I'm perfectly capable of enjoying both, and indeed switching between the two as the session goes on.

Isn't the Fantasy Trip kind of half-way between a miniatures game and GURPS? Maybe you should have tried that?

Like Ken and others have already said, different strokes for different folks. This is, once again, more of a metagame discussion than an actual game discussion, like so much here seems to go. The reason I mention it is it tends to lead me to believe that many of you have already pretty much made up your minds about everything but the metagame. (Which isn't necessarily wrong, just not really on the same wave length as me, and my problems.)

Meh, my typical 2300AD game started with a Star Cruiser scenario and led into PCs interacting socially or with combat. No problems there.

I don't think its a matter of rollplaying versus role-playing, but its a matter of personality conflict.  Koltar, you've admitted you've never played Warhammer 40K, so why don't you give it a try and maybe that will grant you some insight to these guys.

I've read up on the WH 40k universe - none of the factions or groups in there appeal to me.

Very slim interest in maybe playing the Tau - but all the local players saying they tend to get stomped in games.


- Ed C.

Quote from: Koltar;272243I've read up on the WH 40k universe - none of the factions or groups in there appeal to me.

Very slim interest in maybe playing the Tau - but all the local players saying they tend to get stomped in games.


- Ed C.

So, you're not terribly interested in bridging the divide between you and these guys but you are perfectly willing to complain about them?

Well, I can't comment on the situation in the OP, but I can comment on the question asked by the thread title from personal experience.

I started role playing in 81.  I had no idea what war games were and didn't understand the application of miniatures in BD&D at all (we just ignored these rules).  I played totally narrative for many years, ignoring the majority of rules in B/X D&D and AD&D.  After a while I took a stance that one should really play up the role playing and downplay the combat, because, honestly combat had become rather dull with the "I swing my sword" roll roll, "hit" type of battles I was involved in.

Then, several years later I discovered Man-of-War, which led to Warhammer Fantasy Battles.  I helped to found a group of newbies to play that game, and for 8+ years we played Warhammer (FB) exclusively.  I loved the game and the whole aspect of the hobby (collecting, converting, painting, terrain building, tournements).  But, like all good things, I got burned out after such a long time of play.

When I re-entered the role playing hobby, D&D 3.0 was just coming out.  Now that I actually knew how to use miniatures (and could afford them) it was just the ticket.  I could have my role playing AND my tactical miniature battles.  This let to Savage Worlds, another game known for both but much simpler, and also to Star Wars Saga edition.  For a good long time my riole playing was narative and my battles were tactical using miniatures.

In any case I did this for some time, until about a year ago.  Once again I needed a change, and I now find myself getting away from tactical combat and going totally narrative.  Miniatures taught me a lot about positioning, distances, and how combat can flow in 3 dimensions.  I can now apply that to narrative combat so it can be just as tactical, but also benefits from quick, exciting, and dramatic descriptive combat, rather than miniature pushing.

So now I really have "perfected" my role playing IMHO.  I can use miniatures for a combat and be very tactical and specific if the situation warrants it, or I can rely more on narrative story telling combat when it is more appropriate.  I can go as heavy or as light on the rules as I like without any feelings of guilt.

IMHO, yes, people can not only switch back and forth (and forth and back again), but ,I think they can benefit greatly from experimentation into all aspects of our hobby and being open minded (especially since the main ingredient to a good role playing session is other players...and Lord knows we are all different!).

There are no fast hard rules to "the right way" to role play IMHO.

"Outlawing" ? Who do they think you are, Ed? Wyatt Earp.

Regards,
David R

Quote from: David R;272314"Outlawing" ? Who do they think you are, Ed? Wyatt Earp.

Regards,
David R

David,

Yes - that phrasing was strange to my ears too.

- Ed