|
|
Post by Finarvyn on Mar 26, 2018 15:57:49 GMT -6
You'll always mess up. The referee's objective is to always have the players wondering "Did we get teleported or does our map just suck?" On a mapping related tangent, does anyone ever just write down directions turned and distances covered instead of physically drawing a map? Does that work any better? We tried that a few times with very limited success. The problem is that it's not visual enough, so we tried to do a dual-map thing with a picture and written details. Just got confusing for us. |
|
|
|
Post by DungeonDevil on Mar 26, 2018 16:27:07 GMT -6
* wargaming refs don't usually have to graphically describe the environment, as it's all laid out to all parties in concern. IME contemporary RPG refs rely more on narration than just doodling tons of tactical maps.
* wargaming refs don't usually run one of the combatant's sides as they now do in RPGs. Therefore the charge that they are not impartial isn't levied against them as often in wargaming as in RPGs (they may be, however, some unfortunate exceptions to that observation).
There are many different "styles" of refereeing both wargames and RPGs, so, as always, YMMV.
---DungeonDevil
Wargamer (70 percent); RPGer (30 percent). (N.B.: Some fluctuation is to be observed.)
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 26, 2018 19:24:32 GMT -6
* wargaming refs don't usually run one of the combatant's sides as they now do in RPGs. Therefore the charge that they are not impartial isn't levied against them as often in wargaming as in RPGs I would not tolerate that as an RPG referee. If you don't trust me, the door is right over there. |
|
|
|
Post by scottenkainen on Mar 27, 2018 9:43:37 GMT -6
Please elaborate. For instance on (I think) your blog you seemed surprised at how "hands off" the ref for Quatre Bras was. So, what were you expecting? What do you expect in a RPG? I'll see if I can come up with more to say on this. Okay...I was surprised by how "hands off" the ref for Quatre Bras was (thorough reading!) because in a RPG the referee can't just walk away from the game and expect it to run itself. And even if you did run a RPG scenario where both sides were being played by players, I just can't imagine a DM being of the mindset that it's okay to walk away from the game and do other things. So, I guess the difference is that the wargame referee is expected to set up the combat, but the game play is for the players. While in a RPG, the combat is the conflict in a story the DM is telling, and the DM needs to stay involved throughout because his story will change depending on the outcome of the combat. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2018 11:09:39 GMT -6
It is true that a RPG referee is more active as a player than a wargame referee, especially when the wargame players are experienced.
|
|
tec97
Level 4 Theurgist
Posts: 157
|
Post by tec97 on Mar 29, 2018 19:10:08 GMT -6
I had the great pleasure of seeing what I hold to be BEST player map ever! It was not mine.
The map was drawn on on 8-1/2 x 11 sheet of paper. It was about an inch and a half high and went a good 10" down the sheet...
We were exploring a tower that was about 50' across!
The mapper has refused to allow this map to be released to the general public...
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 4, 2018 17:48:03 GMT -6
The question still stands.
I have no idea what Scottenkainen's expectations actually are.
|
|
|
|
Post by scottenkainen on May 4, 2018 21:01:41 GMT -6
I thought we already discussed every single aspect of it.
|
|
|
|
Post by grodog on May 7, 2018 16:28:10 GMT -6
|
|
EdOWar
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 315
|
Post by EdOWar on May 7, 2018 17:10:50 GMT -6
I gathered that blogger was speaking from a modern perspective. Indeed, most modern story driven games don't really need mappers, because they aren't exploring a vast wildernesses or sprawling mega-dungeons. In my experience, "dungeons" in such games are usually little more than encounter locations, so small that it would be impossible to become lost in them. But if one is exploring an old-school multi-level dungeon, you definitely need a mapper. |
|
lige
Level 2 Seer
Posts: 42
|
Post by lige on May 7, 2018 17:54:59 GMT -6
I agree on disliking the complete dismissal of the mapper but I did like the concept of a player "quartermaster". |
|
