Comments for Milambus's Game Codex http://www.milambus.com My adventures in gaming. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:51:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 Comment on Making Rituals More Usable by Zapp http://www.milambus.com/2009/04/30/rituals/comment-page-1/#comment-773 Zapp Sun, 23 Aug 2009 09:21:42 +0000 http://www.milambus.com/?p=35#comment-773 Of course, this does nothing for a Fighter, Ranger, Shaman, Paladin & Warlock game like mine... If fact, this change is bad in that you'll move back closer to the "every party needs a Wizard and a Cleric". The proper 4E way to do it is instead to say *any* character with the Ritual Caster feat gets to cast one ritual for free, provided they're trained in the ritual's key skill. Why not give that stupid fighter maximum encouragement to invest in the Ritual Caster feat? :-) Of course, this does nothing for a Fighter, Ranger, Shaman, Paladin & Warlock game like mine…

If fact, this change is bad in that you’ll move back closer to the “every party needs a Wizard and a Cleric”.

The proper 4E way to do it is instead to say *any* character with the Ritual Caster feat gets to cast one ritual for free, provided they’re trained in the ritual’s key skill.

Why not give that stupid fighter maximum encouragement to invest in the Ritual Caster feat? :-)

]]> Comment on Forget the Kindle, here is the future of RPG by Chris Tregenza http://www.milambus.com/2009/06/22/forget-the-kindle-here-is-the-future-of-rpg/comment-page-1/#comment-772 Chris Tregenza Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:41:13 +0000 http://www.milambus.com/2009/06/22/forget-the-kindle-here-is-the-future-of-rpg/#comment-772 I don't use any tech at the table - yet. Netbooks, Kindles and iPhone are very tempting and almost right for the gaming table but it missing the killer App. The only thing I really struggle with pen & paper is finding things in the rules. This is mostly down to bad indexing and layout by the designers but a really well search system would tempted me to use tech at the table. I don’t use any tech at the table - yet.

Netbooks, Kindles and iPhone are very tempting and almost right for the gaming table but it missing the killer App.

The only thing I really struggle with pen & paper is finding things in the rules. This is mostly down to bad indexing and layout by the designers but a really well search system would tempted me to use tech at the table.

]]> Comment on Forget the Kindle, here is the future of RPG by Tony Law http://www.milambus.com/2009/06/22/forget-the-kindle-here-is-the-future-of-rpg/comment-page-1/#comment-771 Tony Law Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:14:49 +0000 http://www.milambus.com/2009/06/22/forget-the-kindle-here-is-the-future-of-rpg/#comment-771 I use a laptop, external monitor, and ScreenMonkey at my table. It's great for uncovering maps for the players as they make their way through buildings and dungeons rather than force them to map it themselves. I also use the laptop for looking up info in the SRD and Pathfinder beta book quickly. My wife uses hers for her character sheet in Excel and for looking up info in the Pathfinder book. Another player has a EEEPC and uses it to look up stuff in the Pathfinder book. <abbr><em>Tony Law’s last blog post..<a href="http://rpgcentric.com/the-bullywug-theme-song.html" rel="nofollow">The Bullywug Theme Song</a></em></abbr> I use a laptop, external monitor, and ScreenMonkey at my table. It’s great for uncovering maps for the players as they make their way through buildings and dungeons rather than force them to map it themselves. I also use the laptop for looking up info in the SRD and Pathfinder beta book quickly. My wife uses hers for her character sheet in Excel and for looking up info in the Pathfinder book. Another player has a EEEPC and uses it to look up stuff in the Pathfinder book.

