Collaborative Storytelling System

[causative]

This post describes a general system for collaborative storytelling with elements of roleplaying. It is compatible with many different story settings.


An Action Log lists the actions for the story in the order they began. Each line of an Action Log looks like this:

Action Number | Action Name | Expected Outcome | Approximate Duration | Affected Actions | Start Time and Location | Reason for Expected Outcome | Final Outcome


Many fields are optional. Here's an example:

34 | the Clown steals the emerald locket | success | seconds | _ | Fairgrounds, afternoon | the clown got close by looking innocent | success

35 | Dave fights the Clown | Dave wins | a few seconds | 34 | _ | Dave's combat (3) vs. clown's combat (1) | clown escapes

36 | the Clown throws a smoke bomb to escape | Success (clown escapes with locket) | a second | 35 | _ | Clown's Stealth (3) vs Dave's Speed (2) |


To create a collaborative story, players propose, discuss, and record lines in the Action Log.

Steps to Record a New Action

• STATEMENT: say what you want to have happen. This can be something your character does (throw the beetle into the lock mechanism) or something that happens to your character (the police show up).
• OBJECTION: Players discuss whether the action will begin at all.
  • Does another player want to propose an action that starts before this one?
  • Should another action finish before this one starts?
  • Is the action against the character's personality?
  • Is the character still busy with something else?
  • Does the character lack items needed to perform the action?
  • Is there any other reason the action cannot begin?
• RECORDING: Assuming the action is OK with the other players, the player who proposed the action records it in the Action Log. At this stage he should fill in at least Action Number and Action Name. Action Number should increase sequentially. If it's not obvious from context, the player also fills in Approximate Duration and/or Start Time and Location. If the action interrupts or continues some other action or actions, fill in the Affected Actions field.
• REVISION: Players may now want to revise aspects of the action.
  • Should the action have a different Approximate Duration?
  • Should the action have a different Start Time or Location?
  • Is the Affected Actions field correct?
  • Is there now a reason to object to the action? (as in step 2).
• OUTCOME: Players decide on the expected or likely outcome of the action. This outcome is not set in stone; later actions may interrupt this action and change its outcome. Fill in the Expected Outcome field. If you want to be specific, also record the Reason for Expected Outcome field.
  • Easy actions such as loading a rifle are expected to succeed.
  • Hard actions such as winning a race against strong opposition are expected to fail.
  • Many actions can be viewed as a contest between two stats. A fight might involve the Combat stats of each fighter. The higher stat wins, but players may argue why one stat should get a bonus or penalty in the specific circumstance. If the stats are equal, it can be a stalemate with neither side winning, or flip a coin.
  • Optionally, players may agree to roll a 6-sided die for intermediately difficult actions. Players can vote on the minimum required roll to succeed. Use the median of the votes, then roll the die.

Steps to Finish an Action

• STATEMENT: Pick an action previously begun and recorded in the Action Log, which is now due to finish and give a final result.
• OBJECTION: Are there any other actions other players want to begin or finish before this action finishes? If so, the action does not finish yet.
• FINAL OUTCOME: Take into account all actions that affected this action. Use these to determine the Final Outcome of the action, and record this on the line for the action. If the Final Outcome of the action is the same as the Expected Outcome, you can just abbreviate it with an equal sign (=) for the Final Outcome.
• AFFECTED ACTIONS: Look over the action log and verbally reiterate which other pending actions were affected by this action's completion. Record this action as affecting the other actions, if that's not already recorded.

Also, if the story has progressed beyond the time when an action would reasonably be expected to finish, it can be assumed to have finished even if no one thought to record that it did.

A Word on Consensus
These instructions often require "the group" to determine the answer to some question. If your group is close knit enough that this is no problem, good. But for mortals who have disagreements, here is a consensus process to resolve them. Players take turns presenting their case without interruption (use a talking stick if you want). They can discuss back and forth a couple times, moderated by the GM (Game Master). Players should maintain respect for each other during the debate - never insult or interrupt someone just because they disagree. Then, all players indicate their vote. If there is not unanimous consensus, the decision falls to the GM.

