Dramatic Situations

[ThunderChilde]

Dramatic Situations
When its time to really dig in deep, when a player needs to lift a collapsed beam of off a team member, or leap for their life across a gap, that's a dramatic situation.

In my GM'ing style, sometimes its best just to leave it to a well described scene element from a player, and don't roll the dice. Occasionally, let the players have scripting and or editing scene powers, never tell them though, just ask them to tell you what they are gonna try to do and how. A certain scene from True Lies comes to mind. I suppose I do lean twowards the Space Opera end of Traveller. Being traveller I don't ask for that many skill rolls anyhow, not counting the trinity of spaceflight, the most often on the ground is recon.

In the past we have used Whimsy Cards, they were actually very appropriate to Villans and Vigilantes, but were also used elsewhere to by my group. A friend of mine has made up his own Fate Cards to fill the gap these days, the Whimsy Cards are long gone. We have used the fate cards for Streetfighter, Fuzion, Mekton, CyberPunk and a Fuzion based campaign that may someday see the light of day published. I might try using them for Traveller one of these days.

Anyone else want to share GM'ing tools, ideas, or approaches?

 

[Madarin Dude]

We had luck points at times in Traveller you spent them when you needed them to help get the result to go more your way. Similar to fate points in Spirit of the Century (although predating it by 10 years or more) But players did not have many it was a stat that when you blew a point that was it you did not get it back so a typical character had 7 points in luck and well if they spent one they had 6. So it was only used as a last resort.

 

[fiat_knox]

It's difficult, adjudicating a critical roll - particularly where the consequence of failure could be mission failure, or worse, a character death.

If the mission - critical roll does fail, you could still keep the characters alive, but either offer the players the option of having their characters suffer great physical injury or inconvenience, or lose something precious to them such as a prized primary weapon, Ancient Artifact or their social reputation.

Perhaps, in a situation such as attempting to leap across the gap between two adjacent rooftops a hundred feet above a debris-strewn alleyway, if the character fails the roll you could rule that while they do make it across, they break a leg or an arm, and are incapacitated; or they roll through something unpleasant that was lying on the destination rooftop which ruins the expensive clothing they were wearing; or that, whilst breaking one's fall, they land awkwardly on their favourite weapon, bending it or smashing it beyond repair.

Hopefully, they don't specialise in grenades or poison-coated blades as their favourite weapons.

 

[samuelvss]

Missed roof, screamed like a scalded monkey as you fell, hit a balcony breaking your leg, lost consciousness, and was enslaved by hivers.

The "death" is temporary separation from the party. Judgement may be the party's decision on whether to try to break you out from the hivers or not.

 

[Icosahedron]

A couple of solutions:
Firstly, Karma points - much like the luck points but earned by doing good deeds, so they can be regained slowly.

Secondly, Daredevil skill - works much like any other skill, but can only be gained through experience. The idea is that a deskbound bookworm is much less likely to succeed in that leap than a professional stuntman. The more risks you take, the more likely you are to succeed each time. All PCs start at Level-0.

 

[ThunderChilde]

Secondly, Daredevil skill - works much like any other skill, but can only be gained through experience. The idea is that a deskbound bookworm is much less likely to succeed in that leap than a professional stuntman. The more risks you take, the more likely you are to succeed each time. All PCs start at Level-0.

Nice, I might have to steal that idea. I am going to use the Fate Cards tonight, got hold of my friend and got permition, so it's a go. I'll report back.

 

[Gadrin]

Dramatic Situations
When its time to really dig in deep, when a player needs to lift a collapsed beam of off a team member, or leap for their life across a gap, that's a dramatic situation.

In my GM'ing style, sometimes its best just to leave it to a well described scene element from a player, and don't roll the dice. Occasionally, let the players have scripting and or editing scene powers, never tell them though, just ask them to tell you what they are gonna try to do and how. A certain scene from True Lies comes to mind. I suppose I do lean twowards the Space Opera end of Traveller. Being traveller I don't ask for that many skill rolls anyhow, not counting the trinity of spaceflight, the most often on the ground is recon.

In the past we have used Whimsy Cards, they were actually very appropriate to Villans and Vigilantes, but were also used elsewhere to by my group. A friend of mine has made up his own Fate Cards to fill the gap these days, the Whimsy Cards are long gone. We have used the fate cards for Streetfighter, Fuzion, Mekton, CyberPunk and a Fuzion based campaign that may someday see the light of day published. I might try using them for Traveller one of these days.

Anyone else want to share GM'ing tools, ideas, or approaches?

Yes, when the "player's juices are flowing" dice can often bring a suspenseful or exciting point to a screeching halt, especially after they just figured out a key piece of the puzzle or something else.

So I'd have no problem with letting the flow continue. The best part of GMing is when the PCs come up with stuff you didn't think of, or that is perfectly apropos to the scene (meaning they're really into it). It's a letdown to make them mechanically roll dice every 5 feet just to do something according to the rules.

>

 

[Leitz]

7th Sea (Roll and Keep version) uses what's called "Drama Dice". You start the adventure with one DD per number of your lowest stat, and they refresh each game. You can add a DD to any roll, and you can get extra DD during the game if you do something extra dramatic. Didn't the old Star Wars game have something like Force Points or similar? The regenerated if the DM felt you did a good job of Jedi'ing things.

