tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6963408603037048958.post2051377623879462408..comments2024-03-02T00:34:38.701-08:00Comments on The Keep on the Gaming Lands: I Am Not a StorytellerMike Mearlshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18338840534913321057noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6963408603037048958.post-74107684234350934192010-10-26T19:06:58.021-07:002010-10-26T19:06:58.021-07:00I call this Situation-based gaming - you set up th...I call this Situation-based gaming - you set up the situation, and the let the PCs run around it in, having everything react to their actions. I run things almost as you describe and agree, it's a blast to do as a GM. I love it when the players do something that totally makes things go in an unexpected direction, especially when *they* are excited about their idea. It's actually given me an appreciation for many old modules that do exactly what I describe. They are dull to read, which is why I never ran them, but if you dig in you see all these great interactions waiting to happen.Ronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07818464283520911941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6963408603037048958.post-68521400519780874672010-10-09T04:03:12.782-07:002010-10-09T04:03:12.782-07:00Oh, and sorry about super-late to the party. I kno...Oh, and sorry about super-late to the party. I know this is five months old, I just had to get it off my chest.Gregor Vugahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10290626264301416468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6963408603037048958.post-61319426197176254362010-10-09T04:01:55.816-07:002010-10-09T04:01:55.816-07:00I think it was Jordan Mechner who said, regarding ...I think it was Jordan Mechner who said, regarding design of (video)games, something along the lines of: "story is what the player does, not the cutscene he watches".<br /><br />If I may drag some of the proverbial GNS mud all over this carpet: the "N" as in Narrativism is commonly misunderstood precisely because people assume it's all about sacrificing everything else for the sake of the (GM's) story. The very opposite is true, Narrativism or "Story Now" is about "playing to find out what happens", "not having a solution in mind", but also driving play towards "meaningful" conflict (that's why it's not "story before" -with a pre-planned plot, or "story after" -with a random sequence of events that get latter interpreted in the context of a narrative, like telling a story about what happened to you with the banana and the chocolate fish the other day). Pretty much as Rob describes. <br /><br />Personally, I blame the different understanding of "story" and "plot" in RPGs on the late 80's-90's obsession with metaplot and large settings with existing NPC heroes, histories etc. in published material.Gregor Vugahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10290626264301416468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6963408603037048958.post-43049036631299566052010-05-13T08:33:16.597-07:002010-05-13T08:33:16.597-07:00I think I'm with you - I'm not, at heart, ...I think I'm with you - I'm not, at heart, a storyteller DM, either. I like to have a few big events going on in the background, but I have always played off the actions of the players. Not that I wouldn't mind doing some kind of linear plot driven series at some point (GDQ I'm looking at you - though the "plot" is pretty thin, I think) - but that's not how I've operated in the past...Daen Ral Worldbuilderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08466580672856608560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6963408603037048958.post-22355486228709733072010-05-08T02:05:16.269-07:002010-05-08T02:05:16.269-07:00Well, if you write a game that doesn't actuall...Well, if you write a game that doesn't actually have any mechanics for running the structure of a campaign, of course it doesn't run a campaign.Callan S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/15373053356095440571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6963408603037048958.post-26931024052918368062010-04-23T06:09:28.413-07:002010-04-23T06:09:28.413-07:00I think the reason you're scratching your head...I think the reason you're scratching your head is that while you are correct in a dictionary sense, you're not understanding (or perhaps just ignoring) the way the term plot/story is used by many in the context of an RPG.<br /><br />In this context plot/story refer to the overarching predetermined type of thing. It's more having a script for the entire show and less doing improve theater based on a rough outline of the starting scenario. <br /><br />So, I get what you mean when you say you make the story as you go... but that's not what he is getting at.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6963408603037048958.post-49189773205784541382010-04-23T05:53:13.366-07:002010-04-23T05:53:13.366-07:00This is, seriously, the fourth or fifth time in th...This is, seriously, the fourth or fifth time in the past week that I've seen "plot" or "storytelling" used in a way that makes me scratch my head, so I'm getting this off my chest. :)<br /><br />To paraphrase something, stories are "[CHARACTERS] encounter [PROBLEM] and resolve it despite [DIFFICULTIES]" and that holds up pretty well for me. Nothing in that demands fidelity to an imaginary setting design document that no one but the GM ever sees or some sort of grand, predetermined outcome. It just demands that a) the characters be interesting enough for you to give a crap, b) the problem is compelling enough to drive action and c) that the difficulties are interesting and make sense.<br /><br />As far as I'm concerned, those are all the same criteria for a good adventure. If the characters are flat, the threat isn't compelling and the dangers are dull and stupid, then the adventure's going to suck. If they're interesting, then the adventure will rock, and when you look at it in retrospect, there will be a story.<br /><br />I think the problem lies with the assumption that a story requires that you know anything more about it than what's happening right this minute. That's a misapprehension, even in writing. You might have some ideas, but as the cursor moves along, you might discard them entirely. Whatever decisions you make, it's not a story until it's done.<br /><br />By the same token, you might have some ideas for the game (and some GMs will cling to those ideas more tightly than others, sure) but its final form isn't set until its played.<br /><br />Good play -creates- stories. Story doesn't create good play.<br /><br />-Rob D.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14216103531396452644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6963408603037048958.post-22576710114549063692010-04-23T05:40:50.409-07:002010-04-23T05:40:50.409-07:00I think I've half-and-half when it comes to ca...I think I've half-and-half when it comes to campaign design. I like having multiple plot hooks I can lure my players with, interesting back stories, but I then just throw them all into a big pot of sandbox-type locations and see what happens and what leads to where.<br /><br />I'm always fudging rules and making things up to fit the scene, mood, whatever. Thankfully my players are less rules-lawyer-y that others I've played with.<br /><br />I play my games (4th and 3.5) very much like I played AD&D (specifically 2nd ed, since that's the one I mostly grew-up with) and that 'old-school' nostalgia is something I'm aiming for on my next campaign.<br /><br />Question: are you still running your Greyhawk game? How's that coming along?Simon Forsterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01243845335993440168noreply@blogger.com