Director stance in standard sim

[Marco]

This:

I think that perhaps why so much director stance is acceptable in CharGen in otherwise Sim games, is because it is not likley to affect the plot in any way.

caught my eye ...

I don't think that's the *reason.* It might often be the *case* (the GM has a story about a bunch of guys who go down in a dungeon and it doesn't really matter who they are)--but it works quite well the opposite way too: the GM takes the character concepts and runs with them.

I believe, as you probably know by now, that the basic Sim experience outside of "here's a map, there's no NPC's with plans that will effect you in motion or situations you must respond to" (call it PC-Prime-Mover-Sim or whatever), whether illusionist or not, revolves around the GM as a story-teller.

The players are interested in the GM's capability to construct situations of deep relevance and interest (note the world relevant: relevant to both the Players and the Characters). They are interested in the GM as an author in terms of timing, creating suspense, and delivery of the game-reality.

In this event the Director Stance is so valuable because of the *deep* effect it has on the plot/story. Indeed, in this mode of play, the starting situations of the characters may be the *most* important element of the social contract.

-Marco

[Mike Holmes]

I didn't mean to dismiss that at all, Marco. The point is that in these cases, the GM makes up the plot after CharGen is done. At which point he has control, and the Director Stance used previously does not interrfere with that sense of his control.

When I say "it does not affect the plot" I mean after the plot's creation. Which is the important part.

Mike