Steve Jackson Games - Site Navigation
Home General Info Follow Us Search Illuminator Store Forums What's New Other Games Ogre GURPS Munchkin Our Games: Home

Go Back   Steve Jackson Games Forums > Roleplaying > The Fantasy Trip

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 03-07-2018, 11:21 AM   #1
Chris Goodwin
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon, USA
Default TFT is two different games that happen to share a system

I keep harping on this, so I've made a separate thread for visibility.

In another thread...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Kane View Post
In sum: All that extra life-extension the "Unconscious at 0, Dead at fully negative ST" rule creates, also has other affects on the TFT game as a whole; because it applies to everyone and every thing - or it SHOULD.
Which game? I've said in a number of different threads (and gotten agreement from Steve Jackson) that TFT is two different games that happen to share a system: the arena battle game and the RPG. They're both the "right" way to play, and each is just as much TFT as the other.

In an arena battle game, where it's PvP and might not have a GM, the difference between unconsciousness and death is moot. When a figure goes down, they're down; the fight ends. Maybe their opponent slits their throat; maybe their opponent leaves them there bleeding on the ground; maybe something else.

In a roleplaying game, usually with a GM, players want their characters to have a chance. A party will usually try to pull their unconscious members to safety, will try Physicker or such healing spells as there may be, will try to get them out of the dungeon and back to town to rest and heal up.

Rules can make sense for one of the games but not the other. "Dead at 0 ST" can be right for the arena, but wrong for the RPG. Job rolls can be wrong for the arena but right for the RPG. There are likely any number of rules that fall onto one side or the other of this divide.
__________________
Chris Goodwin

I've started a subreddit for discussion of INWO and Illuminati. Check it out!
Chris Goodwin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-07-2018, 08:26 PM   #2
Jim Kane
Banned
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Default Re: TFT is two different games that happen to share a system

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Goodwin View Post
I keep harping on this, so I've made a separate thread for visibility.

In another thread...



Which game? I've said in a number of different threads (and gotten agreement from Steve Jackson) that TFT is two different games that happen to share a system: the arena battle game and the RPG. They're both the "right" way to play, and each is just as much TFT as the other.

In an arena battle game, where it's PvP and might not have a GM, the difference between unconsciousness and death is moot. When a figure goes down, they're down; the fight ends. Maybe their opponent slits their throat; maybe their opponent leaves them there bleeding on the ground; maybe something else.

In a roleplaying game, usually with a GM, players want their characters to have a chance. A party will usually try to pull their unconscious members to safety, will try Physicker or such healing spells as there may be, will try to get them out of the dungeon and back to town to rest and heal up.

Rules can make sense for one of the games but not the other. "Dead at 0 ST" can be right for the arena, but wrong for the RPG. Job rolls can be wrong for the arena but right for the RPG. There are likely any number of rules that fall onto one side or the other of this divide.
Hello Chris,

In the post you partially quoted me from in post #1, I was expounding on the question of: The Secondary-Effects the "Unconscious at ST=0, Dead at fully-negative ST" Rule can have on TFT as a Role-Played Labyrinth Adventure; and specifically, how dealing with the secondary-problems created by the residual existence of enemies who are left unconscious, yet not dead, can affect the party, the outcome of the adventure, and how the entire labyrinth on-the-whole can play differently - depending on the GM; of course.

Hope that clarifies.

Last edited by Jim Kane; 03-11-2018 at 03:05 AM.
Jim Kane is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2018, 04:32 AM   #3
jhs
 
Join Date: May 2006
Default Re: TFT is two different games that happen to share a system

Hi Chris,

Reading all these posts made me think the same thing. I loved melee and wizard back in the day, but never played them as a rpg—they were 1v1 combat systems. I will support them regardless just as a thanks and for nostalgia, but I hope they don’t lose that aspect. They really filled a great niche.
jhs is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Fnords are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:01 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.