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How should a GM handle refused plots
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<blockquote data-quote="Aenghus" data-source="post: 7097259" data-attributes="member: 2656"><p>Thanks for all the replies, everyone! I deliberately didn't provide particular examples because I was interested in the general case and different perspectives on these problems and I find a specific example can lead to people obsessing about an isolated detail and ignore the general case. </p><p></p><p>Often the language of the statement of a problem propels readers to a particular solution, and to neglect consideration of other options. It's difficult to state problems in an accurate but neutral way that allows for the full possible range of solutions to be considered by the reader.</p><p></p><p>My solution is to have multiple plots, and not invest in particular plots because I don't know which ones will hook the players. Similarly for NPCs I don't know which ones will seize the players interest and which ones won't. </p><p></p><p>I remember once I had a concept for a NPC who would become a major big bad in the campaign in a super serious plot, but I made one mistake. When the players learned the NPCs name one of them immediately realised the name could be turned into a pun, a funny one in the context of the campaign, which led to a stream of jokes about the NPC and gales of laughter about the table. The NPC became a laughing stock with zero credibility as a villain long before the party even met him.</p><p></p><p>Now I've been at game tables where the referee would stick to his guns and insist on using the NPC as intended, despite the fact that the joke names and humour would pursue him for his entire lifetime and sabotage his street cred. I've seldom seen this end well.</p><p></p><p>So, seeing as I have a million NPCs and can always make more, I let the new NPC be the comedy relief that serendipity had dictated and moved the villain role over to another entirely distinct NPC.</p><p></p><p>Similarly, if the players seem to actively dislike a particular plot, I'm willing to drop it will lesser or no consequences. I have limited time to play RPGs, no need to dwell on non-productive material, better to focus on material everyone is enjoying. There is literally no percentage in punishing players for their play preferences.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Aenghus, post: 7097259, member: 2656"] Thanks for all the replies, everyone! I deliberately didn't provide particular examples because I was interested in the general case and different perspectives on these problems and I find a specific example can lead to people obsessing about an isolated detail and ignore the general case. Often the language of the statement of a problem propels readers to a particular solution, and to neglect consideration of other options. It's difficult to state problems in an accurate but neutral way that allows for the full possible range of solutions to be considered by the reader. My solution is to have multiple plots, and not invest in particular plots because I don't know which ones will hook the players. Similarly for NPCs I don't know which ones will seize the players interest and which ones won't. I remember once I had a concept for a NPC who would become a major big bad in the campaign in a super serious plot, but I made one mistake. When the players learned the NPCs name one of them immediately realised the name could be turned into a pun, a funny one in the context of the campaign, which led to a stream of jokes about the NPC and gales of laughter about the table. The NPC became a laughing stock with zero credibility as a villain long before the party even met him. Now I've been at game tables where the referee would stick to his guns and insist on using the NPC as intended, despite the fact that the joke names and humour would pursue him for his entire lifetime and sabotage his street cred. I've seldom seen this end well. So, seeing as I have a million NPCs and can always make more, I let the new NPC be the comedy relief that serendipity had dictated and moved the villain role over to another entirely distinct NPC. Similarly, if the players seem to actively dislike a particular plot, I'm willing to drop it will lesser or no consequences. I have limited time to play RPGs, no need to dwell on non-productive material, better to focus on material everyone is enjoying. There is literally no percentage in punishing players for their play preferences. [/QUOTE]
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