Blades in the Dark Actual Play

Manbearcat said:

That all sound good? Where do you want to go from here?

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All good It's easier after working through a few examples! I'm finding it takes a few look-ups at the moment as I get used to the systems, but that's fine.

Here's something, though. Blades appears unusual in this style of game in that it has an established setting, Duskwall. I'm not saying it's a bad setting.

But, settings - by their nature - tend to get 'owned' by the person with the book. Traditionally, that is the person running the game. And setting ownership runs contrary to the spirit of Blades in which the MC and the players are creative equals. It's just a tiny step from setting ownership to plot ownership - and then you may as well cut your losses and play one of the thousands of systems which presupposes GM authority.

The first session advice in Blades looks a bit weak to me. How did you set up the first session to make it clear that the setting was up for invention, not just exploration, by the players. Did you do this?

Similarly, what method did you use to establish the tensions, the mistrust, the beefs and the knowledge which led to the initial score?

I think a discussion - not on the mechanics of character or crew generation - but on the establishment of context and player comfort with the environment would be worthwhile.

Cheers.

chaochou said:

The first session advice in Blades looks a bit weak to me. How did you set up the first session to make it clear that the setting was up for invention, not just exploration, by the players. Did you do this?

Similarly, what method did you use to establish the tensions, the mistrust, the beefs and the knowledge which led to the initial score?

I think a discussion - not on the mechanics of character or crew generation - but on the establishment of context and player comfort with the environment would be worthwhile.

Cheers.

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These players are all very familiar with AW-based games so they have that advantage. Because of this, I don't need to reinforce "fiction-first gaming", "build your characters through play", "provide opportunities, follow their lead", "play to find out what happens", "be aware of potential fiction vs. established fiction" or the general ethos of resolution mechanics, reward cycles, etc.

Beyond that, pretty orthodox Blades I think. Talked about the general premise/themes/tropes/mood of the game and which ones we wanted to hone in on. Talked about "Act Now, Plan Later", "play your character like you're driving a stolen car". Briefly talked about Blades-specific pressure-points, reward cycles, advancements, and mechanics like Heat, gear loadout, the Turf Map, Position/Effect, Flashbacks, phases of play, etc, etc. Picked a setting locale and 3 Factions that would be relevant at the beginning of play. Picked a Crew type with Initial Rep, Lair, Hunting Grounds. Made characters with Vices, Heritages, Backgrounds, Friends, Rivals, et al. Mused over their crew type opportunities table and then just sort of patched together our own. Introduced the Crew that first session.

Next session and off we went right into it.

chaochou said:

All good It's easier after working through a few examples! I'm finding it takes a few look-ups at the moment as I get used to the systems, but that's fine.

Here's something, though. Blades appears unusual in this style of game in that it has an established setting, Duskwall. I'm not saying it's a bad setting.

But, settings - by their nature - tend to get 'owned' by the person with the book. Traditionally, that is the person running the game. And setting ownership runs contrary to the spirit of Blades in which the MC and the players are creative equals. It's just a tiny step from setting ownership to plot ownership - and then you may as well cut your losses and play one of the thousands of systems which presupposes GM authority.

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Not going to talk about metaplot. Just going to focus on setting. A couple of quick comments on this and then I'll bounce the ball back in your court to see how you feel about this.

The woes (insofar as folks want to avoid them...obviously you know where I stand on this!) of "big setting" or "setting tourism" are often (at least in part) a byproduct of:

1) Incoherent or mish-mashed themes and a diluted play premise/agenda. Consequently, coherent themes and a distilled, transparent play premise/agenda that is tightly coupled to setting can/does (if working in concert with the below) mitigate/avoid the perils of "setting tourism."

2) Lack of intimate system:setting integration; mechanical feedbacks, reward cycles, attrition, player protaginization.

3) Lack of stressing emergent play/"play to find out" and the difference between "potential fiction (setting) vs established fiction (setting)".

Blades addresses all 3 of those swimmingly. In fact, I think I would posit that Blades does (2) so extraordinarily well, that if (1) and (3) were absent or poor, it would still make it very difficult for a GM to ham-hand or even skillfully impose a "setting tourism" experience onto play.

Thoughts?

Manbearcat said:

These players are all very familiar with AW-based games so they have that advantage. Because of this, I don't need to reinforce "fiction-first gaming", "build your characters through play", "provide opportunities, follow their lead", "play to find out what happens", "be aware of potential fiction vs. established fiction" or the general ethos of resolution mechanics, reward cycles, etc.