In general I have players roll the dice when there's obviously a chance for failure and most of the time there's a mutual agreement of some possible outcomes. You're right in that a lousy dice roll can throw cold water on teh game so it's nice to have the player's mind already working on alternatives.

L

 

[Easterner9504]

Hivers

Missed roof, screamed like a scalded monkey as you fell, hit a balcony breaking your leg, lost consciousness, and was enslaved by hivers.

The "death" is temporary separation from the party. Judgement may be the party's decision on whether to try to break you out from the hivers or not.

Hivers like their slaves with broken legs!!!!!????????

 

[Easterner9504]

Dramatic Moments

In my games they are what they are. PC's and beloved NPC's live or die on their own reactions. Amazingly I can't recall any PC's 'buying the farm' in any of my games. This despite a "Designated Heavy" a roleplaying hater who played to kill the PC's handling all oppo combat back East in 80's-90's TRAV & FASA TREK games.

Then despite switching to GURPS in West, the dice have won out.

In latest game the Scouts fought 4 battles with Aslan resulting in 1 killed NPC (ex-PC who quit) by GM fiat. My character shot in arm, another shot in leg (1 hit point). 2nd action no casualties. A/R vs Ships Boat; boat won. 3rd round one PC got broken arm in HtH with Aslan, one NPC took two groin hits but armor bounced them. 4th round: I took leg hit damage 0 (Good armor), another PC took two groin hits but armor bounced them, NPC shot in face, penetrated, bad not lethal.

Led me ask PREFERENCE poll as my experience was heavy armor covers a world of hurt. 1st action above was light armor as no trouble anticipated.

 

[Mithras]

I always usean 'extended roll' type. "Your friend will be dead in 8 rounds!! Roll your Strength each round and try to get 3 rolls in a row!"

That kind of thing (useable in all kinds of situations, player versus NPC forexample, first one to roll 3 successes in a row for a chase or something) spreads out the tension, and capitolises on it.

 

[Supplement Four]

I think that whatever works...whatever keeps 'em coming back...whatever has them believin' that the game they struggle to come to is some of the best entertainment they've ever had...

...is what should be done.

Different people are different, entertained by different things. The GM's job is to figure what will most interest his players.

And, play that way.

 

[Darkhstarr]

I used a random system of 'Atrocity points' to keep a handle on players & create plot twists during my fantasy & SF games. There was considered of how irrational the act was, how calculated it was, how much beyond the norm for their racial type, how much it effected party members, and most importantly how open & blatant was the atrocity.

Rated from 1 to 10. One being kicking puppies to ten blowing up a building full of innocents to kill your enemy (even if he deserved it-the others didn't).

Once 48 atrocity points were racked up, things happened. Law organizations started to watch and/or harass you. Criminals either started to recruit you or join up. Legal job opportunities dried up. Vengeful friends or relatives popped up at the worst time. Or I could just drop Social Level.

 

[saundby]

I think that whatever works...whatever keeps 'em coming back...whatever has them believin' that the game they struggle to come to is some of the best entertainment they've ever had...

...is what should be done.

Different people are different, entertained by different things. The GM's job is to figure what will most interest his players.

And, play that way.

This is how I always try to do things.

I work pretty hard to come up with rational things that work better than (roll of dice) "You're dead."

The balcony bounce/hiver enslavement hit a nerve--I love to come up with situations where the players might -wish- that it'd just been a clean kill, instead they're faced with a new dilemma annd bunch of complications.

Then again, there are times where the characters earn their deaths, they deserve a real and complete end. I've played out heroic deaths, stupid ones, and even executions with my players to good effect.

It's like Damon Knight teaches about story endings. There's the obvious ending, the non-obvious ending, and the other ending. I try to come up with the other ending. An ending that fits, and that brings in something forgotten from elsewhere in the story, or something whose shape was there but has not yet made itself visible. Not a Deus ex Machina, but something that makes the players go, "Oh, wait...riiiight, we shoulda seen that coming!"

 

[fiat_knox]

I usually have a long term consequence.

The characters flub a few rolls, but somehow they squeeze through. However, as their vessel pulls away, watchful eyes observe them, and plan ...

All player characters tend to have some sort of advantage: it is that advantage, whether it's Psionics, TAS membership or possession of a skill nobody has, that keeps the Patrons coming back to them over and over.

And sometimes that advantage is a secret, such as the aforementioned Psionics, or perhaps an Ancient Artifact or something else, like cybernetics.

There's no feeling quite like a mystified Patron coming back to the characters at the end of their escapades and saying something like "By rights, you should be dead. Nobody can hold their breath underwater for ten minutes unaided. Nobody human, anyway." or "I don't know what you did, or how, but I'm glad you're on my side."

The consequence is sometimes that the villain gets the video footage of the characters, you know, changing costumes in the phone booth, so to speak. It might not have an impact immediately, but much later, when the same thing happens, the characters may find themselves facing off against an opponent who knows their secret.

Or worse yet, one who has the exact same advantage they have ...

 

[spinwardpirate]

It's like Damon Knight teaches about story endings. There's the obvious ending, the non-obvious ending, and the other ending. I try to come up with the other ending.

Wow, I really like that! That's the kind of thing that makes a memorable game. I've done just that, but never really thought of it in those terms. I'm filing that for future reference.