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26 *198794* Posts in *18708* Topics by *5988* Members Latest Member: * - |
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27 kuljek |
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28 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=6115>* Most |
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30 03:03:12 PM) |
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33 |-+ *Inactive Forums <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php#5>* |
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34 | |-+ *Scattershot <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?board=22.0>* |
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35 | | |-+ *Part II: Whence go the Mechanics |
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36 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=1087.0>* « previous |
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37 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=1087.0;prev_next=prev> |
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38 next » |
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39 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=1087;prev_next=next> |
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40 |
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41 *Pages:* [*1*] Print |
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42 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?action=printpage;topic=1087.0> |
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43 |
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44 Author Topic: Part II: Whence go the Mechanics (Read 868 times) |
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45 |
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46 *Le Joueur <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=73>* |
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47 Member |
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48 |
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49 Posts: 1363 |
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50 |
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51 |
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52 View Profile |
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53 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=73> WWW |
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54 <http://www.scattershotgames.com> |
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55 |
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56 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=1087.msg10162#msg10162> |
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57 *Part II: Whence go the Mechanics |
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58 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=1087.msg10162#msg10162>* |
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59 « * on:* December 27, 2001, 10:45:00 PM » |
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60 |
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61 |
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62 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
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63 January 2nd, 2002; Happy New Year! - |
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64 |
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65 At the behest of my friends here on the Forge, I will present |
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66 Scattershot at the point I have it. Even though this is a |
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67 work-in-progress and much of the terminology is in a state of flux, I am |
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68 not trying to present a diary of the progress. Expect the lead |
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69 component of this thread to undergo changes as Scattershot does. This |
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70 edition was originally put together on Thursday, December 27th, 2001. |
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71 This series of articles will detail strictly the mechanics of |
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72 Scattershot, articles relating to the techniques of 'how to play' will |
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73 have to wait until I have more of them centralized and organized. The |
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74 third major component of the game, the setting and genre material is |
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75 will be addressed once I get a new batch of playtesters. |
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76 |
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77 One deliberate feature of Scattershot has to do with how we handle the |
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78 complexity of the mechanics. Instead of a long catalog of 'optional' |
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79 rules, we divided the mechanics into three stages of complexity. |
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80 |
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81 Basic |
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82 |
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83 These are for beginners, or for 'on the road' (live-action or |
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84 driving). This portion will be included with all our 'satellite' |
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85 products. It's meant to be simple, basic, and |
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86 easy.[/list:u]Intermediate (Tournament) |
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87 |
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88 These mechanics (which incorporate the basics too) are meant |
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89 for experienced gamers. Most often played 'at the table,' |
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90 these mechanics are the expected level of play.[/list:u]Advanced |
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91 |
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92 This is the set of mechanics for completists and are |
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93 meant to be played 'in the books.' They allow for the |
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94 most specific derivation of the subtle differences |
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95 between abilities. This is the esotery not for the |
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96 minimalists.[/list:u]Certainly people could play 'at |
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97 only one stage,' but the playtesters not only liked |
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98 to, but tended to, shift back and forth between these |
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99 stages as needed by the game they were in. Because we |
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100 realized this early on, it was important to make the |
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101 comparisons between the mechanics' stages as |
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102 transparently compatible as possible. This means the |
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103 advanced mechanics are what we wrote first, keeping in |
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104 mind that there would be two succeedingly simpler |
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105 derivations necessary. |
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106 |
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107 We have also broken the facile use of mechanics into |
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108 three different 'densities.' These are relative and |
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109 normal play shifts between these rather easily. One |
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110 of the most common problems we have seen in playtest |
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111 with beginners (and from our experiences) is the |
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112 awkward switching between these 'densities.' |
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113 Confusion often arises when there is no communication |
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114 of a 'switch' or when a 'switch' occurs at some point |
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115 other than an intuitive Breakpoint. |
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116 |
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117 General Play |
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118 |
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119 Most things are either resolved as dialogue and |
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120 description or simply taken as having happened |
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121 exactly as the speaker says. All things |
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122 mechanical are used more as guidelines and |
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123 almost always only when 'out of the |
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124 ordinary.'[/list:u]Specific Play |
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125 |
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126 Mechanics are invoked on a sporadic basis, |
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127 most often to generate detail; how long |
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128 did it take, how well did it go, what was |
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129 the specific result. Occasionally the |
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130 mechanics are invoked to preempt any |
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131 question regarding impartiality, but this |
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132 tends to be rare within groups who already |
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133 know each other quite |
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134 well.[/list:u]Mechanical Play |
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135 |
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136 This occurs most often when emotions |
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137 run high or when there is 'a lot on |
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138 the line.' Impartiality is the most |
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139 important feature so this is when |
