MC Techniques

[radthemad4]

While browsing online I came across a concept called 'Jamming', from a 2e book called Creative Campaigns.

Jamming, used as a role-playing term, was coined in 1993 in the second edition D&D Creative Campaigning softcover supplement. Essentially, it involves allowing players to assume generic NPC roles normally assumed by the DM, such as guardsman, shopkeeper, or merchant. Typically, this technique is used to keep idle players engaged when the action involves other heroes, as described in this post. The most significant aspect of this arrangement is that whatever the players decide is fact for the NPC is indeed fact for campaign purposes, as the marginal NPC roles involved cannot significantly affect the campaign. When covering for an absent player, the DM can allow (and the players should take) greater initiative with these roles. For example, consider someone playing the role of a merchant, who is haggling over ritual components as the heroes try to resupply themselves for their ongoing adventure. Imagine that the player decides that the merchant is in league with a group of bandits in the hills that avoid the merchant’s caravans, but not those of other merchants. The arrangement with the bandits is now campaign fact; the DM, running with the idea, may decide to generate character stats for a few caravan guards and the bandit gang, and design a few encounters around caravan ambushes, which are subsequently treated as actual campaign events. Thus, when the players are all present for the next session, their characters will hear about the lost caravan(s). These events may deepen the drama for the current adventure, or present options for future adventures.

This seems like a neat idea for whenever the party splits up.

Also, I was considering making some disruptive players (i.e. attacking other party members, drawing unwanted attention to party members, putting party members in trouble to do stupid things, etc.) MC 'assistants'. They'll control one character, either one they created or assigned to them by me and basically go against the players. If they escape regularly they can be a recurring boss or something, but if not, it's not a big deal.

What techniques have you guys come across and/or made up?

[Korgan0]

Ars Magica has a really similiar idea, where in addition to each player's main mages, each player has a companion that is related to a different player's mage, along with a few one-word-desccriptor throwaway goons called grogs. This way, if there's an adventure for one of the mages, the other players can take on the roles of companions or grogs.

[shadzar]

Actually that is 100% WRONG on what Tweet designed in that chapter for "jamming" and specifies things like the barmaid, and such like that so that players NOT in the current action and scene can still take part but "no major plot point" can be used or created. only IF the DM takes over this "jammed" NPC and wants that plot or quest or whatever to exist, does it become real to the world.

the "jammed" NPC is a wholly new creation by the player to play a bit part, not an existing NPC or anything else like that. it is primarily just to let the players not in the scene take part instead of having to wait because their character is researching a sp[ell, or laid up in bed or whatever.

you should crack open the book to page 90~91 and read the section on "jamming" yourself rather than take some idiot online's word for it and bastardized version as the book actually still says DM has total control over the "jammed" character as to whether things said or done are allowed.

dogs, drunks, annoying street vendors, carnival barkers, etc are the comedic effect "jamming" is for so that EVERYONE still gets to play al the time, even when their character isnt present.

tl;dr

"jammed" character are made up new to the game for the player to play when his character cannot be present and in NO way can influence the plot. (see pages 90~91)


. http://rpgathenaeum.wordpress.com/2009/ ... y-jamming/.

if you bothered to read the link provided from the Sept 15 bit about it you would noticed this DM did NOT allow the "jammed" character to really do anything on their own but directed their actions.

Since it probably won’t take long for the DM to sort out details for the heroes who stayed at the inn, she gives the players of Silas and Hammerspark jamming cards detailing an unsavory merchant and well-informed street urchin for the upcoming scene in the bazaar, where Aedikk and Chriegan plan to resupply the party.

the DM had already written a script for those "jammed" characters with info they may have to provide to the PCs, but the info was made by THE DM, not the players of the absent PCs.

[deaddmwalking]

Or you could allow the players to introduce plot points, regardless of what 'jamming' was defined as by 'some designer'.

If your players are on the same general page as you are, this is a good thing. But if you're aiming for a particular tone, it might not work. In a grim-dark horror setting, a player that ad-libs a too-silly NPC can damage the mood. In general, I think it's easy to play such a character for laughs. If that's appropriate for the campaign, great! If not, you might want to have a couple of concrete background details for the player to base his portrayal on.

