02-19-2018, 12:13 AM | #21 | ||||
Join Date: May 2015
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Re: The Economic System in TFT
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03-06-2018, 12:21 PM | #22 |
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: New England
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Re: The Economic System in TFT
Know what my FAVORITE part of "Lord of the Rings" was?
It was that bit where the Gaffer sits down with Frodo for his mid-year performance review. Riveting! Jobs? As a game? No thanks. I do that IRL. I just don't think a glorified price list -- no matter how well though out -- has any place in a fantasy RPG: it's role-playing, people! We need tools to create mythic adventures, not business plans. (Unless of course we're talking about my "Fantasy Middle-Manager" league: now there's a wicked fun work-themed game!) Just my $.02. Cheers! |
03-06-2018, 01:32 PM | #23 |
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Arizona
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Re: The Economic System in TFT
Different strokes for different folks, I guess. But I do love the snark.
An economic system of some kind is an enormous plus for any game. It doesn't have to be detailed or complex, but it does need to outline the basics, because from there the GM will find it much easier to "wing" things and yet not completely screw up the world's monetary systems or trade routes. Handwavium works just peachy, right up to the point where someone asks a question. After that, the wheels sort of start coming off, and if your answer is proven inconsistent down the line, the players start seeing the system as irrational and suspect you, the GM, of playing "against" them instead of with them. At that point you might as well start saving yourself the trouble of planning new adventures or whatever because your game will soon be ending. Understanding and establishing some basic things in your game world (like gross economics, weather patterns, general geography, rough technology levels, etc.) is fundamental to establishing your game world. You can do it before play starts, or, in a Westmarches sort of way, but sooner or later you'll wind up doing it if you want to keep the game going. Choosing not to do it is certainly an option, and one which virtually guarantees your game world will fall apart in short order...as will your campaign. |
03-06-2018, 03:30 PM | #24 | ||
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: New England
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Re: The Economic System in TFT
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BUT ... How would it look if you elided all the stuff that happens between adventures? Yeah, sure, there are some real nuggets to be found in interactions with NPCs in the bar. A world where you belong to The Black Company (dibs on writing that supplement!) would revolve around bars, to be honest. But then again, Tolkien didn't spend a lot of time going over the foraging techniques as practiced in Ithilien by Faramir. Pipin didn't negotiate a stipend with the Guard. And I don't recall seeing a price list at the Prancing Pony in Bree. When an adventure ends, why not just glide over mundane stuff and slide into the next hook? "Well, you get some of that well-deserved rest you complained about missing in the woods -- and Esmeralda is certainly glad to see you back. The horses were getting restless and the hobbit was getting fat, when one morning, while out on your constitutional (on Physicer's orders) you spy a strange man striding across the glen: a man who looks vaguely familiar..." Personally, my players never seemed to mind. But then again, perhaps that was just the expectations I'd set so they never asked for a richer, more in-depth treatment of daily life? |
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03-06-2018, 03:54 PM | #25 |
Banned
Join Date: Mar 2018
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Re: The Economic System in TFT
My 2 Cents (if I may pun in an economical fashion):
I would be most interested in seeing TFT Economics addressed on a macro-level; being rules and systems specifically related to the generation and perpetuation of Trade-and-Commerce between villages, towns, city-states, countries, and realms - and how YOUR TFT CHARACTER factors into the Cidri economic-equation in game-terms; beyond the purchase of items and sustenance. Or would that be wholly outside of the scope of the original vision of what TFT is, and is not? Or, is that exactly what TFT needs to reach it's full potential, or needs to avoid to retain it's intended scope? ? Last edited by Jim Kane; 03-06-2018 at 10:48 PM. |
03-06-2018, 04:26 PM | #26 | |
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: New England
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Re: The Economic System in TFT
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IF you want sample milieu -- a setting, a starter world, as it were -- to populate, then yes, OK, I can see where having at least some kind of macroeconomic system would be required. IF, however, you want a event resolution system you can drop into any old sandbox, then I'm not sure having "the" economic system will be of any use. Case in point: I've always used pounds, shillings, pence & farthings (L, s, d, f) as currency: 4f to the d, 12d to the s, 20s to the L. Simple, right? Hey, don't laugh: that's how the entire Western world did it from the time of the Etruscans to the post-WWII reforms! It lasted in the UK until the 70's. In my world, an economic system based on modern, 20th century notions of decimal currency is nonsensical. But that's just MY world. Works for precious few others, I bet! One of the things I love about GURPS is how it encapsulated genres. So why not give TFT the GURPS treatment? Keep the game-proper sharply focused on char gen and event resolution. Then add milieu-specific expansions. "Dark Ages" "Romana Imperitrix Mundi" "The Black Company Strikes Back." (dibs!) "Gor: The LARP" (all yours!) - Jack |
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03-06-2018, 04:44 PM | #27 | |||
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Arizona
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Re: The Economic System in TFT
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I'm not saying it's a "must," or that "you're doing it wrong" if you don't do what I did. What I AM saying is that you should give it a try some day. You might be amazed (truly; I was the first time I tried it) by how much easier it makes your life and how much more "into" your world your players get. It would really add to your world, even in a "Conan-esque" world such as the one you're telling us you prefer to run. It's nice to know that the quarterly jewel caravan is running from the gem mines of Agrapur across the Dunes of Salt to the markets of Khoraja where the gems and jewels will be sent out to dozens of other cities...suddenly, your players know why the caravan they're guarding is so important, or perhaps now have a better understanding of which caravan they want to raid... |
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03-06-2018, 04:50 PM | #28 |
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: New England
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Re: The Economic System in TFT
@JLV
OK, yeah, you sold me. I get it now. Many, many thanks for taking the time to spell it out! You've given me much to ponder. Cheers! Last edited by Jackal; 03-06-2018 at 04:51 PM. Reason: clarification |
03-06-2018, 06:47 PM | #29 |
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: New England
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Re: The Economic System in TFT
@Jim Kane:
Wait, this still means you're gonna do "Gor: The LARP", right? |
03-06-2018, 07:04 PM | #30 |
Banned
Join Date: Mar 2018
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Re: The Economic System in TFT
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