Re: Re: Making players afraid for their characters

From: Jane Williams <janewilliams20_at_...>
Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2007 12:49:36 +0000 (GMT)


I'm not quite sure if this still belongs on the rules list, but here we are, so...

Yes - but in both cases, you know that you're not really in danger. That's almost the point. The monster on the screen can't come and get you (especially if you hide behind the sofa), the roller coaster has straps and safety bars. Back on the narrative front, there's a social contract in stories that the hero doesn't get killed off, no, not even on the final page (*) But you can still feel the tension. Maybe us GMs "just" need to be better writers?

(*) Yes, there are at least two I've read and one I've written that deliberately give that social contract a kick in the teeth. But the general case still applies.                 



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