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140 'everybody plays by the rules,' or |
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141 so it is understood. The most |
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142 common time when this occurs |
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143 historically is during combat. This |
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144 does not need to be exclusive, but |
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145 when you consider dying in those |
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146 games eliminates you from play, |
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147 there is clearly 'a lot on the |
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148 line.' Also combat is when the |
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149 entities that players have the most |
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150 emotional investment in, are at |
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151 risk; they would hardly stand for |
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152 subjective or casual destruction of |
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153 their investment.[/list:u]Since the |
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154 idea behind Scattershot's mechanics |
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155 is that they are a formalization of |
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156 intuitive play |
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157 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?topic=1073&forum=2&2>, |
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158 I should explain how we look at the |
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159 actual 'flow of play' formally. One |
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160 thing to remember, while this is a |
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161 formal breakdown, nobody is perfect |
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162 (neither yours truly, nor people |
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163 playing the games) and so this is |
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164 not a lot more than an |
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165 approximation. Still, from here all |
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166 Scattershot springs. |
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167 |
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168 Respect the Speaker |
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169 |
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170 As I said in the earlier |
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171 installment |
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172 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?topic=1073&forum=2&2>, |
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173 play bounces from person to |
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174 person in no particular order. |
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175 I think this way of looking |
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176 at play means play is only |
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177 occurring with the person |
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178 speaking. Normally there is |
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179 only one Speaker at any time, |
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180 but there are a couple of |
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181 exceptions I can think of; |
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182 dialogue and question & answer |
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183 (an interview style of setting |
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184 description is an example of |
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185 this). When this aspect of |
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186 gaming breaks down, it's |
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187 cacophony; the unconscious |
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188 formalization in natural |
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189 response to this is one of the |
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190 central formations of |
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191 gaming.[/list:u]The Scenic View |
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192 |
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193 For simplicity's sake, |
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194 we break all play down |
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195 into either Scenes, |
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196 'Behind the Scenes' |
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197 (which would be Scenes |
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198 run 'during' the main |
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199 Scene), and between |
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200 sessions (which actually |
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201 tend to be the |
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202 bookkeeping done at the |
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203 beginning and ending of |
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204 sessions, and the |
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205 preparatory |
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206 'stretching'). I |
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207 realize this carries a |
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208 great deal of literary |
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209 and theatrical baggage |
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210 with it, but I am open |
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211 to a better term. |
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212 |
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213 At the beginning of |
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214 every Scene, someone |
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215 must 'Set the Stage,' |
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216 that is making some kind |
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217 of introductory speech |
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218 (we often suggest a |
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219 soliloquy) that |
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220 describes basically |
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221 where, when, and who |
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222 will be involved in a |
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223 scene. While many game |
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224 systems suggest this is |
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225 the practice of the |
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226 gamemaster, we prefer to |
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227 call the person who does |
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228 this the /Proprietor/ so |
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229 that at times, a player |
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230 can do it as well. This |
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231 is because there are |
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232 many occasions that the |
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233 person most familiar |
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234 with the setting and |
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235 circumstance may be |
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236 someone /other/ than the |
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237 gamemaster (for example, |
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238 inside the |
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239 super/heroes'/ |
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240 base).[/list:u]When Can |
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241 I Catch a Break? |
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242 |
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243 The most |
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244 fundamentally |
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245 mistaken component |
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246 of gaming in our |
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247 experience |
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248 (outside of |
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249 /pacing/) are the |
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250 Breakpoints. |
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251 Changing tone, |
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252 Switching |
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253 'Densities' (or in |
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254 Scattershot, |
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255 changing the Stage |
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256 of the rules), or |
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257 any other shifts |
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258 that occur when |
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259 there aren?t any |
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260 kinds of natural |
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261 (and unfortunately |
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262 mostly |
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263 unconscious) |
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264 Breakpoints, |
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265 always seems to |
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266 throw a wrench |
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267 into the 'flow of |
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268 play.' |
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269 Scattershot goes |
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270 to some degree |
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271 talking about the |
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272 types and uses of |
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273 Breakpoints |
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274 (though I am not |
