From: owner-the-edge-digest@ (The Edge Digested) To: the-edge-digest@robin-nvh.bvsd.k12.co.us Subject: The Edge Digested V1 #50 Reply-To: the-edge@robin-nvh.bvsd.k12.co.us Sender: owner-the-edge-digest@ Errors-To: owner-the-edge-digest@ Precedence: bulk The Edge Digested Friday, April 24 1998 Volume 01 : Number 050 Today's subjects from The Edge: Re: [The Edge] plot idea... [The Edge] New [The Edge] Re: The Edge Digested V1 #49 Re: [The Edge] plot idea... [The Edge] H elp getting players involved Re: [The Edge] H elp getting players involved ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 23 Apr 1998 22:10:39 -0400 (EDT) From: Mark Kinney Subject: Re: [The Edge] plot idea... On Thu, 23 Apr 1998, Perry Lyons wrote: > What if, for one day, The Throckmorton device, and the Cut Ups machine > decided to change places? The cutups suddnely becoming jackbooted > minions of control, whereas the Throckmortons, and possibly for a bit of Actually, it is implied in either the core book or _Weather_ that the Cut-Ups Machine, in the wrong hands, could potentially cause such a reordering (it mentioned its use once led to the Reagan administration). You could easily rig a visit by some entity like Koanhead (who would be perfect for such a scenario, if you think about it) to nab the Machine, and... alberich@iglou.com | Mark Kinney | http://www.iglou.com/nations "This is Fu Leng. This is Fu Leng on drugs. Any questions?" -- from a recent Legend of the Five Rings game [O] You received this message because you are subscribed to the-edge [0] To (un)subscribe, send a message to majordomo@robin.ml.org with body of [O] (un)subscribe the-edge ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Apr 1998 15:22:21 +1000 (EST) From: Shane Stephen Cubis Subject: [The Edge] New I'm trying to start a new campaign. What are some good conspiracies to weave together for a neophytic campaign? Please disregard the plagiarised disclaimer... - -- "Cubis Enterprises does not promote Satanism, belief in magic, drug use, violence, sexual deviation, body piercing, cynical attitudes toward the government, freedom of expression, or any other action or belief not condoned by the authorities." Before reading this E-mail, strip naked and intone the above disclaimer while holding a single white candle in a darkened room. Thankyou. [O] You received this message because you are subscribed to the-edge [0] To (un)subscribe, send a message to majordomo@robin.ml.org with body of [O] (un)subscribe the-edge ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Apr 1998 14:02:28 EDT From: AG Jeff Subject: [The Edge] Re: The Edge Digested V1 #49 Chris Johnson wrote: >And on a more interesting note, I received my going-away note from the >Conspiracy today, and while saddened, I would like to thank Atlas for >their generous offer, and for the support they have given to OnTE (not >to mention the *other* OTE!). ;) Hey, no problem. It was one of the parts of my job that I really liked. >If anyone from Atlas is reading this, is there any way for fans of OTE >to get ahold of press sheets for the basic game or any of the >expansions? (Like, say, gobs of cash?) The only way we've ever given them away before has been as tournament prizes for the big tournament, say, at GenCon. I don't think I can sell them, unless John gives the go-ahead. We do have a general interest in gobs of cash, anyway.... John? - --Jeff [O] You received this message because you are subscribed to the-edge [0] To (un)subscribe, send a message to majordomo@robin.ml.org with body of [O] (un)subscribe the-edge ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Apr 1998 18:09:52 -0600 From: "Carl L. Congdon" Subject: Re: [The Edge] plot idea... Perry Lyons wrote: > > What if, for one day, The Throckmorton device, and the Cut Ups machine > decided to change places? The cutups suddnely becoming jackbooted > minions of control, whereas the Throckmortons, and possibly for a bit of > added fun, the other minions of control, say the LeThuys, Movers, and > MEBBIE the Pharos suddenly become the champions of creative disorder. Hee hee... Throckmorton Device: (whine) "Aw, c'mon, I'm tired of dealing with stuck-up fascists! I'm bored! I wanna be the subliminal champion of chaos!" Cut-Up Machine: "Okay, but on one condition: I get to keep the Cut-Ups. I think they're funny, especially Pere." ThD: "All right, but just watch what I do to the Movers! Woo Hoo!" C-U Mach: (Thinks) "God, what have I done?" [O] You received this message because you are subscribed to the-edge [0] To (un)subscribe, send a message to majordomo@robin.ml.org with body of [O] (un)subscribe the-edge ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Apr 1998 19:56:19 -0600 From: jboes@qtm.net (Jeff Boes) Subject: [The Edge] H