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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nagol" data-source="post: 7462088" data-attributes="member: 23935">I've been letting this topic rattle around in my head for a while as I've been distracted by other things.Stakes don't necessarily provide suspense.  If I immediately claim my character would rather die than allow the villain to succeed and jump into the infernal machine to stop it with my corpse, there is no suspense.Chance of failure doesn't necessarily provide suspense.  There isn't much suspense if I declare I'm throwing a smoke grenade through a window even if there is a chance I can roll poorly enough that it bounces off the glass and lands at my feet.What seems to provide suspense in my experience are situations where (a) the result is unknown, (b) the stakes can escalate as one or more sides vies for a preferred outcome, and (c) there is some uncertainty in how the participants will respond to the changing stakes.  Charging someone $1 million dollars for a painting doesn't generate suspense.  Having someone wager $1 million dollars against the ownership of the painting on a single roll of the dice doesn't generate suspense.  Holding an auction where the participants each have about $1 million dollars of cash and cash equivalents to their name can generate suspense -- if at least two participants are interested enough in owning the painting.</blockquote>