Lessons from Khalistar.

It's happened several times now. Whether we're just reminiscing over the 'good old days' or having some drinks over barbecue - the topic has cropped up repeatedly and relentlessly. Now and then you'll pick up on the word "Khalistar" being thrown around. It sounds like some variant of Cali Shandy (Kali Star! - now there's a drink name). But the truth is much more lowkey than most people realize.

Khalistar - It's the name of a campaign that my group just can't stop talking about. It's an old campaign, I would have to struggle to remember or resort to looking up my 'crib notes' to give you any concrete details about it. But the fact remains the same - my players remember it fondly.

Normally, I'd just dismiss it as a fond 'pat on the back' kind of thing. But the comment has been echoing now for a good year or two. "Khalistar this--- Khalistar that". 

I've thought about Khalistar a fair bit since then. Usually along the lines of "What made that specific campaign great?" What about it stands out clearer than all my other games? The answer I've arrived at is nothing short of 'eye-opening'. 

I'll list them down here- and how impactful I believe they are to its memory.

The Player Characters were unique, certainly. A stoic, amnesiac soldier who's memory is not the most reliable. An alchemist obsessed with finding a solution afflicting his wife-turned-vampire villain. A classic displaced dwarven clansman out to make a name for himself and reclaim their ancestral home (sue me). A smuggler who moonlights as an assassin (or an assassin moonlighting as a smuggler?) who secretly funds a city orphanage - out of the goodness of his dark heart. And a monk that discovers he likes cooking as much as he loves adventuring. And a brilliant young mage, who happens to be named after our most used spice. Is this the most unique line up I've ever had? It's one of the better ones, yeah, but the best? Hardly.  Still not convinced this is it. 6/10

Well-defined supporting characters. The player characters were fleshed out the usual way,  but given a specific 'niche' story to fill out their place in 'the world'.  The NPC's were cast from the same mold - I honestly thought they were only slightly better than the usual character tropes - 'tragic noble' with an 'idealistic, gentle daughter' - guarded by a 'shadowy female warrior with a past'. I guess each one had a voice, completely distinct from each other, and motivations to drive them. But - is it really what makes it stand distinct from my other games? Not really. I'm not convinced this is the only time this was present. So not the NPC's. 3/10

Villains? I wish. A dream-walking Green beast. 2 Rounds. Dead. 4 Sessions build up, down the drain. Darkharrow? He's a renamed copy of Faerun's Manshoon. Boring. 1/10

Setting? Hardly, some generic town, located to some generic cliff, located near some tunnels that lead to some generic *cough* drow *cough* cities. 0/10

Story? I was spit-balling... correction. I've always been spit-balling my weekend games. I've made more story mistakes in this game, and enough retcons to make Fox studios blush (Fantastic Four, anyone?). I admit, it has its upsides - but was it significantly better than my other campaigns? No. Not it. 4/10.

So what is it? What is the magic ingredient that made this stand out over the others?

Ok. This part - you gotta promise you will read through - because this is important stuff. When you read the first part, you'll be tempted to walk away and say "bullshit". But hear me out, you have to listen to it in full, and I promise it will make sense.

The Players. No, hold on. You said you'd give me a chance... so chill. I repeat... "the players". The DM/GM is indeed responsible for a lot of things that go wrong and right in a game - especially a campaign. But he is only one person - the rest has to fall to the rest of the cast - the players themselves.

• They were fans of their characters - and each other. Looking at it now, it seemed so obvious. Back in the day, they listened to each other and paid attention to every detail, every nuance. They not only used the details of their characters, but they also lived off of it. They didn't laugh at other player characters misfortunes, they lived to correct it. Or to avenge, if the careful way didn't work.
• They were focused on the game. As much as it is true that DM's shouldn't play on a particularly bad day that sets off their dark moods, the same is also true for gaming groups. While it is recuperative to hang out with your friends and leave your troubles behind - it is also doubly disastrous if you aren't able to. My players got enough troubles amongst themselves it made me think of getting a Ph.D. in Psychiatry and making money off of "counseling" them.
• They made way for each other. There were no drama queens or spotlight hogs in that game (well, most of the time) since they were equally as invested in other players stories as much as they were invested in theirs. 

So what should your takeaway be? What should be done to bring my current game to "Khalistar" level? If I were to put it into paper, it would look something like this.

Play characters that you are a genuine fan of.

Play with people and characters that you genuinely like.

Leave your problems at the doorstep. You can pick them up on your way out.

Respect your time and each other's time.

Be fully here for your story, and theirs.

This is getting a bit long, so I'll expound on these in part 2.

My players will probably have a lot to say - and truth be told, I know that talking about this is surely not helping them wean off their times away from Ashford and Il'Ebben.

For the meantime, I'd appreciate your comments or feedback. I know, I know, this blog is long dead. But hey, what's the use of Lichdom if you can't resurrect stuff every now and then.

Until then...

Roll High!

DMKnight

PC Game: Torchlight

PC Gamers have a new button-mashing-click-fest game! And it's a good one at that. Runic Games' very own 'Torchlight'.










