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Steps to addressing premise?

Started by sirogit, April 16, 2004, 11:44:53 AM

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sirogit

What do you do in your Narrativist games to encourage the addressing of a specific premise?

I'm being abit critical of my own attempts to brainstorm premise-addressing techniques as to judge them too artificial and limiting. Therefore I could greatly use some examples that lead to satisfying play to anaylze.

Ben Lehman

Hello, my name is Ben Lehman, and I'm a front-loader.

In other words, I set up situations where the premise can't not be addressed -- things are in such a crisis that the players must respond, and that even walking away is a strong thematic statement on the nature of their situation.

For instance (in a city-based game):  You have just stolen a gem which contains vast energetic power.  What do you do?

Then later: This gem was crafted using a human soul, and the shadowy wraith of the person who was sacrificed wants it back, as do the original owners.  What do you do?

Note, here, that any action at all addresses the premise (the price of power, say.)  Even leaving the gem on the street, or throwing it into the sea.

I think (not certain) that this is very similar to what is often called a "bang," albeit perhaps more extended in time.  It also might be called "situation - premise narrativism."

Does this help?

yrs--
--Ben

BPetroff93

Hey Sirogit,  

Is this an example of a play group in which there is a consensus for this type of play or are you trying to inject narritivist play?
Brendan J. Petroff

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
Love is the law, love under Will.

sirogit

Consensus. Everyone's aware of the goals of the game(Though there may be misunderstanding) and they all agree.

BPetroff93

Cool:)  May I further inquire what game you are playing?  

This should have been part of my first post, sorry.
Brendan J. Petroff

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
Love is the law, love under Will.