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Old 06-23-2017, 05:03 PM   #21
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Default Re: Pyramid #3/104: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game

I would like to suggest that Trapped in the Living Tomb become a free download like GURPS Lite, so that we can easily, and legally, distribute it to interested parties that we wont have to worry about getting our sole legal printed copy in Pyramid back from.

The cake is a lie; I am aware of the common meaning, had no idea of the source material, and thought that it was a poorly thought out attempt at a cute story title.
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Old 06-23-2017, 05:21 PM   #22
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Default Re: Pyramid #3/104: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game

Quote:
Originally Posted by Humabout View Post
Fwiw, just hearing "The Sandbox Is a Lie" as something in Pyramid has pretty much disuaded me from placing this issue in my wishlist. I don't ascribe to meme culture, and it comes off as telling me that my prefered game style is wrong. My knee-jerk reaction isn't as severe as Rasputin's, but I will use my spending to express my displeasure nonetheless.



Some of the other articles sound ok, but the distaste engendered by It's a Quest is more than ample to leave an overall bad taste in my mouth.
Its not a your way is wrong so much as "there are no absolutes" at least how I took it. I did not know the meme.
I think it was more a joke title, not quite an attempt at irony and I would not let it ruin the article much less the issue for me.
Making a good joke is tough, I wont fault someone for trying and coming up short.
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Old 06-23-2017, 05:32 PM   #23
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Default Re: Pyramid #3/104: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game

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Originally Posted by GM Joe View Post
Same here -- never heard of it. I looked it up, and it's from "Portal," a video game that I have heard of but have never played.

(Edited to add: D'oh! Ninja'd by JMason.)
What, "the cake is a lie" was in Portal as well? (I've never played the game.) I (possibly mis-)remember it from a John Maynard Keynes quote dating from 1919.

A reference that's nearly a century old is hardly something to boycott an issue over, IMHO.
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Old 06-23-2017, 05:50 PM   #24
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Default Re: Pyramid #3/104: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game

The Sandbox is a Lie is a offensive? Really? So offensive people won't read the ISSUE or even all of Pyramid? I can't see how anyone could find any of this in this article.

Here, judge for yourself. Here's the actual approach:
"So how can you give your players a “sandbox” feeling without spending all your free time creating things you might never use?"
And then he goes about explaining how to make a sandbox game manageable for a GM who doesn't have a lot of game prep time. It's solid GMing advice, meme or not. There is nothing grating or offensive there in the least. The Quest Generator was a nice starting point for creating quests, too.

I enjoyed this issue. It had a lot of meat to it. I like background generators, and this one by David Pulver is not only very good for DF but easy to mod if you want; I'd copy and past various table and customize them for my gameworld. The nice part is the game rules advice sprinkled in, and a worked example.

The solo adventure by Stephen Marsh is outstanding, and just the ticket for handing to new gamers as a way to explain tabletop gaming and GURPS. It REALLY does need to be a separate, perhaps FREE, game aid. I'd love to see a series of them in various Pyramid genre issues (space, historicals, etc.). Also, cram a copy into the DF box, for photocopying or printing off for your new players.
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Old 06-23-2017, 06:49 PM   #25
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Default Re: Pyramid #3/104: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game

Just finished my read through and here are a few thoughts:
  • I almost never read Pyramid cover to cover. I've read a few "completely" but it tends to be over a period of days (or weeks... or months) and I tend to skip around. But I consumed this issue. Solid all the way.
  • Trapped in the Living Tomb - 5 stars! I love solo adventures as intros (have ever sense All in a Night's Work). Great fun, and would love to see more!
  • It's a Quest! - This was interesting. At first I thought this was not a system I'd be interested in... as I sort of do this "automatically" ... but after finishing it I'm thinking I might give it a try.
  • Heroic Background Generator - I love this. I've been thinking for awhile that I wanted some sort of "life path" system for GUPRS, but didn't want it to take all the choice from players. This is a great system for creating a background that can inform character creation (template or completely free), without replacing it! Going to "roll up" some NPCs using this, for sure!
  • The State of the Dungeon - TBH, this felt a bit like filler to me. That's probably b/c I try to keep track of every bit of new info on the DFRPG as it arrives... so not a lot of surprises here (for me).
  • Preparing for the Hero's Journey - Well, this is just good advice. Not much more to say about it.
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Old 06-23-2017, 08:53 PM   #26
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Default Re: Pyramid #3/104: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game

I'm honestly confused, because the words "the sandbox is a lie" don't translate to "people cannot enjoy sandbox play" -- at least, not in any way that I can possibly see. Can someone explain where the insult is?

In fact, is there anything -- anything at all -- in the actual content of that section that disparages sandbox play or insults those who use it? Because I've reread it multiple times now and I don't see it, so if I'm missing something, I genuinely want to know. In fact, everything there looks like advice on how to run a campaign that feels like a sandbox even if the GM doesn't have the time to craft a thousand plot hooks in advance.

When I reviewed this article, I read "the sandbox is a lie" as shorthand for "how to fool your players into thinking the game is sandbox when you actually have it planned out." And I'm pretty darn sure that's how Christopher intended it. It's a section about making sure your players feel like they have free reign to go anywhere, without actually having to first map out every single plot hook of your game world.
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Old 06-23-2017, 09:22 PM   #27
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Default Re: Pyramid #3/104: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game

I'm a sandbox gamer at heart too, but I don't have a problem with the title. It's a joke, guys.

Also, everyone who likes video games at all should really try Portal. A fantastic little 3D puzzle game, with a great story, available for Linux/macOS/Windows, and currently 99 cents on Steam. And if you play it, you'll understand https://www.xkcd.com/606/

Finally, I love solo adventures. So insta-buy.
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Old 06-23-2017, 09:34 PM   #28
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Default Re: Pyramid #3/104: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game

Quote:
Originally Posted by PK View Post
When I reviewed this article, I read "the sandbox is a lie" as shorthand for "how to fool your players into thinking the game is sandbox when you actually have it planned out." And I'm pretty darn sure that's how Christopher intended it. It's a section about making sure your players feel like they have free reign to go anywhere, without actually having to first map out every single plot hook of your game world.
Actually that could be deemed offensive but it really depends on intent and how it expresses itself.
This "how to fool your players into thinking the game is sandbox when you actually have it planned out." would annoy me as a player and many in my old game group. My new one would nto mind so much and I think expect a laid out path.
I am ok with a path, though its not my preference. However if I was told there as no path and then it turned out there was one I would likely be annoyed at what I felt was deception.

When I run a game I run sandbox and create various elements for the players to choose. As I get more experience with a group I get better at anticipating them so I can prepare the right things and put off the elements they would not utilize. Sometimes they will still go in unanticipated directions or get there too soon. If that happens I usually try to improvise but sometimes have to call a time out and let the players no (usually subtly) that I need time to prepare for the new direction.
My old group never minded that as they knew how much work was involved (almost everyone was also a GM),

So in my opinion it is not a lie to run a sandbox, it is more coloring in the page as you go. If everything works well your coloring things before they see it. If not they can actually see you filling out the world in front of them. Sometimes even that can be fun for everyone.
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Old 06-23-2017, 09:35 PM   #29
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Default Re: Pyramid #3/104: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game

I thought it was a good article with a lame title, not an insult.
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Old 06-23-2017, 09:55 PM   #30
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Default Re: Pyramid #3/104: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game

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Originally Posted by adm View Post
I thought it was a good article with a lame title, not an insult.
I agree.
Note that I did not read it the way PK did though.
I think it all boils down to humor can be tricky.
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