When I was *much* younger, my Dad used to ask me "did you win?"
when I went to friends to roleplay. I was never able to make him
understand that everyone won. I try not to make the game a contest between
myself and the players.
As for unbalanced players, make sure everyone starts off at
approximately the same level, pts, etc. It hard enough as it is to keep
all the players involved. If you let one player dominate due to the fact
that his/her character is more powerful/effective the other players will
resent it. If you get a player character that becomes to powerful retire
him, let them become NPC's, demi-gods whatever. Or let them die a glorious
death that all will remember. I try not to kill players. I long ago
stopped letting people bring in there favorite dual classed 12th level
fighter/18th level wizard with a demon arm grafter to them. JUST SAY NO!!!
I never liked my favorite character being killed or screwed with,
you understandably get attached to a character. So I don't do it to other
players.
Don't be afraid to hurt them but avoid killing them outright. If
they do something dangerous or foolhardy ( er, say crawling down a storm
pipe head first after a unknown creature) give them an out. It is harder
in some games than others. I never had a problem in pulling punches in a
fantasy game, I am more cautious in a sci-fi one.
I am not sure if that is what you mean by balanced, I worry about keeping
the story moving and all the players involved and challenged. I am am
usually in turn entertained by what the players come up with.
At 11:01 AM 2/14/00 -0600, you wrote:
>This is one that I've been thinking about for a while. How much do you
>actually care about balance? Personally, I don't care at all. If you're
>willing to kill characters off, then I guess you can say your game is
>balanced, but unless you are, the game is always tilted in the player's
>favor. Since I like to have fun and don't want to deal with pouty players
>who've just had their favorite character killed, I don't give a flip about
>making sure that they don't get too big for their britches.
>Also, if they get powerful, I have no problem coming up with powerful
>things to send against them. So, there's always some challenge; but who
>needs balance?
>
>I am at one with my duality...
>_____________________________________________
>__________
>Try Visitors(tm), a UFO RPG, at
>http://homepage.av.com/visitors
>______________________________________________________________
>
>Love is in the Air...on a 747 to Paris ... Click here to Win !!!
>http://shopping.altavista.com/vday.sdc?campid=682421084
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-- (Terry Pratchett, Carpe Jugulum)
Rolando R. Gomez
ICQ#:11947788
shadoe@kscable.com
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