One Hour Challenges

[DevP]

I was talking with Henri today post-game, about preferred lengths of gametime, and I mentioned that I hoped to get my GMing skills down to where you could play a good episode in 1-2 hours. (There was that 2-hour 8-player MLwM one-shot, heh.) The one-hour range, it was said, was just too short to be worth the effort of pulling people together...

Well, is it? Some insanity has to go on to pull it off, but I think it actually might be a possible play-style, and even a fun one. The challenge, explicitly: 1 hour, start to finish, set up and all, breaks included. Use a stopwatch. If it works for TV serials, it will work for yours.

The thing is, putting the setting into one's mind takes some initialization-time, so it wouldn't really be cheating to put some extra time beforehand (or perhaps engage this prior to the actual play) of declaring the setting (even character guidelines) beforehand. (To use the analogue, a TV serial doesn't have to spend it's minutes introducing regular characters or the setting.)

Your system/setting/etc. choices would have to optimize for the time and setting. Probably something rules-light with minimal (approximating zero) stats lookup-time, a readily understood setting (e.g. pop-culture fiction or a present-day city), and if possible an ad-hoc sharing of narrative/world-building powers built into a brutally streamlined IIEE.

An Iron Chef style attitude to it might be healthy ("Special ingredient: STEAMPUNK!"), and playfulness could help buoy the rough spots of gameplay. Also, this style asks a lot of a GM (and I'd say, suggests that there be a GM who is prepared to do some potentially heavy-handed scene-framing, since she wouldn't necessarily have the time to do it most carefully).

So, what I'd like to know from you all: is this merely a novelty, or something specifically bad, or is this potentially a good outcome, if we can get good gameplay out of it? What sorts of further parameters and techniques (and systems) would help this effort? And do you see yourself taking on this challenge?

Personally, if I can get a job back in Boston-proper in the fall, I can see myself trying to do this (with *people I don't necessarily know*) via the bostongamers LJ/listserv group, maybe even over a lunch hour or something. I'd probably try on Wushu, flavored to streamline all plot elements into the Mook/Nemesis model (i.e. finding clues to the Big Bad is a Threat 5 mook-contest) and some light rails, but only if the people coming understood ahead of time what Wushu implies, and indeed my rather aggressive player expectations. Still, if we could go from ordering-drink to end-credits in 60 minutes flat... well, that's why it's a challenge!

As for why: hour-long play isn't good for all playstyles (MLwM was aching from running so fast), but the time investment of RPGs - the character creation session, and even just 3-5 weeks of regular multihour sessions - can be daunting for some people. If a hobby is valuable to you, you make time for it, sure - but a time-saving flavor could be helpful, too.

[Paul Czege]

Hey Dev,

What sorts of further parameters and techniques (and systems) would help this effort?

The role of Cupid in Vincent Baker's http://www.septemberquestion.org/lumpley/match.html">Matchmaker is so demanding that http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?t=6635">our hour long game last year nearly killed me. Vincent says their playtests were only 20 minute games. So, uh, one technique for hour long games is a play dynamic that powerfully tests the human limits of the participants.

Paul

[Victor Gijsbers]

Maybe you'd like to check out Soap[/url[, which explicitely states that a game can last no longer than 60 minutes, I believe.

[Tim C Koppang]

I've played many a one hour-ish sessions of InSpectres.  The nice part about it all, is that you don't really need a lot of breaks.  With quick character creation, and a focused group of players, you can get a couple really good scenes in for each player and have the whole thing wrapped up before you really even get rolling.

InSpectres is especially conducive to this sort of play because of its lightheartedness.  There's no need for long dramatic build-ups.  Also, with low GM-prep time requirements, there isn't as much at stake from a time in/time out perspective.

All of this doesn't mean that longer sessions aren't more rewarding, but for a series of pick-up, rapid-fire episodes with the same group of players, the game handles things well.

[Ron Edwards]

Hello,

And let's not forget Puppetland, which is limited to a single hour of play per session, and works very nicely with that as a major system feature.

Best,
Ron

[Rob Carriere]

Chronos Veritas might also be worth looking at. It's basically set up so that any action will take as long to play as it would take to do it in the SIS (i.e. SIS-time and wall clock time are synchronous.)  Take something that wil use up an hour of SIS-time and it should take an hour to play.

Actually, you'd want something a little shorter than an hour so you have some set-up time and can have at least a couple of Commercial Break tokens in play.

SR
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[Callan S.]

I think you need to establish scene framing with the players and sort of cheat by doing a write up and handing/e-mailing that out before play. That way you can do a lot of the boring build up and have them dropped into cool choice-ville at minute zero.

In terms of conclusions, many standard game fiddle about for hours before they get on track for some sort of 'bang, we completed something'. You don't have that luxury here, but you still need a conclusion (IMO). I would suggest (though its a bit gamist and that may not be your thing) several possible conclusions, some requiring less work and some more. I'd suggest they all be possitive or atleast the ones requiring less work end on a cliff hanger ending (which is exciting and not too much stick).

And really, if people want longer sessions, designing this way is still excellent because its punchy AND you can just play another session straight away if you want.

As for why: hour-long play isn't good for all playstyles (MLwM was aching from running so fast), but the time investment of RPGs - the character creation session, and even just 3-5 weeks of regular multihour sessions - can be daunting for some people. If a hobby is valuable to you, you make time for it, sure - but a time-saving flavor could be helpful, too.

You know, I find this apologetic in tone. And its the same tone I'd probably in write as well if posting on this topic. Is there something about this hobby that we feel we have to have multi hour sessions?

