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Old 10-21-2019, 04:06 PM   #1
Boge
 
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Default Looking for GM opinions on this matter.

As a few examples:

A player on the hex map is getting attacked from the side opposite their weapon. The player says,"I'll parry." You simply say,"Okay, roll." while forgetting they shouldn't get a defense with that weapon on their opposite side.

A player took a move and attack manuever their previous turn. On the enemies turn, they are attacked and the player attempts a parry with the weapon they attacked with. (Cannot defend with the weapon used to attack without using the Rapid Recovery extra effort option after a Move and Attack)

A player critically fails and their weapon turns in their hand. On their next turn, they ask to attack and you say,"Roll." forgetting they need to re-ready their weapon before they can attack.

A player attacks an NPC while they're on the ground face up. You roll for the NPCs defense with a -1 penalty. (Should be a -3 to defense while lying on your back)


In these instances, for whatever reason you as the GM overlooked certain penalties or rules limiting those abilities (maybe you're tired, brain laps, maybe you don't know the rules), if there was another player at the table paying attention, and they're aware the rule is being overlooked or ruled incorrectly, would you want them to speak up and help get the ruling correctly, or would you rather they not say anything?
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Old 10-21-2019, 04:15 PM   #2
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Default Re: Looking for GM opinions on this matter.

I've never ran a game where I looked back at mistakes I made to the players advantage that I regretted. If I thought the players were getting bored by a lack of challenge, then I try to ramp things up in a broad way. It depends on how pedantic your group is and how much of the "meta game*" the group is into.

* The Meta game being to see how much advantage a player can squeeze out of the allotted points without the GM noticing till the player springs it on them...I haven't played in a game like this since high school so YMMV.
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Old 10-21-2019, 04:23 PM   #3
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Default Re: Looking for GM opinions on this matter.

In general, I appreciate being respectfully reminded of the rules. There are lots of rules, and I make mistakes.

That said, if it's disrespectful, or if it's only pointed out when it's to the PC's advantage, then it's a problem. If we've moved on from the incident, then I'll just say something like "oops. we'll run it right next time." There's a real limit on how much backtracking is worth doing before it sucks all the fun out of the game.
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Old 10-21-2019, 04:39 PM   #4
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Default Re: Looking for GM opinions on this matter.

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Originally Posted by khorboth View Post
In general, I appreciate being respectfully reminded of the rules. There are lots of rules, and I make mistakes.

That said, if it's disrespectful, or if it's only pointed out when it's to the PC's advantage, then it's a problem. If we've moved on from the incident, then I'll just say something like "oops. we'll run it right next time." There's a real limit on how much backtracking is worth doing before it sucks all the fun out of the game.
Pretty much this.
If I as GM forget a rule or modifier I'll bring it up later so the players aren't blindsided by what they might think is a rules change. Players very rarely try to mess up the other players, unless they are competing like an intrigue game or maybe a duel.
I've never noticed players griping when another player reminds the GM of something (except maybe jokingly). If players are trying to take advantage we have a problem and its going to show up elsewhere also.
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Old 10-21-2019, 04:48 PM   #5
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Default Re: Looking for GM opinions on this matter.

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Originally Posted by Refplace View Post
Pretty much this.
If I as GM forget a rule or modifier I'll bring it up later so the players aren't blindsided by what they might think is a rules change. Players very rarely try to mess up the other players, unless they are competing like an intrigue game or maybe a duel.
I've never noticed players griping when another player reminds the GM of something (except maybe jokingly). If players are trying to take advantage we have a problem and its going to show up elsewhere also.
Before it's done incorrectly. So there's no backtracking, no delay, no aruing over rules (hopefully).

So say the player is just about to roll and another player jumps in and says,"Wait, it's supposed to be -4, not -2." And not necessarily something that goes against the player. It could go in favor of the player as well.

Do you appreciate being corrected or reminded, or do you prefer they keep it to themselves?
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Old 10-21-2019, 05:11 PM   #6
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Default Re: Looking for GM opinions on this matter.

