I'm just curious, what have people's bad experiences with Ars Magica been like, whether it was a player or the story teller?
I've had some most of my bad experiences in non Ars Magica games, but I have had some. I recall an adventure my brother ran, that lasted half an hour because he had no idea what to do with the story after a certain point.
Another one was an incoherent adventure written by a friend of his. No idea how the rules worked or basic GMing skills. It was not his first time either.
My bad experiences have always been personality clashes, either player-storyguide or player-player. It's never been the game, although we've certainly argued about rules interpretations. I've always chalked it up to typical interpersonal communication conflicts, regular human to human interactions, and nothing especially inherent in rpgs. I'm lucky in that I don't take it very seriously, and have been able to remain friends with people that I had a difficult experience role-playing with.
Matt Ryan
p.s. I'm wearing my Grand Tribunal 2008 t-shirt today!
Left my Berkeley GT 2008 shirt at home. I am wearing my prison t-shirt
anyway, as for the topic.
My worst group was also my very best group. It took a while to drag them from D&D and Warcraft into Ars. Even then, getting them to accept medieval science and philosophy was a chore. After that, mor little conflicts as for style and flavor. Old gamers are cranky curmudgeons who are set in their ways.
But, challenges come with rewards. These guys would help the story along a lot. I would explain what I am headed for, have occ table-talk discussions about the course of the game, and managed to form everything into a collaborative effort that we all shared pride in.
Kevin Sides. Luke Price, Lloyd Graney, and Pete Hiley. Oh add Ed Woods and Ben Hayes to that devil's mix. What could possibly go wrong???
Actually my Ars group is fine, but I suspect their playing style is ast variance form most other groups. I have never run a agme for any other Ars people so know idea if i am a rubbish GM though.
And David Chart, Neil, Sheila and others had to suffer my "Lynx of Virtue meets Scooby Doo on speed with occasional naps" impression. That may well be their low point in Ars gaming. Great scenario though!
I've only been part of 4 Ars Groups. Three of which are great, even if distance and the issues of the real world sadly killed one of them.
One group however died a rather ignominious death. I was running and we had something of a spotlight player who had kindly let us use her home as the venue. She had decided her Ex Misc Generalist was far more suited to ANYTHING then any of the other players we thought IC, however it went FAR deeper. .
This included our Jerbiton Master of Terram and Sacred Architecture. When an issue involving sacred architecture emerged (A plot hook for his larger personal story arc) He immeadiately like all good players do, took the bait and started walking into the plot.
When it was apparent there was a spotlight to be had here, said spotlight tried to muscle in. When our spotlight character was told that this wasn't something where she could help I anticipated (as did our Jerbiton player) a great IC arguement.
However when rationally and logically our player laids down his IC reasons for taking the lead, he (not his character) was told to get out. However so overwhelmed by this response, He stuck his IC ground screaming (All still IC) that he wasn't leaving. It was only when the police were threatened that we started to get a bit confused (most of us still with our IC heads on).
After a short heated arguement we all left and I think none of us really had much of a heart to continue for a while after that. By the time the scars of this incident had healed, we had all moved on to other things
My First & One Ars group was good and bad, only that depend for the minute. They really doesn't worked like a group and with her ideas an rolls...
Once time they forged a pact with a Gorgone with a rope and a hide bag...
The die roll was a 42 in total... the slept gogone was caugth and the party ws very simple that day.
Great scenario though!