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

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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.
[01:03] Give credit where it’s due.  Thanks to you Mikael.
[01:36] Battle of Wits cards. Sinstergame.com domain name down.  Backup URL: http://02af916.netsolhost.com/sinistergame/
[02:07] Narrative Control Holiday Schedule.
[02:45] RPG Podcast Promo
[02:55] Sean’s problem.  Cream is available.
[03:16] Sean’s other problem. I want to play indie games.
[04:56] I’m missing cookies.  That must be the problem.
[05:22] Perception of indie games. Lack of familiarity. This is something new. I don’t know what that is.
[05:52] More responsibility being placed in the hands of the players.
[07:09] Traditional games don’t have a mechanic for handing over narrative control.
[08:20] Idea that Indie games are one-shot games.  This could discourage players who want to see long term games and character progression.
[10:24] How I’ve been able to convince my group to try a game.
[10:28] Lead by example.  Want to play a game? Run it!
[10:58] Focus on just the first session of a game.  Character creation or a pitch session.
[12:28] Focus on the setting or genre of the game rather than the system. 
[13:34] Justin’s synopsis of my methods: be sneaky, sugar coat it. Thanks Justin.
[13:48] Try to tailor games to the player’s interest.
[14:18] Are there any gateway games? Have I been gushing about Fate enough already?
[15:15] Start with a gateway system or hack in indie elements into traditional games?
[17:06] Request for feedback.  Let me know if you’ve had the same frustrations or if you have some other solutions.

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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

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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

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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

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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.
[00:45] Introduction to Kevan Forbes a Good Omens GM in Sacramento.
[01:19] This episode is a reflection of our play, specifically compelling aspects.
[02:13] Thanks to everyone who has given us feedback over email or on the forum. You guys rock!
[02:50] This Modern Death Bumper
[03:28] Greetings from Sean and Kevan
[03:54] The Compel Mechanic!
[04:07] Explanation of aspects from Fate and how compels work with them.
[04:54] Fate chips are much more precious in Dresden RPG.
[05:24] Comparison to compelling in Spirit of the Century.
[05:45] Example of a tough compel and the price to pay it off.
[06:38] How to use a compel #1: Plot Hooks
[07:49] How to use a compel #2: Binding the characters to the story.
[08:13] Example of a compel: The Vodou priest wakes up with blood on his hands.
[08:55] How to use a compel #3: The toolbox for adventure creation.
[09:40] How to use a compel #4: An alternative to the standard conflict resolution.
[11:40] Comparing compels to other games that give out cookies for game play (7th Sea, Buffy, Exalted, etc).
[12:43] I miss the reward system from other games when the players are performing exceptionally.
[13:17] Compelling, however, brings the characters deeper into the story.
[14:17] Keeping the fate chip currency moving with compels. An example from play.
[14:56] Fate chip economy!
[15:15] How to use a compel #5: Players compelling other characters
[15:38] How to use a compel #6: Moving the story along when players don't want to budge.
[16:47] A reward for good role-playing?
[18:11] Accidental Survivors Bumper.
[18:51] Review of the show. Disappointed with the audio quality.
[19:20] Request for feedback.

Links:

Dresden Files RPG
Good Omens Games
Evil Hat
This Modern Death
Accidental Survivors

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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.
[01:32] RPGpodcasts.com Bumper
[01:54] Part 1. Definitions of Preivews
[02:04] Okay, the real Definition of Previews
[02:14] Justin's Bleeding Edge Stuff
[02:57] Modeled after previews to TV shows, designed to get players excited about the next game.
[03:48] How Justin uses it in his game. Players create brief (vague) scenes for the next game.
[04:35] Incorporating them into the next game.
[05:08] Can be difficult if you don't know how long the game will be.
[05:48] The players end up giving you fuel for the games.
[05:59] What if you can't find a place to fit the preview in? Does it feel forced?
[07:48] What about players framing their scenes including the preview?
[08:50] Allowing the players to fill in the details.
[09:58] Sean has requested scenes in advance form players. Mixed results. Do previews ever have these troubles?
[11:03] Keep the previews short and vague.
[11:33] Authoring other player's characters into your previews?
[12:30] Players enjoy the spotlight being put on them.
[12:51] Sean's superior math skills
[13:05] RPGpodcasts.com Bumper
[13:12] Part 2. Good Omens Con
[13:42] Stats: 60 attendees, 14 games, and a Guest GM: Carl Rigney
[14:16] Covered by 2d6Feet.com
[14:28] Instant Pre-Order for Don't Loose your Mind
[15:30] The History of Good Omens Con
[15:48] Both Cons were Chartiy Events: Alemeday Food Bank
[16:49] First starting thinking about this early 2005
[17:38] Location. Find a place to host the con. EndGame hosted our con. They Rock!
[19:12] Date: Pick a date where there aren't other convetions going on
[19:42] Round up GMs.
[20:26] Coordinante the game sign ups.
[21:12] Feeing of running a con is great. A chance to give back to the gamer community.
[21:20] Sean's Mantras - Scratch someone elses back first.and "Free is Good!"

