Author Topic: The future of RoE and the need for a DM team  (Read 28269 times)

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Offline The Dark Lily/ML

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Re: The future of RoE and the need for a DM team
« Reply #120 on: April 27, 2013, 07:05:18 PM »

Or perhaps we could even play around the time of exodus - like a colonization game, with humans landing on Cerelia.
[/quote]
I really like that idea! It would give Temple/Guild/Source holdings a real good reason to work with the landed regents.
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Offline X-Aerenwe/TS (Miloš)

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Re: The future of RoE and the need for a DM team
« Reply #121 on: April 27, 2013, 07:24:07 PM »

Or perhaps we could even play around the time of exodus - like a colonization game, with humans landing on Cerelia.
I really like that idea! It would give Temple/Guild/Source holdings a real good reason to work with the landed regents.
[/quote]

Not sure how much I'd like it in a PBeM game, but it would be real nice setting for a MMO or a web game ;)
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Offline X-OIT (Garth)

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Re: The future of RoE and the need for a DM team
« Reply #122 on: April 27, 2013, 09:55:01 PM »
I'll put in my 2 cents.

Region of Play:  The size of the area in which we play is not too important, but the related factors that are important are how much players interact, and whether the DM can play all the NPC domains efficiently and consistently.  Overextending a DM can make NPCs feel like NPCs, when they should optimally feel more like players.

Rules:  Oversimplification of rules might be good for LARPers, but it's not necessary for PbEM.  Some simplification is good, but when rules get too simple, it can feel dumbed down.

Turn Frequency:  Every two weeks is too frequent.  It would be good to set a timeline, however, like 2 weeks for the players and 2-4 weeks for the DM.  Setting a timeline would provide a little more structure and realistic expectations among all the players.  Turns involving combat are understandably longer, but as long as everyone knows, then it's not a big deal.

Offline X-Haelyn's Aegis/RK (Andy)

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Re: The future of RoE and the need for a DM team
« Reply #123 on: April 27, 2013, 11:06:12 PM »
For me the big things to simplify are battles and adventures - both can be sucking quagmires of DM time and have really slowed things down in the past - particularly forum adventures.

I'd suggest making armies smaller, having an outset die rolls to dictate how badly/well people do and each person issue a paragraph or two summary  and then run each "chapter" of a battle by simple DM fiat - a big battle might have 2-4 chapters, most however have only 1 or 2.  Lack of communication with generals was a common issue in medieval war anyway,

Adventures, most could hopefully be run as simple actions/outcomes - there was a die-roll outcome sheet that arpig did.  Only the bigger adventures would then play on the forum / over email.

Rules - keep the same, it saves fiddling the sheets and they aren't the big issue, particularly for the veteran players.

Turns - no more than 1 a month, and preferably 6-8 weeks - that was enough to keep RoE II alive and leaves people plenty of time - in practice the problem for players was prolonged time in purdah waiting for turn resolution but if we expect a longer timescale from inception that's less of an issue - but I'd add a DM rule - no big stuff in the week prior to submission, if you have a bomb to drop, do it in week 1-2 or wait a turn, the post-scrummage issues tended to occur when something blew up at the end, some players had already submitted, others had RL issues, and suddenly a months worth of diplo had to be done in 2 or 3 days - and if DOs are getting hastily re-written then they are more likely to be incoherent, full of errors, etc and thus take longer to process.

I'd co-DM if people wanted me too, I'm not hot on the rules but I've got time.

As a minor point, the P&H is a real hog, if we cut down I'd suggest cutting down peripherals a lot, so if we do Rjurik then the north and west coast of Anuire are in but the rest would be cut off, we could do a single "Brecht sheet" for holdings in a few provinces if people wanted but the bulk would go.
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Offline X-Ghieste & HOT/GH (Matt)

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Re: The future of RoE and the need for a DM team
« Reply #124 on: April 29, 2013, 10:19:54 PM »
*sobs*

I would suggest that Bjorn plus a couple of people sort out a narrative wrap up to close the chapter. We can all submit a broad plan of our intentions and a small team can take direction from Bjorn of the likely end results of that fun to produce a lovely write up of how it panned out - I think we have the writing chops amongst us to make it so that even the Green Knight will want to read it ;)

Then set a new iteration of the game perhaps 5, 10 or 15 years afterwards, resetting some of the balance and with a few of the developing power blocks splintering to make more game. I would be happy to help run the game or support the setup of the next phase.
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Offline DM B

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Re: The future of RoE and the need for a DM team
« Reply #125 on: April 30, 2013, 12:52:10 PM »
...and in the end there was only one man to rule them all, and his name was Ghorien Hiriele. End of story.