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Before it's done incorrectly. So there's no backtracking, no delay, no aruing over rules (hopefully).

So say the player is just about to roll and another player jumps in and says,"Wait, it's supposed to be -4, not -2." And not necessarily something that goes against the player. It could go in favor of the player as well.

Do you appreciate being corrected or reminded, or do you prefer they keep it to themselves?
I do appreciate it and my GM does as well. I will sometimes lookup a rule or other item for my GM during the game while he handles something else.
Keeping the game going is best for everyone. Sometimes we have to pause but most of the time we play by memory or reference sheets (like for modifiers) and as GM I take notes for later. Over time you'll make fewer mistakes and forget fewer things or know what references to have handy.

This is not tournament play, so temporarily bending or forgetting rules should not be an issue. Just know it for next time and make sure the players do too. Otherwise they will argue! For example, the next fight the guy will complain why he cant parry to a blind hex. Knowing in advance he can just try to position for it.
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Old 10-21-2019, 05:19 PM   #7
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Default Re: Looking for GM opinions on this matter.

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Originally Posted by Boge View Post
Do you appreciate being corrected or reminded, or do you prefer they keep it to themselves?
As long as it isn't game disrupting, I don't have an issue, but if getting the rule correctly will require spending time hunting through rulebooks for the actual rule, or will involve people arguing about what a chunk of rules actually means, or the 'corrections' are frequently wrong, better to hold off on that discussion.
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Old 10-21-2019, 08:38 PM   #8
Christopher R. Rice
 
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Default Re: Looking for GM opinions on this matter.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Boge View Post
In these instances, for whatever reason you as the GM overlooked certain penalties or rules limiting those abilities (maybe you're tired, brain laps, maybe you don't know the rules), if there was another player at the table paying attention, and they're aware the rule is being overlooked or ruled incorrectly, would you want them to speak up and help get the ruling correctly, or would you rather they not say anything?
The types of games I run tend to be "Damn the rules! Full speed ahead." That is, I don't sweat having mistakes in game. If a player wants to talk to me about it after the session, cool, otherwise we move forward.

As far as rules lawyers go . . . I refuse to play with a known rules lawyer and the first instance of rules lawyering and I eject the player. It's pretty clear in my list of rules/social contract that all players get before they play in my games. I don't have time to argue rules minutiae to someone who probably likes doing exactly that. Moreover, it's not fun for the other players who have to deal with that BS.

TL;DR My table, my rules and if you're at my table you know this going in. I may not be perfect on all the rules for GURPS, but I like to think I'm pretty good with players having fun.
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Old 10-21-2019, 08:47 PM   #9
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Default Re: Looking for GM opinions on this matter.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Boge View Post
Do you appreciate being corrected or reminded, or do you prefer they keep it to themselves?
I always appreciate a quick, polite correction. Sometimes one of us is just forgetting something or getting a number wrong. All things being equal, I'd rather get things right. But I also expect people to be ok with, "Yeah, but that doesn't feel right in this instance. We're sticking with -2." I always try to stick to the spirit of the rules, but sometimes player actions fall between the rules and require on-the-fly adjustments. I'm happy to discuss such things after the game in more detail. I would also rather get the rules wrong than bog things down in hunting down the details. If I'm not prepped up enough to have the rules at my fingertips, I'll wing it to keep things moving.
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Old 10-22-2019, 05:29 AM   #10
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Default Re: Looking for GM opinions on this matter.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Boge View Post
In these instances, for whatever reason you as the GM overlooked certain penalties or rules limiting those abilities (maybe you're tired, brain laps, maybe you don't know the rules), if there was another player at the table paying attention, and they're aware the rule is being overlooked or ruled incorrectly, would you want them to speak up and help get the ruling correctly, or would you rather they not say anything?
I'd rather they speak up, sooner rather than later. So I can either correct the mistake as it's being made, or immediately thereafter.

Or if they're wrong, correct them, should I be running more loosely and 'damning the rules'.
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