Legends: Game System Problems From: ddo@wsun2.larc.nasa.gov (Dale Ohmann) Date: Wed, 19 May 1993 19:24:50 +0000 ------------------------------------- Problems with the Legends Game System ------------------------------------- Here is a discussion of some "problems" with the Legends game system that I have observed during my one year of playing. The first Legends game that I started was a Realm Variant game. These games start with every factional character already under direct control of the faction's senior player. Each "regular" player receives bonus points to add to his main character at setup time. The effect of this is that there are lots of high quality characters running loose all over the board from the very start. Some of the "problems" that follow tend to become apparent at an earlier stage in the variant game. Even so, these are still problems with the entire game system and "regular" games will still experience these problems, albiet at a later stage. -------- Problems: -------- Kidnapping: It's too easy! How can it be justified that a single sneaky thief can wander up to a massive army which is led by a super general and have any chance (even one in seven hells) of capturing the general? This really should be as close to impossible as it gets: a suicide mission. In real life (even in most fantasies) this just doesn't happen. Bard's blessings: Ridiculous concept! It's definately fantasy that an enemy bard can walk up to your extremely well defended fortress city, sing a little ditty (maybe even do a little moonwalk), and cause your military leader to become impotent in battle. Tactics Bonus: The percentage gain is unrealistically high. The effect of a good general versus a weak general is that the weak side will have no hope even with greater numbers of better troops. I think the bonus is limited to 300%, but this is still decisive. Move Location Spell: Major locations should be immune to "Move Location" spells. Again, it's ridiculous that a single arcanist could simply cast a spell and move a major city with tens of thousands of people to a new spot across the board. Perhaps, the spell should be removed from the game altogether. At the very least, it should be MUCH more costly. ------- Effects: ------- Here's a scenario that happens all the time in Legends. Two sides are squaring off for a battle. Given equal forces, the side that processes first wins. The attacker uses a competent thief to kidnap the opposing general. Not only is that general now as good as dead, but the attacker has just achieved a 300% overall attack bonus. Another option is for the attacker to have his bard hum a few bars outside the town and achieve the major bonus for the battle. It seems that it's nearly impossible to play defensively. The "Move Location" spell has been very popular in our variant game, too. The approach to destroy a faction is to build a good army in your home province, then move the enemy's main city to your location and proceed to destroy him. This spell takes about 100 mana but that's not unusual to have arcanists that high in the variants. Perhaps, major cities should be immune to this spell or at least there should be a counter-spell. A shell of protection of 40 points isn't enough to protect it (I know from experience). There are enough experienced players out there now that some of these ridiculous loopholes in the game system have to be closed. These "tricks" are being exploited all the time. Midnight Games has been reluctant to modify/support Legends anymore since Legends II is on the way. If the same gaping holes exist in Legends II, it doesn't bode well for the game or its players. Have fun! Dale -- +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Daring Dale Douglas ddo@wsun2.larc.nasa.gov IMHO | | | | Opinions are like unique anatomical features, we all have them. | | Mine are uniquely mine and don't reflect the anatomy of others. | | | +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Referenced By Up