What makes an TTRPG a "Narrative Game" (Daggerheart Discussion)

[zakael19]

Not in my experience. In my experience it is basically unheard of.


Yes. But that is not hard. And certainly everyone here knows how to do it, so why not do it in D&D as well. I don't get it.
Like if people intentionally played D&D in in dumb way so that they can blame it for being a bad game.


Well, no, not really. You just do it.

Well, considering how many of the endless posts on subreddits; comments from the players in my games who are in others; and lots of testimonials here show that a) its rare and b) it's hard, maybe you're not entirely correct about it being common and easy? Otherwise why would there be so much advice bandied about on how to do good session 0s and char creation....

 

[Wolfpack48]

Well, considering how many of the endless posts on subreddits; comments from the players in my games who are in others; and lots of testimonials here show that a) its rare and b) it's hard, maybe you're not entirely correct about it being common and easy? Otherwise why would there be so much advice bandied about on how to do good session 0s and char creation....

We've done character origin and relationship session 0s. We like them, and they're not difficult, but I think some groups 'just want to get to the adventure already.' Depends on what the table feels is important.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Well, considering how many of the endless posts on subreddits; comments from the players in my games who are in others; and lots of testimonials here show that a) its rare and b) it's hard, maybe you're not entirely correct about it being common and easy? Otherwise why would there be so much advice bandied about on how to do good session 0s and char creation....

I am not opposed to having good advice, and 5e DMG is pretty bad as is well known. But this really isn't rocket science either. "If you want characters to have more connections to each other and to the setting, give them such. " Gee, I could have never figured out that on my own!

 

[Neonchameleon]

Yes. But that is not hard. And certainly everyone here knows how to do it, so why not do it in D&D as well. I don't get it.
Like if people intentionally played D&D in in dumb way so that they can blame it for being a bad game.

The thing is you (and I) are incredibly deep into the online space. There is nowhere D&D actually tells you to do this ... so most people don't.

One of the differences with a narrative game is that a narrative game would not just tell you to do this but frequently make it part of the mechanics so people would have to make a deliberate choice not to.

 

[hawkeyefan]

What specifically is wrong about it?

I think it overstates the control the players have on the nature of the conflict. I think it overstates the control of the player over the “story”. I think it misunderstands the role of “story” in Story Now play.

I don’t think @Celebrim is an accurate judge of that style of play. I think he has a very specific bias, and tailors his analysis in an exercise of confirming that bias.

 

[Campbell]

There's a very very big difference between framing situations that address a character's (and the game's) premise and delivering the story a player wants. I know when I run games like Apocalypse Keys the last thing on my mind are story outcomes or character arcs.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

If it truly was like that, and there was even no attempt to justify the characters meeting and working together, then it sounds like a crap game to me and I don't understand why you would play in one. Like sure, sometimes the justification can be a bit thin, as we all know that the point of the game is that the characters will work together, but I don't recall it ever being non-existent. Either it is established that the characters know each other beforehand, or them meeting is roleplayed. I don't remember it not being done even in games I played as kid.

In my long experience of this style of game I've played in perhaps 4 or 5 where the setup was greater than perfunctory. Sure, many games have some thin pretext, usually of the "some's hiring you all" variety. One game I recall starting with the PCs on a ship and they're all trying to survive when it sinks. That's better than most!

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Not in my experience. In my experience it is basically unheard of.


Yes. But that is not hard. And certainly everyone here knows how to do it, so why not do it in D&D as well. I don't get it.
Like if people intentionally played D&D in in dumb way so that they can blame it for being a bad game.


Well, no, not really. You just do it.

We played it straight, man! This is it, right out of the box! Heck, it's worse, nothing in any version of D&D grants players the slightest backstory authority! 5e has canned backgrounds, you definitely pick one, but there's STILL nothing granting you the slightest license to elaborate on that or link it up to those of other PCs. The only way any of this happens in a game of this type is with the GM supervising, unless you are all old buddies AND your very clear you aren't stepping on someone's toes.

 

[MichaelSomething]

WOTC doesn't neglect PC backgrounds and relationships. They empower the players to create the background and character dynamics that work best for them.

 

[hawkeyefan]

WOTC doesn't neglect PC backgrounds and relationships. They empower the players to create the background and character dynamics that work best for them.

And they simultaneously empower the DM to ignore them entirely!