11-19-2013, 05:58 AM | #1 |
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Augsburg, Germany
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Harkwood - character points and players less-than-fluent in the language
I've been diddling with starting a 4th Edition campaign in Harkwood for my son and some of his friends, building a set of characters that could be PCs or NPCs as the mood strikes. With 150 points and 40 in disads I just don't quite seem to get them to where they would be really fun to play.
Part of this is the kids' expectation that every elf is going to be like Legolas. I guess the obvious solution is "no elves", or to bump up the points and the adversaries, but maybe there is another solution that I am not seeing. My second question is about real-world language. Some of these kids have only three or four years of school English, which as we know isn't always of much practical value. So far I have thought of letting their characters have disads like Confused and the like to reflect this, or to use mouthpiece characters who speak different languages (and there are mouthpiece characters built into Harkwood - SJ Games comes through again!) But if anyone has other ideas or experience with players who have limited language fluency, I'd like to hear about it. |
11-19-2013, 08:13 AM | #2 |
Join Date: Dec 2009
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Re: Harkwood - character points and players less-than-fluent in the language
You could start by upping the disadvantage limit; in a 150-point game, you can allow up to 75 points' worth of disadvantages. Or simply up the point total, or ignore game balance and allow elves to have more points than human, or just not allow elves. That's going to be your call, ultimately. All are perfectly valid approaches.
Making characters whose grasp of language matches the players is simple enough - buying their native language down to Accented or Broken is a disadvantage worth -2/-4 points (or -1/-2 each in written and spoken) - but coping with players whose grasp of language is limited is a different challenge. I would say it's not really a system issue, though, but a GMing challenge? Just take the time with the kids whose grasp of English is less-fluent to make sure they're understanding what's happening, or give them limited scope to "take back" decisions based on misunderstanding? Tricky; I don't really envy you the task. Massive props for doing it, though!
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11-19-2013, 08:36 AM | #3 |
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Augsburg, Germany
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Re: Harkwood - character points and players less-than-fluent in the language
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11-19-2013, 02:24 PM | #4 | ||
Wielder of Smart Pants
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ventura CA
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Re: Harkwood - character points and players less-than-fluent in the language
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In your case, I think playing to player expectations is the best course. Rewrite Harkwood as a DF adventure and let the PCs make 250 point DF characters. Legolas is within shooting distance of a Wood Elf Scout, as makes no nevermind. Quote:
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11-19-2013, 02:28 PM | #5 | |
GURPS Line Editor
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
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Re: Harkwood - character points and players less-than-fluent in the language
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Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch <kromm@sjgames.com> GURPS Line Editor, Steve Jackson Games My DreamWidth [Just GURPS News] |
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11-19-2013, 03:24 PM | #6 | |
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Seattle
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Re: Harkwood - character points and players less-than-fluent in the language
Quote:
Though I have run several lower powered games, I also ramp up fast enough that characters usually end up at the DF end of things by the end of a campaign (which usually means when we get tired of it).
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Seven Kingdoms, MH (as yet unnamed), and my "pick-up" DF game war stories, characters, and other ruminations can be found here. |
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11-19-2013, 05:18 PM | #7 |
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Panama
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Re: Harkwood - character points and players less-than-fluent in the language
I will add that as a GM part of your duties is to make everyone have fun, including you of course.
So you may play the adventure as a guide and increase the power of all the challenges but a few. In the joust, for example let them thrash most knights until some of the renowned knights appear, then things get interesting. Make dramatic descriptions and even over the top, specially when the normal NPC's are in danger... so they feel they are unbreakable, while Lady Durham is not, go help her fast kid. If you want to teach them some RPG manners (this one is just a joke) and a more down to earth kind of game you may talk them about flexibility and different kind of "power" and games, just briefly, to not bore them down (is a real possibility), concentrate in that it is a side scene, and then give them some squires, pages and commoners to play some side quest. For example, what happen in town while the heroes are of killing giant spiders and or during the grand melee... make it as heroic as can be for some low level guys and make it as action packed as the high level one. I have done this a few times and it is refreshing for the players, the players see a bigger picture of the world and they value they powerhouses more after it and respect the servants and peasants a little, specially if they get the opportunity to gang up on an NPC that gave them trouble while been powerhouses. The NPC may live, but scarred... or plain killed, but the main villain is for the heroes. Just remember the objective is a good story and have fun. Good luck! |
11-20-2013, 01:59 PM | #8 | |
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Augsburg, Germany
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Re: Harkwood - character points and players less-than-fluent in the language
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Part of the idea is to make this an English language-learning experience. I think I will speak English myself and let other things fall as they will. |
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11-20-2013, 02:05 PM | #9 | |
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Augsburg, Germany
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Re: Harkwood - character points and players less-than-fluent in the language
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11-20-2013, 02:06 PM | #10 |
Wielder of Smart Pants
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ventura CA
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Re: Harkwood - character points and players less-than-fluent in the language
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