Lothar's Lair

I have in an extreme amount of D&D campaigns over the years. I have played with people from all over the world.Presently I am playing in an online virtual tabletop type of campaign using MapTools for the visuals and Ventrillo for the voice com. The players are Br,Ga,Cl, and a new guy who I haven’t had any communication with. A guy we will call him Ps has been recently running his game.

History-
This game we are playing in is or was based entirely from my original campaign in the “Wyrmworld campaign” of which was started near 1989 at our condo on the dining room table. using the standard core books and a smattering of additional books written for the game by other companies than the big WotC/Hasbro/TSR. Over the years as our group of sometimes ten to only four played the various editions of the game we started seeing more and more exciting variable ways to incorporate magic and the natural abilities of our characters. In fact we had found out that there was a guideline written in the DMs book on how to take some creatures we had always thought was an NPC (non-player character race) and allow it for play within the confines of the written material we always had been using. This was a fantastic idea, because so often we had wondered what it’d be like to play one of those types of characters but didn’t have the knowledge to fit it within the game world (mechanically). So, I believe this was right before our “epic” campaign where characters were going to be allowed to go to eventually become 40th+ in levels.
This part of our campaign went nicely over the yrs. with the normal amount of people having to stop playing due to work schedule conflicts, moving out of state,college attendance, joining the service…etc.So after the majority left for one reason or the other we were down to 3-4 and mostly just three. So we put flyers up and notices in various hobby stores but we were finding fewer people wanting to play D&D. We talked it over and figured it’s due to online gaming and the internet in general. So as we would continue to look for new players (which we are still doing), we found that most new players didn’t like the high level so much or that they were un-used to the power of those character levels. So we discussed toning it down and creating a more lower lever game using regular rules rather than the epic rule system. Then as luck would have it I found a free software utility called “MapTools” in which on can build maps,roll dice,have character sheets, and play without using a webcam focused on a vinyl mat as I was doing. This for the most part, revolutionized our play style, at least mechanically. So this went on for a year or so and the players downloaded the tool as well and we all found it to be usefull and smooth, however different so we all had to adjust the way we built maps and encounter areas. It took longer to build maps, it took more thought as to the layout of areas, it took hours of learning the use of the different tools and what they could and couldn’t do. So the player I’ll refer to as Ga decided to hive off from the campaign world we had been using that I originally created from scratch. We put our thoughts together and I expanded one of my fantasy continents in my gaming world to contain an area he wanted to run the group of players through. So it was, I played in his setting using a character I built and enjoyed the game with the others as we could all play as PCs in Ga’s area. So time past and he changed the area and then one day said he was going to run the game in a city called “Ptolous” which is a pre-designed game area designed by a famous writer- Monte Cook. In asking Ga where this city is or the world in which it is located he said he didn’t know really and it didn’t matter at the time. In my opinion, Ga found that to do the work I’d been doing in a campaign world took time and interest and so much work he didn’t want to invest in that immense responsibility. So I was disheartened in the fact that he pretty much gave up trying to be original. We all enjoyed the game and all, but again maybe a year later he changed again, and used another pre designed area called “City State of the Invincible overlord” Still no world creation from him, still no histories from the fantasy area, just plop! there it is across the bay from “Ptolous” whatever bay that was or where it was on what planet, who knew? I was also finding he wanted to change things nationally, as various concepts I had implanted in my original campaign that he was using as a backdrop. I explained that it’d be nice to ask me and talk things over prior to just making assumptions and exploiting my yrs. of creation. He then stated one day, “Well, it’s no longer in my world then it’s somewhere else and not for me to worry about any changes”.

