Mot-clé - RPG theory

Fil des billets - Fil des commentaires

lundi 9 avril 2018

Strategic gamemastering, part 5 : Converting THACOSG links into scenes

Having performed the prescribed steps of the strategic gamemastering methodology, the strategist GM now has obtained the requisite THACOSG.

Accordingly, this THACOSG provides the GM with :

  • an overview of all objects (Themes, Locations, NPCs & Items) which are common to your players' respective creative agendas ;
  • a list of all the links that the GM has created in order to increase the number and interdependencies of objects across the player-characters.

A question remains : how to switch from a strategic level of gamemastering to a tactical level ? Which concepts should be converted into scenes ? How to create these scenes ?

This post aims at answering these questions.

Lire la suite...

lundi 25 juillet 2016

[Tactique de maîtrise] Les descriptions synesthétiques

La mise en œuvre de descriptions captivantes est l'un des piliers d'une narration réussie. Ce billet explore la manière dont le recours à la synesthésie peut constituer un outil utile pour raccourcir les descriptions tout en les faisant s'adresser aux émotions et au ressenti plus qu'à la seule raison.

Lire la suite...

mercredi 2 septembre 2015

Strategic Gamemastering, part 3: Flags, THACO, and plot hook writing practices

Readers have brought my attention to several articles on flag framing. Basically, "flags"are all data objects on the character sheet.

If you haven't done so yet, I urge you to go read these insightful articles by experienced gamemasters.

This article aims at clarifying the relationship between flags and systematic strategic exploitation through the THACOSG, and the manner in wich the strategic gamemastering method can be used to design plot hooks for preexisting scenarios.

Lire la suite...

lundi 31 août 2015

Strategic Gamemastering, part 2: Data organization and exploitation through the THACOSG

This is the second installment of our series of articles on optimizing gamemaster effort through systematic gamemastering strategies. In the first article of this series, we have seen together how a clever gamemaster could infer player expectations for a given game by thoroughly mining all available data sources.

This post is focused on the practical organization and exploitation of all data gathered following a practical methodology, which I have named the "THACOSG" (Table of Holistic Analysis of Concepts and Objects for Strategic Gamemastering).

Lire la suite...

mardi 25 août 2015

[Geekopolis 2015] Vidéo de l'Atelier / Masterclass "Tuez vos PJ !"

Les festivaliers de Geekopolis 2015 ont mis en ligne la vidéo de l'atelier / masterclass "Tuez vos PJ", auquel Dreyf (d'Opale), Krom (de Projet-R) & moi-même (GROG) avons participé en mai dernier.

La vidéo se trouve ici.

Les slides que j'avais préparés (hélas sans pouvoir les présenter) pour cet atelier sont disponibles .

samedi 30 mai 2015

[Geekopolis 2015] Slides de l'Atelier / Masterclass "Tuez vos PJ !"

Le 23 mai 2015 s'est déroulé l'Atelier / Masterclass "Tuez vos PJ" présenté conjointement par les associations Opale, Projets R et le GRoG (j'intervenais pour cette dernière association). Cet atelier s'est déroulé de manière uniquement orale, sans support de présentation particulier - mais j'avais de mon côté commencé de préparer un tel support.
Suite à l'atelier, j'ai mis à jour ce support des points que j'ai présentés en tant que GRoGuiste, enrichissant les diapositives que vous trouverez ici même en annexe.
Ce support est évidemment incomplet en ce qu'ils ne reprend que la partie sur laquelle je suis intervenu, sans les propos tenus et explications claires et détaillées fournies à cette occasion par Dreyf & Krom des associations respectives Opale & Projets R, que je salue cordialement.

mercredi 25 juin 2014

Strategic Gamemastering, Part 1: RPG theory, Premises and Data gathering

GNS and Big Model theories have limits. They describe the players, the relationships between player stances, and the social contract between the players. They help expose the incoherences and/or game design flaws of role-playing games. They help understand the psychological mechanics & dynamics of a RPG gaming table. They help understand that differing expectations will end up with incoherence, zilch play, or even agenda clash. In that, they are useful awareness-raising tools for the GM and the players alike.

However, they also show their limits in that they are theoretical tools, from which GM & player best practices have to be deducted, and depend on the effort of the GM, on his understanding, and on the willingness and/or ability of each player to understand her own creative agenda, her own needs and expectations, know her own stance and the nature of the game, and fulfill her part of the gaming table "social contract".

But what of the time-deprived gamemaster? What of the player who is unwilling or unable to clearly state or even understand his own expectations?

Moreover, what of the case of an impromptu gaming table, or a gaming convention demo? How can a GM apply his understanding of the Big Model or the GNS model to the gaming session at hand without engaging in interviews on the preferred creative agendas and expectations of the players?

I believe that these limits can be broken through by any GM, by adopting a common, game-independant, player-independant, creative-agenda-independant methodical gamemastering approach.

Lire la suite...