Re: (TFT) this new TFT like game popped up. here are some links. Mr 'No self control' bought a copy

[PvK <pvk@oz.net>]

I think maybe raito didn't literally mean that the ONLY reason to have a big list of talents is not being able to figure out how to roleplay, but I can't resist replying that it is not the only reason. At least for some types of players, it can be helpful and important to know which characters, for example, know how to swim, climb, ride a horse, speak French, work as an accountant, etc., and which do not know that, and who would not like some players just improvising that their characters have whatever talents are convenient out of their imagination, and/or not being able to remember who has what skill or not.

On the other hand, there are players who can't remember and don't care, and prefer to have it be inconsistent than have it be inconvenient, either because it would stall an adventure if someone can't swim, or because they don't want to keep notes.

I'd say either style is ok, but what's not ok is invalidating the other play style, except when a game has been agreed to be played in one style, and then someone wants to play in that game but with a contrasting style in a way that messes with how the others want to play.

As for barnswallow's suggestion, I'd point out that GURPS does that (skills can be added without limit) and that it can work if you are ok with the style that doesn't mind long lists of skills. It's one of the things I like better about GURPS than TFT, that character experience or exceptional ability can be shown by adding points to specific skill and not just improving an entire core attribute. I.e. I think it works great but it's at the detail-oriented end of the preference scale.

I also think there is some room for middle ground, especially for a GM, where the presumption might be that every person in the world has a detailed list of specific ability levels, but they can be noted as they come up rather than detailed for everyone. It might also be possible to do this for PC's, where players discover what some of their characters' specific detailed abilities are as they play (perhaps even if they are determined when they come up by rolling dice or even by a point system and out-of-character player choices).

PvK

--- barnswallow@sbcglobal.net wrote:

On 3/5/13 8:24 PM, raito@raito.com wrote:
...
>>    A couple of people have come up with different systems for learning
>> more stuff without upping IQ, usually involving buying "memory points"
>> or buying talents directly with experience. The talent XP cost formula I
>> have in my head is (IQ level of Talent) x (number of points to learn) x
>> 10, don't know if I came up with that or stole it from someone.
> Don't like it. Don't like it at all. Part of the design of TFT is that if
> you just play your numbers, you're either doing only combat (which is
> fine), or you're having less fun than people who play their characters.
> The only reason to have a laundry list of Talents or Spells is because you
> can't figure out how to roleplay without using numbers as a crutch.
>
> I must confess that I just don't see the appeal of having to have reams of
> Talents, other than to be a munchkin. For me, part of the fun of TFT is
> character development. Starting characters shouldn't be able to have
> unpteen Talents.

Using the experience-for-talents system, you could build new characters 
exactly as per rules. Then as characters gain experience, they could 
start spending EXP on new skills instead of attribute scores. So 
advanced characters might not be that much stronger or smarter or more 
dextrous than new ones, they would just know a lot more things. I think 
that's a pretty fair reflection of reality. Granted I've never 
playtested this at all, so can't really judge it from that standpoint.
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