Second session down. I heart this game, and on paper it all makes so much sense to me, but I’m feeling a little ..unmoored.. in play. The flow of play feels a little lacking in places (my fault, not the game’s), as I try to connect scenes and come up with a stream of compelling consequences (these guys roll low ..a lot). I’m hoping this is just a “comfort with the game” thing that I’ll ease into with exposure.
As for the content of the session. I’m using the Crow’s Foot arc for the first season. Our first session saw the crew stealing the stash of the Lampblacks for the Red Sashes in return for a promise of (probably contested) hunting grounds in the district. This time the crew was approached by a mysterious stranger (deduced to be a member of The Hive after some legwork) to plant a strange artifact in The Crows’ base of operations. The Hive is using disposable assets, already in play in the district, to try and find out more about Roric’s death.
We had 9 Heat, and rolled an Arrest for entanglements. This played out as the bluecoats showing up shortly after the crew received payment and “taking their cut,” which turned out to be most of the haul.
Positive Notes
• I talked a little less this session. I asked more questions and tried to start to acclimate the players to the idea that they have some control over the story, setting precedents, and exploring their characters’ flaws.
• We made a lot of very desperate rolls, so they’ll be able to experience some character growth by the end of the next session which I think will invest them further.
You know, some of what you say sounds familiar. One thing I struggle with is the proper application of a complication vs a consequence. I can make things complicated pretty well, but I struggle more with the consequences. I think part of it is because I don’t have a specific consequence to telegraph (page 191 of the book). Is this similar to what you are talking about, or is it more difficulty with generating unique consequences, since your players have been rolling low?
I have made a concerted effort to specifically state the consequences of a 1-3 and a 4-5 every time before the player rolls anything. I even have a sheet of the various steps involved in the roll mechanic to ensure I don’t forget anything.
Also, every time we make a roll for something that feels just a little too mechanical on its own (like a lot of the downtime rolls), I follow it up with “here’s what that looks like…” and then we weave some story around it.
Ben Morgan I’ve been using that trick, which I picked up watching actual plays of various AW games.
Specifically, this session, we did the payout (4 coin minus 1 to the ward boss) and then when we got to entanglements and rolled the arrest they chose to pay the bluecoats off with the other 3 coin.
My mind immediately went to the Gangs of New York scene where the cop comes in and takes all the good stuff after they loot the house fire, so I went into a “here’s how this plays out..”
Richard Grant Half of my issue is failing to identify interesting consequences quickly. I assume I’ll get better at that. I’ve read and discussed a lot of PbtA game material, but I have limited actual play experience with story driven games to date.
The other half of my issue is that I’m having some difficulty making the actual score compelling. My scores have been rather short, partially because they’re falling mostly into the routine of roll to get in, roll to do the thing you’re here for, and then roll to get out. I mean, it isn’t that obvious, but it isn’t much more nuanced.
Travis Heldibridle I have mostly played D&D and had a couple sessions DMing Numenera. So right now I am definitely still having problems coming up with a variety. I recently rediscovered the GM reference sheet, which has a nice distillation of some of the concepts in the book, such as consequence types. I am probably going to review this sheet before the next time we play. I think I forget stuff like taking extra time.
As to compelling, I am in the same boat too. Right now I am trying to think of scores that connect with the character’s background in some way. That said, I am still only 2 games in, and everyone is still learning the setting and the system, so i should probably keep rolling more straightforward scores.
What type of crew is your group running?
evilhat.com – http://www.evilhat.com/home/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/blades_sheets_v8_1_GM_Reference.pdf