Question regarding Scene Framing

[Norbert Matausch]

Hi all,

before we're giving PTA a new (and, hopefully, this time successful) try, I'd like to ask you a question:

Is a player allowed to request a scene that features NPCs only?

In our first PTA session, I allowed players to frame scenes with NPCs only. This resulted in some very awful scenes that seriously corrupted the story.

The way I understand the PTA rules now, is that the player requesting the scene must at least have his actor present. Is this right?

Thanks,
Norbert

[Georgios Panagiotidis]

I don't think it's explicitly stated in the rules, but it's assumed that a scene request comes from wanting to participate in the game.

In one of the games I've run, there were players requesting scenes involving other players' characters but not their own. I guess it comes from the increasingly common attitude of preferring to be entertained by GM or other people, as opposed to actually getting involved in the game. A lot of the games I know are little more than The [name of GM] Show with players only occasionally feeding the GM lines or prodding the pre-planned plot along. It's not my idea of fun, but to some it's what RPGs are all about.

Not that I'm bitter. ;)

[Matt Wilson]

Wie geht's, Herr Norbert:

I'd advise having at least one protagonist involved in a scene, but it doesn't have to be yours. You can request a scene for some other protagonist if you want.

But if you do that as a player, you're immediately placing yourself - as a player -  in a supporting role for that scene. If your protagonist isn't there, you can only make suggestions from the sidelines and maybe spend fan mail in a conflict.

You can't - and I'll clarify this in revision if necessary - you can't request a scene about a character that's not your protagonist and then control that character.

[pete_darby]

And, you know, if you start getting everyone clamouring for scenes about the supporting cast, well, I guess you've just found out you were making the wrong show in the first place.... or at least, about the wrong section of the cast.

Go too far into this territory, though, everyone mixing & matching playing prot's and NPC's throughout, your probably better off playing Universalis with some PtA-esque gimmicks... or Capes.

[Norbert Matausch]

[Mike Holmes]

Well, what about a show meant to emulate, say, L&O:CSI. In that show, there are regular scenes in which exposition occurs about the crime in question. Or is that the wrong sort of TV show for PTA?

Mike

[Emily Care]

In our last game we had a scene with two npcs who had been taken on by players. (Ah, I hadn't really noted that we've started playing multiple characters, but we have). It worked out wonderfully, since it was fully integrated into the storyline. Far from a dodge from the action, it was a meaningful suggestion that resulted in excellent character exposition.

I suppose it would depend on the dynamic in the group.

best,
Emily