new series coming :P

[Ark]

Aside from Arks threads of tough love and abuse that mostly consists of perceived problems with the rules/mechanics/systems of the game (no game is perfect and all we can do is fail faster) and suggest alternatives/fixes for those problems. I will be doing a second series of threads.

The reason for this is that I was told by friends/family/staff that I am designing builds for a game that no longer exists. most of my builds focus heavily on avoiding PVP and stacking the odds in your favor at all times, so that your never completely without options. I design by making a build that is awesome within the system instead of awesome within the game (there is a difference and I will explain later)

Until this time I have refused to post anything like this because I am very paranoid and don't want to give out all my secrets and make other players characters better (and I still wont, there are a few things I will never disclose because I feel there awesome and divulging them will cause them to be reworked. . .it would be just my luck that things I want fixed will remain overlooked and ignored, and thing I don't want fix get priority and urgent reworks)

game vs system:
this is something overlooked fairly often when it comes to rules, this is because the environment is very rarely taken into account when designing rules (because it changes and is hard to quantify mathematically, this is often referred to in many other games as the "meta" this stands for the metagame that is described as: any strategy, action or method used in a game which transcends a prescribed ruleset, uses external factors to affect the game, or goes beyond the supposed limits or environment set by the game. Another definition refers to the game universe outside of the game itself. what does that mean? many things influence the game, the players, the environment (cave vs field) the monsters we fight (lots of low soak vs a few massive soak) the number of npc', the weather, etc. this changes the mechanical balance of the system (and why rogues are OP, its because of the current FH meta)

min maxing:
this is something most people associate with only a few individuals or people, referring to so and so as a "min maxer" this is kind of silly, as everyone min maxes for something, when you come up with a character concept you min max for that concept, if your playing a mage you pick skills that are going to make you a mage. if you want to play a pirate your going to min max your skills to fit the concept.

but I digress from my original point

why am I finally posting this stuff now? because I feel that maybe it will help or influence at least one person when they create their next character. its always good to have information on what skills are considered good or bad and possible tips and tricks within the system to help you do better. Also I can only post what I know, so if anyone else knows something in particular about specific skills, tips, or tricks, feel free to post them as I would love to learn more as well

so coming up soon: Arks thread of tips and tricks: #1 to be announced

<3 Ark

[Kaylan Chargeender]

I design by making a build that is awesome within the system instead of awesome within the game (there is a difference and I will explain later)

"By Jove! I think he's got it!!!!!!"

*passes out

metagame that is described as:

not sure what your basing your definition off of, but the definition is using OOG information to make IG decision, direct IG actions, or gain IG advantage....in broad strokes.

this is kind of silly, as everyone min maxes for something

Not true. While its not uncommon to have a player base his or her PCs skill purchases off of what the mechanics has to offer, as opposed to what he or she has seen or heard of in the world, that can be white washed a bit by taking the amount of IG time a PC has compared to what they would have if the game world were real. In a "real" world the PC would likely be exposed to many things/skills/powers that he/she isn't during the weekend events; for that reason a player basing the PCs decision off the mechanics, as opposed to PC IG knowledge, can be chalked up to the same suspension of disbelief that allows the game world to exist for a few weekends a year.

Also, not every PC ends up with skills ONLY useful for their IG "role". Kaylan has a few skills that are fairly useless to a front line fighter. He has them because they fit his origin, life path, and also his current IG duties. BUT, basing your build just off what maximizes the PCs potency, it is an easy RP faux pas for any player to make.

[Ark]

I copy pasted my definition of metagame off of Wikipedia, so HA! go tell them there wrong. but I agree your definition works too.

and hey I never said what I was doing was a bad thing, it was just unnecessarily paranoid for a metagame that does not exist anymore (heavy PVP focus with emphasis on getting ganked by NPC's hiding on the trails) my builds are designed to avoid and get away from this so that you always have the initiative. this is fairly unnecessary in the current metagame. (little to no PVP with very few assassin like or wandering monsters at night, much more PVE) that does not mean I wont still build for it, I am paranoid, its just not the same game

and you proved my point on min maxing with your last bit on Kaylan, you had a concept, backstory, and history, you built your character around that, picking skills that fit the concept, and avoiding the skills that did not (min maxing) I really think the only way to avoid min maxing would be to pick your skills at random or have someone else do it

[Kaylan Chargeender]

I copy pasted my definition of metagame off of Wikipedia, so HA! go tell them there wrong. but I agree your definition works too.

Riiiiight...cause that's almost like a reliable source of info....

and hey I never said what I was doing was a bad thing, it was just unnecessarily paranoid for a metagame that does not exist anymore

"You Keep Using That Word, I Do Not Think It Means What You Think It Means ..."

The oldest and truest meaning is playing your PC like THEY know its a game, and have information they can only have based on that; even to the extent of reverse engineering the in game discovery of that information.

my builds are designed to avoid and get away from this so that you always have the initiative. this is fairly unnecessary in the current metagame. (little to no PVP with very few assassin like or wandering monsters at night, much more PVE) that does not mean I wont still build for it, I am paranoid, its just not the same game

While I understand the point your trying to make about how you used to/do build as opposed to how you intend to in the future and the reasons for both. You are using the term wrong, its a type of cheating. It may have been incorrectly applied to some sort of game world over view theory, but its not correct.

Also, building your PC for PVP or choosing to NOT build for that are both...non role playing decisions. The only correct way to build a Pc from a RP perspective is to create the life story of the PC and take the skills that "person" would chose as they walked that path, even if they aren't the most EFFICIENT for the overall skillset that PC possesses.

Le Sigh...i almost thought you had it.......soon my young padawan...soon

and you proved my point on min maxing with your last bit on Kaylan, you had a concept, backstory, and history, you built your character around that, picking skills that fit the concept, and avoiding the skills that did not (min maxing)

uhm...that's NOT min/maxing...it is in fact the opposite of min/maxing. If I was min/maxing Kaylan I would have no skill that wasnt combat related. In the same way I would leave out combat skills from a PC created to manage holdings and generate income.

[Grimm]

*sigh* Brian... are you even at ALL capable of NOT replying to something in an argumentative manner?

You DO know, don't you, that you have driven away basically the ENTIRE community? That NO ONE will post because of this... your conduct in regards to ANY post that goes up?

This is unhelpful and toxic... and I am sick of what you have done to this forum. Not because Ark is my brother... but as someone who used to LOVE this forum as a place for community and has seen everyone driven away because of your toxicity.

[Kaylan Chargeender]

Yet oddly others HAVE posted on a thread where you brother an I are debating and bantering. I thin its YOU that has been chased away, and feel a need to say EVERYONE to give your point some validity.

I've spoken to your brother about this...in person. seems YOU are the one with the issue, since he hasnt said a thing. If you dont like what I post, dont read em.