How to prepare an episode

[dyjoots]

I've run and played in a couple of PTA games, but I've always had trouble figuring out exactly how to prepare for an episode as the Producer.  There is so much that can happen, and so many directions to go in...

What do some of you guys that are Producers do as prep?  Think about the high-SP issues and try to set up some stuff right away?  Set up a situation, and rely on the players?  Anything at all?

[Alan]

Hi Dyjoots,

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.