Mon, 22 December 2008 Hi, welcome to Narrative Control Episode 15. This week Justin and I tackle different resolution methods (task, conflict and scene), give a couple examples, talk about the strengths and weaknesses, and as always talk about ways we use them in our games. Hosts: Sean Nittner and Justin Evans Length: 24:00 Show Notes [00:32] Introduction to the show. Task, Conflict and Scene resolution. [01:03] A lot of podcasts celebrating 2, 3 or even 4 years of syndication. Check them out at RPGPodcats.com [01:47] Brilliant Gameologists Promo [02:03] My New Years Resolutions… not [02:20] What are we talking about? [02:38] Task Resolution Definition by way of example. [05:13] Consequence of failure in task resolution. [06:22] Conflict Resolution defined by Justin. [07:13] Consequences of successes or failure in conflict resolution. [07:54] Player narration either way. [08:08] Settings stakes [10:45] Comparing Task and Conflict resolution. [11:40] 4th Edition Dungeons and Dragons skill challenge. A blend of the two. [12:27] Examples of systems that use conflict resolution. Wilderness of Mirrors, Shadows of Yesterday, Chalk Outlines. [14:47] Mixing the two. Games that aren’t explicit about resolutions. Don’t Rest Your Head, you can go either way. [15:14] Example of combining the two in a 4th Edition Dungeons and Dragons Pirate battle. Task resolution became too tedious. Macro vs. Micro mechanics. [18:16] Justin unveils it… Scene resolution. Ending each scene with a lead. [20:23] Task vs. Conflict resolution. Final Showdown! [23:00] Closing. Let us know what you think. What have your experiences been? Links RPGPodcats.com Brilliant Gameologists Dungeons and Dragons Wilderness of Mirrors Shadows of Yesterday Chalk Outlines Don’t Rest Your Head Post Feedback Here: Comments |
Fri, 5 December 2008 Hi and welcome to Narrative Control, Episode 14. This week Justin and I talk about bringing indie games to your table. We share some of the resistance we’ve experienced as well as offer some advice for how to get your group to open up and try one out. Hosts: Sean Nittner, Justin Evans Length: 18:01 Show Notes [00:28] Intro to the show. Bringing indie games to your kitchen table. Post Feedback Here: Comments |
Wed, 26 November 2008 Hi, and welcome back to Narrative Control. This is my 13th episode, my 4th show on the Dresden Files RPG, but my first... numero uno interview. Fred Hicks, from Evil Hat was kind enough to share one of his afternoons talking to me about Dresden files, reviewing our experiences as play testers and share a little behind the scenes look at creation of his games. I had a great time talking to Fred and I hope you enjoy the conversation. Hosts: Sean Nittner, interviewing Fred Hicks Length: 31:13 Show Notes [00:29] Intro to the Show – Interview with Fred Hicks [00:51] Links to Battle of Wits not resolving. Email us for a copy: narrativecontrol@gmail.com [01:24] Show was recorded with Skype and PowerGramo – How did it sound? [01:54] This Modern Death Promo [02:31] Welcome to _a_ Fred Hicks [03:03] First Question from a listener Mikael – Talk about Points of Tension [03:10] Fred has discussed this before with Ryan Macklin at Master Plan, Episode 33 [03:46] Points of tension start around resource management, always wanting more. [05:10] This should move the character from a static state and tilt them in one direction [06:10] In Dresden Files RPG this is expressed in trading Free Will for Power. [07:15] Which is more important? System or Setting? Neither and Both! [09:20] Structure of the aspects also affects this. The "Theme" aspect in particular drives the conflicts. [10:45] The Character Sheet is a lover letter to the GM. I love you, but do these things and I'll love you even more. [11:37] Don't Rest Your Head created to some extent to bring the level of character pain Fred had been looking for. [12:00] Where did the idea of a love letter to the GM come from? [12:56] What you want is on the character sheet. Giving weight to the soft want. [14:34] The Kirk effect! [15:38] Second Question - Anticipated format of the game. Dresden Files is pitched as a campaign game. [17:38] Advancement system is going to center around major story arcs as a unit of time. [18:43] Major milestones - Raising Refresh (new powers!) and joining a new weight class. [19:02] Minor advancement - Gaining a few skill points or parts of character evolution, shuffling skills and aspects. [19:47] Characters changing is interesting, not necessarily getting more powerful. Change is cheap. Growth takes a long time. [21:23] Third Question - Changes from SoTC. Stunts and Damage system! [22:10] Stunt creation is now explicit. Empowering players to create their own. [24:20] Supernatural Stunts are where the system really enforces the feeling of the Dresdenverse. [26:02] Fred's goal is to publish a game sticks close to canon but leaves doors up. [27:00] Damage System. Getting hit HURTS! [28:00] Consequences are so proximate that you're always fearing them coming on. [29:07] Broken, Bruised, Bleeding, Demoralized and Scared as Hell - The way a Dresden fight should end. [29:50] An example of social conflict: Harry in the car with Marcone the first time they meet. Links Evil Hat Dresden Files RPG This Modern Death Master Plan Podcast Post Feedback Here: Comments |
