Style guide - Revision history

Matt: /* Be Careful when Tricking Players */

2018-06-22T12:30:50Z

Be Careful when Tricking Players

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:30, 22 June 2018
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	Tricking players is easy, much much easier than it ought to be. NPCs are often considered an extension of the organization, they are assumed to exist to propel the story forward. If a scout comes running in and says “We have seen 5,000 orcs marching on Semmerholm” the players know we can’t phys-rep 5,000 orcs so they won’t send a scout to check that the NPC is not lying, rather they simply assume that this character is facilitating the story and believe everything he says. Tricking players is '''easy'''.		Tricking players is easy, much much easier than it ought to be. NPCs are often considered an extension of the organization, they are assumed to exist to propel the story forward. If a scout comes running in and says “We have seen 5,000 orcs marching on Semmerholm” the players know we can’t phys-rep 5,000 orcs so they won’t send a scout to check that the NPC is not lying, rather they simply assume that this character is facilitating the story and believe everything he says. Tricking players is '''easy'''.

	It’s also often deeply unproductive. It would be trivially easy for the ~~Barbarian~~ orcs to dress a group of their number up as Imperial Orcs and have them spy on the camp. The consequence of doing that is that the players will lock the camps down, they will stop Imperial Orcs entering any important area, because they could be barbarians. Meetings become “eyes only” making it much harder for players, especially new players to get involved. The game becomes less fun for everyone to play, and that is a clear failure in plot terms.		It’s also often deeply unproductive. It would be trivially easy for the barbarian orcs to dress a group of their number up as Imperial Orcs and have them spy on the camp. The consequence of doing that is that the players will lock the camps down, they will stop Imperial Orcs entering any important area, because they could be barbarians. Meetings become “eyes only” making it much harder for players, especially new players to get involved. The game becomes less fun for everyone to play, and that is a clear failure in plot terms.

	For this reason we ask plot writers to avoid plot that involves spying on the players or that will result in undermining their trust in each other. We don’t want camps with gate guards, we don’t want closed senate meetings or military meetings. We want to encourage the players to treat everyone in the IC area as an important Imperial Citizen so that the players can get involved with the game.		For this reason we ask plot writers to avoid plot that involves spying on the players or that will result in undermining their trust in each other. We don’t want camps with gate guards, we don’t want closed senate meetings or military meetings. We want to encourage the players to treat everyone in the IC area as an important Imperial Citizen so that the players can get involved with the game.

Matt: /* Be Careful when Tricking Players */

2018-06-22T12:30:37Z

Be Careful when Tricking Players

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:30, 22 June 2018
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	{{CaptionedImage\|file=Lies.jpg\|align=right\|caption=Avoid tricking players\|width=650px}}		{{CaptionedImage\|file=Lies.jpg\|align=right\|caption=Avoid tricking players\|width=650px}}
	===Be Careful when Tricking Players===		===Be Careful when Tricking Players===
	Tricking players is easy, much much easier than it ought to be. NPCs are often considered an extension of the organization, they are assumed to exist to propel the story forward. If a scout comes running in and says “We have seen 5,000 orcs marching on Semmerholm” the players know we can’t phys-rep 5,000 orcs so they won’t send a scout to check that the NPC is not lying, rather they simply assume that this character is facilitating the story and believe everything he says. Tricking players is easy.		Tricking players is easy, much much easier than it ought to be. NPCs are often considered an extension of the organization, they are assumed to exist to propel the story forward. If a scout comes running in and says “We have seen 5,000 orcs marching on Semmerholm” the players know we can’t phys-rep 5,000 orcs so they won’t send a scout to check that the NPC is not lying, rather they simply assume that this character is facilitating the story and believe everything he says. Tricking players is '''easy'''.

	It’s also often deeply unproductive. It would be trivially easy for the Barbarian orcs to dress a group of their number up as Imperial Orcs and have them spy on the camp. The consequence of doing that is that the players will lock the camps down, they will stop Imperial Orcs entering any important area, because they could be barbarians. Meetings become “eyes only” making it much harder for players, especially new players to get involved. The game becomes less fun for everyone to play, and that is a clear failure in plot terms.		It’s also often deeply unproductive. It would be trivially easy for the Barbarian orcs to dress a group of their number up as Imperial Orcs and have them spy on the camp. The consequence of doing that is that the players will lock the camps down, they will stop Imperial Orcs entering any important area, because they could be barbarians. Meetings become “eyes only” making it much harder for players, especially new players to get involved. The game becomes less fun for everyone to play, and that is a clear failure in plot terms.

Matt: /* Failure Is Always an Option */

2017-03-10T18:53:52Z

Failure Is Always an Option

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:53, 10 March 2017
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	No plot is truly responsive if failure is not an option. The risk of failure must be ever present, otherwise there is no meaning to success. In theory, you can trick the players for a short time, letting them think there was a chance of failure - but players are ''smart'' and they will quickly learn to see through the deception no matter how good a story-teller you are. We will not run plots in Empire that present the chance for failure - but are not prepared to deal with that outcome.		No plot is truly responsive if failure is not an option. The risk of failure must be ever present, otherwise there is no meaning to success. In theory, you can trick the players for a short time, letting them think there was a chance of failure - but players are ''smart'' and they will quickly learn to see through the deception no matter how good a story-teller you are. We will not run plots in Empire that present the chance for failure - but are not prepared to deal with that outcome.

