Comments on: Bait and Switch http://webamused.com/bumblers/2008/12/03/bait-and-switch/ The adventures of the Sunday gaming group Fri, 27 Jan 2012 04:38:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: “Transitions and Transformations” RPG Blog Carnival Roundup | Critical Hits http://webamused.com/bumblers/2008/12/03/bait-and-switch/comment-page-1/#comment-448 “Transitions and Transformations” RPG Blog Carnival Roundup | Critical Hits Thu, 08 Jan 2009 04:32:23 +0000 http://webamused.com/bumblers/?p=368#comment-448 [...] of the Rambling Bumblers describes how and why to pull off a bait and switch: let the players in on one premise, and transform it into [...] [...] of the Rambling Bumblers describes how and why to pull off a bait and switch: let the players in on one premise, and transform it into [...]

]]> By: Joshua http://webamused.com/bumblers/2008/12/03/bait-and-switch/comment-page-1/#comment-399 Joshua Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:58:30 +0000 http://webamused.com/bumblers/?p=368#comment-399 I think that's a good point. In "Escape" characters didn't have any reason to trust each other at first, and each individual's trigger condition was deliberately chosen to be something that nobody in their right mind would consent to voluntarily so there'd be no "well, I'll humor the madman." I think that’s a good point. In “Escape” characters didn’t have any reason to trust each other at first, and each individual’s trigger condition was deliberately chosen to be something that nobody in their right mind would consent to voluntarily so there’d be no “well, I’ll humor the madman.”

]]> By: brian http://webamused.com/bumblers/2008/12/03/bait-and-switch/comment-page-1/#comment-398 brian Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:33:17 +0000 http://webamused.com/bumblers/?p=368#comment-398 Hey, Escape from Tartarus! The only thing keeping me from saying that was the best bait-and-switch story ever was that I also played Midnight Express, so I can't decide. And you're right, the one-shot nature of the story and the use of pre-gens did eliminate a lot of the problems. I would <i>love</i> to do a story like that, but I'm far too transparent. One other element that I think helped was that you let the players in on it one at a time, letting us be part of the "reveal," which is, after all, the fun bit. Since I was the second player to find out in the Tartarus story, I got to enjoy trying to figure out just what Doug knew that the rest of us didn't (usually a good rule with Doug's characters, but especially so in this case), and then I got to enjoy being in on the secret before the last two players. The fun factor may be reduced for the last player to find out, but that depends on how much that player likes being in suspense. The Midnight Express had a similar element, but to a lesser degree. Since each character had a secret they wanted to keep from the others (I think they all did, right?), there was less information-sharing than in a tightly knit party. As a result, each player figured out the twist in his or her own time, and kept it private, rather than one player getting suspicious and blurting it out. The trick, I think, is that when the players participate in the shift, they can take ownership of the plot, instead of just reacting with, "My, what a clever GM we have." (Not that there's anything wrong with that.) Hey, Escape from Tartarus! The only thing keeping me from saying that was the best bait-and-switch story ever was that I also played Midnight Express, so I can’t decide. And you’re right, the one-shot nature of the story and the use of pre-gens did eliminate a lot of the problems. I would love to do a story like that, but I’m far too transparent.

One other element that I think helped was that you let the players in on it one at a time, letting us be part of the “reveal,” which is, after all, the fun bit. Since I was the second player to find out in the Tartarus story, I got to enjoy trying to figure out just what Doug knew that the rest of us didn’t (usually a good rule with Doug’s characters, but especially so in this case), and then I got to enjoy being in on the secret before the last two players. The fun factor may be reduced for the last player to find out, but that depends on how much that player likes being in suspense.

The Midnight Express had a similar element, but to a lesser degree. Since each character had a secret they wanted to keep from the others (I think they all did, right?), there was less information-sharing than in a tightly knit party. As a result, each player figured out the twist in his or her own time, and kept it private, rather than one player getting suspicious and blurting it out.

The trick, I think, is that when the players participate in the shift, they can take ownership of the plot, instead of just reacting with, “My, what a clever GM we have.” (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.)

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