Wed, 19 November 2008 Hi and welcome back to Narrative Control, Episode 12. This week Justin and I talk about players characters taking actions that disrupt the group, either by upsetting another player or by removing their character from the scope of the game. Hosts: Sean Nittner and Justin Evans Length: 22:36 Liner Notes [00:28] Intro to the show. Player characters taking actions that step on other players fun. [00:49] Battle of Wits, the card system based on the Duel of Wits from Burning Wheel at Sinistergame.com [01:35] RPGPodcasts.com Promo [01:55] “That’s what my character would do” – We borrowed this topic from Episode 55 of Son’s of Kryos. [02:51] Definition: Players taking actions that upset other players or take actions that remove their character from the story. [04:05] Preventative Methods: Come to an agreement about what the game is going to be about ahead of time. [04:26] One element to hash out: Situation. What is going on? [04:42] Yeah, we found this one in Prime Time Adventures as well in the pitch session. This will define the theme of the game, the genre, and the characters or character archetypes. [05:22] Example pitch session: Ch-osh-kys. Clerks meets Office Space. [06:13] Concessions we made to include all the elements we wanted: Hardware plus food. [06:45] Situation: The two stores have just been purchased and are merging together. [06:54] Characters: The Lifer, the snotty kid and the kiss ass manager. [07:20] Sets: Reinforces where conflicts will occur. Keeps things in the story. [07:50] More traditional format. GM presents a situation but the players still make an agreement about how their characters will interact with the situation. [08:57] Avoid throwing out ideas that will remove characters from the game unless that is presented as a conflict to overcome. [09:45] Fear the Boot (Episode 2) talks about Group Templates for creating characters. [10:00] Another example. A gladiator game that was about being gladiators slaves, not escaping. [11:18] Justin’s Game set in Cadwallon: Outside the city the world is at war, the “game” however takes place within the city walls as the character act on the behalf of the duke. [11:52] How to bring some of those “out of game” elements into the game for the players behalf and to make the story richer. [13:25] Corrective measures: What happens if player characters breath the forth wall anyway? [13:47] Possibly this is the time for the character to leave the game. Maybe this is a good time for their story to end? [14:25] Escalate the conflict around that decision. Make it a hard choice to leave the game. Also, you could give the character and easy out if the player wants to keep the character in the game, but can’t figure out how. [15:19] Alternatives to allow for characters to leave the story: [15:28] Granting a solo session to a player. Justin and Sean disagree on this. [16:33] Use the Living City technique and have the other players take the roles of NPCs in the character’s spotlight scene. This can also work well with simmering scenes. [17:52] What about players stomping on each others fun? [18:43] Create a cliff hanger moment. Pause the game and ask the offending player how they see this playing out? What direction do they think this will take their character in. [19:40] Ask the potential “victim” how they feel about this. [20:22] Set stakes for the conflict. Stakes have to be agreed on by both characters. This allows both players to know what worst case scenario and how the character relationship might change. [21:29] Feedback. Let us know how if this is come up in your games. How has your group dealt with it? Links Burning Wheel Sinistergame.com RPGPodcasts.com Son’s of Kryos Prime Time Adventures Fear the Boot) Cadwallon Post Feedback Here:Comments |
Thu, 13 November 2008 Hi, and welcome back to Narrative Control, episode 11. Justin and I are back to talk about framing scenes. Why and how to do it. Hosts: Sean Nittner and Justin Evans Length: 20:08 Liner Notes [00:29] Show Intro – Scene Framing [00:40] Special thanks to listeners William, Mikael, and Robin for correcting us (er Justin). We did in indeed steal previews from Prime Time Adventures. [00:56] This Modern Death Promo [01:33] Your in a 10’ corridor! [02:13] That is what a game without scene framing feels like. [02:52] Definition of scene framing: Location, who is present, and what is going on. [04:08] Why do we frame scenes? To avoid the tedium and get right to the action. [06:01] Scene framing described well in Prime Time Adventures. Something else in PTA as well. [06:54] In a Wicked Age – Driven strongly by scene framing. Nothing happens outside of a scene. [07:07] Scene Framing in Panty Explosion in 5 parts: Location, Mood, Action, Who’s There and Supernatural Activity [07:33] Strategies for framing a scene. Start a scene at the last possible moment. [08:34] To montage or not to montage? [08:54] Justin’s campaign. Nothing happens out of a scene. Much of the mundane is skipped. [09:22] Strategy for moving from one scene to the next. Ending with tension. [10:02] How to bring this to the table? Make the scenes personal to the characters. Each scene should matter. Take cues from the characters (aspects, keys, beliefs, virtues). Start them with a direction based on those cues. [11:43] Simmering scenes. Borrowed from Sons of Kryos and Ron Edwards. [13:10] Weaving. Bring up elements from one character’s personality or background in other character’s scenes. [14:00] Weaving us used constantly in My Life with Master. This prompted a lot of character interaction. [14:55] Situation Sheets from Full Light, Full Steam. Players writing a document of what kinds of scenes they would like to see. [15:56] Thematic Batteries. Require scenes that will charge these batteries. [16:49] Questions to ask your self in the scene: What happens if nobody intervenes? Who might profit or suffer from the conflict? Setting some stakes in advance. [18:26] Wrap up and recap of scene framing. Links: This Modern Death Prime Time Adventures In a Wicked Age Panty Explosion Sons of Kryos Ron Edwards Full Light, Full Steam Post Feedback Here: Comments |
