MICE model

[Ian Freeman]

This little post could go in either the GNS model discussion or here, but I have actually posted here before so I might as well put it here.

It stems from some reading I have been doing about fiction writing and I came across a little thing called the MICE model. MICE stands for Milieu, Idea, Character, and Event. These four things are argued by some (in the case of my source, Orson Scott Card) to be the four basic types of stories. The 4 types of stories revolve themselves around different things.

The Milieu is an exploration of a setting, where the revelation of a world is the driving force behind a readers intrest. Examples: The Left Hand of Darkness, LotR, and huge amounts of Sci-fi and fantasy.

The Idea is an exploration of an idea, or a puzzle with a solution. Mystery novels would most definetly be Idea stories, but so is a lot of other stuff (notably gadget oriented sci-fi, ir science fiction that checks out the effects of changes on a society). Example: Sherlock Holmes.

The Character story is concerned with a character and that characters arc (or not, some stories proclaim that peoples fundamental nature cannot change, but they are stories nonetheless). Examples: Ender's Game, "literary" fiction.

The Event story talks about a specific great event that must occur driven by the protagonist. This may sound very narrow, but it really insn't. An event story is essentially about trying to change something major in society, trying to initiate an Event. Example: Star Wars.

How does this bear any significance to RPGs?

Well... I'm glad you asked. Basically, Narrativist RPGs profess to be about telling stories, and they provide mechanics and such for streamlining this story-telling. Sometimes they go so far as to provide specific mechanics for the enhancement of this story-telling.

What I have noticed is that these enhancements are almost always concerned with the character elements of story-telling. Many games have mechanics for characters and their transformations/revelations/whatever but I have never encountered a narrativist game with mechanics designed with mechanics to accentuate any of the other three (equally legitimate) forms of story-telling.

Where are mechanics that are designed to help the players explore and slowly understand an enjoyable setting, where are mechanics for the gradual peeling away of the metaphorical layers of a really good idea or mystery and where are the mechanics for handling society shattering changes to a world or galaxy?

Sure, all this stuff can be handled by a good GM and good players, but then again so can character development. And character development IS aided by good mechanics, so in theory these  other things could also be aided.

Thoughts?

My question here is twofold. Firstly, has anyone encountered games that do in fact have quality stuffs for these situations? And, if not, does anyone have any ideas on how they really could be incorporated into an RPG

[james_west]

Oh, -GAWD- am I glad you posted this.

I've been trying to get at this idea in other threads (like "A mechanic for other plot types?" etc.) and have met mostly with confused silence. I think you've said it better than I did, and hopefully will get more cogent response.

        - James

[Ron Edwards]

My call is that we halready ave several good Narrativist RPGs that use depth of setting as the springboard, with character development occurring during play. Hero Wars, Orkworld, Prince Valiant, and Castle Falkenstein are good examples.

It is very easy to see the difference between these as a group and Sorcerer, Zero, and 1st-edition Cyberpunk as a group; the latter games begin with in-depth characterization and it is the setting which is developed during play.

So Ian, I'm suggesting that Narrativist games are not as focused on one type of story-creation as you perceive.

In fact, as a general concept, here are my notions about what any RPG in play must contain:
Character, Setting, Situation, Premise, System, and Color

By definition, the GNS focus of the game, if any, will be expressed in the way these things are presented and applied during play. And as I've said many times, within each category of GNS, we have lots and lots of different subsets.

Therefore, for a Narrativist game, Premise gets beefed up into a central issue, period. But then, within a wide spectrum of Narrativist games, the "starting emphasis" may vary widely across Character or Setting or whatever. It may even be System, which I suspect would be the case in The Pool even if a 400-page setting were tacked on.

James, one reason I have not spent much time addressing your questions about other modes of plot construction is that I'm writing a HUGE set of guidelines about this exact topic for the new version of Sorcerer & Sword.

It's very much about concentrating on the components of successful play DURING a session and series of sessions, as opposed to the emphasis on back-story that you're familiar with from The Sorcerer's Soul.

Best,
Ron

[Le Joueur]

Ian Freeman wrote:
It stems from some reading I have been doing about fiction writing and I came across a little thing called the MICE model. MICE stands for Milieu, Idea, Character, and Event. These four things are argued by some (in the case of my source, Orson Scott Card) to be the four basic types of stories.

[Explanations snipped.]

Very cool, and exactly some of what I needed to hear right about now.

How does this bear any significance to RPGs?Quote

Well... I'm glad you asked. Basically, Narrativist RPGs profess to be about telling stories, and they provide mechanics and such for streamlining this storytelling. Sometimes they go so far as to provide specific mechanics for the enhancement of this storytelling.

What I have noticed is that these enhancements are almost always concerned with the character elements of storytelling. Many games have mechanics for characters and their transformations/revelations/whatever but I have never encountered a Narrativist game with mechanics designed with mechanics to accentuate any of the other three (equally legitimate) forms of story-telling.are<Soap<

Where are mechanics that are designed to help the players explore and slowly understand an enjoyable setting?Quote

Where are mechanics for the gradual peeling away of the metaphorical layers of a really good idea or mystery?

Hidden away under Gamism (but you probably need a semiotic-based descriptor system too).

And where are the mechanics for handling society shattering changes to a world or galaxy?Quote

Sure, all this stuff can be handled by a good GM and good players, but then again so can character development. And character development IS aided by good mechanics, so in theory these other things could also be aided.

Thoughts?traditional settings and genres.  (This is what we seek to do in Scattershot.)

My question here is twofold. Firstly, has anyone encountered games that do in fact have quality stuffs for these situations? And, if not, does anyone have any ideas on how they really could be incorporated into an RPG?to gaming<That

[james_west]

On 2001-07-31 00:18, Ron Edwards wrote:
I'm writing a HUGE set of guidelines about this exact topic for the new version of Sorcerer & Sword.

It's very much about concentrating on the components of successful play DURING a session and series of sessions, as opposed to the emphasis on back-story that you're familiar with from The Sorcerer's Soul.

If I seem to be turning blue, it's because I'm holding my breath. :smile:

                         - James