Character Secrets - Dual or Group effort?

[Rechan]

I read the blogs of a few gamers I think are smart, in terms of games. They play a multitude of systems, some of which are story-driven games.

I've noticed an opinion expressed by several of them at one point or another: a character's secrets are more fun when the Players knows about them before their Characters find out.

The argument is that the reveal is much sweeter when everyone at the table can work towards incorporating it in the game (if it's a secret of betrayal, then a character can work hard to build the trust between two characters, so that it "stings" more after the reveal). Everyone can look forward to the ensuing drama, and think ahead of time how their characters will react.

Thinking about it myself, I can also see one benefit: being warned ahead of time, and working to help that secret have more impact, the other players may not be as frustrated if someone is stabbing them in the back/working against them.

What do you guys think?

 

[Dyson Logos]

Fully agreed. Working towards an agreed plot-point produces an event that is far less likely to cause internal strife between the players when strife occurs between the characters.

 

[Ktulu]

I agree 100%. Also, in addition to the reasons given, not all games finish (I know, I was shocked when I heard it, too). Often, when the games die out, players then talk about their characters' mysterious pasts and such.

In some cases, the game may have fared better had the stories of the characters been known.

The Sorcerer RPG states that the players in the game are each other's audience, as such, they should know about those secrets, even if the character's don't.

Ktulu

 

[Fallen Seraph]

Another agree here, sometimes it is fun to hide some stuff. But even then, I find it is good to have a bit of, "hey guys something is going to be revealed, etc." Of course the DM should know as well as the players. Especially the DM, that can then help weave the plot around this reveal coming about.