The Quest for News
From: EscapistMagazine.com
Minecraft has been a work in progress for its entire existence. In the current version, the many different terrain biomes are often placed awkwardly next to each other, with deserts randomly juxtaposed against arctic tundra. Meanwhile, massive oceans interrupt the typical brick-breaking gameplay and force players to either avoid them or slowly sail through. In a blog update, lead developer Jens Bergensten mentioned three specific issues that he intends to address: oceans being too large, uneven biome placement, and lack of variation. To fix that, Mojang’s overhauling the code that generates the maps. Future Minecraft worlds should have far less oceans, logical biome placement, and alternate configurations of those biomes for variety. Along with the new terrain maps, players can also expect new biomes, new rare and uncommon biome variations, and new flowers and trees to look at/harvest along the way.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/127304-Minecraft-to-Overhaul-the-World-with-1-7-Update
From: Geek.com
Few game franchises have been as consistently loved over the years as DOOM. Even with years in between installments, fans still can’t wait to get their paws on a new DOOM game. in typical fashion, DOOM 4 has been in development for a long, long time, but you can tide yourself over with these nifty pewter miniatures of all your favorite DOOM monsters from Bethesda. The first run is already gone, but you can sign up for email notifications. Even at $200 these miniatures are hot.
There are 15 miniatures including all the classics — the cyberdemon, Arch-vile, Hell Knight, our anonymous protagonist, and all the rest. These miniatures are re-castings of a set originally sold by Reaper Miniatures in the late 90’s.
http://www.geek.com/games/bethesda-is-offering-a-doom-pewter-miniatures-set-for-200-1569092/
From: GameSkinny.com
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, set for release on August 27, has received quite a few inquiries from players in the MMORPG community about the possibility of marriage.
Same-sex marriage, in particular, is causing quite the stir. Recent developments within the LGBTQ community and their fight for marriage equality, such as the repeal of Prop 8 and DOMA, have definitely softened the taboo for some of these issues to be discussed within certain industries, and in this case, the gaming industry.
The folks on the development team, when asked about marriage in the game, stated:
“As for same-sex marriage, this is an extremely controversial topic that has been under discussion in the MMO world for the past few years. First we would like to start out with opposite-sex marriage, and then consider the feedback from our players in order to make a careful decision.”
Although I do respect them for at least considering the idea of equality, I can’t help but think of the other games out there that already allow for same-sex relations. Mass Effect and Fable 3, for example, did just fine despite having this option.
http://www.gameskinny.com/x59ao/final-fantasy-xiv-a-realm-reborn-to-allow-same-sex-marriage
Conflict Changes Characters
Games within Games
Many games give you opportunities to play, well, games inside of the. A prime example is Star Wars: Knights of te Old Republic’s Pazzak or Legend of the Five Rings Go. These games can be mundane and menial, but they can also be great opportunities for growth as a character and story advancement.
How, you ask?
Easy, the strategy a GM uses for in-game games is often to give subtle clues, hints, or opportunities to their players through the interactions of the NPC during the game. Now, this is not always the case. Sometimes a game of Poker is just a game of poker, but generally, if your GM takes the time to include a game within their game, you may want to pay close attention to details.
Narrative Combat
There are 3 types of role-playing game (more or less): Mechanical, Narrative, and Cooperative. Most “Pen & Paper” games are cooperative or mechanical, but sometimes you come across Narrative games or highly narrative GM’s.
These types of games can be enormous amounts of fun, as the GM describes the actions of the NPC, the PC’s describe their actions, and the GM describes the consequences for those actions.
Personally, I use this fairly limited in my campaigns as I prefer to have that mechanical variation that makes a narrative game cooperative. While a narrative game can have a very “cinematic” feel, and can lead to some outstanding RP, I personally have always felt that the dice add a certain element of chance and make, not only the players, but the GM’s storytelling more dynamic.
The notable exception this is LARP, where there are (in most cases) no dice or random factors. If you can succeed at something, then you succeed.
It takes a really quick and resourceful GM to tell great narrative combats in table-top, but it only takes a passionate with an idea of where they want the story to go and a will to let he players and dice take them their.
Investigative Games
Investigations are conflicts! It is your character, and your wit, against the GM’s devious and cunning plots and machinations. Sherlock Holmes grew as a character in (some) of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories. This can be true of your character as well.
Some of the best storytelling you can have in a game is finding clues, piecing together hints and following trials to their inevitable ends…and then finding out months later your where duped!
Investigation style games tend to be slow burning fuses that will lead to epic RP through subtle growth.
Is Violence in RPG’s Even Needed?
The short answer is no, but conflict is.
I personally don’t think I have ever run a game that didn’t have violence in it, but you can minimize that violence through cunning and guile. If you are looking to run a purely passive have, I wish you the very best of luck, and am very curious to know how it goes.
Personally, I think violence is just another type of conflict for characters, and it can be a great enhancement if used properly, and a great detractor if over done. This is the crux of my main issue with may games like D&D. They are almost mindlessly violent.
Sure, you are reusing the princes from the dragon (who inevitably hides her in a different castle), and that can be a lot of fun, but making choices that alter the very fabric of a story is so much more rewarding.
So…I guess the long answer is, if the violence is used in the same vein as other types of conflict, to tell a meaningful story and provide opportunities for character growth, then use it. But if you can achieve those same goals with out it, then don’t use it.
Final Thoughts
I am a horrible slacker…but that aside:
Conflict in RPG’s is a tool that provides players with the opportunities to change their characters and to grow them into living fantasies.
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