Despair and Wisdom: Imperial March

Questions asked, questions answered. If there are future games (I sure hope so!) in this setting, Hametsu will only appear in certain very specific contexts, so I shan't hold back.

I enjoyed Hametsu, so I'd like to see him return. Thus: what contexts?

Thank you for being part of this!

What did you like most about the game narratively? What did you like least about the game narratively?

What did you like most about the game mechanically? What did you like least about the game mechanically?

What would you really like to see in the next game that wasn't in this game?


Really loved seeing your concept come to life. While we may not see Hamestsu again, looking forward to encounting his player again someday down the road.

Fukurokujin wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 04, 2024 12:44 am

I enjoyed Hametsu, so I'd like to see him return. Thus: what contexts?

Thank you for being part of this!

He could come back easily in another military game involving the Crab, Crane, or Imperial Legions. Which one of those the game was set in would likely determine how his future developed in the interim.

He could maybe come back in a Winter Court game, particularly a lower-tier one, as opposed to the Imperial Winter Court.

Saibankan wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 04, 2024 12:44 am

What did you like most about the game narratively? What did you like least about the game narratively?

I really appreciated the attempt to do a game about samurai as soldiers. Unfortunately, that led to the largest problem the game had, which was that mostly what we did was march. That left a lot of folks unsure of what to do with what little time was actually available for meaningful roleplay. I thought the "Who's the XO?" question was interesting, but found it difficult to justify serious inquiry from someone of Hametsu's station and attitude. I was unsure about how to follow up other rumors, especially when they were about the succession.

Saibankan wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 04, 2024 12:44 am

What did you like most about the game mechanically? What did you like least about the game mechanically?

In terms of things that went well, I think you showed that long-form events (especially the Battle) are viable and exciting. I thought the way you targeted advantages and disadvantages was very efficient and effective.

Nothing about the game's mechanics really annoyed me (with the exception of the D6 Battle Stage 1 Tactics event, but in the end it did not matter that much). It's more my issues with the probability set that comes with 5e dice. I think having more experienced characters entirely corrected my initial perception of the system from Shika, which is that it was a total crapshoot however you built your character. I still think that is true for basic xp characters, but Hametsu was significantly more fun to play because he could keep more dice with more approaches.

Saibankan wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 04, 2024 12:44 am

What would you really like to see in the next game that wasn't in this game?

I think this game proved that 5e is viable in a forum setting. I wouldn't mind seeing more war games, but with marching time elided (you were here, some time passed, now you're there) or tightly scripted through longer events.

What makes the system really shine, for me, anyway, is that the mechanics encourage teamwork. I'd like to see events that lend themselves to that more. I think you'd see a pick-up in roleplay threads after events with people who helped each other out, provided there's time to do them.

Beware the DREADED FORM QUESTIONS!

1. Biggest curveball Hametsu threw you?
2. Biggest curveball the game threw you?
3. Biggest Missed Opportunity?

1. Hametsu was very much in my safe zone--there weren't a ton of curveballs. I was more timid with him than I would have liked.

2. The Imperial Aide-de-Camp being so fun. I should have had further threads with him.

3. I think I ought to have tried approaching the general and tried to brown-nose harder for the promotion. I had the character motivation, but played him too cautiously.

Very fun character to watch. Thank you for our bit of interaction...always a pleasure. Sorry I got too busy with family to follow up on it.

In character, Mari could only pick up on the idea that something in Hametsu's betrothal was bothering him, but they didn't hit the point of familiarity where asking would make sense. I have no such constraints. What was up there?

And ok...why the modern-flavored avatar? Definitely hits the straight-laced vibe, but I'm wondering if there was anything else behind the choice.

The thread was lovely, thank you!

The betrothal issue was a little complicated, but basically the Kaiu are trying to arrange a marriage as a sort of alliance mechanism and Hametsu's mother looks at it more as a way of dumping her failed offspring. Hametsu's mother believes that the only worthwhile child is one that surpasses their parent. The way she sees it, even though Hametsu would seem to be on the fast track by anyone else's standards, he hasn't actually received a command. And because he has not actually received a command yet, she thinks that he is not on track to surpass her own rank in the Crane army. Therefore he is of no value.

The Kaiu are having a hard time figuring out what they're going to get out of the marriage if Mrs. Doji isn't particularly invested in it except as a way to get rid of her son. Meanwhile, the boys like each other, but neither of them wants to leave their familiar surroundings and go learn a new culture and develop new connections.

So Hametsu figures he just needs to get promoted, because then all the outcomes work out in his favor: he's higher status than Katsushiro, so Katsushiro marries in, Momma's happy, and he gets to stay in his comfort zone: the military. Meanwhile, Katsushiro thinks Hametsu isn't crazy about the marriage, so he's sending more and more lavish gifts that also happen to carry connotations of protection, Crab style, which Hametsu sees as threatening of his independence. So it's a big mess.

The avatar was because I wanted a bishi that was buttoned up and formal. This one sent the right message. Also, for all that the backstory is classic arranged marriage melodrama, Hametsu's military side is actually pretty modern. I was thinking mostly about Wellington's aides-de-camp and how they approached soldiering--as something you learn out of books and then apply to your situation with a sort of grim formality--an amateur's game, but deeply committed to the formalities. The opposite of Kaigen, really.

So, how sketch did Yoshi come off?

hametsu was an interesting foil, somewhat filling a similar role but from the honorable side.

Deeply sketch. Your initial offer to do whatever for Kumiko showed up for me in that moment between when one starts drafting a post and when one actually submits it, so I did the "whoa, I am...not here" thing as a natural reaction. But the whole spiel taught me that I shouldn't take the jealousy disadvantage, because I don't actually like being mean to other players, so I did not do the things Hametsu really ought to have done to get in your way.