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Respect Mah Authoritah: Thoughts on DM and Player Authority in 5e
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<blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 8439321" data-attributes="member: 42582"><p>In both these accounts of using description to frame a scene, I get the feeling that the GM is using the description to establish or reveal what is (or at least might be) at stake in the scene.</p><p></p><p>That makes me think that these techniques are going to have <em>more</em>, or at least <em>more frequent</em>, utility in "backstory first" play - that is, where the scene is being extrapolated from already-authored backstory and is presented to the players as a response to their action declarations about <em>going to the warehouse</em> or <em>going to the market place</em>. Also, in "situation first" play it's more typical to want stakes to be made clear from the start, and hence things like using frequent narration of smell as "cover" for "meaningful" narrations of smell are less likely to be important techniques. <em>Telegraphing</em> without just coming out and telling the players what's is at stake seems like it is more often going to be important in "backstory first" play that puts a higher priority on "exploration" than does "situation first" play.</p><p></p><p>That's not to say that these techniques have no use in "situation first" play - just, perhaps, less use, as it is going to be more often the case that what is at stake is already known, as part of the logic of framing the scene.</p><p></p><p>OK. I don't have the same feeling. What makes me feel that I'm in the world is that I - as my PC - am oriented towards it (in terms of knowledge, aspirations, pressures, etc). </p><p></p><p>I can only report my own experiences, as player and GM.</p><p></p><p>For instance, what made me feel the force of Thurgon's reunion with Rufus was not the GM's description, which was pretty minimal - Rufus (by right a Count!) was driving a cart; he seemed cowed, not at all his old self; and he told us that he had to fetch wine for "the master". It was the <em>situation</em> - Rufus on a menial errand; the contrast with both Thurgon and their younger brother; his challenge of Aramina which prompted her shaming of him in response. I couldn't tell you what Rufus was wearing - I can't remember if the GM mention a cape or hat or anything like that - nor whether the cart was being pulled by a horse or an ox or a donkey; but the situation was as "real" as any I can remember in my RPGIng experience.</p><p></p><p>As a GM, I can deploy detail when it matters to a scene: for instance, the descriptions of the murals and statues in the Mausoleum of the Raven Queen that I think I mentioned upthread. I remember in a social skill challenge in our 4e game - a banquet at a Baronial court - the fact that the deserts were jellies became important, because it fed into the fighter PC's account of how he had fought and defeated two gelatinous cubes with his polearm.</p><p></p><p>But I am speaking quite sincerely when I say that I don't regard evocative description as crucial to making the situations real. It is the "forces" at work - the relationships, hopes, expectations, etc - that I think do that.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="pemerton, post: 8439321, member: 42582"] In both these accounts of using description to frame a scene, I get the feeling that the GM is using the description to establish or reveal what is (or at least might be) at stake in the scene. That makes me think that these techniques are going to have [i]more[/i], or at least [i]more frequent[/i], utility in "backstory first" play - that is, where the scene is being extrapolated from already-authored backstory and is presented to the players as a response to their action declarations about [i]going to the warehouse[/i] or [i]going to the market place[/i]. Also, in "situation first" play it's more typical to want stakes to be made clear from the start, and hence things like using frequent narration of smell as "cover" for "meaningful" narrations of smell are less likely to be important techniques. [i]Telegraphing[/i] without just coming out and telling the players what's is at stake seems like it is more often going to be important in "backstory first" play that puts a higher priority on "exploration" than does "situation first" play. That's not to say that these techniques have no use in "situation first" play - just, perhaps, less use, as it is going to be more often the case that what is at stake is already known, as part of the logic of framing the scene. OK. I don't have the same feeling. What makes me feel that I'm in the world is that I - as my PC - am oriented towards it (in terms of knowledge, aspirations, pressures, etc). I can only report my own experiences, as player and GM. For instance, what made me feel the force of Thurgon's reunion with Rufus was not the GM's description, which was pretty minimal - Rufus (by right a Count!) was driving a cart; he seemed cowed, not at all his old self; and he told us that he had to fetch wine for "the master". It was the [i]situation[/i] - Rufus on a menial errand; the contrast with both Thurgon and their younger brother; his challenge of Aramina which prompted her shaming of him in response. I couldn't tell you what Rufus was wearing - I can't remember if the GM mention a cape or hat or anything like that - nor whether the cart was being pulled by a horse or an ox or a donkey; but the situation was as "real" as any I can remember in my RPGIng experience. As a GM, I can deploy detail when it matters to a scene: for instance, the descriptions of the murals and statues in the Mausoleum of the Raven Queen that I think I mentioned upthread. I remember in a social skill challenge in our 4e game - a banquet at a Baronial court - the fact that the deserts were jellies became important, because it fed into the fighter PC's account of how he had fought and defeated two gelatinous cubes with his polearm. But I am speaking quite sincerely when I say that I don't regard evocative description as crucial to making the situations real. It is the "forces" at work - the relationships, hopes, expectations, etc - that I think do that. [/QUOTE]
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