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I think I've talked about my regular group - we've played plenty of AW and other stuff (from HeroWars to Fiasco to Fate) but they'll easily slip back into waiting for the GMs plot if they're getting those signals.

So maybe it's just my group, but one of those signals would be premade setting, pre-described map, pre-determined factions... and therefore I need to take care with how I introduce that (or not).

Manbearcat said:

Talked about "Act Now, Plan Later"...

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I'd actually missed that heading. It helps when play advice is catchy!

Manbearcat said:

A couple of quick comments on this...

The woes (insofar as folks want to avoid them...obviously you know where I stand on this!) of "big setting" or "setting tourism" are often (at least in part) a byproduct of:

1) Incoherent or mish-mashed themes and a diluted play premise/agenda.

2) Lack of intimate system:setting integration - mechanical feedbacks, reward cycles, attrition, player protaginization.

3) Lack of stressing emergent play/"play to find out" and the difference between "potential fiction (setting) vs established fiction (setting)".

Thoughts?

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A sort of benchmark for me is - at the start of play can a player or players start enacting something relevant, dramatic, interesting in the setting without reference to the GM. In other words, do they start the game in motion, active and driven, ready to act and not needing anyone's permission?

I agree with your broader points above - my instinct is simply that the game might need a kick start to get it rolling in the right direction. My group aren't theorists. If I talked about clouds and arrows, or reward cycles or play agendas they'd look at me like I'd been taking crazy pills. So if I'm running, I have to enact the theory, no use describing it.

For example, I'm currently considering the idea of making a bigger version of the Duskwall map and in the first session - after character and crew set-up - giving everyone five sticky labels. I'll let them write a key location or faction name or point of interest on each sticky note to put in different districts. So straight away it's adding a layer of ownership which the players can use to build their own ideas for feuds and nemises and locations they want to see the action in. Right away, with some inspiration and a bit of luck, we should have the opening free play and the idea of the first score emerging from that process as well as longer-term ideas.

I find a communal map such a powerful tool. Like a foci. In Apocalypse World we drew a map on a big A1 pad in the middle of the table which everyone added bits to in the first session. Afterwards, I always added NPCs, places, connections, random facts and notes that came up through play, so that virtually everything was right there in front of everyone. And that worked like a charm. I had almost no notes - two or three fronts sheets and some jottings of ideas for imagery, or reminders to pick something up that someone said.

So that's one idea I'm looking into as a first session starter to give it a bit more of an interactive kick.

Manbearcat said:

"play your character like you're driving a stolen car"
Thoughts?

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Sorry, this just jumped out at me. So, like, obey all traffic laws, yield the right of way every time, and generally avoid calling attention to yourself... ?

Just a quick note that the continued discussion in this thread has been the proverbial straw: I finally picked up a copy of Blades on Thursday afternoon and have torn through the first 125 pages thus far. From the first moment I read this thread, I was fascinated with the details that emerged. I'm delighted to report that so far everything lives up to, perhaps exceeds, my very high expectations.

Please keep the discussion flowing, fellow enthusiasts!

I figured I'd make a quick post about the intimate system:setting integration that I spoke about above.

Starting on page 52, you get "The Faction Game." This is a central component of play for your Blades Crew. Here you have several intimately integrated mechanics:

1) Tier - the measure of relative power (wealth, influence, scale) for each gang/faction in the city.

* This hooks into Action rolls and Fortune rolls where Crew/NPC Tier is relevant.
* This hooks into xp/advancement.
* This determines the Quality Level and Scale/Quality of the gangs you employ. Relative Quality and Scale each hook into Position/Effect.

2) Hold - How well a faction can maintain their position on the ladder; measured in strong or weak.

* Operations which reduce a factions Hold while it is weak causes that faction to go down 1 Tier.
* Tier 0 Crews with weak Hold have their lair come under threat if they lose Hold.

3) Rep - Measures faction clout and renown.

* Completing Scores earns your Crew Rep.
* Rep is currency you spend to move your Hold from Weak to Strong or to improve your Tier rating (which moves your Hold to weak).

4) Turf - Abstracted support for or fear of your crew.

* Turf acquired interacts with Rep in that it reduces the Rep cost to improve Tier/Hold.
* Acquired Turf increases your Hunting Grounds size/type. Operations of your preferred type in your Hunting Grounds yields +1d to Gather Information and grants an additional Downtime Activity to contribute to that Score.

5) Faction Status - Continuum from -3 to +3 with each faction which represents alliance at one end and outright war on the other.

* On the macro, the 7 Faction Status ratings will impact (a) the fiction generally, (b) opportunities, (c) obligations, (d) and vulnerabilities.
* On the micro, they'll impact Effect and Position and Fortune rolls.

