Re: Two goals?

From: Jane Williams <janewilliams20_at_...>
Date: Sun, 23 Sep 2007 20:21:13 +0100 (BST)


> > In this example, I'd say Vader's goal is to
> convert
> > Luke to the Dark Side, and physically beating him
> is
> > just one means of knocking his confidence. So in
> fact,
> > there is only one goal, one extended contest, and
> > nothing is unrelated.
>
> I tend to agree. But there are two problems with
> that interpretation.
>
> 1) Vader absolutely is shown setting up the carbon
> trap as a means to capture
> and bring Skywalker to the Emporer. i.e. - it is his
> stated goal.

Sorry, I'm not familiar enough with the details of the scene to have known that. Still, that sounds like a case where the player initially states that as their goal, but after discussion with the GM, realises that in fact it's only a means to an end.

> 2) How exactly do we handle the severed hand? In a
> "Trying to convert him to
> the Dark Side contest" - where does the severed hand
> come in?
>
> (I suppose you could argue he gets a Major victory,
> and then goes for a final
> action for a complete victory, and gets reversed
> enough for Luke to get to only minor defeat

Yes.

>- but the major victory needs to

> stand. But even so, how
> many narrators are going to assign a major physical
> penalty in such a situation?)

In extended, probably not many. In chained simple - yes, quite possibly. And maybe those narrators need to start considering it.

> > But the question of doing two things at once is a
> good
> > one. Can we find an example that doesn't get
> > re-interpreted as a single goal?
>
> Yes. We can let slide the example in question.

Ta. I'm sure we can come back to that one, but something simpler may be a better place to start.

> > if I'm trying to simultaneously cook a meal and
> carry
> > on an intelligent conversation on a totally
> different
> > subject? To make life even more awkward, let's say
> > it's a phone conversation, so I need one hand to
> hold
> > the phone to my ear - the two activities do
> interfere with each other.
>
> I'm not sure I would see that as an extended
> contest.

Nor would I in practice (I see very little as an extended contest, though), but it seems to be a simple enough example that we can use it for discussion.

> I also think this example isn't quite analagous. In
> some ways, I think it's
> easier to deal with very different goals then
> somewhat overlapping ones.

Sure. Hence my preference for working out the comparatively easy case before going on to the harder one.



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