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From: bhv@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Bronis Vidugiris)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games,rec.games.misc
Subject: Re: RPG opinions (was Re: Programmer...)
Message-ID: <1990Nov08.010549.20257@ddsw1.MCS.COM>
Date: 8 Nov 90 01:05:49 GMT
References: <(cross-listed> <to> <rec.games.misc)misc)@rec.games.UUCP> <1990Nov3.234058.23166@magnus.ircc.ohio-state.edu>
Reply-To: bhv@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Bronis Vidugiris)
Organization: ddsw1.MCS.COM Contributor, Wheeling, IL
Lines: 52

In article <1990Nov3.234058.23166@magnus.ircc.ohio-state.edu> smsmith@hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu (Stephen M. Smith) writes:
)This is being cross-listed to rec.games.misc.  Let's try to keep
)this discussion on the *design* of a game, *not* the system which
)it runs on, OK?
)
)Patrick Jost <jost@coyote.trw.com> says:
)
)>Here are some of my "gripes" with most adventure games, and possible solutions
)>for what I'd consider better games:

)I agree!  Here's another one for all you gamers out there:  
)What about the whole concept of *hit points*?  Now just think about
)that for a second.  "Hit points"?  We're so used to thinking in 
)those terms we can't see how absurd this idea is.  When you're
)dealing with computers of course one must reduce everything about
)a character to bits and bytes, but why be so bloody obvious about
)it?  Or *at least* have the character be *wounded* if he's lost a
)few "hit points"!  Your character could have 100 HP and be down to
)his very last HP (1 HP) and still be fighting like nothing is wrong.
)Stupid. 
)
Runequest (a non-computer FRP game) has a very good fixed hitpoint system 
which avoids this problem.  The only drawback is that even a very experienced
character can be killed in one blow by a lucky shot.  This is probably
realistic, but it's not very dramatic.

Hit points were fixed from the start, based mostly on constitution and
size, and were subdivided into specific locations.  The system would cover
incapacitated and totally severed limbs.  A severed result for a vital
area like the head would mean instant death.  

The original Runequest had a pretty good magic system which was not
excessively powerful (at least the battle-magic spells were not - the rune
magic spells might be a little on the strong side).  I'm not sure what these
are callled in the new Avalon Hill version, which has everything under the
sun as far as magic goes - but a typical spell would be bladesharp, which
would give edged weapons an extra hit probability and damage, or a
protection spell which would add a small amount of extra armor protection.
Direct damage spells were rare - though there was a befuddle (confusion), a
'hold person' equivalent (harmonize - by its nature only usable on one person
unlike the DD variety), and a 'disrupt' - one target SMALL direct damage.

Runequest also had a skill based system, and one didn't pick and
choose what skills one got better in, but improved them through direct
practice (with possible assist through expensive training - but training
would require improvement through direct personal experience after a point).

Its a very nice system - the only drawback to it is that the
characters generated are more or less human, not demi-gods.
[This may be an advantage - but I think that the demi-god
nature of many of the popular game system meets some
dramatic and psych needs].