Slap!! So this is how it starts...Friends glean off someone till they feel confident about themselves enough to exchange friendship for notoriety. In this case it was small and of no “real” tangible thing. But the knowledge, my time,my friendship was put aside, why? so he could seemingly have the limelight? So he could call the shots without the need to talk anything over with the guy he’d been friends with for over 20 yrs. who knows? Ok, I thought it’s just something he’s going through and he’ll make a nice world to adventure in and I shouldn’t feel all broken up about it after all I was the one he’s trying to copy and I should feel praised and feel some accomplishment. Months passed and we lost another player to working needs and money making, all understandable reasons. So “Ga” puts on a forums page that he needs more players in his game and a couple people started playing. The game then consisted of “Ga” who was running the game, Cl,Co,Ps,Br, and myself and another player who is an entire story all together I won’t mention here. The game was going well but I started hearing complaints about the “power level” the “high stats” and the unreasonable high level NPCs we had to encounter to give us a challenge. Looking back this was the start of the end of my interest in the play style of Ga and later Ps as a dungeon master. The guys without any acknowledgment from me or very little discussion with me as a player or an ex DM, started contorting the guidelines as we were used to them. They cut out things that made the races and classes strong. They subdued abilities/traits, and overall power of the races in which we found we could play and loved to play because of those same abilities and powers and traits…etc. Ga claimed players said they were not going to play in his campaign because they were uncomfortable playing with such high powered races. He claimed they stated that the reason they didn’t want to join his campaign was because of template usage as well as creatures as players combination. During this debacle Ps said Ga and him had talked it over and that he was going to take over as DM fo awhile to let Ga play. In my opinion, Ga saw that the game is failing to be fun anymore and didn’t want to be responsible for a declination of interest. So now Ps is running and again no world background,no world back story, nothing…just plop! there the party is without so much as a reasonable explanation. No world work up no real campaign history…etc. No remarks when asked “Hey, where are we? what world are we on? What do our characters know of each other, or the continent…etc. This is an example of a “new” DM they don’t care to flesh out an environment or consider anything other than roll the dice when the encounter occurs. It is sad that they wouldn’t even ask me, or talk it over with me, I have the time and the energy to help them but IMO they don’t care as long as they are in what they see as control.

PRESENT DAY-Ps still is running Ga seems to be creating rule contortions acknowledged by Ps who is using Cl to apply them to the utility “MapTools” program. At least three sets of different character creation processes have been issued one more less powerful than the last. I email them regularly for updates and in several weeks I get some type of minimal response that does not completely cover what I asked or tried to discuss. I get “corrected” during play as if I had started playing yesterday. The friendship is seemingly gone from any relationship Ga and I had, Ps and my relationship was purely a gaming one since he had never seemed to want to actually befriend me socially outside the game. The others I never have met face to face and therefore don’t know at all socially. I at this time feel my fun in this game is gone. I will take a hiatus and possibly drop in the game in several years to see how it has changed. It is a sad day indeed.

I am looking for people to start in my game world and to evolve a nice friendly social/gaming party,where friends can talk and discuss daily lives as well as gaming information. I will continue to use my Wyrm world campaign and adjust it according to play style of the group not just my rules s I have always done. If anyone is interested contact me via–lotharlocnar@columbus.rr.com I look to run every other Saturday from around 1 pm to midnight or eleven pm. I can use vent,yahoo messenger, or any other voice program that’s free. I run a 3.5 edition D&D campaign setting.

Well, I have been playing Allods online since the closed beta test, and have noticed a sharp trend in more and more complexity that is not needed. This patch in July has created various unnecessary problems.My personal objections are as follows-In the game now if ones character dies he/she could possibly have their items “cursed” which means all of the bonuses turn into negatives for the characters stats. If one wants to remove the effect the person has to buy (with real money) at the Gpotato store a scroll that “purifies” the item in question. One can get around this effect if they buy with real money a set of “holy charms” which when a character dies a charm is used so nothing is cursed. So it is not financially frugal to put ones self at risk. Hence people won’t group with you if they are not almost guaranteed that they will live through the ordeal. Also the more rare or legendary that item is that might get cursed the more real money one has to spend to get it uncursed. The cost of the most gpotatos is 50.00USD for 5500 Gpotatos. The price for 500 holy charms is 475 Gpotatos.
My next problem with Allods is- there is now items that “can” have a rune slot etched into them so as to receive runes. These runes give items either better defensive abilities or if put into weapons, offensive power. However when the game came out if one took a rune out of an item whether the item was bought or found, one could put a different rune into the item which met their perspective patron’s symbol. Same goes for now too, except that there are items that state “this item can have a rune slot etched into it”. Ok fine, untill one finds that, yep, your right, ya have to pay real money to buy Gpotatos to pay for the “rune etching kit” depending on the “level” of rune one wants to put into the item. The higher level of the rune the more it costs for the ONE TIME use of the kit. I bought a level 1-4 rune etching kit and clicked on it then on an item I found that stated clearly it could have a rune slot etched into it and got a message that this item cannot have a rune slot etched into it (even though on the item it states it could), this cost me 50 Gpotatos (steel rune slot engraving kit) So I bought a better one just to see if it was just a one time glitch, it wasn’t!!

