The Forge Forums Read-only Archives
The live Forge Forums
|
Articles
|
Reviews
Welcome,
Guest
. Please
login
or
register
.
June 25, 2022, 06:40:14 AM
1 Hour
1 Day
1 Week
1 Month
Forever
Login with username, password and session length
Forum changes:
Editing of posts has been turned off until further notice.
Search:
Advanced search
275647
Posts in
27717
Topics by
4285
Members Latest Member:
-
Jason DAngelo
Most online today:
91
- most online ever:
565
(October 17, 2020, 02:08:06 PM)
The Forge Archives
Inactive Forums
Chimera Creative
(Moderator:
Matt Snyder
)
Seeking Dealer Advice
Pages: [
1
]
« previous
next »
Author
Topic: Seeking Dealer Advice (Read 3117 times)
marknau
Member
Posts: 35
Seeking Dealer Advice
«
on:
January 28, 2003, 11:33:18 AM »
I plan on Dealing a DD session using the sample scenario. My players will all be veteran RPGers, but they are all used to the GM-as-sole-director paradigm. I feel totally prepared in presenting the idea of a game that is structured differently, and feel they will have little trouble accepting the concept and will want to give it a try. But that also means I'm feeling some pressure to get it right.
My main question is how "open" all of the information should be. Should all the players fully know all the details of the other players? Should I present all the "known" facts of the scenario relatively early on, and let everyone build from there, or should I hold some in reserve as a spur for later play?
How did those of you more experienced in this style of play handle the sample scenario?
Logged
Mike Holmes
Acts of Evil Playtesters
Member
Posts: 10459
Seeking Dealer Advice
«
Reply #1 on:
January 28, 2003, 01:10:56 PM »
Heck, make several copies of each character (along with the situation summary) and give one to each player. Just so he can find out everything he needs to know without bugging the other players. ;-)
That's my cute way of saying that hidden information of any sort is antithetical to this sort of play. Not only shoudn't you limit it at all, you should consider ways of gatting the information disseminated, possibly (the opposite of standard play). At the very least there should be an atomosphere of openness. For several reasons. The standard line is that by having more information players can make better informed decisions about the best way to protray the story (both in normal narration, and when it becomes their turn to narrate outcomes with the high card). While this is true, there exists another subtler reason in this case.
If you present player information as you usually do in most RPGs, limiting it to just what the character knows, then they will assume that play should go as standard with their main considerations being either "winning" (so to speak) or "what my character would do". Neither of which is what you want. You want them to be thinking in terms of "what would be coolest given the entire situation and all the characters." As such, giving them the information will inform them that the game is not about discovering each other's secrets and exploiting them. But rather about making a protagonist of not only your own character but those of the other players as well.
The player is still an advocate for his character pimarily, but he should see things like getting killed in a gunfight as potentially a "good thing".
This does not mean that you have to force players to see all the information. Again, just an air of openness. Some players may want the suspense of finding stuff out during play, and you should probably respect that. But watch out for these players slipping back into old modes of play. If neccessary, you may have to talk with a player considerably about the change in the mode of play.
OTOH, DD is robust, and it probably won't be a problem at all.
On pacing, the GM needs to get a lot of the info out there early in the intro scenario (Matt did when he ran it for me; I'm assuming this is the "Hanged Man" scenario). And given the nature of the info, it's almost impossible not to let it out. Heck, I'd read an account of actual play of the scenario before playing it, and new all of what might have been "secrets". Didn't matter a bit. The release of information is essentially from the GM to the characters. The players might know it already. Basically the release of the information is a signal to the players that it's now dramatically appropriate to act on that info in a more direct manner. Usually this increases the conflicts and tension available. So, again, get some out early. And don't wait long at all to get it all out there. Because even after it is, what propells play in DD once things get rolling along are the PCs Devils. So get to the heart of the matter maybe half-way or less into the game, and then just sit back and watch all hell break loose.
Again, to a certan extent it almost runs itself. I bet you find it amongst the easiest games that you've ever run.
Mike
Logged
Member of
Indie Netgaming
-Get your indie game fix online.
