Protagonist - Fixed, Semi Fixed or Open/Free?

[DraQ]

I agree with you Captain Shrek, and in fact I was talking only about gameplay mechanics. At the "player level", of course the emergence kicks in, but that's more in the realm of the roleplaying experience than that of the actual underlying system (which is still deterministic, no matter how many branches it can take).

System doesn't have to be nondeterministic if the player's input and value of system clock on runtime are.

 

[Weierstraß]

The idea that you cannot have freedom in a deterministic system is silly in itself, or using some really odd definition of freedom.

 

[mondblut]

If it's not open/free, it is non-RPG at best and shit at worst.

 

[Lubulos]

System doesn't have to be nondeterministic if the player's input and value of system clock on runtime are.

The player's input is scrutinized by the system, which only accept valid inputs according to its structure and then modify itself accordingly. You can't expect to throw some values in a program and getting an output which isn't determined by what is written in the source. Also, if by system clock you're implying that pseudorandom numbers add freedom to the system, well... they're called "pseudo" for a reason.

The idea that you cannot have freedom in a deterministic system is silly in itself, or using some really odd definition of freedom.

Have a look at point 6 in this definition of freedom. And then you may also consider having a look at these. Since a deterministic system cannot be self-determined (that would be silly), a deterministic system doesn't know the notion of freedom. This is actually a much more interesting topic and I would love to discuss the implication on RPGs, but since where I live is very late I think I'm going to sleep. :D

 

[bminorkey]

please stop

 

[DraQ]

well... they're called "pseudo" for a reason.

They are also used for a reason. If you have a good generator and can't predict what system time will be when you take it as seed, it's going to be pretty much as good as the real thing.

And the state of the game being determined by rules donesn't mean that it was somehow "fixed" beforehand, just like the state of reality being determined by the rules doesn't make it "scripted".

 

[Marsal]

please stop

No! He must earn his Dumbfuck! tag. Please continue, Lubulos.

 

[Kukulkan]

I have nothing to contribute other than concur with the thought that fixed character works best with storyfaggotry and open works best with combatfaggotry.
Lubuolos should stop though. There's no dumbfuck tag anymore and there those here much more diserving of it.

 

[bhlaab]

Depends on what kind of game it is. But I don't like completely open/free such as in Icewind Dale. Feels like just a bunch of puppets I'm controlling.

Semi-fixed would probably be my favorite.

 

[Cool name]

@ bhlaab: I believe you might enjoy this.

Spoiler