So now the only possible good thing I see the new patch did was to allow less PvP ganking in a zone called Assee Tep (or some such) because unless the other guy wants to risk dying and having to loose a holy charm or having to buy an uncursing scroll they might leave your character alone long enough for it to at least do the PvE quests in the area. However They increased the difficulty on most NPC enemies and gave some even new abilities to kill ones PC with. There is an item called Incense which increases ones damage dealt and healing done as some other minor things, before the patch they lasted till used, now they (in ones inventory) only last 7 days. So one can spend 350 in Gpotatos for an item that is not permanent and one hasn’t even used or had reason to use.

A lot of people have quit the game and moved on to lesser expensive free to play games. So the economy is getting tough when ya see things like this occurring to MMORPGs that’s touted to be free to play. Sure they are free to play but one will not have the enjoyment of seeing their character level nicely as the people who have the disposable income to invest in the items needed to just get their character leveled in a reasonable time.

Well, I been thinking about this over the years, and have come to the conclusion there are real life issues that I have learned about society, people, and certain choices that I have definitely learned from gaming.

One being that if you are by yourself somewhere that seems a possibility for violence from nefarious individuals, remain quite, hide in shadows, prepare an instrument of defense/offense, be aware of your surroundings, look for an escape route that YOU can negotiate without much effort.

Two, being that if you hear a noise in your home or where only you should be don’t say “Who’s there?” or “I have a gun”/Sword”..etc. Just hide in a place you may observe any forgeign entity skulking around where they shouldn’t be. Be ready to defend yourself if found. However One might say “I have conjured demons to protect me” You have been warned, life forms here other than myself are in danger of being cursed/possessed/or die horribly from the various traps I have set”.

Three, look at how people appear, I’ve seen some real rogue looking individuals, in a hoody, short, lithe, shifty, always looking around at other people up and down as to size them up for who knows what. Large tattooed(all over their arms/legs/face…etc) bald, that stare at other people for long lengths of time then just sortta grin. These people I put into a barbarian class or certainly an uneducated fighter type with little or no social graces. They can be easily mentally manipulated especially if drinking or had been drinking by intelligent other individuals that do not act superior to them.

Four, watch for the guy or gal that smiles way too much and seems to have the latest fashions and a sort of glare in their eyes. These people most probably are in sales and so conditioned to act the way they do that they do not even realize it. Usually these people are some type of religious zealot as well for they have been “sold” on whatever religion they tout. Sometimes they will probably have that little fish sticker on their car/vehicle as well. They want you to believe that they are just like you and are trying very hard to fit in(too hard), they have 2-4 children and feel that is what “people are supposed to do”. These people can be dangerous as well, because once they find that they are not correct or that whatever ideal they have immersed themselves in is not “‘real” and when they see themselves as “plastic” or fake they get uncontrollably violent or act in a sudden outburst of anger, sometimes lethal. Also when one talks to them logically and makes a point they cannot or will not even consider because of their belief all they can say is “That is just my faith” As if faith is the cure for stupidity or being irrational.

Large obese men and women that are odorous and impolite usually have no real social life. Nor want one. When one talks to them of dancing,nightlife,social drinking,having sex with the opposite gender, they will change the subject as fast as they can while looking at you like your speaking another language. But sometimes even more scarier, they will ask very strange questions and actually want you to be their leader in teaching them about those subjects, which makes one feel one must escape from their attachment to ones presence.

People carrying weapons (not pepper spray,tear gas, tasers…etc) but large knives or any weapon not considered in society as normal for modern self protection. Usually lack the ability to actually use the weapon in a martialy intelligent trained way. They want others to awe them and comment on the weapon and possibly feel they gain respect from people that do. Normally this is male gender based but there are probably women that do this as well, unfortunately I personally have not observed this.

