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<blockquote data-quote="AbdulAlhazred" data-source="post: 8626985" data-attributes="member: 82106"><p>This is where Narrativist systems are going to need INTENT as their unit of resolution. In other words, if the system says &quot;Make a Navigator check to see if you reach the destination.&quot; then that's not focused on narrative and such a game will, at least in that regard, lack support for a narrative agenda. It isn't important who makes the check! So, in a game that wants to focus on the story and develop a narrative, the question wouldn't be whether or not the ship is washed away, it would be whether or not the character(s) made it to the island in time to support the King, whom they were sworn to protect. Now, it wouldn't, IMHO be very interesting for them to simply make a check to see if some weather thwarted that. Instead you'd want some sort of pressure put on their values. Maybe they're pirates and they stumble upon the super fat target that they've been hunting for months. They can support the King, or they can acquire a vast treasure. Which will they do? Is honor more important than riches? Play to Find Out! Now, perhaps success on the navigation check would have let them avoid that particular temptation, its a 'twist' or whatever term you wish to use. OTOH, eventually their honor will be tested, BECAUSE THEY ESTABLISHED IT AS A VALUE. And this is where the huge difference is with something like a sandbox! Sure, the same events can theoretically transpire, but is it really likely that random chance, or a long-preordained encounter key, will produce this situation? No, not really. Nor is the reward structure or process of play of a game used for that kind of setting likely to foreground this kind of thing and encourage it.</p></blockquote><p></p>

[QUOTE="AbdulAlhazred, post: 8626985, member: 82106"] This is where Narrativist systems are going to need INTENT as their unit of resolution. In other words, if the system says "Make a Navigator check to see if you reach the destination." then that's not focused on narrative and such a game will, at least in that regard, lack support for a narrative agenda. It isn't important who makes the check! So, in a game that wants to focus on the story and develop a narrative, the question wouldn't be whether or not the ship is washed away, it would be whether or not the character(s) made it to the island in time to support the King, whom they were sworn to protect. Now, it wouldn't, IMHO be very interesting for them to simply make a check to see if some weather thwarted that. Instead you'd want some sort of pressure put on their values. Maybe they're pirates and they stumble upon the super fat target that they've been hunting for months. They can support the King, or they can acquire a vast treasure. Which will they do? Is honor more important than riches? Play to Find Out! Now, perhaps success on the navigation check would have let them avoid that particular temptation, its a 'twist' or whatever term you wish to use. OTOH, eventually their honor will be tested, BECAUSE THEY ESTABLISHED IT AS A VALUE. And this is where the huge difference is with something like a sandbox! Sure, the same events can theoretically transpire, but is it really likely that random chance, or a long-preordained encounter key, will produce this situation? No, not really. Nor is the reward structure or process of play of a game used for that kind of setting likely to foreground this kind of thing and encourage it. [/QUOTE]

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