Sean Merwin

Depending on the team, I think there might already be some. But anyway, this sporting moment brought to you by Mike Shea. Did you have any thoughts on for me? The alignment question is the same thing as the the. class question. It was there.

Yeah, I again think that this was an attempt to bring verisimilitude to the world, to create an engine for play rather than one for conflict. It was about this

Yeah, I again think that this was an attempt to bring verisimilitude to the world, to create an engine for play rather than one for conflict. It was about this

older unrefined view well how do we get people to care about their characters well we give them a thing to these things that they have right and you're a member of this you're a member of this class you're a member of this alignment and you're a member of this race or species you've got these things and now you care about those things so you'll talk about them and do them and dig into them and they're your role in your character and that's great

older unrefined view well how do we get people to care about their characters well we give them a thing to these things that they have right and you're a member of this you're a member of this class you're a member of this alignment and you're a member of this race or species you've got these things and now you care about those things so you'll talk about them and do them and dig into them and they're your role in your character and that's great

not because you'll fight other people, but but because you'll be defined by them. And I think what's happened over time is things like alignment have petered out because they're not the best tool for that. Right. And unless the whole system supports it, it's kind of just getting in the way of a lot of play, as we've talked about before. And that's true of a lot of these other things, too.

not because you'll fight other people, but but because you'll be defined by them. And I think what's happened over time is things like alignment have petered out because they're not the best tool for that. Right. And unless the whole system supports it, it's kind of just getting in the way of a lot of play, as we've talked about before. And that's true of a lot of these other things, too.

These things that create conflict are not the best ways. There are better ways for you to understand your character. And so modern games try to go in those directions rather than in these, because we've learned better ways to give you identity and tell stories and avoid conflict. But I think that's less the issue than just having good, fun play.

These things that create conflict are not the best ways. There are better ways for you to understand your character. And so modern games try to go in those directions rather than in these, because we've learned better ways to give you identity and tell stories and avoid conflict. But I think that's less the issue than just having good, fun play.

We'll bring Will's question home here with, if my theory is correct, what was the design intent here? I wonder if the original designers saw such conflict as a tactical challenge. A lot of older style design tests the player's ability to cooperate at the table as well as their character skills. Perhaps this was an attempt to add a sort of puzzle-like element to the roleplay itself.

We'll bring Will's question home here with, if my theory is correct, what was the design intent here? I wonder if the original designers saw such conflict as a tactical challenge. A lot of older style design tests the player's ability to cooperate at the table as well as their character skills. Perhaps this was an attempt to add a sort of puzzle-like element to the roleplay itself.

What do you think? And as a wider question, do you see conflict within the party as something that can ever be encouraged? After all, conflict is the main driver of story, and we're not short of great examples like Boromir and Raistelin, et cetera, et cetera. And yeah, those are great examples of stories and how stories use conflict, especially conflict between protagonists.

What do you think? And as a wider question, do you see conflict within the party as something that can ever be encouraged? After all, conflict is the main driver of story, and we're not short of great examples like Boromir and Raistelin, et cetera, et cetera. And yeah, those are great examples of stories and how stories use conflict, especially conflict between protagonists.

But in a story, there's one player, the writer. And the writer can balance that to make it work. And the reader can step back and enjoy that conflict carefully crafted, hopefully carefully crafted by a talented writer. In a TTRPG, there are a lot of players.

But in a story, there's one player, the writer. And the writer can balance that to make it work. And the reader can step back and enjoy that conflict carefully crafted, hopefully carefully crafted by a talented writer. In a TTRPG, there are a lot of players.

So to compare a story's protagonist conflict to a TTRPG's conflict between protagonists, you have to look to see if there is a rule that takes the part of the writer who is able to balance that to make it a conflict that is worthy of a story and that actually moves the story forward. I think.

So to compare a story's protagonist conflict to a TTRPG's conflict between protagonists, you have to look to see if there is a rule that takes the part of the writer who is able to balance that to make it a conflict that is worthy of a story and that actually moves the story forward. I think.

Yeah. Yeah, I think. I don't know. I for sure have had times and I've tried to make a character that was like a race line type or something that would have this. You know, I'm going to be evil. And what I've found is it basically never works unless you make it really clear to the other players and you will win me over. Let's play that out. Right. I have this dark side to me that you can fix.

Yeah. Yeah, I think. I don't know. I for sure have had times and I've tried to make a character that was like a race line type or something that would have this. You know, I'm going to be evil. And what I've found is it basically never works unless you make it really clear to the other players and you will win me over. Let's play that out. Right. I have this dark side to me that you can fix.

Then it becomes a fun thing as we all know that this is going on and you help me sort it out and we role play through that together. That's fun. But you have to break a little bit of that wall off to say, hey, guys, I'm not going to be a problem at the table. Right. Like if you think of actually what Raceland does, like I'm just going to leave for various sessions and leave you without a wizard.