>
> > > In some ways, it boils down to which is more important to you as a
> > > narrator and to you as a player: The dice or the story?
>
> > I like my characters to achieve their results for themselves, and
> for
> > the other creatures of the world to have the same chanses.
>
> The real choice here is whether you are COMPETING with the
> referee/narrator/GM/whatever, or working WITH them. As far as I'm
> concerned, when I'm narrator, I'm working WITH the players, whether
> they know it (or like it) or not. Players who complain that "Walktapi
> can't do that!" while reading Anaxial's just get crapped on, but
> those that try Hibernation on Fear Spirits get a pleasantly confused
> look and a HP. The Narrator doesn't only enjoy the game if the PCs
> lose, so why treat it as a competition?
Who said anything about competition? Especially on a strange Players vs. Narrator/GM axis. When running the world I strive to be neutral (though I tend to be cheering for the player characters). The Game Master is the gamers best friend, and as such I try to give the gamers as accurate a view to the world as possible... or rather, I try to show the world as the playercharacter sees it.
I don't want to tell a story. I want to see the playercharacters stories unfold. Usually with as or more surprises for me (the GM) than for the players. But I'm definitely in any kind of competition with my gamers. What a srange tought.
> With the whole world as his
> disposal, the narrator can ALWAYS win if he wants to. And if it's NOT
> competitive, then why not fiddle the results a bit for a better game.
At least for me that definitely does _not_ yield a better game. When the world feels real and solid the games are at their best. I want the gameworld to feel impartial, when the actions of god's and suchlikes aren't directly effecting the characters.
> One of the best compliments I was ever paid was when a new player
> complained "But he's cheating!" to which an old hand replied "Of
> course he is, he's the referee". That's trust, and I'll reward it
> every time.
>
> Wulf
Your choise, of course, and I'm glad your players like your narrating style. Not for me or my group, though.
-Mikko, the Adept
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