66 thoughts on “Here’s a thing that happened in a moment of weakness.”

  15. I actually got a new 3DS, too, which means I have a blue 3DS XL I need to sell. Any takers? I’m thinking…$60? That’s minus a power cord, because the new ones don’t come with one (weird).

  16. I actually got a new 3DS, too, which means I have a blue 3DS XL I need to sell. Any takers? I’m thinking…$60? That’s minus a power cord, because the new ones don’t come with one (weird).

  29. It has taken me awhile to get into this game. At first I thought it was really boring. I’m starting to get a feel for it, though. I kept losing the monsters, but then I discovered paintballs.

  30. It has taken me awhile to get into this game. At first I thought it was really boring. I’m starting to get a feel for it, though. I kept losing the monsters, but then I discovered paintballs.

  39. I have run out of steam with MH4U. I think it’s just not my jam. There are moments where I think, “Ok, this is interesting,” but those moments are tucked between a lot of really boring stuff.

    Also: the combat is definitely not my jam. I feel like I just run up, hit monster, run back, use whetstone or heal, and then run up and hit monster again. Often the monster actually runs away, instantly draining any tension that had accidentally built-up during the fight. You then find monster and continue the process. Thirty minutes later, you kill it and collect your talons and mushrooms.

    I can see why some people like it, but it’s not for me.

  40. I have run out of steam with MH4U. I think it’s just not my jam. There are moments where I think, “Ok, this is interesting,” but those moments are tucked between a lot of really boring stuff.

    Also: the combat is definitely not my jam. I feel like I just run up, hit monster, run back, use whetstone or heal, and then run up and hit monster again. Often the monster actually runs away, instantly draining any tension that had accidentally built-up during the fight. You then find monster and continue the process. Thirty minutes later, you kill it and collect your talons and mushrooms.

    I can see why some people like it, but it’s not for me.

  47. Ferrell Riley Yeah, that was one of the first things I did. I settled on sword/shield since it had something resembling combos. The staff with the bug was interesting, but upgrading it is super confusing. I literally have no idea what’s happening when I feed it various nectars.

    The game is a lot of effort for a payoff that is still unclear to me.

  48. Ferrell Riley Yeah, that was one of the first things I did. I settled on sword/shield since it had something resembling combos. The staff with the bug was interesting, but upgrading it is super confusing. I literally have no idea what’s happening when I feed it various nectars.

    The game is a lot of effort for a payoff that is still unclear to me.

  49. If the combat in the game was a little faster and more explosive, I could probably stick with it. As it is, it’s a little plodding, and the technicality of it isn’t apparent to me so far.

  50. If the combat in the game was a little faster and more explosive, I could probably stick with it. As it is, it’s a little plodding, and the technicality of it isn’t apparent to me so far.

  51. it does tend towards the technical a bit more than your average game  I would say don’t throw in the towel till you’ve gone online with us a few times, while I wouldn’t say that’s the meat, it is the refreshing mango salsa on this taco of fun.

  52. it does tend towards the technical a bit more than your average game  I would say don’t throw in the towel till you’ve gone online with us a few times, while I wouldn’t say that’s the meat, it is the refreshing mango salsa on this taco of fun.

  53. I agree that you should come out with us a couple of times before you quit it all together. But this game has a reputation for being work. It is one of the reasons why it is not as popular in the west as it is in Japan. You have to like the working aspect of it. Putting in the time needs to increase the pleasure of finally completing a mission, weapon, or set of armor. If that rule does not apply to you then the game will never be satisfying enough to warrant continued play. In addition, it is designed as a game for those who love complexity. The many layers of rules and statistics involved with your weapon alone, especially the insect glaive, needs to be interesting and entertaining. This issue came up last night when we were talking about the game I have been working on. While I love the ease of Dungeon World I want a more complex character. The statistics found in OSR games appeals to me because it makes the character more tangible to me. I feel like I know more about him. I would ask that you come out on a hunt with us to get a feel of a group hunt and we can go over some of the vagaries of the game with you. Then you can log this under sunk costs.

  54. I agree that you should come out with us a couple of times before you quit it all together. But this game has a reputation for being work. It is one of the reasons why it is not as popular in the west as it is in Japan. You have to like the working aspect of it. Putting in the time needs to increase the pleasure of finally completing a mission, weapon, or set of armor. If that rule does not apply to you then the game will never be satisfying enough to warrant continued play. In addition, it is designed as a game for those who love complexity. The many layers of rules and statistics involved with your weapon alone, especially the insect glaive, needs to be interesting and entertaining. This issue came up last night when we were talking about the game I have been working on. While I love the ease of Dungeon World I want a more complex character. The statistics found in OSR games appeals to me because it makes the character more tangible to me. I feel like I know more about him. I would ask that you come out on a hunt with us to get a feel of a group hunt and we can go over some of the vagaries of the game with you. Then you can log this under sunk costs.

