tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33078738.post656850019783733749..comments2024-03-06T09:41:15.625-05:00Comments on Elthos RPG: Back Story vs. Playersvbwyrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14031787268876015417noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33078738.post-6401315820819939722010-09-07T11:58:52.217-05:002010-09-07T11:58:52.217-05:00Great point Timothy! That's the sixth option ...Great point Timothy! That's the sixth option I couldn't think of. It's a good one. Yes it requires more work, and relies on the notion that the villains are vainglorious, pompous fools, but why should villains not succumb to such human foibles? The villain who is bad-Spock should be rare indeed! :)vbwyrdehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14031787268876015417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33078738.post-35584861411045942902010-09-07T11:57:11.926-05:002010-09-07T11:57:11.926-05:00I agree with you Charisma, in that those two optio...I agree with you Charisma, in that those two options cover a lot of ground once the trap is created. I kind of prefer the Option 1 in your list, for the reason you say. It makes sense to me because if you drop hints to help the story along then it is like you're playing their characters for them to a certain degree. It's kind of like cheating on their behalf. On the other hand, you&#vbwyrdehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14031787268876015417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33078738.post-61373489289612850152010-09-07T11:46:42.244-05:002010-09-07T11:46:42.244-05:00There is another option, albeit one that does not ...There is another option, albeit one that does not work in every situation and which can require a lot more work on the GM's part. Plan for failure: make failure not result in dead ends like "everybody dies" but rather in longer, more challenging journeys to the same story end. For instance, in the example you use, don't make the trap a pure damage trap. A pure damage trap Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16083035778675064100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33078738.post-68775929493423778102010-09-07T11:37:59.082-05:002010-09-07T11:37:59.082-05:00Hey thanks. Yep, I totally know what you mean. I...Hey thanks. Yep, I totally know what you mean. I think the "Sandbox" mode is helpful towards mitigating the tendency to try to create Plots that the Player Characters will (hopefully) follow. But it only mitigates the tendency. I think as a GM who is fond of good stories it's a conundrum because what makes for good games, doesn't necessarily make for good stories. Good vbwyrdehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14031787268876015417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33078738.post-13020981600336044882010-09-07T11:33:12.551-05:002010-09-07T11:33:12.551-05:00Well, you basically have two ways of handling it.
...Well, you basically have two ways of handling it.<br /><br />(1) Don't help the players at all, because you aren't playing their characters; they are.<br /><br />(2) Give the players little reminders here and there, as long as it's something that their characters should remember on their own. I'm not a thief, and I might not remember to walk in front so that I could check for Charisma Kellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01543984488914124893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33078738.post-27642357333153777572010-09-07T11:15:37.320-05:002010-09-07T11:15:37.320-05:00Great post! As a GM who is a storyteller I've ...Great post! As a GM who is a storyteller I've been guilty of softening traps and encounters to keep my story moving forward. What I'm learning though is this isn't my story, but my players' story. If they get badly injured or killed by a trap and have to spend time and/or resources to recover, that's the story of their choices. Any plots I've concocted should step out of Keith Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00059044388944936192noreply@blogger.com