Links:

RPGpodcasts.com
Good Omens Games
2d6Feet.com
Don't Loose your Mind
EndGame

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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.
[01:24] RPGpodcast.com bumper
[01:42] Definition of Pacing. A couple useless ones first.
[02:00] Controlling the urgency in the game upping the stakes.
[03:19] Preventing analysis paralysis and encouraging immersion.
[03:47] Pacing built into most games, usually in combat systems. Something we are all familiar with.
[04:32] The same hit point system most gamers are familiar with from Dungeons and Dragons are used in Burning Empires to represent Disposition.
[05:47] Situation: Disarming a bomb in Spirit of the Century. Creating pacing for a non-combat conflict to create urgency.
[07:48] Another SotC mechanic extended skill challenge.
[08:15] How Justin used an extended skill challenge in a Firefly game to represent the race to find an outlaw before he was caught by a bounty hunter.
[10:42] Using props as a visual aid to represent margin of success and chance of failure.
[11:11] Skill Challenges in 4th Edition Dungeons and Dragons are very similar.
[12:10] This form of pacing comes form game mechanics.
[13:00] Bringing in outside elements. Sand timers, egg timers. Not giving players enough time to analyze all the information available.
[13:50] Introducing a mini game as a spotlight moment.
[14:45] How Justin escalated things even further, causing distractions.
[15:58] Potential backfire? Does this still work if the characters fail?
[16:37] Using a timer in My Life with Joker to trigger random events.
[18:24] Ding! Ding! Ding! A bank blows up!
[18:57] An extreme example in John Wick's Play Dirty.
[19:44] Applying the mechanics as in game effects. In a Matrix game "Time is always against you."
[20:49] Doom in Roanoke. Affects narration of end game.
[21:42] Sean was disappointed there wasn't more doom.
[21:52] Pace set by the players in Sons of Liberty
[28:54] Pacing is game agnostic. Try it out.
[29:04] Another RPGPodcasts.com bumper
[29:09] Show Recap
[29:50] Let us know what you think: narrativecontrol@gmail.com

Links

RPGpodcast.com
Dungeons and Dragons
Burning Empires
Spirit of the Century
My Life with Master
Play Dirty
Roanoke
Sons of Liberty

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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.
[0:55] Rpgpodcasts.com bumper
[1:16] Cage Match! We want two winners
[1:32] Definitions: Zero Prep games.
[2:21] Example of a zero prep game: Spirit of the Century. Pickup or zero prep? The same thing?
[4:40] Even less prep: In a Wicked Age using oracles.
[6:51] Story starts being developed during character/setting creation. Creates situation and conflict for the GM to use.
[8:10] Definition: High Prep game
[9:57] May create different player motivations. Instead of directing plot, pursue developing character or find a reason to connect to the existing plot.
[11:00] Foster antagonism between the GM and players?
[12:40] Listening to Have Games will Travel: For a Few Games More. Paul talks about different types of stories.
[14 :44] More examples of low prep games: Universalis. Players sit down with a blank slate and bit on story elements to include.
[15:35] Prime Time Adventures. Pitch session is zero prep. From then on, low prep.
[17:07] Games that include a mechanic to push the story forward. Shab-al-Hiri Roach and Sons of Liberty and Polaris
[18:54] Show Notes (not schnotes, just in case you thought you heard me wrong but didn't)
[19:32] High prep games examples. Dungeons and Dragons, White Wolf games, Call of Cthulhu and Shadowrun.
[20:04] John Wick's method for combining low prep mechanics in high prep games: Dirty Dungeon. Method from Wilderness of Mirrors
[21:11] Win and Fail of low and zero prep games.
[21:23] Win! Low prep games offer a great time savings.
[22:42] Win! Player Buy in. They like it because they built it.
[23:35] Fail. The game could be potentially less coherent. Different players with different ideas about what the game is about.
[24:45] Fail and Win! Investment in the game for both GM and players.
[25:00] Win! Less pressure on the part of the GM.
[27:04] What happens if someone isn't exited about a game?
[28:33] Try swapping back and forth. Spice it up!
[28:44] Closing notes. Lets us know what you think at forum.narrativecontrol.com or email narrativecontrol@gmail.com

