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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 6205230" data-attributes="member: 42582">Out of curiosity, where is this stated in Gygax's PHB or DMG. I agree that ideas along these lines are present in Moldvay Basic, but I don't recall reading them in the AD&D books.The notion of "greater goals developed by the DM in backstory", of "clues for developments germane to . . . story advancement" and of "overarching plot" are all instances of which I mean by "the GM having a preconceived notion of how events will unfold in play".When I say that "indie" play does not involve such preconceived notions, what I mean is that the DM does not have a backstory with greater goals - to the extent that their are greater goals, they emerge out of play and are driven by the players; the DM does not provide clues fo story advancement - to the extent that the story advances, it is driven by the players providing "clues" (rather, cues) to the GM; and there is no overarching plot that is already envisaged in anyone's mind. The plot emerges out of play.Rather than plot, the GM's role is to provide conflict from moment to moment of play.<a href="http://isabout.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/the-pitfalls-of-narrative-technique-in-rpg-play/" target="_blank">Here</a> is the best short description of the "indie" style that I know:<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">One of the players is a gamemaster whose job it is to keep track of the backstory, frame scenes according to dramatic needs (that is, go where the action is) and provoke thematic moments . . . by introducing complications. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">The rest of the players each have their own characters to play. They play their characters according to the advocacy role: the important part is that they naturally allow the character’s interests to come through based on what they imagine of the character’s nature and background. Then they let the other players know in certain terms what the character thinks and wants. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">The actual procedure of play is very simple: once the players have established concrete characters, situations and backstory in whatever manner a given game ascribes, the GM starts framing scenes for the player characters. Each scene is an interesting situation in relation to the premise of the setting or the character . . . The GM describes a situation that provokes choices on the part of the character. The player is ready for this, as he knows his character and the character’s needs, so he makes choices on the part of the character. This in turn leads to consequences as determined by the game’s rules. Story is an outcome of the process as choices lead to consequences which lead to further choices, until all outstanding issues have been resolved and the story naturally reaches an end. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">The player’s task in these games is simple advocacy, which is not difficult once you have a firm character. . . The GM might have more difficulty, as he needs to be able to reference the backstory, determine complications to introduce into the game, and figure out consequences. Much of the rules systems in these games address these challenges, and in addition the GM might have methodical tools outside the rules, such as pre-prepared relationship maps (helps with backstory), bangs (helps with provoking thematic choice) and pure experience (helps with determining consequences).</li> </ol>It is the GM's job to provoke choices by framing the PCs into conflicts; but it is the players' job to build their PCs with hooks into conflict for the GM to pick up on; and the consequences of conflict, which create new material for new choices, are worked out in actual play. The GM has a job of managing backstory, but note that it is not part of the GM's role to have a conception of plot, or where the game might go. Only to have a conception of what will make for dramatic choices.</blockquote>

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