XP Filter - Plotting: Fic vs. RP
Aug. 31st, 2007 10:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
deathpixieSo, another in my series of potentially condescending thoughts/reflections on RP. ;) This time plots, specifically, the difference in how plots are structured, between writing fic and writing an RPG plot.
I've always been known as a writer of Plot. I don't do random scenes well, and even my drabbles are seated in something bigger, even if I never wind up writing it. Plotting comes to me, not quite as natually as breathing, since that's![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
dexfarkin's area, but certainly more easily than it does to some people. And what I've noticed in the time since I started RPing and writing fic less, is that I've had to change the way I plot in order to accomodate the very specific requirements of a game.
When you decide to write a fic, generally there's very little in the way of extraneous factors to include. You have an idea, a theme, a goal, that you want to explore. You work out the rough path, factor in hooks to get people involved, problems, conflicts, dilemmas. Most of us consider the audience we're expecting, but not to a huge degree - a common mistake of new fic writers is to get caught up in what's popular, which means you end up with a hundred Remy/Rogue fics that could have been created by Story-O-Matic. We look for the interesting way to present the message we want to get across, even if that message is simply to have a rollicking good time reading made-up adventures of spandex-clad heroes. You sort all that out, you sit down, and you write.
RP is different. Worlds different. And I think it's a common mistake, especially for those who shift from fanfic to RP as I did, to not realise that. When you come up with an RP plot, yes it's about your character, but because you're involved in a cooperative writing scenario with up to thirty-odd other people, you need to factor in more than just what you want to do. You need to consider things like:
What will the other characters in my plot be doing? Will there be something for their players to do?
Do I need someone to look dumb/incompetant/neglectful in order for my character to get into the pickle I need them to, and if so, is there potential for fixing that later?
How will the characters close to mine be impacted by what happens in the plot?
Does the plot rely on a specific reaction from other characters? Is that going to happen?
And the most important question of all:
Will it be fun?
This doesn't just apply to the Big Honking Plots. It applies to the smaller ones too, since even small events have knock-on effects. It's one of the reasons why I'm so big into open plotting - a lot of the time there's consequences of plots we can't think of because they apply to someone else's character. And communication is really vital to all of the above questions.
As I said before, RP is give and take. Sometimes you're the centre of the plot, sometimes you're the bit character helping things move along. Sometimes you're the one with all the good lines, making everyone around you look dumb, sometimes you're the one asking the Really Obvious Question since it's needed and no-one else will. And that's equally important in plotting. If you only have plots where it's all about your character, your character is the one that gets things done, the one who solves all the problems and everyone else gets to stand around and say how fantastic you are, you're not going to get people wanting in on your plots. It's boring for the other player to be the bit character, the side kick all the time. Same goes with other people's plots - if your first response to a scenario is "well, my character could do this, take out all the bad guys and then we all go home", when the intention was to have a big action scene where everyone has something to do? Unless you work with people to come up with ways to avoid that, you're not going to be asked to do many plots.
One of the things I love about plotting, for example, is the way we cooperate. I'm still learning how to run plots without requiring too many specific reactions - a hangover from the fic writing, especially since that's how my brain works, events cascading off each other - but for the most part folks are helping me with that. I love the fact that Winding Way, which is an Amanda plot, has very little of her actually in it - the plot happens around her, but it isn't solely her plot. I hope it's as enjoyable for the people writing and reading it as it is for me.
I keep getting back to the cooperation thing, it seems. But to me, that's the essence of roleplaying. Not IC cooperation - conflict is what keeps things active, keeps things from stagnating, whether it's a full-on fued or a dislike between schoolgirls. But OOC cooperation, that's so important. Being able to talk to someone and work out between you that yes, you're going to look a bit dumb in this scene, but later you get to be the one that makes everything come together. Agreeing to have your character do something, in order for the plot to happen at all, or to build tension. Utilising the skills of the characters available, and giving them all a chance to shine - that's what I liked about Whiteout, the fact I just set up the scenario and everyone came up with what they wanted to do (I need to do that more).
Plotting in RP isn't about letting other people dictate your plot. It's about working with them.
