{Ed. note: Article posted with permission of author}
| From: | "marc" <[email protected]> | |
| Subject: | [stcircle] Maybe it's just me... | |
| Date sent: | Tue, 17 Jul 2001 15:59:17 +0100 |
Maybe it's just me...
I am an ST- I have St'ed many venues- but it is mostly Cam/Anarch I focus upon.
Maybe it's just me...
But I find that the best games are driven by the players. I believe that the ST's job is to allow them do things and show the ripples of what they do effect the world around them?
I watch and read every Vampire book and film and see the fundermental crux of ALL vampire stories is the impact of the Vampire upon the mortal world. As an ST this is my job then. To watch what the Vampire PC's impact upon the 'outside world' (the game universe outside the Elysium) and to run the effect of this back upon them.
Maybe it's just me, but I dislike plots involving Demons, Sabbat, Supernatural creatures of undisclosed powers etc. (although I have run all of these in my time). I dislike them because they they detract from the evil and the horror.
Maybe it's just me, but for me the 'game' is watching the players compete amoung themselves- jostling for status, station, Boons, power, revenge etc. I think THIS is what makes a good game. Things that encourage role-play. I dislike combat. I dislike combat because it is not role-play. Combat is a crucial part of the game, but maybe it's just me... maybe I see too many players want to use it as THE main aspect of conflict resolution. This for me is a throwback to the wargame/RPG's of the past- you know the type- the games you played which had over 20 pages on combat rules. Them- the wargames. Games which said- 'Combat is the only way to resolve your problems'. Maybe I was the only one who saw it this way.
Maybe for me, I believe in ideas of Greg Costikyan- one of the BEST games designers in the world. Maybe I believe in his ideas on 'Parsimony'.
Costikyan said-
"Suppose you're told 'clear the Town Hall of people'. If your only equipment is a pistol with two rounds of ammunition, you are going to have to walk into the Town Hall and persuade the folks there to leave. If you've got an automatic grandade launcher and a 50-shell clip of gas granades, all you have to do is set it up and squeeze the trigger.Which is the more interesting role-playing solution?
ANY problem can be easily solved with sufficient resources. Easy problems don't make for interesting adventures. You want TOUGH problems- ones that will challange your players. That is why you've got to be parsimonious. What we mean by that is; don't give out a lot of equipment. We have said that before, but it takes on a little differant meaning in the context of a campaign. Keep equipment scare. Your players shouldn't have a lot of equipment- neither should anyone else...
Trying to solve a problem with inadequate resources, with very few tools, is a real challange. So keep everything scarce- ammunition, fuel, weapons, even food and shelter. Parismony does more than make problems more of a challange. It can alsobe used as motivation; as long as the PC's have inadequate resources, you can always hold out the hope of food, ammunition or material as the objective of an opereation."
Maybe it's just me. Maybe I see the above words and while they were written about a completely differant game, I see the links to Vampire. I re-read the above and for the word equipment I insert Kindred terms- food becomes blood; ammunition because 'disciplines' etc. Or maybe I can see the Garou aspect; or the Wraith.
Maybe I see things like blood, willpower, derangements, morality paths and so forth as the source of endless plots. Maybe it is only me who sees the players character sheet as an execrcise in Synergy- of linking these aspects to one another and using them to be parsimonious upon my players. Of allowing them do whatever they want- kill other PC's, drain Elders, bully their way into Praxis; and then force the effect of this upon their character and insist they role-play it. And when they don't- I withhold XP until they do. Or if too strong, I withhold WP or someother penalty.
Maybe it's just me, but holding the ideas of Synergy, Parsimony, and Octroi, we can witness the creation of globe spanning plots and campaign links, in ALL campaigns, in ALL venues, without heavy ST involvement. With Synergy, Parsimony, and Octroi being used as the guiding principles the global plot is created; that the best global plots, best regional and best local plots- the one folks remember, use nothing more than Synergy, Parsimony, and Octroi. That people TALK about such games. That players WANT such games.
I believe that Octroi is the core essense of the World of Drakness- the idea that the players can do whatever the hell they like- but have to pay the price. That their character sheets contain the proof of this- that if Octroi was NOT a guiding principle in these games, then White Wolf would never have created Morality traits, the Beast, Frenzy, Wassail, Derangements, Willpower, Natures and Demeanours and above all Blood traits. There would be no Banality; there would be no Gauntlet; no Rage; no Hurano; no Paradox; there would be no Fetters and no Shadow. These things, these words, these ST tools are there to enfoce Octroi. Without Octroi, without the price, without cause and effect, we are NOT playing in the World of Darkness.
I believe that if applied right, Octroi can impose the harshest Parsimony upon any player. I do not care what MC they are; I do not care what they have on their sheets; if an ST becomes a harsh Octroi, the player is faced with the lessons of Parsimony and must react; they must think carefully; they must plan even more carefully; they must role-play harder. I give my players anything they want- the Parsimonious of the situation is enforced by other tools of Octroi- Harpies, Princes, the Traditions, the Litany; Oaths; rules which FORCE the players into acepting the Parsimony.
I believe that both aspects breed Synergy. That Synergy amoung players is to be encouraged. And that Synergy must be linked again to the role of Octroi- that harshness as an ST can drive ANY PC Vmpire in play for example, to the Beast within six months; but imagination and harshness can allow an ST do things to a character which would have them lamenting the day they ever tried for praxis... acting like Vampires.
