GURPS and roleplaying

[zorg]

Originally Posted by whswhs

And this is all the more true if the dialogue is brief and uninspired. Some people just aren't very good at direct speech. I'd rather have them describe what their character is trying to express, and in what manner, than have them sit nearly mute because they can't come up with dialogue. I'm even willing to ask them leading questions if necessary.

I agree, and this goes double for a character with very high levels of the relevant influence skill. I had a player whose PC had Diplomacy in the twenties, and I certainly didn't expect an improvised, polished speech delivered on the spot.

We were fully OK with an explanation of what kind of speech the character was giving, some details ("...drawing on a recent paper on behavioural sociology, I point out that..."), and a few example sentences.

[8th Orbital Army]

The party is in the lobby of GlutCoDyne Inc. headquarters trying to make contact with Mr. Johnson, who has stopped returning their phone calls. The girl at the front desk offers to set up an appointment for next week.

Player (OOC): We need to see Johnson now. Those explosions at the elephant reserve weren't our fault. I'm going to flirt with the receptionist and see if she'll let us in to see him.

GM: OK, no mechanics, just role-play it.

Player IC: "Hey baby ____ __ ____ _ ____!"

GM: That was a terrible line. She gets ****** and calls security.

Player: What? That was a great line! I used it on a girl at the bar last night, and she thought it was really funny.

GM: She was probably drunk. I think it's a terrible line.

Player2: I don't know, if you delivered it as a joke, it might be kind of funny.

Player3: I don't think so, girls don't have that kind of sense of humor.

Player1: This isn't about your issues with your ex. The GM is railroading us again.

GM: No I'm not, I just didn't think the line was that good.

Player2: Yes you are!

GM: No I'm not!

Player3: At least I had girlfriend!

Player1: You know what else has been bugging me?... [general arguing breaks out as the scene fades to black]


Social interactions are more complicated, and more unpredictable than combat. I'm fully in favor of having mechanics for them. When your glowering barbarian fails to intimidate the local plough-boy, or your bumbling nerd hacker sweet talks the supermodel, it adds a new twist to the story. If the GM just declared "She thinks you're really cute and invites you and your friends up to the party." it would break suspension of disbelief. "Yeah right, supermodel falls for nerd? What are the odds of that?"

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by 8th Orbital Army

Player (OOC): We need to see Johnson now. Those explosions at the elephant reserve weren't our fault. I'm going to flirt with the receptionist and see if she'll let us in to see him.

GM: OK, no mechanics, just role-play it.

Player IC: "Hey baby ____ __ ____ _ ____!"

GM: That was a terrible line. She gets ****** and calls security.

Player: What? That was a great line! I used it on a girl at the bar last night, and she thought it was really funny.

GM: She was probably drunk. I think it's a terrible line.

Player2: I don't know, if you delivered it as a joke, it might be kind of funny.

Player3: I don't think so, girls don't have that kind of sense of humor.

Player1: This isn't about your issues with your ex. The GM is railroading us again.

GM: No I'm not, I just didn't think the line was that good.

Player2: Yes you are!

GM: No I'm not!

Player3: At least I had girlfriend!

Player1: You know what else has been bugging me?... [general arguing breaks out as the scene fades to black]

Quoted for hilariously funny.

Bill Stoddard

[Gollum]

Originally Posted by 8th Orbital Army

Social interactions are more complicated, and more unpredictable than combat.

Not really. I'm practicing karate (the true martial art, not the sport) for more than 12 years now and I learnt than combats are very complicated and unpredictable. More you are trained, higher are your chance to win, that's true. But even the best fighters can be very surprised! No matter your level of training, combats remain chaotics.

Originally Posted by 8th Orbital Army

I'm fully in favor of having mechanics for them.

Either do I. That is why even with my solution (the bonuses for good ideas), the dice roll remains. It is a way to maintain some unpredicatbility... but not to much! Thus, the players have the feeling that they controll their actions (by having good ideas), but that they are in life (and not in a chess game): miracles (or fiasco) can still occur.

Originally Posted by 8th Orbital Army

GM: OK, no mechanics, just role-play it.
Player IC: "Hey baby ____ __ ____ _ ____!"

Here, since this kind of approach is very strange (the women can find it very fun or, to the contrary, very rude), I would let the dice decide, without any specific bonus or penalty...

I give a lot of bonuses for good ideas but rarely penalties fo bad ideas. Indeed, I believe that if being skilled doesn't necessarily give good ideas, it still prevent from doing something which obviously won't work.

[DanHoward]

Originally Posted by Gollum

I give a lot of bonuses for good ideas but rarely penalties fo bad ideas. Indeed, I believe that if being skilled doesn't necessarily give good ideas, it still prevent from doing something which obviously won't work.

Agreed. Roleplaying a situation is a waste of time if the player is not equipped to do so. If the PC is highly skilled in a particular field and the player comes up with a stupid idea, the GM should give some warning if the PC would know better. If the player continues with stupid idea after being warned then it becomes a situation that belongs in a different thread.