Re: (TFT) Is it an RPG or really a Tactical RPG? - Rick Weighs in.

["Jay Carlisle" <selfinflicted_wounds@boardermail.com>]

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: pvk@oz.net
> In D&D, characters are defined by required labels. It's like an
> affirmation of the reality of prejudice and labels.

Keyword REQUIRED

Now let's say I've structured my Campaing strictly along medieval english lines.
>From a sociaital point of view there's gonna be a "Job" Priest.
Now the social structure at that place, at that time says that a Priest is susposed to behave in a certain fassion, as well as preform certan duties.
Mawidge (in my best Peter Cooke) springs to mind.

This is pretty close to the class thing IMO, but the requirement factor is in the structure of the world, not the rules.
If the Players Figure can get enough influence in the gameworld (become King, buy Nomic votes of lawmakers, etc.) they can actually change this i.e. "The Defender of the Faith just named WHO the Archbishop of Canturbury?"

> TFT characters are far less restricted, though there is still some
> artificiality in the Hero/Wizard distinction, races, and the weird "IQ
> capacity" limit.
> 

A note on that Hero/Wizard distinction.
I think it has a bit to do with focus, and I actually carry the split even FURTHER into Talents.

I'm not sure that this is so much an atempt at a Class system in the Rules (Races & "Monsters" however...) but rather like saying that these are two diffrent, but complimentary ways of following your path through this world.
One who trys to follow both paths will follow neither well.
Something like that.

So this brings us back to Jay's lazyness.
Speaking of, I just heard Tater Salads line, "That boys got alot of quit in him."
Well in my experience Players are constantly attempting to improve their Figure.
In a way THAT'S the goal of an "open ended" game.
Higher Stats, bigger Spells, more abilities which you get mainly through Talents.
More Talents?
Cheeze, I'm haveing a hard enough time trying to figure out how to make a little village act like SimCity, there ain't no way I'm writeing MORE Talents.
However, I can get double duty outta the list if I note the distinction between Mastery, or actually preforming the Talent, and Expertese, understanding the Talent.
A Master does it, an Expert explains it.
Masters can teach Followers (aprnt.)
Experts can teach an Audience

I do that to amplify the effects of educating the Population in Downtime.


Jay



-- 
_______________________________________________
Get your free email from http://www.boardermail.com
=====
Post to the entire list by writing to tft@brainiac.com.
Unsubscribe by mailing to majordomo@brainiac.com with the message body
"unsubscribe tft"