When I first read this post, I confess that I bristled a bit, so I waited a few days before responding. On the off chance that any of this is directed in my general vicinity... I'd like to say a few things in my defense.
Hamakto wrote:
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An example: We are playing DCC and here is a rule book for you to catch up the differences between 'regular' DnD and this very cool DCC RPG. Oh, BTW ... skip chapters 2, 5, 8, part of 9 and 13 and here are supplemental rules.
I would suggest that the DCC RPG promote some rule changes, but I would suggest putting guidelines into the 'house rule' section that the changes should be minor and mainly related to character setup. Do not try modifying the core mechanics of the game without some serious consideration on how it will affect game play.
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1. All the changes that I've made are no different than the kinds of things that any DM with an established game world is going to do... for a campaign style game where the PC's will be moving through a world that is alive and vibrant. If I'd been running a "one night special" where the world outside the dungeon is irrelevant, then 90% of the stuff I've added in would not be needed; or presented to the players. Besides, I don't hold the players accountable for information coming from the "world supplement" data I've generated; this is the reason I usually stash a Bard in the Group. So they have someone to readily answer such questions, and to give me a direct voice to the characters. With Ducasters help we came up with a functional Bard class so that I could perform this otherwise simple function.
2. Of the rules that I've created for spotting, lifting, etc. those are IMO vital to the function of any RPG. When DCC RPG threw out a developed skill system they also lost some of the mechanics necessary for characters to function within and otherwise manipulate the game environment. I confess I took the opportunity to test some of the radical ideas that I've had over the years, but I don't feel that I've done anything to grossly misrepresent the DCC RPG System. Everything I've written has been subject to player approval; meaning, that if they didn't like something or weren't interested, they were given the option to ignore the material.
The only reason I am making this statement is that I would like to see the DCC RPG shine out there. If someone plays a house ruled class change and gets a bad feeling from the game, then they will tell 20 friends to avoid DCC RPG.
Remember the adage... bad news (and reviews) travel farther and faster than the good reviews. Heck the DCC RPG has not even been released and there is more bad than good about it out there on the forums.
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3. As for this last part... I can honestly say that the reason one of my players stormed off had more to do with his severe lack of interpersonal & communication skills; not the game itself. For the entirety of my game I've avoided commenting on the players and have been focusing on their characters actions, and the players questions, and ideas. There is a reason that you don't see a trail of deeds for Milo, Balinor, and Thingerlun... their player sat there at the table like a lump. In spite of coaching from me and the other players he simply couldn't grasp even the basics of the DCC System. He never even got to the stuff I added in... at least not as far as I could tell.
This is also the same player that would wait for his turn in the initiative to arrive and then stand up to go to the bathroom and then go out for a smoke. When he did take his actions it could take him 10 to 20 minutes for each... When the characters of Pat and Bob were trying to sneak their way onto the mining plateau and check for guards and such. Balinor and Milo came out from there hiding spot and started shouting questions at them...
Each time something like this would happen he'd blame it on the fact that he's mentally disabled. I believe him and we all did our very best to accommodate his needs. As a disabled person myself, I have the utmost sympathy for him and his problems, but there is only so much I and the group can do. What was really irksome was that after all we did to accommodate his needs, one of his charges against us was that we didn't care about him or his characters.
As for the complexities of running 3 characters... yah, he was probably overwhelmed, but he wouldn't let me kill them off either. Whats more, even after everything I wrote up for his PC's he actually complained that I hadn't done enough! Just because I told him I wasn't interested in doing much with Dwarves at the moment... he wasn't even using the stuff I'd already provided, and I have 3 other players who are quite interested in moving forward with the game.
I do apologize for any bad press he may generate, but I can't please everybody.
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PS: Hamakto> I think the reworked Cleric class is awesome! Props to you and the rest of the team. I admit our group was a bit sluggish in implementing it, but we like it. BTW- since my evil clerics are dedicated to Gods that have no interest in healing, I co-opted the lay on hands mechanic and gave them the ability to cause disease or cause corruptions/curses on a successful touch attack.