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Message no. 1
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Re: Standing on the Corner, watching all the... (wa
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 11:39:32 +0100
Karl Low said on 22:52/21 Apr 98...

> > As a GM, I don't usually mention passerbys (sp?) in astral space, but
> > then I hardly ever mention pedestrians walking on the street either.
>
> <EGMG>Setting your players up for when you *do* mention one and have
> them go nuts trying to figure out why, eh? </EGMG>

That is partly the problem with players -- mention something and they
think it's important to the adventure, spending hours chasing it or
hunting down info about it, when it was just meant as something to make
the world more interesting.

Although if you do this a few times they'll learn to ignore such events,
and then you can hit them with something they don't expect anymore :)

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html - UIN5044116
going down thinking
-> NERPS Project Leader * ShadowRN GridSec * Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
-> The Plastic Warriors Page: http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/plastic.html <-
-> The New Character Mortuary: http://www.electricferret.com/mortuary/ <-

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Message no. 2
From: Lehlan Decker <decker@****.FSU.EDU>
Subject: Re: Standing on the Corner, watching all the... (wa
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 10:33:13 -0500
>
> Karl Low said on 22:52/21 Apr 98...
>
> > > As a GM, I don't usually mention passerbys (sp?) in astral space, but
> > > then I hardly ever mention pedestrians walking on the street either.
> >
> > <EGMG>Setting your players up for when you *do* mention one and have
> > them go nuts trying to figure out why, eh? </EGMG>
>
> That is partly the problem with players -- mention something and they
> think it's important to the adventure, spending hours chasing it or
> hunting down info about it, when it was just meant as something to make
> the world more interesting.
>
> Although if you do this a few times they'll learn to ignore such events,
> and then you can hit them with something they don't expect anymore :)
>
You got it. How else do you create the "paranoia" effect, some runners
should have. I tend to just sketch vague details of people and places.
And only flesh it out if asked. Perception rules, etc tend to take
care of the rest. Besides, how many of us have had our players spend
multiple hours exploring something that had no relation to the adventure,
just because we "accidentally" put emphasis on it. :)

--
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Lehlan Decker 644-4534 Systems Development
decker@****.fsu.edu http://www.scri.fsu.edu/~decker
--------------------------------------------------------------------
"Uh-Oh Toto, it doesn't look like we're gods anymore."
Message no. 3
From: GRANITE <granite@**.NET>
Subject: Re: Standing on the Corner, watching all the... (wa
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 15:04:04 -0700
> That is partly the problem with players -- mention something and they
> think it's important to the adventure, spending hours chasing it or
> hunting down info about it, when it was just meant as something to make
> the world more interesting.

Oh yea..I was in a group that did this one time..The GM was one of
our normal players..and he wanted to spruce up the adventure a bit
with a real vampire..Once we figured out about the vampire we
wouldn't go anywhere near the place he was running..Our regular GM
portrayed Vamps as extremely powerful creatures and we took our
lesson to heart..He spent hours trying everything he could think of
to get us back on track..But he kept including the vamp..He finally
gave up and ended the adventure..He finally told us in exasperation
that the Vamp was just window dressing but we had focused on him so
much [such a powerful creature must be a main story element] that we
would not get back on the proper track which was something to do with
ghouls or something..
--------------------------------GRANITE
"Rock Steady"
===============================================
Lord, Grant Me The Serenity To Accept The Things I Cannot Change,
The Courage To Change The Things I Can,
And The Wisdom To Hide The Bodies Of Those People I Had To Kill
Because They Pissed Me Off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ShadowRunner's Serenity Prayer
===============================================
Kind of a bummer. Gettin' your butt kicked by a dead guy.
- Lt Col McQueen
The truth is a three edged sword. - Kosh
What do Klingons dream about?
Things that would send cold chills
down your spine...It is better you
did not know.
- Major Norece to Commander Worf

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