[DitV/Glorantha] Con game question
travisjhall:
Quote from: Web_Weaver on April 29, 2008, 04:57:01 AM
Travis, that must have been an efficient game, maybe the time restrictions focused everyone to keep it simple, I totally agree with you Moreno and Newsalor that it is a good way to introduce the mechanics, but how long did that accomplishment phase last?
Well, it was at an Australian con. Australia's convention scenarios these days are often very slick on the timing, regardless of the system run. From what I've seen, scenarios written for the USA aren't usually as fast-paced as ours.
The town would probably be considered relatively straightforward. I remember taking part in three conflicts in the town, and I think there might have been a fourth for which my character wasn't present. That's after four(?) accomplishment conflicts, or thereabouts.
On the other hand, we aren't necessarily so fast outside of cons. My game on the weekend was about four hours long, and included character creation, accomplishments and perhaps a third of a town. Part of it is that when we go into a convention scenario, we're there to play, not to socialise... but really, a big part of it is learning how to manage the timing. Scenarios are noticeably tighter now than they were ten years ago, here (and the development that way has been faster in the southern capitals than in Brisbane, too).
newsalor:
Quote from: Web_Weaver on April 29, 2008, 04:57:01 AM
Travis, that must have been an efficient game, maybe the time restrictions focused everyone to keep it simple, I totally agree with you Moreno and Newsalor that it is a good way to introduce the mechanics, but how long did that accomplishment phase last?
I kept those scenes short. 5-15 minutes per character. 4 characters and 15 minutes per character is an hour already! The first scene took the longest. During that we grokked the dice rules. The following scene was more about establishing the stakes and making the phases other than the dice rolling explicit.
I also made it clear that the players shouldn't optimize their "moves" and think about the narration, not the riht way to use dice. This was about learning to use the rules, so like learning Go, you should play fast and loose at first.
Quote from: Web_Weaver on April 29, 2008, 04:57:01 AM
The setup will be a homecoming for recently trained soldier / heroes (Humakti for those who know the setting) so I have two possible accomplishment hacks if I choose to use that phase:
1 A reasonably standard Accomplishment Phase "what did you want to achieve during your training"
2 A throw them all into the town Homecoming Phase "What do you want to do as soon as you get home"
At the moment I feel that 2 would fit the situation pretty well, the standard Soldier answer "Make out with Mary-Jane" would have all sorts of advantages for introducing town colour, situation foreshadowing and NPC introduction, which could be a more efficient use of time.
Hey, Glorantha is my second name!
So you guys are humakti coming back to their home clan after being off somewhere on a quest. Cool.
I'd make the accomplishment scenes about their heroics, but with a twist. Make up a cool example like "I hope I learned to forgive" or something and then have them do their scenes about things that happened during their quest.
. . .
BTW, a friend of mine, who you'll likely meet at Tentacles, is doing a Mountain Witch / Humakti game set in the Upland Marsh. =)
Mike Holmes:
The Upland Lich?
Jamie, do the Accomplishments. We even do chargen, and it always works fine. DitV is very structured, and you'll make it through play fine.
Mike
Web_Weaver:
Cheers all - sounds like accomplishments get the big thumbs up from everyone here.
Quote from: newsalor on April 29, 2008, 08:06:13 AM
So you guys are humakti coming back to their home clan after being off somewhere on a quest. Cool.
Well I was considering that the Humakt temple was a way off in a bigger town and that the PCs have been spending a year there with Initiation and training and the odd mission thrown in - kind of like the Dogs set-up but with a little more of a military camp feel and an education in the signs to look out for on the slippery slope to the kind of undead worshipping corruption that is bound to emerge when you are on the edge of Delecti's Marsh.
Quote
I'd make the accomplishment scenes about their heroics, but with a twist. Make up a cool example like "I hope I learned to forgive" or something and then have them do their scenes about things that happened during their quest.
Yes this was my initial thought but then I figured that if I was going to invest the time in the accomplishments, maybe I could use them to signpost the themes or relationships in the story. After all, the reason that 3 fresh faced, sword wielding, newly enlightened, empowered and respected guys are coming home is less interesting than what they actually do when they get home.
I guess it would come down to a trade off between having scenes that establish the characters mindset and scenes that lead into the story, I wonder if I get the best of both worlds. Maybe accomplishments whilst away that reflect their home town situations in some way.
"I hope I can live up to my dead father's legacy while I am in camp" kind of thing.
Quote
BTW, a friend of mine, who you'll likely meet at Tentacles, is doing a Mountain Witch / Humakti game set in the Upland Marsh. =)
That's a bit spooky in its similar sentiment and very close by setting one could almost use the same characters - I guess those Humakti are just good for genre/game blending.
Mike Holmes:
Hey Jamie,
Did the game happen yet?
Here's the thing. Before they make up their characters, talk about the town they come from, and to which they're returning. Garunteed that the players, having little else to work off of, will make their characters interesting in the context of the town. When they return, the links between the characters and the town will be nearly automatic.
I'm guessing, but I think it's a good bet. Anything else you need, I'll bet you can concoct on the fly. Especially if the town is well worked out.
Mike
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page