Editing Metaplot
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| β | A '''metaplot''' is an ongoing story taking place in a game world, told in installments via the [[supplements]] provided for a particular [[RPG]]. For example, the [[corebook]] of an RPG may mention that a particular group of people are investigating a mystery; a later [[supplement]] may describe what they found, the impact that the find had on the world, and offer rules representing that impact. As another example, the [[corebook]] may list a particular powerful wizard as the leader of a particular faction: a later [[supplement]] may announce that that person has defected, and then describe the faction in detail without the benefit of their leadership, possibly including loss of magical abilities as a result. | + | A '''metaplot''' is an ongoing story taking place in a game world, told in installments via the [[supplements]] provided for a particular [[RPG]]. For example, the [[corebook]] of an RPG may mention that a particular group of people are investigating a particular mystery; a later [[supplement]] may describe what they found, the impact that the find had on the world, and offer rules representing that impact. As another example, the [[corebook]] may list a particular powerful wizard as the leader of a particular faction: a later [[supplement]] may announce that that person has defected, and then describe the faction in detail without the benefit of their leadership, possibly including loss of magical abilities as a result. |
| β | Metaplots are a favoured method used by RPG publishers, in particular [[White Wolf]] | + | Metaplots are a favoured method used by RPG publishers, in particular [[White Wolf]] to encourage the purchase of supplements. Many players and GMs also enjoy the excitement of a continuously evolving game world, and the revelation of mysteries within the setting. |
| β | However, many players and GMs | + | However, many players and GMs also criticise metaplots. The most common criticism is that play groups are forced to follow the metaplot by the threat of losing product support if they don't. For example, in the above example, if the GM decides that the wizard in their gameworld will ''not'' in fact defect from the group, they will be left on their own to work out how the group's magical abilities would have developed, because no supplement will ever be provided covering this. In turn, the result of this is that [[PC]]s become [[deprotagonization|deprotagonized]] or [[railroading|railroaded]] because the GM cannot risk them taking action that would disrupt the metaplot. For example, the players may declare war on the faction to which the GM knows the wizard will defect at a later date: if they successfully destroyed it, the metaplot could not proceed and the game would be left unsupported, and thus the GM must ensure that they do not do so. |
[[Category:Terminology]] | [[Category:Terminology]] | ||
