thread: 2006-03-22 : Mechanics and Flinching
On 2006-03-26, Sydney Freedberg wrote:
When Tony and the other player were deadlocked, my first, instinctive response was to say, "Well, that can be resolved by the stakes." And everyone just looked at me funny.
I can see why, though: We had gotten used to collaborative brainstorming on the "agenda" for the episode—the things we wanted to make sure happened—and then the agenda for each scene, and then the stakes for each conflict, and only then engaging the conflict resolution mechanics. Which worked damned well most of the time, actually.
Now, I'm not sure if this is the way you're supposed to play Prime Time Adventures or not, but I do know it let us get stuck in that "destructive pre-play" phenomenon that's been talked about.
Matt (Wilson, obviously), if you're reading along, can you set us straight on whether we "drifted" away from the game you designed?
This makes SF go "Not threadjacking, really"
PTA is a game that works really, really well, but doesn't seem to have this thing I think is important and which Vincent used as the launch point for this thread.
This makes BL go "Canon PTA works a little differently..."
My reading of the rules (and Matt can correct me) is this: The only discussion of the next episode is the "next time on" at the end of the session. Each scene is not discussed, but rather the player whose turn it is names the participants and agenda, and the Producer frames it thusly.
I find that using these rules results in much more satisfying play, because there is room to maneuver and manifest an individual vision without having to beat down your friends in consensus to do it.
This makes SF go "Aha - tricky"
PTA is great at getting you in that collaborative brainstorming mode -- it's all too easy to ride right over the areas that remain one individual's prerogative.
This makes BL go "Especially because..."
They are different areas than the standard RPG.
My basic goal, when producing, is to play PTA with as little direct collaboration as possible. Fanmail handles communication.
When not producing, I follow the lead of the producer.
