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Podcasts: Narrative Control - Episode 39 - Questions as Actions

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  1. Administrator
     

    This show Justin and I are talking about a method of giving players the ability to do some more of the story crafting in traditional games.   Asking questions as actions in game.

    Length: 22:49

    Hosts: Sean Nittner and Justin Evans

    Links:  Virtual Play #34 (http://virtualplay.podbus.com/?p=66)

    Direct download: NC_Episode_039.mp3

  2. Member
    • CommentAuthormoleculo
    • CommentTimeOct 19th 2009
     
    You guys got me thinking of a couple of things on this topic. Tagging scene aspects in Spirit of the Century is not exactly the same but still a similar activity. Also, using actions as questions solves for a long-time tactical problem in old school fantasy RPGs. You have your magic-user and his one spell, making him a brainy one-hit wonder in combat. However, if he can use his brains during combat to ask questions that could benefit the fight, well then... he's a valuable resource that can add his high Intelligence score to the combat instead of just detecting magic items and reading old runes. "Fy-Tor! Those hounds match the ancient descriptions of the Red Ravening Beasts of Rallithro! Try cutting their tales off... it just might help!"

    _Almost_ makes me want to run an old school game just so I could try that approach.
  3. Administrator
     
    I've so been the mage who blew his magic missle and ended up throwing darts. I would WAY rather be identifying the Beasts of Rallithro! I hadn't thought about it but the same thing applies even in 4th edtion. All of your encounter and daily powers are blown? Now a question might look a lot more appealing than an at-will.
  4. Member
    • CommentAuthorRobRendell
    • CommentTimeOct 25th 2009 edited
     
    Ha, remembered my password eventually! The "forgot my password" function wasn't working for me (it couldn't connect to localhost's SMTP server).

    I really like this idea of player questions expanding player-defined quests... I think a constrained structure that lets you expand the story as you play in a formalized way will be valuable training wheels to teach improv GMing skills, which I know I at least would appreciate :)

    I found Mel's house rules for setting up the quests at http://billwhite.blogspot.com/2009/04/fourth-age-story-gaming-d.html , but it doesn't have the "questions as an action" idea there. Still, I'm feeling excited to try this out on my kids next time we get the chance.

    (Also, is it just me, or is the Virtual Play site down?)
  5. Administrator
     
    Huh, I've had issue with the SMTP server in the past, so I'll look at that again... I wonder how many people haven't been able to log on because of that.

    Other than that, glad you liked the show. I agree, the Mel's idea has LOTs of potential.

    (and when I pull it up I just get a blank screen, hmm I hope it's just a glitch and not VP going away).

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