The Space Toast Pages 06 2009

RPG Stats Comparison

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 23:00:00 GMT

A comparison of the stats used to define a character across eleven popular videogame and pencil-and-paper roleplaying games. (20k PDF)

Not included on the chart are depletable scores. Each game seems to have a concept of Hit Points, a number representing the character's moment-to-moment health, with the possible exception of outlier EVE Online and it's complete lack of physical traits. Most games that invoke magic of one sort or another have a rechargeable score representing the total amount of magic which may be invested in an action at any given time. Wealth is typically also a depletable score.

All games surveyed also deal with situational bonuses. These may be weapons and armor, single-use or depletable items, or learned skills. Even games with simple stat structures like Shining Force II create highly varied play structures using such bonuses.

Being essentially combat-based, none of the games surveyed had more than one social stat, and the majority had none. For those that did, it was always "charisma" -- an ability to gain tangible favors from others. Combat-free games like Harvest Moon may deal more fully with a character's social aspects, but as a component of adventure storytelling it appears tellingly neglected.

360° Panorama: Rainy Day in June

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Stitched together in Hugin from 50 camera phone pictures. Tripod. Equirectangular projection.

Retired Addiction

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:00:00 GMT

The Graveyard Book

It's a supernatural retelling of The Jungle Book with an overarching mystery running through each story/chapter. Is the final reveal good enough to hang the book on? Is it ever, in stories that are all about the fun of getting there? No... except in the case of The Graveyard Book. The only thing wrong with this volume is that you know people who don't own it yet.

Panorama: St. George River, Appleton, ME

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Stitched together in Hugin from 25 camera phone pictures. Lambert Equal Area Azimuthal projection.