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Is RPGing a *literary* endeavour?
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<blockquote data-quote="Bedrockgames" data-source="post: 7610845" data-attributes="member: 85555"><p>There is also this. Personally I find the hardest of these to force into an RPG is character development. At least the way it would be handled in a novel or book. Similar with pacing. In novels and books the director or writer has total control over what characters do and how quickly they do it. They can plan character arcs and develop their characters in a way that gives cohesion to the story. In an RPG I can't control if a player wants to fullfill some kind of character arc. By the same token, I can't control if my NPCs survive or succeed in all their plans, because the X factor of player characters. There are systems that provide tools for this. But many don't have those kinds of tools. I do run my NPCs as if they are player characters, so if a player kills an NPCs daughter, it is likely he will come after them for revenge or something. I am just not thinking in literary terms when it comes to that stuff, and definitely try to avoid having future outcomes in my head about these things (with NPCs I just try to keep in mind what they want and what they are trying to do). But I am not going to plan out some kind of redemption story with an NPC. </p><p></p><p>Tone is also very difficult to control as a GM. And I think a lot of western media is obsessed with keeping a single tone (which I think is impacting this discussion). Not all media is single tone focused like that (watch some 80s or 90s Hong Kong films and you'll find the tone rapidly shifts and is all over the map---but the experience overall is very rewarding). In an RPG I can't force my players to abide by the tone of Schindler's List for a super serious campaign, or force them to be in a state of dread for a horror campaign (or force them to be funny for a humorous campaign). I can control the content though. And through the content I can emulate the physics and elements of these genres). I think there is nothing wrong with speaking in a style that fits the genre as well, but that is just not my way of doing things. I find it feels too forced and doesn't fit my natural personality.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Bedrockgames, post: 7610845, member: 85555"] There is also this. Personally I find the hardest of these to force into an RPG is character development. At least the way it would be handled in a novel or book. Similar with pacing. In novels and books the director or writer has total control over what characters do and how quickly they do it. They can plan character arcs and develop their characters in a way that gives cohesion to the story. In an RPG I can't control if a player wants to fullfill some kind of character arc. By the same token, I can't control if my NPCs survive or succeed in all their plans, because the X factor of player characters. There are systems that provide tools for this. But many don't have those kinds of tools. I do run my NPCs as if they are player characters, so if a player kills an NPCs daughter, it is likely he will come after them for revenge or something. I am just not thinking in literary terms when it comes to that stuff, and definitely try to avoid having future outcomes in my head about these things (with NPCs I just try to keep in mind what they want and what they are trying to do). But I am not going to plan out some kind of redemption story with an NPC. Tone is also very difficult to control as a GM. And I think a lot of western media is obsessed with keeping a single tone (which I think is impacting this discussion). Not all media is single tone focused like that (watch some 80s or 90s Hong Kong films and you'll find the tone rapidly shifts and is all over the map---but the experience overall is very rewarding). In an RPG I can't force my players to abide by the tone of Schindler's List for a super serious campaign, or force them to be in a state of dread for a horror campaign (or force them to be funny for a humorous campaign). I can control the content though. And through the content I can emulate the physics and elements of these genres). I think there is nothing wrong with speaking in a style that fits the genre as well, but that is just not my way of doing things. I find it feels too forced and doesn't fit my natural personality. [/QUOTE]
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