Mr_DC
Been a while
Combat
In combat, characters aren't gods.
NPC characters: Player characters are more powerful than NPC characters usually but keep in mind that NPC's aren't easy to dispose of. Most corporate security aren't goons with guns but well-trained, well-equipped professionals. Most police officers aren't donut-eating traffic cops but government funded law enforcers who have to deal with corporate security. Most gangs and revolutionary groups aren't beggars but a solid guerilla fighting force. NPC characters should be treated as an actual threat and not dismissed as a minor nuisance.
Player characters: Player characters are important. That might seem like an obvious statement but we regularly forget that other player characters are just as important as ours. When in combat with another PC, we have to remember several things.
Gear: We all loving pulling things out of our asses but putting them in there can be uncomfortable. Countless times, you'll see characters take out a weapon they couldn't possibly have or take some battle-ending weapon they had stashed nearby. When you enter combat, list what you have with you. It should be in character (no one wants an excel spreadsheet of your weapons) and realistic. A character can't carry two LMG's, a rocket launcher, and a pizza at once.
List the gear your characters have on them and whatever they have stashed nearby as soon as combat starts or even before if you can see it coming. On that note, do not have your characters open a suspicious crate because their sixth sense told them their enemy hid weapons there.
Pain: Getting shot HURTS. A lot. Getting stabbed hurts as well. Any damage to the body hurts. No amount of training will help you against a broken rib, let alone your organs being ventilated. Sure, you may have a few moves under adrenaline before your character actually feels the crippling pain but that shouldn't last long. Speaking of pain...
Damage: Combat means a character will get hurt. It's almost unavoidable. Shooting guns in closed spaces is deafening and grenades send deadly shrapnel flying to rip through anything squishy. If your character is in combat, they will get hurt and that isn't just restricted to getting shot. Visualize the situation and understand all possible dangers your character faces - and accept them. They will get hurt. Be realistic and allow it.
That covers the basics of combat which seems the most important issue at the moment. I will also add a guideline for social interaction but since there's rarely any problems involving that, I will postpone it for a later date.
In combat, characters aren't gods.
NPC characters: Player characters are more powerful than NPC characters usually but keep in mind that NPC's aren't easy to dispose of. Most corporate security aren't goons with guns but well-trained, well-equipped professionals. Most police officers aren't donut-eating traffic cops but government funded law enforcers who have to deal with corporate security. Most gangs and revolutionary groups aren't beggars but a solid guerilla fighting force. NPC characters should be treated as an actual threat and not dismissed as a minor nuisance.
Player characters: Player characters are important. That might seem like an obvious statement but we regularly forget that other player characters are just as important as ours. When in combat with another PC, we have to remember several things.
- Actions - If one character aims his gun and fires one bullet, the reply cannot be that the other character dodged, got into cover, reloaded, and fired back. If you are interacting with another character, make sure you aren't making too many actions in one turn. This prevents anyone from being annoyed and calling moderators in to intervene.
- Attempts - You do not just attack another character. You attempt to attack them. This allows the other person to judge the situation and, if the person thinks it's fair, will allow their character to be hit. There should be no extra sprinkles on the post in the form of you writing that your character could never miss that shot, that they will definitely hit or kindly reminding everyone of their life training for the situation. That is simply forcing the other person to accept defeat. If you think another person is being too liberal with their dodging, however, you are free to bring up the matter with the person first and moderators second. Most of us are reasonable and will realize our mistakes when pointed out.
- Character Killing - The thing most writers dread. Someone ending the fine story you've been writing prematurely. It is, however, not a hostile act between roleplayers. It should never be taken personally. I have been involved in several character kills from both sides and tried giving a way out to the character dying. Most of the time the good roleplayers I've been playing with didn't take it for they understand that a character death is realistic. Every character can die and, depending on the roleplay, probably will. Accept the risk and remind yourself of it every time you enter combat. Remember to check with the owner first if you think their character might be in risk of death (long before you actually put a gun to their head). If death is realistic and the owner does not comply, contact a moderator. If the death isn't realistic and the attacker is insisting, contact a moderator.
Gear: We all loving pulling things out of our asses but putting them in there can be uncomfortable. Countless times, you'll see characters take out a weapon they couldn't possibly have or take some battle-ending weapon they had stashed nearby. When you enter combat, list what you have with you. It should be in character (no one wants an excel spreadsheet of your weapons) and realistic. A character can't carry two LMG's, a rocket launcher, and a pizza at once.
List the gear your characters have on them and whatever they have stashed nearby as soon as combat starts or even before if you can see it coming. On that note, do not have your characters open a suspicious crate because their sixth sense told them their enemy hid weapons there.
Pain: Getting shot HURTS. A lot. Getting stabbed hurts as well. Any damage to the body hurts. No amount of training will help you against a broken rib, let alone your organs being ventilated. Sure, you may have a few moves under adrenaline before your character actually feels the crippling pain but that shouldn't last long. Speaking of pain...
Damage: Combat means a character will get hurt. It's almost unavoidable. Shooting guns in closed spaces is deafening and grenades send deadly shrapnel flying to rip through anything squishy. If your character is in combat, they will get hurt and that isn't just restricted to getting shot. Visualize the situation and understand all possible dangers your character faces - and accept them. They will get hurt. Be realistic and allow it.
That covers the basics of combat which seems the most important issue at the moment. I will also add a guideline for social interaction but since there's rarely any problems involving that, I will postpone it for a later date.
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