Reply With Quoteask your characters what it is likely they would do. good characters have opinions on such.
or ask them what they'd not want to be exposed to yet might be able to handle and do that to them to get reaction.
I'm looking at this from a more novel-like sense, but I suppose this can apply to roleplays as well.
So, imagine you have this great great great idea for a roleplay, right? And so you take this idea, and you want to start writing it, but... you have no plot. You don't know exactly where you want to go, you don't know how you want to get there. And then this great idea just kind of... dies.
Back to topic: How do you construct a plot? How do you keep yourself or your fellow roleplayers from digressing from the plot? How do you keep things from straying from the plot that the GM intended in roleplays you don't GM?
I have a Graphics Shop now. Graphics Shops are cool.
I run a roleplaying site too!
Step into my library.
THE LAST LADY OF ESTASIA
OOC | IC
ask your characters what it is likely they would do. good characters have opinions on such.
or ask them what they'd not want to be exposed to yet might be able to handle and do that to them to get reaction.
(Click image to see our characters)
~| Click this to see some of our works of art |~
Mmm. I've been having this exact same problem for a while, but in a novel-writing sense.
I really should sit down and try to map out a plot one of these days so I can start writing and feel confident in doing so.
I've been highly distracted lately, though.
In RP'ing, I improvise the fuck out of it.Originally Posted by Rose Swan
Rule #1 to GM'ing is that no matter how carefully you plot things out, players will find ways around it. You can either try to control the players their actions and use GM-powerz when you fail, or plain go with the flow and take part in something I call interactive GM'ing (changing content between going back and forth between players and GM.) This second option can and should affect the plot. It's fine to not plot it all out in my experience. As long as you're good enough at improvising, got a starting point and at least one goal laid out. Taking baby-steps helps. Rather than the goal being DEFEAT EVIL OVERLORD and finish the RP, divide it. What do you need to DEFEAT EVIL OVERLORD? Do you need to collect the 7 magic crystals? Cool, your first plot point is getting crystal #1. This can be split up again in mini-goals. To get crystal #1 you need to march into enemy territory and explore the dark dungeon. In order to do that, your sub-goals are; get through the dark forest, cross the plains guarded by a watchtower, enter the cave with the puzzles and giant dragon sleeping at the end and get the crystal.
Here is the thing though; leave the how and what open. Encourage your players to think for their selves. Do they get a guide for the forest? Do they siege the watchtower or travel at night? Do they solve or destroy the puzzles? Do they fight the dragon or try to sneak past it while it's sleeping? etc. Player choices must affect the plot, or else they're just your puppets and that kills player-motivation fast.
Besides, I find this method a lot more entertaining because it gives me the primary need I have for roleplaying; interaction and actually being challenged as a GM. It also keeps me from saying "No, that's a bad direction." OOC, but instead I simply let a mission fail or badly hurt a character for making a poor decision IC and rather than "CHOO! CHOO! ON THE GM-TRAIN!" and steering people back on my railroad, it's now dealing with it's consequences. At the same time I'm often forced to reveal information earlier than planned because players investigate, or make new follow-up missions based on the actions of players. Keeps you on your toes. Of course, this means that they can fuck up getting a crystal. Maybe an enemy steals it, so they have to chase the enemy. Maybe the evil overlord gets a hold of the crystal itself and you need to find a new way to defeat him while surviving the oncoming onslaught. etc. Don't be afraid to create consequences. It's awesome.
As a GM? Short-term planning. It's mostly covered above, but actually allows players to digress from the plot cause that's not a bad thing.How do you keep yourself or your fellow roleplayers from digressing from the plot?
Yourself? Have your character really like the goal laid out by the GM. Fellow roleplayers? Same thing and try to make going for that goal as fun as possible. The best goals aren't the ones people are forced to pick, but all choose to pick.How do you keep things from straying from the plot that the GM intended in roleplays you don't GM?
