tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post7370514418234051008..comments2023-05-27T11:14:02.426-04:00Comments on Some Space to Think: Underpants AdventuresAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14216103531396452644noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-74448723683926134092011-07-20T17:15:35.880-04:002011-07-20T17:15:35.880-04:00Brilliant. Every GM should read this post.Brilliant. Every GM should read this post.Jonathan Jacobshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06133232985480734844noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-41926150279604650102011-06-17T01:53:42.111-04:002011-06-17T01:53:42.111-04:00The "what next?" after step 3 is the ste...The "what next?" after step 3 is the step 1 of the next adventure.Uncle Darkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15153259977898899885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-54582466086638267122011-06-15T21:01:37.354-04:002011-06-15T21:01:37.354-04:00@Joe: You've just defined every Final Fantasy ...@Joe: You've just defined every Final Fantasy villain there is, I think.Leonard Balserahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13988866442752617766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-90114741342102542472011-06-15T15:51:16.677-04:002011-06-15T15:51:16.677-04:00Great post, and it's simple advice but I'v...Great post, and it's simple advice but I've seen people (myself included admittedly) trying to create complicated storylines and having to use far too many NPCs, which nobody usually cares about.David Ballhttp://www.ongoingworlds.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-24050865234996590272011-06-14T22:12:24.502-04:002011-06-14T22:12:24.502-04:00I love or hate you right now.
I do THIS EXACT thi...I love or hate you right now.<br /><br />I do THIS EXACT thing. I have even referred to it as "The Underpants Gnomes School of Villainy." Leaving the middle somewhat blank is a critical part of the design, because it allows the bad guy/adventure to react to what players do in the game, so that they reach a satisfying conclusion the players can steer.<br /><br />However now that you have shared the Underpants Gnomes secret others will know it as well! Maybe even my players!Amanda Langehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07951412792441239737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-53245560518054058072011-06-14T21:04:18.035-04:002011-06-14T21:04:18.035-04:00This thread is pleasing because it is simultaneous...This thread is pleasing because it is simultaneously affirming stuff I already do, giving me ideas about how to do it better, and codifying it for the sake of future reference.<br /><br />Thanks everyone!<br /><br />I admit I don't always define "profit" until some of the middle steps cause it ti become something more specific. "What more could villains A & B want if they are already the secret masters of civilization? I don't know, but it must be SOMETHING."<br /><br />I'm vaguely uncomfortable being in any way hand-wavy, but it's working so far.chattyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06539709430526111912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-65208177026545286802011-06-14T14:30:55.741-04:002011-06-14T14:30:55.741-04:00@EZ There is absolutely a "What next?" e...@EZ There is absolutely a "What next?" element to most step 3's, but that's part of the fruitful incompleteness in my mind. The difference between "Power" and "an undead army" is that I'm not really sure what form power will take, so the process becomes muddled.<br /><br />(Profit, admittedly, is a different case. Yes, acquiring money in general is reasonable - I would just assert that acquiring money in _specific_ is more play-driving, especially because that usually implies that there's someone else not getting it)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14216103531396452644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-78705166790847850042011-06-14T13:53:49.368-04:002011-06-14T13:53:49.368-04:00This is a great condensing of developing plot and ...This is a great condensing of developing plot and villain motivations. And it knocked a few things loose for me, thanks!<br /><br />However, I think your example "Fain Undead Army" is just as bad as "Power"*. I have no more of an idea of what someone would want with an undead army than what they would use "power" for. And an undead army comes with problems like upkeep and stench.<br /><br />*Though I think "Profit" can be fine. Imagining what anyone would do with a lot of money is pretty easy. You don't necessarily need to dig deeper. Although it's not a bad thing to clarify if they want to buy a private island or a politician or eliminate poverty to humanize the villain even more.EZhttp://www.pulppoetry.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-83843195611610465242011-06-14T13:42:12.590-04:002011-06-14T13:42:12.590-04:00Great points and definitely the right way to build...Great points and definitely the right way to build up a background. Only thing I'd add is the amount of crazy fun this provides once you start working with multiple "villains".<br /><br />Quotes there because we're not really talking about villains, we're just talking about anyone not the PCs.<br /><br />My campaigns typically have more than a dozen NPCs who are all involved in various "plots" of their own -- the fun REALLY comes when those start intersecting. All sorts of unpredicatable hilarity ensues, guaranteed.barsoomcorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14815431988250550026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-74604325395112499932011-06-14T13:41:25.025-04:002011-06-14T13:41:25.025-04:00Badass tip!Badass tip!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14216103531396452644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-12582977741162094932011-06-14T12:27:17.460-04:002011-06-14T12:27:17.460-04:00Since we're talking about villain plans, I'...Since we're talking about villain plans, I'll add:<br /><br />With some exceptions, the most interesting villains tend to have sympathetic qualities, people we can find ourselves in, despite not wanting to.<br /><br />To that end:<br />When you come up with a goal, create an altruistic or good-hearted or misguided goal.<br /><br />When you come up with the simple step, choose something that's transgressive and alarming, but not something irredeemable.<br /><br />It's that middle, complicated step that should be truly heinous and irredeemable and queasy-making.Joe Mcdaldnohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10616328496280428223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-91919791265192042652011-06-14T11:43:03.200-04:002011-06-14T11:43:03.200-04:00@senatorhatty The trick is that when someone creat...@senatorhatty The trick is that when someone creates a fiction, it tends to be very complete and coherent, not cracked and flawed like real life. To find good goals, you need to find the cracks - the inequalities, imperfections and shortcuts - and the people who are unhappy with their lot in the balanced, static world. However much your world makes sense, there must be those who reject that sense.<br /><br />Curiously, this echos back to Paul's comment. A little disruption can reveal the world to you in ways you'd never expect.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14216103531396452644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-67436282197935592872011-06-14T11:38:23.518-04:002011-06-14T11:38:23.518-04:00I have this problem where I create a back story fo...I have this problem where I create a back story for the setting, and then I am left with, "What interesting thing could possibly result from this?"<br /><br />I tend to make it up as I go, including that concrete goal, but it feels like cheating to not have that up front.chattyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06539709430526111912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-60864321525321098852011-06-14T11:06:41.334-04:002011-06-14T11:06:41.334-04:00@Paul I definitely support that approach as a play...@Paul I definitely support that approach as a player. As a GM, I flip it. You can do that in a pinch (Since it's ultimately a guy bursting into the room with a gun) but that's fallback.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14216103531396452644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-1623277006252212942011-06-14T11:05:31.089-04:002011-06-14T11:05:31.089-04:00Josh Roby had this excellent advice for players in...Josh Roby had this excellent advice for players in our most recent Houses of the Blooded LARP: "First stir things up. Then figure out how you're going to benefit from it. Don't do it in the other order."Paul Tevishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13871385215743480164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-62586000642221073242011-06-14T10:23:20.260-04:002011-06-14T10:23:20.260-04:00Brilliant, RobBrilliant, RobPontifexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01761338487255048337noreply@blogger.com