Cigarette smokers usually have short attention spans, possibly high school graduates most just have a GED, few are well educated. Seem to feel that smoking gives them some type of elitism, will act as if the action of smoking is actually some ritual that takes precedence over whatever else is going on bordering on religious fanaticism. Normally not commenting on the new type of cigarette they are currently trying because of the blend or the rarity of that particular type of tobacco, or the various flavors of tobaccos they enjoy.

Well educated gamers (college graduates and better) usually game in a completely different way than non-college grads. They seem to look for ways of overcoming problems in a more cohesive less chaotic pattern. They can become predictable in their approach because of the linear thinking processes and ways to negotiate with NPCs (both in game and out)…lol. They are or it seems are open to more ideas from others and willing to try various different classes and races, but generally stick to a base class or a certain set of classes/races for ease of play. They are ready to help other players (friends) to a point, but I’ve seen some that separate themselves from a party or group and play and live that way as well.

Anime gamers and furry game/LARP participants-Usually non committed to any one real game, they are even geeks to role-playing gamers,they will wear ears/tails/fake feet/paws…etc Feeling they are “cute” Sometimes they will stand around and bounce in place. They make references to anime movies and that genre that are for the most part like name dropping to impress other that they know about that sort of thing. Normally they aren’t seen at the bar or dance clubs. Real life seems too intense for them and older ones of this genre have many children and are more over weight than “roleplayers of the table top variety” Or they are very skinny, few social graces, and when watched during a convention sort of drift from one group to another desperately seeking attention…IMHO.

Has anyone seen real life things that are attributed to gaming? If so I’m interested in hearing about them.

There are players of table top games (D&D,GURPS,Role Master…etc) that I’ve tried to play the game with that seem that either they do not get the flow of the game or they take an exceedingly long time to make descisions as to what their characters will do on their current turn. It’s usually not a situation that’s tricky or complicated just a descision of where to move,what to cast,who or what to shoot…etc. The turn sequence is usually the same during the fight and some people cannot seem to grasp the ability to pre-think their next action(s). They will be talking to other players at the table and or skimming through books for “cool” items or class/race combination’s for their next character conception. After the fight or sequence is over and they seem to have been forced to make some type of decision they will complain that “I would have done this or that if I would have had more time to think about whatever” or ” If I’d have known that the spell or item didn’t do this or that I’d have done something else” They take the time to whine about what happened to the player next to them but they could be looking at the next situation or possible situation and scheming to figure out what their PC would/will do if such and such happens. These individuals take other players time and energy discussing how the DM/GM “made” them do something in a hurry and how better it would have been if they’d been allowed more time to resolve a situation in their heads.

Now I’m talking about a players turn taking maybe 5-8 minutes sometimes maybe 10 minutes just thinking of what to do next. I’m not talking about a player looking a spell up or an item’s ability or a rule clarification here. I’m talking about a player that looks blankly at the scenario map and when the DM/GM asks the player to tell him/her what the PC is doing they then start thinking about the situation and rummaging through books and their character sheet to see what they have for the situation and possibly ask questions like”where did the monster move from last”? “What does that monster look like again, I didn’t hear you”?..Where everyone else is perfectly fine with the whens.wherefors,and the tactical situation of the grid mapped placement. This person wants another complete rundown of what just transpired and not during the re-explanation but only after it, will the player start looking at his/her sheet and books to decide what to do.These types of players seem to me that they are a bit infantile when deciding on their PC’s predicament. I found I cannot tolerate the actions of these people during a game nor put up with their lame excuses of why they play the way they do. I believe they are uncaring and really are disinterested, for whatever reasons they are off in their own thoughts of whatever else and are taking the game and the people around them as secondary trivial interferences with their own mental agenda. If they are playing a game with others that have taken time to attend the game to give the game their time and effort then everyone should be respectful or all in attendance whether it be in person around a table, or over an internet web cam, or even a internet based virtual table top utility. If the game is 4 hours,12 hours or however long, the respect of others time,care and interest in the game should be somewhat exhibited to a point of knowing what class/race etc. to role play so that one is confident in their characters so as to facilitate a smooth gaming period for all in attendance. Ask other players after or before the game (not during) on how you can improve your play style and or what to look for so you won’t slow the game down.If you find youself always searching for the right spell or skill/feat on your character sheet, write down spell lists for different occasions if one is a caster type PC. Or skills/feats the PC has for special occasions or even a regular routine of what his/her PC will do is certain situations (before the game or after a game not during). Maybe this will improve ones style of play and allow for good game flow.

