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Message: <blockquote data-quote="maddman75" data-source="post: 2050111" data-attributes="member: 2673">I agree with much of this.  I happened to start gaming right at the beginning of 2e, so my entire group has a very negative veiw of modules.  "module" means being railroaded through some predefined plot most of the time.  We did manage to run into some grognard who showed us the light, and Keep on the Borderlands remains my all time favorite.Cinematic done well...what have you seen exactly?  The best IMO is Buffy/Angel from Eden Studios.  The gameplay is fast and furious, while leaving a lot of tactical options for the players.  The rules fully support characters of vastly different power levels in the same group.  After all, you might have a Vampire Slayer or Werewolf right along side, well, a math nerd or cheerleader.  The Drama Points give this, and they are the key to what you are talking about.The cinematic (as I'm defining it) wants to keep the deep characterization and storylines of the Storytelling age, while returning to the autonomy and PC freedom of the Wargame age.  The way to do this is for the GM to give up some of his power.  This can be done by rewarding special actions and great description, as by Exalted Stunt rules, or with Drama Points such as in Buffy.  These points will let the player declare that *this* attack roll is dramatically important, and will thus almost automatically hit.  Or change the plot in some small way - there's convinently a wooden stake on teh ground in this alley, or a cop conviently walk by before the bad guy can start beating you up.  The player can decide that the big blow they took turned out not to be all that bad, or even come back from the dead.But these are limited.  The player can affect any of these things they choose, but only a limited number of times.  Thus extra Drama Points can be used as an effective carrot, rewards for the kind of play you want.  For example, in Buffy you can get extra points for playing out your disadvantages or helping the Slayer cope with the angst of being a teenage superhero - things that are very 'in-genre'.Exalted lacks drama points (unless you count willpower), but it still works because characters are SO powerful.  It will be a player driven game because the characters can do anything they darn well please.  For an example, my starting group has a character that can defeat mortal armies on his own, one that can open any lock, pick any pocket, become invisible, dodge any attack, and is a good archer to boot, and another that can heal lifethreatening wounds easily, as well as use his powerful presence to sway anyone to his position - he could very easily found a religion based on himself if the idea entered his head.  They can't help but take control of the flow of the game.Buffy for one has really changed how I look at RPGs.  The wargame days has us thinking in terms of Encounters and Challenges.  The Storytelling Era has us thinking of plots, subplot, and plot arcs.  I now think in terms of characterization, scenes, tone, pacing, and sets.</blockquote>

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