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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Manbearcat" data-source="post: 7868513" data-attributes="member: 6696971">[USER=42582]@pemerton[/USER]I'm going to use your post to break down my thoughts and the nature of my inquiry of this thread:ACTIVE VS PASSIVEWhat does it mean to be active vs passive in terms of actual play?  I would say passive looks something like (1) all modern D&D Perception checks where a player hasn't made an action declaration ("triggering a move" as in PBtA systems); the table is just trying to determine the framing of a situation (akin to your Prince Valiant Presence procedure listed above).  Another example would be what we're seeing in this thread; (2) "I, the GM, feel like the player should/may know thing x (due to the conception of their character/setting/metaplot etc), so <roll Intelligence/Wisdom>."  Two final examples would be another item we're seeing in this thread; (3) "I, the GM, need to ration the plot so I'm going to give them the information outright due to character y's Background or Ability Modifier or (4) I'm going to pretend to gate it behind an Ability Check (so it feels like there is something at stake and therefore manufacture tension in the roll; ouija board play or classic Illusionism) when I'm actually going to give them the information no matter what."Dungeon World, for example, will never put players in a passive position.  All procedures require the players to be in an active position while the GM is mostly reactive.  Spout Lore and Discern Realities and the Trailblazer/Scout roles in Undertake a Perilous Journey won't be triggered by the relationship of player passivity meeting GM proactivity.  It will always be the inverse.  GM REVEAL VS PLAYER AUTHORSHIP VS GM AUTHORSHIP VS SYSTEM AUTHORSHIPI hope these are pretty clear intuitively, but I'll break them down if not.GM Reveal - The GM discloses information about character, setting, or situation that was conceived prior to play (either by the GM's on construction or within the module/adventure path they're using.Player Authorship - The player is granted constrained authorship (eg it cannot contravene established fact/continuity) over some aspect of the fiction.GM Authorship - The GM is required to author some impromptu, relevant fiction (which could be advantageous or disadvantageous to the players, depending on system procedures/resolution outcomes), triggered by the system's procedures.System Authorship - The GM is required (or allowed to defer GM Authorship) to consult dice (a Reaction Roll, a Twist Table, an Encounter Table, etc), triggered by the system's procedures, and coherently make manifest the result.Your final example is one of GM Authorship as outlined above.Dungeon World's suite of "knowledge/divination moves" will overwhelmingly be an example of GM Authorship with limited cases (certain playbook moves or "asking the players and using their answers") having a component of Player Authorship.</blockquote>

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