Thread: Questioning chirine ba kal - part II

Originally Posted by kk7

It seems to me that the the railroad vs. sandbox issue keeps running down into the problem of whether the GM or the players are responsible for setting and maintaining the tone of a game. They have (IMO) a habit of movement, and that's what kills so many games -- faced with it, you can either flip the table and say, "OVER!", or muddle along in a way that is not 'yours'.

I know what you mean. I've had to compromise and play a somewhat more "restrictive" style of game than I initially wanted to, but it seems to be working. I've been gradually loosening things up, and I can feel the game shifting towards a freer style. Old habits are hard to break for both players and GM's. Anyway, we're all having fun, which keeps bring the players back to the table, and at the end of the day that's all that counts.

Shemek.

Originally Posted by kk7

It seems to me that the the railroad vs. sandbox issue keeps running down into the problem of whether the GM or the players are responsible for setting and maintaining the tone of a game. They have (IMO) a habit of movement, and that's what kills so many games -- faced with it, you can either flip the table and say, "OVER!", or muddle along in a way that is not 'yours'.

I have no idea what you're talking about. And what is the "tone" of the game?

Originally Posted by kk7

You guys are so weird. Thirty-odd years of Tekumel gaming without a single miniature, let alone plaques and so on. I must be doing it RONG.

I don't think you are, myself; Phil's creation is a big enough tent that there's room for a lot of different people and a lot of different play styles. I know of one long-time Tekumel player who uses a shot glass of flaming vodka to represent Lord Vimuhla, and I strongly approve of this both as a gamer and a devotee of the Lord of Flame.

Originally Posted by Shemek hiTankolel

That sucks.
I also tried to do a "freer style" when I first started the current campaign, but quickly found that my players preferred a more structured game, i.e. "railroady" type of game. I've met them half way and the game has been flourishing for the last year and a half.

Shemek

Which is a Good Thing, if you asked me!

Originally Posted by Shemek hiTankolel

Same here, I've never gotten a plaque either
I'll be honest I like the aesthetics of miniatures in play, but the only reason that I use them is because they help mitigate any conflicts over where a PC is during a combat, or in relation to trap, secret door, etc. As I tell my players "Here's the monster (or trap, or...), move your miniature and show me exactly where he is." Too many bitter arguments when I first started DM'ing over whether a PC got hit, or was was in the blast radius, etc. Also, I have found that they really add to the game as visual aids. I love my players reaction when I place a mini on the table and they can physically see the difference in size between their PC's and the critter they're fighting.

Shemek

Agreed! They are a tool for the players and the GM - I just like making them, and people seem to be amused and delighted by my efforts. Different play styles for different people, after all!

Originally Posted by kk7

It seems to me that the the railroad vs. sandbox issue keeps running down into the problem of whether the GM or the players are responsible for setting and maintaining the tone of a game. They have (IMO) a habit of movement, and that's what kills so many games -- faced with it, you can either flip the table and say, "OVER!", or muddle along in a way that is not 'yours'.

Could very well be; in my campaigns, even the historical ones like the utterly gonzo Tangier Campaign (based on real historical events - look up Catherine of Braganza and her dowery for Charles II) I maintained a pretty firm hand on the controls as to what the game was all about. Luckliy for me, the players I had were all equally well versed in the Restoration period, and played like Cavaliers let loose in the Casbah. (Which they were of, of course.)

Agreed about at some point flipping over the table; I had to do that, and while it wasn't fun it did result in a lot better gaming for me. These days, I let people who want to play in my games organize their own groups, and I make sure to let them know that they are joining a long-time campaign that runs along just fine by itself. Running the meta-game every month is a lot of fun, as I think it was for Phil.

Maybe a new "Shalizar Herald" is in order; our old IMJ was our version of this, back in the day.

Originally Posted by Shemek hiTankolel

Another great session yesterday evening. We almost had a TPK. They lost one PC, a warrior, and the rest of the party and NPC's escaped by the skin the of their teeth when the priest of Vimuhla was just able to open a nexus point. As Chirine is want to say, much mayhem ensued!

It's too bad that we can't resurrect the old Imperial Dispatches? Do you think that this would be feasible Chirine?

Shemek

Wonderful!!! Great fun, from the sound of it!!!

See previous reply. I think we could, actually. It'd be very easy to do this as an on-line blog or something. Let me look into the logistics...

Originally Posted by Gronan of Simmerya

I have no idea what you're talking about. And what is the "tone" of the game?

I think you're onto something here, my General; for you and I, all the discussions about railroad and sandbox are very hard to digest because we simply did't game that way back in Ye Olden Days.

As for 'tone', how did we run out games, and how much did we laugh along with Origo when he pushed the button or Fred when he called in the high-explosives or you whooping "YOU BASTARD!" at Gary Con? (Mayhem, and much merriment, always ensued.) For me, that's 'tone'; that's what I live for in my games, and why I do them...

Originally Posted by Baron

I run two games set in Tekumel, using my own hack of 1st ed AD&D. My primary references include EPT, and our own Chirine! I run one game in person, with my fifteen year old daughter and her friends, along with the occasional dad. I run the other on Roll20; the intention was to play with all my old scattered gaming buddies, but at this point only two of the original players are still involved. Fortunately I've had no trouble filling out the ranks with newcomers to Tekumel!

The games have just entered their fourth year. My original plan was that I could easily run two games, if I ran them in parallel. Less investment in prep time. How foolish was that? From the very first session, the two parties branched off. The adults ending up in the Foreigners Quarter of Jakalla, scraping by, while the kids did a favor for the Clan of the Blazoned Sail, and will soon be asked to join! Yay, kids!

Both groups started out as islanders who sailed to Jakalla to make their fortunes, but the adults decided they wanted to establish trade routes (although they eventually forgot all about that). After mucking around the city for a while, and visiting the sewers and the Underworld, both groups stumbled upon the zu'ur trade. Both groups uncovered a statuette connected to worship of the Goddess of the Pale Bone. This has led to bethorm travel, and now both groups are back in-system, stranded on Kashi and interacting with the few ancestors of its original crew.

The adults want to make their way back to the planet surface (they asked for a deeper Tekumel experience), so I will let them succeed in this after a bit. However, I'm going to transport the kids around a whole lot more before they get home. They're mostly new to RPGs, and I want to give them a taste of some of the different types of settings that are possible in our hobby.

Whee!!! Where do I sign up?