In most MMORPGs they allow teenagers and even younger play the game, and by “they” I mean parents! Which is really a terrible problem most MMORPGs have it seems, because when adults play,we at least have some sort of tactics in mind when assaulting the enemy and teamed with other online players. Children seem to randomly,have their characters (PCs) run in chaotic patterns,shoot,attack the wrong enemy for the situation. Every one knows when in combat with a mixed group of adversarial classes one kills the healers first,not children though, they will stand on the front lines and whack away at the other teams heavily armored (tank) PC and hope for the best. Children seem to treat MMORPGs as first person shooters (fps) and believe they can dish out more damage than the healer that’s 20 yds. away can heal, which is only possible if the healer is very busy healing himself as well as the tank. IMHO all enemy healers should be targeted first then the PCs doing the most damage per second (DPS) or Damage per millisecond (DPMS) usually the wizards/mages/sorcerers, or whatever the game calls the magic using fireball slinging finger wiggling classes in robes….lol. Then finally the tanks/fighters/rangers/or the sword wielding shield bearing heavily armored PCs. This should be automatic tactics for any group of online players fighting another group of online players in an MMORPG.

Dragon Age — Looks great!! I checked out the reviews and so far it appears like it’ll be another great EA game. I had read on their forums that they are going to allow a person the ability to create their own areas insert their own encounters and the ability to actually create their own little module if they like.

I think this would be wonderful for a 3D adventure base for a Dungeons and Dragons game. The DM can create the environment, the weather and what possible structures look like. Then take the players on the visual adventure sites, but not sure if the DM can actually put in the characters the players would be using or not and to what extent would they be able (onscreen) to interact with any adversary as per the Dragon Age game itself. However just to enable the world view to those able to see the monitor/a monitor (if multi-player online is possible).

Maybe someday a utility will actually come out that has that ability/the ability to adjust the stats for the characters, take them into consideration for the variables of the characters feats,skills,environment…etc and depict the characters onscreen as they are dressed, as they physically look…etc. maybe even work in facial adjustments based on the reaction of the characters, maybe that’s a little far out there in terms of capability though.lol.

Any way, so far the game looks realistic enough and seemingly the plot is subject to change based on what descesions the player makes in the first part of the game. So far I give it kudos as from the trailors and forums I have looked at.

Lothar Loc’Nar

Check it out here–
Dragon Age.bioware.com

I have found that since the conception of the game(Dungeons and Dragons ™) by the late great E.Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson we as gamers have stayed with the changing of technology a bit too much. We have automated dice rollers,automated dungeon creations,automated name creators…etc. We have seemingly lost the unique feel of gathering at a public or private place “In person” and socially interacting with other like minded individuals. I suppose we need to re-establish those days, however with the onset of high gas prices, odd, possibly deadly viruses, various allergies to peoples cats,dogs…etc, we as a gaming society tend to confine our gaming now with an online equivalent or play by e-mail…etc. I personally miss the days when we all gathered at the DMs house and gamed till the wee hours on Saturday’s. We all became friends and got to know each other’s likes and dislikes. We found new real friends and sometimes new not so good real friends. I’m in my 50′s now and still love the game and all it’s nuances. I personally do not care for the Dungeons and Dragons 4.0 set of rules but that’s just the fact that old habits die hard, I suppose. I have ran and played the following role playing games-Warhammer, Role Master, Talislanta, Gurps fantasy, Powers and Perils, Champions, Call of Cthuhlu, Dungeons and Dragons from the original box set to 3.5, Boot Hill…just to name a few. I have collected, as we all have no doubt, hundreds of dice for hundreds of different applications…I love the game genre, but would like to see social face to face interaction continued on even in this day of electronic information sharing. Just thoughts. Have some more? I’d love to hear them.

Welcome to Lothar’s Lair, a community sounding board for all gaming genres.