An attempt at betterment

M

Maxondaerth

Squire
I'm sending out this plea to all my fellow players in an attempt to take a very small measure that I think would improve our IG atmosphere, and even though it's a very small improvement, it is so very easily done and I hope starting people thinking about it will inspire people to find other small changes that will eventually add up to a big grand total. The small change I'm asking people to try to make today is the usage of the term "Dagger Blows" IG when trying to describe damage, whether it's the amount something does or the amount a suit of armor is worth. It sounds rediculous, it's not accurate (who's swinging the dagger?), and it is such an obvious "I'm using a clever pseudo-term to impart OOG info IG" way of going about it it grates on my nerves every time I hear it. There's so many better ways to do so by simply relating things to other IG things. Here's some quick examples:

"This chain shirt would stop a Flamebolt, but just barely!"
"How hard do trolls hit? You ever see Sir Gregor stab someone in the kidneys? Yeah, about that hard."
"You ever take four Dragons breath spells to the face in rapid succession? Well, set off my Vengeance and you'll know what that feels like."

It really takes very little imagination to come up with them, even on the fly. Heck, it can even lead to some minor role play if, say, you compare it to a celestial spell and that person has no idea how much that is, but they know earth magic:

Bob: This chain shirt will stop a flamebolt, but no more than.
Steve: Hmmm, is that a lot? I'm an earth caster and know little of such things.
Bob: Oh, hmmm, well if you weren't wearing this shirt and took that flamebolt, you'd need a Cure Crit to fix all the damage it did.
Steve: Ahhh, that IS a bit of hurt saved on my part then. How much?

You get the idea. I hope this sparks interest and not flames, I'm not intending this as calling out anyone or trying to make people feel like I don't think they're good players for doing this. It is system wide, it's a common practice, but I just think we can do better.
 
I definately hear where you are coming from. I have used the "dagger blows" term more than once and a little part of me winces everytime i have to do it. I usually try talking around it but sometimes it just happens. I definately agree though, other methods of explaining damage help the IG atmosphere a lot.

your point is taken. no flames here
 
Maxondaerth said:
Bob: This chain shirt will stop a flamebolt, but no more than.
Steve: Hmmm, is that a lot? I'm an earth caster and know little of such things.
Bob: Oh, hmmm, well if you weren't wearing this shirt and took that flamebolt, you'd need a Cure Crit to fix all the damage it did.
Steve: Ahhh, that IS a bit of hurt saved on my part then. How much?
Click to expand...


This exchange almost verbatim went on at the Chicago opener between myself and Kaylin, only when asking how hard I swung and lightning bolts.



I'm also a fan of:

Person A: "Are you hurt?"
Me: "Aye, I've suffered a serious wound to my side, and a pair of light wounds on the arm."

This might've been frustrating my healers a tad bit since they had to sit there and do math, but it's the same math they'd have to do if they used healing arts and had me give them a number.
 
Hmmm, Iemme see if I can try one:

" I hit so hard, my blade could fell 2 goblins in one strike"

Is this more along the lines of what you're looking for? I mean I guess when a IG person talks about dagger blows, they probably mean someone who has basic proficiency in a dagger. You also have to take into account that PCs are of a higher class of adventurer than a civilian and thus we may not see the dagger as basic, but a normal civilian would. Perhaps it was a civilian who came up with the term in order to describes in their eyes how an adventurer hits. I tend to answer the how much damage you do question with either a demonstation or saying " hard enough".
 
Only issue with using spells as reference is folks that simply don't know IG (or OOG) what that equates to. :D
 
Wraith said:
Only issue with using spells as reference is folks that simply don't know IG (or OOG) what that equates to. :D
Click to expand...

Well, if it's an OOG problem, that's easily remedied by an OOG question. :) And if they don't know any spells IG then I'm sure everyone can get creative in explaining damage amounts to them("Turn around real quick").
 
Wraith said:
Only issue with using spells as reference is folks that simply don't know IG (or OOG) what that equates to. :D
Click to expand...

Exactly, but it then leads to explaining in IG terms in one form or another, and not just using the OOG number value with a cute pseudo-IG tag line put on it. I mean, something like:

Bob: This chain shirt will stop a Flamebolt.
Steve: Me not know what dat is.
Bob: Oh, ummm, remember those orcs we fought this morning.
Steve: Ohyah, dat good fight.
Bob: This shirt could take four hits from one of them and still not have you get hurt a bit!
Steve: Ooooooh, me want three!

Something like that anyway ;).
 
Jeff-

I'm disappointed in you.

You put out his call to try and improve the game in an RP type fashion, and then best names you can come up with for people are Bob and Steve?

Jeez guy.
 
