[Rifts PBP] Exploration not really happening

[Callan S.]

One player, who goes by the handle 9945 rolled once ('m not sure from his input if he thought you only rolled once or if he just used one XP entry). Oh yes, did I mention the characters don't even have names yet. Oh yeah! I'll just delight in any responces that it's a fundimental part of roleplay - do you name your king in chess?

9945 walks thru the deep forest.  He has found a large stick and holds it over his shoulder.  Not the best weapon but at least it was something.  He also has a large rock in his hand ready to throw if need be.  He walked not really know where he was or where he was heading. He hoped to find a city as they at least offered some secruity and perhaps he could find a descent weapon and armor.  As night came he descided to climb up a tree and sleep their.  It might not be comfortable but at least it was safe.

This is rather good as a responce - it isn't constipated.

BUT, here's what I've noticed - if someone asks you a question, your only avenue of responce is to answer it. Further in roleplay, if someone states a plan, your only avenue of responce is to address it. It's a complete communication choke point that I've never noticed before. Like from above - imagine he just said 'I climb a tree'. I could, in responce, add all sorts of things - finding a birds nest, a terodactyle swooping down, eyes opening in the wood of the tree, finding a skeleton perched up there already. But when he says 'I climb a tree so as to be safe' WOOOMPH! I can only answer if he is indeed safe. That's IT! At best I can add that other stuff, but as a peripheral add on to addressing whether the plan works. You can't add amazing stuff as a perhiperal concern!! It stops being amazing! Questions choke exploration!

Anyway, there's a hypothesis. Any other hypothesis or questions?


Anyway, this is what I added to the game thread today. It's the sort of thing that you want to be there right at the start, but how can you when you don't know (and you don't know until you dip your toes in the water).

Cool, lets see if we can keep it rolling so we find an interesting situation.

The first thing to remember - if it's not a scenario, you can't lose (your PC can't just die). Try not to be optimal and just explore the world in a dreamlike way.

Two other, new things -
A: Don't state plans. Just do actions - say you climb a tree, rather than saying you climb a tree to be safe.
B: Don't ask questions - like don't ask what the weather is, just say you turn your head up toward the sky and open your eyes, or suchlike.

It might sound a bit wacky, but here's the thing - the only thing a stated plan lets me the GM do is to say if the plan works. I can't add new crazy or valuable stuff to the game world - I can only talk about the plan.

Same with asking questions - if you ask a question my responce can only be to answer it. Adding crazy/valuable stuff is out the window.

It's like regular conversation - if I ask you whether you liked movie X, you can't immediately talk about another movie you've seen (you can only answer if you've liked X or seen X). If I just say that I've seen movie X, that leaves you alot more options as to a responce.

Hopefully you'll take up my invitation to play while using this. If you don't, that's cool, I know it's not the standard thing.

I like my bit at the end with the invite - no bait and switch here - you can decline to play further and I'll even support you in that choice (no, it is not lothesome to leave a game (as you may have been trained), I support your choice).