Comments on: Robin Laws’ Revisited: Part 6, Being Spontaneous! http://critical-hits.com/2008/11/13/robin-laws%e2%80%99-revisited-part-6-being-spontaneous/ The Journal of Gamer Culture Thu, 24 May 2012 21:26:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Katana Geldar http://critical-hits.com/2008/11/13/robin-laws%e2%80%99-revisited-part-6-being-spontaneous/#comment-53331 Katana Geldar Sun, 26 Jul 2009 05:23:55 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1815#comment-53331 Good NPCs are a way for the GM to give the players the impression that the world they are creating is much bigger than the players. I love having my NPCs pop up every now and again. Not every adventure, but often enough. .-= Katana Geldar´s last blog ..<a href="http://gmgeldar.wordpress.com/2009/07/26/theres-one-at-every-table/" rel="nofollow">There’s one at every table…</a> =-. Good NPCs are a way for the GM to give the players the impression that the world they are creating is much bigger than the players. I love having my NPCs pop up every now and again. Not every adventure, but often enough.
.-= Katana Geldar´s last blog ..There’s one at every table… =-.

]]> By: Bartoneus http://critical-hits.com/2008/11/13/robin-laws%e2%80%99-revisited-part-6-being-spontaneous/#comment-53330 Bartoneus Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:18:12 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1815#comment-53330 The list of names has definitely helped me, and it was fun making the list too! Only problem I've noticed with this is being SURE to mark down the names once you use them! <abbr><em>Bartoneuss last blog post..<a href="http://www.critical-hits.com/2008/11/14/4th-edition-encounter-planner/" rel="nofollow">4th Edition Encounter Planner</a></em></abbr> The list of names has definitely helped me, and it was fun making the list too! Only problem I’ve noticed with this is being SURE to mark down the names once you use them!

Bartoneuss last blog post..4th Edition Encounter Planner

]]> By: Tony Law http://critical-hits.com/2008/11/13/robin-laws%e2%80%99-revisited-part-6-being-spontaneous/#comment-53329 Tony Law Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:45:20 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1815#comment-53329 @Chatty - That's why the rest of us geeks are here. To school you in the fine art of independent RPGs. ;) <abbr><em>Tony Laws last blog post..<a href="http://rpgcentric.com/?p=415" rel="nofollow">Review: Helix</a></em></abbr> @Chatty – That’s why the rest of us geeks are here. To school you in the fine art of independent RPGs. ;)

Tony Laws last blog post..Review: Helix

]]> By: Rafe http://critical-hits.com/2008/11/13/robin-laws%e2%80%99-revisited-part-6-being-spontaneous/#comment-53328 Rafe Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:33:22 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1815#comment-53328 I find the best way to characterize NPCs is to give them a short sentence containing something positive and negative. These can be descriptors or quirks: Morden is disciplined and no-nonsense but becomes indecisive under pressure. Garl is helpful and quick to laugh but is a coward and crumples under any intimidation. Humber disdains the company of others but has very strong community spirit. Vako can't be bribed but has a soft spot for helping women. Etc. <abbr><em>Rafes last blog post..<a href="http://rpgbehindthescreens.blogspot.com/2008/11/bat-or-belfry-both.html" rel="nofollow">The Bat or the Belfry? Both!</a></em></abbr> I find the best way to characterize NPCs is to give them a short sentence containing something positive and negative. These can be descriptors or quirks: Morden is disciplined and no-nonsense but becomes indecisive under pressure. Garl is helpful and quick to laugh but is a coward and crumples under any intimidation. Humber disdains the company of others but has very strong community spirit. Vako can’t be bribed but has a soft spot for helping women. Etc.

Rafes last blog post..The Bat or the Belfry? Both!

]]> By: ChattyDM http://critical-hits.com/2008/11/13/robin-laws%e2%80%99-revisited-part-6-being-spontaneous/#comment-53327 ChattyDM Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:15:10 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1815#comment-53327 @Wyatt: Thanks man. If you want your Players to be More spontaneous you have to grab them by the proverbial balls and squeeze! You need to scare them and send them in WTF land! Or give them moral choices that will make them squirm! @Tony: Gah, there are so many other RPGs I know nothing about... I feel like a PhD, I've experience with D&D and Gurps like there's no tomorrow, yet I blink stupidly when people tell me about Dread, House of the Bloodied and Stuperheroes... :) @Wyatt: Thanks man. If you want your Players to be More spontaneous you have to grab them by the proverbial balls and squeeze! You need to scare them and send them in WTF land!

Or give them moral choices that will make them squirm!

@Tony: Gah, there are so many other RPGs I know nothing about… I feel like a PhD, I’ve experience with D&D and Gurps like there’s no tomorrow, yet I blink stupidly when people tell me about Dread, House of the Bloodied and Stuperheroes… :)

]]> By: ChattyDM http://critical-hits.com/2008/11/13/robin-laws%e2%80%99-revisited-part-6-being-spontaneous/#comment-53326 ChattyDM Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:00:25 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1815#comment-53326 Oh its so on Yan! I have yet to kill a D&D 4e character! Yan, teasing his DM since 1999! Oh its so on Yan! I have yet to kill a D&D 4e character!

