Author Topic: Am I doing something wrong?  (Read 3367 times)

Offline Ophidimancer

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Am I doing something wrong?
« on: February 17, 2011, 05:25:20 PM »
My husband has joined my gaming group and he seems to have gotten the idea that in FATE, players are Storytellers too.  He keeps spending FATE points to introduce complications into the story, once when his character was telling a ghost story to make it true history of the town, and once at a high school assembly to make it so the punch had been spiked after everyone had already drunk.

Both of these added awesomeness to the story, so should I not have charged him the FATE point?

Offline Sanctaphrax

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Re: Am I doing something wrong?
« Reply #1 on: February 17, 2011, 05:28:35 PM »
Those sound like self-compels to me. I'd give him a fate point for each.

But don't worry about it. If he's willing to spend points on stuff like that, more power to him.

PS: Until reading this, I had assumed that you were male. I don't know exactly why.

Offline Ophidimancer

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Re: Am I doing something wrong?
« Reply #2 on: February 17, 2011, 05:31:28 PM »
Those sound like self-compels to me. I'd give him a fate point for each.

But don't worry about it. If he's willing to spend points on stuff like that, more power to him.

Ahh, yes, I will try to keep that in mind next time he does this.  The thing is, they didn't really cause complications to his character, they caused complications for everyone else.

PS: Until reading this, I had assumed that you were male. I don't know exactly why.

*checks*

Yep, I totally still have both an X and a Y chromosome, so totally male here.  ;)

Offline Kommisar

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Re: Am I doing something wrong?
« Reply #3 on: February 17, 2011, 05:31:50 PM »
It all depends on if the elements he is introducing benefit him or complicate his character's life.  If it benefits him, charge him.  If it complicates things for him, it's a self compel and award him a Fate Point.

I wish that I had your problem here, BTW.   ;D

Offline Sanctaphrax

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Re: Am I doing something wrong?
« Reply #4 on: February 17, 2011, 05:57:52 PM »
I also assumed that you were straight.

I'm not having a good day for assumptions.

Offline Ophidimancer

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Re: Am I doing something wrong?
« Reply #5 on: February 17, 2011, 06:26:08 PM »
I also assumed that you were straight.

I'm not having a good day for assumptions.

Haha, that's ok, statistics were on your side, I'm just an outlier. :D

Offline bobjob

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Re: Am I doing something wrong?
« Reply #6 on: February 17, 2011, 06:28:15 PM »
Sanctaphrax has -2 for Assessments when related to gender and sexual orientation.+

Quote
My husband has joined my gaming group and he seems to have gotten the idea that in FATE, players are Storytellers too.  He keeps spending FATE points to introduce complications into the story, once when his character was telling a ghost story to make it true history of the town, and once at a high school assembly to make it so the punch had been spiked after everyone had already drunk.

Both of these added awesomeness to the story, so should I not have charged him the FATE point?

I'm digging how your husband gets down in game, although instead of spending a fate point for the ghost story, I would have handled that like a declaration. As for the spiked punch, depending on the effect, I agree that could be a self compel, just one that affects everybody else as well. Hmm, I'm not 100% on how I would handle that one off the top of my head.
« Last Edit: February 17, 2011, 06:32:47 PM by bobjob »
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Offline Moriden

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Re: Am I doing something wrong?
« Reply #7 on: February 17, 2011, 06:38:50 PM »
Quote
As for the spiked punch, depending on the effect, I agree that could be a self compel, just one that affects everybody else as well. Hmm, I'm not 100% on how I would handle that one off the top of my head.

Sounds like a declaration causing a compel. anyone who wants to have retroactively not drunken the drugged punch can spend a fate point everyone else gets one.
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Offline Saedar

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Re: Am I doing something wrong?
« Reply #8 on: February 17, 2011, 06:40:18 PM »
It seems like you handled this great, especially since it introduced awesome into your game.

For the ghost story, sounds like a fun fun FATE point Declaration. If you agree, it is so.

For the spiked punch, if you agree, it could be a mass compel where everyone gets a FP (except maybe the hubby, would cancel eachother out). Would also give a fun opportunity for someone to buy out and be the only one not poisoned.

Offline devonapple

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Re: Am I doing something wrong?
« Reply #9 on: February 17, 2011, 07:24:02 PM »
Just adding to the general consensus:

If he is establishing a complication relating to an Aspect of his (or potentially, a Scene Aspect, though usually the GM uses those), that would be worth a FP for a self-compel.

If he is establishing a Fact which didn't exist before, that's a Declaration. You are free to make those as easy or as hard to establish as you like, based on narrative value, but they generally aren't worth a Fate Point - in fact, they can *cost* a Fate Point if the player does not want to have to make a roll.

If those Facts are there to complicate the story, not make things easier on the players, then that crosses the line back into a sort of self-compel, and if you like the contributions to the story, definitely reward with a Fate Point, especially if the other players start doing it, too.

However, if the other players are not taking the initiative to introduce similar plot complications, then I imagine they will soon get tired of the de facto co-GM/GM's spouse being rewarded for making life harder for everyone else. I certainly would. Conversely, these Declarations which complicate everyone's lives may be a good opportunity to reimburse the other players with some Fate Points, since they are also being inconvenienced. But you want to avoid making this mechanism into a Fate Point farm.

Ultimately, the role he has adopted is not an established part of the whole DFRPG mechanic, and you may end up needing to discourage it in order to make sure all of your players are having a good time. Which is the primary goal! But if everyone is having fun, play on!
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Offline Ophidimancer

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Re: Am I doing something wrong?
« Reply #10 on: February 17, 2011, 07:29:44 PM »
It seems like you handled this great, especially since it introduced awesome into your game.

For the ghost story, sounds like a fun fun FATE point Declaration. If you agree, it is so.

For the spiked punch, if you agree, it could be a mass compel where everyone gets a FP (except maybe the hubby, would cancel eachother out). Would also give a fun opportunity for someone to buy out and be the only one not poisoned.

Yes, this is how I ran it, especially since he said that his character, as an upstanding student body president, didn't drink any.  He paid a FP and everyone else got one as a Compel for being drunk.

Ultimately, the role he has adopted is not an established part of the whole DFRPG mechanic, and you may end up needing to discourage it in order to make sure all of your players are having a good time. Which is the primary goal! But if everyone is having fun, play on!

Oh, when I said he "got the idea" I meant that he understood correctly, that he grokked it.  I do think that the Players in a FATE game are also all co-ST's.

Offline finarvyn

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Re: Am I doing something wrong?
« Reply #11 on: March 05, 2011, 08:46:58 PM »
It all depends on if the elements he is introducing benefit him or complicate his character's life.  If it benefits him, charge him.  If it complicates things for him, it's a self compel and award him a Fate Point.

I wish that I had your problem here, BTW.   ;D
My sister has this habit as well, introducing plot elements that totally upset the apple cart. It's fun because most of the players are okay with the whole "go with it" philosophy and those compications make the game more enjoyable. I'm glad I have that "problem" too!  ;D
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Offline noclue

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Re: Am I doing something wrong?
« Reply #12 on: March 06, 2011, 04:25:59 AM »
If its not a self compel (and it doesn't sound like it) then he just put an aspect on the scene, like "spiked punch."  Could be a declaration or Maneuver or even an invoke for effect if he wants a free tag. If not, you could just say "yes" and place the aspect. Then use it for compels on anyone who drank.