Action, Character, Story or World Oriented Campaigns?

[Planeswalker Maloran]

I usually start my campaigns out very character- and world-oriented. Once everyone knows a bit about each other (and I know how they play), I build a story that fits the group dynamic and play style (and is discovered somewhere in their explorations). Action is certainly present throughout the whole thing, but it builds as the campaign progresses. Once the story has been largely revealed, the focus jumps mostly to action, as the players struggle for victory.

Overall, I'd say world is the most important. Players can build complex characters if they want to, and a complex world gives them lots of options for working towards character goals. On the other hand, players can build basic and action-focused characters if they want, and a complex world gives them lots of places to fight monsters and get loot. In the second case, action is required; but in the first case, it may not be. I've had games where the players were so interested in political intrigue that combat rarely if ever came up. I've had other games where the players were so interested in exploring that combat only happened when they explored some place that may have been better left alone. Action can be found anywhere, if you look hard enough. But action, characters, or story, are all flat without a decent world to put them in.

 

[ST]

My current game is, I suppose, "Situation"-oriented, which doesn't fall into those categories.

Situation is designed 50% by player (Raising the Stakes and character creation) and 50% by the DM (4 elements). Character, World, Story, and Action are the results of this design interacting with the rules in play.

That makes me feel better, because that sounds like the games I'm in. I couldn't figure out how in the world to fit it into these categories.

Creating situations where the player will have to make an interesting/difficult choice, and whatever they decide will drive play forward, that's my main focus when GMing. Those other pieces are either used to set these things up (like Character and World highlighting a dilemna) or in resolving the conflict (which is more Action and Character, I guess.)

I don't know that we use Story in the way it's defined here, though, unless you can widen the term to "Theme" or "Premise". It's like, there's a general *feel* for what the types of conflicts we're having are about, but there's no preplanned overarching plot.

We have story to the extent that there are cascades of "situation -> resolution -> fallout -> situation -> repeat". and they escalate to a climax. I'm not sure if that's the same thing, but it could be.

 

[LostSoul]

ST, that sounds awesome.

 

[paradox42]

I don't personally prefer one of the four above the rest, though Character is admittedly lower than the other three on my personal totem pole because I think it arises from them if they're done well. Picking just one for a vote was really tough, though, because my current two games are very heavy on both Story and World.

I eventually picked World, though, because each of the games has featured multiple unfolding plots over the course of its run, but the characters keep coming back to the same world and discovering/exploring new things about it. I've done things in my 3.X games that I'd only vaguely imagined back in 2nd Edition- I knew they were part of the world, but never had the chance to have PCs actually do them. Deliberately adventuring in a Dream realm, having the dragons living on the moon invade the primary world, having PCs explore the ruined ancient station that forms a ring around the world- these have been just a few of the plots. They were always there in my head waiting to be run, I just never had the chance before the explorations of the 3.X campaigns led player characters to the point of doing it.

And FWIW, I have to agree that "Story" is really more of a "Theme" or "Plot Skeleton" element (though that latter one is unwieldy being two words and all). If the plot is pre-scripted in advance, and players can't change it, then you may as well just go write that novel you're waiting to write- let the players pick it up in stores and read it after it's published. Don't force them to listen to the story without a chance to influence events. Really, most of my recent plots have arisen from just presenting the players with a problem, which they then proceed to attack/solve in the manner I (often) least expected- but which then creates new problems for me to throw at them, and so on.

 

[Ry]

LostSoul and ST, you should really check out my 4 elements link in my sig (4 elements = situation), and maybe the Raising the Stakes pdf. I've been doing some more quasi-theory work on this as well, but that's a topic for another thread. If anything, I'd like to hear ST's thoughts on that fallout phase, which I'm a bit weak on.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Character. World, Action, and Story are just means to the end of allowing the player to explore and grow the character. I disagree that this involves heavily involving backstory, all you need is a couple of hooks to get you started and then just run with ongoing plot developments.

This, precisely.

I have run sessions and campaigns with different emphases, but I will always naturally gravitate back towards "character", from that list. If a particular group of players seems strongly oriented to a different style, then that is the point where I begin to look at other options.

And yeah, I'm all in favour of "A Game of Thrones"-type campaigns, as DM or as player.

 

[Evilhalfling]

1. Action
2. Story
3. Character
4. World

designing a session I first consider what scenes the story could bring, then I sort through and find the one that a) PCs have the most influence on, b) would be the most fun.
character is next because not all players are invested with char goals and hooks. The one player that is more interested in character development than story line, normally gets extra attention, with the occasional spotlight on quieter players.
World. dead last - I dont have enough time to create intresting situations and events for anywhere the PCs might go, if I spend the time thinking about nifty new locations, I create a reason for the PCs to go there. I also inquire at the end of every session what the characters plans are for the next game, then design that.