[radthemad4]

Ars Magica has a really similiar idea, where in addition to each player's main mages, each player has a companion that is related to a different player's mage, along with a few one-word-desccriptor throwaway goons called grogs. This way, if there's an adventure for one of the mages, the other players can take on the roles of companions or grogs.

That sounds pretty cool.

@shadzar:You're mostly right, except for the 100% part as

Sometimes a jamming player presents what could be an interesting side plot: a virtuous NPC in trouble, a mysterious NPC who may or may not have something of value that the PCs want, a brawl instigated by a rowdy NPC, and so on. If you are comfortable with a free-wheeling style, you can adopt these possibilities into the adventure and run with them.

However, jamming as defined in the book is pretty restrictive as you said.

Or you could allow the players to introduce plot points, regardless of what 'jamming' was defined as by 'some designer'.

I'm not that attached to the word, so I'm okay with calling it something else entirely (perhaps just having multiple characters). I'm not going to give players control of important NPCs that I'm planning on using myself, but I'm open to the idea of their uh... secondary characters or whatever becoming important to the campaign. I kinda like the idea of players making up a part of their own supporting cast, or personal rogues gallery if they roll that way.

If your players are on the same general page as you are, this is a good thing. But if you're aiming for a particular tone, it might not work. In a grim-dark horror setting, a player that ad-libs a too-silly NPC can damage the mood. In general, I think it's easy to play such a character for laughs. If that's appropriate for the campaign, great! If not, you might want to have a couple of concrete background details for the player to base his portrayal on.

Yeah, probably best to avoid it for players who might break the mood of serious campaigns. But I have a feeling that, that sort of player will break the mood even with a solo character. On the other hand, if I put a level cap for secondary characters in serious games, acting like an idiot could have unavoidable severe repercussions (e.g. imprisonment, beheading, torture, etc.) that would reinforce the mood once more.

[Lago PARANOIA]

Yeah. I don't think anything quite gets a 'holy shit' reaction like the players having a nice chat with the shopkeeper that one of the players was roleplaying then coming back the next week and finding that he was executed by the secret police. Or less gruesomely, they were discovered to be the unknown bastard prince of the dying king and were whisked off in gilded carriages to the cloud castle.

[shadzar]

Imagine that the player decides that the merchant is in league with a group of bandits in the hills that avoid the merchant’s caravans, but not those of other merchants. The arrangement with the bandits is now campaign fact

only IF the DM takes over this "jammed" NPC and wants that plot or quest or whatever to exist, does it become real to the world.

@shadzar:You're mostly right, except for the 100% part as

Sometimes a jamming player presents what could be an interesting side plot: a virtuous NPC in trouble, a mysterious NPC who may or may not have something of value that the PCs want, a brawl instigated by a rowdy NPC, and so on. If you are comfortable with a free-wheeling style, you can adopt these possibilities into the adventure and run with them.

no, said the IF. the blog itself makes it seem as though the DM is REQUIRED to include this NPC created material. it is poorly phrased in the blog that you quoted that is more recent, but he explained it clearer in the one from 2 years prior.

---

i am still trying to figure out your question since you ring up "jamming". it involves absent character in a scene, is that waht you are asking about or something else a DM does that may be unorthodox?

[radthemad4]

Yeah. I don't think anything quite gets a 'holy shit' reaction like the players having a nice chat with the shopkeeper that one of the players was roleplaying then coming back the next week and finding that he was executed by the secret police. Or less gruesomely, they were discovered to be the unknown bastard prince of the dying king and were whisked off in gilded carriages to the cloud castle.

Reminds me of a particular death in both Full Metal Alchemists, man that was a gut punch. I have a feeling players will probably care more about NPCs they made up or briefly controlled. Something like this could lead to an interesting rescue arc.

i am still trying to figure out your question since you ring up "jamming". it involves absent character in a scene, is that waht you are asking about or something else a DM does that may be unorthodox?

The second thing. I'm asking about interesting techniques that game masters can use for their games. I brought up jamming as an example.

[shadzar]

well for D&D just add any non-D&D type rule to shake things up.

these sort of things work best in TSR-era D&D without nonsense like WBL and such where the party has more money than hookers and can set up their own stronghold or keep or whatever.

say they are traveling a ways off and you don't really have a reason for them to be damage in any way during the journey. maybe you are just tired of the bandit attacks and such....

