Charlaquin
Goblin Queen (She/Her/Hers)
Oh! that’s what “exploratory play” vs. “heightened drama play” means? Ok, see that’s a real, meaningful distinction that I can understand. I just think “exploratory” and “heightened drama” are terrible names for the categories, in that case. Either style could be highly dramatic and/or prominently feature exploration. I’d define them based on the degree of narrative control the players have. I’d also say it’s a spectrum rather than a dichotomy.That's because the example hides where the difference is. (IMO, as I see it, etc.)
So, in standard exploratory play (i.e. most D&D, etc.):
In non-exploratory play (most Fate games, Apocalypse Games, etc.):
- if there is a connection between the stones, the DM already knows it
- the PC's history with another group of stones must have already been established, either in character creation/backstory or in play. (Some DMs can even introduce it at the moment: "You recognize these symbols from another stone circle near the village where you grew up....")
- its actually questionable (IME) that a player could introduce such a history or the existence of another stone circle without prior consent of the DM, especially before the roll is made or the check is called for by the DM. ("Critical Success! I remember runes like these from the stone circle near my village!")
- the players are "free" to introduce such elements of their history (sometimes by spending a mechanical resource...so maybe not "free" free.)
- the results of the roll may tell you, not just whether the PC can recognize any connection, but even if it is there at all (varies from game to game.) This might include whether or not this information is important to any ongoing plot, or instantiates a new plotline.
- whatever the outcome is, it is likely related to some facet of the characters' already. (an aspect on a
Fate character, or a quirk in some other systems, etc.)- someone (either GM or player) is likely quite capable of introducing whatever they want at this point, and in fact, may be required to inject new fiction into the game by the mechanics. (This is one reason many of these games have either very light or entirely player-facing mechanics. Injecting a new plotline on a roll would crash the game if the GM had to go look up a spelllist, generate relevant NPCs, etc.)
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