On Timing of Plots and Hooks
Posted by Puffin on 06/10/18
This has come up several times lately. There are often lots of things that characters or NPCs list as "urgent" or "things that are high priority" that are in fact, urgent or things that are high priority IC. This is often direction, given ICly, that this is the priority or the thing to be pursued FIRST. But failing to act immediately does NOT mean someone will not be included. There is NOT, and will not be, a time pressure except in so much as when the entire arc is resolved. Don't freak out, guys.
From a GMing perspective, when we offer a plotline or suggest something is urgent or a priority, that means that particular thread might be more interesting to get involved in NOW, because as a GM we know that all the pieces are in place, and the result, if successful, might help resolve other things a player is doing - or provide in depth character development that is important to that character in the short term. It is guidance, it can be dismissed or ignored, and there may or may not end up being consequences to it.
FOR EXAMPLE: There was an item meant to help with the Gyre plot. Despite having it suggested to them that this item could help and it was priority, the players in the know didn't get an action together to go get the thing to help them.
It absolutely changed the resolution of the Gyre's plot.
It clearly didn't result in the plot being impossible or anyone failing. People did other things instead, and came up with other solutions, and that's super-OK with us. So please understand when we seem to highlight something from a GM perspective, it's important, but it's not THE ONLY WAY and it's ok to not have things happen RIGHT THIS SECOND.
And we know OOCly that scheduling is hard sometimes, and it can slow things down a little. We're ok with that too. But ICly, unless it's a crisis action? If you need to take a little extra time to make sure to reach out to people, it's ok. And if we suggest something, that doesn't mean you have to follow it. So.... be excellent to each other people. And relax. It really is a game.
From a GMing perspective, when we offer a plotline or suggest something is urgent or a priority, that means that particular thread might be more interesting to get involved in NOW, because as a GM we know that all the pieces are in place, and the result, if successful, might help resolve other things a player is doing - or provide in depth character development that is important to that character in the short term. It is guidance, it can be dismissed or ignored, and there may or may not end up being consequences to it.
FOR EXAMPLE: There was an item meant to help with the Gyre plot. Despite having it suggested to them that this item could help and it was priority, the players in the know didn't get an action together to go get the thing to help them.
It absolutely changed the resolution of the Gyre's plot.
It clearly didn't result in the plot being impossible or anyone failing. People did other things instead, and came up with other solutions, and that's super-OK with us. So please understand when we seem to highlight something from a GM perspective, it's important, but it's not THE ONLY WAY and it's ok to not have things happen RIGHT THIS SECOND.
And we know OOCly that scheduling is hard sometimes, and it can slow things down a little. We're ok with that too. But ICly, unless it's a crisis action? If you need to take a little extra time to make sure to reach out to people, it's ok. And if we suggest something, that doesn't mean you have to follow it. So.... be excellent to each other people. And relax. It really is a game.