Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site brl-tgr.ARPA Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!brl-tgr!jeffh From: jeffh@brl-tgr.ARPA (the Shadow) Newsgroups: net.games.frp Subject: Re: MERP Criticals Message-ID: <187@brl-tgr.ARPA> Date: Fri, 26-Jul-85 09:54:20 EDT Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.187 Posted: Fri Jul 26 09:54:20 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 28-Jul-85 04:03:14 EDT References: <161@ukc.UUCP> <500@mmintl.UUCP> Organization: only the Shadow knows Lines: 36 > > I have been playing MERP (Middle Earth Role Playing) for a short > >time now [...] > > After playing it I find there are *too* many criticals. > > This is all too typical of such rules, and reflects a lack of understanding > of probability ... They main question here is one of playability. In a real sword fight, one would see a lot of parrying and blocking, which takes up long time without inflicting any damage. This reflects a real person's emphasis on staying undamaged rather than a gamer's em- phasis on inflicting maximum damage. To role play all that time consuming survival interest would be BORING, so game designers compress it as much as possible. Probability is thrown out the window so the game won't be. > The problem there isn't that it is unrealistic to hit oneself [or anyone] > for max damage, but that it happens much too often. This applies to weapons > breakage, as well. Most real sword fights end with a deadly lunge (or slash, or smash) at a (pardon me) critical moment. I think the ICE system (parent to MERP) reflects that reality better than most systems. > Fixing such problems depends on the system. As you can tell, I don't percieve it as a problem. If you don't want to suffer from too many criticals, don't fight anything bigger than you, or make sure you have a couple of good healers in your party. "In times of crisis it is of utmost importance not to lose one's head." -M. Antoinette the Shadow ARPA: UUCP: {seismo,decvax}!brl!jeffh