Wednesday, August 03, 2011

Game Prepping Chat Transcript

In my games, conversations/chats with the players are almost always required before they start.   Since I tend to approach games with greater attention given to mood and internalization, I find it helps to keep the character concepts simple enough but have good solid internal history.

In this upcoming game, the players were about to get a taste of Changeling: the Lost with a touch of Philippine mythology mixed in and a good dose of brain-fracking the way Inception had them.  Knowing I was gonna throw twists at them that may induce a form of gaming panic (My partner lovingly even talks about players "surviving" my games), I decided it was best to get an early glimpse into the player character psyches and concepts I was to craft tales around.

With the permission of my players, check out the chat exchange below which shows how we mapped out the ideas for this limited game series.


The Facebook Chat

33 minutes ago
Tobie Abad
  • Hey you two. Game tomorrow! I'll see you at Regalia around 9pm okay? I'll be driving to Paranaque and I should be done and on my way back by 6pm.





  • 33 minutes ago
    Dennis Ching
    • surely.







  • 32 minutes ago
    Bj Recio
    • Of course. ^__^







  • 32 minutes ago
    Tobie Abad
    • wheee
    • btw
    • you're both playing through the transformation, right
    • not starting as changelings already
    • or did you have changelings specifically in mind?







  • 32 minutes ago
    Dennis Ching
    • yup. i'm good
    • nope. none yet







  • 31 minutes ago
    Bj Recio
    • same for me. :)







  • 31 minutes ago
    Tobie Abad
    • ok
    • but as requested, will try to put in some Filipino myth touches







  • 30 minutes ago
    Dennis Ching
    • okies







  • 30 minutes ago
    Bj Recio
    • yay
    • XD







  • 30 minutes ago
    Dennis Ching
    • 'can i be an annoying sweet corn fae? from katipunan?
    • hehe







  • 29 minutes ago
    Tobie Abad
    • whaaaat







  • 29 minutes ago
    Dennis Ching
    • nothin'







  • 29 minutes ago
    Tobie Abad
    • :-P
    • if ever
    • what concepts were you guys looking at







  • 27 minutes ago
    Dennis Ching
    • haven't decided unfortunately.







  • 27 minutes ago
    Tobie Abad
    • am hoping for a scary game
    • so everyday life is better
    • unless you wanna make it more heroic







  • 27 minutes ago
    Dennis Ching
    • aaaah.







  • 27 minutes ago
    Tobie Abad
    • ergo, characters are concepts that can handle combat, etc
    • but either is fine
    • :-)







  • 26 minutes ago
    Bj Recio
    • I was looking at something tikbalang-esque (perhaps a runnerswift beast or, interestingly, an equine fairest), but the options are all good and I'm not really set on anything yet. :P







  • 26 minutes ago
    Tobie Abad
    • swiftrunner... hmm
    • notes the idea







  • 26 minutes ago
    Dennis Ching
    • well, if ever, i'd go for something along the lines of horror story writer.







  • 26 minutes ago
    Tobie Abad
    • maybe can even approach this ala AniMatrix
    • each pc has their own short horror story
    • heheh







  • 25 minutes ago
    Bj Recio
    • I'm all for scary. I get enough heroic with our group's D&D sunday game. :lol:







  • 25 minutes ago
    Dennis Ching
    • the cheap tabloid level horror story writer







  • 25 minutes ago
    Tobie Abad
    • Dennis, writer.. gotcha
    • BJ, if youre looking at swiftrunner sorta idea, will this spring from your mortal life> runner athlete>







  • 24 minutes ago
    Dennis Ching
    • if heroic... let's see, stuntman
    • for let's say... fantasy shows?
    • if it's in the philippines, maybe for pedro penduko, or captain barbell, etc







  • 24 minutes ago
    Tobie Abad
    • how about this:
    • Dennis, your character is a former celebrity actor, now turned struggling horror writer.
    • you once had the spotlight, once had the camera on you, chicks and all.







  • 23 minutes ago
    Dennis Ching
    • i'll take former teen actor







  • 23 minutes ago
    Tobie Abad
    • but your stardom ended, and now you're trying to write horror stories for a living.
    • even cooler
    • former teen celeb, now turned writer.







  • 23 minutes ago
    Bj Recio
    • you're johny cage in the philippines. :D







  • 23 minutes ago
    Tobie Abad
    • bj?







  • 23 minutes ago
    Dennis Ching
    • I thought I was smokey manaloto



    • 22 minutes ago
      Bj Recio
      • OMG smokey manaloto. Almost forgot he existed lol

    • 22 minutes ago
      Dennis Ching
      • haha... my teen celeb reference sucks. don't watch as much TV as i used to. :)

    • 22 minutes ago
      Bj Recio
      • hmm, i'm thinking of how to go with the runnerswift, but a runner athlete may be difficult to rp for me. (not really into sports)

    • 22 minutes ago
      Dennis Ching
      • how about a gym trainer?
      • they are buff, but not necessarily athletes

    • 21 minutes ago
      Tobie Abad
      • BJ
      • here's a fun approach

    • 21 minutes ago
      Bj Recio
      • if it's character concepts, though, I've always had a sweet spot for rp-ing old slightly unhinged men. XD

    • 21 minutes ago
      Tobie Abad
      • let's make you a cripple

    • 21 minutes ago
      Dennis Ching
      • but know enough about fitness to go by

    • 21 minutes ago
      Bj Recio
      • oh, go for it. :)

    • 21 minutes ago
      Tobie Abad
      • the running thing is a dream you wanted

    • 21 minutes ago
      Bj Recio
      • oooh.. @___@
      • I can work with that!