As for novel-writing... I would still like to improvise the fuck out of everything, but this becomes increasingly more difficult. What I can say that works for me is, though, put in a few key points you want to reach. Like the climax, the turning point, the ending, etc. See the Hero's Journey format for example (using that solves everything, because it depicts the most common plot points and structures, though it can be a bit stale if you don't have sufficient mastery of it.) Then leave everything between vague. This way you'll have long-term direction and planning, but some freedom to add and make new things up as you go.
we have such sights to show you
Kestrel pretty much said everything I was thinking. So I'll just leave it at that.
made by the ever charming and talented Lillian Thorne.
OMFG I KNOW THE FEELING! I have a novel idea I've been trying to work out for years. I have a setting, history, characters, everything, but guess what? No plot! :'(
that appears to cover quite a bit, Kestrel... Far better than the sad two lines we wrote earlier...
Unless you want to micromanage everything (which is tiresome for all) have a basic (but vague) idea of where the whole should go, then go with the short plans. Players, and on occasion characters, will do what they can to thwart the GM/author, so too detailed plans will only be messed up.
Example (taken from Darths & Droids): GM makes complex map of a planet's surface with vast jungles and such, intending to have players traverse halfway around the world meeting all sorts of interesting challenges. Players decide to travel through the planet core, skipping the entire map.
The safest way to get players/characters to follow your plot is, as kestrel spoke of, to make them want to follow it. Either by making it full of advantages, or by making all other options involve great harm to their characters. Make sure there's enough options for them to pick from, otherwise you can be sure that they'll make their own options, which you can be sure don't follow your planned plot. Of course, if you sugar-coat the preferred option too much, and you can be sure that the players will avoid it, simply because they (rightfully?) suspect a trap.
Another important element is to make sure that the players don't have too much time to go about messing up plans. Throwing goons of some forms goons (goblins, robbers, orcs, the occasional mountain troll, etc) at them regularly should make them stick to plot instead of going about an impromptu treasure hunt away from the plotted course. Problems / puzzles also work nicely here. Like a missing bridge, some vermin problem spoiled food or a door with some form of riddle required to open.
But don't pull too hard on the reins here either. Characters and players alike tend to work better if they feel they're choosing for themselves. (even if they aren't). Throwing repeated traps at them can be fun, but too many in a row, and they might deviate from your plot simply because they expect a trap whenever anything happens, even if there's no strings attached.
Its really much like a garden. You can pull up anything resembling weeds, but if you don't provide nourishment to it, the remaining plants will die. You have to nurture it.
hopefully the above doesn't overlap too much with Kestrel's excellent post...
(Click image to see our characters)
~| Click this to see some of our works of art |~
Take a shower. Seriously, the best ideas come to me when I'm not thinking about them and when I'm in the shower.
Failing that, come up with a few really basic ideas and build from there. Perhaps not something as basic as "The Money Tree" but something like "two or three kingdoms at war because of..." or "aliens are attacking Earth because..."
Just my input, don't feel obligated to follow it. I'm sure someone has better advice than me, seeing as this is really a story-writing club in essence.
Shortest sig you'll see on this forum.
ok...there aare alot of ways to do this. me being a writer and a HUGE fan of roeplaying i come across this problem frequently. sometimes i nlike to look at others threads not to copy them but because sometimes it helps spark ideas. secondly i like to play music. i love rock and it helps me think...bnot heavy rock things like three days grace, papa roach, 30 seconds to mars nd i also love dubstep n rap. i dont why but tose three types of music genres help me think. another way is to kind of just to a quiet place with a pen and paper and let the ideas flow. then maybe combine ideas or adhust them and slowly add stuff on. i think mostt people like it if theres atleast a little romance lots of action and stuff like that. also you could join up with oters who are having trouble nd put your ideas out there and see what you can come up with together. im alwaays availible for stuff like tht or for tryig to help
- - - Updated - - -
oh and sorry for spelling mistakes. my only way on this site is to use my kindle touch which is annoying to type on, slow alot and in back nd white.
Posting Permissions