I'll shush now. ;)
I've always been known as a writer of Plot. I don't do random scenes well, and even my drabbles are seated in something bigger, even if I never wind up writing it. Plotting comes to me, not quite as natually as breathing, since that's
dexfarkin's area, but certainly more easily than it does to some people. And what I've noticed in the time since I started RPing and writing fic less, is that I've had to change the way I plot in order to accomodate the very specific requirements of a game.When you decide to write a fic, generally there's very little in the way of extraneous factors to include. You have an idea, a theme, a goal, that you want to explore. You work out the rough path, factor in hooks to get people involved, problems, conflicts, dilemmas. Most of us consider the audience we're expecting, but not to a huge degree - a common mistake of new fic writers is to get caught up in what's popular, which means you end up with a hundred Remy/Rogue fics that could have been created by Story-O-Matic. We look for the interesting way to present the message we want to get across, even if that message is simply to have a rollicking good time reading made-up adventures of spandex-clad heroes. You sort all that out, you sit down, and you write.
RP is different. Worlds different. And I think it's a common mistake, especially for those who shift from fanfic to RP as I did, to not realise that. When you come up with an RP plot, yes it's about your character, but because you're involved in a cooperative writing scenario with up to thirty-odd other people, you need to factor in more than just what you want to do. You need to consider things like:
What will the other characters in my plot be doing? Will there be something for their players to do?
Do I need someone to look dumb/incompetant/neglectful in order for my character to get into the pickle I need them to, and if so, is there potential for fixing that later?
How will the characters close to mine be impacted by what happens in the plot?
Does the plot rely on a specific reaction from other characters? Is that going to happen?
And the most important question of all:
Will it be fun?
This doesn't just apply to the Big Honking Plots. It applies to the smaller ones too, since even small events have knock-on effects. It's one of the reasons why I'm so big into open plotting - a lot of the time there's consequences of plots we can't think of because they apply to someone else's character. And communication is really vital to all of the above questions.
As I said before, RP is give and take. Sometimes you're the centre of the plot, sometimes you're the bit character helping things move along. Sometimes you're the one with all the good lines, making everyone around you look dumb, sometimes you're the one asking the Really Obvious Question since it's needed and no-one else will. And that's equally important in plotting. If you only have plots where it's all about your character, your character is the one that gets things done, the one who solves all the problems and everyone else gets to stand around and say how fantastic you are, you're not going to get people wanting in on your plots. It's boring for the other player to be the bit character, the side kick all the time. Same goes with other people's plots - if your first response to a scenario is "well, my character could do this, take out all the bad guys and then we all go home", when the intention was to have a big action scene where everyone has something to do? Unless you work with people to come up with ways to avoid that, you're not going to be asked to do many plots.
One of the things I love about plotting, for example, is the way we cooperate. I'm still learning how to run plots without requiring too many specific reactions - a hangover from the fic writing, especially since that's how my brain works, events cascading off each other - but for the most part folks are helping me with that. I love the fact that Winding Way, which is an Amanda plot, has very little of her actually in it - the plot happens around her, but it isn't solely her plot. I hope it's as enjoyable for the people writing and reading it as it is for me.
I keep getting back to the cooperation thing, it seems. But to me, that's the essence of roleplaying. Not IC cooperation - conflict is what keeps things active, keeps things from stagnating, whether it's a full-on fued or a dislike between schoolgirls. But OOC cooperation, that's so important. Being able to talk to someone and work out between you that yes, you're going to look a bit dumb in this scene, but later you get to be the one that makes everything come together. Agreeing to have your character do something, in order for the plot to happen at all, or to build tension. Utilising the skills of the characters available, and giving them all a chance to shine - that's what I liked about Whiteout, the fact I just set up the scenario and everyone came up with what they wanted to do (I need to do that more).
Plotting in RP isn't about letting other people dictate your plot. It's about working with them.
I'll shush now. ;)
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If you really want to be able to learn how to plot well?
Date: 2007-08-31 03:24 pm (UTC)SRSLY.
Whole 'nother ballgame right there.
no subject
Date: 2007-08-31 03:40 pm (UTC)Now, granted, in D&D, it was a lot more random. More like the RR's then XP - there was always SOMEONE messing up my plans and I had to react -fast- to that. My bard using a level ZERO spell to force a plot point comes to mind. Or the druid/cleric wrasslin' a demon back to hell*.
* I bet you can guess in one guess who played the demon-wrasslin' druid/cleric.
no subject
Date: 2007-08-31 04:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-08-31 04:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-08-31 05:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-08-31 05:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-08-31 05:47 pm (UTC)