Re: (TFT) Teaching roleplaying to Power gamers

[Michael Taylor <MichaelTaylor1@compuserve.com>]

Message text written by INTERNET:tft@brainiac.com
>
>>>>>   I don't see why this would.

Play GURPS for a while! ;{

>>>>>   If a player who is playing a character 
>>>>>who is "DA THIEF", then why not optimize the
>>>>>thief characteristics?  

I dont find I need to change the rules for this to happen. I just allow the
Theif talent to do more things....

>>>>>However if the character
>>>>>can grow organically gaining all sorts of fun
>>>>>or unusual talents, they become more real.

What's 'organic' about changing the rules? It seems more 'real' to me to
let them try to use the same talent to do different things. If they work
and they like it, they have a new ability that they've earned through
roleplaying and experimentation rather than just 'acquisition..' 

>>>>>   An artificial game mechanic that forces
>>>>>people into narrow roles may force 'team work'
>>>>>but what does that have to do with role playing?

It doesn't seem artifical to me. The other way seems more arbitrary to me.
"Your an extra Talented theif, but you can't figure out how to 'case' a
joint (for example) without learning this new Talent..."

It's doesn't 'force' teamwork, but it definitely encourages it. Roleplaying
works alot better when the players learn to rely on their imaginations to
determine what they can do than their character sheets. "I want to do
this...Opps! There's a talent for it so I guess I wont' try that..."

Besides this is the way most 'adventures' work. Each person on the team is
*good* at something. The team of 'generalists' doesn't usually happen in
action literature and movies. 

>>>>>I suggest that characters that are flexible to
>>>>>do MORE than one thing provide more role playing
>>>>>possibilities.

Maybe it's just a difference in the way we treat Talents. To me, the
talents are just the MINIMUM that you can do. Your experience allows more
things as you go along...

Michael 
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