The next episode of my Spycraft campaign went off pretty well. The group, having been briefed on the mission at the end of the previous meeting, had devised a Cunning Plan to bypass the bother of the first Scene. Which, actually, was (a) encompassed by the module’s writers (huzzah) and (b) quite reasonable. So it worked, and the first scene only ran about an hour. Would have been less, but, y’know, role-playing and all that, not to mention rampant paranoia. Had it actually been a Living Spycraft table it would have been two rolls and ten minutes and on to the next scene.
Scene 2 went pretty well. The party took an approach that was tentative but reasonable (the module text implied it shouldn’t have worked, but that didn’t make any sense at the time), ending in some very dramatic, cinematic, and enjoyable bits, courtesy of the players. And since it let the main action progress as “planned,” it was all good.
My sole regret about Scene 2 was that I neglected to drop in a little “business” that would have had at least one player … worried. Ah, well, it can be dropped in some other time. Soon.
Scene 3 remains, and since it’s unlikely to take up an entire session, I’ll need to have the following module prepped for it.
The biggest change for me, GMing, was my use of a personal Wiki (using WikiServer) to organize and run the module. This didn’t go quite as smoothly as I would have liked, though I’m not sure why. I may not have the organizational stuff down yet (do you break the character sheet onto a different page from the character description? I can argue it both ways), and that was a bit hampered by a relatively crude Wiki implementation. Part of it may just be that I’m still looking for the “right” combination between fast and easy cross-links (as in a Wiki) and a cardfile metaphor (as in the previous tools I’ve used).
I changed the way I was handling Action Dice awards a bit, going more toward providing cinematic experience points rather than table entertainment. I think that worked okay, though I’m still concerned I’m not being consistent (esp. with characters who are inherently cinematic — though, really, what character can’t be?). Practice, practice, practice …
Too bad…
Considering the level of Paranoia on the other side of the table, dropping a little “business” would have paid off handsomely.
The new way of doing AD is much better, and you are doing a better job of handing them out. Plus, it makes for a more entertaining style of play, with “good crunchy bits” (to borrow from Dork Tower).
Plus, I find it funny that Dylan is paranoid of letting Lou and Gozi go off on their own because of the problems they might cause.
Lou and Gozi…Mayhem, Inc.
Yeah. It was a “moment” that couldn’t be fit into the pre-scripted plot, but depended on one character being off by themselves in relative quiet for a few moments. There were actually some good moments at the club when that would have worked (in retrospect), but at the time I was busy juggling what folks were doing. Of course.
Hmmm. I could go back and retcon it in, but it might have changed some actions, so perhaps not.
Ah, well. It’s not time-dependent, so it can fit in later. 🙂