Newvampire game, with bangs, exciting!!!

[Lamorak33]

Hi

Hi Rob,

Disinterest in the McGuffin is a good thing, when combined with high interest in the NPCs and their interactions/history. The very word "McGuffin," as I employed it in that scenario, means that it is unimportant. If they find some importance for them in it, that'd be good, but if they were obediently caring about it because it's what you throw at them, without interest in the NPCs, then its whole point would be lost.

Best, Ron

Uh ok. Thats pretty Zen-like, but yeah I get what you mean. I guess I was getting hung up on the mcguffin thing. I keep banging, maybe I should back off and start letting the players lead a bit more?

One of my players has been really playing her ass off and creating some really good conflicts post bang. You can see she is struggling with the decisions, I think trying to do the 'right thing'. This is great, it means that the bangs are balanced just right, but I think she feels I am giving her the shaft. One of the other girls who couldn't make it last night has some interesting stuff going on, but the guy playing the Gangrel almost gives me the feeling that he's turtling.

As the second game I said that its the end of the month and that they all are expected to attend a club called Helix. They don't have to, but their sires expect them to be there to back them up, even though its in Elysium. They all went with it, and it gave them a chance to all be together, which is something that I was getting a vibe that they wanted.

Anyway, Sharpe was there and was talking some business to the Gangrel Player. The Tremere player said (OOC) cool, can we work out an introduction (she is the character hooked into Killian, and knows that Sharpes wife has run off with Killian). Gangrel guy said (IC) no, I'll arrange that in my own time. So they had a sort of argument, in character. I didn't want to stop them roleplaying it out, but Gangrel guy had been a bit prickly that night, so maybe he had a bad day. You know its hard sometimes to see the line between good roleplaying and 'my guy' behaviour. I didn't mind the argument,but the fact it sort of neutered some roleplaying opportunity for a fellow player, my 'spide sense' tingled a bit, if you know what I mean.

To try and spike Mr Gangrel character and bring him more into the story I had Michelle make a pass at him. He completely shut that down. Then I brought in her stalker (on the idea he mistakenly thought Mr Gangrel was making a play for Michelle). Completely ignored that as well. I'll have to see what happens next week I guess.

Regards
Rob

[Lamorak33]

Hi Rob,

Disinterest in the McGuffin is a good thing, when combined with high interest in the NPCs and their interactions/history. The very word "McGuffin," as I employed it in that scenario, means that it is unimportant. If they find some importance for them in it, that'd be good, but if they were obediently caring about it because it's what you throw at them, without interest in the NPCs, then its whole point would be lost.

Best, Ron

Just read 'Day of the Dupes' thinking about adapting the R-Map to a modern setting. P-91 has a passage that outlines what you have said above. Note to self - read whole supplement!!! :^)

Played last night, the players are now effectively driving the story. The only bang introduced by me was a frantic call from Michelle to Kate (the Toreador players girlfriend - she is the link to the occult group run by Greene) saying that Greene was murdered by Brett. Not bad considering we played for just short of 4 hours. Things are really starting to hot up. Great!

Regards
Rob

[Ron Edwards]

Hi Rob,

I especially suggest reading the additional text in the back of the book, the dialogue between me and Tor Erickson. I think you'll see that his situation, and the points I raised for him, and which he applied to his game, are very similar to yours.

Best, Ron