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[cam-stuff] So RC2 will (or should) be out Monday
Now, don't get me wrong... as much as I don't like the template system (I would either prefer Linear or a straight by-the-book method of character creation, with the inevitable MC bonuses), I do think the people who have put the time and effort into making it have done a lot of work with relatively little thanks and heaping pile of bullshit and criticism.
That being said....
Sure, release the next "final" version (RC1 being the preliminary final version... preliminary final... could they have chosen a worse turn of phrase? Well, calling it 3.0 comes to mind, but I digress) on the Monday before ICC. Because everyone has plenty of time to focus on any possible deficiencies in RC2, because none of them are busy with ICC preparations.
Hrm... a bit harsh? Nah. I didn't swear a bit.
I really hope the holes that have been pointed out get fixed, like no apparent exp debt from dropping in MC due to leaving a position or disciplinary action, and the disparity between MC that's already earned as of character creation vs. MC that's earned after character creation.
A note on the latter. I loathe the Prestige system and MC. I truly do. Do not take this to mean that I am against the concept of rewarding people for their duties and/or actions. I believe that if we didn't have some method of reward (aka Prestige) in the Camarilla, there would be a lot of stuff that is currently done that wouldn't be done. Yes, a number of people work very hard whether they get Prestige or not (depending on monthly caps), and they are to be applauded. There are, however, for lack of a better term, Prestige whores, who do what they do for the Prestige, and if no Prestige was offered for what they are doing, they would stop. Are they rare? Probably. But they are there.
However, I believe that if we are to have a Prestige system of reward, and the attendant Member Classes (MC) that go with it, then we need to be fair about it. If we are going to continually reward people for work that they did years ago (as a note, the last time I believe I earned any Prestige was in 2001. I still have all... that's right ALL the benefits of my MC) as well as reward them for work they are doing now, then we need to reward them in a consistent manner, regardless of whether they have been with the organization for years, months or days. There is no legitimate reason to reward people more for MC they earn after the chronicle starts then for MC they already had when the chronicle starts.
Because it's a joke, really. You only get that "bonus" exp on any characters you already had. Any new characters, after the same number of games at the same rate of gain will be lower in exp, because you're not getting that bonus exp.
Let me explain better by way of an example.
Joe has a Vampire character. Joe is MC 4. Some time after the chronicle starts, Joe gains sufficient Prestige to go up to MC 5. Let's arbitrarily say that immediately prior to this point, he had 200 exp on the character (from games, MC up to 4, and character creation). Upon gaining MC 5, he gets (under RC1) 15 more exp. He goes to 215 exp.
Joe's character then dies. Joe makes a new character. He is MC 5, and so starts with a little more exp on the character at character creation, but after the same number of games with this character, at the same rate of gain of experience, he has _less_ experience on the character. Sure, it's only a five point difference. But things aren't as cheap in the nWoD. That five points could mean the difference between an having and not having an Advanced Discipline, or a needed stat-point.
Could Joe be bitter about this? Maybe a touch. Maybe not.
But is it fair? No. MC, and the benefits therein, should be equitable across the board. And there are other reasons to consider this beyond "fairness". How much more difficult will this make a character to audit? Well, probably not a whole lot more difficult. Maybe just a tiny bit. But given the wildly different costs for skills, stats, merits, etc., it's probably not going to be a lot of fun to audit characters to begin with. (Actually, unless a character creation log is made mandatory, it's going to be an absolute pain in the ass to audit.) Why not make it a bit easier? Or in other words, why make it more difficult then needed?
Hrm. Long damn note.
Back to the new rules. I don't like the Template system. I think it will lead to min-maxing. Now, I know people have and will continue to say that the Linear system would have lead to min-maxing. And you're right, it could, and probably would have.
However, when you min-max off of a flat amount of experience (as in the Linear system), then you don't have an experience point advantage over other characters who can't "work the system". Yes, you could dump many of your points into stats (at the expense of skills, merits, and disciplines). Or you could go Discipline crazy. Or whatever.
But that's part of the fun. I mean, under the template system, all I have to do is figure out what Template a character is created under (and let's face it, people will brag about their characters), and I can reverse-engineer their character and know exactly what their weak points are. Given the new costs, weak points are likely to be there for more then a couple of games. Under the Linear system, I can't assume that their stat groups are built along a 5/4/3 line, or any other line. It adds uncertainty. It adds fear. It makes the game (in my opinion) more enjoyable, because you can't as easily figure out what they have.
I mean, I'll use Templates if I have to. I don't like them, but I'll use them.
I just have to wonder how they will be modified to fit the Garou game, the Mage game, the Changling game and the Mortals game.
Thoughts? Comments? Random diatribes launched in my direction?
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I totally agree. When a system gives a tangible advantage to those willing to work the system, it is no longer a situation where certain people benefit. It becomes a situation where all those who do not follow suit are comparatively penalized.
I also really liked the way the linear system would encourage you to not play your full MC's potential BP. The Tempalte system obviates this a bit by making BP5 the highest you get for free, and then charging you out the ass for the rest, but still. Under the Linear System, I had to sit down and decide how important BP was to me. Under the Template system that decision is partially made for me by the sheer weight of logic and advantage to using the highest template I can.
And in an unrelated note, I have Friended you! You are Friended.
A brief ceremony will follow.
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