hollombe@ttidcc.UUCP (The Polymath) (05/20/85)
In article <5166@ukc.UUCP> ncg@ukc.UUCP (Nige Gale) writes: >An frp is like a play, and the players are like actors. >It's a good analogy, I've always said so. I've always described is as "... combining the more interesting aspects of chess, dice, and improvisational theater ...". -- -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe) Citicorp TTI 3100 Ocean Park Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405 (213) 450-9111, ext. 2483 {philabs,randvax,trwrb,vortex}!ttidca!ttidcc!hollombe
ncg@ukc.UUCP (N.C.Gale) (05/25/85)
SO! An frp is like a play, and the players are like actors. It's a good analogy, I've always said so. BUT! The script-writer only writes the story, he does not define the characters. Instead, the actors define the characters that they are portraying. Some like to play their real-life personalities into the story. Others like to play a character different from themselves. Some play to win. But for any actor who wishes to play a villain, or just an a...hole, (s)he has the problem that the other actors will not blame the character, but instead the actor. Thus, we have Alignments. They are merely a device for pre-defining the personality of the character that the actor has to play, so that the blame for his/her behaviour is directed away from them. This is good. The 3X3 alignment-matrix is perhaps precise enough for minor NPCs. My next campaign, each player is going to have to write a short family history, with a section on how this relates to his character's behaviour. ("My mother was too domineering, so I like to torture small mammals" etc) -Nige Gale belch