tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482451413021840738.post7143188324466806300..comments2024-03-29T20:01:34.283+11:00Comments on Observations of the Fox: Game Mechanism of the Week #48: TablesVulpinoidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04511600075328621953noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482451413021840738.post-7208444824314261422009-12-12T07:56:31.266+11:002009-12-12T07:56:31.266+11:00An effective use of tables (especially an effectiv...An effective use of tables (especially an effective use that doesn't hinder other design goals)...hmmm. <br /><br />Tough one.<br /><br />I think your right, when you say that GM-less game design can be effectively facilitated through tables. That's one of the beauties of oracles, if you look up "Oracles" as a keyword on the Storygames forums, I'm sure you'll find plenty of examples of these.<br /><br />In a GM-less environment it's often nice to have something to focus the attention of the group, becasue otherwise the story just gets pulled in various directions and ends up just getting frustrating (in my experience anyway).<br /><br />For other good tables, I really think a table in a simple context does far more than a complicated table. To give a specific example, I don't mind treasure tables in certain games, they can be a great way to inject some flavour into the cool off period after a fight. But rolling through a bunch of tables in the middle of a fight really slows things down.<br /><br />Some more specific examples...Life Path in Cyberpunk 2020 (I've covered them in an earlier mechanism), it really gets into the detail of a character. Instead of using this idea as a pre-loaded concept to flesh out a character before the game has begun, I'd probably use this now as a flashback mechanism during a game.<br /><br />The character advancement tables in Mordheim or Necromunda are also great in their specific context. Since you aren't specifically playing a single character, then it feels more like you are managing a team where the members have their own agendas...you want your thug to become better at brawling, but he decides to take on some leadership qualities instead. Either way it's more useful, but just not quite in the way you intended.<br /><br />I think the biggest problem with tables is that they instantly produce a disconnection from the immersive experience. <br /><br />Elaborate descriptions, careful planning, vicious conflict...ooops, just a second, I've gotta roll on this table to see what happens next.<br /><br />This can be partially addressed by crafting the table's access method into the rules. Don't just roll a die and consult a table, draw a card instead, shuffle some mah-jong tiles or dominoes, shake some joss sticks, cast some runes. Then use the table as an "in character" memory aide or an imagination catalyst rather than an imagination inhibitor.<br /><br />I don't know if that's helped, but it's my 2 cents.Vulpinoidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04511600075328621953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482451413021840738.post-53563352447245956062009-12-10T03:45:41.977+11:002009-12-10T03:45:41.977+11:00I've been working on a game for a while and re...I've been working on a game for a while and recently thought it would be interesting to try to make it GM-less. In researching this option, tables seem to keep coming up as one way to help accomplish this while preserving my other design goals. <br /><br />I've been hesitant because (like you) many of my earliest games were cluttered with tables and that has given me a negative view of them. I agree that they can be helpful if they are done well, I'm just not familiar with many games that do that.<br /><br />Do you have any more examples of games where they are used effectively?Micahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06214187705920893191noreply@blogger.com