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<blockquote data-quote="Slapzilla" data-source="post: 3816727" data-attributes="member: 52781">Ry, when you mentioned Factions and Themes that got my brain going.&nbsp; I've been thinking about each of these things and how they relate to TRAPs already and I think scale is the only issue.You've mentioned encounter/story level TRAPs before and I think there is no real difference with the Politics of the Empire TRAPs (Story-campaign) and the Assassin at the Royal Wedding Banquet TRAPs (Story-session) and the Pursuit through the Palace TRAP (encounter).&nbsp; The campaign TRAPs lead out and 'down' to session TRAPs and the encounter TRAPs are derived from the session's TRAP sets.Factions have motivations and are a part of the Politics TRAPs and of course, filter down into the session TRAPs.&nbsp; Individual encounters may or may not involve any factions, but to guide Themes... depends on your story.Themes, like mood, are the lifeblood of making any game memorable.&nbsp; Like a good book, there is more to the action than the actions themselves.&nbsp; Context, mood and underlying themes are vital to making a work of imagination come alive.&nbsp; Make a Faction represent a Theme!&nbsp; If a Politics story involves a ruthless dictator and the struggle against him/her/it, then what it means to be free could be a Theme of the Resistance Faction.&nbsp; It could be a Theme about the struggle of Nature against the onslaught of Civilization represented by the Freedom Fighters' clash with the Tyrant of Order.&nbsp; Make it interesting and make Civilization a really likeable Faction and the Freedom Fighters just as likeable.&nbsp; Forcing the characters to choose sides always makes for railroading, but letting the characters choose sides creates a personal connection to the Theme.&nbsp; Intimate involvement from the players means a better time had by all.Festive dances by the Bonfire of Freedom or orderly rows of tents and a Communal Dinner in the (totally not a) Mess Hall are natural Themes predicated by the Factions themselves.&nbsp; All these things add flavor to what is already an imaginative exercise.&nbsp; More Power to Us All!</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Slapzilla, post: 3816727, member: 52781"] Ry, when you mentioned Factions and Themes that got my brain going. I've been thinking about each of these things and how they relate to TRAPs already and I think scale is the only issue. You've mentioned encounter/story level TRAPs before and I think there is no real difference with the Politics of the Empire TRAPs (Story-campaign) and the Assassin at the Royal Wedding Banquet TRAPs (Story-session) and the Pursuit through the Palace TRAP (encounter). The campaign TRAPs lead out and 'down' to session TRAPs and the encounter TRAPs are derived from the session's TRAP sets. Factions have motivations and are a part of the Politics TRAPs and of course, filter down into the session TRAPs. Individual encounters may or may not involve any factions, but to guide Themes... depends on your story. Themes, like mood, are the lifeblood of making any game memorable. Like a good book, there is more to the action than the actions themselves. Context, mood and underlying themes are vital to making a work of imagination come alive. Make a Faction represent a Theme! If a Politics story involves a ruthless dictator and the struggle against him/her/it, then what it means to be free could be a Theme of the Resistance Faction. It could be a Theme about the struggle of Nature against the onslaught of Civilization represented by the Freedom Fighters' clash with the Tyrant of Order. Make it interesting and make Civilization a really likeable Faction and the Freedom Fighters just as likeable. Forcing the characters to choose sides always makes for railroading, but letting the characters choose sides creates a personal connection to the Theme. Intimate involvement from the players means a better time had by all. Festive dances by the Bonfire of Freedom or orderly rows of tents and a Communal Dinner in the (totally not a) Mess Hall are natural Themes predicated by the Factions themselves. All these things add flavor to what is already an imaginative exercise. More Power to Us All! [/QUOTE]

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