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From: holt@convexs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Re: RE2:multiple characters
Message-ID: <15300007@convexs>
Date: Wed, 15-Jan-86 11:18:00 EST
Article-I.D.: convexs.15300007
Posted: Wed Jan 15 11:18:00 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 17-Jan-86 07:01:06 EST
References: <688@ihlts.UUCP>
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Nf-ID: #R:ihlts.UUCP:688:convexs:15300007:000:2864
Nf-From: convexs.UUCP!holt    Jan 15 10:18:00 1986


1. Let's all remember that this group has remained relatively clear of 
this kind of clutter (name calling, personal abuse) in the past, and 
as such has been an enjoyable notes group.

2. Elfstone stuff.  Please move it to net.games.frp.pbm or whatever group
exists for pbm stuff.  Reasons have been well stated by others in this
group.

Name calling and personal abuse aside, there are merits in both styles of
play being talked about.  Jim Gardner wrote an interesting entry questioning
whether people like to campaigns tailor suited to the characters by
the GM, or whether they like to campaigns of a more general nature - my
response:

PERSONAL OPINION: (not a put-down of others)
I must say that I like a combination of both.  I like "role playing", that
is, building an identity for my character and relating to other characters
in the game (npc or pc) in the role of that character.  But, I don't like
having the universe that is the game, revolve around the character group.  It
doesn't make sense to me.  There should be much going on in the world that
is not related to the character group.  This should be thought out by the
GM, and from time to time, the character group should become aware of some
part of it.  This allows the character group some free will in determining
their future.  Maybe the character group will decide to investigate some
extraneous campaign event, maybe not.  If the GM always has the future laid 
out for us, then things are somewhat dull.  I also like the challenge of 
situations where if my character really messes up, then he dies.  If I know 
that things will always be a cakewalk, where's the fun?  However, encouraging
characters to develope personality, and players to role play those
personalities is very important.  Those aspects of a situation which allow
a PC to become personally involved should not be skipped because it's
"not exciting", or "we're wasting time, let's go kill monsters".

On the subject of multiple characters per player:  I think people have a
difficult time ROLE PLAYING more than one character.  That does not mean
that some people can't do it.  It just means that people get confused about
which persona is attached to which character, and what the relationship 
between the two characters is.  However, multiple characters are nice in
situations when the role-playing aspects aren't as important as the tactical
aspects: battle, exploring, etc.  In these situations, it's nice to treat
additional characters as "henchmen".  They aren't PCs.  This way the above
problems don't creap in.  If there is a chance for a "henchman" to steal
something from the party, and he/she is inclined to such activity, then
the GM can have them do it without a player's knowledge (or some other 
similar action).

			Dave Holt
			Convex Computer Corp.
			{allegra,ihnp4,uiucdcs,ctvax}!convex!convexs!holt