[ORX] Rules Discussion

[greyorm]

I will be using this thread for discussion and clarification of and tweaks to ORX's rules.

One of the first issues I want to discuss is Stakes and how to proceed with narration when a player fails the roll, which is discussed in the rules book, and some of the things I did not say.

I do note that a failed roll doesn't necessarily indicate failure -- the orc may succeed at whatever they were attempting -- causing only a reduction in player resources, but a complication with the task or with the success may arise and another danger present itself that requires resolution before the orc is clear-and-free and the action can move elsewhere. As well, if the conflict isn't resolved by the end of a Scene, it can be treated like a cut-away in any visual entertainment medium, with the conflict resumed in media res at another time (whenever the action is next returned to that particular set of events).

Of course, if it seems appropriate to the narrative, even if the Scene isn't resolved mechanically in the orc's favor the conflict can always just be ended in narration at the end of the Scene rather than left up-in-the-air and continued later, leaving only the mechanical penalties to contend with, so that a set of new circumstances can be narrated and explored in forthcoming Scenes.

However, one of the unspoken ways the gamemaster can use the results of failed rolls rules-wise (or perhaps ) is to use each failure as a guideline of whose story to follow for the moment, as well as as way to single out which orc to focus/spend resources on (rather than simply choosing at random or by fiat, as would normally be done).

Doing so provides a number of benefits: it provides a narrative structure by naturally focusing Scenes around attempts at resolving specific conflicts, it also thereby creates increasing tension as found in good narrative, and creates more mechanical tension as the impact of failed rolls is increased.

This method also adds more structure to play itself, helping to avoid situations where the gamemaster could be accused of playing favorites by either (seeming or not) harshing on one player's orc repeatedly or equally not harshing on any particular player's orc.

On the player's side, keep in mind that Fate can be spent for many things. If you need a breather, spend a point of Fate to get the gamemaster off your case and send the Scene or the next Scene to someone else to make him waste his resources there before he comes back to you.