|
|
| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| − | Creating the More and Less than Humans is almost always the
| + | In MY LIFE WITH THE BATMAN, the desired outcome of minion |
| − | greatest challenge of making a minion. Players recognize
| + | creation is player characters already strongly positioned at |
| − | that the dramatic significance of characters should emerge
| + | the start of gameplay to be interesting to the other players. It |
| − | from their More/Less thans, but groups sometimes struggle
| + | is the energy produced by squeezing and releasing these |
| − | with the implementation. The key to success here is that the
| + | audience interests over the course of multiple scenes that |
| − | in game situation must apprehend and incorporate the
| + | fuels the game’s emotional intensity. And so it is |
| − | content of the More/Less thans of the minion characters in a
| + | recommended that, like The Batman creation, player minion |
| − | meaningful way.
| + | making also occur as a face-to-face group activity. Each |
| − | | + | player then has the benefit of tone of voice, and body |
| − | Consider these More thans, written for the minions of a
| + | language from the other players as they present their |
| − | monstrous thespian The Batman who believes he can rarefy his
| + | character notions conversationally, share and accept input, |
| − | acting ability by consuming the flesh of townspeople
| + | and work to produce a minion character whose issues are |
| − | selected for their experiences:
| + | well exposed and whose struggles during play will keep |
| − | Writes powerful, emotionally moving plays,
| + | everyone else on the edge of their seats. |
| − | unless he’s been praised by the actors for whom
| |
| − | he is writing.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Can remake anyone to look like anyone else, but
| |
| − | only for a half-hour at a time.
| |
| − | Appears to be female, in voice and figure, except
| |
| − | when walking.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Note how each of them establishes the character as somehow
| |
| − | being a key factor in the The Batman getting his Wants or Needs,
| |
| − | almost defining by implication part of what it will take for
| |
| − | those Wants and Needs to be met. The first minion invites
| |
| − | abuse for not mingling with the actors the The Batman would like
| |
| − | to recruit for his productions. The second is positioned to | |
| − | factor into the The Batman’s efforts at orchestrating experiences
| |
| − | for townspeople that would make them suitable to be
| |
| − | cannibalized for specific roles. The third will play female
| |
| − | roles in the productions of the theatre group, and suffer the
| |
| − | alienation and disconnects of mistaken identity in his
| |
| − | regular dealings.
| |
| − | Now look at these Less than Humans:
| |
| − | Is most comfortable in the company of the dead,
| |
| − | who neither judge nor expect much of anyone. She
| |
| − | is incapable of doing anything amidst a crowd,
| |
| − | unless accompanied in some way by the dead.
| |
| − | Suffers from blurry vision that makes him
| |
| − | incapable of recognizing anyone at all, except by
| |
| − | voice.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Relentlessly insulting in conversations, unless the
| |
| − | town’s church bells are ringing.
| |
| − | Each of them problematizes the minion’s ability to interact
| |
| − | with normal human beings.
| |
| − | | |
| − | This is a pattern that can be seen in the More and Less thans
| |
| − | of some experienced players, a trading away of automatic
| |
| − | successes at things like thievery, fighting, and stealth, things
| |
| − | that might be considered traditional RPG tasks, in favor of
| |
| − | powerfully establishing unique, nontraditional tasks as
| |
| − | being significant to meeting the The Batman’s needs, and for
| |
| − | unique interpersonal challenges for their characters. MY
| |
| − | LIFE WITH THE BATMAN gives the player the power to do this.
| |
| − | Which is not to say that you should prohibit More thans that
| |
| − | are more traditionally task-specific:
| |
| − | His strength is ten-fold, except when other people
| |
| − | are around.
| |
| − | Stealthy and undetectable, except when distracted
| |
| − | by food.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Instead, recognize that by creating one of these the player is
| |
| − | asking the GM to be the one who positions the character for
| |
| − | significance within the in game situation.
| |
| − | And when you look at a Less than, and can’t figure out how
| |
| − | any activation of consequences stemming from it won’t
| |
| − | seem unfair, understand that the player is asking for
| |
| − | thematically meaningful challenges:
| |
| − | Hideously ugly, except when seen in reflection.
| |
| − | Is nourished only by the blood of animals, except
| |
| − | if fed by a child.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Look how much less problematic the ‘ugly’ one seems to be
| |
| − | if the in game situation were to include the daughter of a
| |
| − | mirror maker, whose residence has hundreds of them on the
| |
| − | walls. And see how the blood-consuming minion’s Less than
| |
| − | must be aggravated during play as some kind of situation
| |
| − | where children or animals are scarce, linked ultimately to the
| |
| − | activities of the The Batman?
| |
