Re: The book says many things

From: bankuei <Bankuei_at_...>
Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2005 20:59:56 -0000

Hi Mike,

> So, again, you must be saying not so much that there was a lost opportunity,
> as that there is a style implied by the book that's unsupported by the
> examples, right? No fault of the authors (that would be like blaming Newton
> for not having thought to write about Relativity). Just a simple observation
> of circumstance. I don't think that's controvesial to anyone.

I was referring to historically why there hasn't been much documentation to nonrailroaded  play- but in specific to Heroquest, I was frustrated by the examples especially since in the text itself we have stuff like:

"In telling your story, do not confine yourself to events described in a rulebook. Instead create the events your story demands." pg. 177

"HeroQuest requires cooperative creation. Let the player help determine what is important or fun." pg. 179

"...the players will have more fun(and your job will be easier) if you let them help with presenting and even creating the world. Let the players provide story elements, create minor bits of scenery or bystanders, reinterpret backstory to suit the current plot, and so on." pg. 181

"Fiction authors base the difficulty of obstacles faced by their heroes on the requirements of the story."(proceeds with examples of using such logic in HQ) pg. 185

"Whenever you are faced with a decision in the course of a game and you don't know what to do, stop for a moment and ask yourself how this would be portrayed in your favorite novel, movie, or tv series." pg. 187

"Perhaps the most important skill in running a roleplaying game is flexibility: try to hone your ability to react creatively to the decisions the players make. Your aim is not to make the heroes adhere to your prepared script(a script they have not seen and can only guess about), but to spontaneously create a story that is as much a fruit of the players' imaginations as your own. If the players surprise you and force you to improvise a new direction, your game is going well." pg. 187

"Until you know the strengths of your group, it is safest to jot down a premise and at least a few evocative words for your opener, rising action, and climax before getting started....Published adventures are not sacred. They are formatted so that you can adapt them to your needs." pg. 187

Now, granted we have acknowledgement of two methods of play here:

"Some narrators do not feel ready unless they have set up an adventure as fully detailed as a published one. Others sit down to the gaming table without the faintest idea of which way the evening's adventure will go.... Most narrators are somewhere in between."

My criticism is that this all indicates regardless of whether Greg himself or some other contributer was responsible for all these various sections- we have author(s) who are familar with non-railroaded play. When it comes to actual adventures put forth, all we have are directions for making railroaded scenarios and no advice on the "how's" of improv' ing from them.

Chris

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