[Face of Angels] My first time

[Rimke]

[Rimke]

There is one point I'd like to add that I forgot about:

One of the penalties of using getting a super trump used against you (or using it I guess, although that almost never happens) is that you, from that moment on, never can use a trump as a normal card. A trump from then on should always be played as trump and thus involve special powers.
In our game this was no disadvantage at all. I cannot recall one single time that a trump was played as a normal card, without the use of special powers. I, myself, had the advantage of a not so obvious special power, but even the others always invoked their special powers when playing a trump. A trump seemed just too valuable to play as just a normal card.

[Clinton R. Nixon]

Rimke,

Did Remko let you know it's a game that's not complete? It sounds like you enjoyed yourself, which is great, but I wanted to make sure you knew that it's not a complete game, and isn't in active playtest. Do you know why Remko chose it to play?

Anyway, your first three problems are well-known and expected. The friends and foes one is from a lack of good advice for the players on how to play, especially for the World player: friends and foes should follow you, still playing a part in your life. The game gives the characters tremendous power, but they're still humans, and should have scenes that aren't blowing up cities. The idea that a friend from high school is one of the only people in the world that knows you well - and the whole world fears you - is very humanizing. Likewise, having a human, a mortal, foe who had it out for you when you were nothing, and still does now, and doesn't see you as a god, but as a person, is very humanizing.

The secrets suck as is, and will be jettisoned if I work on the game again.

I don't quite understand why helping didn't work for you, but there are rules about the order of helping.

---

So with the simple answers given, let's talk about what the game is supposed to do and tackle complex questions. The World represents the world as is, and it is a conservative force. The characters are foreign objects and will be disposed of by it. It rises in power as the characters do, because the world is filled with moral outrage at the fact the characters exists. They destabilize it, and the World seeks stability. (That's why they can end up in control: that's a stable situation.)

This is why losing your ability to hide your powers - that is, use a trump without it being used as a power card - is supposed to be bad. I can see, from a gameplay standpoint, how it wasn't.

The one thing I note from your post is that you all were very much optimizing to win contests. That makes sense, but the game works better when you fail, which leaves the game with an interesting design problem.

I'm glad you enjoyed the game, and am very interested in your feedback.

[Rimke]

This will be a very short reply because it is over 4 am here, I'll only address two issues here. The others demand more time and I'll hope to come to them tomorrow.

First: Remko told us the game wasn't finished yet. But the concept intrigued me very much. Reason the more to play the game and post my comments. :-)

On the helping issue: The rules seem to confirm the first idea we used. First the initiator of the conflict recieves help (or not) then the defending party (or not). This is in advantage of the defending paty who will always know which card will save the day. (or just play a crappy card in case it doesn't have such a card). This is fine with me, but some players in our game didn't like it. They wanted a game in which everybody can throw cards at any time. In that case it will resemble the second scenario I described. (Everybody waits till the last moment, the losing party has to throw (OTHERWISE THEY'LL LOSE) formerly winning party can react, this is not always the same as case 1. I hope you understand what I mean, I'd gladly explain otherwise when I am less tired an can make more sense.
I am fine with either case, but I thought there should be a rule. Now I know there is a rule and it is actually like the first rule we used.

The other comments require a better answer than this, which I will give when I am more awake and sober.

[Rimke]