Angels & Operators Post-Game Analysis (Part II)

[robin_d_laws]

While devising choices I didn’t try to strategize too much or predict which choices the group would make. I simply tried to come up with the five most likely choices Steve might make given the narrative circumstances. Often it became apparent to me minutes after voting opened how it was going to go. “Of course!” I would think to myself, suddenly

Comments

[owen_stephens]

If such a book included your thoughts about the game, including game design decisions, I'd happily shell out real money for it. Say, something in the $20 range.

[anonymous]

Out of curiosity, do you think it would have been possible to succeed in discovering Pierce's secret and bringing him to justice while still behaving in a wholly sane and rational manner?

[robin_d_laws]

It's what I expected would happen, after Steve went off his meds.

[robin_d_laws]

Correction: it's what I expected would happen when Steve went back on his meds.

Yeesh. Talk about typing the exact opposite of what I meant.

[sdharing]

Really? I found Steve on his meds to be a timid, directionless loser. Only Steve off his meds had the balls to take down the bad guys.

[doccross]

Another thought would be to create a truly plotless play-by-blog, perhaps one in which the protagonist is trying to build something, or complete an exploration, or engage in some other open-ended task.

This could have some really fun possibilities. Hmmmm. You've got me thinking now. Maybe after GenCon, I'll try my hand at this play by blog deal.

[mytholder]

I'm going to try to find time to start a "you're colonists on an alien planet - what do you do" play-by-blog.

[uncledark]

I don't think I'd want a "choose your own adventure" kind of thing, but I would love an analysis of the game, and its implications for roleplaying in general.

Loose ends and opinions

[luagha]

1. I think your phrase 'the uncooperative protagonist' is really a brilliant one for this sort of experience (and has other uses I can think of, both in terms of gamemaster-player and player-charactersheet). I found that the writing style seemed designed to omit details that could be used clarify matters (and 'prove' sanity or insanity). I also found that quite often none of the five choices were anything close to what I would choose or design, either in the tactical phases or in the styles of discussion phases

Re: Loose ends and opinions

[robin_d_laws]

The nurse was real, but Steve was interpreting his interactions with her in a hallucinatory way. His subconscious was telling him to deal directly with Pierce, his own treatment be damned, and so conjured her as a figure of menace.

This implies that the underlying truth of Steve's schizophrenic instincts is not quite as reliable or clear-cut as the conclusion makes them out to be.