[net.games.frp] frp as theatre

hollombe@ttidcc.UUCP (The Polymath) (05/20/85)

In article <5166@ukc.UUCP> ncg@ukc.UUCP (Nige Gale) writes:
>An frp is like a play, and the players are like actors.
>It's a good analogy, I've always said so.

I've always described is as "... combining the more interesting aspects of
chess, dice, and improvisational theater ...".
-- 
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The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe)
Citicorp TTI
3100 Ocean Park Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA  90405
(213) 450-9111, ext. 2483
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ncg@ukc.UUCP (N.C.Gale) (05/25/85)

SO!
An frp is like a play, and the players are like actors.
It's a good analogy, I've always said so.

BUT!
The script-writer only writes the story, he does not
define the characters. Instead, the actors define the characters
that they are portraying.
Some like to play their real-life personalities into the story.
Others like to play a character different from themselves.
Some play to win.
But for any actor who wishes to play a villain, or just an a...hole,
(s)he has the problem that the other actors will not blame the
character, but instead the actor.

Thus, we have Alignments.
They are merely a device for pre-defining the personality of the
character that the actor has to play, so that the blame for his/her
behaviour is directed away from them. This is good.

The 3X3 alignment-matrix is perhaps precise enough for minor NPCs.
My next campaign, each player is going to have to write a short
family history, with a section on how this relates to his
character's behaviour.
("My mother was too domineering, so I like to torture small mammals" etc)

-Nige Gale
belch