Pros:

• Learning Curve is low. If you've played Blizzard's Diablo series, then you don't have to unlearn anything at all. In fact, almost everything is the same... except it is executed with style. Identify Scrolls, Waypoints, Town Portals, item sets, skilltree system, etc.
  

• Pet assist! Your pet (a tough looking dog, or cat) fights along side you. Heck, it even has it's own inventory, limited item slots for accessories, and its own spell slots. Yes, it can learn practically anything. This little 'arf arf' could send a fireball at enemies. It can also pick up items on your behalf, take frontline, or 'defend' mode... and even sell items for you! This one feature I like. Along the way, you will also see 'fishing pools' to .... well ... err.... you know.. fish. Apparently, fish is better than gatorade in this game since it can grant your pet various power ups, or transformations, albeit for a limited time.

• Enchant! Before throwing your gear away you might want to consider just enchanting it. Its not that expensive, and it saves you the hassle of grinding for equips.

• Music is topnotch. Diablo series music guru Matt Uelman composed the scores used in this game. Nuff said.
  

Cons:

Obviously, a game like this is bound to have CONS. But surprisingly, its not a lot of things that I have a gripe with.

• Single Player. Yeah... bummer, right? But I believe they have an MMO project already in the works for this.
  

• Enchant System. While its a pro... its also a CON since it can be abused. While there is also a very slim chance of failing (and if you're really unlucky, have all attributes disenchanted!)... it is not enough to balance out it's ridiculous success ratio. Me thinks this will be remedied in future patches.
  

• LARGE MAPS! Even with the aid of a minimap, it still is a freaking large walk... specially true in the goblin area, and dwarven undercities.

• rPG. Yes, the R in RPG, takes a backseat in this game. No, wait... it's actually non-existent. Don't expect multiple response options, or plot depth. It's as subtle as a cat's intentions towards your goldfish.

• 3 Characters. Much like Diablo I, you have an option of playing 3 characters, Destroyer aka. Warrior, Vanquisher aka. Rogue, and the Alchemist aka. Wizard/Summoner/Druid. All classes share a couple of skills, some get it earlier than most. Among the common skills are Crit rate increase, armor mastery, and 'adventurer' skills. There are a couple builds possible for each, but don't expect to be dazzled by it. Though the builds are good, it doesn't have a lot of variety.
  

Final Judgment: Excellent game. Worth playing... for a week or so. But don't expect to play it for 50+ hours.

Here's a teaser of the Vanquisher class (the one I'm currently handling now).



Cheers! And have fun playing!

Mood: Bring it!
Listening to: 'Canon' Rock, by Funtwo.

Yet Another Edition of DND.

Old news really. But somehow I've got nowhere else to write about it but here.

I have just reviewed the 'preview' book for 4e: Races and Classes, and after spending a good hour reading its 90 pages, I couldn't help but be in awe.


In awe for the daunting work Wizards of the Coast must have put into making it... in awe, because yet again, I have to relearn the game which taught me to dream, and create.

Well, it's been a decade since 3rd Edition first hit the printers, now another one looms on the horizon. It will be this June, that geekdom will then again receive its new RPG.

Naysayers, and it's faithful have gone on a fullscale debate whether the game will rock... or suck. Who's to say really, no one will ever be able to determine the outcome of the product until it is right in our hands.

If I must take sides about this, I must say that I have been playing this game long enough to admit, that WotC's acquisition of TSR's rights over DND was the best thing that happened to the game. Whether we like it or not, the reason why TSR didn't fare so well is because it didn't know how to market the game!

I remember many years ago, before PC Rpg made its debut... I remember playing DND. And it was so hard to teach new people the game. Hard enough to remain in obscurity.

With 4e just around the corner, WotC has let go of a promise:

The game will still use the d20 System.
There will be an SRD.
Faster gameplay.
Each level will have equally meaningful options. No more dead levels.
Simplified game system. Yes, you're still rolling a d20, but the rules behind it will be much more simpler.
The rules will be simpler, and DM'ng preptime will be decreased.
Classes will now have equal opportunity at options. Combat for fighters in 3e, were not much different than any other encounter. "Power Attack, Whirlwind Attack, or Spring Attack".
'Feats' will retain its usefulness throughout the levels of your character.




What I like about 4e's premise is the goal of cutting down prep time for the DM. God knows the Dm could use some 'free' time for other things... oh, I don't know... Real Life, maybe?


As of now, WotC is still showing previews on their webpage. To the non-geeks, the website is here.


And to close this off, I took the liberty to add in WotC's 4e Teaser.

And yes, he's a French Geek. And NO, I don't want his babies.



Enjoy.

Another Blog...

What the hey... I figured I already tried writing, I might as well get into the IT thing where every nerd would eventually find himself doing...

Blogging..

I do have a sorry-excuse-of-a-blog already but somehow I found the space somewhat stiffling. A bit too compact... the space on that service made me a bit claustrophobic.

Nerds: an unstylish, unattractive, or socially inept person; especially : one slavishly devoted to intellectual or academic pursuits

I don't know about the 'inept' part, but I think I have the other things down to an art. Ha!

It will be my aim, to torture you, my readers with a somewhat regular stream of half-baked opinions about the world, biased interpretations of world events (whoever THINKS they are unbiased are only fooling themselves), and lots of geekiness on the side.