Character Effectiveness = CA/SIS Interface?

[Troy_Costisick]

Heya,

This is a split topic from: http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?t=14908&start=0

James Holloway Wrote:

Troy:

Quote:
You have a player who is wanting to engage in one of the Arenas of a CA while the group and/or GM is wanting to engage in another. You have clashing CAs and therefore less fun.  

I think that's not clashing CAs, per se, since it's definitely possible that both GM and player are invested in the same CA (you can definitely see this happening in a "realist" Sim-game, right? "I never get the chance to use my Finance skill." "Well, a banker in the heart of the Amazon *wouldn't.*" "But it sucks to play a banker in the heart of the Amazon!"). It's a screwup at a much lower level of the model, I think Ephemera. I think it's a common consequence of game texts that marry system to Setting rather than Situation, if that makes sense, and don't provide direction on how to adjust.

About effectiveness: I don't think "effectiveness" is how well the player can engage with the CA, although I talked about that in the earlier thread. In this case, I'm using it as per the Glossary:

Quote:
A Character Component: quantities or terms which are directly used to determine the success or extent of a character's actions during play.

Balance traditionally refers to character components (and not just effectiveness necessarily; I was kind of conflating them there, it now seems), and is usually dismissed at the Forge as the vaguest of red herrings. I agree, really, but I'm trying to get a handle on why I agree.

To me, a character is a game mechanic.  A character's effectiveness is measured by that mechanic's ability to allow the player of that character and all the other players to engage the Creative Agenda.  Various lists of skills, superpowers, backgrounds, lifepaths, abilities, and whatnot exist solely to enhance or inhibit the players' ability to interface with that SIS and engage in the CA.

Anything that does not contribute to that interface, to me, is either useless or simply color added to add a bit of fun or history.  From a design point of view, all the mechanics of a character should assist in engaging the CA.  What doesn't help accomplish that is wasting your time in developing.

I believe my idea here needs some refining, but I'll sum it up in short: Character Effectiveness is the part of the character that helps a player interface with the SIS and address the CA.

Peace,

-Troy

[Callan S.]

I agree, but I'm picky about the shortening

Character Effectiveness is the part of the character that helps a player interface with the SIS and address the CA.

I dunno, I just find it a bit vague...character effectiveness could seem to be some sort of 'The character is effective at acting just as the character would in the game world' or some such idea that revolves around perceptions of what character is.

As you say, the character is really is just some game mechanics, not any different from rules for falling or whatever other content.

The effectiveness of the players stake (given to him by the game) is the part of the game that helps a player interface with the SIS and address the CA.

How about that?

[Troy_Costisick]

Heya,

That's interesting Callan.  I'll have to chew on it some, but yeah.  That's the direction I'm heading in :)

Peace,

-Troy