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Putting The Awe Back In Magic
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<blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 7989984" data-attributes="member: 42582"><p>So here's what I said:</p><p></p><p style="margin-left: 20px">A ROLE PLAYING game is not (in my view) about elaborate GM descriptions. That's not a game - that's monologue.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Central to a RPG is the collective generation of a shared fiction, driven by the players declaring actions for their PCs. It's the fiction that is key. If your fiction is repetitive, in my view description won't save it. The main way to avoid repetive fiction is for the GM to frame different situations. Conversely, recurring situations - eg similar traps, similar architecture, similar combats - will produce repetition.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">If the fiction is not repetitive, then it will be interesting even if some of the elements (eg particular spells) are similar or recurrent. That was my expereience particularly GMing 4e D&D.</p><p></p><p>I stand by that. </p><p></p><p>Well, why would I want to watch a show with eratic jumping, no clear storyline, poor visuals and poor script? Contrast, eg, Pulp Fiction which has deliberate jumping, emerging storyline, compelling visuals and clever dialogue. Would I prefer that, or your single continuous storyline? It depends on how good your storyline is!</p><p></p><p>I don't see how this really bears on my post, though. I was posting about <em>elaborate descriptions</em> and <em>repetitive fiction</em>. Repetitive fiction in TV shows - eg Law and Order - can be comforting but not generally quality. And everything else being equal, good TV or movies relies on the visuals and the situation rather than description or narration.</p><p></p><p>Again, why are you asking me would I rather engage with crap or something good? That's a question that answers itself.</p><p></p><p>But would I rather read overwrought descriptions or tight writing? The latter, please. Do I want my characters to be described, or to emerge via situation and events? The latter, please.</p><p></p><p>That's good to hear. I'm in my 38th year of GMing myself.</p><p></p><p>And in my experience, GMing is not storytelling, and playing a RPG - when it is fun - is not being a member of the GM's audience. The heart of RPGIng is action declaration and resolution. It's <em>that</em>, not description, that in my experience drives good RPGing.</p><p></p><p>To relate this to the OP, if someone feels that they want more awesome magic in their game my advice would be <em>look at your framing and your action resolutoin</em>. I wouldn't suggest upping your number of adjectives.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="pemerton, post: 7989984, member: 42582"] So here's what I said: [indent]A ROLE PLAYING game is not (in my view) about elaborate GM descriptions. That's not a game - that's monologue. Central to a RPG is the collective generation of a shared fiction, driven by the players declaring actions for their PCs. It's the fiction that is key. If your fiction is repetitive, in my view description won't save it. The main way to avoid repetive fiction is for the GM to frame different situations. Conversely, recurring situations - eg similar traps, similar architecture, similar combats - will produce repetition. If the fiction is not repetitive, then it will be interesting even if some of the elements (eg particular spells) are similar or recurrent. That was my expereience particularly GMing 4e D&D.[/indent] I stand by that. Well, why would I want to watch a show with eratic jumping, no clear storyline, poor visuals and poor script? Contrast, eg, Pulp Fiction which has deliberate jumping, emerging storyline, compelling visuals and clever dialogue. Would I prefer that, or your single continuous storyline? It depends on how good your storyline is! I don't see how this really bears on my post, though. I was posting about [I]elaborate descriptions[/I] and [I]repetitive fiction[/I]. Repetitive fiction in TV shows - eg Law and Order - can be comforting but not generally quality. And everything else being equal, good TV or movies relies on the visuals and the situation rather than description or narration. Again, why are you asking me would I rather engage with crap or something good? That's a question that answers itself. But would I rather read overwrought descriptions or tight writing? The latter, please. Do I want my characters to be described, or to emerge via situation and events? The latter, please. That's good to hear. I'm in my 38th year of GMing myself. And in my experience, GMing is not storytelling, and playing a RPG - when it is fun - is not being a member of the GM's audience. The heart of RPGIng is action declaration and resolution. It's [I]that[/I], not description, that in my experience drives good RPGing. To relate this to the OP, if someone feels that they want more awesome magic in their game my advice would be [I]look at your framing and your action resolutoin[/I]. I wouldn't suggest upping your number of adjectives. [/QUOTE]
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