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275 going to go into |
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276 too much detail |
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277 here, because this |
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278 article is to set |
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279 up for the mechanics). |
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280 |
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281 The beginnings and |
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282 endings of scenes |
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283 are principal |
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284 Breakpoints (but |
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285 that doesn't mean |
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286 to disclude the |
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287 huge number of |
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288 other intuitive |
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289 Breakpoints). One |
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290 way that a group |
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291 can easily |
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292 mishandle a scene |
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293 is by choosing its |
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294 parameters badly. |
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295 Start too soon |
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296 before the 'meat' |
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297 of the scene and |
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298 you risk losing |
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299 the participants' |
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300 interest before |
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301 the 'entree.' End |
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302 too long after the |
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303 'action' and you |
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304 watch a scene's |
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305 impact slowly |
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306 bleed to death. |
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307 Scattershot's |
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308 techniques speak |
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309 plainly about |
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310 starting a scene |
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311 so close to the |
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312 'meat' that the |
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313 start sheds blood. |
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314 These techniques |
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315 also talk about |
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316 tying off the |
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317 endings with |
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318 tourniquet |
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319 intensity when |
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320 they have served |
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321 their purpose. |
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322 (It goes hand in |
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323 hand with most of |
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324 our advice about |
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325 pacing and |
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326 choosing the |
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327 appropriate stage |
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328 of mechanics to |
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329 carry the game |
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330 forward at the |
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331 most satisfying |
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332 rate.)[/list:u]What |
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333 was the Point, Again? |
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334 |
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335 This may not |
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336 need |
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337 suggesting, |
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338 but I think |
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339 it needs to |
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340 be said; |
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341 every scene |
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342 has a goal. |
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343 It might be |
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344 to show a |
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345 nifty thing |
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346 about your |
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347 character; |
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348 it might be |
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349 the |
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350 discovery of |
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351 some bit of |
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352 information. |
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353 Raising or |
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354 resolving |
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355 tension is |
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356 another |
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357 goal; so is |
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358 providing |
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359 color, |
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360 atmosphere, |
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361 warming up |
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362 and cooling |
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363 down¹ (two |
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364 of the most |
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365 overlooked |
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366 and |
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367 important |
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368 parts of a |
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369 session), or |
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370 even |
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371 'filler.' |
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372 The most |
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373 important |
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374 thing about |
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375 goals, as |
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376 stated |
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377 above, is |
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378 once you |
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379 have |
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380 fulfilled |
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381 the goal |
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382 (most often |
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383 supplied by |
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384 the |
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385 proprietor |
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386 of a scene), |
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387 get out! If |
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388 it becomes |
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389 clear that |
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390 the goal has |
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391 become |
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392 unattainable, |
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393 do the same. |
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394 Letting a |
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395 scene |
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396 meander |
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397 about in |
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398 search of a |
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399 goal (while |
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400 in some rare |
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401 cases, it |
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402 can bear |
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403 fruit) is a |
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404 recipe for |
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405 wrecked |
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406 context and |
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407 loss of |
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408 'flow.'[/list:u]What's |
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409 My Cut? |
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410 |
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411 I need |
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412 to |
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413 take a |
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414 moment |
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415 and |
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416 return |
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417 to the |
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418 issue |
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419 of |
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420 sharing |
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421 play |
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422 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?topic=1073&forum=2&2>. |
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423 There |
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424 are a |
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425 couple |
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426 of |
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427 prime |
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428 issues |