[komradebob]

Hi Dev.

Actually, the idea of an rpg session that can and should be completed in 1-2 hours is something I'm very interested in. I simply don't have the time these days I once did, so time is essential. Some general thoughts:

1) You've already mentioned it, but preparation seems essential. Being able to simply hand out quick situation materials ( say a character sheet/situation set up/setting description sheet that can be read and digested in 5-10 minutes) would help a lot.

2) You mentioned rules-lite. I tend to go in this direction, also. However, another way to look at that might be that only rules and mechanics applicable to the scenario are present.

3) A while back I posted a thread asking about what I called "scenario oriented design", which was sort of similar to what you're describing. Some of the best feedback I got was from folks that have experience designing LARP events. Sadly, I forget what the three letter acronym they used for describing the style of their LARP rules/group was. The reason that they were helpful was that they seem to be used to the idea that rules need to really only apply to the particular event at hand. I got the impression that they would recycle mechanics from one event to another, if they seemed applicable. OTOH, if a later LARP event emphasized radically different situations, etc, they would makes more appropriate mechanics. I think that short play time games ( or game scenarios)   benefit from very specific rules.

4) I think that some of the things that have seemingly become somewhat disreputable when used in long play time games and campaigns actually have some really valid uses in short play time games. Hooks, prods, a little railroading (no? howabout participationism then?), whatever. Add to that list premade characters, with relationships to one another, and some directly linked motivations.

5) Howabout rules that somehow follow a concept like story arc? I seem to recall some cards ( whimsy cards?) that I had a long time ago that were dealt out to players before a session. Players could then introduce them into a session to speed up the pace of the game and/or introduce new elements. I seem to recall they were pretty open to interpretation.

6) Wrap it up warning. I also recall a thread regarding a Universalis session where the participants set a limit on the time when they were planning to stop playing. Prior to that time, someone gave the warning, then play proceeded in such a way that introduced elememts were tied together.

7) One of the cool things about a short play time game is that you could very well design it to support any of the three GNS Creative agendas. On a social level, this has some very real benefits. For example, most of the people I've gamed with would probably enjoy any of the three styles of play once in a while. OTOH they also could all be said to have a decided preference for one of the three CAs. A short game allows folks to run with one of the styles without a vast commitment of time and effort to a system that they might not enjoy longterm.

8) This one kind of goes along with 7. I tend to be a "setting" guy, meaning that the setting of a game ( along with color and character) are the things that engage me. Most settings have neat things to explore with any CA. But I'm kind of a pig in this. I actually want to explore the setting with all three CAs emphasized/supported, just not at the same time. Several Short games, tied to setting, but with different CAs emphasized would really make me a happy guy.

Sorry to run on,
Good topic,
Robert

[DevP]

Damn, so many good answers, but I have a bus to catch in less than an hour! I've been reading along, and thinking what to say:
- it seems like an hour is reasonable (even mandated) for many games
- strict narrative frameworks might help (i.e. relying on rules rather than the "scenario" per se to determine end of game, like InSpectres or MLwM)

I also thought of a way to introduce Wushu rules incrementally WHILE in play & in-story, so it sounds fun, but potentially hazardous unless I warn folks ahead of time. (I'm thinking about these warnings in particular because I might try this with tried-and-true gamers.)

Okay, more later, mass transit now.

[Callan S.]

4) I think that some of the things that have seemingly become somewhat disreputable when used in long play time games and campaigns actually have some really valid uses in short play time games. Hooks, prods, a little railroading (no? howabout participationism then?), whatever. Add to that list premade characters, with relationships to one another, and some directly linked motivations.

Can't strong scene framing do this, really? For example, if the GM said at the start of the game 'Sometimes to move on to new exciting scene where you get to make cool choices, I will make some of the duller choices for your character to get them there. Also I shoulder responsiblity for these choices; if something goes wrong because of them, its my fault.'

I'd be pretty happy to have a GM zapping me all over the place every so often if that was the clear contract. Maybe its the gamist in me, but if he takes responsiblity for any bad stuff that happens because of the choices he makes, that leaves me with all the wicked choices to make. Perhaps harsh on the GM, but he has many powers to get him (and thus us) out of such problems.

[DevP]

You know, I find this apologetic in tone. And its the same tone I'd probably in write as well if posting on this topic. Is there something about this hobby that we feel we have to have multi hour sessions?

I think I found what I thought was a sacred cow, and was being very polite to it. Also, I really think that many agendas or games are NOT service by too much shortness. I am feeling some pangs of guilt for my speedy MLwM one-shots, for example.

Howabout rules that somehow follow a concept like story arc? I seem to recall some cards ( whimsy cards?) that I had a long time ago that were dealt out to players before a session. Players could then introduce them into a session to speed up the pace of the game and/or introduce new elements.

More concretely, I remember that the Buffyesqe game of FATE (by either Rob or Fred) had some some randomly dealt cards, each with the shtick on it ("Everything is under control", to be spoken when everything is clearly not undercontrol, and about to get worse.) The cards were played to get a 1 Fate Point freebie. Actually, many aspects of FATE could work for this: both using Fate Points in prescripted ways to move things along, and also maybe overlay the entire hour's session with a single Challenge Ladder (metaladder?).

When I have more time and am working in the city again, I'll put this idea on the listserv to see what happens. I think the FATE stuff could work very well, as would the Wushu. If anyone wants to organize something like an organize day of action - having hour-games in multiple cities or something city - post about it, and we could organize, as that could be a fun meme.