Ran my 3rd session of the Sprawl last night.(first session following a character dying and the group failing a mission, players are cool with that happening) Still trying to get the hang of moving legwork and action clocks. After the game last night, while talking with the characters, we fell in the idea of scene clocks. The help both me and them gauge how the scene is shaping up. Does anyone do this? Any tips and hints for when I try incorporating this clock?
Ran my 3rd session of the Sprawl last night.(first session following a character dying and the group failing a…
Ran my 3rd session of the Sprawl last night.(first session following a character dying and the group failing a…
What does a scene clock track?
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Effects of that particular scene. Thinking of it now it might just be a location clock. I was mostly thinking of creating new clocks to avoid moving legwork and action clocks. A lot of what I am working through is that this is my first PbtA game either running or playing so learning curve. So I need to keep reminding myself that moving mission clocks is a hard move. I am curious about how threat clocks are used.
The scene I had in mind from my session was a black market weapon auction where the team was doing legwork. The clocks ramped up. And after the session I realized I should just have made a Auction clock to see if the team got kicked out with maybe hitting 24:00 moving legwork and action clock one tick. Or something along those lines.
I’m pretty sure the Action Clock is only for the mission. Of this black market weapons auction was part of the mission, slip ups would advance the Action Clock. If it was part of the team doing Legwork, slip ups would advance the Legwork Clock.
Yeah it was also a case that the segment of the legwork clock they moved also had “advance the action clock as a condition”. The auction had to do with legwork. I find that fictionally the legwork and action clocks should sometimes be linked.
Aren’t the Legwork Clock and Action Clock already usually linked? Like the example on page 211?
Yup. I am just running into the trouble of having my mission clocks filling too quickly. So I am looking for ways to keep the tension going with new clocks relating to things other than missions and corps. Mostly curious how others run threat and location clocks. And if anyone had used clocks for a scene. Maybe I’m making things too complicated and should just use the threat clocks for scenes too.
I guess the question I’d have there would be “for what conditions are you filling your mission clocks?” Is it every time they miss a roll? (And if so: Is there a different GM move that you could be using for some of those outcomes instead?)
I too am curious about why and when you’re filling in the Action Clock.
Missed rolls. Mostly. In this session. To be honest a lack of imagination when making MC moves if I’m being completely honest.
Fictionally most made sense but may have been to hard. I need to learn to get soft moves in and take a moment to look over directives for cues for complications.
If every missed roll means you’re advancing the Legwork or Action Clock, then yes. Those clocks are going to fill up very fast, depending on how often the dice hit the table and how badly people roll.
Rather than introducing a Scene Clock, I think you hit upon the solution; using soft moves or hard moves that don’t advance clocks.
yeah. Thanks to y’all for helping me work through it. It’s often just a question of articulating the perceived problem. In doing so got to see the actual problem. So cheers. Nice to have a sounding board for this stuff.
Being able to choose what move you make (including advancing a clock), means that clock speed is pretty much GM fiat.
Sometimes the fiction is clear and the move to make is obvious, but truth is many times several moves may fit and it ends in your hands.