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General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
Judgement calls vs "railroading"
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<blockquote data-quote="Campbell" data-source="post: 7078437" data-attributes="member: 16586"><p>[MENTION=6802765]Xetheral[/MENTION]</p><p></p><p>I think we should be careful about confusing our methods with our aims. A given set of techniques might bring about that sense of being there in the moment for a given player while not being well suited for another player. That is not necessarily evidence of radically different aims, just of different approaches. I find answering these sort of questions if addressed to my character rather than me often helps me connect to the fiction and gets me primed for the actual play of the game. I mean this sort of exchange where we are teasing out the details of the fiction whether written down beforehand or not is not something I view as playing the game. We can't play in the fiction until we know what it is.</p><p></p><p>Another example of where different approaches might serve different players with the same aims is how abstract we describe things and whether we have rules for things like Willpower, Influence, Strings, or Beliefs. Exacting physical descriptions laid out in concrete measurements takes me so far out of the fiction I might as well be playing a board game. I can enjoy this stuff as a tactical exercise in the war game sense, but it brings me out of the moment. More relative measurements work much better for me because I tend to view the world much more abstractly. Rules like this NPC has influence over my PC tend to enrich the fiction for me, where it might bring others out of it.</p><p></p><p>Yet another thing that tends to bring me out of the fiction are dice rolls for perception, knowledge, and reaching a mutual accord. The rules of the game are making something tense for me as a player that are in no way tense for my character. It misaligns character and player interests.</p><p></p><p>Back to the original point - questions should be directed towards the characters. <strong>Address the characters, not the players.</strong> It should also be an opportunity, not an expectation. You are always free to throw iit back in the GM's corner if you do not think your character would know.</p><p></p><p>GM: Candros, you have finally tracked down Kiara Masura, the love of your life and mother to your children. As you move forward to embrace her and run your fingers through her smooth black locks she slaps you across the face. What did you do to deserve such a harsh greeting?</p><p>Me: Candros eyes lock onto Kiara's emerald eyes to see no remorse underneath. I don't know. I just do not know.</p><p>GM: Are you going to do anything about it? What do you do?</p><p></p><p>Now we can start playing for real.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Campbell, post: 7078437, member: 16586"] [MENTION=6802765]Xetheral[/MENTION] I think we should be careful about confusing our methods with our aims. A given set of techniques might bring about that sense of being there in the moment for a given player while not being well suited for another player. That is not necessarily evidence of radically different aims, just of different approaches. I find answering these sort of questions if addressed to my character rather than me often helps me connect to the fiction and gets me primed for the actual play of the game. I mean this sort of exchange where we are teasing out the details of the fiction whether written down beforehand or not is not something I view as playing the game. We can't play in the fiction until we know what it is. Another example of where different approaches might serve different players with the same aims is how abstract we describe things and whether we have rules for things like Willpower, Influence, Strings, or Beliefs. Exacting physical descriptions laid out in concrete measurements takes me so far out of the fiction I might as well be playing a board game. I can enjoy this stuff as a tactical exercise in the war game sense, but it brings me out of the moment. More relative measurements work much better for me because I tend to view the world much more abstractly. Rules like this NPC has influence over my PC tend to enrich the fiction for me, where it might bring others out of it. Yet another thing that tends to bring me out of the fiction are dice rolls for perception, knowledge, and reaching a mutual accord. The rules of the game are making something tense for me as a player that are in no way tense for my character. It misaligns character and player interests. Back to the original point - questions should be directed towards the characters. [B]Address the characters, not the players.[/B] It should also be an opportunity, not an expectation. You are always free to throw iit back in the GM's corner if you do not think your character would know. GM: Candros, you have finally tracked down Kiara Masura, the love of your life and mother to your children. As you move forward to embrace her and run your fingers through her smooth black locks she slaps you across the face. What did you do to deserve such a harsh greeting? Me: Candros eyes lock onto Kiara's emerald eyes to see no remorse underneath. I don't know. I just do not know. GM: Are you going to do anything about it? What do you do? Now we can start playing for real. [/QUOTE]
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