Actually thinking about kicking off a couple of solo projects this fall and I was pondering formats. My usual style is very narrative, almost more creative writing than game. Sometimes I mix text and game mechanics and other times I put the game notes in a side bar.
Since one of the projects might involve a group, I was considering a different format, perhaps something like a movie script or Japanese replay. Just curious as to what you all would like or expect to see in a 'script' for a solo game. Would you want the GM to be an active voice/role? Should all the non-actor stuff be handled by 'director instructions' instead? Should following industry standard script writing format be a thing? Thoughts?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_role-playing_game#Replays
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screenplay
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screenplay
That would be cool. I actually want to do a Kaigaku Kabuki game.
ReplyDeleteJust to be clear, you want the outcome to be a script?
ReplyDeleteOoh, now Scott has an idea for Quill!
ReplyDeleteMy thought is that scripts are a means to an end - not the final product. Is the crafting of a script interesting enough to anchor a game? It might be the case, just worth ruminating because the idea is pretty cool
ReplyDeleteYou know, it'd be feasible to add name tagging to Pythia. Hmmm.
ReplyDeleteI'm doing a group campaign right now in a loose "chatty recap" kind of way, inspired by Steelshod and West Marches. The idea of formalizing it a bit is really tempting!
[Enter Velthar]
ReplyDeleteVelthar: Fools! I will end you!
You could roll for props, blocking, dialogue, lighting, music from the pit, and summoning from the wings, invoking the god in the machine...
Scott Malthouse The idea being would a script or replay format be conducive to better clarity when there is a larger cast than just a single protagonist. While the screen play format until itself might be over kill (there are tools to mitigate that), using it as a thematic prop might literally make the story feel more like a movie than a book as a deliberate thing. Similarly, the replay format would influence the story as more a table top activity and be kind of meta/4th wall breaking.
ReplyDeletePart of this line of thinking is that neither one is not too common in solo RPG actual play and it might be a fresh way to present the story.
Show us a draft and we will discuss it.
ReplyDeletewhat is a japanese replay?
ReplyDeleteIt's a transcript of a game session, for example...
ReplyDeleteGame master: In this scene, you should think the reason why your PCs team up the party with each other.
Amu: Well, I will visit Eiji's home, because Eiji became an adventurer. At last, he will repay the money he borrowed from me.
Eiji: Hi, Amu. I became an adventurer at long last. Please lend your money to me again.(Haha.) I don't have money, because I bought chainmail.
The most distinctive thing about them is that the GM has a role at the table. There are different styles/levels of detail. Some even go to the length of including table talk besides what happens in game. So, you get all the bad puns and other silliness of an actual game.
Todd Zircher thanks, I feel like Leo about tortoise in Blade Runner :)
ReplyDeletewhy it's called japanese?
Because the RPG replay format is wildly popular over there and it helps to distinguish it from video game replays which are popular here.
ReplyDeleteHere is the best English language sample of a replay I know. Doesn't hurt that I'm a fan of Ewen Cluney's work. :-)
ReplyDeletestarlinepublishing.com - starlinepublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/GSS-TheBrokenWindow.pdf
It kind of reminds me of /r/dndgreentext, only much more formal and attributed?
ReplyDeleteI've tinkered with breaking up sections into GM and player, and it can be fun to enforce if the game requires it, but it can also get tedious very quickly if there's no benefit to it.
My big sticking point (probably a failure of imagination on my part) is how do you attribute when two characters act together? In a tabletop game, one player would say, "Rydek gets Cael -- that's okay with you, right? -- yeah, he gets Cael and they go down to confront the boss together." Or he'd say "Rydek goes down to face the boss. Who is with me?"
It'd be fun to make up "player" player characters, with personalities!
LOL, Rydak is my gamer handle. So close. It would be funny if there was something like Cael's player was always futzing with his phone as a character weakness.
ReplyDeleteIf you included the mechanics, it would essentially be like one of the examples of play from a core book / basic set.
ReplyDeleteI'm really intrigued by this idea. I've been trying to start a Solo game, but can never figure out a format to suit the gameplay. I don't feel that going full story is the way to go in my case, because I've also wanted to find a way of involving imaginary players behind their characters.
ReplyDeleteI didn't even realise that Replays were a thing. I've seen them in RP rulebooks, but never considered using them for framing Solo play. I'm definitely thinking about giving this idea a swing, as it's sort of what I was looking for in a sense!
I randomly generate all my player names and that's just one I picked at random for my world of dungeons game, how funny it ended up being so close to your usual!
ReplyDeleteThe system I wrote was pretty simple -- you choose or roll an "outlook". ie. "why is this person at the table". Is he here to be that guy? Is he here to save the world? Show off how badass his character is?
Then you roll up "meta tags" to represent stuff that happens between sessions or during the game, like "new baby" or "bad day at work" or "really late to the session". Your phone idea would be "social media addiction" or "girlfriend call".
As you play, if there's conflict, you roll to see how true to their agenda the player is, and if their meta tags affect them.
Probably way more fussy that necessary. But quite a bit of fun in practice, as long as you're willing to accept that the players are just as apparently random and arbitrary as real ones.
Tam H that's a great idea! I really like the meta-tags, I can't wait to learn more
ReplyDeleteSure, I'll post it in a day or two! I was redoing it because it was too fussy but got distracted by game chef.
ReplyDelete