Comments on: Make torches burn for one hour

By: Longarch

Longarch — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 23:25:44 +0000

If I could recruit players who had any concept of wargaming or military logistics, I would run D&D that way. In fact, I can recruit players who only know of Tolkien because they saw Peter Jackson’s films, who think “vampires” glitter in sunlight, and who know more about the latest Hollywood superhero movies than they know about Conan, Elric, or Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. A beautifully designed campaign can’t run if it can’t get players who have at least minimal competence in its basic challenges.

By: Ken

Ken — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 20:53:54 +0000

Excellent post. If I ever get a chance to get back to running RuneQuest, I’ll keep this in mind.

VASSAL is an excellent platform. I’ve played Classic Squad Leader, MBT/IDF, The Speed of Heat, Front Toward Enemy, and 1985: Under an Iron Sky on it so far. I started working last summer on a module for the semi-legendary jet game MiG Killers. It’ll be a while before I finish.

By: Isegoria

Isegoria — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 17:58:50 +0000

I just found out about VASSAL, but I haven't tried it yet:

Vassal is a game engine for building and playing online adaptations of board games and card games. Play live on the Internet or by email. Vassal runs on all platforms, and is free, open-source software.

There's an Advanced Squad Leader module and a Third Reich module, too.

By: Kirk

Kirk — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 17:36:52 +0000

It’s another example where game fidelity comes into play. You disconnect from reality too much, and it becomes an exercise in Mary-Sue boredom, flitting from place to place in the game space and it will never provide the same satisfaction that a realistic game will provide.

You see this a lot in staff war games–Hand-wave away too many of the many “contributing factors”, and the exercise becomes a waste of time that simply doesn’t engage the players. Give them a taste of in-game friction and “reality as she is”, and the interest in the game will suddenly go up. It’s all an exercise in keeping people engaged–You see similar things take place in abstract strategy games. I’ve known guys who had zero interest in either chess or go, but who instantly “switched on” for either Squad Leader or Third Reich. Avalon Hill, how you are missed. I don’t know why the hell nobody has put together a phone app to play their games with, because I bet money it would sell.