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What is a "Narrative Mechanic"?
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<blockquote data-quote="aramis erak" data-source="post: 9151823" data-attributes="member: 6779310"><p>Not correct; if there's abstraction, there are lots of things the character knows that the player doesn't, but can still be accounted for in the mechanical state of the game.</p><p></p><p>Johnny knows how to fly his starship, the player merely knows when to make the rolls.</p><p></p><p>Many forget that the mechanical state can reflect things the character knows but the player doesn't - either because it's abstracted - or because the player merely needs to ask for the information from the GM, or both.</p><p></p><p>The two states - that of the story/fiction, and that of the game mechanical definitions. character knowledge can be reflected in either. In the fiction, by character statement or GM statement, or in the mechanics, via abstractions.</p><p></p><p>Sometimes, the mechanics can be used to ascertain the truth of a player's assertions.</p><p></p><p>Yes, the player states a desired fact, then rolls to see if it's true in the fiction, or merely the PC's delusion. It's a remarkably fun thing to GM if one isn't a control freak.</p><p></p><p>It's one of the optional uses for wises in <em><u>Burning Wheel</u></em>, one of the standard uses in <em><u>Mouse Guard</u></em> 1e, pretty much a default every action in <em><u>Blood & Honor</u></em>,. It's a mechanic that directly affects the state of the story, by establishing truth... or determining a believed untruth. </p><p></p><p>It's also an option in <em><u>Fate</u></em> by creating the truth as a character, scene, act, or adventure scoped aspect via a skill roll, tho' it is often overlooked in this role... despite being called out on p. 114 in <em><u>Fate Core</u></em>, tho' not worded as creating truth.</p><p></p><p>The unstated implication is that the added details are setting truth.</p><p></p><p>My longest <em><u>Mouse Guard</u></em> 1e campaign ended with the captain of the Guard at Lockhaven was a traitor... one player suggested it, and another, with way more dice, opposed it, but the 3 dice of Rebel-Wise for "he's a traitor" way outrolled the 10 dice of Guard Lore and bonuses. (Yes, the PC's opted to collaborate to establish in fact that he wasn't the leak... 5 against 1... 4 of those 10 were help dice, 3 were from Rewards... and the roll ended up 3 to 1 on 3 vs 10. Worse, the Captain was the romantic interest of one of the PCs. Kind of a blow when the campaign theme ends with finding out your character's lover was trying to get you killed all along. In some ways, it's good that they removed that aspect of Wises in MG.2E... (and yes, that is an intentional bit of wordplay.</p><p></p><p>(color added to highlight key element)</p><p></p><p>These are mechanics that can establish what a character knows... or other story truths.. .</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="aramis erak, post: 9151823, member: 6779310"] Not correct; if there's abstraction, there are lots of things the character knows that the player doesn't, but can still be accounted for in the mechanical state of the game. Johnny knows how to fly his starship, the player merely knows when to make the rolls. Many forget that the mechanical state can reflect things the character knows but the player doesn't - either because it's abstracted - or because the player merely needs to ask for the information from the GM, or both. The two states - that of the story/fiction, and that of the game mechanical definitions. character knowledge can be reflected in either. In the fiction, by character statement or GM statement, or in the mechanics, via abstractions. Sometimes, the mechanics can be used to ascertain the truth of a player's assertions. Yes, the player states a desired fact, then rolls to see if it's true in the fiction, or merely the PC's delusion. It's a remarkably fun thing to GM if one isn't a control freak. It's one of the optional uses for wises in [I][U]Burning Wheel[/U][/I], one of the standard uses in [I][U]Mouse Guard[/U][/I] 1e, pretty much a default every action in [I][U]Blood & Honor[/U][/I],. It's a mechanic that directly affects the state of the story, by establishing truth... or determining a believed untruth. It's also an option in [I][U]Fate[/U][/I] by creating the truth as a character, scene, act, or adventure scoped aspect via a skill roll, tho' it is often overlooked in this role... despite being called out on p. 114 in [I][U]Fate Core[/U][/I], tho' not worded as creating truth. The unstated implication is that the added details are setting truth. My longest [I][U]Mouse Guard[/U][/I] 1e campaign ended with the captain of the Guard at Lockhaven was a traitor... one player suggested it, and another, with way more dice, opposed it, but the 3 dice of Rebel-Wise for "he's a traitor" way outrolled the 10 dice of Guard Lore and bonuses. (Yes, the PC's opted to collaborate to establish in fact that he wasn't the leak... 5 against 1... 4 of those 10 were help dice, 3 were from Rewards... and the roll ended up 3 to 1 on 3 vs 10. Worse, the Captain was the romantic interest of one of the PCs. Kind of a blow when the campaign theme ends with finding out your character's lover was trying to get you killed all along. In some ways, it's good that they removed that aspect of Wises in MG.2E... (and yes, that is an intentional bit of wordplay. (color added to highlight key element) These are mechanics that can establish what a character knows... or other story truths.. . [/QUOTE]
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