Re: Historical Power Games PBM

From: "Steve Pritchard" <steve@spelbind.demon.co.uk>

Date: Thu, 13 May 1999 00:00:00 +0000

Karen J. Cravens wrote in message ...
>Uh... well... not at all, actually.  Wealth, influence, and
>military might can all have their place in a roleplaying game,
>right up there with prestige.  Or not.
>
>Roleplaying games (not to be confused with CRPG's like Ultima,
>which are pretty much a different beast with a too-similar name)
>have, as a general objective, playing a role.  One's characters
>might have other objectives (prestige et al.) but it's the
>journey, not the destination that is the object.  They're
>(generally) non-competitve.

No disrespect to you, Karen, but I'm pretty au fait with roleplaying games (I
don't even want to admit how long I've been playing them as I'll start
feeling *really* old). As you say, most roleplaying games don't players
against each other but a powergame does differ in that aim. The object for
players may not be to *win* as the game is most likely open ended, but the
accumulation of influence over the game world is an important goal. Affecting
the game world is a sort of knock-on effect in most roleplaying games, your
impact on the surrounds determined by how your particular "scenario" is
wrapped up in the overall scheme where as a power game is more immediately
tied up with the game system.

You'll know that if you can garner enough votes you'll get a chair on the
senate, rather than relying on the GM to unravel your storyline that way.
You'll know that if you achieve certain military aims you will be roleplaying
from a higher status, you know that you will have to influence "x" number of
people to get the position you want.

I realise that these aims can all be simulated in a roleplaying game too, but
often powergame have a more easily identifiable rules framework with which to
work with.

I guess that still doesn't help, does it?

>Go halfway between a wargame and a roleplaying game and you end
>up with Champions.  :}
>
>(Which, come to think of it, attracts powergamers.)

And poor roleplayers too, IIRC.

References

Re: Historical Power Games PBM
silver@phoenyx.net (Karen J. Cravens)
Mon, 10 May 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Historical Power Games PBM
"Steve Pritchard" <steve@spelbind.demon.co.uk>
Wed, 12 May 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Historical Power Games PBM
silver@phoenyx.net (Karen J. Cravens)
Wed, 12 May 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Historical Power Games PBM
"Terry Crook" <Terrence@crookpopoola.freeserve.co.uk>
Sat, 08 May 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Historical Power Games PBM
lindahl@pbm.com (Greg Lindahl)
Sat, 08 May 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Historical Power Games PBM
Carol Mulholland <Carol@flagship-uk.demon.co.uk>
Sun, 09 May 1999 00:00:00 +0000

Referenced By

Re: Historical Power Games PBM
silver@phoenyx.net (Karen J. Cravens)
Mon, 10 May 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Historical Power Games PBM
"Steve Pritchard" <steve@spelbind.demon.co.uk>
Wed, 12 May 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Historical Power Games PBM
silver@phoenyx.net (Karen J. Cravens)
Wed, 12 May 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Historical Power Games PBM
"Terry Crook" <Terrence@crookpopoola.freeserve.co.uk>
Sat, 08 May 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Historical Power Games PBM
lindahl@pbm.com (Greg Lindahl)
Sat, 08 May 1999 00:00:00 +0000
Re: Historical Power Games PBM
Carol Mulholland <Carol@flagship-uk.demon.co.uk>
Sun, 09 May 1999 00:00:00 +0000