Time for our second question for the crowd-directed experiment:
2) What dice type do you prefer?
There was a great response on our first question, so thanks everyone that participated! If you’re interested in the premise or what more questions I’ll post, check this link out: http://bit.ly/2hSt1vG If you miss a particular question that could broaden our perspective, don’t hesitate to share it with us in the comments.
After this poll, four more questions regarding the dice pool will follow. Next one will be posted after Christmas, so have a Happy Holiday everyone! Cheers! #tcde
You might want to add “no preference” as an option, unless you want to force a choice.
You might want to add “no preference” as an option, unless you want to force a choice.
Yes, that’s right. Forgot about it, will try to add it on the next one. Heard though that G+ only allows for 5 options. Is that so?
Yes, that’s right. Forgot about it, will try to add it on the next one. Heard though that G+ only allows for 5 options. Is that so?
No idea. I’m assuming Fate dice fall under d6s?
No idea. I’m assuming Fate dice fall under d6s?
Yes, that was my plan.
Yes, that was my plan.
I like d6s because they’re easy to find for newcomers (which is why I prefer cards even to dice).
I like d6s because they’re easy to find for newcomers (which is why I prefer cards even to dice).
But polyhedral dice are very easy to find due to the Internet. Amazon sells them- it’s not like the early 80s/90s when you had to have a game store in your town
But polyhedral dice are very easy to find due to the Internet. Amazon sells them- it’s not like the early 80s/90s when you had to have a game store in your town
I didn’t say polyhedrals were hard to find, I said six-sided dice are easier to find.
I didn’t say polyhedrals were hard to find, I said six-sided dice are easier to find.
I think the difference is so small these days it is a constraint that shouldn’t be taken into account for game design as they did in Shadowrun.
I think the difference is so small these days it is a constraint that shouldn’t be taken into account for game design as they did in Shadowrun.
I disagree. As a designer, I’m thinking about newcomers. It’s not just that polyhedrals are less available (they are, to whatever degree), it’s also that they’re weird and alienating to people for whom this is new. It’s one less barrier.
I disagree. As a designer, I’m thinking about newcomers. It’s not just that polyhedrals are less available (they are, to whatever degree), it’s also that they’re weird and alienating to people for whom this is new. It’s one less barrier.
The primary barrier to playing an RPG is- “Do you want to play a role-playing game?”- everything after that is par for the course. In today’s popular culture, nerd/geek things are the norm. As such, most folks looking to play an RPG are aware of RPGs and the “weird” dice they require. In fact, it is so normal that DCC added in a d3, 5, 7, 9,16 and d24 to bring back the feeling of weird dice.
Limiting a game to d6 for fear of alienating newcomers runs a greater risk of limiting the game itself for everyone. Which will reduce interest from both new and old RPG players.
This is especially true if a person it looking at a game that is arising from a series of questions about RPGs on a G+ chat that is devoted to a group centered on a sub-set of RPGs. Like, we are already pretty far from a group of newcomers. The newcomers you describe would be most likely to pick up the D&D 5e starter box at Barnes & Nobels (which comes with dice).
The primary barrier to playing an RPG is- “Do you want to play a role-playing game?”- everything after that is par for the course. In today’s popular culture, nerd/geek things are the norm. As such, most folks looking to play an RPG are aware of RPGs and the “weird” dice they require. In fact, it is so normal that DCC added in a d3, 5, 7, 9,16 and d24 to bring back the feeling of weird dice.
Limiting a game to d6 for fear of alienating newcomers runs a greater risk of limiting the game itself for everyone. Which will reduce interest from both new and old RPG players.
This is especially true if a person it looking at a game that is arising from a series of questions about RPGs on a G+ chat that is devoted to a group centered on a sub-set of RPGs. Like, we are already pretty far from a group of newcomers. The newcomers you describe would be most likely to pick up the D&D 5e starter box at Barnes & Nobels (which comes with dice).
Well, I’m not interested in winning an argument or anything :). I’m just talking about my preferences, particularly as a designer. As I said, the difference in availability is marginal, but I like it as a design constraint.
I don’t see anything inherently virtuous about using lots of different kinds of dice. Certain randomizers are better- or less-well-suited to a particular game than others, either for reasons of the design you want to pull off, or for thematic reasons. But you’ve got to choose some method of randomization, and in a universe of options, I’ve chosen to have my beginning assumption be to design for accessibility. To make the tools to play as easy to come by as possible, particularly for people who may be poor and might find getting other randomizers hard. I know it seems ridiculous, but I’ve lived when money has been tight enough that it could actually be difficult to buy weird, new dice.
Also, using just a few six-sided dice or cards can make a game more pick-up-and-play, or play-on-a-whim, or play-anywhere. Lots of value comes out of taking this constraint.
It may be marginal value, but a bunch of little margins add up. And, again, constraint is valuable in game design, or any creative effort.
Well, I’m not interested in winning an argument or anything :). I’m just talking about my preferences, particularly as a designer. As I said, the difference in availability is marginal, but I like it as a design constraint.
I don’t see anything inherently virtuous about using lots of different kinds of dice. Certain randomizers are better- or less-well-suited to a particular game than others, either for reasons of the design you want to pull off, or for thematic reasons. But you’ve got to choose some method of randomization, and in a universe of options, I’ve chosen to have my beginning assumption be to design for accessibility. To make the tools to play as easy to come by as possible, particularly for people who may be poor and might find getting other randomizers hard. I know it seems ridiculous, but I’ve lived when money has been tight enough that it could actually be difficult to buy weird, new dice.
Also, using just a few six-sided dice or cards can make a game more pick-up-and-play, or play-on-a-whim, or play-anywhere. Lots of value comes out of taking this constraint.
It may be marginal value, but a bunch of little margins add up. And, again, constraint is valuable in game design, or any creative effort.
I did not expect this choice to be so hard.
I did not expect this choice to be so hard.
I’m not a big fan of the d6’s natural distribution curve. It’s been impressive seeing people use them in ways that blunt (or even highlight) the way they tend to clump up in the middle of their bell curve, but I still love the decimal smoothness of the good old d10.
I’m not a big fan of the d6’s natural distribution curve. It’s been impressive seeing people use them in ways that blunt (or even highlight) the way they tend to clump up in the middle of their bell curve, but I still love the decimal smoothness of the good old d10.
To me it matters how many you expect to roll – if rolling more dice would want smaller die… really like
Many D6 for large Shadowrun pools – only 3 or 4 D20 in the mophidious systems
To me it matters how many you expect to roll – if rolling more dice would want smaller die… really like
Many D6 for large Shadowrun pools – only 3 or 4 D20 in the mophidious systems
Don’t know of any systems using D8’s so picked that for now 🙂
Don’t know of any systems using D8’s so picked that for now 🙂
What about Fate/Fudge dice (4dF)?
What about Fate/Fudge dice (4dF)?
For the sake of this poll, I think that would sort under D6. There are many types of D6s with different types of icons etc. I should maybe have phrased it ‘dice type/shape’, but… yeah.
For the sake of this poll, I think that would sort under D6. There are many types of D6s with different types of icons etc. I should maybe have phrased it ‘dice type/shape’, but… yeah.