	Learning to handle failure is part of gaining experience as a good Empire plot writer. There is some interesting literature in table-top game design around [http://www.runagame.net/2015/12/fail-forward.html Fail Forward game design] that is well worth reading on the subject. We don't use rolls in live roleplaying games - but player action is our equivalent, particularly on skirmishes and battles. Ultimately it comes down to planning for the prospect of failure - and crucially being confident that what follows is as an interesting if the players fail as if they succeed.		Learning to handle failure is part of gaining experience as a good Empire plot writer. There is some interesting literature in table-top game design around [http://www.runagame.net/2015/12/fail-forward.html Fail Forward game design] that is well worth reading on the subject. We don't use rolls in live roleplaying games - but player action is our equivalent, particularly on skirmishes and battles. Ultimately it comes down to planning for the prospect of failure - and crucially being confident that what follows is as interesting if the players fail as if they succeed.

	===The Goal is Leverage===		===The Goal is Leverage===

Matt: /* Respect the Event Conventions */

2017-02-20T15:45:33Z

Respect the Event Conventions

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:45, 20 February 2017
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	===Respect the Event Conventions===		===Respect the Event Conventions===
	{{CaptionedImage\|file=Toast.~~gif~~\|align=right\|caption=Respect the conventions of the setting\|width=500px}}		{{CaptionedImage\|file=Toast.jpg\|align=right\|caption=Respect the conventions of the setting\|width=500px}}
	The events are set in Anvil, which four times a year is the beating heart of the Empire. The Empire is a “points of light” setting; there are wide swathes of wilderness inhabited by bandits, enemy orcs and monsters. Even within its own borders, the Empire’s writ runs thin in places.		The events are set in Anvil, which four times a year is the beating heart of the Empire. The Empire is a “points of light” setting; there are wide swathes of wilderness inhabited by bandits, enemy orcs and monsters. Even within its own borders, the Empire’s writ runs thin in places.

Matt: /* Respect the Event Conventions */

2017-02-20T15:43:16Z

Respect the Event Conventions

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:43, 20 February 2017
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	===Respect the Event Conventions===		===Respect the Event Conventions===
	{{CaptionedImage\|file=~~toast~~.gif\|align=right\|caption=Respect the conventions of the setting\|width=500px}}		{{CaptionedImage\|file=Toast.gif\|align=right\|caption=Respect the conventions of the setting\|width=500px}}
	The events are set in Anvil, which four times a year is the beating heart of the Empire. The Empire is a “points of light” setting; there are wide swathes of wilderness inhabited by bandits, enemy orcs and monsters. Even within its own borders, the Empire’s writ runs thin in places.		The events are set in Anvil, which four times a year is the beating heart of the Empire. The Empire is a “points of light” setting; there are wide swathes of wilderness inhabited by bandits, enemy orcs and monsters. Even within its own borders, the Empire’s writ runs thin in places.

Matt at 15:42, 20 February 2017

2017-02-20T15:42:51Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:42, 20 February 2017
Line 42:		Line 42:

	===Respect the Event Conventions===		===Respect the Event Conventions===
			{{CaptionedImage\|file=toast.gif\|align=right\|caption=Respect the conventions of the setting\|width=500px}}
	The events are set in Anvil, which four times a year is the beating heart of the Empire. The Empire is a “points of light” setting; there are wide swathes of wilderness inhabited by bandits, enemy orcs and monsters. Even within its own borders, the Empire’s writ runs thin in places.		The events are set in Anvil, which four times a year is the beating heart of the Empire. The Empire is a “points of light” setting; there are wide swathes of wilderness inhabited by bandits, enemy orcs and monsters. Even within its own borders, the Empire’s writ runs thin in places.

Matt: /* Failure Is Always an Option */

2017-02-01T14:55:03Z

Failure Is Always an Option

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:55, 1 February 2017
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	===Failure Is Always an Option===		===Failure Is Always an Option===
	{{CaptionedImage\|file=Quote-Arnold-Schwarzenegger-failure-is-not-an-option-everyone-has-1710.png\|align=right\|caption=Empire is not an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie\|width=500px}}		{{CaptionedImage\|file=Quote-Arnold-Schwarzenegger-failure-is-not-an-option-everyone-has-1710.png\|align=right\|caption=Empire is not an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie\|width=500px}}
	No plot is responsive if failure is not an option. The risk of failure must be ever present, otherwise there is no meaning to success. In theory, you can trick the players for a short time, letting them think there was a chance of failure - but players are ''smart'' and they will quickly learn to see through the deception no matter how good a story-teller you are. We will not run plots in Empire that present the chance for failure - but are not prepared to deal with that outcome.		No plot is truly responsive if failure is not an option. The risk of failure must be ever present, otherwise there is no meaning to success. In theory, you can trick the players for a short time, letting them think there was a chance of failure - but players are ''smart'' and they will quickly learn to see through the deception no matter how good a story-teller you are. We will not run plots in Empire that present the chance for failure - but are not prepared to deal with that outcome.