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429 that |
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430 need |
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431 to be |
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432 addressed, |
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433 if I |
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434 am |
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435 formalizing |
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436 things. |
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437 The |
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438 first |
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439 (and |
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440 possibly |
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441 foremost) |
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442 is |
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443 commitment; |
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444 commitment |
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445 to |
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446 atmosphere, |
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447 commitment |
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448 to |
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449 plot-arch |
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450 (as in |
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451 how a |
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452 noir |
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453 story |
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454 just |
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455 'goes,' |
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456 not as |
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457 in |
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458 preplanned |
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459 conclusions), |
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460 commitment |
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461 to |
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462 ambience, |
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463 and so |
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464 on, |
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465 it's |
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466 all |
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467 about |
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468 'being |
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469 on the |
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470 same |
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471 page.' |
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472 If |
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473 these |
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474 things |
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475 are |
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476 not a |
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477 shared |
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478 commitment, |
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479 it is |
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480 only a |
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481 matter |
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482 of |
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483 time |
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484 before |
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485 things |
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486 break |
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487 down. |
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488 People |
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489 almost |
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490 always |
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491 think |
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492 about |
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493 'what |
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494 they |
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495 get' |
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496 out of |
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497 sharing |
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498 without |
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499 realizing |
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500 the |
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501 importance |
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502 of |
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503 'what |
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504 they |
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505 give.' |
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506 |
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507 Another |
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508 point |
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509 of |
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510 sharing |
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511 we |
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512 suggest |
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513 in |
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514 Scattershot |
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515 is |
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516 keeping |
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517 everyone |
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518 involved; |
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519 whether |
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520 by |
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521 creating |
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522 riveting |
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523 play |
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524 for |
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525 those |
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526 whose |
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527 characters |
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528 aren't |
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529 present, |
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530 or |
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531 having |
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532 those |
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533 'uninvolved' |
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534 get |
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535 drafted |
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536 into |
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537 short-term, |
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538 supporting, |
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539 non-player |
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540 character |
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541 roles, |
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542 sharing |
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543 the |
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544 game |
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545 means |
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546 sharing |
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547 in as |
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548 much |
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549 as |
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550 possible. |
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551 A |
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552 little |
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553 conspiracy |
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554 now |
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555 and |
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556 then |
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557 is |
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558 good, |
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559 so is |
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560 a |
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561 little |
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562 mystery, |
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563 but |
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564 when |
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565 the |
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566 commitment |
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567 is |
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568 shared |
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569 as |
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570 above, |
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571 you |
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572 should |
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573 expect |
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574 participants |
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575 to |
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576 only |
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577 use |
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578 'player |
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579 knowledge' |
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580 as a |
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581 role-playing |
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582 game |
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583 /aid/. |
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584 If |
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585 you |
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586 suspect |
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587 cheating, |
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588 you |
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589 are |
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590 not |
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591 sharing; |
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592 you |
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593 are |
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594 'hording.' |
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595 (Mystery |
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596 good; |