Upcoming

• Full explanation of a stats system meant to be used with the Action Log
• The concept of Plot Devices: actions which are unlikely and ordinarily would fail, but succeed for the good of the story, due to a character's Destiny.

[JonSetanta]

This might work best as a card game.

[causative]

Plot Devices
The above instructions have dealt only with what is likely or expected. Sometimes, that's not enough. Sometimes, an unlikely thing must happen for the good of the story.

For example, Captain Gallant Main Protagonist has been tied to a chair by Mr. Lowlife Scum, Esq. Mr. Scum has just initiated the action of shooting Gallant in the head at point blank range. If Gallant dies, the whole story is ruined. So we can allow an awfully unlikely action to save him. Luckily for Gallant, Lieutenant Love, Lady Adventurer, dives into the room just at the crucial instant and shoves Scum's arm so he misses. In the action log, it looks like this:

134 | Scum shoots Gallant | Gallant dies | seconds | _ | the university, 8 pm | can't miss | prevented by Love
135 | Love shoves Scum | Scum misses | seconds | 134 | _ | plot device | _

Any player may call on a plot device as justification for the Statement, Objection, and Outcome phases of initiating an action.

WARNING DANGER WARNING
Plot devices ought to be used sparingly. The story can become unbelievable, or worse, boring, if you use too many. Here are some guidelines on when not to use them.

• A plot device is not always in order when a protagonist is about to die. Only indispensible protagonists get that privilege. If it was Sergeant Faithful Lancer tied to the chair, his death might provide emotional fuel for Gallant to get revenge.
• If Mr. Scum was only going to disfigure Gallant by slashing his face, a plot device would not be in order. The story can continue - indeed, it's made more interesting by Gallant's wounds. Wounds add flavor to the story, when they don't lead inexorably to death.
• Always look for the most likely way to preserve the story. Suppose Gallant and Scum get into a fistfight on an overpass, and it turns out Scum is a much better boxer than Gallant. One option would be to use a plot device and have Scum slip on a patch of ice, hit his head and get knocked unconscious. However, an expert boxer like Scum would be wary of his footing, and also it might be bad for the story for a major villain like Scum to get taken out so easily. It would be better, and more believable, for Gallant merely to take a few painful bruises and run away, with no plot device needed.
• Plot devices can't do the impossible, only the unlikely.

So what are some situations that can justify plot devices?

• If a main protagonist is about to die, a plot device can save him.
• If a main villain is about to die before he's had a chance to make the story interesting, a plot device can save him.
• If a main villain is about to achieve his main, unthinkably evil goal which the protagonists have been working to prevent, a plot device can stop or delay him.
• During exposition, plot devices can be used for coincidences to bring the characters together and set up the plot.
• If the story seems to have become stuck (e.g. it's a detective story and the detective has run out of clues), a plot device can be used to get it moving again.
• Plot devices can be used to demonstrate character traits.
  • If a character is established as a desperate survivor, a plot device can save his life (even if he's not a main protagonist or villain). Remember, "staying alive" is not the same as "winning" - losing a limb is surviving.
  • A plot device can be used to bring good luck to a character established as very lucky (usually in a humorous vein).
  • If a character is established as very prepared, he could use a plot device to have just the right small, simple item in his pack at a crucial time, even if this item was not mentioned before.

One last tip: before initiating an action which will likely require a plot device to stop it, such as Scum shooting Gallant, think and talk about the options and consequences. If a plot device would be needed but all options are too implausible, maybe you'd better not initiate that action.

[causative]

This might work best as a card game.

I guess you're thinking of actions that can counter other actions, like the stack in Magic The Gathering. That's one element of it, but this system is meant to be very informal. It would be interesting if you could adapt it to cards, though.