Re: OOC Conversation 4
In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 17):
If you don't care to read my whole post, here are the quick points: the play has become dull and repetitious, the PCs are backed into a corner, and a resolution needs to be addressed.
Ramblings, in no specific organization or order (please excuse any typographical, grammar, or formatting errors):
I had, to a lesser degree, this feeling some timeo. However, it's continued to grow since then. In general, there has been a lack of action and no real need for the rule book. There is always a potential for that to change, but it isn't likely.
Right now, the player-characters' behavior are akin to those of children playing the backseat "don't touch me" game. They are using their out-stretched fingers to move as close to the nose of the opposition without actually touching them. ("Goddammit, so help me, I'll turn this car around and go back home if you two don't stop it!")
As much dramatic tension as that builds, it isn't enough to maintain my interest. Character A walks over here while Character B talks to NPC at another location. Blah, Blah, Blah. SSDD.
In fact, I've said before, the prospects for the future of the characters are slim to nil, which makes it painful, not only for Randy, but for me as well. I find no joy in that.
I know this is really the doing--well, 60%--of the players. I have a some ideas.
I have truly thought about the game while I've not been involved. I stayed back from the Shadowrun game as well, because I didn't want to be obvious and offend the judge.
For Cole, someone could ask Rojas to contact the Governor's and/or Mayor's office in SF to dismiss the case based on the net result.
For Travis, have Rojas and the prosecutor enter into plea bargain negotiations to lessen the charges to dueling and perhaps incarceration to one month.
I rarely like the reset, fade-to-black, god-mode, or fuhgeddaboudit options if they can be avoided. Sometimes, however, the adventure or scenario needs editing and one or more of those options should be used.
Now that I've probably offended most or everyone, where to go from here? Well, there's got to be a resolution to everything, otherwise there's a gaping hole in many characters' story. Jake and ENS would come out alright, but probably not the Buffaloes. Travis and Cole just can't kill men and walk away. JEB, as a lawman, can't travel with men who do that. So, the two killers need to have their cases settled. The solutions don't have to make a whole helluva lotta sense because it still was a wide interpretation of the law back then, but some form of justice has to be served. Randy would never let Travis be put in prison for doing "the right thing," so that's a complication for Mr. Big'un. Randy would bust-up half of Frisco for Cole on account of his doing "the right thing" as well. I've read the posts from others that express similar sentiments.
It ain't a clean break.
Travis needs to own-up to his mistake as a first step. Cole should throw himself on the mercy of the court, perhaps in Sacramento instead of San Francisco. From there, some plausible resolutions to the cases can be made.