A Question and an Idea

[craytonc]

I've only run one episode of PTA so far, which I put up in actual play (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?t=14970). However, we're about to start the main season, and I've found that in preperation I've been trying to nail down how I want each Episode to end.

What I'm wondering is how do you plan out your seasons? I've seen a lot of talk about the nature of the game giving more freedom to do less prep work. Does anyone else go into an Episode with a plan of how they want it to end? Or do you just play until it "feels" right to end it?

Also an idea... we play using the card option. I'm currently using red backed cards for fan mail and blue for normal use... that way it's easy to tell which head back to the budget or not. I also bought some blank playing cards, and a book on camera angles and other cinematic techniques. I copied them over to the cards, and I plan on handing each player two or three cards to use during the course of the Episode. If they use the technique described on the card in a cool way, it's an automatic Fan Mail. I'm hoping this brings the players more in tune with actually remembering they have creative control, as they're still stuck in their roots of waiting for the GM to describe everything. I'll let you all know how it works out.

Please feel free to check out the Producer's Blog and online Endgame Show Bible that I put up on the net... both pages are open to any and all comments, and we'd love to hear any ideas you might have.

And thanks again for such a wonderful game! In our one night of playing, we've pretty much decided that we'll also be switching our very long running Robotech/Rifts world crossover game to PTA. We've been through a ton of systems on this game, and PTA will be the crowning glory I think.

Cheers!

[Matt Wilson]

Hi Chad:

There's two ways you can think about the ending.

One is just to say, okay, we're playing for three hours, and when it gets to 2:45 you all say, well, time to get to that final scene. Ideal for shows like Seinfeld, which sort of conclude but also just sort of end at some point. There's no real finale, but stuff gets addressed in a kind of wrap-up.

The other way is to tie in the conclusion to the situation you introduce as producer in the first scene. This is the way to do a Law and Order show or any kind of solve-the-puzzle show. There's a murder, and the show ends shortly after you figure out who the killer is.

Other than that, you don't have to give much thought to the ending. Just provide interesting supporting characters with their own motivations, and you can adapt to whatever scenes the players request.

And switching Rifts over to Primetime Adventures... never EVER did I imagine I would see those words.

Thanks for the feedback. Hope it all goes well.

[Alan]

Hi Chad,

The more PTA sessions I ran, the less I actually prepared.  

What I would recommend preparing for each episode is
- An antagonist or problem that puts pressure on the spotlight protagonist's issue.
- A scene that introduces an antagonist or problem
- Some ideas of what the antagonist/problem's goals are, and how they'll respond to complications.
- Some ideas how to pressure secondary protagonist issues.

That's all.  Launch it.  Let the players build on it.  Guide and sculpt what they come up with to keep pressure on issues.  Occasionally remind players how much real time is left to finish the episode; this helps them create a beginning, middle, and end for the episode.


The backbone of the Season are the Screen Presence arcs.  Aside from studying how the SP ratings of the different protagonists unfold over time and inter-relate, I would leave details extremely flexible, so I can use material the player's come up with as we play -- or which the players spectulate on.  Any time you hear "wouldn't it be cool if..." it's time to make notes.  Of course, you can collect your own inspirations as well and keep all these ideas like cards to pull out when the time seems right -- or discard if they never fit in.


In short, PTA works best when the GM does not rely on certain events occuring, or certain endings being reached.  Let go.  Help the players to make those decisions as the episodes unfold.

[craytonc]

Matt, Alan

Thanks. This is just the advice I needed. I guess since it has been only one episode, I'm still feeling a little jittery over tossing them into the pool and watching them swim. I documented a few of the problems we faced - most because of the baggage that we're all still carrying around.

My players are still a little hesitant because of how different this is to us all, but I think you're right... it's time for all of us to take the plunge.

I'm going to be using this advice in the next episode, hopefully coming up this weekend.

I'll post in Actual Play how it all turns out.

Thanks again!!