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.
How Observant This came up briefly as I was discussing the Observation skill for my superhero, The Commander. His Observation stacks up SEAL! and Ten-Hut!, and if he’s using a firearm or looking at combat details, Shooter! as well. Because his Perception is 18, this means his overall Observation skill is 29. Yow. A skill…
Over at Dungeon Fantastic, +Peter V. Dell’Orto lays out what he looks for in a session writeup. Now, I enjoy writing me some Play Reports. I’d like to think my transcripts are fun, informative, and I do try and find good pictures to illustrate points. But how do I do using Peter’s Principles of a good After-Action…
The game picked up more or less in the middle of things. We’d established that the horde of mooks could not really hurt us, and also that Yukio the Wonder Dog (an important Ally of mine) really should have been biting folks by now. Oops. We had discussed the fact that we simply must get…
In a wild and likely unlawful combination of Throwback Thursday and GURPS-Day, I present something that I thought had been lost years ago. This was a head-poundingly complex shot at taking the old 3e rules (you can tell because of the Acc 10 assumption for the rifle) and asking the question “where does each bullet…
I finally finish up my review of this issue, Alternate Dungeons, with +Steven Marsh‘s Random Thought Table. Dungeon Fantasy is full of entertaining tropes, some used for amusement, some for simplification, and some for the one true purpose of absolute and total mayhem. Alternate Dungeons takes this and attempts to come at you sideways. The previous reviews…
(Note: This post is dated March 31. Additional posts are available below, so if you came looking, you’ll find them underneath this one until March ends.) The March 2014 Blog Carnival Topic was “Virtual Table-Tops and Online Gaming.” As part of the carnival, I sought out and interviewed as many creators of computer-based gaming aids…
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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."