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<blockquote data-quote="chaochou" data-source="post: 7184009" data-attributes="member: 99817"><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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).</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I'd actually missed that heading. It helps when play advice is catchy!</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>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?</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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. </p><p></p><p>So that's one idea I'm looking into as a first session starter to give it a bit more of an interactive kick.</p><p></p><p><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="chaochou, post: 7184009, member: 99817"] 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). I'd actually missed that heading. It helps when play advice is catchy! 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. :) [/QUOTE]
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