[Lacuna Part 1, 2nd Attempt] Orientation

[Russell Collins]

I ran some new players through my Lacuna "Orientation and Mobility within Blue City" scenario using the new and improved rules. The theme of the scenario is to learn to navigate around a dreamscape using pictures as literal and figurative clues, with plenty of reference to dream dictionaries for symbolic meaning. After insertion the agents buy a newspaper and the pictures on page 3 are their guide to a point that they will be collected from. It works out as a bizarre scavenger hunt.

This new group took to it well I feel. They left the table intrigued by what Lacuna had to offer instead of just saying they "didn't get it," which I've heard in the past.

Jared's included new rules for Static (the mis-communication between agents and the outside world) that I think are great fun. In the game I played with him at a con almost 2 years ago I found the disconnect between the serious agents and our bored phone-jockey on the outside to be a really interesting part of the game and I've emulated it in my own sessions. Now it's written into the rules!

There are a few omissions in the 2nd attempt. The rules for insertion no longer include details of agents losing each other in transfer, though the text mentions the possibility so I may keep the rules from the older version. Adding Static to these situations will make for a great emphasis on the way agents slip out of contact with the "non-dream" world.

Players never seem to understand the power they actually weild in Lacuna and I'm not going to dispell their illusions. I'm always willing to empower them when they make decisions, but I think just guiding them along and making up the links in the chain as they go is really the best way to play a dream.

I've got the fodder for an on-going campaign here and I'm looking forward to dragging other people into the Lacuna.

Eject now.

[Luke]

Having played Lacuna once and watched two other games, I hated the "agents get lost, must find each other" shtick. I'm glad he took it out. To me it seemed like an old school GM tactic to obfuscate and buy time or roadblock the players. Or maybe it was Jared.

And I'm glad to hear the static rules worked out! How many players did you have? How far up the static ladder did you get on this mission?

[Russell Collins]

There were two players and since I made "getting lost" a source of static in the game, it shot up pretty quick. I got to use a few bizarre happenings on them, but overall they avoided most of the static by being very careful about what to roll for.

That's usually the behavior I see in Lacuna players. They see that ticking clock of their heart rate and they try to find ways to avoid picking up the dice. I usually just remind them how much easier their lives would be if they take the risks. Basically the Devil's Advocate. I did the same thing running Orpheus in which the players can "tap spite" to get more dice by letting their inner demons power up. I like doing it. I don't force them. It creates an odd paranoia in the players that I think suits Lacuna well. In fact this is also how I used to run "Paranoia." Interesting.

It's important to me that disorientation be a part of any Lacuna session and the insertion problems were a good source of that stress. It's usually a pretty easy roll to make (so long as there is anyone in the group with a good Access score) but the idea of getting lost before you even start puts a little scare into the players.`

Of course, this may be where I went wrong with past groups of Lacuna players. I'll have to see if I can rope them back in for a second session.

[ghashsnaga]

By any chance do you have Orientation and Mobility within Blue City written up or in an outline? I am looking for a way to introduce my gaming group to Lacuna. I ran a short one night session and it went well but I think my skills as a GM are lacking. So I am looking for some guidance on running the game. Thanks.

-Ara

[Ron Edwards]

Hi Ara,

I'd really like to know more about your actual experience in that Lacuna game, and where and how you weren't satisfied with your GMing.

However, it needs to go into a new thread of its own, rather than this thread. This thread is old, and old threads should be left alone at the Forge. I'm locking it ... but this is not a punishment. It's just to keep this thread preserved in its own jar.

When you start that new thread, I'll point you to some great discussions about playing Lacuna, but we need to do that in your thread, about your own game.

Best, Ron