John WalkerLike any form of gaming, RPGs have odd conventions that only gamers know. John Walker decided to test these conventions on the streets of Bath, England, and provides some very entertaining results.
Issue 30: Casual Friday - Quest for Glory
- Thread starter The Escapist Staff
- Start date
Original Comment by: Kieron Gillen
http://www.kierongillen.com
"And if one thing should be taken from this experience, above anything else, should the fate of the universe ever be in your hands, only bother to seek the aid of girls under the age of 30."
Wise words if ever any were written.
KG
http://www.kierongillen.com
"And if one thing should be taken from this experience, above anything else, should the fate of the universe ever be in your hands, only bother to seek the aid of girls under the age of 30."
Wise words if ever any were written.
KG
Original Comment by: Steve Ince
http://www.juniper-games.com
II see that you didn't test the MMORPG convention of attacking the inexperienced with superior weaponry or spells.
http://www.juniper-games.com
II see that you didn't test the MMORPG convention of attacking the inexperienced with superior weaponry or spells.
Original Comment by: Chris Dahlen
http://www.savetherobot.com
This is classic, and yeah, good advice.
I'd love to know how this would play out on a college campus.
http://www.savetherobot.com
This is classic, and yeah, good advice.
I'd love to know how this would play out on a college campus.
Original Comment by: Felipe Meneguzzi
http://fmeneguzzi.blogspot.com
That was a brilliant experience Wizard-wise.
If I may note on an RPG convention that not many people pay attention to is that of complete strangers armed to the teeth entering a settlement. I mean, historically if a band of four warriors in full plate armor and carrying longswords and whatnot was spotted anywhere near a meek village on the countryside, the village would be evacuated way before these guys reached the village rather than the local townspeople approach them and entrust them with important quests.
This would be the modern equivalent of people wearing camouflaged uniforms and kevlar while walking into a town holding assault rifles; it would be no time before the local law enforcement approached the party to inquire as to the reason for all these equipment.
On a side note, if the girls who completed the quest are the ones pictured at the end of the article, they are most definitely my Geek Muses now!
If you are anywhere near Southampton, let me know
http://fmeneguzzi.blogspot.com
That was a brilliant experience Wizard-wise.
If I may note on an RPG convention that not many people pay attention to is that of complete strangers armed to the teeth entering a settlement. I mean, historically if a band of four warriors in full plate armor and carrying longswords and whatnot was spotted anywhere near a meek village on the countryside, the village would be evacuated way before these guys reached the village rather than the local townspeople approach them and entrust them with important quests.
This would be the modern equivalent of people wearing camouflaged uniforms and kevlar while walking into a town holding assault rifles; it would be no time before the local law enforcement approached the party to inquire as to the reason for all these equipment.
On a side note, if the girls who completed the quest are the ones pictured at the end of the article, they are most definitely my Geek Muses now!
If you are anywhere near Southampton, let me know
Original Comment by: John Walker
http://botherer.cream.org
They are merely illustrative of the girls, but are remarkably similar as it happens.
Sadly I was not as convincingly old and greyed as the opening photograph-ee.
http://botherer.cream.org
They are merely illustrative of the girls, but are remarkably similar as it happens.
Sadly I was not as convincingly old and greyed as the opening photograph-ee.
Original Comment by: Kai O'Donnell
Likewise, conventions; opening every door and looking around inside, and taking anything not nailed down.
Presumably you already thought of this and chose the better part of valour as your course of action.
Reference to Felipe's comment
Likewise, conventions; opening every door and looking around inside, and taking anything not nailed down.
Presumably you already thought of this and chose the better part of valour as your course of action.
Reference to Felipe's comment
Original Comment by: John Walker
http://botherer.cream.org
I wanted to mention, I owe props to Adam Carolla, from whom I 'borrowed' the observation regarding men dressed as women in movies.
http://botherer.cream.org
I wanted to mention, I owe props to Adam Carolla, from whom I 'borrowed' the observation regarding men dressed as women in movies.
