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What I’m considering a “plot” is when the GM has events they want to happen and uses techniques to make sure they happen (or it’s highly likely they do). In node-based design, these events are the funnel points. There is a good diagram in the essay I linked (“Node-Based Scenario Design —...

This is why I’ve tried to stick with what Justin is saying instead of trying to examine it through the lens of some other game. The extent to which I’ve acknowledged other play (aside from in reply to those who brought it up) was to include those who prefer it when discussing differences of feel...

It’s not so much that I’m concerned about what he’s saying. I can just ignore it after all. It’s more that this is a discussion of his advice, so it seems appropriate to examine where it can sometimes be contradictory or when following some advice might subvert your intent when incorporating...

Sure. I agree. However, context is important. I had been responding in a particular thread of discussion regarding the nature of clues and how they are integrated into play. There are differences between techniques, and those are important (which you agreed with in post #87). The rest was my...

It’s the way my homebrew system structures play to address the conflict of interest between GM-as-referee and GM-as-opposition. It’s something I’ve discussed here before, but it turns out that it’s not a new idea. Jon Peterson mentions in chapter 1 of The Elusive Shift how people saw it from the...

Justin provides contrasting examples in “Don’t Prep Plots”. The first is what he calls a plot: (1) The PCs pursue the villains. (What if they don’t?) (2) The PCs have to choose to follow them by ship. (What if they decide to ride down the coast? Or teleport?) (3) The PCs have to spot the...

For adversary rosters in particular, players following Gygax’s advice would need to scout sufficiently to establish which monsters are nearby, so they can take them into account with their planning. If there are none, that allows for noisier (and presumably more violent) solutions to the current...

I agree with your diagnosis. What I’m trying to do dig into is how techniques that have players arrive at the same destination (through admittedly different means) because that’s what the GM wants can be viewed so differently. Even Justin does this. The three clue rule is positioned as a robust...

One could, but the question is whether it would be a fruitful discussion. I’m skeptical about that, but I stepped in it here with my initial replies. Anyway, it has been clarified in post #52 that critical discussion is within the scope of the [+], so I’ll continue to stay engaged with those who...

@TheSword Is critical discussion in scope (e.g., the discussion regarding a contradiction between “Don’t Prep Plots” and the “Three Clue Rule”)? I missed that this thread was meant to be a [+], but I don’t want to contribute to further derailment if it’s not.

I agree with the initial framing of the second example, but once the PCs choose to investigate it, it ends up effectively being turned into the plot. That’s the whole point! Justin makes this clear in his essay. Adventures risk stalling out when there is only one way to reach the conclusion. He...

Are we talking about Justin’s technique or clues abstractly? Even if the latter, just going by the dictionary definition suggests a clue is more than just information. It has a purpose —to lead one to solve a problem (or mystery). I would distinguish between responding when the game requires...

The “Don’t Prep Plots” essay literally has a section on using the three clue rule. The problem is that what the three clue rule has you do is a prep a plot. That’s the contradiction. Obviously, it’s avoidable if you don’t do that as one’s solution.

I initially misread the announcement that articles would be available if you sign up, but it’s only most that will be. I realized my mistake while working my way through their RSS feed. There are some articles that requiring a paid subscription (such as their interview series with Zooey Zephyr...

I don’t think it’s really comparable to fronts. What he’s doing is trying to solve the problem where the monsters are keyed to a room and just sit in there until the PCs arrive to beat them up. Moving that information out of the key makes it easier for the GM to have the monsters respond from...

The adventures I’ve run by Necrotic Gnome also use a mix. If it’s only in the key, that monster’s not going anywhere except under exceptional circumstances. If it’s on the map, then the stats will be in the key for that room, but the monster might leave its room to investigate/fight/etc if the...

I wrote inaccurately about revelation lists. They’re about supporting the three clue rule and node-based design, which are both mentioned by name in the book (as are adversary rosters). The resulting adventure structure will be fairly traditional, but my point was that he has actually put his...

But the clues point to one conclusion. One may allow different solutions, but the PCs end up at the same place. That’s the point of the structure. When you have multiple of these happening at the same time with clues intertwined and pointing to different nodes, Justin calls that advanced...

I’m going to offer one: Adversary Rosters (see also: his design notes on them in Infinity RPG). I prefer how OSR games put the monsters on the map instead, but the decoupling monsters form the key makes it easier to use them dynamically in response to what the PCs are doing.