The Creatives: First draft (was GroupThink)

[Graham W]

I've spent a happy weekend writing and I have a first draft of The Creatives (as it's now called).

As you might remember, this is an attempt at a simple storytelling game, based around talentless people trying to be creative. They screw their product up because they're too busy screwing each other. It uses the coin-spinning mechanic that I discussed in an earlier thread.

I'd welcome any feedback, positive or negative. I have a few specific questions, but I think I'll leave those until I've got first reactions from people.

The document is an 80K, 14-page Microsoft Word document. You can download it from:

http://s19.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0U0SXOGVO3CR2393LNIZCQ5Y5D

As I understand it, this link will expire after a certain number of downloads. So I'll check this thread and, if there's enough interest, I'll post a new link from which to download an updated document.

Thanks very much for any help you can give.

[Jason Morningstar]

Hey, it is looking good!  I like the broadened focus and the title.  I love the two-stereotype nametag flipping!  That's really funny, and as a player I'd be dying to reach that transformation as well as force it on others.  The in-game effect of the coin landing heads up or tails up is a nice touch.  Some comments:

I'm not seeing the need for a GM - are you sure that role is necessary?  Just checking. 

I think it is important that you tighten up the actual procedures for requesting a scene, as well as the parameters ands equence of scenes.  For example, you write:

"After the Board Meeting, one player suggests a scene involving his character and another character."  Which player?  What if multiple players want scenes? 

"If a player narrates something about the other character, the other player can refuse"  Why violate the general rule when it comes to character autonomy?  Again, just asking.

"At the end of every round, the GM gives each player an extra coin. Players who have been particularly entertaining get one or two more."  What's a round?  Is this the only way to circulate the currency?

"If a character was persuaded to do something, then they must attempt it, some time during the game."  Does the GM keep track?  Is there a penalty if you don't? 

"The player can spin as many coins as she likes. But she must wait until one coin has stopped spinning before spinning the next.  If, during this narration, the player hesitates or repeats herself, the whole attempt at inspiration is lost. And so are all the coins she spun."  As I said before, I'm hesitant to tie player physical prowess to character success.  But that's just me.  And who decides if she repeats herself or falters?  The GM?  The other players?

I really hope these comments are helpful.  In the Game Chef competition this year there was a "Game Destroyer" thread, which was enormously helpful to me.  I sort of channeled that and looked for potential weak spots in your draft.

--Jason

[Graham W]

I'm not seeing the need for a GM - are you sure that role is necessary?

Not totally. I think it's a nice luxury for the players not to worry about throwing the story off track with their narration - which could easily happen, given that they're narrating against the clock.

But it's perfectly possible that the players as a whole could perform the GM role.

I think it is important that you tighten up the actual procedures for requesting a scene, as well as the parameters ands equence of scenes.  For example, you write:

"After the Board Meeting, one player suggests a scene involving his character and another character."  Which player?  What if multiple players want scenes? 

All right. Yes. Part of me feels it should be the first person to speak (since this game is about thinking quickly and quickfire narration).

But I remember someone else suggested using the same idea as "Snap" - the first person to grab...something...gets the narration. If I can find a way to do that, that would be ideal.

"If a player narrates something about the other character, the other player can refuse"  Why violate the general rule when it comes to character autonomy?  Again, just asking.

The main reason is to give an incentive to spin the coin to end the round. Because, once you've spun the coin, you can screw with the other character to your heart's content.

"At the end of every round, the GM gives each player an extra coin. Players who have been particularly entertaining get one or two more."  What's a round?  Is this the only way to circulate the currency?

Urrrgh. A round is a collection of scenes: one every player has been in one scene, that's a round. And I clearly need to explain that better.

The idea of the GM giving extra coins to entertaining players is stolen from Paranoia XP (which does something similar with "Perversity points"). I'd like to have some way of rewarding entertaining players, but it doesn't necessarily have to be so GM-centric.

"If a character was persuaded to do something, then they must attempt it, some time during the game."  Does the GM keep track?  Is there a penalty if you don't? 

Yes, I think the GM should keep track; no, I don't think there's a penalty. This is partly stolen from My Life With Master: if you're commanded by the Master, you must carry out the command, but (as I remember) there's no particular timescale to do so or penalty if you don't. It's just assumed you must do it.

"The player can spin as many coins as she likes. But she must wait until one coin has stopped spinning before spinning the next.  If, during this narration, the player hesitates or repeats herself, the whole attempt at inspiration is lost. And so are all the coins she spun."  As I said before, I'm hesitant to tie player physical prowess to character success.  But that's just me.  And who decides if she repeats herself or falters?  The GM?  The other players?

It's not so much physical prowess as quick thinking. The character succeeds if the player can keep talking. It rather fits in the whole theme of narrating under pressure. I like it. (Who decides is, I think, ultimately the GM, but he'll rely on other players spotting the mistake).

I really hope these comments are helpful.  In the Game Chef competition this year there was a "Game Destroyer" thread, which was enormously helpful to me.  I sort of channeled that and looked for potential weak spots in your draft.

They really are, and thanks.

Here's the same file as a PDF, by the way.

The Creatives: PDF, 110K

Graham