6) Claim Map - The available claims (eg Turf, Vice Den, Informants) currently owned by a gang and the "connective tissue" (represented by lines between Claims) between each claim.

* Initiate a Score to sieze a claim.
* Non-Turf claims affect various things like Downtime Activities, Gather Information dice pools, Engagement Roll dice pool, Coin generation, etc.
* Claims don't have to be seized "in order" (as represented by the map), but attempting "out of order" claim seizure is more dangerous and more difficult.

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There is some stuff to talk about. If something above intrigues you, lets talk about it (I can include one of my table anecdotes to further dig down on how it impacted play).

Later (assuming interest), we can talk about District Traits and how that impacts Fortune Rolls and operations.

Tony Vargas said:

Sorry, this just jumped out at me. So, like, obey all traffic laws, yield the right of way every time, and generally avoid calling attention to yourself... ?

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I know you're tongue in cheek-ing here, but for anyone confused by that advice...

The idea is that you're a criminal who steals cars...not a timid, calculating, pragmatic civilian who isn't in the car theft business! You're bold, devil-may-care, averse to the long view, and prone to rash-decisions with pretty askew cost-benefit analysis. Your relationships are most often cutthroat and your connections are most often fleeting.

In other words, you're the kind of individual/crew that puts Priuses on blocks in plain view in Los Angeles, CA, and uses power tools to tear out the costly bits you can sell to a fence while your lookout buddy flicks his cigarette on the street and one of your chop-buddies eats a sandwich in the passenger seat of the car being stripped!

Criminals are ridiculous. And they get away with ridiculous things all_the_time (oftentimes because of overworked, underpaid, underappreciated detectives...like in Blades)!

Manbearcat said:

I know you're tongue in cheek-ing here, but for anyone confused by that advice...

The idea is that you're a criminal who steals cars...

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...a fictional criminal...

Going to do a quick rundown of the Downtime phase of play and relate it to the first Score the Crew accomplished (the one discussed above):

Payoff: The Crew gets their rewards from the successful Score.

They extracted the noblewoman's daughter from the indentured servitude of the sex den.

* That is 2 Rep +1 for the target being a tier above them for a total of 3 Rep (Need 12 to level the Crew less 1 for every Turf claimed).

* This was a big Score (with lots of potential exposure and dangerous enemies - big risk/big reward), so 8 Coin.

Heat: Exposure in the form of attention and suspicion from the law and power brokers.

The job was done fairly stealthily, but not without some fallout along the way.

* 2 Heat: Contained; standard exposure

* +1 Heat due to the high profile nature of the job. It was both well known that this noblewoman's daughter was a captive of HFS and that she was looking to hire a crew to get her back.

* +1 Heat because the Score was on hostile turf.

* +2 Heat because there was a body count (couple thugs killed stealthily and corpses populating the underground canals...but they'll inevitably surface...).

* +2 Heat from a pair of accepted Devil's Bargains (including a situation with a corrupt Bluecoat (HFS bought-out) right as they emerge from the front door of the lair with the girl)

So that is 8 Heat total. At 9 Heat, you gain a Wanted Level. Wanted Levels increase the Quality and Scale of law enforcement response if they're coming after you and also contribute to the severity of post-Score Entanglements (see below).

Entanglements: Potential trouble from every conceivable aspect of the city, its inhabitants, and meta-inhabitants.

Entanglements come in 3 columns; Heat 0-3, 4-5, 6+. This Crew is 6+ so we consult that one. Roll d6 = to Wanted Level. If Wanted Level is 0, roll 2d6 and keep lowest. That is what we did here. Just like other rolls in the game, you have results of 1-3, 4/5, 6.

Result: 4 and 2. So 2 which is "Flipped or Interrogation" for Heat 6+.

I went with Interrogation because of the exposure from the HFS bought-off Bluecoat. Here the PCs either pay them off (3 coin) or the PC gets roughed up good (2 Harm) and tells the Bluecoats what they want to know (+3 Heat). They can resist each consequence separately.

So one of the PCs had a run-in with a pair of Bluecoats while soliciting info about a fence (to sell something obtained during the Score) in Nightmarket. The PC decided to pay off the Bluecoats but ate a couple of Stress (due to roll outcome) to resist the consequence and drop the coinage required down to 2.

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Downtime is worthy of its own post so I'll cover that later. Anyone want to talk about any of that stuff;chaochou, etc?

Just to say I'm on holiday with no books and limited wifi. So I'll try and contribute when I'm back around in a week or so.