Who believes in some kind of existential 'force' affects DRs?

[Honza]

I just view it like the views of religion. If you're a true non-believer no amount of proof could convince you to change your views, if you are a true believer, no amount of proof is required. Just enjoy your view and hope for the best.

This is a very sensible answer.

 

[Blackcloud6]

Is there some kind of existential force which affects our DRs? Similar sort of thing to the Star Wars force. I suspect there may be. When I feel crap I tend to roll crap. When I feel well I tend to roll well. I've noticed this over and over.

Is "The Force" real or complete psychobabble?

May The Force Be With You.

Do you have a cat?

 

[BattleSchool]

Yes! It's called "gravity," and it is one of the most mysterious forces in the universe.

JR

Perhaps. But until proven otherwise, my money's on the cosmic teapot.

 

[von Marwitz]

Is there some kind of existential force which affects our DRs? Similar sort of thing to the Star Wars force. I suspect there may be. When I feel crap I tend to roll crap. When I feel well I tend to roll well. I've noticed this over and over.

Is "The Force" real or complete psychobabble?

May The Force Be With You.

Psycho is "The Force" - at least in the vincinity of that trailer down in Cajun Country...
There, you die, then you roll to the ground to eventually end up beneath it. Or so it is said...

von Marwitz

 

[Honza]

Do you have a cat?

A black cat with big green eyes? No.

 

[von Marwitz]

One of my main opponents is always changing the dice when they aren't working for him. I usually try to convince him how close that is to near-literal insanity. I use the same (precision) dice every game. They've made me cry; they've made the other guy cry.

Now drop the precision dice in favor of normal ones and you'll be alright.

The difference that this "precision" makes is so marginal compared to the decisions you make as a player that it can be ignored with any further thought. In fact the very use of precision dice is a manifestation of belief in some "force" to make a difference. However, no "precision-force" will ever save anyone from making bad decisions and not ever have I yet encountered non-precision dice so obviously out of tune that I would have noticed it. And should I have come across non precision dice that have been slightly out of tune without me noticing it, what of it? It does not matter whatsoever.

Should I say 'Amen'?

von Marwitz

 

[bendizoid]

The less I care the better I roll.

 

[Gwinnell]

Rolls always balance, require a 7 to pass a meaningless PTC, roll a 6.
Need 7 to hit that tank you MUST kill, roll an 8.
That's the way it works for me!

 

[Capt. Batguano]

In fact the very use of precision dice is a manifestation of belief in some "force" to make a difference.

Sorry, have to disagree. The force in this case is gravity and mass. If a die is not weighted correctly it will effect how it rolls. Now that doesn't mean you need "precision" dice but getting "precision" dice takes that one fear off the table. It's because I use those dice that it never pops into my head that maybe the dice are weighted incorrectly. - Also why are "precision" dice not "normal" dice? Is it not the desired definition of normality for a dice to be well-weighted?

As far as your decision making portion - I want to agree but I've seen too many players make all the right choices/decisions but have those decisions nullified by bad dice rolls vs good dice rolls at the right time or juncture in a game. To me there are 3 pillars to an ASL game and you need two to win:
1. Skill - this is obvious. If your skill is better than the other guys or you're playing up to your level, and the other guy isn't.
2. Situation - mostly game balance, but sometimes this can be when you're a good player but you don't do as well with Japanese as some but you're great playing Russians.
3. Fate - I don't mean dice rolls, I mean the right dice rolls at the right time. You can roll the same number of snakes as the other guy but if he's rolling snakes on shots when he really needs them to happen and you're rolling snakes on things like PTC's - that's fate, imo. Fate is a part of the game although I see tons of people refusing to admit this.

If your opponent is a better player, then you better have great fate and perhaps a scenario slightly favoring your side.

If you're playing a game that is weighted against you, you better be a better player and a little better fate wouldn't hurt.

If you're playing a guy who is going through a long streak of luck, then you better be a better player....and so on.

Doubtless I will get a lot of responses to this arguing that everything about ASL is skill, but deep down we know that's simply not true, just as it's not exactly true in actual combat. Fate and situation play a huge role. Same with sporting events too. That's actually one of the reasons I love ASL - it's what makes it more "combat-like" or "sport-like". If I want skill only and a perfectly balanced scenario with no fate, I'll play chess.

 

[Sparafucil3]

In fact the very use of precision dice is a manifestation of belief in some "force" to make a difference.

