Personally, I wish more non-staff people were getting down and dirty with helping us put plots together. They're always initiated by a staffer or a wizard, and I see that as a problem.
I've never had a problem letting players influence things on a plot level, but I see a difference between global plot, and story arc.
Heroes has had a yearly story arc. Year One was the Coup of Cubiyari'Shain and the re-appearance of Jaramide on the World Scene. Year Two was Cubiaryi'Shain's renunciation of the Dark. Year Three involved the fall of Cubiyari'Shain and the rise of Malkier, and now the fall of Jaramide and Manetheran. As we go into the next year, the next story arc is the cleansing of the taint.
Plots: The Bowl of Winds, for example, involved the whole grid. It was open ended, we had a plan for each eventuality. Big plots are best run with three possible endings. In this case: Light gets the bowl. Dark gets the bowl. Nobody gets the bowl. Then you can extrapolate consequences from that. The Amyrlin elections. Whatever. But having a story arc keeps the game focused and evolving, putting players in a dynamic world. Sometimes they appreciate that, sometimes they dont', but I've never heard complaints about the RP that generates. Its easier for wizards to plan and run story arcs than it is plots. I feel plots, open ended or otherwise, should mainly be in the hands of ALs and players, so that wizards can concentrate on moving those year-long story arcs along. They are not easy to move along, they take 8-10 individual TPs all on their own to move along, and an incrediable management of resources to get everyone involved.
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momijizukamori
no subject
Date: 2003-04-23 06:44 pm (UTC)I've never had a problem letting players influence things on a plot level, but I see a difference between global plot, and story arc.
Heroes has had a yearly story arc. Year One was the Coup of Cubiyari'Shain and the re-appearance of Jaramide on the World Scene. Year Two was Cubiaryi'Shain's renunciation of the Dark. Year Three involved the fall of Cubiyari'Shain and the rise of Malkier, and now the fall of Jaramide and Manetheran. As we go into the next year, the next story arc is the cleansing of the taint.
Plots: The Bowl of Winds, for example, involved the whole grid. It was open ended, we had a plan for each eventuality. Big plots are best run with three possible endings. In this case: Light gets the bowl. Dark gets the bowl. Nobody gets the bowl. Then you can extrapolate consequences from that. The Amyrlin elections. Whatever. But having a story arc keeps the game focused and evolving, putting players in a dynamic world. Sometimes they appreciate that, sometimes they dont', but I've never heard complaints about the RP that generates. Its easier for wizards to plan and run story arcs than it is plots. I feel plots, open ended or otherwise, should mainly be in the hands of ALs and players, so that wizards can concentrate on moving those year-long story arcs along. They are not easy to move along, they take 8-10 individual TPs all on their own to move along, and an incrediable management of resources to get everyone involved.