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<blockquote data-quote="ExploderWizard" data-source="post: 6420891" data-attributes="member: 66434"><p>If authorial control is a "thing" at all-it's a story game. In my game, I control the game world at large and everything in it EXCEPT the player characters. The players have total control over what their characters do. There is no story to exert authorial control over. The players go and do what they wish and the world reacts accordingly. In that sense the players are the authors of their actions and the DM is the author of the world response. Lets take a closer look at story:</p><p></p><p>sto·ry</p><p>/ˈstôrē/</p><p>noun</p><p>noun: story; plural noun: stories</p><p>1. </p><p>an account of imaginary or real people and events told for entertainment.</p><p></p><p></p><p>OK so we have a dictionary definition of story. The first thing I notice about this is that a story is an account. An accounting takes place AFTER the fact. What happened in our game last week is a story that can be told. What we are currently playing out as actual play won't be a story until we are finished with that session of play. </p><p></p><p>Once play concludes you have your story. At that point an accounting of the events of that play session can be made but that part of the story is done. Authorial control at that point is meaningless unless you want to alter the story for the reader for some reason. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Magic is capable of doing things that cannot be accomplished by any other means, that is why it is magic. Technology would be considered magic by those who were completely unfamiliar with the concepts that power it. If you were to demonstrate a cell phone to a man from the year 1200, he would likely think it was magic. To us , such a device is mundane. If magic cannot accomplish anything that isn't possible by more mundane means then it is not that impressive or magical. The effect doesn't have to be all that flashy or spectacular either. A simple mending spell is magic not because it can repair a broken item, but because it can do so without requiring materials, time, or crafting skill. Sure a tailor could repair that cloak but not with a wave of his hand! </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Really. Players should have the same authoritative control over their universe as you and I have over ours. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Your problem here wasn't a lack of narrative control, it was a DM who had already written an outcome for a scenario in his head and wouldn't tolerate any deviation from it. With such an individual, what you choose matters little if at all so there really isn't a point in playing at all. </p><p></p><p>The response to a closed minded storyteller GM isn't trying to wrestle control away using authoritative rules to gain narrative power. That is the equivalent of arguing with a four year old on his/her level-you aren't going to win and you will appear foolish when trying. </p><p></p><p>Simply walk away. Life is too short for bad games. If the GM is incapable of running a fair fun game then do it yourself. Show by example.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="ExploderWizard, post: 6420891, member: 66434"] If authorial control is a "thing" at all-it's a story game. In my game, I control the game world at large and everything in it EXCEPT the player characters. The players have total control over what their characters do. There is no story to exert authorial control over. The players go and do what they wish and the world reacts accordingly. In that sense the players are the authors of their actions and the DM is the author of the world response. Lets take a closer look at story: sto·ry /ˈstôrē/ noun noun: story; plural noun: stories 1. an account of imaginary or real people and events told for entertainment. OK so we have a dictionary definition of story. The first thing I notice about this is that a story is an account. An accounting takes place AFTER the fact. What happened in our game last week is a story that can be told. What we are currently playing out as actual play won't be a story until we are finished with that session of play. Once play concludes you have your story. At that point an accounting of the events of that play session can be made but that part of the story is done. Authorial control at that point is meaningless unless you want to alter the story for the reader for some reason. Magic is capable of doing things that cannot be accomplished by any other means, that is why it is magic. Technology would be considered magic by those who were completely unfamiliar with the concepts that power it. If you were to demonstrate a cell phone to a man from the year 1200, he would likely think it was magic. To us , such a device is mundane. If magic cannot accomplish anything that isn't possible by more mundane means then it is not that impressive or magical. The effect doesn't have to be all that flashy or spectacular either. A simple mending spell is magic not because it can repair a broken item, but because it can do so without requiring materials, time, or crafting skill. Sure a tailor could repair that cloak but not with a wave of his hand! Really. Players should have the same authoritative control over their universe as you and I have over ours. Your problem here wasn't a lack of narrative control, it was a DM who had already written an outcome for a scenario in his head and wouldn't tolerate any deviation from it. With such an individual, what you choose matters little if at all so there really isn't a point in playing at all. The response to a closed minded storyteller GM isn't trying to wrestle control away using authoritative rules to gain narrative power. That is the equivalent of arguing with a four year old on his/her level-you aren't going to win and you will appear foolish when trying. Simply walk away. Life is too short for bad games. If the GM is incapable of running a fair fun game then do it yourself. Show by example. [/QUOTE]
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