"The Right to Dream", game preparation, reward system, and my experience
David Berg:
Hi Mael,
1) If you're interested in figuring out what system to use in a game where the GM preps the plot before play, you might find my recent "SBP" threads here interesting. Here's one. Your ideas about rewarding players for advancing the story or aiding setting coherence would fit in well in some of those discussions.
2) If you're interested in supporting players who want to explore and discover secrets, but you do not want the GM to need to pre-plan the plot, I think the tools you need depend on what the GM is unable to improvise.
One extreme:
If the GM can improvise everything and consistently confront the players with cool discoveries, then you don't really need much help, though maybe some inspirational material might be nice. The GM can roll on tables or lists of moods, names, objects, or events, to help come up with ideas on the spot.
The opposite extreme:
If the GM is no good at appropriate improv, or doesn't like doing it, then I can imagine 3 solutions:
a) Do the preparation.
b) Use a pre-made plot.
c) Roll or choose between pre-made elements that have been designed to assemble themselves into a plot.
I suspect most GMs fall in between these two extremes, and can benefit from a mix of tools, some allowing pure improv, some requiring guided and constrained improv, and some delivering pre-made content.
Here's an idea:
The GM writes down a list of cool plot developments that could happen.
The GM keeps this list in front of them during play. Whenever they feel that the plot needs to move forward, they pick from the list whatever seems best to them at that moment.
Hope this helps,
-David
Mael:
@Moreno
You’re right about the techniques being different from CAs - I knew that, but it’s really hard not to fall in this trap when just theorizing - again, I should do more actual play, try other techniques.
Oh, and thanks for reminding me the “bass player” metaphor, I’m pretty sure I read once about that in Ron’s essays or on “Sorcerer” book, or even on one topic around here, but I’d completely forget about it.
About prep, yes I think the system has to back you up if you want to go without any. Well, in my case, my own Frankenstein’s monster was not much help - on the contrary, I had even more prep than ever (main plot, sub-plots, NPCs, relationships, objectives for PCs, and so on …). That totally burned me out in the end.
So for now, I’ve decided to put my creature at rest, and playtest other games, as you kindly suggested (I’m not giving up writing down my own game one of these days, but I’ll be waiting to see how much playing something else will change me).
Anyway, I’ll definitively have a look for the games you suggested (in fact, I already had : “Trollbabe”, “Dogs in the Vineyard” and “A taste for Murder” really seem amazing, in different styles).
I also agree that no system can force a player into a specific CA, and that’s for the best - as a player, I would prefer to choose freely. I realize that the main point is the agreement between the players about what we are going to play (could be tacit, but I don’t read mind yet).
What I really would like to do, is have the players read a properly written game book (like the ones mentioned above), and then decide … sadly, most of the players I know dislike reading game books, especially English ones, so I do my best to explain it with my words.
Another thought : while reading what you wrote about “A taste for Murder” vs. “Step on up”, I was thinking that maybe there is still some place for competition : it seems to be greatly rewarding to be discovered as the killer, so couldn’t the players fight each other to be that one ? That said, I haven’t get that game for now, so I’m not sure this is even under player’s control.
PS : Oh, by the way you typo-ed my first name, it’s Mael, not Miel … but it’s a funny typo - “miel” means literally “honey” in French ;)
@David Berg
Hi David, and welcome to this thread !
1) I’ll be sure to check your link, thanks !
2) Well, that’s interesting.
I also suspect I will fall between the two extremes you mentioned. At this point, as my former experiences without prep ended badly, so I tend to rely on heavy prep - afraid of personal failure and player’s disappointment I guess.
That said, as a player I used to rely a lot on improvisation, frequently using Actor’s or Director’s Stances (that is, as far as the system and GM allowed me), so I believe I could manage some unexpected events.
But I believe your list idea is great - it reminds me the Bangs from “Sorcerer”.
I’ll definitively do that : light, “just in case”, prep (and maybe some NPCs names, I know I’m bad at creating one on the fly).
@all
Last Saturday, I had a rapid meeting with players (the newest ones from my OP), we discussed about the last game issues, and decided to move on something else.
InSpectres may be an extreme game (big improvisation skills required from players, as they build story by themselves), but one of the players was really enthusiastic about it and the other ones agreed that it could be fun go a little bit wild, for once.
We’ll play next weekend, I’ll probably post the outcome here (maybe on another topic if it’s more appropriate).
I’ll go check some InSpectres threads on the forum, but if someone wants to share his thoughts about playing that game new players here, he obviously is welcome.
Mael.
Marshall Burns:
The big things about InSpectres that I didn't get at first:
1) If you're GMing, you need to have a working theory as to what's going on, and play it accordingly. But be ready to scrap it as soon as a player makes an investigation roll.
2) Don't be shy about calling for Stress rolls. I can't stress (heh) this enough; the engine doesn't really start rolling until Stress and Cool start flowing through.
Mael:
@Marshall Burns
Hi, and thanks for the tips !
I’ll be sure to stress the PCs, but I don’t want the players to run away either if their character becomes useless from the start ... I think I’ll start smoothly for the start of their first Job, and progressively increase the pressure so they have to rely on each other.
@David Berg
I began reading your threads about SBP ... in fact, that is exactly what I tried to do with my system for the Vampire game : Story Before, Participationism, a whole setting based on intrigues and conspiracy, and much color on the top.
I will read further and hopefully I will participate if anything useful comes to my mind.
Mael.
David Berg:
Unfortunately I got busy with other projects before moving onto the most important SBP topic: reward system options. I do think Frank T. illustrated one suitable option in discussing his game Danger Zone here.
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