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597 secrecy |
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598 bad.)[/list:u]One |
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599 of the |
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600 reasons |
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601 I put |
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602 all |
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603 these |
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604 clusters |
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605 together |
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606 is |
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607 because |
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608 they |
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609 will |
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610 be |
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611 referred |
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612 to |
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613 frequently |
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614 at |
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615 many |
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616 subsequent |
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617 levels. |
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618 Unlike |
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619 many |
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620 games |
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621 I have |
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622 read |
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623 or |
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624 played, |
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625 I |
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626 think |
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627 it is |
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628 important |
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629 to |
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630 cover |
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631 the |
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632 implications |
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633 of |
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634 using |
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635 basic |
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636 mechanics |
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637 during |
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638 mechanical |
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639 play |
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640 of a |
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641 event |
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642 not |
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643 including |
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644 combat. |
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645 (This |
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646 means |
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647 discussing |
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648 each |
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649 new |
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650 layer |
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651 of |
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652 Scattershot's |
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653 mechanics |
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654 in |
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655 terms |
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656 of how |
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657 each |
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658 of |
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659 these |
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660 clusters |
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661 apply.) |
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662 I |
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663 think |
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664 it is |
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665 important |
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666 to |
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667 consider |
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668 where |
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669 and |
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670 when |
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671 you |
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672 expect |
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673 to use |
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674 a |
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675 game's |
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676 mechanics |
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677 in |
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678 order |
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679 to |
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680 write |
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681 the |
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682 mechanics |
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683 that |
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684 are |
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685 necessary |
|
686 to |
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687 support |
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688 those |
|
689 situations |
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690 and I |
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691 think |
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692 so is |
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693 the |
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694 shared |
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695 commitment |
|
696 to |
|
697 using |
|
698 them |
|
699 that way. |
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700 |
|
701 Next |
|
702 up the |
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703 nuts |
|
704 and bolts. |
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705 |
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706 Fang |
|
707 Langford |
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708 |
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709 ¹ What |
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710 we |
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711 frequently, |
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712 incorrectly |
|
713 call |
|
714 denouement. |
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715 |
|
716 Logged |
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717 |
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718 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
|
719 Fang Langford is formerly the creator of the Scattershot Role-Playing |
|
720 Game System. This project has been permanently suspended. If you have |
|
721 any questions regarding the implementation of it or anything else, he |
|
722 can be reached at ripjack@mad.scientist.com |
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723 <mailto:ripjack@mad.scientist.com> |
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724 |
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725 *Le Joueur <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=73>* |
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726 Member |
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727 |
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728 Posts: 1363 |
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729 |
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730 |
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731 View Profile |
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732 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=73> WWW |
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733 <http://www.scattershotgames.com> |
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734 |
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735 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=1087.msg10518#msg10518> |
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736 *Part II: Whence go the Mechanics |
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737 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=1087.msg10518#msg10518>* |
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738 « *Reply #1 on:* December 31, 2001, 10:33:00 PM » |
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739 |
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740 |
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741 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
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742 Sorry about this, but I just found one of the missing pages of my notes. |
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743 The whole section on formalization of 'flow of play' comes from there |
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744 and is new. |
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745 |
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746 Hope you like it. |
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747 |
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748 Fang Langford |
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749 Logged |
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750 |
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751 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
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752 Fang Langford is formerly the creator of the Scattershot Role-Playing |
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753 Game System. This project has been permanently suspended. If you have |
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754 any questions regarding the implementation of it or anything else, he |
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755 can be reached at ripjack@mad.scientist.com |
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756 <mailto:ripjack@mad.scientist.com> |
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757 |
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758 *joshua neff |
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759 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=28>* |
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760 Member |