Tony Law’s last blog post..The Bullywug Theme Song

]]> Comment on Forget the Kindle, here is the future of RPG by Anarkeith http://www.milambus.com/2009/06/22/forget-the-kindle-here-is-the-future-of-rpg/comment-page-1/#comment-770 Anarkeith Tue, 23 Jun 2009 04:51:57 +0000 http://www.milambus.com/2009/06/22/forget-the-kindle-here-is-the-future-of-rpg/#comment-770 I'm all over tech at the table, but it's gotta have battery life, plus a quick wake-from-sleep, or screen saver. I've DM'd with notes in a Tiddlywiki on my iPhone as a test. It was cool to walk in with a handful of dice and my phone, no stack of books, etc. However, screen sleep and scrolling were sub-optimal. I'm looking at Samsungs netbooks now... The Archos warrants a look as well, it seems. I’m all over tech at the table, but it’s gotta have battery life, plus a quick wake-from-sleep, or screen saver. I’ve DM’d with notes in a Tiddlywiki on my iPhone as a test. It was cool to walk in with a handful of dice and my phone, no stack of books, etc. However, screen sleep and scrolling were sub-optimal. I’m looking at Samsungs netbooks now… The Archos warrants a look as well, it seems.

]]> Comment on Forget the Kindle, here is the future of RPG by Zzarchov http://www.milambus.com/2009/06/22/forget-the-kindle-here-is-the-future-of-rpg/comment-page-1/#comment-769 Zzarchov Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:01:55 +0000 http://www.milambus.com/2009/06/22/forget-the-kindle-here-is-the-future-of-rpg/#comment-769 Oooh, snazzy. As for computers at the game table, I see that as the wave of the future. Computers are becoming smaller and cheaper. In 20 years people will probably have a computer on them at all times. Its just a more efficient way of storing information, An aide to gaming and all that. <abbr><em>Zzarchov’s last blog post..<a href="http://zzarchov.blogspot.com/2009/06/system-neutral-sizzle-cards.html" rel="nofollow">System Neutral Sizzle Cards!</a></em></abbr> Oooh, snazzy.

As for computers at the game table, I see that as the wave of the future. Computers are becoming smaller and cheaper. In 20 years people will probably have a computer on them at all times.

Its just a more efficient way of storing information, An aide to gaming and all that.

Zzarchov’s last blog post..System Neutral Sizzle Cards!

]]> Comment on Forget the Kindle, here is the future of RPG by Abashima http://www.milambus.com/2009/06/22/forget-the-kindle-here-is-the-future-of-rpg/comment-page-1/#comment-768 Abashima Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:43:33 +0000 http://www.milambus.com/2009/06/22/forget-the-kindle-here-is-the-future-of-rpg/#comment-768 It already does involve a computer. An increasing number of people are bringing them to the table. Also: Tabletop games still have what CGs don't, which is the in-person interaction. That's one of the only two advantages tabletop has over CGs at all (the other being infinite variety of actions that no CG can account for in advance). Every time I start a game with new people at the table, they wish they didn't have to do the math and wish someone or something would do it for them, because they're there to have fun and not level up a character by configuring skill ranks, or whatever. If they had something right there that's super easy to use at the table that would handle the drudgery and at the same time allow them to play with their friends, they'd never, ever look back for a second. And neither would I and I've been playing for a million years. Computers are -totally- the future of TRPGs. The one and only thing holding them back from complete saturation is an appropriate device. Laptops are too big and you have to RP around them and you can't roll (real) dice and their fans can be distracting. But something like the Archos 9? The Archos 9 with the problems I bring up in my own blog addressed? Well, that's just perfect! :) It already does involve a computer. An increasing number of people are bringing them to the table.

Also: Tabletop games still have what CGs don’t, which is the in-person interaction. That’s one of the only two advantages tabletop has over CGs at all (the other being infinite variety of actions that no CG can account for in advance).

Every time I start a game with new people at the table, they wish they didn’t have to do the math and wish someone or something would do it for them, because they’re there to have fun and not level up a character by configuring skill ranks, or whatever. If they had something right there that’s super easy to use at the table that would handle the drudgery and at the same time allow them to play with their friends, they’d never, ever look back for a second. And neither would I and I’ve been playing for a million years.