Sufficient for a wrap-up!? :D

Lots of good input here.
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Offline X-Ghieste & HOT/GH (Matt)

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Re: The future of RoE and the need for a DM team
« Reply #126 on: May 01, 2013, 05:23:57 PM »
I could live with that ending Bjorn but I think others might object a little? :)
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Offline DM B

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Re: The future of RoE and the need for a DM team
« Reply #127 on: May 02, 2013, 10:31:55 AM »
Ok, I'll do a little epilogue. Based on what MIGHT have happened had we concluded the chapter. OK?
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Offline X-ETN/Maire Cwyllmie (Libor)

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Re: The future of RoE and the need for a DM team
« Reply #128 on: May 02, 2013, 05:51:57 PM »
Late but nevertheless here are my few thoughts ...

Things to think through:

- DM team; how many and who?
- how many players?
- geographic location (there are several good spots)
- geographic extent (from a local game with just a few realms to a really big RoE-type game)
- what types of domains will be available
- frequency of turns
- amount of interaction vs. focs on strategy
- number of turns to be played
- should agendas be used?
- rules?


- One head DM and 1-2 assistans/NPC caretakers. I volunteer for the role of assistant
- 10 - 15 players should be optimum I think
- I would opt for "tightly packed" scenario with minimal number NPC domains and relatively isolated from the rest of the world (justified by geography and/or by story). Thus all types of domains should be filled.
- 1 - 2 months per turn
- Lets try 8 turns (2 years of game time) as a pilot
- Agendas certainy yes!
- RoE rules should do just fine, so that I don't have to learn anything new :)

I would be interested in exodus settings, but that would require somewhat different rules and/or playstyle due to nonexistence of bloodlines and RP collection.
« Last Edit: May 02, 2013, 05:56:15 PM by ETN/Maire Cwyllmie (Libor) »

Offline X-Haelyn's Aegis/RK (Andy)

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Re: The future of RoE and the need for a DM team
« Reply #129 on: May 02, 2013, 09:55:39 PM »
Ok, I'll do a little epilogue. Based on what MIGHT have happened had we concluded the chapter. OK?

Of course, we are all eager to hear how Milos turns around his current misfortunes, that spike looks an uncomfortable place to let things rest :-)

As a side point, In the P&H what does the phrase "lubberly" mean?  I sea it on lakes, rivers etc but the only translation I get is landlubber-like, clumsy, etc - does it refer to freshwater?
« Last Edit: May 02, 2013, 09:57:14 PM by Haelyn's Aegis/RK (Andy) »
Robhan Khaiarén
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Offline DM B

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Re: The future of RoE and the need for a DM team
« Reply #130 on: May 03, 2013, 11:06:28 AM »
It means that province doesn't get a bonus to max level from being adjacent to the sea/major river.
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Offline DM B

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Re: The future of RoE and the need for a DM team
« Reply #131 on: May 03, 2013, 11:07:47 AM »
The bonus to max prov level from river/ocean is largely based on the assumption that it generates extra trade opportunities - so goblins without anyone to trade with or elves who hide in their forest don't benefit in the same way humans do.
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Offline X-Haelyn's Aegis/RK (Andy)

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Re: The future of RoE and the need for a DM team
« Reply #132 on: May 04, 2013, 11:28:50 AM »
Ah, thanks Bjorn.

I've been converted the P&H to "turn 1" and kept wondering about it.

My plan is a "turn 1 Bjorn-ised" and "turn 1 vanilla" versions, with the second having the vassals either removed, or perhaps more simply, having the area summaries assign all the vassals income/regency to the canon regent.

It is taking a little while  8)
Robhan Khaiarén
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Offline X-Ghieste & HOT/GH (Matt)

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Re: The future of RoE and the need for a DM team
« Reply #133 on: May 04, 2013, 03:45:38 PM »
It is not quick work is it? :)
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Offline X-Haelyn's Aegis/RK (Andy)

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Re: The future of RoE and the need for a DM team
« Reply #134 on: May 05, 2013, 10:36:01 AM »
It is not quick work is it? :)

Anuire's realms are mostly done, the summary sheets (incl sorting out vassalage links) will take more time  8)
Robhan Khaiarén
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