That "force" is called gravity. It isn't tough to noodle. -- jim

 

[Sparafucil3]

Sorry, have to disagree. The force in this case is gravity and mass. If a die is not weighted correctly it will effect how it rolls. Now that doesn't mean you need "precision" dice but getting "precision" dice takes that one fear off the table. It's because I use those dice that it never pops into my head that maybe the dice are weighted incorrectly. - Also why are "precision" dice not "normal" dice? Is it not the desired definition of normality for a dice to be well-weighted?

As far as your decision making portion - I want to agree but I've seen too many players make all the right choices/decisions but have those decisions nullified by bad dice rolls vs good dice rolls at the right time or juncture in a game. To me there are 3 pillars to an ASL game and you need two to win:
1. Skill - this is obvious. If your skill is better than the other guys or you're playing up to your level, and the other guy isn't.
2. Situation - mostly game balance, but sometimes this can be when you're a good player but you don't do as well with Japanese as some but you're great playing Russians.
3. Fate - I don't mean dice rolls, I mean the right dice rolls at the right time. You can roll the same number of snakes as the other guy but if he's rolling snakes on shots when he really needs them to happen and you're rolling snakes on things like PTC's - that's fate, imo. Fate is a part of the game although I see tons of people refusing to admit this.

If your opponent is a better player, then you better have great fate and perhaps a scenario slightly favoring your side.

If you're playing a game that is weighted against you, you better be a better player and a little better fate wouldn't hurt.

If you're playing a guy who is going through a long streak of luck, then you better be a better player....and so on.

Doubtless I will get a lot of responses to this arguing that everything about ASL is skill, but deep down we know that's simply not true, just as it's not exactly true in actual combat. Fate and situation play a huge role. Same with sporting events too. That's actually one of the reasons I love ASL - it's what makes it more "combat-like" or "sport-like". If I want skill only and a perfectly balanced scenario with no fate, I'll play chess.

Skill will win out in the long run, but luck will rule in the short run. I have said many times, this game is all about luck. Every decision a player makes is designed to give them better odds to win, better odds to have an effect, better odds to a favorable outcome. Make enough good decisions, skew the luck factor in your favor enough, you are very difficult to beat. But even with all that, your perfect ambush can be undone with a bad DR.

And admittedly, this leaves out that I recognize there is a huge effect skill can have on the game. Make bad decisions and have unsound tactics and you will find winning VERY difficult. Luck in and of itself isn't going to win you many games. But the closer the skill level and the more balanced the scenario, the more impact luck has on the game. JMO, YMMV . -- jim

 

[BattleSchool]

That "force" is called gravity. It isn't tough to noodle. -- jim

Dammit Jim! Haven't you been paying attention?

It's the peak force exerted by Russell's teapot, until proven otherwise.

 

[BattleSchool]

Fixed that for you.

Now drop the IIFT in favor of the IFT and you'll be alright.

von Marwitz

 

[Capt. Batguano]

IIFT - the way the game was meant to be played.

 

[bendizoid]

According to caveman logic about 1/5 games are luck determinate:

I Really dig that caveman logic. I would change "average play" to "fair play" and spin the diagonals 90 deg. Also the chart should be inverted so it would be bad luck first and good luck last.

 

[Eagle4ty]

According to caveman logic about 1/5 games are luck determinate:
I Really dig that caveman logic.

Finally, a response that an infantryman can understand! I never let education go to my head.

 

[R Hooks]

Some friends and I played a Battle of Bulge 1940 game that had a airstrike rule, on roll of 1 the German's could cause an allied unit to retreat before the German move started, opening a road up. The first 6 turns had the rule, friend of mine rolled 6 1's in a row so German army was almost off the other edge of map before the allies formed their first solid line. The allied player wanted to do it over, so we setup the game again, on first air roll he rolled a 1 again, the allied player threw the game against the wall and we played a different game.

 

[Sparafucil3]

IIFT - the way the game was meant to be played.

If you saw the original IIFT, as delivered to AH/MMP, you would understand how poorly thought out he IIFT was. In some cases, it was better to roll and 11 than it was a 7. Of course, with a -2 mod, you could never roll high enough to get an 11, but shooting that guy in the +3 TEM sure made it easier. -- jim

 

[RevJJ]

You still yell at an inanimate object as if it could obey you.

Much like erectile dysfunction. :facepalm:

 

[RevJJ]

One of my main opponents is always changing the dice when they aren't working for him.

I don't care if people do this as long as it doesn't result in dice being hurled across the room or incessant dice whining. :douche: