Post by Zyraen on Mar 7, 2021 15:46:45 GMT 8
Straw Poll
For those used to my games, straw poll is when I ask players for feedback and votes, but the players PM it to me so they don't have to make their decisions known to others. This helps to reduce friction among the players as it is less obvious who disagrees with who.
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Q1. Degrees of Sandbox
Bear in mind that a Pathfinder Adventure Path, by its nature, is relatively linear due to the CR and levels and what not. However, in UB it is quite easy to sandbox a little more, as long as one is willing to accept certain level of discrepancies
eg. at Level 3 you're facing wolves, and at level 4 you're facing hell hounds, and they both feel similarly challenging (although of course with different abilities, and I can make the differences in their difficulty more stark, which I probably will anyway).
The sandbox choice will also affect me, in that my prep for each segment will necessarily be a little limited and I will wing it more often than not (which really shouldn't be a big deal, since I don't have stat blocks and abilities to look up)
A) Linear / No Sandbox. Follow the AP Order
B) Light Sandbox, the PCs get a couple of options and can do them in any order
C) Full Sandbox, the PCs uncover all that they can do and discuss what to do first
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Q2. Resistance Efforts
Separately, once you guys start organising Resistance, there will be matters relating to building and growing up the organisation, directing groups to certain efforts and random events in the city that happen. This will generally require
- setting aside a pool of gold for keeping the organisation funded, tracking it
- setting the agenda and organising teams
- more time spent discussing who to do what and making separate rolls towards separate goals
- PCs may also lead teams out to get stuff done, but the PCs may also have to accept that they end up captured and the rest have to go save them. This may mean being out-of-commission for a while and having to play an NPC
- generally means less time spent "adventuring" together as a party, or as some might put it, more table time spent doing "admin"
- note that we can also arrange the rebel activity via Whatsapp so it never quite interferes with table time, but this requires a larger amount of responsiveness than the players have demonstrated so far
Here's the options I intend to make available
A) Auto-Pilot : The actual organisation of the Resistance is left to the NPCs, such as Rex Victocora, and others that are likely to join. The PCs may set direction but don't actually actively get involved, and NONE of the above points generally happen
B) Remote Control : The organisation does its activities (where applicable) as "downtime" between table sessions over Whatsapp. The PCs nominate an overall IC and a 2IC among them, who will tackle most the above nuts-and-bolts items with relative autonomy (such as ever-sensitive funding matters). PCs may discuss what to do after a table session over Whatsapp, but if there is a lack of response (which unfortunately has been the case so far for the whatsapp group), the IC will be given the decision, and if the IC doesn't respond the 2IC will be given the decision.
C) Roleplay being Leaders : The players actually decide collectively and roleplay leading groups of NPCs at the table where required. Running the Resistance takes up actual table time, which means less time for group "adventuring" but might also mean more "personal" RP time. PCs may lead resistance groups out but likewise also risk being caught. Note if this item is chosen and the table time seems ineffectively utilised, the GM may effect a shift back to B.
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As mentioned earlier, this is a Straw Poll so PM me your responses
The following format suffices
1B 2C for example.
You can also choose to PM me that you abstain.
You can also make it a discussion in the whatsapp group, but regardless, your vote will be kept secret unless you wish it to be public. If you make a public vote for whatever reason, and it differs from what you PM me, I will use the public vote.
For those used to my games, straw poll is when I ask players for feedback and votes, but the players PM it to me so they don't have to make their decisions known to others. This helps to reduce friction among the players as it is less obvious who disagrees with who.
=====
Q1. Degrees of Sandbox
Bear in mind that a Pathfinder Adventure Path, by its nature, is relatively linear due to the CR and levels and what not. However, in UB it is quite easy to sandbox a little more, as long as one is willing to accept certain level of discrepancies
eg. at Level 3 you're facing wolves, and at level 4 you're facing hell hounds, and they both feel similarly challenging (although of course with different abilities, and I can make the differences in their difficulty more stark, which I probably will anyway).
The sandbox choice will also affect me, in that my prep for each segment will necessarily be a little limited and I will wing it more often than not (which really shouldn't be a big deal, since I don't have stat blocks and abilities to look up)
A) Linear / No Sandbox. Follow the AP Order
B) Light Sandbox, the PCs get a couple of options and can do them in any order
C) Full Sandbox, the PCs uncover all that they can do and discuss what to do first
=====
Q2. Resistance Efforts
Separately, once you guys start organising Resistance, there will be matters relating to building and growing up the organisation, directing groups to certain efforts and random events in the city that happen. This will generally require
- setting aside a pool of gold for keeping the organisation funded, tracking it
- setting the agenda and organising teams
- more time spent discussing who to do what and making separate rolls towards separate goals
- PCs may also lead teams out to get stuff done, but the PCs may also have to accept that they end up captured and the rest have to go save them. This may mean being out-of-commission for a while and having to play an NPC
- generally means less time spent "adventuring" together as a party, or as some might put it, more table time spent doing "admin"
- note that we can also arrange the rebel activity via Whatsapp so it never quite interferes with table time, but this requires a larger amount of responsiveness than the players have demonstrated so far
Here's the options I intend to make available
A) Auto-Pilot : The actual organisation of the Resistance is left to the NPCs, such as Rex Victocora, and others that are likely to join. The PCs may set direction but don't actually actively get involved, and NONE of the above points generally happen
B) Remote Control : The organisation does its activities (where applicable) as "downtime" between table sessions over Whatsapp. The PCs nominate an overall IC and a 2IC among them, who will tackle most the above nuts-and-bolts items with relative autonomy (such as ever-sensitive funding matters). PCs may discuss what to do after a table session over Whatsapp, but if there is a lack of response (which unfortunately has been the case so far for the whatsapp group), the IC will be given the decision, and if the IC doesn't respond the 2IC will be given the decision.
C) Roleplay being Leaders : The players actually decide collectively and roleplay leading groups of NPCs at the table where required. Running the Resistance takes up actual table time, which means less time for group "adventuring" but might also mean more "personal" RP time. PCs may lead resistance groups out but likewise also risk being caught. Note if this item is chosen and the table time seems ineffectively utilised, the GM may effect a shift back to B.
=====
As mentioned earlier, this is a Straw Poll so PM me your responses
The following format suffices1B 2C for example.
You can also choose to PM me that you abstain.
You can also make it a discussion in the whatsapp group, but regardless, your vote will be kept secret unless you wish it to be public. If you make a public vote for whatever reason, and it differs from what you PM me, I will use the public vote.