Computers are -totally- the future of TRPGs. The one and only thing holding them back from complete saturation is an appropriate device. Laptops are too big and you have to RP around them and you can’t roll (real) dice and their fans can be distracting.

But something like the Archos 9? The Archos 9 with the problems I bring up in my own blog addressed? Well, that’s just perfect! :)

]]> Comment on Forget the Kindle, here is the future of RPG by Stuart http://www.milambus.com/2009/06/22/forget-the-kindle-here-is-the-future-of-rpg/comment-page-1/#comment-767 Stuart Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:26:34 +0000 http://www.milambus.com/2009/06/22/forget-the-kindle-here-is-the-future-of-rpg/#comment-767 I don't think the future of tabletop games involves a computer. If you have a computer you can play computer games. :) <abbr><em>Stuart’s last blog post..<a href="http://robertsongames.com/role-playing-games/which-once-upon-a-time" rel="nofollow">Which Once Upon a Time?</a></em></abbr> I don’t think the future of tabletop games involves a computer. If you have a computer you can play computer games. :)

Stuart’s last blog post..Which Once Upon a Time?

]]> Comment on Forget the Kindle, here is the future of RPG by Abashima http://www.milambus.com/2009/06/22/forget-the-kindle-here-is-the-future-of-rpg/comment-page-1/#comment-766 Abashima Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:16:54 +0000 http://www.milambus.com/2009/06/22/forget-the-kindle-here-is-the-future-of-rpg/#comment-766 Except for the crappy battery life and running Windows. :( And the power cord needs a touch of work--the fat cylinder so near the device would be distracting considering it's sorta meant to be handled and carried and all. The kick stand is very clever and nice, and the fact that it's infinitely adjustable is -super- keen indeed. Really very nice. It would be sexy if it wasn't kinda ugly, but the super ginormous multi-touch screen is Super Very Awesome! I'd be camped out if this was an Apple device. Except for the crappy battery life and running Windows. :( And the power cord needs a touch of work–the fat cylinder so near the device would be distracting considering it’s sorta meant to be handled and carried and all. The kick stand is very clever and nice, and the fact that it’s infinitely adjustable is -super- keen indeed. Really very nice.

It would be sexy if it wasn’t kinda ugly, but the super ginormous multi-touch screen is Super Very Awesome! I’d be camped out if this was an Apple device.

]]> Comment on Removing magic weapons from DnD 4e by Milambus http://www.milambus.com/2009/05/06/removing-magic-weapons-from-4e/comment-page-1/#comment-763 Milambus Sun, 31 May 2009 14:53:48 +0000 http://www.milambus.com/?p=38#comment-763 Yes, I will be doing the same with armor as well. I'm still trying to out how I can make the armor scale properly though. Balancing the +6 from enhancement bonus is easy... but armor also gets "master-work bonuses" which are used to keep the heavier armor balanced correctly with light armor and stat bonus. Yes, I will be doing the same with armor as well. I’m still trying to out how I can make the armor scale properly though. Balancing the +6 from enhancement bonus is easy… but armor also gets “master-work bonuses” which are used to keep the heavier armor balanced correctly with light armor and stat bonus.

]]> Comment on Removing magic weapons from DnD 4e by greywulf http://www.milambus.com/2009/05/06/removing-magic-weapons-from-4e/comment-page-1/#comment-762 greywulf Fri, 29 May 2009 22:46:38 +0000 http://www.milambus.com/?p=38#comment-762 I like. I take it you'll be planning to do much the same thing with heroes' magical armour, as this is supposed to scale upward to match monsters' attack bonuses too. Watching this closely, munching popcorn. I like.

I take it you’ll be planning to do much the same thing with heroes’ magical armour, as this is supposed to scale upward to match monsters’ attack bonuses too.

Watching this closely, munching popcorn.

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