thread: 2006-01-05 : I suspect but can't prove...
On 2006-01-07, Neel wrote:
Vincent wrote: "Matt: Easy; Wolfboy is totally lusting after Jeanette Grey. Neel, add that to your character sheet." The same? Different?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the question you're asking is something like "Does the distribution of authority differ in some fundamental way here?" I'd say: no, it doesn't. (But whether my example or yours would work better as a procedure in real play is something only playtest could decide.)
The reason is that the particular distribution of power/responsibility I was thinking of in my example was: each player is fully responsible for making the whole game as good as it can be. That means that as a player, 1) you need to suggest the best ideas you can for every character, 2) if someone comes up with a better idea, then you need to integrate it immediately and with good grace, 3) if you and another player disagree and can't come to a synthesis, you both need to passionately and respectfully advocate your ideas, and then accept defeat gracefully when a decision is made.
The rules are like Robert's rules of order; following them should ensure that everyone gets heard, facilitate creative collaboration, and resolve fundamental disagreements in some manner that everyone agrees is fair. Let me give an example that puts disagreement over Neel's PC between Matt and Vincent, to show off what I'm trying to get at.
-*-*-*-
Matt: Easy; Wolfboy is totally in love with Jeanette Grey. Neel, add that to your character sheet.
Neel: I'll challenge that—Wolfboy is too emotionally stunted to really feel love, yet. He can be lusting after her, though.
Matt: I think we definitely need some real emotion, now and not in the future.
Neel: I think the time isn't ripe yet—Vincent, what do you think?
Vincent: He's in love, for the first time ever in his life, and doesn't realize or understand that he's in love.
Neel: That's good—I'll adopt that proposal.
Matt: It's still too weak for me. Vincent, let's hold an author auction to find out if he knows he's in love.
[mechanics go here]
Vincent: You win, Matt. Wolfboy is in love, and knows it! Put that on your sheet, Neel.
Neel: Right. I want a scene where he's been watching Casablanca and is trying to keep people from finding out that it made him cry....
-*-*-*-
From the beginning:
1. Matt identifies a problem with Neel's PC.
2. Neel agrees, asks for a solution.
3. Matt advances a solution.
4. Neel disagrees, and suggests a different solution.
5. Vincent advances a third solution.
6. Neel adopts Vincent's solution.
7. Matt disagrees with Vincent's solution.
8. Vincent and Matt use some dispute resolution procedure.
9. Matt wins, and Neel adopts Matt's solution.
This makes JK go "Is this core narrativism?"
Seems like the core goals here are "How do we get the best story?" and "how do we let all players contribute to the story to the best of their ability?" with other goals taking second place, or at least having to fight for their place. Which is cool; sometimes, the story -is- the most important thing. Just pointing out that this process -- that of wrangling over the character's actions -- is very easy to make despirately unfun for some players, even those who might enjoy the resulting story and not, in theory, mind not having sole control of their characters.
With
This makes NK go "It's at right angles..."
I'm talking about how we, the players, can apportion the responsibilities to make the game work well.
In reality, there's like fifteen million ways to define "works well", because that all depends on the people in the group, and different kinds of responsibility sharing will work better for each of those styles. Me, I'm talking about one particular sharing in this thread, because it's easier to communicate with concrete examples than with highly abstract generalities.
Your "portray the character" vs. "control the character" post tells me that you understand the distinction I'm trying to draw perfectly well. If some things intrigue you, and other things bug you, then that's your sense of aesthetics talking. Trust it.