	Learning to handle failure is part of gaining experience as a good Empire plot writer. There is some interesting literature in table-top game design around [http://www.runagame.net/2015/12/fail-forward.html Fail Forward game design] that is well worth reading on the subject. We don't use rolls in live roleplaying games - but player action is our equivalent, particularly on skirmishes and battles. Ultimately it comes down to planning for the prospect of failure - and crucially being confident that what follows is as an interesting if the players fail as if they succeed.		Learning to handle failure is part of gaining experience as a good Empire plot writer. There is some interesting literature in table-top game design around [http://www.runagame.net/2015/12/fail-forward.html Fail Forward game design] that is well worth reading on the subject. We don't use rolls in live roleplaying games - but player action is our equivalent, particularly on skirmishes and battles. Ultimately it comes down to planning for the prospect of failure - and crucially being confident that what follows is as an interesting if the players fail as if they succeed.

Matt: /* Failure IS Always an Option */

2017-02-01T14:46:27Z

Failure IS Always an Option

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:46, 1 February 2017
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	The key principle here is that we want the things the players choose to do have to be at the heart of what happens in Empire - not the actions of the NPCs. The responsibility of the NPCs is to challenge the players and to make their lives unpredictable and interesting but we still want the most important decisions being made in the campaign to be the ones being made by the players. For that to happen, plot has to have its outcomes determined by the players.		The key principle here is that we want the things the players choose to do have to be at the heart of what happens in Empire - not the actions of the NPCs. The responsibility of the NPCs is to challenge the players and to make their lives unpredictable and interesting but we still want the most important decisions being made in the campaign to be the ones being made by the players. For that to happen, plot has to have its outcomes determined by the players.

	===Failure IS Always an Option===		===Failure Is Always an Option===
	{{CaptionedImage\|file=Quote-Arnold-Schwarzenegger-failure-is-not-an-option-everyone-has-1710.png\|align=right\|caption=Empire is not an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie\|width=500px}}		{{CaptionedImage\|file=Quote-Arnold-Schwarzenegger-failure-is-not-an-option-everyone-has-1710.png\|align=right\|caption=Empire is not an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie\|width=500px}}
	No plot is responsive if failure is not an option. The risk of failure must be ever present, otherwise there is no meaning to success. In theory, you can trick the players for a short time, letting them think there was a chance of failure - but players are ''smart'' and they will quickly learn to see through the deception no matter how good a story-teller you are. We will not run plots in Empire that present the chance for failure - but are not prepared to deal with that outcome.		No plot is responsive if failure is not an option. The risk of failure must be ever present, otherwise there is no meaning to success. In theory, you can trick the players for a short time, letting them think there was a chance of failure - but players are ''smart'' and they will quickly learn to see through the deception no matter how good a story-teller you are. We will not run plots in Empire that present the chance for failure - but are not prepared to deal with that outcome.

Matt at 14:46, 1 February 2017

2017-02-01T14:46:07Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:46, 1 February 2017
Line 18:		Line 18:

	The key principle here is that we want the things the players choose to do have to be at the heart of what happens in Empire - not the actions of the NPCs. The responsibility of the NPCs is to challenge the players and to make their lives unpredictable and interesting but we still want the most important decisions being made in the campaign to be the ones being made by the players. For that to happen, plot has to have its outcomes determined by the players.		The key principle here is that we want the things the players choose to do have to be at the heart of what happens in Empire - not the actions of the NPCs. The responsibility of the NPCs is to challenge the players and to make their lives unpredictable and interesting but we still want the most important decisions being made in the campaign to be the ones being made by the players. For that to happen, plot has to have its outcomes determined by the players.

			===Failure IS Always an Option===
			{{CaptionedImage\|file=Quote-Arnold-Schwarzenegger-failure-is-not-an-option-everyone-has-1710.png\|align=right\|caption=Empire is not an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie\|width=500px}}
			No plot is responsive if failure is not an option. The risk of failure must be ever present, otherwise there is no meaning to success. In theory, you can trick the players for a short time, letting them think there was a chance of failure - but players are ''smart'' and they will quickly learn to see through the deception no matter how good a story-teller you are. We will not run plots in Empire that present the chance for failure - but are not prepared to deal with that outcome.

			Learning to handle failure is part of gaining experience as a good Empire plot writer. There is some interesting literature in table-top game design around [http://www.runagame.net/2015/12/fail-forward.html Fail Forward game design] that is well worth reading on the subject. We don't use rolls in live roleplaying games - but player action is our equivalent, particularly on skirmishes and battles. Ultimately it comes down to planning for the prospect of failure - and crucially being confident that what follows is as an interesting if the players fail as if they succeed.

	===The Goal is Leverage===		===The Goal is Leverage===

Matt: Matt moved page Plot style guide to Style guide

2017-02-01T12:00:40Z

Matt moved page Plot style guide to Style guide

← Older revision	Revision as of 12:00, 1 February 2017
(No difference)