Mechanics

Ech

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    • Seen Oct 30, 2018
    It seems like it's common practice for most RPs to have some gimmicks to spice up the narrative and make the experience feel more like a game as opposed to just reserving our efforts to collaborative writing. Some examples I can list right off the top of my head are levels to inhibit combat abilities and simultaneously managing a player character's growth in attribute, but there are some RPs that go out of their ways to emulate a Mafia-esque set-up to really make things more immersive as a player.

    I'm making this thread for everyone to discuss and share their opinions on implementing mechanics for RPs; do you guys think they're a creative addition that helps keep players engaged or just superfluous complications that ruin the flow of a story? If you're anywhere in between, what are your personal thoughts on the matter? Are there any mechanics you enjoy or despise? And if you ever GMed, what mechanics have you utilized?
     
    Mechanics can be cool but they're not a necessity. As long as they're done well I can enjoy them but I'm also plenty happy writing things freely.

    As a GM I just as often have few or no mechanics as I do significant ones. Mechanics I've used that come to my head are level systems like in Gunpowder and the RNG mechanics in Journey Optional.
     
    I'll argue with GP; I think mechanics are a necessity for the vast majority of RPs. They prevent the game master from imposing expectations reliant on player proactivity. An example I'll give is with the now-inactive "Mice and Magic" which encourages players' characters to become a part of a "team" and explore the setting together. The game master's proposal would be the only requirement for doing this, of course. Utilizing a mechanic that links players together somehow--out of many potential options, one could be "team benefits"; characters who exhibit teamwork and in-character collaboration have a heightened chance of discovering secret intrigue areas or influential items--helps reinforce themes or ideas a GM would want players to explore, in-turn solidified a roleplay's identity.

    Well-implemented mechanics also give players an incentive to write. I know people don't like acknowledging Off the Menu because (excuse) but its inclusion of its mechanics prove a perfect example of providing motivation, specifically through the "intrigue plots"; what's more tantalizing than the promise of uncovering some secret conspiracy as the player-driven plot unfolds? That and the incentive to earn money drives players to contribute more than a plot and background, or at least extend the game's shelf life.

    I'd say a poorly-implemented mechanic would create a divide between player knowledge and character idiosyncrasies. I actually thought this was an issue for Off the Menu: while some characters would be naturally inquisitive, able to sniff out the intrigue, others might not possess that curiosity or concern. The plots, therefore, would either be discovered through contrivance or just not found at all. Effective mechanics would balance player freedom, character uniquity, and the will of the game master to overall better a roleplaying experience.
     
    I think mechanics come with the territory. RPs need some semblance of them if the GM wishes to uphold a functional structure and reinforce the tone, after all, they're a type of game: not having an idea how you play into your own RP as a GM and improperly slapping your creation with the "sandbox" label because it's "free-form" (read: not fully fleshed out, "let's see what happens") is a mark of laziness. A lot of people think making up a world and saying "go" is all they need to run an RP, which is why a lot die almost instantaneously: the creator didn't include some way for the players to feel a sense progress or completion, or feel like they were affecting the world they existed in, or nobody could see where they were going with all this. Mechanics can help make the world feel like a living, breathing place and facilitate creative (yet fair) ways to impose challenges on your players, even if you genuinely would like to make no particular plot at all. Also, they keep shit grounded.

    Mechanics are also vital if you wish to tell a certain plotline. I've said it before and I'll say it again: roleplays are not fanfiction, we have a lovely section run by a fabulous, attentive mod if you wish to write a story within an interpretation of a franchise or a world you've created. Because while having other players explore the world you create is fun and their character's tenacity/creativity might delightfully surprise you, you can't expect them to fall perfectly into place with your intended story, and you certainly don't want to forcefully drag them through it. Mechanics can be your best friend at finding natural ways to supplement parts of your plot in the lives of your player characters that makes them feel interested or excited to pursue them. A solid rule I've found is: people want to discover via actions they think up, feel special for performing something and getting plot-related consequences whether they intended to or not, feel like their GM is reading their posts and giving a damn about the work. Make mechanics that work with your players and that make your story fluid enough for them.

    But as I've come to learn, you aren't able to to plot out every mechanic from the get-go. Sure, your baseline will probably not change, but at least in my experience (with the various RPs I've made over the years) is that certain trends with crop up that require you to streamline or expand upon what you've created, or will cause you to delete certain features all together. Be adaptable!

    The basic point is, mechanics create necessary limits. While that word sounds dirty, limits have proven to breed consistent tones and brilliant solutions to problems, facilitate fun in believable ways, and make for interesting worlds: after all, aren't we all characters in our own limited world?

    Hopefully someone gets something out of all this rambling.​
     
    Up until now I've only ever really been subject to basic level systems, which are perfectly fine if implemented correctly. However, now with tower girls I'm using a number of additional mechanics to better control the flow of the roleplay and add some extra engagement between myself and the players. One is the dungeon exploration, which will limit the free movement of characters but also add suspense and intrigue as they crawl about in search of their ladies and relics which will hopefully be a success.
     
    Let's see. I like mission-based RPs, very much like Z and Trumpets. It brings writing prompts to people in the RP in the case they get writer's block, which they often do if an RP doesn't have this sense of end in sight. I like especially how Jay and Shak is handling out the missions as it is numerous. There are even some missions that don't get chosen simply because there are other things that we could write about.

    I've also played some stats-RP before like Outbreak. I am iffy on the idea as I don't really see how I will translate a number to my character's... character. It is fun but I'd rather stick with describing how my character acts rather than assign arbitrary numbers.
     
    I think things can be done fairly, I mean we're not playing Dungeons and Dragons here. If players couldn't collaborate on who was going to win in some certain way as a GM, I'd probably try to get them to agree to let me whip up a quick and very basic system to decide it. That said, I usually won't let the players know what the system is so they don't try to game the system over focusing on their characters.
     
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