Your Path: was Re: [dragon] Lost & Found

[Eric Jacobson]

<SNIP INTERESTING IF IRRELEVANT NON-CANNON STORY POINTS>

Sorry if others have already responded in kind.  Packing, laundry and deck
playtesting before Gencon are taking up too much time for me to possibly get
through all messages before responding to this one.

> That asside, I think people get a bit run away with loyalties within the
> game. The first and foremost thing to remember is that it is a game and
the
> goal is to have fun. When a bunch of kids get together to play cops and
> robbers they quickly find out that not everyone can wear the white hats
> otherwise it's pretty pointless. They always has to be a few black hats to
> catch.
>

A game, yes.  But a game with a story as part of the game.  There is a
reason they refer to honor in all the story materials.  It's kind of
important in the culture of the story.  And there is entirely too little
going around today.  This sort of sentiment you are posting stems from the
sorry, mistaken assumption that all points of view have equal validity.
They do not.  We all get to walk our own path, but there are consequences
for every decision.  The story team is there to provide the black hats to
catch.

> AEG won't have the rokugan destroyed due to corrupt wins, just as they
won't
> kill off all the villians/horde due to pure wins, it'd cause everyone to
> wear the same hat driving players give up on the game. What they may do is
> make the setting darker for a time or taint a lead character, but that
makes
> the long term win of the heroes that much greater once it resolves.
>

You ignore the fact that there are different color hats.  I, myself, like to
wear a green one, thank you very much.  There are also Red ones, powder-blue
ones, dark blue ones, purple ones, and even yellow ones.  And you're
ignoring the fact that while Rokugan may be around, how would you like to be
a ronin with no Dragon clan to belong to?  Ask the Phoenix how fun the Jade
arc was (before that crazy HE stronghold.  ignore that... ; )

> The fiction may be painting a dark picture, but just like every classic
tale
> it ends with the heroes winning. Great events of death, sacrifice, and
> tradgedy are the way a hero is tempered, and what drives the story. People
> have to wear both hats for the game to move forward and the people at AEG
> certainly respect that, so don't get caught up in having to wear white
hats
> all the time, and most of have fun because afterall it's a game  :)
>

What happens if the heros supposed to win lose to the people who wear black
hats for prizes?  I agree, have fun.  That will be my focus this weekend.
When you start putting up prizes to influence the story and then mock those
of us who care by saying, "It's just a game" you are insulting our
intelligence and our honor.  I may not be the best player, but I will show
up, and I will represent my clan with honor.  I will NOT bow down to
corruption and let it win before I even take the field.

> That said I always look forward to seeing Puck at the con, and gaming with
> my fellow dragon players regardless of which hat they wear :)

Here! Here!  Play well and if my words have any impact at all, with honor!

Hitomi Jaek
Dragon Clan Seeker of Thunder * Shugenja * Tattooed Comedian

"So, who's the guy who said Fu Leng was coming back???"