  55. Scott Owen Well, to be precise in terms of terminology, OSR characters are even less fleshed-out on paper than Dungeon World characters are. The whole raison d’etere of that movement is to strip away rules. I think what you mean is trad games (Pathfinder, Shadowrun, etc.), where the rules are exception-based; in other words, your character can only do the things listed on the paper, and, as such, we have to list lots of things so they can function. Dungeon World’s great contribution to the hobby (really, Apocalypse World’s contribution) is the insight that your character should be able to do anything a person can reasonably do. Given that, why would we write all that stuff down? It’s not a character who is less fleshed out on paper; it is a character whose fullness we recognize by not putting arbitrary, mechanical limitations on their activities. I can’t stress enough how this affects gameplay. In Pathfinder, a game in which the characters are highly detailed, the story moves very slowly, so much so that it is not uncommon for a whole 3-hour session to be consumed by a single fight, or traversing a single corridor. And why is that? Because the handling time is too high. And why is the handling time too high? Because common sense has been sacrificed on the altar of detailed character customization. You may get to know your character well on paper, but let me assure you will never get to know them in the actual gameplay. 

  56. Scott Owen Well, to be precise in terms of terminology, OSR characters are even less fleshed-out on paper than Dungeon World characters are. The whole raison d’etere of that movement is to strip away rules. I think what you mean is trad games (Pathfinder, Shadowrun, etc.), where the rules are exception-based; in other words, your character can only do the things listed on the paper, and, as such, we have to list lots of things so they can function. Dungeon World’s great contribution to the hobby (really, Apocalypse World’s contribution) is the insight that your character should be able to do anything a person can reasonably do. Given that, why would we write all that stuff down? It’s not a character who is less fleshed out on paper; it is a character whose fullness we recognize by not putting arbitrary, mechanical limitations on their activities. I can’t stress enough how this affects gameplay. In Pathfinder, a game in which the characters are highly detailed, the story moves very slowly, so much so that it is not uncommon for a whole 3-hour session to be consumed by a single fight, or traversing a single corridor. And why is that? Because the handling time is too high. And why is the handling time too high? Because common sense has been sacrificed on the altar of detailed character customization. You may get to know your character well on paper, but let me assure you will never get to know them in the actual gameplay. 

  57. Jason Cordova that is correct not OSR but Trad games. I see what you mean regarding the removal of excessive rules. I have never played a Trad or Osr game, I think. I could have and not recognized it for what it was. In that case the game I am working on is very unlike Trad games. In regards to our DW games if anyone can do any reasonable action that a normal person could do, does that mean that I could I bend bars and lift gates like a fighter as long as I had the strength? Or is there a differentiation between gates and bars that any normal person could lift or bend and those that only a fighter could handle?

    When I say I want a more complex character I guess I mean I want more complexity and differentiation in stats, more special abilities, more choices, and more back story. I may not need a purple pan sexual kitsune, though I would argue that if that makes you happy do it, some of the DW characters fall flat in two dimensions.

    Not my point anyway. You should come monster hunting with us.

  58. Jason Cordova that is correct not OSR but Trad games. I see what you mean regarding the removal of excessive rules. I have never played a Trad or Osr game, I think. I could have and not recognized it for what it was. In that case the game I am working on is very unlike Trad games. In regards to our DW games if anyone can do any reasonable action that a normal person could do, does that mean that I could I bend bars and lift gates like a fighter as long as I had the strength? Or is there a differentiation between gates and bars that any normal person could lift or bend and those that only a fighter could handle?

    When I say I want a more complex character I guess I mean I want more complexity and differentiation in stats, more special abilities, more choices, and more back story. I may not need a purple pan sexual kitsune, though I would argue that if that makes you happy do it, some of the DW characters fall flat in two dimensions.

    Not my point anyway. You should come monster hunting with us.

  59. Yes you should hunt in the same room together, makes it a lot better for new players. The latest installment has more training than any other installment, but it is still a steep learning curve.

  60. Yes you should hunt in the same room together, makes it a lot better for new players. The latest installment has more training than any other installment, but it is still a steep learning curve.

  61. Scott Owen Yes, of course you could bend bars and lift gates like a Fighter! The difference is you have to do it with Defy Danger (if the situation is dangerous), meaning you are subject to the more open-ended results of that move. The Fighter, on the other hand, gets to do so in a way that has a more predictable outcome. Just like anyone can check for traps, but they probably have to do so with Discern Realities. In that case, you may ask “What is hidden here?” The GM may answer with “A trap” or he may answer with something else. The Thief, on the other hand, gets to ask the specific question “Is there a trap here?” 

    In many ways, these examples are the key to understanding Dungeon World.

  62. Scott Owen Yes, of course you could bend bars and lift gates like a Fighter! The difference is you have to do it with Defy Danger (if the situation is dangerous), meaning you are subject to the more open-ended results of that move. The Fighter, on the other hand, gets to do so in a way that has a more predictable outcome. Just like anyone can check for traps, but they probably have to do so with Discern Realities. In that case, you may ask “What is hidden here?” The GM may answer with “A trap” or he may answer with something else. The Thief, on the other hand, gets to ask the specific question “Is there a trap here?” 

    In many ways, these examples are the key to understanding Dungeon World.

Comments are closed.