March 2011
2 posts
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February 2011
1 post
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January 2011
1 post
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December 2010
6 posts
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6th paragraph
An example that shows how language is important and that applies to almost any RPG is our need to label a particular element of our playable fiction with an appropriate word. This may refer to a character or a place, but also to an event, an item, a resource, a feeling, anything. Some of these may even have a name, but, if it is too generic, everyone will quickly forget it, making it useless as a...
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November 2010
2 posts
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5th paragraph
Language even matters when numbers replace words and RPGs achieve global popularity by trading out meaningful ideas in favor of neutral variables that can be mathematically perceived in any country, but that lack an imediate instinctual connection to who we are as cultural human beings. This does not need to be a matter of playing with words versus playing with numbers. It is a matter of getting...
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June 2010
3 posts
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4th paragraph
True escapism means finding new ideas, emotions and images in words that we rely on everyday. Language is a giant round table upon which we crack open an RPG book and the magic of a shared imaginary space happens. No matter their format, RPGs are so much more than mere abstract games of mathematical grids and variables. They explore the infinite boundaries of our shared imagination and our ability...
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May 2010
3 posts
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“A defining characteristic of minions is that their nature is, on one hand, very...”
– My Life With Master
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3rd paragraph
This all brings me to my point and to the tag that binds these paragraphs together. I do realize that “Language Matters” is quite an obvious and general thing to say, but so was “System Matters” some good years ago and still most role-playing-gamers don’t care one bit about it. In much the same way, we Portuguese are not really aware of what difference would it be to...
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April 2010
2 posts
Actual People, Actual Play →
http://apap.libsyn.com/
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March 2010
17 posts
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2nd paragraph
Furthermore, Portuguese roleplayers do not really acknowledge the need for having RPGs in their native language, as a great majority of them are reasonably proficient in English. In particular, most prospective RPG authors (myself excluded) do not write in Portuguese, because they mainly aim to reach the greatest number of roleplayers internationally and do not feel a strong connection with...
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“The ven consider a straight up “No” one of the most rude things you...”
– Houses of the Blooded
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“Do you fight back or endure duress?”
– Poison’d
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tunning out the humongous skill lists
Several RPGs use huge lists of skills to map out a character’s abilities and to match a specific stat with every possible action or conceivable situation. This usually leads into scenes where the GM asks for a specific roll in which the character does not have the exact skill and is, therefore, screwed. In general, lists are good. They provide options instead of fixed variables and ...
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a role of candy
Throughout my years as an avid roleplayer, I’ve noticed that, for some people who play RPGs, roleplaying is very much what candy is to a child. These roleplayers want to eat it on every hour of every day and any other moment of food consumption is time that should be spent eating more candy, even if they have to gulp it under the table, quietly suck on it inside the cupboard or stuff their...
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“Kill my friends? Murder students? This all sounds preety awful! Why would I want...”
– Classroom Deathmatch
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1st paragraph
Hello, my name is Ricardo Tavares and I am an avid roleplayer and all-around gamer. I live in a town called Porto in the north of Portugal and one thing you should know about Portuguese people is that we have a knack for different languages and technology - more in particular, we love the English language and we love the Internet. All movies and series are subtitled, lots of Portuguese music bands...
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Play Passionately →
http://playpassionately.wordpress.com/
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“When in doubt, say your few words louder. That always helps.”
– Og
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“Orbital Bombardment
[Officers only; Kills: d1000]”
– 3:16, Carnage Among the Stars
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The Walking Eye →
http://www.thewalkingeye.com/
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