    • 20 minutes ago
      Tobie Abad
      • you used to have dreams
      • not necessarily, running
      • basta you used to think you'd be athletic or physical. rock climbing, hiking, etc
      • then car accident
      • lost use of legs
      • so we got a guy who lost the stars, and another who can never rise from the ground, so to speak.
      • nice pair of characters for the game.

    • 19 minutes ago
      Dennis Ching
      • i hope i have enough strength to push a guy in a wheelchair when we needs to run. :)

    • 19 minutes ago
      Tobie Abad
      • Then you better be sure to have Str of at least 2 or 3, Dennis hahha

    • 18 minutes ago
      Dennis Ching
      • sadly former teen stars don't have str better than 2.

    • 18 minutes ago
      Tobie Abad
      • up to you Dennis. After all, baka after your fall from stardom, naging gym bunny ka, hoping to still score with the ladies.
      • so it can work either way

    • 18 minutes ago
      Bj Recio
      • well the successful ones get to go into some kind of bodybuilding at one point. XD

    • 17 minutes ago
      Dennis Ching
      • looks like we got ourselves a story.

    • 17 minutes ago
      Tobie Abad
      • hahah
      • ok lang ba
      • impromptu character creation na tayo
      • okay, i will require a significant other/important npc
      • BJ, whose yours? a sister who cares for you? a wife who still believes in you? etc

    • 16 minutes ago
      Dennis Ching
      • anything particular for the significant other?

    • 16 minutes ago
      Bj Recio
      • well, that would be the nurse who took care of me after the accident. cliche, but hey. :P

    • 16 minutes ago
      Tobie Abad
      • Dennis, how about you? successful best friend? meddling brother?
      • the significant other/npc must be someone you CANNOT shut out or ignore. is part of your life one way or another.

    • 16 minutes ago
      Dennis Ching
      • well, either an editor, or the one with the story tips

    • 16 minutes ago
      Tobie Abad
      • BJ - nurse fell in love with the character? Or if you want a tough chick, the PT

    • 16 minutes ago
      Dennis Ching
      • haha... barbero. :)

    • 15 minutes ago
      Tobie Abad
      • Dennis = editor - is the editor work only, or editor/family friend? editor/ex gf?

    • 15 minutes ago
      Bj Recio
      • well, the character eventually shuts out most people, but still opens up to her.

    • 15 minutes ago
      Tobie Abad
      • BJ = nurse, pc in love with but wont admit?

    • 15 minutes ago
      Dennis Ching
      • hmmm, i thinking the editor who gave him a break when everyone else says his writing is trash

    • 15 minutes ago
      Bj Recio
      • the character fell in love with the nurse, that's for sure. as for the other way around, maybe it's nice to leave that vague? XD
      • yeah, something like that.

    • 14 minutes ago
      Tobie Abad
      • Dennis, thats good. but i need more. best friend level?
      • bj = sige, un"spoken" attraction between the two. may pagka-Moonlighting (omg the reference)

    • 13 minutes ago
      Dennis Ching
      • hahaha

    • 13 minutes ago
      Bj Recio
      • >.>

    • 13 minutes ago
      Tobie Abad
      • is there a way to save thsi whole chat? parang ang sarap i share. it shows how i talk to players re: pcs
      • dennis, how about this: editor was former school best friend. when pc got popular, best friend was "ignored." tapos now, siya pa nagsupport sa iyo. hehehe

    • 12 minutes ago
      Dennis Ching
      • I think it's there in the messages tab later on
      • maybe they worked with school paper before, the best friend as editor of the paper, and the pc was just some writer at the time
      • then teen celebrity hit and yeah... that's the rest

    • 9 minutes ago
      Tobie Abad
      • yeah that works
      • Dennis, go na yan
      • now, from each of you

    • 9 minutes ago
      Tobie Abad
      • gimme your top 1-3 of movies/shows you enjoy.

    • 8 minutes ago
      Dennis Ching
      • is there a specific genre in mind?

    • 8 minutes ago
      Tobie Abad
      • let's say horror/fantasy

    • 7 minutes ago
      Dennis Ching
      • labyrinth, flight of dragons and nightmare on elm street

    • 7 minutes ago
      Bj Recio
      • wait one lemme think :D

    • 6 minutes ago
      Tobie Abad
      • ok

    • 5 minutes ago
      Bj Recio
      • would sci-fi count? >.>

    • 5 minutes ago
      Tobie Abad
      • sci fi is fine, basta may fantasy/horror elements (e.g. Star wars, riddick)

    • 4 minutes ago
      Bj Recio
      • ooh, I'll put riddick in there, definitely. inception as well for the mindscrew...
      • as for #3...
      • devil's advocate. XD

    • 3 minutes ago
      Tobie Abad
      • btw, neither of you bringing a +1? heheh just checking if may third player, or people who just wanna watch?

    • 2 minutes ago
      Dennis Ching
      • not really. 7 works graveyard

    • 2 minutes ago
      Bj Recio
      • aw crap I completely forgot about that. @_@ I was going to ask someone, but at this point it may be too last-minute.

    • 2 minutes ago
      Tobie Abad
      • 7?

    • about a minute ago
      Bj Recio
      • So no for now, I'm going on my own. :)

    • about a minute ago
      Tobie Abad
      • BJ, check na rin. tomorrow pa naman eh.

    • about a minute ago
      Bj Recio
      • ah ok. I'll ask, and update you ASAP

    • a few seconds ago
      Tobie Abad
      • i'll need from you both tomorrow 1) biggest accomplishment/joy of character 2) greatest regret/fear
      • for now that's good :-)

    • a few seconds ago
      Bj Recio
      • cool. :) looking forward to tomorrow!


    So there you have it.
    I know it isn't that unique or that ground-breaking, but it is what works for me and my style of gaming.
    I wonder if I should have a session one day that's fully recorded on video.
    Maybe that can be fun?

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