Carl and I got started on our buglists yesterday. Many bugs exterminated, leaving only three for tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll be able to slip out of work early tomorrow, and head for Raleigh. I'd like to miss both the Race traffic here in Charlote, and the 5 o'clock traffic in Raleigh.
We actually gamed this week, and Pat and Khim showed up. Khim was avoiding us, since we game at the ISP where we all used to work. She went ballistic and quit a few weeks ago, and wasn't quite ready to go back. I shouldn't make fun, Khim is a fairly fragile person, still putting her life together. I like her, even if she drives me a little batty.
Gaming was a little boring for me, but that was because we've been running this combat for a couple weeks now. With Khim and Pat there for the first time in awhile, we had to get them oriented, and people kept dropping by to talk. Oh well, we'll end it soon.
Also, I find combat to be a bit boring, while players tend to enjoy it. For me, as a game master, it's a fairly mechanical process, especially when there are enough badguys to wipe the party out. I have to forcibly hold them back, and give them a chance. Well, I don't have to, the key is to give them enemies fast enought that they feel like if they don't win they'll die, but not fast enough that they actually die.
As far as character death goes, I fall into the cinematic camp, which says that it should server a purpose. Opposing this is the realism camp, which says that fighting is inherently deadly, and people, especially those pesky characters, die. If we had a stronger role-playing group, where we fought less, and role-played more, I'd move us slowly into the realism camp. Reason? The fights had better be important if they want to do them, so stupid fights will cause death. Just like real fights.
I don't feel like ranting today, it was just too good a day. I don't really want to rant as much as I have been, anyway. I spent a lot of time yesterday reading ceej's journal. I hope after nine months of doing this, mine is half as good. Either way, I think my writing skills are coming along.
I may post some of my regular writing and information on my main webpage, which still isn't designed. Real Soon Now, I promise...
Generic Joe's A Typical Male