Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
White Dwarf Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Nest
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
EN Publishing
Twitter
BlueSky
Facebook
Instagram
EN World
BlueSky
YouTube
Facebook
Twitter
Twitch
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
Artificial Plot Control
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Stormborn" data-source="post: 3749728" data-attributes="member: 14041"><p>Or for some completly opposite advice: If you want a 'story' heavy game there are some ways to do it. </p><p></p><p>First communicate to your players the kind of game you intend to run and how you will do it. Ask them if they are interested in playing in such a game. If not go no further. If they are OK with it then there are some ways to proceed.</p><p></p><p>Determine a mechanic that allows you as the DM to invoke "Plot Control" during the game but in doing so you reward the players. Mutants and Masterminds does this to help retain the feel of a comic book, you just need to dermine what genre tropes are appropriate to your campaign and how they will play out in game. </p><p></p><p>Major (named) NPCs have points that can be spent to cause a certain thing to happen such as allowing the NPC to escape or letting one or more of the PCs get captured.</p><p></p><p>When this happens the PCs earn a point of their own that can be spent to alter the plot to their advantage, but NOT to counter a spent NPC point.</p><p></p><p>They can spend points to do thigns like:</p><p>Suddenly "remember" an important fact that helps their cause</p><p>Run into an old contact that owes them a favor</p><p>Have an NPC jailer distracted at an important moment</p><p>"Discover" a needed mundane item such as a rope or crowbar</p><p>etc.</p><p></p><p>In the right kind of game and with a willing group this can be an enjoyable way of playing. Plot Control does not have to equal railroading.</p><p></p><p>EDIT: Of course, having a dynamic story planned that can deal with PC actions and events is always going to be best. Plot never survives contact with PCs.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Stormborn, post: 3749728, member: 14041"] Or for some completly opposite advice: If you want a 'story' heavy game there are some ways to do it. First communicate to your players the kind of game you intend to run and how you will do it. Ask them if they are interested in playing in such a game. If not go no further. If they are OK with it then there are some ways to proceed. Determine a mechanic that allows you as the DM to invoke "Plot Control" during the game but in doing so you reward the players. Mutants and Masterminds does this to help retain the feel of a comic book, you just need to dermine what genre tropes are appropriate to your campaign and how they will play out in game. Major (named) NPCs have points that can be spent to cause a certain thing to happen such as allowing the NPC to escape or letting one or more of the PCs get captured. When this happens the PCs earn a point of their own that can be spent to alter the plot to their advantage, but NOT to counter a spent NPC point. They can spend points to do thigns like: Suddenly "remember" an important fact that helps their cause Run into an old contact that owes them a favor Have an NPC jailer distracted at an important moment "Discover" a needed mundane item such as a rope or crowbar etc. In the right kind of game and with a willing group this can be an enjoyable way of playing. Plot Control does not have to equal railroading. EDIT: Of course, having a dynamic story planned that can deal with PC actions and events is always going to be best. Plot never survives contact with PCs. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
Artificial Plot Control
Top