I listened to the actual play. The format with fifteen minutes where something always happens is very convenient.
The play was interesting. I know Sorcerer mostly by reputation, so it was interesting to hear this World of Darkness -esque beginning with cabals of mages, but then it all went wrong for the character.
Having looked back on this and listened to it all of the way through, a few thoughts:
I made too many NPC’s Sorcerers. Honestly, the most interesting NPC was the detective and she wasn’t a Sorcerer. How much more interesting would his mother have been if there had been no other Sorcerers in the game.
Missing dice carry-over from short-session to short session was a problem. Easily solved, though.
When I got done with the game 8 years ago I had this feeling that Rich’s character, Percival, had been beat up and left with nothing but looking at it now – he ends the game demonless. It is kind of an interesting place to be, almost liberating. I’d be really curious to see where Rich takes the next Kicker.
I’d play this game in this world again. I remain curious about Percival.
If you want, we can review some points about dice carry-over. I’ve realized that “internet Sorcerer” based on secondary input has created some confusion about that, which may or may not be operating here.
(Make sure to reply inside this comment stream, which means scrolling up to your comment which began it and using the small Reply button, not the big one at the bottom.)
I’d be happy to go over dice stuff.
The carry-over dice that we skipped wasn’t from misunderstanding but more about playing in strange 15 minute sprints and not going back over the previous sprint before starting a week later.
I definitely see how micro-session play (which I kind of like!) would have that potential glitch.
Anyway, the only thing on my mind was the rule that bonus/carryover dice only apply to the character’s next roll, if it qualifies as causally connected. This includes two details.
1. There is no time limit or any other kind of limit on “next roll.” It’s about the literal next roll, period, full stop, no fictional constraints based on time or space or logistic constraints based on lapse in play.
2. However, if the character’s next roll doesn’t qualify as causally affected by the last outome, then the bonus vanishes out of play. It’s not saved in one’s back pocket “for some time later when it applies.”
I think some internet discourse bobbled these points or confounded them during the late 2000s. It might not apply to your game specifically, but I’m seeing an opportunity to display them.
“I definitely see how micro-session play (which I kind of like!) would have that potential glitch.”
I like the micro-session format too!
It is an easy fix, not difficult to give a listen to a session or two before playing the next one. Also, I keep better during-game notes now that I have a little whiteboard near the computer when I game.
‘2. However, if the character’s next roll doesn’t qualify as causally affected by the last outome, then the bonus vanishes out of play. It’s not saved in one’s back pocket “for some time later when it applies.”’
I’m not sure it ever impacted play, but there was a moment or two during the recent Sorcerer game I ran where I got my wires crossed about this, and was thinking about a player’s bonuses as potentially affecting some other roll in the future past the next one. I think I went with my gut feeling of “that sounds weird” and nothing came of it in play, but this is helpful clarification.
I agree also that micro-session play seems cool. Hop on a call with a friend over lunch break a couple times a week…
Here and there over the years I’ve read or listened to some of your play output, Judd, and the passion to just do the thing in any way we can get it going has been inspiring. Probably would have been more inspiring in the past if I had venerated design (and designers) less and play more.
10 responses to “Sorcerer 01 – a Gauntlet AP”
It seems to continue
https://www.gauntlet-rpg.com/comic-strip-ap/sorcerer-02
and then just replace 02 by the next number to get to the next session.
Thanks Tommi!
Thanks Tommi!
Very convenient format
I listened to the actual play. The format with fifteen minutes where something always happens is very convenient.
The play was interesting. I know Sorcerer mostly by reputation, so it was interesting to hear this World of Darkness -esque beginning with cabals of mages, but then it all went wrong for the character.
I was trying to find a comment on a different post and ended up here after a failed search.
Now I’m listening to game I played 8 years ago and I’m enjoying it.
The way dice work in Sorcerer is really special. More on this later.
Having looked back on this and listened to it all of the way through, a few thoughts:
I made too many NPC’s Sorcerers. Honestly, the most interesting NPC was the detective and she wasn’t a Sorcerer. How much more interesting would his mother have been if there had been no other Sorcerers in the game.
Missing dice carry-over from short-session to short session was a problem. Easily solved, though.
When I got done with the game 8 years ago I had this feeling that Rich’s character, Percival, had been beat up and left with nothing but looking at it now – he ends the game demonless. It is kind of an interesting place to be, almost liberating. I’d be really curious to see where Rich takes the next Kicker.
I’d play this game in this world again. I remain curious about Percival.
If you want, we can review some points about dice carry-over. I’ve realized that “internet Sorcerer” based on secondary input has created some confusion about that, which may or may not be operating here.
(Make sure to reply inside this comment stream, which means scrolling up to your comment which began it and using the small Reply button, not the big one at the bottom.)
I’d be happy to go over dice stuff.
The carry-over dice that we skipped wasn’t from misunderstanding but more about playing in strange 15 minute sprints and not going back over the previous sprint before starting a week later.
I definitely see how micro-session play (which I kind of like!) would have that potential glitch.
Anyway, the only thing on my mind was the rule that bonus/carryover dice only apply to the character’s next roll, if it qualifies as causally connected. This includes two details.
1. There is no time limit or any other kind of limit on “next roll.” It’s about the literal next roll, period, full stop, no fictional constraints based on time or space or logistic constraints based on lapse in play.
2. However, if the character’s next roll doesn’t qualify as causally affected by the last outome, then the bonus vanishes out of play. It’s not saved in one’s back pocket “for some time later when it applies.”
I think some internet discourse bobbled these points or confounded them during the late 2000s. It might not apply to your game specifically, but I’m seeing an opportunity to display them.
“I definitely see how micro-session play (which I kind of like!) would have that potential glitch.”
I like the micro-session format too!
It is an easy fix, not difficult to give a listen to a session or two before playing the next one. Also, I keep better during-game notes now that I have a little whiteboard near the computer when I game.
‘2. However, if the character’s next roll doesn’t qualify as causally affected by the last outome, then the bonus vanishes out of play. It’s not saved in one’s back pocket “for some time later when it applies.”’
I’m not sure it ever impacted play, but there was a moment or two during the recent Sorcerer game I ran where I got my wires crossed about this, and was thinking about a player’s bonuses as potentially affecting some other roll in the future past the next one. I think I went with my gut feeling of “that sounds weird” and nothing came of it in play, but this is helpful clarification.
I agree also that micro-session play seems cool. Hop on a call with a friend over lunch break a couple times a week…
Here and there over the years I’ve read or listened to some of your play output, Judd, and the passion to just do the thing in any way we can get it going has been inspiring. Probably would have been more inspiring in the past if I had venerated design (and designers) less and play more.