From: Leon von Stauber <[l--on--s] at [ccwf.cc.utexas.edu]> Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy Subject: Axes: Campaigns 1.1 (LONG) Date: 11 Oct 1995 21:22:29 GMT This is a posting of the contents of the Web pages starting at http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~leonvs/rpgCampaign.html for those without WWW access. It won't be pretty, but here goes. Axes Classification of Campaigns and of GM Preferences Version 1.1 Intro and Acknowledgments This is a system of classification of RPG gamemastering styles. It's pretty much entirely a summation of other people's ideas, drawn from discussions on rec.games.frp.advocacy, hopefully presented in a manner that will clarify, rather than obscure, the issues. It draws especially heavily on the ideas of Rodney Payne. The vestiges of the ol' plot/world business is still in here: I can't remember if that was John Kim's, or if he was summarizing someone else's ideas. The Diagetic setting issues here were spurred by Mary Kuhner's original "romantic/realistic" contrast. Kevin Hardwick is responsible for making clear to me the Template dramatic technique, and for helping me refine some of the terms. And of course, all of the people engaged in the discussions on r.g.f.a. have added immeasurably to the exposition and value of these ideas. (Please remind me if I've left anyone out! My memory's not so good, and it's even worse with names! :-) This system is intended to classify individual campaigns. It can also be used to rate general GM tendencies and preferences. That having been said, onward we go! Outline Preparation Detail Script Setting Drama Template Individual Theme Diagesis Fantasy Heroism Conflict Improvisation Direction Mechanism Metagame Authorship Length Campaign Preparation Axes: Campaigns 1.1 The Preparation issues deal with setup of the campaign. They describe the kind of preparation a GM does. They deal fairly directly with the motivations and limitations behind the preparation for a campaign. NB: This scheme presumes in its descriptions a simplistic pattern of game design followed by game play, and never the twain shall meet. Of course, this doesn't actually exist, but the system should still hold for the normal routine of design/play/design-while-playing/design-some-more/play/design/etc. Detail Setting Axis 10-| / 9-| Setting / 8-| -oriented / 7-| / 6-| / 5-| / 4-| / Script 3-| / -oriented 2-| / 1-|/ 0-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| Script Axis 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 The distance along each axis measures the amount of preparation of that sort that was done for a campaign. (This is usually limited by the amount of time the GM has to spend.) Campaigns with more time spent on Setting design than on Script fall into the upper left of the graph, and are termed "Setting-oriented". Campaigns which fall into the lower right are termed "Script-oriented". (For those of you with a background in physics, this is analogous to the definition of spacelike and timelike events on a relativistic spacetime diagram.) The origin (0,0) of this graph is pretty much meaningless -- it indicates no preparation of any kind. "10" on either of these axes represents some sort of humanly achievable limit on the amount of preparation. Setting preparation is typified by a wealth of NPCs, detailed histories, copious maps, background events, and the like. The Setting-oriented campaign provides for a broad range of PC actions, but doesn't lay out consequences too far into the future. Script preparation concentrates on relevant plot elements, possible outcomes of PC choices, and NPCs as sources of motivation. A Script-oriented campaign sets up a more limited decision space for the PCs, but maps the outcomes of those decisions in more detail. In short, a Setting-oriented campaign requires a greater breadth of preparation, while a Script-oriented campaign emphasizes depth. Drama Individual Axis 10-| / 9-| Individual / 8-| -oriented / 7-| / 6-| / 5-| / 4-| / Template 3-| / -oriented 2-| / 1-|/ 0-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| Template Axis 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 These axes measure the degree to which the Script and Setting preparation hinge on the "dramatic necessities" of the PCs. Basically this describes how much the Script/Setting hook into and are dependent upon elements of the PCs' personalities and backgrounds. A "0" on either axis means that Script & Setting are designed completely without reference to the PCs that will be involved. A "10" describes preparation that is based entirely on PC considerations. This, of course, means that a lightly Dramatic game would probably have the GM design Script & Setting long before the players make up characters, while the very heavily Dramatic game requires knowledge of already-made (or nearly so) PCs. Preparation influenced by Individual Drama concentrates on the backgrounds and motivations of PCs considered as separate, um, ... individuals, whereas a Template-oriented approach treats the PCs as part of a unified group upon which generic Dramatic techniques may be employed (e.g. a military company, a ship's crew, or a traveling circus). Theme |-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| Thematic Axis 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 