What do you do when you run out of stories to tell?

[Mark CMG]

Since when does setting up a premise NOT constitute as a story. I thought that's how you were supposed to play tabletop RPGs. Surely you can't just make characters and tell them to "GO" if so tell me where you play so I can stay far away. Some sort of framing device MUST be set up. Also known as STORY, specifically story introduction, but still story nonetheless.

Nope. Many campaigns are merely setting and NPCs and the story comes only after the PCs interact with the environment and its inhabitants. I refer to this phenomenon as Schrödinger's Plot; until the game is played, there's no real way to know what is the actual story. It has the added benefit of ensuring the players are well-invested in the campaign.

 

[Janx]

Nope. Many campaigns are merely setting and NPCs and the story comes only after the PCs interact with the environment and its inhabitants. I refer to this phenomenon as Schrödinger's Plot; until the game is played, there's no real way to know what is the actual story. It has the added benefit of ensuring the players are well-invested in the campaign.

Let's not bag on the OP's use of the word Story. He may not have meant it as a railroad, which some people equate Story=railroad. He certainly could review your proposal of a sandbox campaign and point at elements and say "that's Story, just like I said" that aren't the example of Shrodinger's Plot.

Even Shrodinger's plot has pitfalls. Celebrim had a whole list of Shrodinger's Products and the pros/cons of each.

And even in a sandbox, you've got to setup hooks, motivations, background stuff for the NPCs for their to be anything interesting to catch the PC's eye. If he beams into the sandbox and no NPC is doing anything, there's not going to be a lot of interaction going on. The initial setup of the NPCs current projects, motivations, background may in effect be identified as "story" to the OP.

Personally, I set up Story as a bi-directional process. I identify what's important to the players and make plot hooks that would appeal to them. The players pick one to pursue, and I write material to tell that story. So I'm not forcing My Story on the PCs about rescuing a princess, I'm turning the PC's mundane goal of clearing out the mine into a Story about the PC.

There's extreme cases of sandboxism where the GM eschews story so much, that everything the PC does is a boring simulation. A good GM makes whatever the PCs want to do be fun and dramatically entertaining. I call that Story.

 

[Evenglare]

I agree with pretty much everything Janx said, any rpg that is run -must- have a story of SOME kind, sandbox or not. The players can't live inside a vacuum, it would be an AWFUL experience. It doesn't matter if the PCs act first or not, your NPCs have motivation for SOMETHING, and that consitutes as a premise that the GM has set up even if it's on the fly.

 

[Mark CMG]

Let's not bag on the OP's use of the word Story.

I was responding to a specific post not the original post, so I'll skip beyond some portion of your response to my post. I will say that a misunderstanding of and/or redefining what constitutes a "Story" is certainly problematic in this thread.

A good GM makes whatever the PCs want to do be fun and dramatically entertaining. I call that Story.

I agree, in that what you call "Story" only comes about (potentially) after the fact which is the point I made in my post above.

(. . .) and that consitutes as a premise that the GM has set up even if it's on the fly.

That's a contradiction in terms.

 

[Derren]

Either let the Players run wild (when they are the type for that) or switch settings/systems. You might have run out of heroic fantasy stories, but gritty sci-fi ones?

 

[Evenglare]

Disagree. Every person has a predetermined part in the game from every king to farmer. What those NPCs do may be thought up on the fly, but they all still have an initial motivation. Sorry if I wasnt clear enough. Let's call it improvisation

 

[Herobizkit]

Change the genre of your game.

If you're tired of running 'yet another fantasy game', run a Sci-Fi game, or a Superheroes game, or a Modern Day game.

Or, change your story type. I ran a solo campaign for a player that was more dramatic rom-com (like something you'd see on the WB) than action-adventure. Sure, he still fought monsters and got treasure, but the key difference is that the main story was in the relationships between he and the NPC 'supporting cast'.

 

[Piratecat]

I steal. Blatantly, blissfully, and egregiously. I steal ideas from a dozen different sources, mush 'em around to disguise it, and create something fun out of the amalgam.

 

[Enkhidu]

I steal. Blatantly, blissfully, and egregiously. I steal ideas from a dozen different sources, mush 'em around to disguise it, and create something fun out of the amalgam.

I do the same (I've done it to you a few times, to be sure, and am set to do it again with dwarven dance trap!).

Comb the Story Hour forum - you'd be surprised on how much is there that you can yoink.

 

[Halivar]

I think I've found a helpful solution to the REAL problem, which is that when I sit down to think about new ideas and inspirations, I have forgotten all the little ideas that came and went throughout the week.

To help with that, I purchased a $5 moleskin notebook from Wal Mart and now carry that wherever I go. I've got quite a bit of it filled already with some very nice plot hooks and adventure ideas. Instead of just idly musing about something and then going about my day, I stop were I am and write it down.