[tangent on the Art vs Tech discussion] Examples of technological advancement?

[Stevethulhu]

I just perused...it sounds very interesting. I'm especially interested in science-fantasy that isn't Shadowrun - unlike many here, I pretty much loathe the setting.

Try this for size. Or if you can find a copy, this. All your Cyberpunk goodness, now with tentacled horrors.

 

[A Fiery Flying Roll]

I just perused...it sounds very interesting. I'm especially interested in science-fantasy that isn't Shadowrun - unlike many here, I pretty much loathe the setting.

A slightly off kilter recommendation, but do you know Clockwork & Chivalry? Historical science-fantasy.

 

[EmperorNorton]

EDIT: Apparently I already own it! It must have been in a bundle...it's straight-up embarrassing how many games I have.

You have no idea how many times this has happened to me with video games. (I work in the field, so I generally pick up a lot of games on sale to keep up with what all is out, even if I don't get around to playing them all immediately)

 

[AsenRG]

I've heard good things about Exalted 3e and it's Intimacies (right?). Talk more about it if you can, please!

Of course I can, my name is in the book. I'm not sorry for it - the KS has provided me with countless hours of entertainment even before the book was out
Basically, Ex3 is the social system I've found most logical (yes, more than Cortex+). Still not as logical and varied as I'd like, mind you, but it's nice to have a system where getting in the head of an enemy is actually useful.

Basically, you can intimidate, bribe, inspire feelings or make arguments (not necessarily logical ones). To make an argument, you can appeal to an Intimacy that agrees with it to lower the enemy's defence. The enemy can do the opposite.
The important part comes afterwards: the target of an argumnt enters a Decision Point. Then you need another intimacy (not the one you probably used for making your argument easier) to align with him taking the particular course of action you're advocating. If trying to build or erode an intimacy, you need to be supported by another Intimacy of the same level or higher. (Eroding a minor intimacy clears it out). I think you can only do that once per scene, but I might be wrong.
Either way, trying to change the Defining intimacy of even the lowest peon is likely to take a while*.
Socialize is used, among other things, to hide your feelings, while Integrity makes you harder to persuade. Appearance is just bonus dice for applicable stuff (if you're Hideous, your Appearance applies to intimidate attempts, but not charming, and vice versa).
There's a lot, lot more. This chapter is, I think, longer than the whole rules of Flashing Blades.
And if I'm wrong, it's probably not by much.

Sounds like a good social system? Well, it is, as far as social systems go.
Except for the fact that even my most socially adept players hated it. And the rules-adept socially-clueless ones still didn't know what to do with it.
Overall, after several attempts, I scratched it and resorted to having them roll single checks until they got enough successes. the number being based on what they wanted to accomplish. That worked much better.

Come to think of it, I should have probably nominated the Traveller 5 Interpesonals, instead. It eliminates skill to focus on the argument and delivery itself, which I like!
But then the difficulty is too fixed, no matter who you're talking to, which I don't like.

*But it's possible! Unlike persuading anyone to change his orientation, for example, which is explicitly called as impossible.
Having encountered another PC in a forum game in Ex2 which was planning to try such stuff**, I at least could understand why...though I still find it funny!

**We honestly warned him that if he tries to initiate social combat with us ever again, we're going to kill him in physical combat. That being 2nd edition, initiating combat used to trump social combat automatically, unless you had charms allowing you to do it in combat-time...which were as rare as non-Wyldmutated hens' teeth.

I also must nominate Exalted 3 for the worst crafting system I've seen. But that is something I don't want to even discuss - and my players seldom play crafters, anyway.

I would like to see hacking mechanics that are reminiscent of the movie Sneakers, where a lot of ancillary hacking tasks involve fieldwork. Maybe you have to steal a keycard, trick a receptionist into giving you a password or bargain with Russian mobsters for black market spyware. That sort of stuff can involve the whole party.

That's exactly the mechanics in Fates Worse Than Death!

EDIT: Apparently I already own it! It must have been in a bundle...it's straight-up embarrassing how many games I have.

