Three sessions in now (two with improvised scores that have been really fun) and I think the next thing I need to get a handle on is…
“How much clock information should be player-facing?”
Like, I’ve been kind of using them sort of like the mission directives in The Sprawl (to do this Score there’s items A and B to complete, item C to avoid completing) and keeping them openly-named and player-visible. So far it’s worked well, but one of my players mentioned that he could see the potential for someone to just be concerned with “playing the clocks” vs “playing their character.” So I’m working out if I should dial back some of that information that I’ve been leaving out in full view. (But also want them to be able to tell when they’re making progress.)
How do you handle the clocks in your games?
I mainly use clocks for three things: tasks that don’t feel like they can be completed in one action, consequences and Devil’s Bargains that require some build-up and events going on off-screen that I still want to keep track of. I keep all of them player-facing, except the Faction Downtime clocks.
As for the concern about players “playing the clocks” instead of their characters, I would keep two things in mind: first, whenever a PC says they want to work to fill up a clock, ask “how do you do that?” That should help keep things focused on the fiction. Second, remind your players of the things they’re rewarded for: Desperate actions and hitting their XP triggers. That should help direct them towards doing more specific, interesting actions, rather than what’s simply most expedient.
The most important thing for keeping payers from simply “playing the clocks” is to always remember to avoid it yourself. When they get a success and you tick off x segments on the clock, don’t leave it at that.
Progress on a clock should always have a narrative element to it as well. “Okay, you got three out of six segments on the ‘Big Burly Bodyguard’ clock. Here’s what that looks like: You dance out of the way of the brute’s swing, and get in under his arm, raking your blade across his ribs. Blood streams down his side, and he’s definitely hurting. He’s favoring that side, and in so doing has left himself open for a counterattack from behind. Fortunately, your buddy has been sneaking up behind him and is now in position to take advantage.”
I’ve been keeping them as player-facing as possible. I could see dialing that back a bit for some obstacles. In some groups you do sometimes see a case where someone becomes focused on taking only actions that would definitively work towards obstacle progress. That doesn’t create any serious problems so long as the fiction is given its due.
Clocks which are counting up towards a danger where from the fiction it’s even the slightest bit reasonable that the PCs would have a sense of increasing danger/complication? Those I find are much more fun to make sure they’re player-facing. 4 segments and lots of them.
My 5 cent: Clocks are stories. If PC want to play clocks, let them. There will be a story in it. So I’m with Matthew Gagan here: as player-facing as possible.
I’ll jump on this bandwagon with another ditto. Also, when you advance those faction clocks, make sure to drop a tidbit of story about that, too. “Red Sashes win against Lampblacks” clock ticks forward? “You heard that some of the Lampblacks got ambushed just around the corner. Probably the Sashes.” or “Mylara has been seen a lot with a new Iruvian swordsman. Could mean trouble for Baszo.”