Using Meta-game Inforamation

[Lwaxy]

Depends on the game. In some, my players know the overlaying plot and have a part in it. In some games, there isn't even an overlaying plot.#

I leave a lot of things open even when planning ahead, so I can be surprised by what the players come up with. I don't quite want to know everything myself

I'll generally tell them when they did come up with an amazing solution I hadn't thought of, or when they accidentally short down a part of the story by not getting involved etc. Makes them appreciate their own ideas more.

 

[Ed_Laprade]

In a like manner, I expect that the characters have all grown up hearing tales of former Heroes, so they'll recognize the most common monsters when they see them. Of course, tales of this sort aren't always accurate.

 

[Water Bob]

I've got a situation about to come up in my game where I'm considering using Meta-gaming as a tool.

My PCs in my campaign are barbarians, quite suspicious of sorcerery. They shun it.

Last time we gamed, the PCs found a stash of ancient items--a sword like they've never seen before; a steel chest plate--torso armor; and a necklace, all three items sporting the same ancient symbol.

In the PC's village lives an old hag--an Oracle. Most of the barbarians shun her, but she is allowed to live our her days among the villagers. Their honor will not allow them to turn out an old lady into the wild to meet her death, weird dealer in socererous things she may be.

My players are good role players, but thinking ahead as a GM, I want to try to keep the origin of the new items secret for a time longer in the game--to build up the mystery.

Still, if the player figure out something plausible that will work, then I'll allow them to succeed. I'm not the type of GM that will bar something by straight GM fiat. I always reward smart play, and I'm happy to change my storyline to accomodate players who find success.

To instill some of the fear the Barbarians will be having in the players' decision to approach the Oracle or not, I'm thinking of telling the players straight out that if they do this, then the Oracle will require some of their experience points in order to conduct her spells. The Oracle will suck their lifeforce for the power she needs to find the answers.

Now, this is really not true at all. If a player, in spite of thinking that his character may lose a level or several hard-earned experience points, still wants to approach the Oracle and learn about the items, then, in my book, that barbarain has just conquered his fears of the sorcerous unknown.





There's a famous incent from the making of the African Queen, back in the 40's. Director John Huston wanted to get realism in Humphrey Bogart's face as Bogart waded through chest-deep water to pull his boat through a section of shallow river.

According to the tale, this was shot on a backlot in Hollywood, and Huston wasn't happy with Bogart's performance. The director wanted more trepidation when Bogart's character got into the water.

So, Huston put real, life leaches in the tank with Bogart. And, when Bogart realized this during a take, Huston got his realism as Bogart wasn't acting but really feeling what Huston wanted to show.

When I consider my uses for Meta-gaming, I think along the same lines as Huston.

 

[Nellisir]

Yes to all your questions.

I'm pretty liberal about dispensing information. The players are trying to simulate 20 or 30 or 300 years of accumulated character knowledge based on a few hours of actual information; it seems fair. I don't recall telling anything heavily plot related, but they get lots of ancillary details during out-of-game chats; stuff their characters would have picked up during the course of their lives. I like to keep the story advancing and the action happening, so not a lot of time is spent unwrapping trivial information. I don't need to play through 3 days of casting identify spells or contacting sages, if it is not a significant plot element, and if the means of finding information is available to the PCs, I assume they use it.

And if I create a clever monster or trap or somesuch, I always tell them about it. Afterwards.

 

[Ahnehnois]

I talk to my players in metagame terms all the time. What's fun? What's dramatic?

Frankly, I find it very difficult to do creative work and have it go unfulfilled, but that's the nature of the game. Thus, I tend to discuss with players what might have happened and didn't; it gets things off my chest and it gives them a deeper appreciation for the process and for what was at stake for their characters.

I've also had occasions like the one described where I gave away bits of information to help the game progress. For example, I explained to the players that I put some distance between them encountering a mysterious faerie dragon and encountering some undead because I didn't want them to feel like the dragon had led them into harm's way (thus giving away the dragon as not being a bad guy). I hate it when PC's are suspicious of my helpful NPCs. Then again, I suppose they have reason to be.

 

[Water Bob]

I hate it when PC's are suspicious of my helpful NPCs. Then again, I suppose they have reason to be.

Then again....there's tons of fun and story elements to be had on the backs of player misconceptions!

And...sometimes what they wrongly believe to be true actually becomes true, with the players none the wiser, if it suits my game.