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*TTRPGs General
Introducing Complications Without Forcing Players to Play the "Mother May I?" Game
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<blockquote data-quote="innerdude" data-source="post: 7556951" data-attributes="member: 85870"><p>I agree, [MENTION=85555]Bedrockgames[/MENTION], that it's probably less of a black-and-white binary than the issue is often presented.</p><p></p><p>There's a definite middle ground between "No, you can't do anything that doesn't directly play into what I've pre-scripted ahead of time" and saying yes to every player request with reckless disregard to how it alters the (in- and out-of-fiction) game state.</p><p></p><p>It's about having the flexibility to let players advocate for their characters' agendas while simultaneously generating appropriate challenges that allow both players and GM to find satisfaction in "learning how things are going to turn out."</p><p></p><p>This thread has been highly clarifying for me in several regards. [MENTION=42582]pemerton[/MENTION]'s advice to connect (as much as possible) the challenges to the players' available resources and avenues for mechanical resolution is an excellent suggestion. </p><p></p><p>Two, I need to remember that as much as possible, challenges should address characters' goals and dramatic needs. You can have interesting gameplay in spurts with well-crafted, "gamist" challenges to overcome, but in my experience the most memorable, exciting RPG sessions connect the gameplay to dramatic stakes.</p><p></p><p>Three, I do need to remind myself that occasionally it IS okay as a GM to respond judiciously with a hard "No." Or if not a hard "No," with a "Well, that's probably possible, but here's the five or six major obstacles you'd have to address before you'd even have a hope of achieving that desire."</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="innerdude, post: 7556951, member: 85870"] I agree, [MENTION=85555]Bedrockgames[/MENTION], that it's probably less of a black-and-white binary than the issue is often presented. There's a definite middle ground between "No, you can't do anything that doesn't directly play into what I've pre-scripted ahead of time" and saying yes to every player request with reckless disregard to how it alters the (in- and out-of-fiction) game state. It's about having the flexibility to let players advocate for their characters' agendas while simultaneously generating appropriate challenges that allow both players and GM to find satisfaction in "learning how things are going to turn out." This thread has been highly clarifying for me in several regards. [MENTION=42582]pemerton[/MENTION]'s advice to connect (as much as possible) the challenges to the players' available resources and avenues for mechanical resolution is an excellent suggestion. Two, I need to remember that as much as possible, challenges should address characters' goals and dramatic needs. You can have interesting gameplay in spurts with well-crafted, "gamist" challenges to overcome, but in my experience the most memorable, exciting RPG sessions connect the gameplay to dramatic stakes. Three, I do need to remind myself that occasionally it IS okay as a GM to respond judiciously with a hard "No." Or if not a hard "No," with a "Well, that's probably possible, but here's the five or six major obstacles you'd have to address before you'd even have a hope of achieving that desire." [/QUOTE]
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Introducing Complications Without Forcing Players to Play the "Mother May I?" Game
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