Why people find it fun to be sick...

[Ron Edwards]

Hi there,

I think it's important to recognize that Evil in kill puppies for satan is not a reward system - it's a hamster running-wheel. It doesn't take people long to figure out that gaining more Evil really just lands the characters into worse and worse situations, and that spending the Evil to get out of those situations results in a net loss.

The only reward system available in the game comes from considering the character's ultimate fate, and what would be most satisfying to see happen.

Typical progression: (1) "Boy, I'd like to see this little schnook get repeatedly beaten, just for starters;" to (2) "Jeez, he can't win for losing, can he?" to (3) "Aw for criminy's sake, let him have his [birthday party, black-light poster, mother's underwear, etc]."

Best,
Ron

P.S. Pete, I can't tell at all what point you're making with the references to GTA. If it's off-topic, can we drop it for this thread and take it elsewhere, with a full explanation?

[Calithena]

This thread just sold (at least one) copy of this game. A paypal payment is on its way. I desperately need this experience.

I plan to show it to my therapist as well. (Now, you might wonder about that comment out of context, but my therapist was Gary Gygax's co-DM for Vault of the Drow at its initial GenCon run.)

[Valamir]

You should show him this thread too.

[pete_darby]

I consider the GTA subject to be off topic: If Noon wants to get it running, I'd be happy to take that up elsewhere.

As goes my original observation, I consider that Ron's first and second stages are most "creatively freeing," given that you've got the "out" of the system, setting, etc to evade responsibility for your imagination, a responsibility that, paradoxically, returns with stage 3.

I just boggled myself with a realisation that this aspect of kpfs ("characters as puppets of a cruel demi-urge") has interesting parallels with GK Chesterton's Man Who was Thursday: a nightmare.... but that's definitely off topic, though no less interesting.