As you set of on your adventure it will take 2 weeks to get to the city of Townshireville. the villagers wave by and the parade ends as you ride off.

now hand each of them a new character sheet of several of the villagers of their own keep that they will play while their real character are traveling, and these mundane characters will fight the bandits and critters while the PCs are gone.

YES it is different!, because not all the villagers have to live. they may have to spend some of the parties funds to hire help or even hire another adventuring party to help defend. who knows what really would happen, but it lets the PC players see that the lives of their stronghold denizens are real and not jsut set dressing and interesting as well. then when they return from the latest adventure and find newly built buildings or that their gold has been spent, they cannot blame DM fiat on the expense but themselves because they KNOW why it all happened!

this is also good for sailing voyages if you don't want to try to create some kind of naval warfare system, or if you just want to take a break from the big super plot of a game and play some lower level characters or whatever. just the PCs stronghold is ripe with adventure and intrique as well.


now toss in the "jamming" concept and add the "whatever happens goes" into full affect and you may have villagers leave the stronghold, or plot to overthrow the PCs when or BEFORE they return! but would your players really do this to themselves for the fun?

where systems have funky WBL, you cold just build another city far away an re-enact a scene from another game the players were in, but this time they are the major townsfolk and get to control them, while you paly their old characters and try to keep the game going in the way it originally did until they realize WHY it is they may be remembering these events.

these also work when you have an absent player, not just absent character. hell one of them might even be suggests in CC. this way the other players can keep playing without leaving Jeff out because he had to stay home with little Billy who is sick.

another idea for another town concept is fast-forward to a later town in the game that has a bunch of exposition and let the players play another set of adventurers in it that will die or something, but this will allow your players to SEE what happens as they wil be informed later when their real character reach the town.

DM: you ride up to Townshireville and the gates are busted open.
Player A: CAn we tell if there was a fight here?
DM: Remember back in march when Jeff had to stay home? This is the town you were all in and the event that happened are the same as then. ANY NPC you meet will tell you the same story you already know.

the plothooks were planted LONG ago for this area now.


now if you do all of these things it can get kind of interesting. have the PCs on the way to Townshireville while the players play their stronghold villagers for one week. then switch to Townshireville to let the players play out some characters there, and at the end of that second week...

"You see a group of people riding hard and fast towards the entrance gates!"

now the PCs have caught up to the town itself and get to switch bodies while the people they had just been playing become NPCs.

it can either be interesting or very confusing, or BOTH!

[radthemad4]

That sounds awesome and is the sort of thing I was hoping to do. Looking forward to trying it out.

it can either be interesting or very confusing, or BOTH!

I'll be aiming for both.

[shadzar]

well if you do have the PCs ride up on the minor PCs and want to add tension, have the PCs see the minor PCs slain before there eyes int he new town. this can keep the action going, and the plot running that was had there, and then no fear of having to worry bout those minor PCs being used again.

also if running the stronghold type, dont forget that wealth can come IN not jsut go out, and either more funds grace the PCs treasury when they return, or their stronghold might be a bit over populated when they return as new followers have come lined up to take part in the epic adventures of PC Party!

this way the steward of the stronghold had already chosen some extra guards and followers based on the PCs required qualifications so that you don't have to bother rolling morale or for followers/henchmen/hirelings.

the stronghold was VERY powerful in pre-WotC D&D because of all these possibilities, it allowed say the PCs to one day retire, and from all those other people under them you could start a new adventure int he same world and keep going with new threats local and global, and maybe the PCs become so powerful that they become a kindgom of their own.

there is so many thing you can do, it isnt even funny.

if careful you can run two groups of players through the same world using the stronghold. literally 2 different groups of players, not just PCs. you just have to keep them relatively at the same time. this is something the RPG sort of failed at even with cons because they just had ADVENTURE that everyone got to play in, rather than WORLD that saw all these character playing in. like a DM would run one area or "zone" to borrow from MMOs.

might be fun for a LGS to try sometime...

any more specific crazy ideas you need something for just keep asking.

[radthemad4]

Thanks, I've got enough to run at least a few games I think, but you can never have too many ideas. You can mess up trying to cram too many ideas at once, but if you can resist that temptation, the more ideas the better. Bring em on.

[shadzar]

hope it goes well. would be fun to hear what kind of craziness your player put themselves through.

[radthemad4]

Thanks. We don't play as often as I'd like, but I'll post if anything that sounds like it'll make an interesting read happens.