Embarrassing? That's a strange way to spell "wonderful"!

 

[Edgewise]

Fates Worse Than Death

Sounds good...who knows, maybe I already own it

 

[AsenRG]

Sounds good...who knows, maybe I already own it

Everything is possible!

 

[TristramEvans]

This talk of social combat reminds me - I really liked the system in the Dying Earth RPG.

 

[Grelan]

I would like to see hacking mechanics that are reminiscent of the movie Sneakers, where a lot of ancillary hacking tasks involve fieldwork. Maybe you have to steal a keycard, trick a receptionist into giving you a password or bargain with Russian mobsters for black market spyware. That sort of stuff can involve the whole party.

I still think the movie Sneakers is the best visual representation of the sort of things that happen in a good RPG session. Fantastic movie with a fantastic cast. Should be a must watch for gamera.

 

[Lessa]

Basically, you can intimidate, bribe, inspire feelings or make arguments (not necessarily logical ones). To make an argument, you can appeal to an Intimacy that agrees with it to lower the enemy's defence. The enemy can do the opposite.
The important part comes afterwards: the target of an argumnt enters a Decision Point. Then you need another intimacy (not the one you probably used for making your argument easier) to align with him taking the particular course of action you're advocating. If trying to build or erode an intimacy, you need to be supported by another Intimacy of the same level or higher. (Eroding a minor intimacy clears it out). I think you can only do that once per scene, but I might be wrong.
Either way, trying to change the Defining intimacy of even the lowest peon is likely to take a while*.
Socialize is used, among other things, to hide your feelings, while Integrity makes you harder to persuade. Appearance is just bonus dice for applicable stuff (if you're Hideous, your Appearance applies to intimidate attempts, but not charming, and vice versa).
There's a lot, lot more. This chapter is, I think, longer than the whole rules of Flashing Blades.
And if I'm wrong, it's probably not by much.

Sounds like a good social system? Well, it is, as far as social systems go.
Except for the fact that even my most socially adept players hated it. And the rules-adept socially-clueless ones still didn't know what to do with it.
Overall, after several attempts, I scratched it and resorted to having them roll single checks until they got enough successes. the number being based on what they wanted to accomplish. That worked much better.

Some interesting ideas in there (like intimacies as exploitable avenues). A pity they're marred by such an overly-complex implementation. Reminds me of those combat systems that take 2 hours to resolve a 20 seconds in-game situation (like Shadowrun). No wonder your friends disliked it. XD

Thanks for describing it. If they release a lighter version down the road, lemme know!

 

[Voros]

Does it make everyone a hacker? That's probably the best way to go.

The problem with hacking in RPGs is it always ends up as solo gaming while the rest of the group twiddle their thumbs. So mostly a setting rather than a mechanical problem.

From what recall yes hacking is so central to the setting all the PCs do it.

 

[AsenRG]

Some interesting ideas in there (like intimacies as exploitable avenues). A pity they're marred by such an overly-complex implementation. Reminds me of those combat systems that take 2 hours to resolve a 20 seconds in-game situation (like Shadowrun). No wonder your friends disliked it. XD

Thanks for describing it. If they release a lighter version down the road, lemme know!

My wife disliked it, too.
And if they
ever released a pared-down version, you're going to simply hear the uproar on forums!

 

[soltakss]

Wow, this thread went bad very quickly.

Shame, as a thread about new gaming technologies shouldn't necessarily be about rehashing rule discussions from 30-odd years ago.

 

[TristramEvans]

Wow, this thread went bad very quickly.

Shame, as a thread about new gaming technologies shouldn't necessarily be about rehashing rule discussions from 30-odd years ago.

Eh, I think it's limping back towards the Swo now

 

[AsenRG]

Wow, this thread went bad very quickly.

Shame, as a thread about new gaming technologies shouldn't necessarily be about rehashing rule discussions from 30-odd years ago.

Some of us have simply missed those, due to not having learned to read yet at the time!

Eh, I think it's limping back towards the Swo now

That's my impression as well.