Yan, teasing his DM since 1999!

]]> By: Yan http://critical-hits.com/2008/11/13/robin-laws%e2%80%99-revisited-part-6-being-spontaneous/#comment-53325 Yan Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:55:39 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1815#comment-53325 That promise to be nice session... It's been a long time since you actually killed my character. Did I became cautious with time? Nah!!! You must be loosing your touch... :P That promise to be nice session… It’s been a long time since you actually killed my character. Did I became cautious with time?

Nah!!!

You must be loosing your touch… :P

]]> By: Wyatt http://critical-hits.com/2008/11/13/robin-laws%e2%80%99-revisited-part-6-being-spontaneous/#comment-53324 Wyatt Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:41:18 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1815#comment-53324 Very nice article. Spontainety is something I use a lot (given that my planning tends to suck so I often wing it). I just wish my own players were more spontaneous! Sometimes I feel they just see my game worlds as a to-do list, even when I tell to be more proactive and do act on what they see and what they feel, rather than what they think I have in my notes somewhere. <abbr><em>Wyatts last blog post..<a href="http://wyattsalazar.wordpress.com/2008/11/12/wyatts-guide-to-making-a-4e-class/" rel="nofollow">Wyatt’s Guide To Making A Balanced 4e Class</a></em></abbr> Very nice article. Spontainety is something I use a lot (given that my planning tends to suck so I often wing it). I just wish my own players were more spontaneous! Sometimes I feel they just see my game worlds as a to-do list, even when I tell to be more proactive and do act on what they see and what they feel, rather than what they think I have in my notes somewhere.

Wyatts last blog post..Wyatt’s Guide To Making A Balanced 4e Class

]]> By: Tony Law http://critical-hits.com/2008/11/13/robin-laws%e2%80%99-revisited-part-6-being-spontaneous/#comment-53323 Tony Law Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:28:32 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1815#comment-53323 If you're ever up for flexing your spontaneous muscles, I highly recommend playing a game of Stuperheroes! The entire character creation process is random and, as a GM, you just have a basic outline for a session (which is done in Mad Libs fashion by asking the players for adjectives, places, etc). The best game I've ever run at GenCon was a 4 hour session that was about 90% off the top of my head. :) <abbr><em>Tony Laws last blog post..<a href="http://rpgcentric.com/?p=411" rel="nofollow">Geek Comedy Friday: The World of Workcraft</a></em></abbr> If you’re ever up for flexing your spontaneous muscles, I highly recommend playing a game of Stuperheroes! The entire character creation process is random and, as a GM, you just have a basic outline for a session (which is done in Mad Libs fashion by asking the players for adjectives, places, etc). The best game I’ve ever run at GenCon was a 4 hour session that was about 90% off the top of my head. :)

Tony Laws last blog post..Geek Comedy Friday: The World of Workcraft

]]> By: ChattyDM http://critical-hits.com/2008/11/13/robin-laws%e2%80%99-revisited-part-6-being-spontaneous/#comment-53322 ChattyDM Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:24:42 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1815#comment-53322 Nah, don't worry, I'll make sure I killed your character before we get there. Nah, don’t worry, I’ll make sure I killed your character before we get there.

]]> By: Yan http://critical-hits.com/2008/11/13/robin-laws%e2%80%99-revisited-part-6-being-spontaneous/#comment-53321 Yan Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:22:03 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1815#comment-53321 Oh jezz... That means I'll have to antagonize and make each of them Happy just to hear what you had prepared... ;-) Oh jezz… That means I’ll have to antagonize and make each of them Happy just to hear what you had prepared…
;-)

]]> By: ChattyDM http://critical-hits.com/2008/11/13/robin-laws%e2%80%99-revisited-part-6-being-spontaneous/#comment-53320 ChattyDM Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:11:39 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1815#comment-53320 Hey Noumenon, glad to see you back! I truly think that this one simple tip is tremendously helpful and not much more work to implement. In fact, I'm going to do it for the few NPCs I created for tonight's game! Hey Noumenon, glad to see you back! I truly think that this one simple tip is tremendously helpful and not much more work to implement.

In fact, I’m going to do it for the few NPCs I created for tonight’s game!

]]> By: Noumenon http://critical-hits.com/2008/11/13/robin-laws%e2%80%99-revisited-part-6-being-spontaneous/#comment-53319 Noumenon Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:46:33 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=1815#comment-53319 <i>Laws suggests that you prime each of them with one or two sentences that represents the NPC’s standard speech pattern.</i> It occurred to me today as I was struggling to roleplay a paladin who I realized had every reason to believe the party was actually allies of the Centipede Clan, that you should make one of these sentences something they'd say when they're happy and one they'd say when they're mad. That way when the party decides to antagonize them for no reason you'll be ready. Laws suggests that you prime each of them with one or two sentences that represents the NPC’s standard speech pattern.

It occurred to me today as I was struggling to roleplay a paladin who I realized had every reason to believe the party was actually allies of the Centipede Clan, that you should make one of these sentences something they’d say when they’re happy and one they’d say when they’re mad. That way when the party decides to antagonize them for no reason you’ll be ready.

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