>It is good to plan your sessions and have pre-
>prepared results of encounters...
One of HERO WARS' strengths is that the victory/defeat levels encourage the Narrator to look at many possible outcomes. HERO WARS is similar to JAMES BOND 007, which denotes degree of success by Quality Ratings. When attempting to gather information, for example, a Quality Rating of 4 means the hero uncovers half of the pertinent details, a QR of 3 means the hero gains three-quarters of those details, a QR of 2 means the hero learns all but one-tenth of the particulars, and a QR of 1 means the hero has the entire picture. Substitute "Marginal Victory" for QR 4, "Minor Victory" for QR 3, "Major Victory" for QR 2 and "Complete Victory" for QR 1, and Narrators can utilize the same 50/75/90/100% model
Quality Rating in JAMES BOND 007 can also gauge the amount of time a hero takes to perform a task. QR 4 takes twice as long as expected, QR 3 takes the normal amount of time, QR 2 takes half as long as normal, and QR 2 takes one-quarter as long. Again, substitute the HERO WARS victory levels and the Narrator has another handy tool for determining possible outcomes in the adventure design process.
>Sometimes serendipitous results can happen that
>are better (or just as good) as any you have come
>up with.
I just invoke the principle of Maximum Game Fun in such cases... embrace any situation which leads to a more enjoyable story. :)
-- Michael Richard Schwartz | Language is my playground, mschwartz_at_... | and words, its slides and Ann Arbor, Michigan USA | swingsets. -- yours truly
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