Ever tire of whiny players?, TNs too high...we always get screwed etc Options

[Tanka]

You see, then people are doing combat solely for calculation. They see them use so many CP, so they know their TN to dodge and only use that many CP. It just isn't fair to do that.

You run it that way, that's your perogative. I sure won't let my players know how many successes they need until they've already thrown in the CP they want to use.

[Rattler]

Just out of curiosity, how is it "not fair"?

Edit: Assuming, of course, that you would do the same thing for your goons.

[BewilderedGM]

Well it works both ways when we do this, I hide my successes and they hide theirs, I trust them in this matter.

But me representing the toons who are gunning for them I get blamed for cheating or being "lucky" :o/

[Tanka]

I usually set aside a certain amount for certain things. This much, per turn, to dodging/soaking and this much, per turn, to attacking. A lot of times, if there's still some left in one pool and I have the last action, I'll just drop it in for good measure. Other than that, it'll stay in the certain split pools.

[tisoz]

So you are making a calculation based on OOC knowledge that you have the last turn. :please:

I disagree with hiding information If there aren't quite good descriptions. IRL in heads up situations, people know how well their attacker is aiming, how much they need to try to dodge, and, to a large extent, how well they have been hit.

If you are looking down the barrel of a gun, you probably know if it is going to hit you as well or better than the weilder. If someone is throwing a punch, you have some idea of the likelyhood of it landing from visual cues of the situation.

Instead of having to give in depth descriptions of the result of your dice roll, why not just let the roll be seen? Because I doubt the description is going to be that good.

As the GM, you have all the advantages any way. Even if the player sees how many combat pool dice were rolled, how do they know how many remain? Maybe they have massive Quickness, Intelligence and Willpower, along with sustaining foci for increase attribute on each. They could have cyber or bioware that increase those attributes. They could have combat sense spell or adept ability or both! Etcetera.

[moosegod]

I hide the dice from my players unless there is a great need to show them what is going on.

But they have to show me their rolls.

Why do I do it this way? Storytelling, baby. If the players stink, it's important. After all, they are the actors. However, if I don't want the players to die at that particular juncture, they don't.