Da Dominion: Home of DOMINIONCAST!

Bookmark This:

Close Bookmark and Share This Page

Save to Browser Favorites / Bookmarks

Ask backflip blinklist BlogBookmark Bloglines BlogMarks Blogsvine BuddyMarks BUMPzee! CiteULike co.mments Connotea del.icio.us

Digg diigo DotNetKicks DropJack dzone Facebook Fark Faves Feed Me Links Friendsite folkd.com Furl Google

Hugg Jamespot Jeqq Kaboodle kirtsy linkaGoGo LinkedIn LinksMarker Ma.gnolia Mister Wong Mixx MySpace MyWeb

Netvouz Newsvine oneview OnlyWire PlugIM Propeller Reddit Rojo Segnalo Shoutwire Simpy Slashdot Sphere

Sphinn Spurl Squidoo StumbleUpon Technorati ThisNext Twitter Webride Windows Live Worlds Movies Yahoo!

Email This to a Friend

Copy HTML: 

 If you like this then please subscribe to the RSS Feed.

Powered by Bookmarkify™

More »

Dungeons and Dragons Fourth edition is about to come out and already gamers are dividing on the implications: posting blood-vendettas against strangers over the net based on their “opinions”, cursing the eyes of the first born of it’s writers/designers, and generally displaying the kind of obsessive past-time passion that makes us so popular with the ladies. ( …right.) Myself — long time fan, player, and game master of D&D and D20 — I could give less than a fuck (the value of an arthritic hand job to be exact).

Indie games are drawing my interest. RPGs for gamers by gamers (like Fubu, but Fogbyg — not as cool or pronounceable), instead of those captained by some marketing exec that used to give swirlies and wedgies in high school to the D&D players. Selling points: less expensive books (less books altogether); higher quality (writers writing what they like to write about); better support (direct contact with designers, not ticket 1365 in a Customer Service e-mail server).

All of these things I’ve found specifically in Fantastic Adventures in Tabletop Entertainment, or FATE, by Fred Hicks and Rob Donoghue from Evil Hat Games (“Fantastic” sounds cocky, but they’re walk’in the walk). FATE is a simple point-buy system with narrative mechanics (calm down mouth-breather, I‘ll explain).

D&D has classes, levels, and class powers based on level (lots of referencing, cross-referencing, and comparison to get what you want); FATE uses descriptive verbal Aspects that define your character and bonus their rolls for actions when applicable in the plot (imaginative and free-form). Example: a non-gamer girl you’ve met up with from match.com asks about your character in this “role-playing hobby” you were dumb enough to mention in your profile:

You reply, ”Oh, he’s Sir Paragus, a 12^th level paladin with 25 charisma that aids his power to Lay on Hands and has a Rod of Lordly Might.” Jargon confused and scared, she fakes receiving a cell call before walking out of the coffee shop to never return. (this did NOT happen to me)

With FATE, you’d reply, “He’s Sir Paragus, a knight of the Just Order that’s devoted to protecting his people and living up to his father’s memory who‘s good with a sword. ” (that’s four aspects) She nods, “Like Vigo in that hobbit movie?”

The description invokes drama that’s relatable and gets her interested. You may still strike out, but you can change the subject back to her interests (a woman’s FAVORITE topic) having answered her question.

If you’re like me, too tired or busy to pour over several books to plan a game — or too poor to buy so many books — or sick of industry guff previews,  give it try. I’ll still check out D&D myself when it comes but I’m not hurting it for like Hasbro wants (Free your mind and your game will follow).

• The Game Play's the Thing ... wherein you'll catch the mind of the players. Once upon a time, GM’s were the Michael Myers and Freddy Krueger of their gaming story, which were almost by default a species of fantasy/horror. The accursed random encounter his weapon of choice: “What luck finding a proper privy in this......
• Porn like Mama used to Make Now that I have your attention … Making porn is perhaps a lost art these days as, given the publishing powers of Web 2.0, anyone can, and often has made one. Place recording camera phone at foot of bed, fuck on same bed, done. Not my favorite angle by far......

• Everyone Loves Free Food: Get a Free Sub From Quizno's Who isn't a fan of free food? Quizno's is giving away 1 million free subs to the first 1 million people to register. So act now! They will e-mail you a coupon that you can print off to redeem for a free sub. You have 5 days to use......
• 10 Benefits Of Having Your Own Website The Web brings chance to everyday of us like no other tool has in the history of planet Earth. It is the Info Highway, however the Net is additionally a association place for family, friends, business associates and customers. Maybe you surf the Web daily visiting online businesses or social......