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Pemertonian Scene Framing and 4e DMing Restarted
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<blockquote data-quote="Manbearcat" data-source="post: 6088967" data-attributes="member: 6696971"><p>Regarding theme cues: </p><p></p><p>Like much in life and gaming, I find that more overt, the less implicit, the better. Thematically robust PC build rules are great at facilitating this transparency. This is one of the primary reasons why 4e is very suitable for this style of play. However, there are certain cases where PC build rules, while strong, serve as proxies for even more profoundly important details (Beliefs and Instincts a la BW). Like boreholes and tree rings in dendroclimatology, proxies can sometimes have poor resolution, or even outright noise, with regards to the signal you are looking for. </p><p></p><p>As such, I have my players outlined 3 Beliefs and Instincts that work as 1st order functions and confirm those PC build proxies (2nd order functions) are thematically coherent with the "internal stuff" that underwrites a character. In concert with the PC build tools, they serve the following purposes:</p><p></p><p>- The Beliefs serve as the ethos for the character to guide (i) what scenes to frame around them and (ii) how to frame those scenes. This sill ensure that we are on the same page and the content I provide will be provacative such that they will proactively engage.</p><p></p><p>- The Instincts serve as insurance which tells me SPECIFICALLY what I am FORBIDDEN to do when I wrest minor "agency" from a PC in establishing the initial Bang to get a scene started. I put them in a situation and it cannot violate those player-wrought dictates; eg I can't frame perceptive characters as aloof or selfless characters as selfish. </p><p></p><p>With regards to the aloof, the passive introvert, the apathetic, the wallflower:</p><p></p><p>I find that the above is of great concern with them as they are either not very invested in the coherency of the above or have little to no comprehension/care regarding their dynamics in play and our contract. If I have to create your PC build for you and I have to derive your Beliefs/Instincts, in all likelihood, you are not invested mentally and there will be too much dissonance with regards to your comprehension of the scenes framed that challenge your thematic interests. If your Beliefs/ethos are opaque, or so much rot, to you then I cannot challenge it and expect you to respond in kind. If you violate your own Instincts/Insurance, then what difference does it make if I do the same? You can get generic responses from these types of players, for sure, but generic, thematically coherent responses are the death-knell of a quality, dynamic scene. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink and all of that. </p><p></p><p>All told, I don't think the table agenda is built for these folks; to be honest, I'm not sure anything more than a beer and pretzels game (or a boardgame) is built for folks like that. You have to engage mentally, at least minimally, in a TTRPG. If you are not willing to do so (especially in a game that seeks some measure of thematic coherency or depth), you might want to get out Monopoly or Risk.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Manbearcat, post: 6088967, member: 6696971"] Regarding theme cues: Like much in life and gaming, I find that more overt, the less implicit, the better. Thematically robust PC build rules are great at facilitating this transparency. This is one of the primary reasons why 4e is very suitable for this style of play. However, there are certain cases where PC build rules, while strong, serve as proxies for even more profoundly important details (Beliefs and Instincts a la BW). Like boreholes and tree rings in dendroclimatology, proxies can sometimes have poor resolution, or even outright noise, with regards to the signal you are looking for. As such, I have my players outlined 3 Beliefs and Instincts that work as 1st order functions and confirm those PC build proxies (2nd order functions) are thematically coherent with the "internal stuff" that underwrites a character. In concert with the PC build tools, they serve the following purposes: - The Beliefs serve as the ethos for the character to guide (i) what scenes to frame around them and (ii) how to frame those scenes. This sill ensure that we are on the same page and the content I provide will be provacative such that they will proactively engage. - The Instincts serve as insurance which tells me SPECIFICALLY what I am FORBIDDEN to do when I wrest minor "agency" from a PC in establishing the initial Bang to get a scene started. I put them in a situation and it cannot violate those player-wrought dictates; eg I can't frame perceptive characters as aloof or selfless characters as selfish. With regards to the aloof, the passive introvert, the apathetic, the wallflower: I find that the above is of great concern with them as they are either not very invested in the coherency of the above or have little to no comprehension/care regarding their dynamics in play and our contract. If I have to create your PC build for you and I have to derive your Beliefs/Instincts, in all likelihood, you are not invested mentally and there will be too much dissonance with regards to your comprehension of the scenes framed that challenge your thematic interests. If your Beliefs/ethos are opaque, or so much rot, to you then I cannot challenge it and expect you to respond in kind. If you violate your own Instincts/Insurance, then what difference does it make if I do the same? You can get generic responses from these types of players, for sure, but generic, thematically coherent responses are the death-knell of a quality, dynamic scene. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink and all of that. All told, I don't think the table agenda is built for these folks; to be honest, I'm not sure anything more than a beer and pretzels game (or a boardgame) is built for folks like that. You have to engage mentally, at least minimally, in a TTRPG. If you are not willing to do so (especially in a game that seeks some measure of thematic coherency or depth), you might want to get out Monopoly or Risk. [/QUOTE]
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