Comments on: Actual Play Recordings http://bearsgrove.com Adult Level Discussion of Roleplaying as a Storytelling Art Fri, 16 May 2008 18:58:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: The Bear's Grove Podcast » The Bear’s Grove Podcast http://bearsgrove.com/actual-play-recordings/#comment-30827 The Bear's Grove Podcast » The Bear’s Grove Podcast Thu, 27 Mar 2008 03:45:18 +0000 http://bearsgrove.com/actual-play-recordings/#comment-30827 [...] I recently recorded a talk Julia Bond Ellingboe did which included an Actual Play Demo of her game “Steal Away Jordan.” If you’d like to download it (it’s very long, but worth it!), the link is here. [...] […] I recently recorded a talk Julia Bond Ellingboe did which included an Actual Play Demo of her game “Steal Away Jordan.” If you’d like to download it (it’s very long, but worth it!), the link is here. […]

]]> By: Mel White http://bearsgrove.com/actual-play-recordings/#comment-3825 Mel White Fri, 28 Dec 2007 15:37:05 +0000 http://bearsgrove.com/actual-play-recordings/#comment-3825 Your introduction of the lion to match with the Great Hunter is a great example of how to tailor the story based on character aspects. As others have said, it's almost like making characters in SOTC is a game in itself. It's definitely more 'authentic' that way, which I'm sure will be memorable for the players. I was in a Spirit of the Century based game last night (the GM set it in space--Spirit of the Galaxy) where one of the players was a 16 year old who came from playing basically D&D or CRPGs--he loved it! The idea of player created Aspects and the relatively light rules were real winners for him. He probably wouldn't have understood the real distinction between more traditional RPGs and SOTC had we handed him a pre-generated character. Take care, Mel Your introduction of the lion to match with the Great Hunter is a great example of how to tailor the story based on character aspects.
As others have said, it’s almost like making characters in SOTC is a game in itself. It’s definitely more ‘authentic’ that way, which I’m sure will be memorable for the players. I was in a Spirit of the Century based game last night (the GM set it in space—Spirit of the Galaxy) where one of the players was a 16 year old who came from playing basically D&D or CRPGs—he loved it! The idea of player created Aspects and the relatively light rules were real winners for him. He probably wouldn’t have understood the real distinction between more traditional RPGs and SOTC had we handed him a pre-generated character.
Take care, Mel

]]> By: SambearPoet http://bearsgrove.com/actual-play-recordings/#comment-3819 SambearPoet Fri, 28 Dec 2007 15:28:05 +0000 http://bearsgrove.com/actual-play-recordings/#comment-3819 Actually, I did create some story elements ahead of time, but I left a lot of details out. The idea for me was to allow the players' character choices to lead the direction and plot of the story. For example, in this session, there was a Great Hunter and so one of the antagonist elements was a fiery lion. In another session, the Fiery Lion didn't make any sense - and in fact, instead of hanging out in the Museum all that time, the group actually made it to other set locations like a dinner club and the middle of the Arabian Desert. I wish I had captured the other session for you to compare against. What I should have said is that you *can* create characters ahead of time, yes, but I don't think, for myself, it is as much fun as giving folks the opportunity to make their own. The important part of the play session, for me, was giving people the authentic experience of creating characters and then playing around with the system a bit. Thanks, though for your commentary - and it is always good to let people know there are many ways to play what is a really awesome game. Actually, I did create some story elements ahead of time, but I left a lot of details out. The idea for me was to allow the players’ character choices to lead the direction and plot of the story.

For example, in this session, there was a Great Hunter and so one of the antagonist elements was a fiery lion. In another session, the Fiery Lion didn’t make any sense - and in fact, instead of hanging out in the Museum all that time, the group actually made it to other set locations like a dinner club and the middle of the Arabian Desert.

I wish I had captured the other session for you to compare against.

What I should have said is that you *can* create characters ahead of time, yes, but I don’t think, for myself, it is as much fun as giving folks the opportunity to make their own. The important part of the play session, for me, was giving people the authentic experience of creating characters and then playing around with the system a bit.

Thanks, though for your commentary - and it is always good to let people know there are many ways to play what is a really awesome game.

]]> By: Mel White http://bearsgrove.com/actual-play-recordings/#comment-3318 Mel White Wed, 26 Dec 2007 19:50:17 +0000 http://bearsgrove.com/actual-play-recordings/#comment-3318 Thanks for posting the DragonCon episode. It's always fun to listen to SOTC. I note you mention (or someone mentions) that you can't use pre-generated characters for SOTC. I disagree; in fact, that's what I normally do for conventions for precisely the reason demonstrated by the recording: there just isn't enough time at a convention! I exaggerate...but I'm willing to trade a little bit of player 'ownership' of the character for more playing time. So that leads to my question for you--was the DragonCon scenario based on some of the characters' Aspects--did you make up the adventure after seeing the Aspects? Or was the starting situation for the adventure planned ahead of time? It's a leading question, because if the adventure was pre-made, then why not pre-generate the characters? I look forward to more shows! Mel Thanks for posting the DragonCon episode. It’s always fun to listen to SOTC. I note you mention (or someone mentions) that you can’t use pre-generated characters for SOTC. I disagree; in fact, that’s what I normally do for conventions for precisely the reason demonstrated by the recording: there just isn’t enough time at a convention! I exaggerate…but I’m willing to trade a little bit of player ‘ownership’ of the character for more playing time. So that leads to my question for you—was the DragonCon scenario based on some of the characters’ Aspects—did you make up the adventure after seeing the Aspects? Or was the starting situation for the adventure planned ahead of time? It’s a leading question, because if the adventure was pre-made, then why not pre-generate the characters?
I look forward to more shows! Mel

]]> By: The Bear's Grove Podcast » New Actual Play recording posted http://bearsgrove.com/actual-play-recordings/#comment-497 The Bear's Grove Podcast » New Actual Play recording posted Mon, 29 Oct 2007 04:47:52 +0000 http://bearsgrove.com/actual-play-recordings/#comment-497 [...] check out the list of Actual Play Recordings now available from The Bear’s Grove. Share This Posted by SambearPoet [...] […] check out the list of Actual Play Recordings now available from The Bear’s Grove. Share This Posted by SambearPoet […]

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