Fri, 7 November 2008 Hi, and welcome to Narrative Control, episode 10. We're back on the Dresden Files RPG. This time Kevan and I review the roll of compelling aspects in the game. Hosts: Sean Nittner and Kevan Forbes Length: 20:19 Liner Notes [00:28] Show Introduction: Returning to the Dresden Files RPG. Links: Dresden Files RPG Post Feedback Here : Comments |
Thu, 30 October 2008 Hi, and welcome to Narrative Control. This week's episode has two segments. The first half covers using previews to prime your next game. The second section is a review of my experience running Good Omens Con. I review all the steps and hopefully offer up some useful advice. Hosts: Sean Nittner and Justin Evans Length: 23:48 Liner Notes [00:28] Show Introduction: Previews and Running Conventions. RPGpodcasts.com |
Wed, 22 October 2008 Pacing in games. Justin and I talk about mechanics and techniques we have used for pacing our games. These range from dice mechanics, to actual timers and at the end a discussion of player created urgency in the Sons of Liberty. Hosts: Sean Nittner and Justin Evans Length: 30:20 Minutes Liner Notes [00:30] Show Introduction - Pacing Mechanics. Links RPGpodcast.com |
Tue, 14 October 2008 Hi, welcome to Narrative Control. This episode Justin and I talk about high prep vs. low games and the advantages and pitfalls of both. Hosts: Sean Nittner and Justin Evans Length: 29:33 Minutes Liner Notes [0:27] Introduction to the show. Zero prep vs. high prep games. Links Post Feedback Here: Comments |
Tue, 7 October 2008 Hi and welcome to Narrative Control. This week's episode is an actual play report from a Burning Wheel game that I played in with the guys from This Modern Death. The game setting is heavily inspired by the HBO show Deadwood and it rocked hard. Warning, as per fitting with the genre, this show has an explicit tag, though truthfully I don't think we were nearly as bad as we could have been. Length: 22:47 Hosts: Sean Nittner, Shaun Hayworth, Kristin Sullivan, and Randy Davenport Liner Notes [0:30] Thanks for the feedback from last episode Links RPGPodcats.com Post Feedback Here: Comments |
Tue, 30 September 2008 Hi, and welcome to Narrative Control. This week Justin is back and as usual we're giving our own spin on a much beloved topic. We're talking with me about hacking systems. Everything from porting games into different settings to combining our favorite mechanics. Liner Notes [0:28] Introduction to the show. Hacking systems. RPGPodcats.com Post Feedback Here: Comments |
Tue, 23 September 2008 Hi, welcome to Narrative Control. This episode is part two of Burning Las Vegas, the city creation process for the alpha test of the Dresden Files RPG. We run through the locations we created in Las Vegas, the personalities we put there and how we intend to use these in our games. Plus, there's a little insight into Sean's vampire aversion. Listen and laugh. Hosts: Sean Nittner and Erik Woodbury Liner Notes [0:27] Intro to the Show - Burning Las Vegas, part 2 This Modern Death Post Feedback Here: Comments |
Tue, 16 September 2008 Hi, welcome to Narrative Control. This episode is part one of Burning Las Vegas, the city creation process for the alpha test of the Dresden Files RPG. We introduce the Dresden Files and then step through our process of picking a city and giving it life. Next week, part two will wrap up with the locations and personalities we created. Hosts: Sean Nittner and Erik Woodbury Liner Notes [0:30] Mashing things up. A few changes. 2d6 Feet in a Random Direction Live Journal Entries for Burning Las Vegas: Post Feedback Here: Comments |
Tue, 9 September 2008 Hi, welcome to Narrative Control. This episode is on Living City, a technique of giving conrol of NPCs to the players and allowing them to bring more life to your world as well as turn the story in the directions they are exited about. Hosts: Sean Nittner and Justin Evans Liner Notes [0:38] Introduction – Living City Wicked Dead Brewing Company Post Feedback here: Comments |
Tue, 2 September 2008 Hi, Welcome to Narrative Control. This episode is on Backstory, a quick technique for GMs to use at the start of games to connect characters to each other and to the story 2d6 Feet in a Random Direction, Episode 8 Dread Post feedback here: Comments |
Tue, 26 August 2008 Hi, Welcome to Narrative Control. This is our first episode. It focuses on what the show will be about, a continuation of a conversation. What conversation you ask? Stop reading and go listen to the show.
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