, As well as a few fair of us willing to travel to the event and see how it goes, I can think of at least 3 people who are unable to attend the up coming IGT and are desperate for something to happen with the Summer Clave  just so they can get there Inquisitor Fix. Despite Marco's complaints about starting yet another warband i am fairly certain that he probably would to attend an event (he starts a new one every clave anyway why should this one be different) and Kaled obviously has a wealth of models to choose from and will be looking to play in an event instead of manage one.  I am sure if you do wish to go ahead with such a Venture you wont be short of participants.

MarcoSkoll

Quote from: Stormgrad on March 28, 2012, 05:34:42 PMHe starts a new one every clave anyway why should this one be different
Because perhaps Marco would like to finish some of those warbands he's started and doesn't want to push back any more projects further than they've already been pushed.

But really, what I don't want to hear is that the event will introduce highly restrictive rules that catch on in future and stop some of my ideas ever coming to fruition.
S.Sgt Silva Birgen: "Good evening, we're here from the Adeptus Defenestratus."
Captain L. Rollin: "Nonsense. Never heard of it."
Birgen: "Pick a window. I'll demonstrate".

GW's =I= articles

Heroka Vendile

Quote from: Bloodpact on March 28, 2012, 07:52:09 AMI would be interested in running an event, but im not sure how many players would enjoy the restrictions i would put on character equipment! Im happy to write up a proposal for an event later in the year though. Let me have a think and i'll get back to you.

A handfull of loose thoughts for an event along these lines (from someone that's been awake far too long today):

  • I think rather than strict equipment restrictions, you make an advisory set of guidelines that make it clear that it is the intention of the event to be operated in a very narrative and potentially non-combative way.
  • These guidelines wouldn't have to be hard and fast rules, but would give players a strong indication of what sort of attitude they are expected to approach the event and games with.
  • If firmer rules are wanted however, these could include the likes of;
  • "no military or militant character archtypes" or "no character may have more than one stat exceed 60"
  • "the stats of every warband member should reflect being inexperienced in their field, as the campaign story focuses on overwhelmed rookies"
It's all fun and games until someone shoots their own guy with a Graviton gun instead of the MASSIVE SPIDER.
The Order of Krubal
Rewards Of The Enemy

Draco Ferox

Quote from: Heroka Vendile on March 29, 2012, 12:56:10 AMbno military or militant character archetypes

Would this include inquisitors/acolytes, and would this be open to interpretation (an inquisitor theoretical, for instance)?
Be polite. Be efficient. Have a plan to kill everyone you meet.

greenstuff_gav

Assuming i put limitations in plave (which i wouldnt)... I'd go for a points based system:

players recieve 1000 points across upto 3 characters. each stat has a minimum value of 10. non-damagedealing skills/ equipment are 10 each. damage dealing skills / Weapons are valued by max damage, armour by amount of armour value.

Unspent points are given as a bonus points at end of day.
i make no apologies, i warned you my ability to roll ones was infectious...

Build Your Imagination

Heroka Vendile

Quote from: Draco Ferox on March 29, 2012, 07:28:20 AM
Quote from: Heroka Vendile on March 29, 2012, 12:56:10 AMbno military or militant character archetypes

Would this include inquisitors/acolytes, and would this be open to interpretation (an inquisitor theoretical, for instance)?

With further thought, a better wording would be "all character archtypes must be non-combatants."
This then puts a dead halt on the appearance of arcoflagellents, storm troopers, mercenaries, assassins, etc, etc. But does leave the door open to "deskjob" Inquisitors and others who work directly for the military, bt don't "bare arms".
Although if I was personally running a non-combatant style event, I would prefer people bringing what might be termed as "the background support crew", i.e. the likes of savants, archivists, priests, quartermasters, administrators, pilots, political attachés, medical staff, etc, etc.
It's all fun and games until someone shoots their own guy with a Graviton gun instead of the MASSIVE SPIDER.
The Order of Krubal
Rewards Of The Enemy

MarcoSkoll

I think discussion of this other possible event should perhaps move to a new thread, as it's starting to take over this one a bit much.

