Unpopular opinions go here

[Reynard]

I'm not making a distinction between length or numbers of scenes. Stories emerge from characters interacting with a situation. That situation may be "three goblins hide in a bush in order to ambush the PCs" or it might be "the Queen has been corrupted by Tiamat and will bring about the dracopoclypse."

Chances are the latter situation will require a lot more scenes to resolve than the former. But when the last die has rolled, a story will have emerged for each.

 

[Weiley31]

Me: Yes, I don't mind Cutscenes and story at all in OSR gameplay.

 

[Reynard]

Me: Yes, I don't mind Cutscenes and story at all in OSR gameplay.

Huh. I feel like those things are at odds.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Huh. I feel like those things are at odds.

It's the easiest way to show some things.

It might be years before PCs become aware of dramatic irony, for instance, if it requires them to come back to the area they just left, meet up with someone who was impacted by the results of a previous adventure and then have someone tell them about the unintended consequences and then spend 15 minutes for the DM to explain the significance, because the adventure being referenced took place two years ago in the real world.

Or, the DM just cuts away for a minute to narrate two NPCs watching the PCs ride away and making the wry comments on the spot.

Likewise, it can be used to do foreshadowing or show what's going on in Villain HQ, which can be valuable for ratcheting up tension. In my play by post campaign, I'm starting each adventure with a countdown to the end of the world. The PCs don't know there's a countdown on, and the players don't know what it's about, but they're aware we're winding up to something bad, and that they should maybe be looking over their shoulders periodically.

 

[Celebrim]

As I've said before , usually the worst games are when some GM is writing a story and wants the players to fill in the details for him.

The only thing worse is when some GM is NOT writing a story and wants the players to fill in the details for him.

 

[Reynard]

The only thing worse is when some GM is NOT writing a story and wants the players to fill in the details for him.

That's the BEST case scenario.

 

[QuentinGeorge]

That's not really what I meant. Folks think "rpgs tell stories" because they retroactively edit the largely chaotic and/or boring events of play into something approaching a coherent narrative. Like we do with history, and our own lives.

But isn't that like real life? A gripping biography or historical novel doesn't dwell on how often the character sits on a toilet.

 

[Aldarc]

Traditions are rarely as old or immutable as people think that they are.

Sacred cows are far more profane than people think that they are.

These observations are not all that controversial, but the moment that you start pointing these things out in, for example, tabletop roleplaying games, then suddenly questioning these things becomes a lot more controversial and unpopular.

 

[Reynard]

But isn't that like real life? A gripping biography or historical novel doesn't dwell on how often the character sits on a toilet.

Isn't that what I said?

 

[Celebrim]

A gripping biography or historical novel doesn't dwell on how often the character sits on a toilet.

Maybe, but at the risk of throwing out a popular opinion, neither does a gripping RPG.