This post has me thinking about a lot of different things, not just our present game. So I'll try to break up my reactions in comments:
It's really counterintuitive. The idea that by limiting story options you increase them is a strange one! But, I feel that most players, when faced with an unknown expanse to play in, will sit down and play with their personal toys rather than going out and interacting with the world. Yes, Yes! YES! I'm totally ripping this off[1] right now but constraints breed creativity. I think this is why PTA is so magical. You set up the show and pretty much decide what's going to happen in the show before you ever start playing. But because you've built such a tight sandbox, people ask themselves the very interesting question of "What would a lifer salesperson do when a new owner buys the story I've been working at for 30 years and starts making changes to HIS store?" as opposed to the very boring question of "Where can I go to show that I'm a bad ass with a sword
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Much tighter reasons. Now, I grant you that in the context of the Burning Empires game we could argue that the two graphic novels are 1-2 turns. I wouldn't disagree, but having a strong what at the beginning of the game leads to a strong game.
When we talked about it you mentioned that you thought the comics probably take place during usurpation and invasion phases respectively. I think one issue with infiltration is that it does leave a lot of things wide open. Some of us are Vaylen hunting but most are just living our own lives. If we did do a reboot I would suggest just doing one phase and having it not be infiltration. This way we can establish the Vaylen threat and give us all good reason to unite against it.
Yeah, I'd agree. I don't think a three phase game will NEVER work, just that, at the moment, it's not ideal. Maybe after we've played through a phase that has a more definite threat we can come back and redo the initial phases.
I think all games need to answer three questions: (a)What, (b)How, and (c)Why.Hmmm... My standard is we need a setting (where you are, culture, etc) and situation (what's going on). I'd like to breakdown what those two answer
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Yeah, I'd agree that the What, How, and Why aren't normally asked flat out. It's more of...a checklist, at the end of creating a group of characters (or possibly before creating said group) that should be met.
I think all the players should read this, or at least certain key parts. The way the tech gets involved and the way the world functions has left me, as a player, with a much greater idea of what I can do. It also gave me ideas of story hooks and of how to narrate something like a big battle.
Last night was hang out with the rents then hang out with the lady doing Elders in WoW so I haven't cracked them open yet, but I'm really looking forward to.
Personally, I'm not sure we can layer in a How or Why into this game. I'd like to believe we can, but...I'm a pessimist. I also believe that pulling a game from one thing to another is much harder than simply restarting. As much as it might be annoying and people like these characters, I'd kinda like to restart with the How and Why in there.This kills me to say, but I think you're right. However I don't think we need to abandon the work we've done. I think we could skip the Usurpation phase (hell Misha and Fox are already there) and start things back up with the caveat that we narrate in some things that bind our character together during the course of infiltration. So that at the start of the Usurpation we all have a reason WHY we're working together and have some specific idea(s) as to HOW we'll do it
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It's really counterintuitive. The idea that by limiting story options you increase them is a strange one! But, I feel that most players, when faced with an unknown expanse to play in, will sit down and play with their personal toys rather than going out and interacting with the world. Yes, Yes! YES! I'm totally ripping this off[1] right now but constraints breed creativity. I think this is why PTA is so magical. You set up the show and pretty much decide what's going to happen in the show before you ever start playing. But because you've built such a tight sandbox, people ask themselves the very interesting question of "What would a lifer salesperson do when a new owner buys the story I've been working at for 30 years and starts making changes to HIS store?" as opposed to the very boring question of "Where can I go to show that I'm a bad ass with a sword ( ... )
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When we talked about it you mentioned that you thought the comics probably take place during usurpation and invasion phases respectively. I think one issue with infiltration is that it does leave a lot of things wide open. Some of us are Vaylen hunting but most are just living our own lives. If we did do a reboot I would suggest just doing one phase and having it not be infiltration. This way we can establish the Vaylen threat and give us all good reason to unite against it.
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Last night was hang out with the rents then hang out with the lady doing Elders in WoW so I haven't cracked them open yet, but I'm really looking forward to.
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OMG yeah. No plan. PLAN BAD! But yeah, a specific idea is TOTALLY what I want. That way we know what to play up and what will tie in well.
I don't think we need to abandon the work we've done.
Agreed. Unless it feels forced to other people, in which case we can!
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