Original Comment by: Frank
http://thesparque.livejournal.com/
This is the coolest thing I've read in a long time. I'm tempted to give it a try myself on my college's campus.
http://thesparque.livejournal.com/
This is the coolest thing I've read in a long time. I'm tempted to give it a try myself on my college's campus.
Original Comment by: Jesus Christ
You really beat a dead horse on that article.
Meh.
Giving people quests, sounds like fodder for a train wreck like Saturday Night Live.
Maybe you need a quest for an original article.
You really beat a dead horse on that article.
Meh.
Giving people quests, sounds like fodder for a train wreck like Saturday Night Live.
Maybe you need a quest for an original article.
Original Comment by: Echinodermata Q. Taft
http://eqtaft.blogspot.com/
Great article! "Women under 30..." Must write that down.
http://eqtaft.blogspot.com/
Great article! "Women under 30..." Must write that down.
Original Comment by: Richard
http://www.richardcobbett.co.uk
You really beat a dead horse on that article. Meh.
Giving people quests, sounds like fodder for a train wreck like Saturday Night Live.
Maybe you need a quest for an original article.
Hmm. You were much less of a dick in the Bible.
Great article, John.
http://www.richardcobbett.co.uk
You really beat a dead horse on that article. Meh.
Giving people quests, sounds like fodder for a train wreck like Saturday Night Live.
Maybe you need a quest for an original article.
Hmm. You were much less of a dick in the Bible.
Great article, John.
Original Comment by: Go Fark Yourself!
http://www.fark.com
Hilarious.
ROFLMAOLOL!!!!!!!1!!111!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11!!!!!!!!!@eleven!@!!!!!!!!!!!! :cali:
http://www.fark.com
Hilarious.
ROFLMAOLOL!!!!!!!1!!111!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11!!!!!!!!!@eleven!@!!!!!!!!!!!! :cali:
Original Comment by: Daykeras
http://www.fark.com
I love it. This was hilarious!
Much love to my fellow Farkers
http://www.fark.com
I love it. This was hilarious!
Much love to my fellow Farkers
Original Comment by: Daremaster Spoodle
http://daremasterspoodle.blogspot.com
Where the hell is the wizard to give me a quest in MY god-damn town? Nothing ever happens here, for crying out loud...
http://daremasterspoodle.blogspot.com
Where the hell is the wizard to give me a quest in MY god-damn town? Nothing ever happens here, for crying out loud...
Original Comment by: Thomas Hughes
Were you sufficiently bearded and greyed to remain incognito?
Are you sponsored by the Bath Tourist Board?
Do you have any chocolate left?
Were you sufficiently bearded and greyed to remain incognito?
Are you sponsored by the Bath Tourist Board?
Do you have any chocolate left?
Original Comment by: jlaakso
http://7178.blogspot.com
Heh, a fine experiment.
As for conventions, I've never been able to steal stuff from obvious NPC homes and the like. Felt bad to me even as a kid, moreso these days. I think that if stealing stuff as a "hero" would be required to progress in the game, maybe I don't want to play that game.
http://7178.blogspot.com
Heh, a fine experiment.
As for conventions, I've never been able to steal stuff from obvious NPC homes and the like. Felt bad to me even as a kid, moreso these days. I think that if stealing stuff as a "hero" would be required to progress in the game, maybe I don't want to play that game.
Original Comment by: DJB
No comment on the article itself, but damn, this is one BEAUTIFUL site! You've solved the problem of getting people to read large chunks of text on the screen...the formatting is exceptional; it's like I was reading a hard-copy magazine. Well done!
No comment on the article itself, but damn, this is one BEAUTIFUL site! You've solved the problem of getting people to read large chunks of text on the screen...the formatting is exceptional; it's like I was reading a hard-copy magazine. Well done!