I think it’s overblown for the most part. Yes, the OS should just work… but it does, for 99% of users, on windows, and linux, and probably macos, which I haven’t used so can’t speak on.

The ones who blow up their systems are either techies who like futzing with stuff, or are using a ‘bad’ distro for their needs. If you’re switching over granny, you set her up with a long term stable kernel, a vanilla distro, and a browser. The few other stories are when people switch from windows and want something specialized to be the same. Those will need a customized solution, but it’s not much different than windows when something breaks. Whoever is playing IT gets to poke at a stupid amount of settings, registry edits, or esoteric drivers/dependencies.

How common is the story of “I was new to linux and completely broke it”?

Gee, it’s common even for ‘experienced’ folks. I just went to update to the 6.14 kernel this morning (everything that I use [and monitor for conflicts] was supposedly finally working with it), and apparently that didn’t play well with my desktop manager. Cue the tty at boot and trying different DMs until I finally said screw it and went back to the previous kernel.

I think the best WoD game I’ve seen was a 2 player game on a forum. Both of them put a lot of effort into their characters, and the DM just built a beautiful setting out of detroit. The way the spirit reflected the physical, and how the npc interactions built the story was just so cool to read.

Our best was 4e. The absolutely locked down mechanics let our poor permanent DM plan things out really well, and I got in some lovely character stuff.

Fate was also pretty good. The looseness let the DM sort of lead the sessions into quasi-not combats even if that approach was taken.

The real problem with WoD games? The setting books and DM intros are always so good at crafting that beautiful eerieness of the monsters in the shadows, while the average group handles everything by clunking around like toddlers on stilts.

My group tried three times, then it was back to standard ‘kick-in-the-door’ style games. Roleplaying isn’t the easiest thing, and it sucks. I just want a good werewolf or hunter game with some nice politicking and investigation. I’m not even asking for anything crazy, like an introspective mage or changeling meditation session! /cries_in_desperate_desire

and WoD is World of Darkness, the ‘master’ setting that the various vampire, werewolf, changeling, mage, promethian, hunter, etc. games are set within.

Ah, dungeon. Meshi.

Fair enough, but I think as long as you don’t let it extend to where players are trying to do things that they shouldn’t with their actions, encouraging them to describe their character flicking a sword around the opponent’s shield strap is encouraging them to engage with the scenario in a different way than just seeing stat numbers listed on a square.

I also think that the reactions in combat are exactly what you should be after. I love seeing a player take the ‘nontactical’ move that isn’t what they designed it to do (so a rushing charger kill everything in one hit character taking a shielding action).

Fate is probably my favorite system I’ve played. It’s somehow got this magic that lets people really jump into scenes and their characters that other more crunchy systems don’t.

I like the concept of RP, but man do some groups struggle to pull it off. I also (don’t lynch me) think that combat should be an RP experience. That could be my love for certain systems where you get bonuses for good, accurate descriptions and not simply, “I roll. I hit. I do X damage.”

Let’s see if we can’t hotlink it for folks: !Every_Post_Is_An_RPG@Lemmy.ml

Just remember your friend, https://discorch.org/