Stuff to Read about Implementing Situations, not Plot at the Table

Azraele · January 09, 2018, 11:00:46 PM

Quote from: PencilBoy99;1018631That's all good advice. I'm very good at GMing stuff in the moment - I can narrate stuff, play NPCs, describe scenes, etc. in a very engaging way. I'm even pretty good at coming up with cool scenario premises. The challenge for me is coming up with this stuff.

My players in our Deadlands Noir game came up with a kind of neat solution to a problem, so I just let them implement it and succeed. They just thwarted the NPC's / Factions as they had planned. Things ended kind of abruptly, and after the initial glow of "we're awesome," it was kind of unsatisfying.

One of the reasons that I love the Adventurer Conqueror King system is that it details the high-level play of running things like criminal organizations, kingdoms, etc. So that when, for example, the players take out faction, it creates a playable power vacuum that they then have to deal with, generating the grist for future sessions.

Maybe put some thought into the negative consequences of such organizations being suddenly destroyed? Power vacuums, vengeful underlings, splinter factions, even something like a newspaper in the faction's employ running a negative spin on the heroes as "dangerous vigilantes" all seem like contenders for such a list. Just be cautious not to over-punish success!

flyingmice · January 11, 2018, 11:52:20 AM

Quote from: PencilBoy99;1018631That's all good advice. I'm very good at GMing stuff in the moment - I can narrate stuff, play NPCs, describe scenes, etc. in a very engaging way. I'm even pretty good at coming up with cool scenario premises. The challenge for me is coming up with this stuff.

My players in our Deadlands Noir game came up with a kind of neat solution to a problem, so I just let them implement it and succeed. They just thwarted the NPC's / Factions as they had planned. Things ended kind of abruptly, and after the initial glow of "we're awesome," it was kind of unsatisfying.

Probably in large part because it was too simple. As a GM, you should never let an action be without consequences. Even if their plan was perfect in every way, no plan survives contact with the enemy, and when - not it - it goes off the rails, they will have to improvise and do their best without. Even if they ultimately succeed - and if the idea was really good enough they should unless they mess up the execution totally - there will always be unforseen consequences. Maybe this faction served as a check on another, and without it, the other rapidly gains power. Maybe the survivors vow vengeance on the PCS. Maybe the PCs just replaced King Log with King Stork. There are a lot of ways things could go.

RPGPundit · January 13, 2018, 03:36:06 AM

For the record, my new Adventure scenario, The Secret Order of the Red Lady, is also set up in a sandbox style.

Stuff to Read about Implementing Situations, not Plot at the Table

Azraele

flyingmice

RPGPundit