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<blockquote data-quote="maddman75" data-source="post: 4843817" data-attributes="member: 2673">It does vary from game to game, depending on that game's focus.&nbsp; But I'll try to be general.My main theory is that which drives the game forward is conflict.&nbsp; This is why combat is so common in RPGs.&nbsp; Its a clear conflcit - the bad guys want the PCs to die.&nbsp; The PCs want to not die.&nbsp; There are clear cut rules for playing this out in most games.&nbsp; There are generally pretty good indicators that the conflict is over - one side is defeated, surrenders, or runs away.So I don't think in terms of a virtual world.&nbsp; Nor in terms of encounters, adventures, and campaigns.&nbsp; I think in terms of sets, scenes, seasons, and series, much like a TV show.&nbsp; So each gaming session is an episode, which is centered around 'what do the PCs do?'&nbsp; This can be outward driven, where there's some outside force that the PCs must deal with, or inward where one or more of the PCs is drawn into a conflict themselves.Each scene needs to do one of three things - introduce conflict, extend or explore a conflict, or resolve a conflict.&nbsp; If it isn't doing one of those things, you're wasting your time and probably boring your players.&nbsp; Cut the fat.&nbsp; Once the conflict is explored, move onto the next scene.So we go scene to scene, exploring various conflicts.&nbsp; To wrap things together I'll tend to have them all relate somehow.&nbsp; There's my main plotline involving whatever big threat is going on.&nbsp; Each PC will have one or more subplots specific to their character.&nbsp; If I feel a character is not getting enough spotlight time, I'll introduce on.&nbsp; I try to make sure that each character gets at least one of these each episode.&nbsp; Occasionally an episode will be devoted to a character, when their big issues get resolved.&nbsp; And often, I'll have a theme running through all the conflicts so that they feel like they fit together.&nbsp; When the big plot arc is resolved, the bad guys is beaten, the world is saved, whatever, then the season is over.&nbsp; We can do another season, or play something else.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="maddman75, post: 4843817, member: 2673"] It does vary from game to game, depending on that game's focus. But I'll try to be general. My main theory is that which drives the game forward is conflict. This is why combat is so common in RPGs. Its a clear conflcit - the bad guys want the PCs to die. The PCs want to not die. There are clear cut rules for playing this out in most games. There are generally pretty good indicators that the conflict is over - one side is defeated, surrenders, or runs away. So I don't think in terms of a virtual world. Nor in terms of encounters, adventures, and campaigns. I think in terms of sets, scenes, seasons, and series, much like a TV show. So each gaming session is an episode, which is centered around 'what do the PCs do?' This can be outward driven, where there's some outside force that the PCs must deal with, or inward where one or more of the PCs is drawn into a conflict themselves. Each scene needs to do one of three things - introduce conflict, extend or explore a conflict, or resolve a conflict. If it isn't doing one of those things, you're wasting your time and probably boring your players. Cut the fat. Once the conflict is explored, move onto the next scene. So we go scene to scene, exploring various conflicts. To wrap things together I'll tend to have them all relate somehow. There's my main plotline involving whatever big threat is going on. Each PC will have one or more subplots specific to their character. If I feel a character is not getting enough spotlight time, I'll introduce on. I try to make sure that each character gets at least one of these each episode. Occasionally an episode will be devoted to a character, when their big issues get resolved. And often, I'll have a theme running through all the conflicts so that they feel like they fit together. When the big plot arc is resolved, the bad guys is beaten, the world is saved, whatever, then the season is over. We can do another season, or play something else. [/QUOTE]

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