How large a role should alignments play?

With all the character types and all the races. How big of an effect should alignment have? Is not one man evil another mans good? Should your culture determine if you are good or evil?

I believe that we impose our own values and beliefs on right and wrong to set the standard. For instances human sacrifice is considered evil for us. Yet the early Incans played an intense sporting event for the honor of being sacrificed. Yes the winner got killed not the loser. So by that standard should we take it down to just Lawful Neutral and Chaotic? As one mans evil attack may be another cultures good.

I do believe we should hold our players to an alignment or culture. If they play outside the norm for the choice of alignment then penalize them EXP. If they play above and beyond then give them bonus EXP. The current game we are playing the players our bound by the five oaths of their god. If they play them well big exp, if they play them normal, then normal exp, if they do not play them low exp.
So far they have had a couple times of playing them big that I also added in game effects or granted them temporary powers.

Should all characters be on an even playing field?

In my time playing role playing games I have discovered that not all characters are equal. A 10 th level fighter will destroy a 10 th level thief. A GURPS magic user will bet a GURPS melee guy in combat. Some Magic users through spells are better than their thief counter parts at opening locks and sneaking around. Is there a gaming system out there where a equal experienced character is at the same competence level? Should characters of the same experience be on equal footing or should some just be better over all. I was recently reading some stuff a friend was getting ready to publish and told him of his different types of fighters the one would really bet the others hands down in all circumstances. This bothered me. If I am a 10th level fighter type I should be just as good as any other 10 th level fighter type. Yes one may be better at mounted combat and another have a berserker frenzy, but they should each be able to kill a fill in the blank 9 out of 10 times. Other wise why even play that other class. In most online level based games this is not the case but it requires a group working together each in their on role to take down the monster. This does not lend to small parties or solo adventures. So in a table top game do we design the game so all are equal or make it so it requires team work?

The Majestic Wilderlands

A good friend of mine Robert Conley at Bat in the Attic Games finished his project. It is called Supplement Six The Majestic Wilderlands. A campaign I am proud to say I have played in since the early 1980’s. Rob was always a DM you would enjoy to play with. His ability to dive into a world and open it up for you always had me on edge. Some of the best gaming moments would be when we ran into events or encounters that were brought about by things either I did or those that other players had done is sessions long since past. Rob Bravo Zulu. *(for those of you not in the military that means great job)*

Some times the Players need roped back in.

Ok last post I asked about the them vs. us issue. Now I really believe it is not me vs. them. But every once in a while you just have to put the players in their place. Once my players start hitting over 200 points in GURPS it is hard to control them with normal mechanics. Right now Torrin has to role 16 or less to block on 3d6 and like 15 or less to dodge. Making him a little tough to handle in combat. To make the point worse his partner has the support spells to make the enemy really easy to hit. So the tag team makes me come out of the box to challenge them in combat. This has lead to Torrin’s lack fear of anything in the combat realm. No matter how many or what he will go toe to toe. Now the player who plays Torrin has good reason for this. He is fast on his feet on thinking of solutions and a great support partner. I just believe that the players should get knocked down a little so that with every combat comes the slight hint of doubt am I going to survive this?

Dungeon Master is not you vs them.

I some times feel when I am gaming that the players see the game as players vs. Dungeon Master. This is not how I want to look at it. My NPCs do not gain Experience as times goes on. I get no reward if they do well or have vast amounts of wealth. Lately Torrin has been not leaving any survivors to allow that any way.
Now I do trying and make it challenging to make the players actually have to come out of the “BOX” to solve the problem. Last Monday my players did just that. A group of NPCS where given the order to go to the other door and attack them from the other side. Torrin was holding the front line down from entering the room. So Ambrose with a brief poke and hint from Torrin went to spike the door closed. After a bit of discussion, I made Ambrose roll every round to hit the spike to drive it in enough to keep the door closed. Then seven seconds and 14 rolls later, Ambrose had two spikes holding the door secure. I think it played better than: turn 1 ok you spike the right side of the door. Ok turn 2 you get a new spike. And so on. I just want to get rid of them vs.me and put in, here is the situation now re act to it. Does any one out there have some good pointers on that line.

NPC how important and how much time Should be spent on them.

OK as a game master I run a regular Monday night game using fantasy grounds and skype. I found myself spending 3 to 5 hours preparing for the 4 hours role playing session. I make a ton of enemy NPCs all the way fleshed out. It takes a lot of the prep time I have. Good NPCs do not get as fleshed out just some base stats. The are more character support and pushed to the slide lines in main role playing. Am I on the right track? Or do you want more fleshed out good NPCs? Should I take the bad guys NPCs just down to some stats?

They way I see it with the character support NPC not fleshed out you can fudge in a skill that is needed here or there. The bad guy NPCs are normally someone you are going to encounter more than once or are a type of NPC such a Lizardman Solider. So I want you to get a feel of what you up against over time. So my question to you all is what is your thoughts on NPCs? Are they the classic Star Trek red shirts?

Role-playing Different Races.

In roleplaying I tend to chose to be only human. As a matter of fact I think I would have to go back a long time to my early days of playing to find a Dwarf or an Elf in my characters. I would like to make my players and even myself chose to play another race. So I am looking for any advice or optional races you can recommend to help people to want to play different races.

Elves: A long lived race that seems to think that they know best.

Dwarves: They spend way to much time underground and worrying about gems and metals.

Halflings: The Halfling race reminds of small children who need to be guided.

Gnomes: Man do they not have a garden some where to sit in.

Half Orc / Orc: Tough but such a social outcast.

Goblin: A little annoying race normally a servant to another race.

Now some I would like to see developed are.

Lizard men: Some type of Nomadic desert Warrior with a berserker style frenzy.

The Dead: To see how a re animated soul goes from one of the minions to the Lord of the Dead. Maybe by stealing the life essence from the living and the dead.

Please give me your thoughts on the subject