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Old 02-16-2015, 08:16 AM   #61
Icelander
 
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Default Re: Robin D. Laws Player Types Quiz

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Originally Posted by Captain Joy View Post
Well said. So, I need to come up with something better that seperates a Story Teller from a Tactician.

How about: "Memorable spontaneity should override careful planning and preparation."?
Again, only works for Storytellers who prioritise certain types of story over others, as opposed to feeling that the story should emerge from the premises of the campaign world and characters.

You can be a Storyteller and still feel deeply that competent and professional characters in a plausible fictional world ought to be carefully prepared and plan their actions out. A story where they do not, without some valid reason for it, is not a story that everyone likes and may not be the Story that all Storytellers want to tell.

In fact, Method Actors may well feel that representing a plausible professional at action-adventure stuff requires extensive planning and preparation.

Fundamentally, I think this question only serves to distinguish between the kinds of fiction people like, with special reference to its plausibility and degree to which Protagonist Plot Protection is an accepted part of it, and not at all where they fall on the Laws player types.
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Old 02-16-2015, 09:01 AM   #62
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Default Re: Robin D. Laws Player Types Quiz

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Originally Posted by Icelander View Post
Isn't it fundamentally against thosee principles that tacticians enjoy when the subjective artistic preferences of the players and GM, regardless of in-setting logic, preparation of the characters or the soundness of their plans, govern the outcome of events in the game?
That "regardless" is important. When I'm thinking as a Tactician - which I do a fair bit - I will pick a solution that accords with an artistic preference, or which adds style in some other way, if I can find one. I may even go to extra effort to do so. But doing this needs either to make sense within the game world, or to have no visible effect within the game world. Mixing the gameworld level with the inter-player level seems like poor practice.
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Old 02-16-2015, 09:10 AM   #63
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Default Re: Robin D. Laws Player Types Quiz

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21. CG vs TT When my character is not needed, I play host, check on kids, read email, etc.
That's not a Casual/Social Gamer, that's a rude ******* or at the very least the antithesis of a social person. Unless it's something like "I need to check on the kids to see if they're causing trouble, be back in a few." And a Tactician is not the primary person to stay engaged in the proceedings while (s)he is not required, that's more the domain of the Storyteller (who is the most likely to be at the table for the entire story).
Quote:
23. TT vs CG The best games are when everybody works together towards a common purpose.
If anything, not requiring a common goal/being focused on personal gain seems more like Power Gamer thinking than it does Casual/Social Gamer. Storyteller and Method Actor are also two player types I'd expect to go for the "We don't have a common purpose" campaign before a Casual/Social Gamer would. I'd frankly expect a Casual/Social Gamer to be more interested in having a unified purpose for the group more than any other player type except the Tactician.
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Old 02-16-2015, 09:16 AM   #64
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Default Re: Robin D. Laws Player Types Quiz

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Originally Posted by johndallman View Post
That "regardless" is important. When I'm thinking as a Tactician - which I do a fair bit - I will pick a solution that accords with an artistic preference, or which adds style in some other way, if I can find one. I may even go to extra effort to do so. But doing this needs either to make sense within the game world, or to have no visible effect within the game world. Mixing the gameworld level with the inter-player level seems like poor practice.
When I think as a storyteller, which I do a lot, I look for an action for the NPC to perform that makes a good story. But I only look among actions that make sense given the established characterization of the NPC and the payoffs to be obtained by various possible actions in the situation. "Wouldn't it be cool if?" is not good storytelling to my mind.

A good outcome is witty in the sense that a good joke is witty: The conclusion follows from the premises and makes sense in terms of the premises, but in an unexpected and surprising way, and the surprise is a source of pleasure.
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Old 02-16-2015, 01:17 PM   #65
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Default Re: Robin D. Laws Player Types Quiz

Power Gamer: 38%
Butt-Kicker: 33%
Tactician: 58%
Specialist: 29%
Method Actor: 71%
Storyteller: 63%
Casual Gamer: 42%

None outside 25-27%, and looking back I assume it's because I gave no "Always" or "Never" answers. Probably right, given I like all sorts of games on occasion.

