Rule changes and clarifications

[WayneO42]

I was under the apparently mistaken idea that this game was built around the honor system and was played by people who wanted to create a shared fantasy environment for the community. I guess I was wrong. Maybe we need to have two or three people whose only job is to go around during the event and check tags and make sure things are being phys-repped appropriately? Any volunteers because I sure as hell dont want to spend an event doing it.

I agree with Wayne. However, I'd never take the job of phys-rep police.

I'm busy enough being a cheese weasel and abusing the spirit of the rules.

I don't have a problem with keeping them in containers between games. I do with having them in small plastic sorting containers once the game is on.

I can see how you might feel that way, not having to deal with literally hundreds of tags each event for years. But If I'm ever in the position where I have hundreds of resource tags to deal with again I can tell you they are going to be kept in their containers throughout the event. Sorry that doesn't measure up to your standards of realism but realistically having to resort hundreds of tags after an event is just way more work than I want to go through and is a waste of my time for the "immersion" anyone might get from the tags being dumped out on the floor. Yes that last sentence should be read with a little bit of friendly sarcasm. If you want to volunteer to take everything out of the containers and make sure it gets back into the containers sorted every event then that can be arranged.

I used to bring 3 full size full bins with all types of props for the bar, for eating food, trinkets and such. It sucked ass but I did it for quite awhile. I stopped because it wasn't really appreciated by most, and rather than trying to make sure I got phys reps back they were left all over the place with absolutely no regard to me having to go look for and find them all over the freakin camp. I'm all for making the environment better but I spent way too much time dealing with phys reps. I'd like to get back to that one day, but I can say that for certain it won't ever happen if Travis Art and I (with help sometimes from various others) are still being the ones left to clean every time. And if I'm the one dealing with all the political system stuff. Each thing adds time and effort, I only have so much time and effort to put into 1 hobby. Suffice it to say that an hour of resorting and boxing tags on Sunday morning just ain't gonna happen, atleast not by me.

Really I'd like to see a coin system put into place, but the GM's want that to be done by us, while I think those that control the economy should be in control of the coins as well. I even tried to implement it myself but NOONE and I mean NOONE was at all interested in handing over their stuff and taking "coins" for it, another reason I think it needs to be NPC controlled.

As far as brewing alchemy, perhaps a very small box with a label "brewing potions" can be a minimal requirement. I really don't think it's going to make that much of a difference other than adding another thing that people are supposed to have that many will not.

If most peoples mentality was "follow the best example" this world would be a VERY VERY different place. Unfortuntely most people will default to lowest common denoninator in most situations.

And Ried, I agree there should be a reasonable cap on effects. But I don't think any of the current spells or potions that I know of are neccesarily overpowered. But then again I didn't think there a spell out there that did 15 unresistable in an area effect either.

[WayneO42]

I split the coin vs resources talk to its own topic

ok, so I talked to Nelkie and finally brainstormed up some thoughts.

First, though we cannot enforce rules that are negative in nature (eg requirements for phy-reps), we can, however, enforce positives (eg real armor bonus). On this thought:

Ideas (all of these are tweakable, I just pulled them out quick):
Potions - if no phyrep for the potion, it's a 5 count then ripping the tag. Otherwise, it's the act of simulating drinking it and ripping the tag. Vials must be 2" long x 1/2" diameter (arbitrary) with a tag on them to be considered viable phys-reps.

Potion labs - if a lab is considered suitable via (X standards) and placed in an obvious location (eg no invisible caves), then all potion times are reduced by 5%. Each character must have their own kit. (arbitrary percent, would have to look at times to get a better feel)

Arcane - if a character has the suitable equipment and can demonstrate a full process (ie singing, placing stones, etc) that has repeatable sections (for longer spells) then casting times are reduced by 5%. (again arbitrary percent)

Resources - If a pool of resources (ie more than 3) is placed in a (large) bin with large, obvious tags on the top, and all 4 sides with the words "RESOURCES" on it and is placed in an obvious area, then 3% (this needs to be more of a chart for rounding purposes) of the resources contained are given at checkout.

Concerning people who have things in caves in the woods, you have to mark your cave with a big (think 6" wide christmas ribbons) (insert color) ribbon and a tag on a tree at head level. Otherwise, you get no bonus.

Also, on resources, if you place all your resources in a little ziplock (or some other small unmarked container) and someone finds it, they may take the entire ziplock at once (defeating the carrying limits) directly to X (npc camp or their own stash?). (this needs a bit of help as to what if they are attacked, avoiding cheese weasel moves of making transport easier by "finding" a buddy's stash, etc).

At any rate, basically, to improve things, you give a bonus to the people that do it. It doesn't need to be big, just something. Later on, with a larger player base, you could consider higher requirements.

And I know the idea was mentioned (I believe it was Heidi) on the alchemy book thread, but I believe I took it as more substantial cuts. So I'll give Heidi her due here. (mark this day, cause it only happens once in a blue moon)

I think Reid is onto something. However, what he's suggesting feels like too much. Too much to keep track of for PC and GMs. But I think its headed in the right direction.

I think positive feedback helps those that have done their best to phys-rep stuff to keep doing their best. I know that positive comments could/should come from the player base as much as the GMs but it doesn't seem like they have, for whatever reason.

I don't have an answer yet but I'm thinking too.

[GM_Chris]

BTW if large bin translates into tuperware I rather not have it in game

I support Eric's idea. If this is something the people like, we can start putting numbers on stuff.

[GM_Chris]

Little quick to put numbers on things

i vote for the number 9

BTW if large bin translates into tuperware I rather not have it in game

Note, I never mentioned what classifies a phy-rep (this was on purpose).

That is up to someone else to decide. The logic that something is apparently better than nothing wouldn't grant a bonus, but a decent something should (same as armor).

I think positive feedback helps those that have done their best to phys-rep stuff to keep doing their best. I know that positive comments could/should come from the player base as much as the GMs but it doesn't seem like they have, for whatever reason.

Because most people really don't notice when things look good, only the things that stick out as anacronisms. If you see a wooden box on a shelf you don't think anything of it, if you see a box of capri sun juice bags on a counter you think it's out of place in the setting.

And sadly, most people would rather moan to noone in general than go out of their way to praise someone.


The idea of bonuses for realistic has always sounded better to me than requiring basic minimums. I think I've said that every time this has come up, give a bonus and people may actually do it.

BTW if large bin translates into tuperware I rather not have it in game

I guess thats been my point all along, how many people are going to go and buy large wooden boxes? So what you get is large plastic containers and dog cages, which don't help at all and are really just more large stuff people have to bring. Yes I know, people can make collapsable boxes and I'm sure that Wayne-0 has a couple of different diagrams on how to build them , but really...come on, how many people are going to do that either?

[GM_Chris]

The problem is we need to make the bonuses good enough that people want to put the effort in, but at the same time we have a reduced system.


Maybe we need to make armor repair take 10 minutes by default and then if in real armor it takes 5.

heh, Chris, that has already been discussed by Nelkie and me, and just hasn't been brought up yet.

But that is a whole seperate topic.

Maybe we need to make armor repair take 10 minutes by default and then if in real armor it takes 5.

I LOVE this ldea. Make it so.