Links
Rpgpodcasts.com
Spirit of the Century
In a Wicked Age
Have Games will Travel: For a Few Games More
Universalis
Prime Time Adventures
Shab-al-Hiri Roach
Sons of Liberty
Polaris
Dirty Dungeon
Wilderness of Mirrors

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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
[0:53] Burning Las Vegas got me thinking about Burning Wheel
[1:21] Experimenting with actual play reports
[1:45] RPGpodcats.com Bumper
[1:52] Introduction to the hosts
[2:34] What is Burning Deadwood?
[2:58] Discussion of the show Deadwood
[3:40] Deadwood isn't setting, its situation
[4:40] Orks be here!
[4:50] Game defined by the character's motivations
[5:26] A group of players looking to be screwed with
[5:50] Brief background on the game.
[6:11] Levi, the fire and brimstone priest of Zoltek
[6:50] Player vs. Player conflicts built into beliefs: "The wizard must burn!"
[7:02] Role of religion in westerns
[7:48] Woops, the wizard botched his spell and turns a forest to crystal
[8:27] Gunning for a Dual of Wits with a torch in hand.
[8:55] The story is driven by the players but we all got suprised a few times.
[10:00] Seans's strategy: Rally the congregation against the Wizard!
[11:04] Converting the mother of the son to turn against her child. Evil priest!
[12:00] Oddly anti-climatic ending that was very satisfying
[13:20] Pet peave of Sean's: Players don't recognize authority figures. How does it play out differently when they are controlled by the GM vs. another player?
[14:28] Group dynamic. These are people climbing the food chain, not the heroes of the dawn.
[15:06] The mechanics support this. NPCs have some serious weight to throw around.
[16:06] NPCs and PCs use the same tactics, and death is easy.
[16:58] Separate plots advancing during the game.
[17:44] Players opting to screw themselves over made the game rock.
[18:58] Opening scene as a foreshadowing for the themes of the session.
[19:13] Character driven story meant we could split up and move the story forward
[19:37] A very restricted geography keeps the characters running into each other.
[20:58] Burning Wheel mechanics make it unnecessary to have a story scripted, everything moves forward from a starting condition.
[21:39] Thanks to Shaun, Kristin and Randy.

Links

RPGPodcats.com
This Modern Death
Burning Wheel
Deadwood

Post Feedback Here: Comments

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.
[0:50] The show is a bit long. Let me know if it is too long. Email us: narrativecontrol@gmail.com
[1:42] RPGPodcasts.com bumper
[1:58] What we mean by hacking systems.
[2:36] Justin's current game. A hodgepodge of games:
[2:52] Cadwallon - Setting and Dice pools
[3:28] Wushu mechanics - Detailed bad ass combats on the fly.
[3:52] Fate - Stunts
[4:04] Shadows of Yesterday - Experience Keys for experience and character flags.
[5:00] How has this been accepted by the players? Pros and Cons
[6:17] Is this play testing a new game?
[7:08] Sean's accidental hack of Prime Time Adventures with Exalted.
[7:39] Removing screen presence to allow equal importance for con games
[7:53] Allowing every player narration rights.
[8:30] Changes made specifically for the con environment.
[9:07] Change fan mail to allow the producer to grant fan mail.
[9:40] Other reasons to hack games? Games that don't have strong social conflict mechanics.
[10:38] Hacking Duel of Wits from Burning Wheel
[10:55] Why? Players want to do actions in a game that involve a complex and fun mechanic.
[11:38] Brining it together. Molding mechanics to fit in the core game so players aren't learning completely separate systems.
[12:33] Systems that are very easy to borrow from: Wilderness of Mirrors, Fate
[15:17] Games with great mechanics and situations screaming to be ported into other settings: Dogs in the Vineyard
[15:34] Using In a Wicked Age by swapping out Oracles
[17:03] A Battlestar Galactica oracle on www.sinistergame.com
[17:25] Don't get Sean started on shnotes
[17:36] My Life with Master has a very thin setting, easy to move. Sean ported it to My Life with Joker.
[18:47] Some games that are tightly coupled with their settings. Value in playing the game as intended?
[19:08] Dozens of setting hacks for Dogs in the Vineyard but the original setting has so much character, don't discount the value of playing a straight dogs game.
[22:10] Settings that have benefited from different systems: Exalted using Prime Time Adventures and Wushu/Wuxalted
[23:30] Exalted Unplugged
[24:12] Shadowrun alternative systems: Prime Time Adventures, Burning Wheel and Don't Rest Your Head
[29:46] Our parting worlds on hacking systems. Try it!

