Sorry, the plot device is on leave this week
So, here I am, having traveled half a world away. While the primary purpose of my trip is still solid, I had a host of other people to do and things to see while I was here. Or something like that.
So, here I am, having traveled half a world away. While the primary purpose of my trip is still solid, I had a host of other people to do and things to see while I was here. Or something like that.
The first post on Gaming Ballistic went live tomorrow, three years ago. I decided to start the blog the day after Christmas, 2012. In that first week, I made 11 posts. Even then, the basic concepts and topics seemed to fall out well. I talked about alternate rules (Grand Universal Smackdown Theory), silencers and firearms,…
We start the game in combat, at a distance of no less than 200′ from the foes, which are two clawed scarecrow like things. The first event is screaming children and two scarecrows – of a likely six total, plus a theorized hag – and the scarecrows hit the older elf guy, knocking him to…
Kromm laid down the format, so I tried to do the same thing for Judo. This is bascially a find/replace of Judo for Karate, since they mostly have the same rules. Still – check my work? Remember to use the higher of DX or skill. Going by the Basic Set alone, doing all the math…
In my pondering of heretical D&D concepts from the other day, one of the thoughts that I had was: Wow, rolling vs. a “Defense Target” of 10+DEX Modifier is going to make even very experienced fighters get hit an awful lot. On the other hand, armor subtracts from damage. How does that balance out? Guess…
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This is exactly the burden that Old School D&D takes off of my game mastering shoulders. With gold-for-xp and an effectively unlimited map (B2 or a scratch-built megadungeon), the players set the objective and take charge of the plot.
For a more narrativistic game… the ability to telescope and fast forward past the tedious parts means annoyances don't have to be boring. Setbacks and failures are the essence of plot and we for some reason have a tendency to want to gloss over those in favor of what we think is "supposed" to happen.
When Plan A can't work for silly logistical reasons… the players might be forced to use an approach that they aren't as optimized for in a time and place that they aren't min/maxed against. If this sort of thing develops as a direct result of player choices and dice results instead of raw GM fiat… so much the better. I say embrace it as a perfectly logical contrast to business as usual.
This can definitely be done well, and it'll add to the plot. If the taxi is late, but you gift them with the presence of another car nearby, whose operator is just idling, they might turn it into a cinematic scene. "I'll give you a hundred and thirty seven dollars if you drive my friend and I to the airport RIGHT NOW."
If the platoon doesn't show up, do you send out scouts, find that they're lost, and start messing with them where they are? Maybe it's a fortuitous decision, as their APC has thrown a tread and if you can lead them away with a well-played strategic withdrawal, you can avoid their heaviest firepower.
I definitely think it can work just fine, no matter if it's GM fiat or from a random roll on a table.
So Doug, you're saying, basically, what if you decide to go see the Mad Wizard of Madwizardistan, and you show up, why is he automatically there? What if the ship is late, the Mad Wizard is sick and can't see you? What if he's late because he's been traveling and isn't back yet?
It's no different than rolling a reaction roll – not how the guy reacts to you, but "can you get there smoothly?" or "is he there when you get there?"
Personally I think this is totally fine. Just gloss over the delay. "He can't see you for an hour" is very different than "Okay guys, sit at the table for an hour and then we'll play out the encounter." It'll matter if they have a time limit in the game, just don't make it suck out of game.
Oh, sure, I'd never make the players sit around. Just wondering how often people use simple (or complex) friction in their games.
I use it whenever I forgot to be prepared for that action. "Sorry, Dave's not here."