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<blockquote data-quote="maddman75" data-source="post: 3617383" data-attributes="member: 2673">If you're interested, I've written up some of my gaming theory on <a href="http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&amp;friendID=33842103&amp;blogID=199291522&amp;Mytoken=6629D144-388B-4F5D-B20893D63962C73227676418" target="_blank">my blog</a>.&nbsp; You may find it interesting.I know some techniques from the indie-RPG scene that can help.&nbsp;&nbsp; I don't buy into every theory there, but some of the tools can be useful.Kickers are backgrounds that propel the PC into action.&nbsp; A kicker isn't just a brief description of who the character was, but provides a plot hook that demands resolution.&nbsp; The more vauge and open to interpretation by the GM, the better.&nbsp; &quot;My father is dead&quot; is a part of background, but not a kicker because it doesn't direct the PC to any action.&nbsp; &quot;I'm hunting for the man who killed my father&quot; is, because it carries the assumption that the PC is looking for revenge.&nbsp; &quot;My father died mysteriously, and I'm looking for his former business partner who may know something about it&quot; is even better, because that leaves things open to the GM.&nbsp; Maybe the partner killed him, maybe the father killed himself.&nbsp; Maybe the partner knows who the killer is and is hunting him down.Bangs are moments of decision, where we find out what kind of person the character is.&nbsp; A good example would be in Spider Man, when the Green Goblin drops a bus full of kids off one side of a bridge and the woman he loves off the other.&nbsp; (Only don't be a Hollywood wussy and let him save both - in the comic, Spider-man saved the kids.)Flag-framing is one I haven't used, but sounds promising.&nbsp; Hand each player a highlighter at the end of the game, and tell them to circle three things they like the best about their character.&nbsp; Could be anything - a favorite weapon, a skill, a feat or spell, or even their alignment, height, or weight.&nbsp; Note these down and when you're running your game, try to hit these flags - put in a situation where it will be useful.&nbsp; Players will love you for it.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="maddman75, post: 3617383, member: 2673"] If you're interested, I've written up some of my gaming theory on [url=http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=33842103&blogID=199291522&Mytoken=6629D144-388B-4F5D-B20893D63962C73227676418]my blog[/url]. You may find it interesting. I know some techniques from the indie-RPG scene that can help. I don't buy into every theory there, but some of the tools can be useful. Kickers are backgrounds that propel the PC into action. A kicker isn't just a brief description of who the character was, but provides a plot hook that demands resolution. The more vauge and open to interpretation by the GM, the better. "My father is dead" is a part of background, but not a kicker because it doesn't direct the PC to any action. "I'm hunting for the man who killed my father" is, because it carries the assumption that the PC is looking for revenge. "My father died mysteriously, and I'm looking for his former business partner who may know something about it" is even better, because that leaves things open to the GM. Maybe the partner killed him, maybe the father killed himself. Maybe the partner knows who the killer is and is hunting him down. Bangs are moments of decision, where we find out what kind of person the character is. A good example would be in Spider Man, when the Green Goblin drops a bus full of kids off one side of a bridge and the woman he loves off the other. (Only don't be a Hollywood wussy and let him save both - in the comic, Spider-man saved the kids.) Flag-framing is one I haven't used, but sounds promising. Hand each player a highlighter at the end of the game, and tell them to circle three things they like the best about their character. Could be anything - a favorite weapon, a skill, a feat or spell, or even their alignment, height, or weight. Note these down and when you're running your game, try to hit these flags - put in a situation where it will be useful. Players will love you for it. [/QUOTE]

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