Valamir
Member
Posts: 5574
Seeking Dealer Advice
«
Reply #2 on:
January 28, 2003, 01:19:30 PM »
I concur. You could photocopy the entire adventure complete with characters and pass it out to all players prior to the game and if anything play would be enhanced.
Logged
Ralph Mazza
Universalis: The Game of Unlimited Stories
Matt Snyder
Moderator
Member
Posts: 1380
Seeking Dealer Advice
«
Reply #3 on:
January 28, 2003, 02:09:40 PM »
Quote from: Valamir
I concur. You could photocopy the entire adventure complete with characters and pass it out to all players prior to the game and if anything play would be enhanced.
I, too, concur. Thanks Mike and Valamir.
Oh yeah, consider that permission to do just what Valamir suggested. Or, if you've got the PDF, then print away! I _would_ prefer that you not copy the whole game, of course!
If you have further questions, please let me know. But, I think Mike's really hit the nail on the head. "What he said."
Logged
Matt Snyder
www.chimera.info
"The future ain't what it used to be."
--Yogi Berra
Ron Edwards
Global Moderator
Member
Posts: 16490
Seeking Dealer Advice
«
Reply #4 on:
January 28, 2003, 03:15:48 PM »
Hi there,
One way to think about it, and to ask your players to try out with you, is that it's
easier and more fun
to play that your character is ignorant of something when you, the player, know what that something is.
Best,
Ron
Logged
marknau
Member
Posts: 35
Seeking Dealer Advice
«
Reply #5 on:
January 28, 2003, 04:47:40 PM »
Quote from: Mike Holmes
If you present player information as you usually do in most RPGs, limiting it to just what the character knows, then they will assume that play should go as standard with their main considerations being either "winning" (so to speak) or "what my character would do". Neither of which is what you want. You want them to be thinking in terms of "what would be coolest given the entire situation and all the characters." As such, giving them the information will inform them that the game is not about discovering each other's secrets and exploiting them. But rather about making a protagonist of not only your own character but those of the other players as well.
Yes, that's a fabulous point, Mike. I'm totally sold, and will be doing it as you (and everyone else) suggested. Will post to Actual Play after we do the deed.
Logged
Pages: [
1
]
« previous
next »
Jump to:
Please select a destination:
-----------------------------
Welcome to the Archives
-----------------------------
=> Welcome to the Archives
-----------------------------
General Forge Forums
-----------------------------
=> First Thoughts
=> Playtesting
=> Endeavor
=> Actual Play
=> Publishing
=> Connections
=> Conventions
=> Site Discussion
-----------------------------
Archive
-----------------------------
=> RPG Theory
=> GNS Model Discussion
=> Indie Game Design
-----------------------------
Independent Game Forums
-----------------------------
=> Adept Press
=> Arkenstone Publishing
=> Beyond the Wire Productions
=> Black and Green Games
=> Bully Pulpit Games
=> Dark Omen Games
=> Dog Eared Designs
=> Eric J. Boyd Designs
=> Errant Knight Games
=> Galileo Games
=> glyphpress
=> Green Fairy Games
=> Half Meme Press
=> Incarnadine Press
=> lumpley games
=> Muse of Fire Games
=> ndp design
=> Night Sky Games
=> one.seven design
=> Robert Bohl Games
=> Stone Baby Games
=> These Are Our Games
=> Twisted Confessions
=> Universalis
=> Wild Hunt Studios
-----------------------------
Inactive Forums
-----------------------------
=> My Life With Master Playtest
=> Adamant Entertainment
=> Bob Goat Press
=> Burning Wheel
=> Cartoon Action Hour
=> Chimera Creative
=> CRN Games
=> Destroy All Games
=> Evilhat Productions
=> HeroQuest
=> Key 20 Publishing
=> Memento-Mori Theatricks
=> Mystic Ages Online
=> Orbit
=> Scattershot
=> Seraphim Guard
=> Wicked Press
=> Review Discussion
=> XIG Games
=> SimplePhrase Press
=> The Riddle of Steel
=> Random Order Creations
=> Forge Birthday Forum