Some possible alternate phrasings:

ST/TT: "Interesting pacing is more important than careful planning."
CG/TT: "I tend to hang out and chat and let others hammer out the detailed plan."
TT/CG: "It bothers me when other players don't take planning seriously."
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Old 02-16-2015, 03:07 PM   #66
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Default Re: Robin D. Laws Player Types Quiz

Power Gamer: 29%
Butt-Kicker: 13%
Tactician: 50%
Specialist: 0%
Method Actor: 79%
Storyteller: 88%
Casual Gamer: 33%

I'd say that is pretty accurate. Having a compelling story emerge about interesting characters is usually the most important thing for me, but I enjoy problem solving and tactical combat when they come up. And I almost never play the same character type twice.
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Old 02-16-2015, 03:20 PM   #67
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Default Re: Robin D. Laws Player Types Quiz

Power Gamer: 38%
Butt-Kicker: 38%
Tactician: 58%
Specialist: 21%
Method Actor: 71%
Storyteller: 71%
Casual Gamer: 50%

This was hard for me, as I normally GM. I'm a little surprized as some of the results -- didn't think casual would be so high and thought that tactician would be higher.

Thanks for building the page!
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Old 02-16-2015, 06:08 PM   #68
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Default Re: Robin D. Laws Player Types Quiz

Power Gamer: 42%
Butt-Kicker: 33%
Tactician: 63%
Specialist: 29%
Method Actor: 71%
Storyteller: 75%
Casual Gamer: 29%



No real surprises for me, here. I definitely prefer complex, detailed settings that promote immersive play. That means I like the GM to give considerable thought to how the underlying premises of the setting logically informs how his world works.

World-building is one of my favorite parts of being a GM, and I truly appreciate it when I play in a game run by someone who feels the same way.

If I can play a Smooth Operator in such a setting, with decent combat skills as a backup, I'm pretty happy. I like to investigate, and get to know the NPCs, and create my own side-goals that (mostly) don't conflict with the party's overarching interests.

If all we're doing is going from one fight scene to the next, then I'm still willing to play. However, that's because I want to hang out with my friends -- the game, itself, won't compel my interest.

In the old GNS Theory (yes, I know it has it's problems...), I definitely skew away from the "Gamist" point, and toward the side of the triangle between Narrativist and Simulationist.
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Old 02-16-2015, 11:29 PM   #69
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Default Re: Robin D. Laws Player Types Quiz

Power Gamer: 38%
Butt-Kicker: 21%
Tactician: 58%
Specialist: 54%
Method Actor: 71%
Storyteller: 75%

Casual Gamer: 46%

I'm going to have to go back and look to see how I got so 'high' PG.

Also I was conflicted on my answer to "Rule of cool" In my mind I see that as pulling a save out of nearly thin air using the setting or tools provided McGyver style "so what if I use the 20 pepper packets we're carrying around on the dragon when she's facing the ironwood door- we then run through the opening, hopefully between sneezes!" - but others it seems to mean something different (describing something , attempting something that is impossible or highly unlikely in the game world but allowed to be attempted because it sounds neat- "I use my invisibility potion and Hank uses a strength potion and tosses (fastball special) me near her head and I stab her eye with my sword that I'm naming and blooding right now Dragon Blinder." not the characters may not actually have the potions in inventory and still try this "everyone carries one or two extra potions" excuse if caught).

'I enjoy stories where unlikely ideas and off the wall plans with the tools and setting provided- come together nicely'

VS

'I enjoy stories where every character can be an instant hero if they just try that crazy idea that the rules would never allow for'
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Old 02-17-2015, 04:32 PM   #70
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Default Re: Robin D. Laws Player Types Quiz

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Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen View Post
Good point.

How about keeping the order, but emphasizing the top 2 scorers in boldface and the lowest score (all lowest scorers if there is a break) in red text?
Okay, I've tarted it up a bit.

Anything one sigma above the mean is bold. Anything one sigma below the mean is in italics. And I've added a pie chart and a bar graph.

If I put any more time into it, it will be to address biasing issues in the questions. I have read many good comments, but haven't had the time to give them the careful consideration that they deserve.
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