Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
PC's can't take a hint
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Agback" data-source="post: 1335910" data-attributes="member: 5328"><p>The key to successful improv GMing is to let incident arise as character responds to situation, (ie. concentrate on the situation, let the plot emerge in extemporary collaboration with the character-players). When you are setting up a situation to produce a plot, remmember that you need a conflict and also a crucible.</p><p></p><p>Conflict between the protagonist and the antagonist produces a repulsion between them. They are naturally inclined to avoid the conflict. And so you need to provide some motivating to keep them together and slugging it out. (This is actually even more important in RPGs than in literature, where it only <em>seems</em> as though the writer has no control over his characters.)</p><p></p><p>GMs and D&D writers designing linear adventures have usually relied on the lure of experience points and treasure to keep PCs' noses to the wheel. This doesn't work in an open world, because if the conflict becomes intense the PCs look around somewhere else for exp and treasure. The only way to keep them on track is to make the rest of the world even more dangerous than the adventure, which doesn't make the characters satisfyingly heroic.</p><p></p><p>Re-read some of your favourite adventure stories. Ask yourself "Why doesn't the protagonist simply let it drop?" Make notes. Incorporate such crucibles into your campaign situations.</p><p></p><p>Tension arises when the protagonist is subjected to forces that draw or push him simultaneously in opposited directions, with irresistable strength. Such 'pressure', or 'dilemmas' are of the essence of plot situations.</p><p></p><p>Regards,</p><p></p><p></p><p>Agback</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Agback, post: 1335910, member: 5328"] The key to successful improv GMing is to let incident arise as character responds to situation, (ie. concentrate on the situation, let the plot emerge in extemporary collaboration with the character-players). When you are setting up a situation to produce a plot, remmember that you need a conflict and also a crucible. Conflict between the protagonist and the antagonist produces a repulsion between them. They are naturally inclined to avoid the conflict. And so you need to provide some motivating to keep them together and slugging it out. (This is actually even more important in RPGs than in literature, where it only [i]seems[/i] as though the writer has no control over his characters.) GMs and D&D writers designing linear adventures have usually relied on the lure of experience points and treasure to keep PCs' noses to the wheel. This doesn't work in an open world, because if the conflict becomes intense the PCs look around somewhere else for exp and treasure. The only way to keep them on track is to make the rest of the world even more dangerous than the adventure, which doesn't make the characters satisfyingly heroic. Re-read some of your favourite adventure stories. Ask yourself "Why doesn't the protagonist simply let it drop?" Make notes. Incorporate such crucibles into your campaign situations. Tension arises when the protagonist is subjected to forces that draw or push him simultaneously in opposited directions, with irresistable strength. Such 'pressure', or 'dilemmas' are of the essence of plot situations. Regards, Agback [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
PC's can't take a hint
Top