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better gaming through chemistry
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<blockquote data-quote="Jim Hague" data-source="post: 2692398" data-attributes="member: 17550"><p>Well, those aren't the only parts of plot, but they're important ones. As for hooks, you've hit the nail on the head:</p><p></p><p><em>Make it personal</em>.</p><p></p><p>Think about it - in every good piece of fiction, things don't just happen, they happen to the characters in the story. Being detached from the action is a good way for players to lose interest. </p><p></p><p>Another tangent - heap trouble on the characters. Bury 'em in it. Don't introduce a new problem when they've overcome and old one, introduce it when they're <em>halfway</em> to completing whatever. Disarming a bomb, three seconds left? The door bursts open, bad guys rush in guns blazing! Keep the pressure on. When things are quiet, that's when the players and their characters should start getting suspicious and worried.</p><p></p><p>The gentle art of listening - players tend to be an amazingly paranoid bunch. Roll some dice, throw out some vague clues or indications of where the action lies...then just listen. Often, even groups that won't give you a straight answer when asked directly will give you a good clue as to their wants if you just shut up and listen. Likewise, when the plot seems like it's not going a certain way, <em>listen</em> - your players might have ideas on what's going on that you hadn't thought of.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Jim Hague, post: 2692398, member: 17550"] Well, those aren't the only parts of plot, but they're important ones. As for hooks, you've hit the nail on the head: [i]Make it personal[/i]. Think about it - in every good piece of fiction, things don't just happen, they happen to the characters in the story. Being detached from the action is a good way for players to lose interest. Another tangent - heap trouble on the characters. Bury 'em in it. Don't introduce a new problem when they've overcome and old one, introduce it when they're [i]halfway[/i] to completing whatever. Disarming a bomb, three seconds left? The door bursts open, bad guys rush in guns blazing! Keep the pressure on. When things are quiet, that's when the players and their characters should start getting suspicious and worried. The gentle art of listening - players tend to be an amazingly paranoid bunch. Roll some dice, throw out some vague clues or indications of where the action lies...then just listen. Often, even groups that won't give you a straight answer when asked directly will give you a good clue as to their wants if you just shut up and listen. Likewise, when the plot seems like it's not going a certain way, [i]listen[/i] - your players might have ideas on what's going on that you hadn't thought of. [/QUOTE]
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