Improvising > planning any day
I hate to say it, but I
completely disagree. With my experience, improvising results in a lot of players getting unequal treatment and thus, a lot of knotted panties. People get sticks up their ass as soon as this "improvising" thing is implemented. If I say to you, "sure make this magical spell that change this and that" and then another player pitches it and I say "Naw, doesn't make as much sense for your race" then all of a sudden the GM is a biased jerk.
Planning and organization and pre-made rules save GM's asses from the plethora of players who like to whine.
Now, as for my formal response on all that chat:
To @Karakui :
I understand where you're coming from. I'm a biology and religious studies major and in my main roleplay, I'm incredibly anal about magic making reasonable, scientific sense. My dragons can't make magic fire, they have a system of methane producing gut bacteria in a flame sac that provide fuel which is ignited by a spark plate on the back of their throats which is struck with a bony spike on the back of their tongue. The mana is what fuels their existence, but the mana that can't be explained by science is explained by logics which align with ingame mechanics. In my other RP, I don't allow the creation of random species of animals because they have to make sense and most people don't make species that make sense. They say "Because Magic." I don't make a map that has a random cluster of trees and deserts all clumped together because that doesn't make sense to me. Do I understand plate tectonics and geology to the extent that you do? No. And in the long run, does that really matter? Nope.
So just keep in mind that I am inclined to agree with you naturally, but for the sake of this RP, that kind of thinking is a hindrance more than anything.
To everyone:
In this roleplay,
I have given players freedom. It is
not a gm constructed world filled with gm constructed races and mechanics. You all, as players, have the right to make things that don't make sense. BUT, you also have the responsibility to make them make sense in a world of magic. Does a mountain on an island make sense unless its a volcano. No. But frankly, that doesn't matter. Because in a
world of magic, all I have to do is say "Long ago, there was a race of giant burrowing worms that piled all their excess dirt off the coast and over time it formed a mound, which began an island. Then a bunch of earth Shamans came along and say "Let's make this a sacred mountain." And they made it a mountain. So now, all talk of geography and volcanoes and collision courses is officially void. "Because Magic", but also "Because Shamans and Giant Worms."
The world will work as such:
Anything goes. But you have to explain it to me in respect to the world we're all creating together.
That being said:
Not everything goes.
No you can't make an OP race with all the resources and all the everythings. And that's
me having the right as a GM to moderate and decide when enough is enough.
Everyone gets the right to have fun and have creative freedom. If you don't agree with something, either PM it to me, or keep it to yourself because
if you don't agree, that doesn't mean that its not allowed, that just means that you have an opinion and that's that. The point of this roleplay is to have fun and be creative and if you have a RL 'anal-for-details' tendency, then just be aware of the fact that this whole RP might be nails on a chalkboard for you. I know there are things that already have annoyed me but I keep my mouth shut because I ask myself:
does this actually matter? Or am I just being a fantasy nazi? And most times the answer is: no, it doesn't actually matter. So I just leave it. And that's hard sometimes but its necessary for these kinds of RP's.
I hope you all take on this attitude and pick your fights.
So, in conclusion:
Never hestitate to discuss your concerns and issues with me, but do it via PM for things like "I don't like your mountain," or "I don't like that fairy's wing color." Do not go stomping around the OOC with a text book and calliper saying this doesn't make sense on an earth-mechanic level. Because its not going to, and never will. :) Hence the "Fantasy Roleplay" section.
Now, in regard to the resource expenditure thing:
The way I'm running this roleplay is as such:
1. There
will be a list of costs. Premade. This makes it the same for everyone and no one can complain when something comes up and they want special treatment.
2. That list will be fairly general, but it will be specific enough that I won't have to deal with angry players calling "unfair treatment!"
3. I, and hopefully a co-GM, will be keeping track of the number of resources available over all. Each month, my land will get 39 total resources. If 20 are used, then 19 go on to the stores. That is a part of the system. I will also be distributing a base number of resources to get us all started.
4. Your job as players is to be clear on what trades and building projects you'rs doing. YOU need to make the spending clear, I will collect the spending and balance it with your income.
5.You all need to have a say in the making of the cost list (however specific or general its going to be) because I don't know all the races and so I can't say what all i needed.
Have I missed anything to speak on?