elp getting players involved Okay, I'm an experienced-if-not-accomplished GM. I've run games in = multiple genre, with mixed groups of power gamers, storytellers, chaos weavers, = and comedians. But my current group, which has been on the island for a = half-dozen sessions or more, seems content to observe everything and interact with *nothing*. My own personal plot twist: all of them experienced a very similar, = recurring dream which drove them to leave their old lives and move to the island = (or take Prozac for the rest of their lives!). The dream is a construct of = [1]. Since they've arrived, they have done a lot of exploring, and every time I drop what I consider a hot adventure lead in = their laps, they either (a) blithely ignore it, leading to me to think I'm = being to subtle, or (b) hoot derisively (not really, I'm just sensitive) and say "Adventure This Way! -->>". Does anyone have any thoughts on how to make the experience *personal* so= they have a motivation? I was considering having them attacked by zeroes and = beaten senseless, or kidnapped by Kergillians and operated on, or some other = near-death experience. [1] Perhaps the Throckmorton Device, perhaps something else. I really = haven't decided yet! **** Note: this list is currently set up to search for administrative messages (e.g. subscribe, unsubscribe, help) in the subject and first couple lines of the message. Make sure to slightly misspell these words (or avoid them) when sending a message to the list, 'cause otherwise it gets bounced to the list admin who has to forward them. [O] You received this message because you are subscribed to the-edge [0] To (un)subscribe, send a message to majordomo@robin.ml.org with body of [O] (un)subscribe the-edge ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Apr 1998 00:15:42 -0600 From: David Ebrey Subject: Re: [The Edge] H elp getting players involved >comedians. But my current group, which has been on the island for a half-dozen >sessions or more, seems content to observe everything and interact with >*nothing*. I've had a bit of trouble with this. Al Amarja is a neat enough place that my players were happy to just watch what was going on. Plot point after plot point slipped by. >My own personal plot twist: all of them experienced a very similar, recurring >dream which drove them to leave their old lives and move to the island (or take >Prozac for the rest of their lives!). The dream is a construct of moving force here> [1]. Since they've arrived, they have done a lot of >exploring, and every time I drop what I consider a hot adventure lead in their >laps, they either (a) blithely ignore it, leading to me to think I'm being to >subtle, or (b) hoot derisively (not really, I'm just sensitive) and say >"Adventure This Way! -->>". Well, I am hoping to make my players more subtle observers. As it is, they seem to miss everything that does not immediately effect them. I think they are getting better, but I am not sure... What I suggest is to make your characters hapless victims of something that requires them to start working. You could have a piece of fringe technology mistakenly given to them and then have them try to figure out what they want to do with it. Make it apparent that a lot of groups want this. Will they be savvy enough to sell it to the highest bidder? And will this anger the wrong people? I would also suggest telling them outright as players: "Well, I've dropped some clues that you seem to have missed entirely. If you think my plots are too blatant then you should start paying closer attention to what is going on." I found this worked remarkably well with my players. They started paying more attention to what was going on and started talking more. Finally, explain to them that the burden of making this fun shouldn't rest entirely on your shoulders. They should work with you to create a fun game. If their characters aren't the sort of people who follow blatant plot hooks (such as a string of murders) then perhaps they are just a bit too boring to be played. Tell them you will try to make the plots better, but they have to work too to make the players work in the game. It really shouldn't be a competition between GM and player. David [O] You received this message because you are subscribed to the-edge [0] To (un)subscribe, send a message to majordomo@robin.ml.org with body of [O] (un)subscribe the-edge ------------------------------ End of The Edge Digested V1 #50 ******************************* [O] You received this message because you are subscribed to the-edge-digest [0] To (un)subscribe, send a message to majordomo@robin.ml.org with body of [O] (un)subscribe the-edge-digest To get off digest, subscribe the-edge [O] To post a message, send it to the-edge@robin.ml.org