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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 9623072" data-attributes="member: 42582">And assuming that we do want to see that interaction, what approach do we take to revealing that Michelle has been murdered?Vincent Baker, in DitV, talks about "actively revealing" backstory in play.But in a typical CoC-esque game, I don't think it is a goal of play to find out what happens when the PC realises that Michelle has been murdered, or more generally to see interactions resulting from sudden reveals. The goal of play is puzzle-solving (as you have posted in the past). Which means that "actively revealing" backstory would be a poor technique.And the reason for hiding is not the one that you give in your post, but rather because the goal of play includes the players having to "manipulate" the fiction - that is, declare the right actions to prompt the GM to reveal the right information - in order to solve the puzzle.One reason for having a GM is authority to frame scenes, especially by establishing conflict. Another related reason is to allow for the introduction and handling of adverse consequences.The hidden information aspect is important in some RPGing. But if I think about my Prince Valiant or Classic Traveller game, there is very little hidden information. And generally its purpose is to allow gradual framing of the situation and the implicit conflicts - to ramp things up over time. It's about manipulating stakes and tension.For instance, consider this bit of play:There is some hidden information here. Most of it pertains to Sir Satyrion and the details of his villainy: that he suggested that Sir Andreas sally forth; that he wishes to replace Sir Andreas by marrying Flora; that he intends to kidnap (and kill?) Theo. There is also the infiltration by the spy.I would post most of this under the description of actively revealing the backstory in play. Prince Valiant uses checks - perception and social-type checks, as the example illustrates - to mediate this active revelation, but this is much more about the colour of the revelation, and whether the revelations occur with the players (via their PCs) having the momentum, or whether the momentum is against them.Its of the essence of the RPG medium in its typical form - ie most of the participants take the role of particular characters in an unfolding situation, while one participant manages backstory and framing - that it wouldn't make sense just to lay out in advance everything in the fiction that matters to play. Where the play is about intrigue and derring-do among knights - as Prince Valiant is - it therefore doesn't make sense to lay out everything about Sir Satyrion. Hence the "active revelation" approach: if the Presence check to notice his sourness had failed, I - as GM - would have found another way to reveal his villainy, but in a different fictional context and with the momentum running in a different direction.The approach I've just described relies heavily on the GM to manage (manipulate) pacing and stakes. This can be contrasted with (say) the role of the GM in classic D&D (Moldvay/Gygax) play. In the example of play from Prince Valiant, the fact that the players became aware of Sir Satyrion early doesn't mean that they "win". Sir Satyrion excuses himself; the player of Sir Morgath lets him go; action then shifts to another PC (Sir Gerren); and as GM I judge that the upshot of his actions (which include calling the guards to him) makes it permissible for me to decide that Sir Satyrion has kidnapped Theo. This is not penalising a misplay, but simply me, as GM, making decisions about what might follow from the current state of the fiction that would be fun and interesting and prompt the players to declare actions for their PCs; the only real "misplay" by the players is the subsequent one, of leaving weak commanders in charge of defending the castle. (And that misplay soon yielded its consequence, as the castle was assaulted, and fell, and Sir Morgath had to flee with Elizbeth his wife, Agol his retainer, and Flora.)Now I don't think your play in which we want to see how the PC reacts when they learn Michelle was murdered is identical to my Prince Valiant play. But I feel it is closer to that, than to solving a traditional CoC mystery or to mapping a dungeon in classic D&D.</blockquote>

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