[Design] Why random rolls?

[Julian Kelsey]

I like to think about how rolling the dice effects the human activity
of playing the game. 

Play of RPGs is about who gets to say what, and how that effects what
others say: the purpose of dice rolling can also be considered for it's
effect on the play of the game, (not just it's effect on the simulation
or model of events).

--- Lev Lafayette <lev_lafayette at yahoo.com.au> wrote:
> 
> What function does the random roll have in skill
> resolution? 

What is the point of rolling dice in the game? Is dice rolling: (1)
Purely part of a simulation of the character performance? Or is it (2)
Directly a tool for moderating what players get to say?

If the dice roll is designed to be purely a tool of simulation, then it
shifts the competative part of the game to the character design, (the
player that picks the best character concept and skill set gets to
dominate play). Competition also shifts subtly into players guessing
when their utterances will lead to dice rolling and what the odds will
be at such times. 

Mimesis seems to be this type of game, play is a simulation of events
unfolding, with players input heavily determined by their character
design. Is it intended to reward or punish players (by constraining
what they can say in each session of play) based on their decisions at
character design time?

An alternative style of game makes dice rolling a tool for directly
mediating player contributions, including mediating between the players
and the referee. 

> What range should that roll be?

It depends on what sort of things one want the players to be saying
during play. How does the outcome of the dice roll guide what is said
about the outcome of the event being described? 

> How much effect should 'randomness' has then
> resolution of skills?

Maybe that's not fixed but is instead a function of a particular
character or skills? Some characters may be more consistent and others
more variable in their performance.

What is the scale of outcome really describing: failures and successes?
complications or resolutions?  

Once again: what are players supposed to say about events as a
consequence of rolling the dice, and how does that feed into what may
be said later?


Regards,
Julian Kelsey.


		
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