I ran my first MLWM game two days ago, and it was a lot of fun. We went for a light-hearted approach, knowing we'd only be playing for about three hours, and the characters didn't actually get to finish any of the horrible stuff they were supposed to do.

A few questions arose during game play:

1. When there's a tie, and the scene is interrupted, what exactly happens? Is there a new opportunity for the exact same die roll next time that player gets a scene? If the scene is an ouverture, and there's a tie, does the character still get Love (they get Love whether they win or lose)?

2. In the endgame (which we never got to), there's a clear procedure for when a scene is started by a player, and when the GM starts one. Is there supposed to be a method for this in pre-endgame play, as well? I mean, how do you (as GM) decide if you let the character go for an ouverture, or whether you let the Master give the character a command?

I really liked the game. We went into it with no expectations one way or the other, which I believe is the best way to approach a new game (or other experience), and I decided not to put any pressure on myself (i. e., no hours of preparation, trying to do "my very best" or anything like that). We went with the flow, played by the rules, and it worked very well. Play flow was interrupted a bit by having to explain how many dice to roll at the climax of many scenes - nobody (including myself) actually tried to memorise any of the formulae, which I might do if I ever run a longer game, or several games.

- Matthijs

We had a tie during an overture scene in our game, and I also wasn't too certain what to do with it. The character ended up not getting love or self-loathing. I described an interuption that ended the scene and that was it. The player called for a second overture to the same connection in a different scene either later that session or in the next session. (Still no love, but then Minerva seemed fated not to acquire love.)

Here's where I posted the very same question: MLWM rule interpretation

Julie

Thanks, jrs, for answering my first question!

Does anyone have any answers or opinions to the second one...? Have I missed something blatantly obvious?

Hey Matthijs,

As GM, you have ownership of all scene framing. This includes the framing of Overture scenes when a player asks for one. So besides the requirement that you always accommodate a player when they ask for an Overture, there is no restriction on what type of scene you frame, or how you frame the scene.

My recommendation, however, is that if you know what you want to frame, then go ahead. But if you're uncertain then just make an offer to the players, with whatever specifics you've decided upon, if any, and negotiate the details:

"Does anyone want an Overture?"

"I'm thinking Master Oros is tearing apart his laboratory in rage. Which minion would be with him?"

Paul

Hello,

In the games I've run, as well as played in, we typically just go around the circle one by one. I suppose that an especially plaintive request for a scene, out of this sequence, would be honored, but my current thinking is that people prefer the reliability of knowing that their scene is coming up later or soon.

Shared scenes then effectively reduce the number of "OK, next scene" statements, that's all.

Best,
Ron

Hey Ron,

Good point. My recommendation about offering scenes and asking for player input shouldn't be understood as overriding the "around the room" requirement described in the game text. Players shouldn't be able to ask for Overtures and volunteer for scenes in such a way that they end up having had more scenes than other players. But I think groups should allow themselves freedom to vary the order of rotation. Sometimes a player just wants their character to have a scene following directly on the heels of events.

"And then I burst in, breathless, to tell Master Anthropos about the fire!"

Shared scenes then effectively reduce the number of "OK, next scene" statements, that's all.

Yep, that's the way I do it too.

Paul