Subject:
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Re: ESPG Rule Mod?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.gaming
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Date:
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Thu, 29 Apr 2004 15:44:19 GMT
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Viewed:
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4834 times
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Several responses on this thread...
As far as draft: As Larry mentions, at least in the games I run, the seas
are crowded with islands, so having shallow water extend out several inches
would really be a hassle. Also, without actually marking the area, that
becomes the type of rule that only gets remembered when it really affects a
particular situation (but never mind that 2 turns ago the guy who called
someone on the rule just sailed through a narrow straight, fudging his
movement of course to avoid hitting the rocks [we're never insistent on
perfect sailing instructions]).
As far as merchant ships having fewer cannon: They typically do. Of course
merchant cutters usually do have a cannon. I actually use almost no
merchants. I just haven't figured out a good way to run them without slowing
down the game, or forgetting about them. In a few games, I've had some
assistants run them, but they still seem more hassle than they are worth.
I'm still struggling with a way to include this part of piracy.
As far as modifying the ships to allow more cannon or something: I just
don't see this type of rule as necessary. The goal is to get money and buy a
bigger ship with more cannon. As I have refined my game play, we are seeing
upgrades more often.
In the end, the evolving of the game has actually been to simplify while not
eliminating options. Steve Jackson has actually done more simplifications
than I have (he assumes all pirates have muskets for example - though I
don't like that rule because the two games I've observed/ran with that rule
had > 50% of the casualties caused by musket fire [I'd actually be tempted
to get rid of pistols and muskets completely - they add a significant extra
step and I'd rather see people actually board]). Steve also ran a game at
Origins last year where your ship actually upgraded in place when you got
enough "points" (his rules actually called it "levelling up"...). That was a
special rule to deal with short game session times (Origins didn't give him
what he wanted in his game descriptions). I'm not ready to go that far
though.
On simplification and options: One of the game theories that I have been
developing is that for a game to be interesting, you must be making
meaningful choices. If the rules make one course of action too obvious, that
reduces choices. If the game eliminates too many choices, that doesn't work
either. If the game becomes so complex that your choices actually aren't
that meaningful (Which path do I take through this 50 step flowchart? The
one that ultimately gives me a 51% chance of hitting, or the one that
ultimately gives me a 52% chance of hitting, but has a 1% chance of
backfire? That's not a meaningful choice, and we've burned a lot of time on
it). In fact, you need to be making meaningful choices at some reasonable
rate (say at least 1 per 10-15 minutes of play) in order for the game to be
interesting.
All of this is not to dismiss discussion of the rules. There is room for
improvement in the game. I encourage people to play the game and tell us
what frustrated you about the game. Be careful of suggesting rules changes
before even playing (I know, I want to do that all the time, but experience
has taught me to go slow with rules changes, and really make an effort to
try the rules as written first as much as possible [other than flavor
choices like deciding to use a 4 stud LEGO inch instead of an Imperial
inch]).
So what I'd like to throw out as the most important area where the game
needs streamlining is in dealing with "scenario" islands. These are islands
occupied by skeletons, mummies, islanders or some other group that will be
interracted with in a big way. These islands have seriously slowed down play
as each pirate or enemy is moved individually and combat is resolved
individually. What has been more successefull is smaller scenario islands
such as 7413 Passage of Jun-Chi which just take a minute or two each turn.
I'm probably actually leaning towards these smaller islands (though skeleton
island is still fun, and I usually have the islanders sail out from
somewhere after someone stirs them up).
One of my next improvements is going to be to replace the treasure rolling
with a draw from a deck of cards, which will reduce the GM involvement (just
declare what you're searching and draw). I'll have to decide if I still want
to benefit larger search parties, and how. What would be nice is if the
regular treasure chests had studs inside, one of my thoughts would be to set
up a coding system so after drawing your card, you pull an appropriate chest
from the treasure pile - I may just go with coding on the cover of the
chest, but it's nice to be able to use those studs for pirates to stand on
or to stack the chests. Another way would be a 1x3 plate with the code on it
to be put inside the chest (I originally collected a huge amount of gold
coins to use with the game, but I realized I don't want to deal with all the
small parts so the ideal would be for the chests to be a single piece).
Frank
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: ESPG Rule Mod?
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| I wouldn't go with the draft idea, unless it was minimal. If anything, I'd say class minus three inches. This would make big ships use boats, but allow cutters to pull right up next to the islands. Ports would of course be deep enough for anything (...) (20 years ago, 1-May-04, to lugnet.gaming, lugnet.pirates)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: ESPG Rule Mod?
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| (...) This would interfere with movement something fierce, as typical game areas have a LOT of islands. Worse, it would interfere with landing at islands and searching for treasure, picking up castaways, getting jumped by mummies, etc. because (...) (20 years ago, 29-Apr-04, to lugnet.gaming)
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