Links

RPGPodcats.com
Cadwallon
Wushu
Fate
Shadows of Yesterday
Prime Time Adventures
Burning Wheel
Wilderness of Mirrors
Dogs in the Vineyard
Sinister Game
My Life with Master
Exalted
Wuxalted
Shadowrun
Don't Rest Your Head

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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
[0:50] Promo for This Modern Death
[1:44] Creating Locations - What this does for the game
[2:16] Player contributions create investments immediately
[2:54] Why Sean won't include vampires in his games
[3:22] Dealing with gambling
[3:39] Location #1 - The Strip - How much granularity do we need to define now?
[5:16] Location #2 - Voodoo Lounge - A hang out and safe area for supernaturals. Changes we made in the real world.
[6:22] Erik is a real pain in the donkey.
[7:18] We're accepting donations to go to the Voodoo Lounge. Yeah, right!
[7:40] Aspects: "Let your inner party animal out Discrete Inquiries; Apply Within" and "You only start trouble once." - How we combined a few themes to create make these aspects.
[9:49] Location #3 - Fremont Street Experience - Home of the mob.
[10:40] Aspect: "You're only safe under the lights." This place represents the conflict between the old guard and the new powers
[11:50] Why we create an utter mundane, Grandpa Tony.
[14:13] Location #4 - Las Vegas Country Club Resort - Why the high rollers won't be coming here.
[15:13] Aspect: "Power Plays on the Back Nine."
[15:45] Characters in the story will be coming here to make major changes. The player characters will be movers and shakers.
[16:50] How the books may end up differing from the game.
[17:28] Location #5 - University of Nevada, Las Vegas - Home of the Rebels
[17:58] A stripper who met her husband at a strip club... it could happen to you.
[18:34] UNLV Student Body - Finger on the Pulse of the parties, entry point to other places in the city, built in victims.
[19:50] Professor of Aberrant Psychology - A source of local lore.
[20:44] Other locations we haven't detailed here but we've got on the web site: http://www.sadric.com/dresden/
[21:33] Our Area 51 Operative
[22:37] The steps to follow
[23:14] Fred Hicks RPGpodcasts.com Promo
[23:26] Closing and contact information

This Modern Death
Evil Hat Productions
RPGPodcasts.com
Dresden Files RPG
Jim Butcher's Website
Burning Las Vegas

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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.
[0:33] New co-host Erik Woodbury
[0:50] Brian Isikoff invited me to be a guest on Episode 38 of 2d6feet in a Random Direction
[1:18] Burning Las Vegas. Alpha Play Test of the Dresden Files RPG.
[2:15] RPGpodcasts.com Bumper
[2:37] Introduction to the Dresden Files novels setting
[3:58] Step One - Pick a City. How we chose Las Vegas.
[4:53] Brainstorming cities
[5:54] The issue of Primacy
[6:19] Our difficulty settling on one city. Trying to avoid stereotypes
[8:56] Step Two - The theme of the Las Vegas
[9:38] Vegas is a crossroads for the world
[10:08] Potential themes: "Luck be a Lady tonight", "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas", "The haves and have nots", "A holiday for morality", "That's nothing, just wait till you see what happens next weekend" and "Grandfather Thunder is displeased."
[11:18] Focusing these aspects on themes that would be easy to use in game and that would push the story forward.
[13:15] Conflict between "Sin City" and "Entertainment Capital of the World"
[14:50] Our personal experiences in Las Vegas
[16:54] Our final picks for themes
[17:17] How Aspects will work in Dresden Files RPG (as per Fate)
[18:20] Little known fact. Las Vegas means "The Meadows"
[18:51] End of part one, intro to part two: Locations and Personalities
[19:09] Contact information

