3 ms·

Does the moderator get to play? I guess not since they know the rule. Is it fun for the moderator too?

zem 4y ago
yes, it's a lot of fun for the round master (who is more than just a moderator, they have to come up with the rule themselves). the fun lies in seeing if you can find a good rule - not too complex but also not too easy - and watching people try to get it, or watching them chase red herrings.
- tialaramex 4y ago
  Indeed, like Roleplaying GM, this is not about winning. It's much like designing Portal levels. Your goal is that the players should feel smart for figuring out the answer, not that they should feel dumb because they couldn't solve it, nor that it was childishly simple so that they would inevitably stumble on the answer. It's tricky to do well. Most first time masters choose rules that are too hard. "There are more red than blue pieces but the pieces are valued by size with 1 for smallest and 3 for largest" is too hard for non-expert players to ever figure it out. It feels easier to guess a rule you know than it really will be.
  - thaumasiotes 4y ago
    > Most first time masters choose rules that are too hard. "There are more red than blue pieces but the pieces are valued by size with 1 for smallest and 3 for largest" is too hard for non-expert players to ever figure it out. Well, if you used different values for the pieces it might be, but those specific values are literally marked on the pieces. The rule "there are more red points than blue points" isn't especially challenging.
    - tialaramex 4y ago
      Ooh, I don't think our pieces had numbers?
      - thaumasiotes 4y ago
        Not numbers, but at the base of the pyramid you should see one notch on every side for a small one, 2 notches on every side for a medium one, and 3 notches on every side for a large one.
  - WorldMaker 4y ago
    This box set includes cards for rules grouped into Easy/Medium/Hard which makes it even easier on first time moderators. When I've brought out the set the last few times we all take turns being the moderator and the Rules cards help ease everyone into it, including people that don't think they can do it.

zem 4y ago

yes, it's a lot of fun for the round master (who is more than just a moderator, they have to come up with the rule themselves). the fun lies in seeing if you can find a good rule - not too complex but also not too easy - and watching people try to get it, or watching them chase red herrings.

tialaramex 4y ago
Indeed, like Roleplaying GM, this is not about winning. It's much like designing Portal levels. Your goal is that the players should feel smart for figuring out the answer, not that they should feel dumb because they couldn't solve it, nor that it was childishly simple so that they would inevitably stumble on the answer. It's tricky to do well. Most first time masters choose rules that are too hard. "There are more red than blue pieces but the pieces are valued by size with 1 for smallest and 3 for largest" is too hard for non-expert players to ever figure it out. It feels easier to guess a rule you know than it really will be.
- thaumasiotes 4y ago
  > Most first time masters choose rules that are too hard. "There are more red than blue pieces but the pieces are valued by size with 1 for smallest and 3 for largest" is too hard for non-expert players to ever figure it out. Well, if you used different values for the pieces it might be, but those specific values are literally marked on the pieces. The rule "there are more red points than blue points" isn't especially challenging.
  - tialaramex 4y ago
    Ooh, I don't think our pieces had numbers?
    - thaumasiotes 4y ago
      Not numbers, but at the base of the pyramid you should see one notch on every side for a small one, 2 notches on every side for a medium one, and 3 notches on every side for a large one.
- WorldMaker 4y ago
  This box set includes cards for rules grouped into Easy/Medium/Hard which makes it even easier on first time moderators. When I've brought out the set the last few times we all take turns being the moderator and the Rules cards help ease everyone into it, including people that don't think they can do it.