Plotted versus plotless scenes

[Arkandel]

@Apos I have - some people don't want the focus to be on themselves. To be fair I was surprised as well when I was told so, but it's an actual thing.

[Misadventure]

Also what I mean is they aren't prepared to engage that content with their character. They are prepared to engage it with their +stats, and their typical reactions. They are not looking for evolution or revolution. I will say that some are consciously looking to display their character and abilities, which when done right is a good thing in my mind.

As a possible example, they are willing to have me tailor a story to them, but they have no idea what they would want on their own. They have hooks to meet, but not to deeply engage. Part of that is that despite IC reasons, if you don't get along with, or don't share a schedule with a player you enjoy and work well with, you won't get to exercise (use) the traits you built in for others to interact with.

[Arkandel]

@Misadventure said in Plotted versus plotless scenes:

Also what I mean is they aren't prepared to engage that content with their character. They are prepared to engage it with their +stats, and their typical reactions. They are not looking for evolution or revolution. I will say that some are consciously looking to display their character and abilities, which when done right is a good thing in my mind.

Sometimes in fact that's the only reasonable time they can display their abilities or actual character. After all not all concepts are born equal; a socialite gets to do their thing in nearly every scene, and we all know combat scenes are pretty common, but how often do professional burglars get their chance to highlight their stuff?

[Ganymede]

@VulgarKitten said in Plotted versus plotless scenes:

As an aside, you are doing an excellent job.

You're very kind, because I don't think I've done shit. I put up a Board post, but no one responded. And I'm not on when everyone else is.

Still, anyone's welcome to get in and join. It's real simple: bring yourself. It's comic-book-ish and clichéd, but it's as fun as anyone wants to make it. Win or fail, make it as brutal and violent as you want; it's all "improv" RP, so it's all good.

Beating up NPCs is better than sitting in shops, right?

[Misadventure]

@Arkandel You might be missing my point, or just making your own. I agree, and said so, that scenes where you get to demonstrate any details about your character are good, and to me necessary.

My statement was about the idea that players are looking to use the stats, not involve their characters story in the events, ever. Ever. It does not occur to them. They are not building characters for it. They may not even want to do it.

Whatever the cause, when it is all you see, it makes their involvement very shallow seeming to be around. And so the stories themselves become shallow, remote, rote.

[Hella]

@Ganymede said in Plotted versus plotless scenes:

@VulgarKitten said in Plotted versus plotless scenes:

As an aside, you are doing an excellent job.

You're very kind, because I don't think I've done shit. I put up a Board post, but no one responded. And I'm not on when everyone else is.

Still, anyone's welcome to get in and join. It's real simple: bring yourself. It's comic-book-ish and clichéd, but it's as fun as anyone wants to make it. Win or fail, make it as brutal and violent as you want; it's all "improv" RP, so it's all good.

Beating up NPCs is better than sitting in shops, right?

The one scene I saw, you were doing an excellent job of getting people involved. It was nice to see. Take the compliment!

[Arkandel]

@Misadventure But that's not something you can fix any more than you can address bad roleplaying in general (in whatever fashion we define 'bad' that is); it's just certain players' style to care about stats and attributes more than character or story. While it's not my preference and in fact I've grumbled about it in these forums, all we can really do is not play/run PrPs for people we don't enjoy playing with.

Otherwise yes, player and character involvement make a plot work. As a ST I need to see both else I lose interest. While some issues can definitely be worked on ("hey, are you okay with this? Do you have any questions about the direction so far? Are you lost as to what to do next?", etc) if the player just isn't getting into it the way I would like it's best to pull the curtains.

[Misadventure]

So which is it young feller, is it something you can't fix, or something you can work on? Cuzzing you see, iffin I work on it, I aim ta fix it, and if I can't fix it, I ain gonna work on it.

Okay then.

Sorry, I do love Raising Arizona.

[Arkandel]

@Misadventure said in Plotted versus plotless scenes:

So which is it young feller, is it something you can't fix, or something you can work on?

Both. You can't fix the player if they just have a different style of playing and prefer showcasing their stats instead of portraying a character. You can fix other issues with PrPs if the player is just not getting into the story (but want to) through the usual magic of talking to and collaborating with them.

Cuzzing you see, iffin I work on it, I aim ta fix it, and if I can't fix it, I ain gonna work on it.

A brain aneurysm, I see how it is.

[Misadventure]

You have no soul.

I blame all the Tzimisce sauce of your people.

So my point is that if you just want to roll dice, select rule options, then make a random encounter generator for each arena of +capability. If you are aiming to please that contingent, don't cloak it in story.

In the end, having a person arbitrate and react to what you do is wasted if all you wanted was a video game session.

[Arkandel]

@Misadventure I've said this before but it really is something I associate with Mage. Something about their mechanics makes people throw dice where poses should be, which I haven't seen nearly to that extent in other spheres possibly because their skillset is less flexible.

Also, learn to love the tzatziki, n00b.

[Misadventure]

II see it as more a player habit as you pointed out, though I could see some games poising the players mind towards focusing on configuration of powers with many options.