Torchbearer: dungeon exploring and survival simulation

jeff37923 · April 29, 2013, 03:59:39 AM

Quote from: fuseboy;650205Light lasts for a certain number of turns, but turns aren't a specific length of time. A torch lasts two turns - say, enough time to get everyone across a troublesome gap in a ruined bridge and then decipher the runes scratched into the wall on the far side. (Not very long!)

Hunger is similar - every four turns, hunger gnaws. If you don't eat, you get the Hungry/Thirsty condition. If you're already Hungry/Thirsty when that happens, then you get successively worse conditions, which are no joke. By the time that happens, you've probably already got other conditions, so missing meals is done with heavy heart.

And you just unsold me on the game.

If a character gets so hungry that they have a condition against them after only four turns, or two torches burning completely through, than the rules of the game are designed so that all of the adventurers in it are pussies. Hell, unless each torch burns for a day, then it doesn't even come close to Real Life. Why the fuck would anyone want to play such a weakling as an adventurer unless they really dig misery?

One Horse Town · April 29, 2013, 05:45:06 AM

Quote from: jeff37923;650300And you just unsold me on the game.

If a character gets so hungry that they have a condition against them after only four turns, or two torches burning completely through, than the rules of the game are designed so that all of the adventurers in it are pussies. Hell, unless each torch burns for a day, then it doesn't even come close to Real Life. Why the fuck would anyone want to play such a weakling as an adventurer unless they really dig misery?

Ding! Ding!

The Ent · April 29, 2013, 06:25:52 AM

Quote from: jeff37923;650300If a character gets so hungry that they have a condition against them after only four turns, or two torches burning completely through, than the rules of the game are designed so that all of the adventurers in it are pussies. Hell, unless each torch burns for a day, then it doesn't even come close to Real Life. Why the fuck would anyone want to play such a weakling as an adventurer unless they really dig misery?

I once had a conversation with Pundit on the issue of what people would become adventurers - if I remember correctly the conclusion was something like:

1) Way above-average/exceptional people become adventurers
2) Below-average/unemployable/desperate people also become adventurers

The adventurers in this game would seem to belong mainly in group 2).

DKChannelBoredom · April 29, 2013, 01:47:53 AM

Quote from: The Ent;650316.. what people would become adventurers

1) Way above-average/exceptional people become adventurers
2) Below-average/unemployable/desperate people also become adventurers

That's pretty funny and spot on.

I also think, that, most of the time, playing characters from group two is more fun and intriguing. "You don't have to be insane and desperate to go down a deadly dungeon, but it sure helps".

It's also very DCC, innit?

One Horse Town · April 29, 2013, 01:59:57 AM

Just an aside on this being a game for people who don't like d&d. Here's a little quote...

Sorta like 3.5 except the resource management being time-consuming is intentional rather than a side effect of bad design.

Daddy Warpig · April 29, 2013, 02:54:06 AM

Quote from: Daddy Warpig;650197More importantly: Where is there a well-written, succinct article on [the OSR Dungeoneering] style of play?

No takers? So no one has written a good, concise description of Gygaxian dungeon-crawling ("fantasy fucking Vietnam"), and why it's awesome, and how to do it?

Seriously?

Daddy Warpig · April 29, 2013, 02:54:48 AM

Whoah — server bork. My post was magically transported back in time. It's 5 hours later than the time stamp indicates.

Killfuck Soulshitter · April 29, 2013, 04:24:25 AM

Sounds like a game I'd really like to try.

Mistwell · April 29, 2013, 05:22:33 AM

Quote from: jeff37923;650300And you just unsold me on the game.

If a character gets so hungry that they have a condition against them after only four turns, or two torches burning completely through, than the rules of the game are designed so that all of the adventurers in it are pussies. Hell, unless each torch burns for a day, then it doesn't even come close to Real Life. Why the fuck would anyone want to play such a weakling as an adventurer unless they really dig misery?

I gotta agree. Are these just the weakest torches ever? Do these people not only need three meals a day, but upwards of ten meals, or else they get fatigued? What is this, the Gauntlet video game? "Barbarian needs food, badly!"

Weird. The time stamp on this message is 5 hours earlier. I can post to the middle of the thread

Black Vulmea · April 29, 2013, 05:54:42 AM

Quote from: silva;649923What always bothered me in D&D wasnt its premise, but its execution. Thus, a game that preserves the premise but with a different execution sounds cool to me.

Really?

Quote from: silva;566722Not everyone want to waste time and neurons with resource management.

You are exactly the sort of pretentious douchebag that I'm laughing at right now.

K Peterson · April 29, 2013, 06:05:42 AM

Quote from: Mistwell;650349I gotta agree. Are these just the weakest torches ever? Do these people not only need three meals a day, but upwards of ten meals, or else they get fatigued?

That is strange. You would think that a game so focused on resource management would nail down, accurately, the burning time of torches and the daily food requirements for an average adventurer. At least make it less hand-wavey vague and illogical. I would think that fatigue from physical exertion would have a far greater impact (more conditional penalties) while spelunking than a little rumble in the tummy.

KenHR · April 29, 2013, 06:06:26 AM

Quote from: jeff37923;650300And you just unsold me on the game.

If a character gets so hungry that they have a condition against them after only four turns, or two torches burning completely through, than the rules of the game are designed so that all of the adventurers in it are pussies. Hell, unless each torch burns for a day, then it doesn't even come close to Real Life. Why the fuck would anyone want to play such a weakling as an adventurer unless they really dig misery?

Yeah, it sounds like a bunch of mechanics in search of a theme, which just got pasted on at the end.

KenHR · April 29, 2013, 06:07:17 AM

Quote from: Black Vulmea;650357Really?

You are exactly the sort of pretentious douchebag that I'm laughing at right now.

:rotfl:

Daddy Warpig · April 29, 2013, 06:33:18 AM

Quote from: Daddy Warpig;650197More importantly: Where is there a well-written, succinct article on [the OSR Dungeoneering] style of play?

No takers? So no one has written a good, concise description of Gygaxian dungeon-crawling ("fantasy fucking Vietnam"), and why it's awesome, and how to do it?

Seriously?

Benoist · April 29, 2013, 06:35:28 AM

Quote from: Daddy Warpig;650367No takers? So no one has written a good, concise description of Gygaxian dungeon-crawling ("fantasy fucking Vietnam"), and why it's awesome, and how to do it?

Seriously?

Player's Handbook, page 100+. See page 107-109 in particular.