Quote from: jibbajibba;754811its like crack for 9 and 10 year olds

And, I daresay, for many adults, including the ones who are creating a massive scale model of Middle Earth. All of it.

Quote from: Ladybird;754810I quit Minecraft after winning at it; I built a giant glass penis, extending to the top of the skybox, and filled it with a spiral of lava. Job done.

I love Minecraft.  I run a server for friends and family, and usually put my "public works" hat on when I play.  E.g. once built a horse barn and rounded up almost one of every color, plus the golden carrots to breed them.

But it's sadly no RPG.

Quote from: Ladybird;754810I get what you're saying, but it's a bit "guys, you're having the wrong type of fun"; at the moment it sounds like they're enjoying themselves, and that's the important thing.

These messages, if they really need to be expressed, are best expressed in-game; like, have them find someone who can make healing potions (Reasonably) quickly to order, or show them an NPC trying the direct approach to an assault and failing, or have some NPC's bicker about the relative merits of different "brands" of healing potion (They're obviously exactly the same, but it shows that they're not too uncommon).

This is actually why I asked, and I haven't done much more than nudge.

This week they attempted to apply a potion to a campfire spit in order to weaken the enemies they had snuck up on.  They're getting more creative as we go, which is awesome and makes me glad I haven't been snippy.  Though they hadn't identified it yet and all they knew was that when you sip it you gain a deathly palor.  It was invisibility from undead.  I ruled that the bandits assumed their wizard was pranking them and they started having an argument.

We're meeting in the middle.  

Quote from: mcbobbo;753403For example, when randomly generated treasure included 'dust of illusion' the party treated it as a 'red key card'.  "What does this unlock?" And "better save this for the right moment."  Their imaginations seem stunted to me.  Maybe it was always there and I just never saw it before.

Agreed that the 'what does it open' would be strange to me.

But, saving the dust of illusion for when you really need it makes a lot of sense.

Quote from: J Arcane;754797https://minecraft.net/

Big construction sandbox game with optional survival element.

Also the biggest game since World of Warcraft.

It's that block game I never realized it was so popular. I've doodled around with it a few times before.

Quote from: Bill;754823Agreed that the 'what does it open' would be strange to me.

But, saving the dust of illusion for when you really need it makes a lot of sense.

Conservation of limited resources is part of skilled play. Believing that a particular limited resource has only ONE specific use, and that you need to correctly identify the key moment in order to win the game is video game logic.

On the other hand, some kinds of puzzle solving in dungeons can be very much like this and experienced video game players might really enjoy them.

As long as players can walk away from unsolved puzzles and are not forced to hoop jump then these kinds of puzzles included in an adventure do not invalidate the sandbox nature of a campaign.

Quote from: Exploderwizard;754858Conservation of limited resources is part of skilled play. Believing that a particular limited resource has only ONE specific use, and that you need to correctly identify the key moment in order to win the game is video game logic.

On the other hand, some kinds of puzzle solving in dungeons can be very much like this and experienced video game players might really enjoy them.

As long as players can walk away from unsolved puzzles and are not forced to hoop jump then these kinds of puzzles included in an adventure do not invalidate the sandbox nature of a campaign.

I guess the 'single key' is ok if it fits the setting. Would be irritating if it was 'just because'.

As much as I love computer rpg's, I find pen and paper rpg's way more fun.

The big advantage (some might consider it a disadvantage) of pen end paper rpgs is the fact you can find another solution to the 'single key' computer rpg limitation. Kinda obvious but I do seem to see a bit of that linear computer rpg style with a few younger gamers.

Quote from: Bill;754872I guess the 'single key' is ok if it fits the setting. Would be irritating if it was 'just because'.

As much as I love computer rpg's, I find pen and paper rpg's way more fun.

The big advantage (some might consider it a disadvantage) of pen end paper rpgs is the fact you can find another solution to the 'single key' computer rpg limitation. Kinda obvious but I do seem to see a bit of that linear computer rpg style with a few younger gamers.

Bear in mind that it seems like, the situation isn't "here is some magic dust, it has one particular use, go pixelbitching", but "we have some magic dust, we think it only has one use so we'd better save it". Big difference, the players have decided this on there own, and it probably isn't true.

They're going to feel great when they eventually use it. It's going to be a big game moment for them, and with zero GM setup or work, but they're going to feel they've really got one over on mcbobbo.

It's a win/win situation all round.

Actually the video game-itus I run into is people not liking the way a situation turns out and wanting a do over or retcon.

Quote from: dragoner;754898Actually the video game-itus I run into is people not liking the way a situation turns out and wanting a do over or retcon.

Yeah, that's a recent development. Sometimes I miss the days when video games were "Nintendo hard". Sometimes I don't.

Are there any tabletop games that formalize an "extra life" retcon in a way that's recognizably video-gamey? I mean, further than reroll points and their ilk.

Quote from: Shipyard Locked;754904Yeah, that's a recent development. Sometimes I miss the days when video games were "Nintendo hard". Sometimes I don't.

Are there any tabletop games that formalize an "extra life" retcon in a way that's recognizably video-gamey? I mean, further than reroll points and their ilk.

Eclipse Phase maybe? None other that I really know of, I'll admit I haven't looked though.

Quote from: dragoner;754898Actually the video game-itus I run into is people not liking the way a situation turns out and wanting a do over or retcon.

I haven't seen that myself but the group I'm playing in told me that right before I joined there was a guy, grown man, who rage quit when he didn't get to restart at a 'save point' after failing a jump and falling off a cliff.

Quote from: Simlasa;754912I haven't seen that myself but the group I'm playing in told me that right before I joined there was a guy, grown man, who rage quit when he didn't get to restart at a 'save point' after failing a jump and falling off a cliff.

So I guess it is a thing. First time I was hit with it, I was like, 'wait what'? There are no do overs.

Quote from: dragoner;754915So I guess it is a thing. First time I was hit with it, I was like, 'wait what'? There are no do overs.

I suppose I head that off at the pass.  "Are you SURE you want to do that?  You're probably going to have to roll up a new character if you do."

Quote from: Simlasa;754912. . . [T]he group I'm playing in told me that right before I joined there was a guy, grown man, who rage quit when he didn't get to restart at a 'save point' after failing a jump and falling off a cliff.

:banghead:

Quote from: mcbobbo;754917I suppose I head that off at the pass.  "Are you SURE you want to do that?  You're probably going to have to roll up a new character if you do."

I usually give warning, but the times I've tried to pull punches and be nice, it has backfired. Instead, actions have consequences, so don't be surprised when the marines roll in after you threaten to gun down some Imperial Navy Investigators at a Naval Base. It is somewhat disheartening to just throw a tpk at them though, I would at least give them the chance to surrender.