Players: What do you want out of The One Ring?

[zedturtle]

1 - Interacting with the world, visiting places - Yes. I live on the remains (2.5 acres) of a 19th century farmstead (once 325 acres) in the middle of what is now a bustling suburb of a fairly large city (Pittsburgh, PA, USA) and although we have dark enough skies to see some stars at night, I've only ever seen the Milky Way a few times. There are virtually no vast uninhabited spaces left on our planet now, so few places where the handprint of Man is not in evidence. I relish the opportunity to wander Middle Earth in my imagination, exploring plains, rolling hills, streams, fells, mountains, ravines, and rivers for days without meeting another speaking being or seeing an artificial light.

Awesome stuff all around, but I wanted to call this out... I've had the privilege of visiting Pittsburgh a couple years ago and had an awesome time all the way round. This was due to a large variety of factors, but I just wanted to let you know that I really enjoyed my time there.

[mirdanis]

Awesome stuff all around, but I wanted to call this out... I've had the privilege of visiting Pittsburgh a couple years ago and had an awesome time all the way round. This was due to a large variety of factors, but I just wanted to let you know that I really enjoyed my time there.

Thanks, Zed! The days of being ashamed to admit that one is from Pittsburgh are now past. Our city is friendly, diverse, affordable, much cleaner than it used to be, comparatively egalitarian, surprisingly green, and rapidly becoming a foodie destination. There's also a vibrant gamer culture, from tabletop to pinball. Pittsburgh boasts the country's only known blind game store owner, Phil Glotfelty at Game Masters, where I first discovered and played The One Ring.

[Kurt]

For me, a good RPG is about re-creating and retelling the Great Myth. (big Joseph Campbell fan here).

Mythology is the art of making complex truths simple. When my buddies and I get together to play RPGs (or when I write something for Huff under Zed's banner), we are all co-opting into the retelling of the Great Myth. Playing a role-playing game, we are part of a ritual that upholds 'a' truth of our world, whether the details of that story are the theme of love/courage conquers all, or sacrifices must be made, or strength & skill do not come without hard work, or it's a dangerous business going out your front door, or roads go ever ever on, or this shadow is just a passing thing. And when that's being done well, I think everyone is drawn in by it, and benefits from it.

I like the comment above.

The best outcome for me would be for the games I run to not only be wonderful exciting adventures, but also be a discovery in humanism for the players. To make moraly difficult choices at a time of war, to question what it means to love, to have compassion, to know fear and conquer it, to discover what is important to the heros and challenge that over the course of their journey. All of these things are independant of game mechanics of course, however Middle Earth provides a rich background for bringing out these elements. The story that the players discover and create, the relationship that the players have with their heroes as they grow and the heroes interaction in the world is what's important to me.

Cheers,
Kurt

[Kurt]

When you play The One Ring are you:

• Wanting to interact with the world (visit places, regardless of whether or not 'anyone' is there)?
• Wanting to interact with the famous people of the world (do you want to hold forth with Gandalf, bandy words with Saruman, try to impress the Elf King, etc.)?
• Wanting to interact with the 'little people' of the world (do you care what the name of Barliman's grandfather was? Are you curious about how Beorn gets his honey? About the trade imbalances in Lake-town)?
• Wanting to engage the Enemy (maybe not directly, but fighting Orcs or worse)?
• Wanting to solve mysteries (figuring out how things came to be, or what's going on with that shady guy in the corner)?

Hi Zed, the answer that I gave above was a little generic and didn't address your initial question. From the list that you provided I like the ones that are listed above. If I had to put them in order it would be as follows.

1. Wanting to solve mysteries
2. Wanting to interact with the 'little people' of the world
3. Wanting to interact with the world
4. Wanting to engage the Enemy (particularly if there is a reoccurring enemy and the heroes can learn his/her tactics and personality)
5. Wanting to interact with the famous people of the world.

Cheers,
Kurt

[zedturtle]

Cool! Were there other ones that came to mind that weren't on my list?

- - - - -

I like running mysteries, but they rarely seem to work out the way I expect them to... maybe someday.

[Kurt]

Hi Zed,

There aren't any other new things that come to mind, your list was quite comprehensive. Did you want to have the view on these items for your next adventure? or are you looking to write some other house-rules materials?

I really did like the 'Wanting to interact with the 'little people' of the world'. I think these kind of encounters provide life to the world as the heroes get to interact with all kinds of personalities and not impact Tolkien lore. Constant interaction with significant characters (Gandalf, Elrond etc) may impact the feel of the game if these amazing personalities are not played correctly. I'd like to keep interaction with major characters limited and therefore a special and treasured experience.

It's a good list

Cheers,
Kurt

[zedturtle]

It's mostly kind of a checklist, a way to think about different things that an adventure/a session needs.

Sooner or later, the ideas will be integrated into Heart of Winter, once I convince myself to finish writing it up.

[Feanor]

Ill add just one. The correlation between the history and the present for the characters. History repeats itself. And sometimes one manages to recreate old epicness or create new.

So that ones character feels connected to the world and its history. I think thats VERY important.

[zedturtle]

Ill add just one. The correlation between the history and the present for the characters. History repeats itself. And sometimes one manages to recreate old epicness or create new.

So that ones character feels connected to the world and its history. I think thats VERY important.

Awesome! Thank you.