I apologize if this has been asked before, but has anyone ever tried using GM emulators (Mythic, CRGE, ALONe, etc) to emulate players instead? I've read a few actual playthroughs doing exactly this, but I wish to see more examples.
From personal experience, while it's interesting to be a player in an adventure generated on the fly, it's absolutely hilarious when you're playing GM for imaginary players. Case in point: in one session of Monster of the Week, the designated grumpy character decided to go off on his own via dice roll. It struck me as so ironic, it took me a few minutes to stop laughing. (Unfortunately, I lost all my notes for that session, since I didn't back then up before my laptop died.)
How about you?
I’ve used it before when playing through modules. And occasionally I’ll use other generators to determine a PCs action. If Vampire, I might roll Conscience to see if the PC helps a mortal or leaves them to their fate, or in Pendragon I might roll Faith or Chastity or the like.
ReplyDeleteI'm on that path. My previous games were PC driven, my current game is a PC/GM dialogue, and for my next game I'm pondering a Dungeon Keeper inspired theme or playing the 'dragon' in Ryuutama (the dragon is a GM PC chronicler, the rest of the party would be dice puppets.)
ReplyDeleteYep. I even wrote a couple of dedicated player emulators. Can’t link on mobile but you’re right, it’s hilarious.
ReplyDeleteI tend to play in author stance anyway so the lines blur! But having player motivation and moods is a lot of fun.
I've been kind of doing this for my "tavern simulator" RPG, detailed awhile ago, where I run a PC (a barkeep/inn owner) who sends others on adventures. I've been working up rules, and have come up with a sort of framework to run those "off-screen" adventures in, giving some PC life to those NPCs. I'm still controlling the main PC, though, so it's not exactly what you're onto here, but close. Kind of meta... :D
ReplyDelete(Reminds me, I really need to keep chipping away at that thing. Every few days I have some new idea which takes the game in different directions... it's exhausting!) Tam H I'd love to see what you have for emulators, when you're able!
it's quite easy, I also simulated players that play characters but this is an advanced option ;)
ReplyDeleteTam H let us know if there is anything you want to share
ReplyDeleteSure, here you go.
ReplyDeletehttps://exposit.github.io/katarpgs/superlite/playeremulator/
In practice I found it a bit much to keep track of, but once you have the players visualized the game goes really fast.
Thanks, love that intro. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that I emulate actual players but I do tend to let the oracle make decisions for the characters actions... I've never really thought about myself in my solo games as a GM or player specifically, more like an interpreter or story teller of what unfolds during the game.
ReplyDeleteI have done it on the fly for situations where I'm not sure how the character would respond to the situation, especially when playing a character outside of my normal comfort zone.
ReplyDeleteThe Lone Crusader (Who mainly Solos D&D 5e) also did an article on emulating players with Mythic:
ReplyDeletethelonecrusader.com - The Mythic Player Emulator – Reversing the Role of Mythic - The Lone Crusader
I've never tried it for playing as GM. However, I would love to find a good player emulator in order to do multi-player GM-less games like Fiasco or Microscope.
ReplyDeleteI think all you would need would be aspects for each player. Are they a strategist, a kingmaker, a gambler, a copycat, a casual social gamer, etc. Use that to inform your questions and likelihood.
ReplyDeleteTodd Zircher That's kind of the way I went with it, dredging up ancient memories of some "10 types of gamer" list filtered through my own experiences.
ReplyDelete... I am totally [True Face] Loves secrets and dramatic re- veals; good or bad, himself or someone else.
Todd Zircher For an open-ended creative game like Microscope, I don't know if single-word descriptors would be enough to go on. The specific ones you suggested (kingmaker, casual gamer, etc.) don't really give me any ideas of what that player might do.
ReplyDeleteI thought about possibly making the "players" into Fate characters, in particular Fate Accelerated. They would have favored approaches, high concepts, troubles, and a couple of other aspects. It gives a more 3-dimensional persona with more to latch on to for the creative parts of the game.
That sounds like it would work very well, though I know for me I get tired of tracking everyone. FATE seems perfect.
ReplyDeleteKen Hubbard - As a FAE fan, I can totally get behind that idea. And if you do execute it, I'd love to see how that looks. :-)
ReplyDelete