[System Sez Drill] Signals too weak

[Callan S.]

Bit dissapointed with the drills design and also surprised at how much I didn't follow the rules properly (there's probably a drill in that as well). I gave it a quick run through with my son. Part of the problem was the 50% chance the GM loses - bar one time, I kept passing. It wasn't terribly demonstrative of a conflict of interests that way. But a 100% failure rate wouldn't demonstrate it either - the GM wouldn't hope to win then, he'd just know he was going to lose and wouldn't become invested.

When I did feel the conflict of interest, it was faint. I'm really not happy with that - I want to be really sure someone else would feel it and eliminate any chance I'm just fooling myself into feeling the results I wanted.

I think instead of multiple tests, just one but with multiple percentiles rolls. I think something like multiple chance rolls where you add up each success and a few other nifty little rules, will do more to create investment for the GM. Then the conflict of interest will be quite clear.

I'll give my rough notes that I typed, as I tried out the drill. I don't feel like composing them into something more formal, as it wasn't successful enough to warrant a grand essay. Each percentage is my GM roll for each test.


65%
Felt not a great deal before the GM roll. Perhaps if I'd stated that I could lose on the secret roll. Felt relief when the dice came up 50%, since I didn't have to face loosing. Felt a mild feeling that things were going the right way when I could give my result.

14%
Stuffed this up a couple of times. First Max said he'd run through and I vetoed. Second time I forgot to assign a percentage number and just raced to my 50% check (stated I'd lose on it this time and made it open). He passed his roll, surprisingly. It felt bad to lose, particular when Max repeated the fact.

70%
Felt relief and again the feeling that I'd gotten my way - system hadn't gotten in my way.

84%
Stuffed up again! Gave him his 10% then rolled the 50% secretly. It felt like nothing really, just whatever the system wanted to do in terms of me losing or whatever. Felt more for his result when I was rolling it - hoped he would win and not bomb out.