Just some thoughts as I write away at Agenda stuff. This feels like a wildly important part, so I’m taking my time with it.
Also, other 2 play reports coming soon. Just need to get my head back in the game and move from Mechanics Corner to Table Corner.
Originally shared by Brandon Leon-Gambetta
I’ve basically started over with my Pasión de los Pasiónes agenda-writing (because apparently Pasión de los Pasiónes is based entirely upon ripping out everything and starting things over anytime I start to stall) when I realized a couple of interesting things.
1) Pasión de los Pasiónes is a low-NPC game. The focus of telenovelas is almost always upon a small group of characters that are radically interconnected. What this means for the MC is kind of strange. Normally when I’m running PbtA games I rely pretty strongly upon NPCs for MC moves (hard to do a nice strong ‘you get separated’ when they are standing in the middle of their living room with a wonderful view of the setting sun behind). That may mean a lot of moves looking like bringing other PCs into the scene, but I’m not 100% satisfied with that. I definitely need to get a list of ideas down (because this is going to have to look like a game at some point), but I think this is one of the biggest questions around Pasión de los Pasiónes.
2) The lack of strong scene-framing may have come from lack of cohesive agenda. I don’t have much to say about this one, just that it’s something I’m realizing.
3) The agenda will need to be such that it has an effect on both the audience AND the characters within the scenes. It’s an odd balance to maintain, because part of the agenda /IS/ to encourage the audience to be rowdy, raucous, and involved. How to set this up from the MC side is a little bit fiddly though, I feel like most of the Audience Reaction is drawn out by players setting the stage up. (La Dona doesn’t get out of the car, she opens the door to the car, giving El Caballero plenty of chance to help her out and look all gallant).
Just some thoughts. Back to writing.
Hasta la próxima!