#calvinball

I'm going to pretend that this is a good faith message for a minute. Any "homebrew" that doesn't come from an understanding of the underlying game design incentives and intentions which are being modified, something that is impossible to develop without thorough engagement with the rules-as-written, is going to probably be pretty bad and/or not much different from just playing calvinball instead of playing a real game. It's more work for less.

People are welcome to like playing calvinball, but a distinction needs to be made between playing calvinball and playing TTRPGs "proper" so that calvinball does not override the entire artform and make everybody inside and outside think that all TTRPGs are just calvinball - and you should try games rules-as-written, because it might turn out that you actually like them. If all TTRPGs are treated as calvinball, no informed decision can be made both in their play (something people who like TTRPGs for their rules like to do), nor can an informed decision be made by would-be fans of TTRPGs or calvinball "collaborative storytelling" as to which one they are going to play at any given time. You can enjoy both, but in order to enjoy both, you have to understand that they are two separate things.

Waluigi, being banned from all the local sports clubs, begins playing whatever Calvinball he comes up with in whatever public or private spaces he finds himself in, out of spite. Toadsworth, clueless, catches him doing this in Peach's Castle's courtyard and thinks he's found a fellow aficionado of the sport of kings (out of fashion with all the reigning princesses these days, haha). What follows is the story of Waluigi taking enthusiastically to this game of pompous nobs (and encouraging, shall we say, flexible interpretations of the rules - this is a Mario Sports game, after all), as Toadsworth gradually comes to realize he has made a terrible mistake.

I got hit twice with the Calvinball. Standing there, minding my own business and CERTAIN mutuals got feisty with the throws.

So—-two bits of WIP

From Men and Empires

“I said nothing, General,” Piett responded, careful to use his title out here on the deck.

“You didn’t need to,” Veers growled. “I can see…Firmus. I own that others would bear this status heavily. But you are mine. And have I not made clear that I do not define you by your position?”

Piett wanted to snarl back. He wanted to fight someone. Hells, he wanted to punch Veers in the face. His fury was hot. And how the Roman could not see why he would be so affected made him want to yell.

And from a whumptober WIP

“If they had asked…I would have…told them everything,” he said, shame burning him with the same intensity as the instruments of his torture.

“You don’t know that,” Lunders said immediately.