Wraith said:
Only issue with using spells as reference is folks that simply don't know IG (or OOG) what that equates to. :D
Click to expand...

Also, while the IG lack of knowledge may be a problem, the OOG lack of knowledge should never happen. Spell damage is required knowledge for all players. In fact, spell effects is required knowledge for all players. If a monster hits you with an Ice Storm, you aren't supposed to call a hold to ask the damage. You are supposed to know it is 35 damage and react appropriately.

-MS
 
I am almost as offended by the use of the term "Cure Crit". Why not say "I have a critical wound" instead of "I need a Cure Crit"? I could just as soon think you are talking about a potion or spell used to cure critters. ;)
 
tieran said:
Jeff-

I'm disappointed in you.

You put out his call to try and improve the game in an RP type fashion, and then best names you can come up with for people are Bob and Steve?

Jeez guy.
Click to expand...

Strangely, my father's name is Steve and my brother's name is Robert. I don't think either have fought orcs however. :p

Scott
 
Ondreij said:
I am almost as offended by the use of the term "Cure Crit". Why not say "I have a critical wound" instead of "I need a Cure Crit"? I could just as soon think you are talking about a potion or spell used to cure critters. ;)
Click to expand...

I applaud this attitude of creating a better IG atmosphere through use of better fantasy language.

The reality of language though is that people would have had slang for all kind of terms whether in the middle ages, ancient Greece or the Victorian era. Generally, the higher social caste you were, the better you would speak. The peasant in the field would not speak the same as those roaming the palace. If there were indeed cure critical wound spells, an adventuring class would very likely call them "cure crits". However, we play a high fantasy game and I would love it if people didn't say "Hey dude, how about popping me with a cure crit" and instead say "Good healer, could you provide me with a spell capable of curing a critical wound." Shakespeare's Henry IV in the tavern is a good example of this.

What irks me is when people take modern terms or even worse, modern online gaming terms, and throw them in game. I hate "phat lewt" and "drops".

Scott
 
I do applaud this quite a bit.

And yeah, keeping modern phrases out of conversation does help the environment. I've been trying to avoid it, though every now and then, when surprised, I might blurt out a "Christ!" or something along those lines. Been trying to get in the habit of curbing that.
 
Agreed, and don't even get me started on "what were they swinging for?" when trying to find out carriers from monsters.

Also, agreed on the cure crit, although I get the slang analogy as well, especially amongst adventurer types. However, I'm more annoyed when people who don't even have first aid will call out for specific healing spells. Okay, you're a long term adventurer and you know you're almost dead, so you know when someone "morts" you you feel 100% better, but why would you know specifically when you're down 15 out of 40 that you need "a wounds and a serious", instead just say "it's not too bad, could you take a look and see what you can do?" and let them figure it out for themselves.
 
Daviomac said:
I do applaud this quite a bit.

And yeah, keeping modern phrases out of conversation does help the environment. I've been trying to avoid it, though every now and then, when surprised, I might blurt out a "Christ!" or something along those lines. Been trying to get in the habit of curbing that.
Click to expand...


Yup, it's all about awareness and making an effort really. We all do it, but if it becomes the accidental occasional slip instead of the norm, the game will be a lot more fun for everybody I feel.
 
Maxondaerth said:
but why would you know specifically when you're down 15 out of 40 that you need "a wounds and a serious", instead just say "it's not too bad, could you take a look and see what you can do?" and let them figure it out for themselves.
Click to expand...

I would consider the former to be a low level form of meta-gaming, and it's a little bit cheesy IMHO

Tha latter is most appropriate to what this game is about -- why else have to take the time to start First Aid in order to ask the OOG question "how many body points are you down" before knowing the a CURE CRITICAL WOUNDS spell or potion is a better choice than a CURE MORTAL WOUNDS spell or potion?

It's the fact that "Hey dude, throw me a MORT?" takes a lot less time that i really consider that meta-gaming - the words used are just cheesy. :cool:
 
I fail to see why "Hey dude, throw me a mort" is "cheesy". That sort of language could easily arise by necessity in game. It is a proven fact that people will "shorten" language as time goes on and all those terms you mention are In Game terms. Just because we hear something in modern speech doesn't mean that is can't appear in IG speech.

There are lots of different types of characters, some who value good language more than others. And there are DEFINITELY plenty of good terms to work on getting away from, "Dagger Blows" being one of them probably. However we don't need to pick at everything that doesn't sound like "high Shakespeare". Would it be more pretty if all our language sounded like that? Probably, but lets be careful before we blanket label things "cheesy".
 
"Dude" is cheesy because it was first used in the late 1800s to describe a well dressed man or a city dwelling man. It has absolutely no medievel connotations. It's equivalent to seeing a golem and asking "Are these the droids you are looking for?"

Scott
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top