Awarding Fan Mail between episodes

[darquehope]

Hey all!  I'm about to run my first PTA session, (I'm excited and nervous) but I've come up with an idea that I'd like to run by everyone.  Now keep in mind, I haven't tried this, so it could very well be the worst idea ever.

Between episodes, players have the opportunity to be rewarded with an additional Fan Mail (by the players or the Producer, that detail hasn't been fleshed out) by writing an in-character blog entry, akin to what Hiro does for Heroes.  The entry would have to demonstrate the character's development or reflection on his or her issue in the context of the previous episode, or their thoughts and feelings about the events.  (This is there for characters with a SP of 1, as they don't have much development this time around.)  The player would in turn earn one, and only one, Fan Mail during downtime, even if more entries are written before the next episode.

That said, do you think this would unbalance the Fan Mail economy?  Do you think it gives players too much of an advantage?  Just my observations.

Nick

[schlafmanko]

I'll let someone else comment on the economic aspects.  As for the social aspects, you'll have to ask the people you're playing with what they think of the idea.  But I'm worried that if you as the producer presented this idea, it might undercut some of the social dynamics that make PTA work.

In the right group and with the right setting, I'd totally jump on writing blog entries in character.  It sounds like fun and I can see how it might both sharpen my sense of thematic issues in a game and enhance my immersion.  But I as a player would bristle at the idea if the GM presented character blogging primarily as an opportunity for more fanmail.  Getting paid for writing entries implicitly turns the blog into work for me.  If someone else tells me to prep a certain way, I lose my sense that I've decided to prep because I'm invested in the game.  Offering a bribe makes me feel like someone's trying to shove me to do something they think I don't want to do, rather than presenting me with the idea and letting me decide freely if I'd find it fun and rewarding.  If the producer gives out additional fanmail for writing journal entries, that seems to send the message that the GM is in charge of goading everyone else into roleplaying and that your players are a bunch of kids who can't be trusted with their own fun.  Of course I know not everyone is going to read that same implication into GM-given rewards, but I'm also not the only person who would get that message.

One of the things that made PTA work for my group was that it helped instill the opposite ethos, that everyone at the table has equal ownership over the game and is an equal participant in making the game fun.   (though I didn't realize that that was how PTA's social dynamics would work for us when I initially read the book, either -- for some reason I got the impression that it was a game about putting your friends on the spot in awkward situations)  In online advice, you'll see a lot of emphasis on continuing to brainstorm ideas for the show until you have something that everyone in the group is really excited about.  No one should just go along quietly with everyone else in choosing the show, because no one should be along for the ride at the table.  The same ethos shows up within the game by making players responsible for framing dramatically interesting scenes, rather than leaving that aspect of story up to the GM.  And thirdly, allowing players to give each other fanmail but not letting the producer do it makes players more conscious of other people's fun without the weird power dynamics of putting a single person (the GM) in charge of deciding what good roleplaying is and trying to bribe players to get it. 

Hope that helps!