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761 |
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762 Posts: 844 |
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763 |
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764 |
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765 View Profile |
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766 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=28> WWW |
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767 <http://www.goblin-cartoons.com> |
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768 |
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769 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=1087.msg10555#msg10555> |
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770 *Part II: Whence go the Mechanics |
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771 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=1087.msg10555#msg10555>* |
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772 « *Reply #2 on:* January 02, 2002, 07:33:00 AM » |
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773 |
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774 |
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775 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
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776 Fang-- |
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777 |
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778 That's some good stuff there, especially the stuff about taking breaks & |
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779 respecting the speaker. That's stuff that /should/ be mentioned in RPGs |
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780 & isn't. As Ron said, "solid". |
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781 Logged |
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782 |
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783 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
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784 --josh |
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785 |
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786 "You can't ignore a rain of toads!"--Mike Holmes |
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787 |
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788 *Le Joueur <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=73>* |
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789 Member |
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790 |
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791 Posts: 1363 |
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792 |
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793 |
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794 View Profile |
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795 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=73> WWW |
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796 <http://www.scattershotgames.com> |
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797 |
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798 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=1087.msg10565#msg10565> |
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799 *Part II: Whence go the Mechanics |
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800 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=1087.msg10565#msg10565>* |
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801 « *Reply #3 on:* January 02, 2002, 09:46:00 AM » |
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802 |
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803 |
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804 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
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805 Quote |
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806 joshua neff wrote: |
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807 |
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808 That's some good stuff there, especially the stuff about taking breaks & |
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809 respecting the speaker. That's stuff that /should/ be mentioned in RPGs |
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810 & isn't. As Ron said, "solid". |
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811 |
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812 Thank you, that?s kinda what I have been thinking for some time. I feel |
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813 it?s especially important for people who are new to the hobby. |
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814 |
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815 I am curious what you mean about "taking breaks." I can see that the |
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816 section title choice might be a little too confusing and I will change |
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817 it soon. Can you tell me if you thought I was advising actually |
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818 stopping play at any of these points? Perhaps using the term, |
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819 ?breakpoint? is itself confusing. Can you suggest any alternatives if |
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820 you agree? |
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821 |
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822 Fang Langford |
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823 Logged |
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824 |
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825 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
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826 Fang Langford is formerly the creator of the Scattershot Role-Playing |
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827 Game System. This project has been permanently suspended. If you have |
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828 any questions regarding the implementation of it or anything else, he |
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829 can be reached at ripjack@mad.scientist.com |
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830 <mailto:ripjack@mad.scientist.com> |
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831 |
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832 *joshua neff |
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833 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=28>* |
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834 Member |
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835 |
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836 Posts: 844 |
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837 |
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838 |
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839 View Profile |
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840 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=28> WWW |
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841 <http://www.goblin-cartoons.com> |
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842 |
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843 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=1087.msg10566#msg10566> |
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844 *Part II: Whence go the Mechanics |
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845 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=1087.msg10566#msg10566>* |
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846 « *Reply #4 on:* January 02, 2002, 09:53:00 AM » |
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847 |
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848 |
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849 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
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850 You know, I did think that. But I don't know why, because that's not |
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851 really what I meant. I mean, what I liked was the whole idea of |
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852 "breakpoints" as you described them. But somehow between reading it, |
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853 thinking about it, & then writing my post, it got mutated in my brain as |
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854 "taking breaks". Maybe a different name /is/ needed. (Or more ginko for |
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855 my brain.) |
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856 |
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857 That being said, I /do/ think that one of the most neglected things in |
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858 RPG rulebooks is how to run a single session--particularly the structure |
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859 of the session, including when & why to take breaks from the game. |
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860 /Sorcerer & Sword/ has some good stuff about structuring both the |
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861 narrative as a whole series of sessions & the individual sessions |
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862 themselves, which has really helped me focus on what I'm trying to do |
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863 with my next game (which is, oddly enough, /Sorcerer/, sans swords). But |
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864 I'm also thinking about the thread in Actual Play in which we all talked |
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865 about when to take breaks from the game, & how to work that into the |
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866 structure of the session. I think that's good stuff for people just |
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867 getting into RPGs to think about. |
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868 Logged |
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869 |
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870 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
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871 --josh |
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872 |
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873 "You can't ignore a rain of toads!"--Mike Holmes |
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874 |
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875 *Pages:* [*1*] Print |
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876 <http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?action=printpage;topic=1087.0> |
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877 |
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