However, I will add that the idea of a non-combatant only event doesn't hugely interest me - firstly, I can't see that the games will pick up that "action movie climax" feel if there's no characters prone to thrilling heroics.
Second, I can't really see how the whole concept would be justified. If an Inquisitor sends a team of savants, political manipulators and information gatherers to investigate something, he's very unlikely to not add a couple of badasses to the team to act as bodyguards or to swing into action if it turns out the situation requires it.
S.Sgt Silva Birgen: "Good evening, we're here from the Adeptus Defenestratus."
Captain L. Rollin: "Nonsense. Never heard of it."
Birgen: "Pick a window. I'll demonstrate".

GW's =I= articles

greenstuff_gav

i make no apologies, i warned you my ability to roll ones was infectious...

Build Your Imagination

Kaled

I think a campaign focused on non-combatants could be done, but Marco is right that if not done well it could lose the action movie feel that characterises Inquisitor. Inquisitor doesn't really have rules for much more than combat, which is perhaps why POs rules for persuasion and intimidation have been so popular - they give players options other than violence, but I can't imagine a campaign that focuses on talking rather than violence working too well without it being done as more of an RPG. And if we're going to do that we might as well play Dark Heresy rather than Inquisitor. That said, if someone has a good way to do it then I think it could be interesting - but it'd take a lot more planning by the event organiser and probably require stricter GMing than we usually have.

Maybe the thing we need to get better at is scenario design to give players other ways to win without them always being trumped by the player who just decides to kill everyone
I like to remember things my own way... Not necessarily the way they happened.

Inquisitor - Blood Bowl - Malifaux - Fairy Meat

Charax

non-combat objectives are always handy, as are environmental conditions:
- The objective lies at the other end of a rickety, exposed rope bridge, or a circuitous route with placed explosive barrels
- Volatile gas leak, gets ignited by energy weapons if they cause more than a certain amount of damage
- Isolated supply lines limiting ammo
- Tarantula sentry turrets/Praetorian servitors you need to sneak past, because attempting to combat them is suicidal
- Indigens. Nasty, Nasty Indigens forcing players to divide their attention.
- Persistent injury effects. Sure, you could take your hard-as-nails character in every scenario, but he's more likely to accumulate debilitating injuries

So I'm firmly in the "Scenario Design" camp when it comes to dealing with overpowered characters, far more than a rather arbitrary external restriction (which can be gamed anyway, remember when I tore apart the Ready Reckoner?)
(No longer} The guy with his name at the bottom of the page

Dolnikan

It would be very hard to make rules for social encounters, all the games I've seen trying to do so failed in making satisfying rules. I agree with Charax, the way to deal with it should be in scenarios that encourage creative thinking, which even ancourage not engaging directly.
Circles of the wise My attempt at writing something, please comment on it if you have any advise.

Kaled

I like the persistent injuries and limited ammo ideas - in the past we have run events where characters don't recover or replenish equipment between games, but I wonder if it might backfire and cause people to bring more equipment and tougher characters in the first place.

The other ideas are fine and I've used them or variations on them in quite a few games, but I was thinking more about ways to encourage different styles of play through the objectives (either scenario or campaign objectives) rather than terrain or environmental effects.

I'm thinking about a campaign where players start with a certain amount of 'influence' which can be won through achieving objectives but which could also be lost by things like attacking other members of the Inquisition. Maybe it could also be traded to 'buy' into some games where the stakes are higher or for some other campaign advantage. Then players would have to decide if it was worth risking a loss of influence by getting caught attacking their peers, and they might start looking for alternative ways to achieve objectives instead.

Hmmm, I actually quite like that idea...
I like to remember things my own way... Not necessarily the way they happened.

Inquisitor - Blood Bowl - Malifaux - Fairy Meat