Hi Vincent!
Here are my remaining questions that arose from the two sessions (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=22906.0) I played with my group and which were not answered in Hans' thread (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=23169.0)
- I'm not sure how to handle NPC help. Most of the time, I considered it to be pure color, but sometimes I fiated that a few helper dice should be given out. Any thoughts?
- Some challenges were so powerful that the answerer couldn't win, even on a reroll. Could he have decided to add an advantage die at that time? We played it as being decided at the beginning of the round and being valid for the roll and the reroll if one turned out to be the answerer.
- Can somebody give upon seeing the challenger's standing roll and hearing his challenge? We ruled not, judging it to be too cheesy.
- If, say, a spellcasting character's magic from a previous chapter has been established to be still active, are any die rolled to break it or is it just wasted as any opposition which can't be backed up by an active character?
- If a conflict strays from its original arena, is it okay to switch endeavors? If yes, how should we handle this?
Any peek previews of the current state of the game? I issued some concerns about some conflict situations: complete tie when trying to decide who is challenger, whiffiness (see my brother getting clattered out of sheer bad luck) or proper use of magic.
Any news on those topics?
Oh, I remember why I didn't answer most of these questions before. They're too hard!
1. An NPC helper who isn't just color is a participant in the conflict. Maybe.
2. Yes, good. In playtesting I was always trying to figure out when you go for the bonus die, how long does it last? Consistency seems more important to me in this case than any one right answer.
3. No. You're right.
4. If I understand the question, which I probably don't, but if I do, as GM you should take the remaining active magic as an NPC.
5. No. Always roll the same dice you started with.
I don't have anything online for the new rules (to which maybe only question 4 will still apply). Ties and magic are both things, yeah. I think about them both a lot, actually.
Losing bad because of only bad luck will always be part of the game. The game won't have any technical whiffing, but no, you really won't ever be able to expect the game to respect your plans for your character.
-Vincent
Okay, thanks for those answers!
I don't know if you understood question number 4, but the answer makes sense to me.
I love the "in your teeth" feel of the game, so I don't mind characters disappearing or getting hosed bigtime. I'll have to check in our next games if we weren't confusing character and player issues (it felt like my brother lost input to the game by his repetitive losses, but that could be a misunderstanding of the game or old gamer baggage).
Are you interested in our next playtests? Since the new version of the rules seem to address quite a few shaky points, our observations will probably not be very pertinent.
My enthusiastic description of the game has got other people interested in the game though, so we'll be playing on anyway.
So, like, there's this layer of game mechanics where you roll and manipulate the dice. That's the only layer I'm messing with. The owe list layer, stays; the "injured or exhausted" layer, stays.
What I'd encourage you to do is, streamline the roll-and-manipulate layer as much as you can, wing it when you have to. The most pertinent playtest feedback you can give me will be about the other two layers - is the exhausted or injured layer working? Is the owe list working? What's really happening with them?
I really appreciate your playing!
-Vincent