[Xochitlcozamalotl] Connecting bidding to narration

[Jason Morningstar]

Thanks guys, I really like Xochitlcozamalotl and will definitely develop it further.  In fact, I found and scanned my future illustrations for it today, in Charnay Desire's "The Ancient Cities of the New World" from 1888.  But the Roach demands - DEMANDS - my attention.  Right now I'm editing the Commands so they'll all fit on my cards.  It's going to be unbelievably awesome. 

--Jason

[Ron Edwards]

Hello,

Official feedback thread!

This went into the "Color but no Center" category. The characters are curiously colorless despite their florid descriptions, in that they seem to have no priorities other than their godhood ... which seems very different from any gods in any pantheon I know about. Without a character with a special, personal interest in what's happening (no issue, in PTA terms), then there's no Situation, just Setting. Like in the especially bland episodes of modern Star Trek - there goes so-and-so, behaving like himself, and so what?

Mechanically, this is reflected in my perception that the Majesty/Beauty distinction seems meaningless in play - you have to guess what the other guy "means?" Why would he mean one or the other anyway? What's to stop him from just saying the one you didn't say? I'm not really seeing what's opposed between majesty and beauty as concepts - note, not how they're "different," but why they are opposed.

Also mechanically, most bidding games worry me a bit, as they are prone to success spirals: the more you get, the more you can bid. Which rings a death knell for the Gamist, and as written, that's the context for play. How might a reversal occur? Or to bring it back to the SIS deficiency, who cares who gets which wife?

I think the Ronnies entry might serve as a fine signpost for discussion, much as Chalk Outlines was - exactly the right design to point out, "This isn't quite gonna fly."

So what's next? So far, this thread's offered some ideas, and I'd never underestimate the Roach-meister. So I'll look forward to what might come next.

Best,
Ron

[Jason Morningstar]

Thanks Ron, that's good feedback and I appreciate it. 

I've already implemented some of the suggestions in this thread, but there are some definite areas that need work if this game is going to get off the ground.

Again, thanks!

--Jason