This weighs the influence of Thematic elements (such as betrayal, kinship, honor, the glory/ignominy of war, etc.) on campaign preparation. "0" - No consideration of thematic elements "10" - Campaign design is completely driven by Thematic considerations. Campaign Diagesis Axes: Campaigns 1.1 These are also issues for campaign design, but they deal with what the GM prepares. They describe the characteristics of the campaign or setting. (The word "diagetic" is purported to mean setting-related; confirmation of this is still being sought.) Fantasy Realistic |-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| Fantastic 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 This is a measure of the extent to which a setting abides by the same physical, sociological, and psychological rules that govern the real world. (Of course, we may not all completely agree on what those are!) "0" - Faithful model of reality Example: This is something scientists are still trying to achieve! "10" - Outlandishly fantastical setting which violates everything we know about how the world works Example: Lovecraft's stories set in the Dreamlands come close. Heroism Nihilistic |-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| Heroic 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Will the PCs prevail against overwhelming odds? Or are the PCs doomed, and it's only a matter of time? "0" - "Abandon hope, all ye who enter here." Example: Call of Cthulhu "10" - The PCs almost can't lose. Example: 4-color supers campaigns Conflict Mundane |-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| Conflictual 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Is the setting rife with conflict (war, political intrigue, famine, religious conflict, etc.)? Or are things pretty quiet, and it's up to the PCs to find something interesting to do? "0" - "Doesn't anything ever happen around here?" Example: Kansas "10" - "Whoa! Slow down!" Examples: Bosnia, early 15th-century Europe, cyberpunk settings Note on Terminology: "Mundane" seems to imply "boring", which is not really the intent. Campaign Improvisation Axes: Campaigns 1.1 These two axes are the only ones that really deal with in-play decision-making. Direction Natural |-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| Directed 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 This is an important one. It measures the degree to which the GM takes a hand to maintain the levels of parameters established during campaign design. In a Directed game, the GM makes a conscious attempt to keep things Dramatic, to keep the Script on track, to make sure the Conflict level stays high, etc., perhaps giving up some setting consistency in order to do so. In a Naturally GMed campaign, the GM will interpret and respond to PC actions in the way that seems most likely and consistent, given the particular setting, even if some Drama is lost or the Script is derailed. "0" - Any way the campaign goes is fine. "10" - Complete railroading Note on Terminology: A Natural GMing style is the primary component of what's known as "simulationism". Mechanism Freeform |-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| Mechanical 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 This is a measure of how willing the GM is to bend or break the rules in favor of game considerations. It's sort of a game-mechanically-oriented form of the Direction axis. "0" - "Dice? What dice? And did you say something about a rule book?" "10" - The GM will beat rules lawyers to the punch. "The dice are always right." Note on Terminology: "Mechanical" is a terrible term. Note on Terminology: "Freeform" has been used to describe rules-light game systems, which is not quite the same usage as this. That is, a Freeform GM could use a rules-intensive system and just not pay much attention to the rules, or a Mechanical GM could go by the letter in a rules-light system. If "Freeform" as applied to game systems is commonly used, this may cause some confusion. Campaign Metagame Axes: Campaigns 1.1 These relate to things external to the game setting or story. Authorship Troupe |-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| Auteur 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 This is a measure of how much authorial control is in the hands of one person. "0" - Equal control among all participants (perhaps no GM as such) "10" - No meaningful player input ("control freak" GMs) Length One-Shot |-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| Long-Term 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 While this seems pretty straightforward, I'm not sure what the exact correlation between a number on the axis and a real duration should be, if there even is an exact correlation. Also, is this more useful in measuring the time that has already passed in a campaign, or the length as planned by the GM? "0" - You talk, maybe make up characters, and never play. "10" - The campaign started in 1973, and never quit. _____________________________________________________________ Leon von Stauber <[l--on--s] at [ccwf.cc.utexas.edu]> http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~leonvs/ University of Texas, Computation Center Consulting Services "We have not come to save you, but you will not die in vain!"