[Reserve] Distribution of Narration Rights

[Willow]

Hi all.  This is my first post about the Reserve System that I've been working on, so let me tell you a little bit about it.  It's a resource-spending (i.e. the Reserves) driven engine with die pools.  The resolution system is scene-based, with opposed die pools.

One thing I've been brooding over is the division of Narration rights in the game.  I view the game as being Gamist, and not having a whole lot of need for fancy Narrative divisions.  On the other hand, I enjoy Narrative gaming, and want the ability to coherently drift.  So here's what I've come up with:

There's going to be three different Narration Rights settings that the group as a whole can choose from:

"Mild:" Players give input about their actions, but GM narrates results of actions.

"Spicy:" Conflict winners result of successful conflicts. GM narrates results of tied conflicts.

"Extra-Spicy:" As Spicy, but all players (including the GM) have a Story Reserve.  Those points can be spent to (among other things) gain Narration Rights after any given conflict.

Do you imagine this scheme to be effective?   Which one do you think this system should use as the default?

[Paul Strack]

There's going to be three different Narration Rights settings that the group as a whole can choose from:

"Mild:" Players give input about their actions, but GM narrates results of actions.

"Spicy:" Conflict winners result of successful conflicts. GM narrates results of tied conflicts.

"Extra-Spicy:" As Spicy, but all players (including the GM) have a Story Reserve.  Those points can be spent to (among other things) gain Narration Rights after any given conflict.

Do you imagine this scheme to be effective?   Which one do you think this system should use as the default?

Sounds good to me. It's nice to clarify those kinds of options.

Here's my suggestion: make "Extra Spicy" the default, with the added rule that players can always defer to the GM for narrative purposes. Players don't have to use reserve points if they don't want to, and if they are feeling uncreative, the GM can pick up the slack in the narration.

In effect, that combines all three narrative options. Players can adjust their narrative rights based on the style of play or the mood they are in: "I am feeling burned out tonight, so I will let the GM tell most of the story".

[Bryan Hansel]

Question about the GM Story Reserve:  If the player is successful, the GM can spend a point to narrate the result however he/she would like the outcome to be?  Is this right?

[Willow]

Bryan- expenditure of Story Reserves doesn't override who won the conflict.  It just changes who gets to narrate the essential facts of that victory.