Maybe it's just me- but the reason I wrote the Protocols was to promote Synergy, Parsimony, and Octroi. And when used right they fulfill that. Why debate that Mob rules are unfair and favour Elders- I have seen- and no word of a lie- I have SEEN MC 1 PC's defy and destroy coteries- COTERIES- of MC 6/7 PC's without using Mob Rules but using the Protocols. I have witnessed it and been amazed. I have genuinely seen this. I have seen plots which using the ideas of Synergy, Parsimony, and Octroi be talked about the world over.
I remember the words by White Wolf which inspired me writing the Protocols...
"If you give your players fleshed out, working models of political systems and let them manipulate those systems, they will worship you always. OK, maybe not worship, but they will greatly appreciate the effort you put into the game. You can give them the experience of learning to play the manipulators game: exulting when their plans work out, and paying the price when their plots fail... So the question is, how do you provide a consistent, workable framework for your players? It must be clear enough so your players can find a way in, but not so transparent that there are no surprises. It must be flexible enough to allow real manipulation, but not so flimsy that the players gain complete control over it and always get their own way. The secret is in agreements: small deals and large compacts. Dealmaking is the heart and soul of political systems and Vampire is no exception."
Which can be summerised in three words-
Synergy, Parsimony, and Octroi.
Sure, the protocols are NOT perfect, I never said they were. But they are an attempt to allow PC's take control and for us to enforce the cost.
Maybe I am old and have been ST'ing here for too long.
Maybe it's just me... but I wish to shout about the old fashioned, simplistic ideas more and more. That Occom's Razor holds true- 'All things being equal, the simple thing is best.' Maybe I believe in simple plots because I know players- they complicate; they confuse; they cause havoc. Maybe I like this. Maybe K.I.S.S. is more than just a pithy acaronym, but actually based on sound advice.
Maybe I am sounding like a cynically ST- all burned out and broken up.
Or maybe, as I always have, I am willing to put my money where my mouth is- to stand atop a table somewhere and no, not scream about the rules- because here is the truth- no one EVER played a game because the rules were great and vice versa. So screaming about rules for me is a unimportant issue. No, I am willing to scream and shout, encourage and cajole, lampoon and enthuse about the basics. About cause and effect. About the existance of blood and the beast. About the things designed in the game to curtail players and make them think.
I remember when I was talking to Wade Jones about the Protocols three years ago, I said to him 'How many complaints to ST's are about stuff done IC and folks asking ST's to 'stop it'?' I pitched the protocols as an idea which reduced complaints TO St's... to allow us go 'Hey, role-play it out'. For good or for bad that is what they are there for.
But that was then. I believe we need to go further. To share stories of best practice. To discuss ways of imposing Synergy, Parsimony, and Octroi upon ALL characters. Above all to WARN our players that this is what we are about- that we will be using Synergy, Parsimony, and Octroi upon them ALL. That as ST's we will enforce cause and effect, economy of resources, the price of what they do and our imaginations upon them.
Maybe it's just me, but I believe the time is right for this. I have talked to many ST's of late. I have been amazed that they feel stronger about them. That they want this. They dispair at poor plots (no judgemenjt here- several have lamented their most recent plots were poor); they grow fustrated at their players taking everything for granted. They are a growing undercurrent, more powerful than any 'reform the rules' faction within the society. A undercurrent of ST's who wish to enforce such things that would encourage GOOD role-play. They work within existing rules, but allow want to allow us use our imagination to force our players to be part of the deeper themes of the games.
Maybe this was why my words on the Justicars and how they impact upon the game had such a good response. I was shocked by how widely spread those words went- how many ST's picked up on them; how many players responded to them; hell folks- I had emails from ST's outside the Camarilla thnaking me for those words- which is a first for me. But there was an acceptance and a happiness towards such things.
Maybe, just maybe, JUST maybe... what the players and the ST's are looking for is not clearer and more 'precise' rules. Maybe that is just a small iceburg tip. Maybe the problem is about the fundermental change we have faced in the last few years- that what WE run is unique. That what WE are part of is NOT covered in ANY WW gamebook. And maybe, just maybe in trying to find the solutions we have forgotten to focused on the simple and the small. To be focused on cause and effect.
Maybe this is why I think THIS list is about a trillion times more important than any rules-list. Maybe it is ALL about the campaign. Because that is what brought ALL our players here- not the rules, the CAMPAIGN! The world of darkness. Maybe I dispair of watching rules debates. Maybe I believe that when we as ST's write up local themes of our game, and try to fit into larger themes of our domain, or regional or national or global plots, these words are overlooked. But they are much more important. THEME is all. Campaign is all. This is why AD&D sales fell. AD&D was a game which focused upon rules. When faced with games which focused upon CAMPAIGNS sales fell. they had to reinvent AD&D to focus upon campaign.
But then again...
maybe it's just me.
:)
Parsimony- n. sparingness; praiseworthy economy in the use of means to an end: avoidence of excess: frugality: niggardliness. adj. Parsimonious- adherance to the law of parismony- the principle of Occam's razor.
Synergy- n. combined or co-ordinated action
Octroi- n. formally and still in some European countries, a privilage: a toll or tax levied at the gates of a city: payment for an event: a person who enforces such payment: a place where such payments are enforced.
marc torley
UK179
timelines project lead
founder of the 'bastard league'
"I am a bastard too; I love bastards.
I am bastard begot, bastard instructed,
bastard in mind, bastard in valor,
in everything illegitimate..."
-William Shakespeare
Troilus and Cressida.