[Noir] Flashback mechanics

[Caesar_X]

I've just started work on a game to capture the flavor of Film Noir like The Maltese Falcon and LA Confidential.  One of the early mechanics I wanted to include was character flashbacks since they are so prevalent in the movies.  What do you all think about letting players use plot points (or an equivalent) to call for a flashback scene where they can dictate elements of their past?

It has the potential to cause some confusion, but if structured properly I thought it could create some nice scenes.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Chris

[Adam Dray]

Are plot points a kind of game currency or do you mean it in the literary sense?

I think flashbacks are such a useful tool that you probably want to let players use them freely or even require them. DaveC has been toying with some RPG ideas that essentially establish the "what happened" up front, and then flash back to figure out how it happened.

And welcome to the Forge, Chris!

[Jason Morningstar]

Hey Chris, welcome!

I agree with Adam.  The nice thing about flashbacks is that they allow character development without mucking with continuity - you can use them to fill in detail and comment on the central action in interesting ways.  I'm using them in the game I'm working on, Grey Ranks, and they are pretty much mandatory.  The game is structured in nine scenes, and in each there is a central mission in which every PC participates, and vignettes which interrupt the flow of the mission and focus on a particular PC and some emotional event in his past that, ideally, offers commentary on the mission.  Players must have a vignette and can call for it at any time.  My feeling about anoir-themed game is that if a flashback is called for, it will be obvious and should be encouraged. 

[David "Czar Fnord" Artman]

What do you all think about letting players use plot points (or an equivalent) to call for a flashback scene where they can dictate elements of their past?
...
Any thoughts?

Hello, and welcome to The Forge!

I like the general notion you present. It would seem you have an idea about the players using a currency (resource) to be able to gain some credability in the game world. What would that credability entail?

Character Past - I would handle this using whatever existing character creation system you have developed. Basically, a player could "bank" unspent "build points" and use them during play to be able to "author" facts about the character's past: old contacts, old skills, past relationships. In essence, your flashback mechanic could allow for greater and more flexible character effectiveness, because the players can tune characters to suit situations... to an extent (i.e. until they run out of banked build points).

World Past - This is where a "plot point" currency comes in--perhaps each point is purchased in place of normal character abilities, using the same "build points" above. These points would allow a player to "direct" something about the game world's past: old influences that the character had, game world history for which the character was present, old debts owed to the character. In short, the flashback mechanic could also allow the players to shape the game world in ways that interest them (and that also might be more beneficial to their character's, in a given situation).

So which is it? Neither? Both?

This general notion could be an excellent "add-on" mechanic to almost any game being developed here on The Forge. I hope others take notice of your post!
David

[Caesar_X]

Thanks for the nice welcome, guys.  I've been lurking for awhile and knew if I jumped in with both feet I would get great feedback!

Adam, I was thinking of Plot Points as game currency similar to a game like PTA.  You gain them through good roleplaying and can use them to help advance the plot or turn it in a new direction.

David, your 'Character Past' comment was exactly what I was thinking in my head about this.  One of the other mechanics I want to explore (in another topic post) is character secrets.  But letting players use Plot Points to create flashback scenes where they play out the origins of their secrets sounds really interesting.  For instance, Jamie McIntire has a trait of being shy around men.  The person playing Jamie could use a Plot Point to call a scene where she defines just "why" she is shy around men.  Did she have a domineering father?  Was she molested as a child? (A difficult and very adult topic, I know) Did she used to be a free spirit around men until one of them broke her heart? 

Those flashbacks could end up building the character more during play (rather than the player writing 3 pages of backstory before the game starts).  But it could also lead to more conflicts and more angles of play.  For example, later in the session Jamie was put into a position where she had to be strong (i.e. interrogated by the police and she had to keep someone's location secret).  But the GM tells her that the detective interrogating her looks just like her father.  Can Jamie still keep her mouth shut while she experiences the sinking feeling she had as a kid being yelled at by her drunk father?

That's the kind of cool conflict I'm looking for.

The 'World Past' is interesting as well.  I had been thinking of using something similar to the BW Circles test for someone to call up a person or resource they need.  But the point system could work well too.  Let me think about that some more and maybe create a new topic post for that.

Chris

[Caesar_X]

I realize that my very last comment kind of closed off the discussion and that was not my intent!

I'm really curious to hear what others think about handling flashbacks.

Chris

[Kirk Mitchell]

A good way that I've seen flashbacks handled is in 3:16, one of the entries for the last round of the Ronnies (I'm sorry, but I've forgotten the name of the author!) How it works is whenever you get in a situation that you can't get out of, you go to a flashback and use the flashback scene to narrate a strength or a weakness that relates to the situation in the present. The Strength and Weakness goes into a slot and gives you bonuses from then on. There is a finite amount of Strengths and Weakness slots, so that stops players from narrating on and on and on until they can deal with everything. You may want to consider something like that, making flashbacks important mechanically.

As for closing off discussion, It is a bit of a cycle. You asked what everybody thought, everybody who was interested or had something to add put all their ideas on the table, you put your ideas on the table... now what they are waiting for is for you to do something with it. Sit down and knock out some ideas, see if they fit, and then come back. Endless debate back and forth can only do so much.

- Kirk