Re: Improvise or Die

From: Wulf Corbett <wulfc_at_...>
Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2002 11:54:39 -0000

About the best scenarios I've run (from my point of view) were those in my 'Princess Mononoke in the Bush Range' adaptation. I had major NPCs detailed, but the plot was just my memory of the movie plus a couple of lines to remind me of important points. Because I already knew the plot, I didn't need any more. The players never stopped reminding me that they DIDN'T know the plot though, and took some unexpected turns (capturing the Lunar troop's Vexilla during the siege was a surprise...), but overall it went very well. One advantage of the storyline was that the characters were forced to react most of the time (although quite what they did in reaction was up to them), so the plot continued as written.

On the other hand, we're about to attempt to play Donjon, where the whole point of the game is for the players to take control of the details as the game progresses, so the referee CANNOT plot it all, he'll have to keep improvising us back toward the events he's detailed. Combined with the advice given in Sorcerer and it's suppliments, I think my style of refereeing (and my expectations as a player) have changed radically recently.

Wulf

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