2d6 Feet in a Random Direction
Evil Hat Productions
RPGPodcasts.com
Dresden Files RPG
Jim Butcher's Website

Live Journal Entries for Burning Las Vegas:
Viva Las Vegas
The Entertainment Capital of the World
Fear and Self Loathing in Las Vegas

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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
[0:40] Source – John Wick's Play Dirty
[1:28] Justin answers “What is Living City?”
[3:00] How it's done. John Wick's example: NPCs given to player.
[4:39] Pitfalls with antagonistic or knowledgeable NPCs?
[5:30] Disseminating information through the players.
[6:00] Sean's use of a similar techniques in his Mage: The Awakening game.
[8:30] NPC Information: Name, Nature, Aspects and Motivation
[9:47] Bread Crumbs. How changing information on the cards can throw players off balance.
[11:15] The technique gives players who would normally be out of scene a chance to play.
[11:29] How to make up NPCs on the fly: Sins and Virtues cards.
[11:47] Show Notes vs. Schnotes battle returns
[12:23] Back to Sins and Virtues...
[14:55] Why would you create a Living City? New plots, granting players narrative control, more believable NPCs.
[17:50] Some of the most interesting interactions happen between players are taking the roles of NPC.
[18:08] More emotional involvement between PC and NPC vs. PC and PC?
[19:45] Pitfalls. Too much information shared? NPCs not coming to life? GMs gets left out? GM needs to be more prepared.
[21:58] Burning Dresden City Creation. Entire group creates locatoins and personalities.
[23:25] How to contact Narrative Control

Wicked Dead Brewing Company
Shnotes siting - Beware!
Sinister Game
Dresden Files RPG

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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

Hosts: Sean Nittner and Justin Evans

Liner Notes

[0:28] Show Introduction – Backstory
[0:48] Source: Brian Isikoff
[1:40] Where we first learned about Backstory
[2:58] This has been talked about before on 2d6 Feet in a Random Direction – Episode 8
[3:44] Sean’s first experience with Backstory – Questions Brian asked me.
[5:40] Backstory is part of the game itself.
[6:45] How this helped resolve the “Leader” role
[8:10] Used to fill a gaps in a long term game
[8:36] Established player buy in
[9:30] Does this give players Narrative Control?
[9:45] What if players throw curve balls at you?
[10:45] Method 1: Roll with it
[12:20] Method 2: Establish the genre in advance, tailor response to fit the theme
[13:54] Where could Backstory present problems in long term games?
[15:21] Paul Tevis and Remi Treuer on limitations of endowments in role-playing
[16:15] How to work in Backstory in a long term game.
[16:40] Other games that incorporate back story like elements: Dread
[19:10] Shaun Hayworth tweaked Dread to be more like Backstory
[20:40] Other games that contain similar character creation elements: Spirit of the Century, Dogs in the Vineyard, Prime Time adventures.

2d6 Feet in a Random Direction, Episode 8
EndGame
This Modern Death
Have Games Will Travel, Episode 98

Dread
Spirit of the Century
Dogs in the Vineyard
Prime Time Adventures

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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.

Hosts: Sean Nittner and Justin Evans

Liner Notes

[0:28] Show introduction
[0:36] Dedication to Kristin Sullivan (of This Modern Death)
[0:58] Main Topic: What is this show about?
[1:16] The But-one-Justin
[1:50] Being a pretentious ass – Name dropping Ryan Macklin of the Master Plan Podcast
[2:52] rpgpodcasts.com (Sean got the name wrong and called it .net, Tool!)
[3:30] Sean: This show is about our gaming experiences and our reactions to those.
[4:38] Justin: One big conversation about a hobby we all love
[5:00] Inspiration from other podcasts
[5:40] Who might be interested in Narrative Control
[6:32] Can we expand on the “Agony and Ecstasy of games”
[8:53] “Show Notes” vs. “Shnotes”
[11:00] Who is Sean? Why is Sean?
[12:38] Good Omens – A group of GMs that Justin and Sean are part of.
[15:57] Who is Justin Evans?
[18:15] Why is Justin podcasting?
[19:39] Geek Philosophers or Pretentious Tools?
[20:42] Justin expands on “keeping the conversation going”
[22:40] We’d like to hear what you have to say
[22:56] Closing
 
Links

This Modern Death
Master Plan
RPGPodcasts.com
Good Omens

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