If I never see X again in a game setting, it'll be too soon

pspahn · November 12, 2007, 10:26:59 PM

Quote from: AosActually, I'm just bored with elves and dwarves.
but I get your point.

I'm sick of fantasy settings with nonhumans as playable races (unless you're specifically shooting for an "old-school" feel).

Pete

architect.zero · November 13, 2007, 12:36:52 AM

Quote from: pspahnI'm sick of fantasy settings with nonhumans as playable races (unless you're specifically shooting for an "old-school" feel).

Pete

Seconded, or thirded, or whatever.

I like settings focused on rich cultures not racial monocultures. I like central conflicts that arise from greed or lust or jealousy or just plain old madness not artificial racial differences. Give me Westeros (GRR Martin) over Middle Earth (Tolkien) any day of the week.

EDIT:

In the context of my rant, my signature is kind of funny.

Pseudoephedrine · November 13, 2007, 01:02:44 AM

I agree with a lot of these, but to add another: McGuffins and fetch quests. I hate campaigns where the PCs have to go find the Rod of Stupendous Power and the Talisman of Total Awesomeness to defeat the Dark Lord because they're the only things that some wack-ass prophecy says can harm him.

Melan · November 13, 2007, 01:19:34 AM

Canon.

Drew · November 13, 2007, 01:23:12 AM

Quote from: MelanCanon.

I'll see your Canon and up you a Metaplot.

One Horse Town · November 13, 2007, 06:26:13 AM

Quote from: DrewI'll see your Canon and up you a Metaplot.

I'll call you both with setting based novels that in fact set both canon and metaplot.

flyingmice · November 13, 2007, 07:59:50 AM

Quote from: One Horse TownI'll call you both with setting based novels that in fact set both canon and metaplot.

I shoot your metaplot with my cannon.

-clash

Caesar Slaad · November 13, 2007, 09:52:02 AM

"Re-imaginings" by a new author that has this cool idea of how to "change the setting for the better".

TNE, GWd20, I am looking in your general direction.

Bradford C. Walker · November 13, 2007, 10:04:06 AM

Untouchables. I ought to be able to gank, shank and yank anything without having to bend over backwards, do a barrel roll and hit the Konami code while wailing on a guitar and defending my thesis that solves the Wandering Salesman problem.

RPGPundit · November 13, 2007, 10:29:44 AM

Quote from: WarthurMysterious patrons who hire the PCs, only to betray them later on.

Monotheistic religions that serve as a dumping ground for all of the setting designer's teenage rage against his/her parents forcing him/her to go to church.

Similarly, polytheistic, pagan Olde Faithes that work exactly like modern-day Wicca.

Fucking right on all three.

RPGPundit

LeSquide · November 13, 2007, 10:33:02 AM

Quote from: Bradford C. WalkerUntouchables. I ought to be able to gank, shank and yank anything without having to bend over backwards, do a barrel roll and hit the Konami code while wailing on a guitar and defending my thesis that solves the Wandering Salesman problem.

Do you mean classes of people who you'd get in trouble for killing (moreso than a normal person) like, say, nobles in many settings?

Or particular NPCs who have the 'not for killing' label on them?

RPGPundit · November 13, 2007, 10:56:40 AM

Quote from: LeSquideDo you mean classes of people who you'd get in trouble for killing (moreso than a normal person) like, say, nobles in many settings?

Or particular NPCs who have the 'not for killing' label on them?

I'm guessing the latter. I as a GM find these NPCs intensely annoying in published adventures, where PCs can't harm them because they're essential to the rest of the story or whatever; its even worse if the adventure specifically sets up a situation where the PCs have fight them but no matter what happens the NPCs cannot be killed or captured.

In my own homebrew games of course I never do this kind of shit; even in my historical campaigns ANY NPC is killable, assuming the PC has the power or planning to do so, and wants to bad enough (in some cases, he has to want it really, really bad).

RPGPundit

Koltar · November 13, 2007, 12:02:18 PM

Okay you guys just made me feel better by saying that. Here I was worried that my players killed the major NPC too easily a few months - but if I look at it your way , he was always killable and the time was right or just worked out that way.

My players tend to make their "lucky breaks" happen or think really well on their feet in unexpected situations.

- Ed C.

Tim · November 13, 2007, 12:05:03 PM

Stats for songbirds and house cats.

Levi Kornelsen · November 13, 2007, 12:16:08 PM

Quote from: WarthurMonotheistic religions that serve as a dumping ground for all of the setting designer's teenage rage against his/her parents forcing him/her to go to church.

Huh.

I kind of like big churches as enemies, me. Granted, in my current project, the evil superchurch doesn't actually have a god, but it's still a big (corrupt) superchurch.