Lucas Sample, a bit too spare since the game doesn't have movie visuals to get intent across
Expanded Sample, something we can all do
Verbose Sample, something we need to avoid, because our cast size bogs down when everyone includes every detail
For reasons discussed on the chat list, the GM is asking for the post format to follow 'screenplay' style instead of other choices (detailed at the end of this entry.)
Some points to consider. Our big advantage here will be that Players nudge their PC to put the content "right on the table" where everyone can collaborate with it. Extra 'color' writing is minimized.
In the examples I share, you SEE Kenobi is disturbed by the Force but there is not an alternate stream of thoughts that other P Cs? cannot see/use. So keep this in mind. Write what your PC says, note expressions, but don't grab a lot of text space. Figure out how to cleanly get your content "on the table" so other P Cs can question or involve in the shared game space.
With a large cast, I think this will speed play and help everyone add stuff that makes the game go.
Thanks.
INT. MILLENNIUM FALCON - CENTRAL HOLD AREA
Ben watches Luke practice the lightsaber with a small "seeker"
robot. Ben suddenly turns away and sits down. He falters,
seems almost faint.
LUKE
Are you all right? What's wrong?
BEN
I felt a great disturbance in the
Force... as if millions of voices
suddenly cried out in terror and
were suddenly silenced. I fear
something terrible has happened.
Ben rubs his forehead. He seems to drift into a trance. Then
he fixes his gaze on Luke.
BEN
You'd better get on with your
exercises.
Han Solo enters the room.
HAN
Well, you can forget your troubles
with those Imperial slugs. I told
you I'd outrun 'em.
OK, Folks Another little admin chore. I am used to blending Player posts through third-person past tense. Like a story. This makes it easy to read logs on the wiki. Example-- Luke listened for some movement in the dark. Suddenly, the door opened spilling light and Han stepped in. "Hey." He stared a moment. "How come the lights are off?" This isn't the only way to do it. Do we have opinions? Bad experiences? Many games force present tense. So action is always happening right now. This form seems common. Example-- Luke: I listen. I think something's in the room. Door cycles open with burst of light. Han: "Hey. How come the lights are off?" As another case, today I drafted the opening couple pages of Tenfold's First Scene in screenplay form using George Lucas' script as a template. Example screenplay-- LUKE (listening, poised in darkness) The door suddenly cycles open with a burst of light. Han steps in. HAN "Hey. How come the lights are off?" The virtue of a screenplay form is that each Player can do scene cuts, inserts and reactions to things they know as authors but not as PCs. You also don't have to do a bunch of 'he said' per example one. Neither do you have to write smooth descriptive per example two. I've never seen a pbem done in screenplay form. Comments? Also, how do you all feel about running the pacing of our game like a mini-series, with every scene driving towards agenda and showcasing bits proposed by you folks as writers? Player A: So I need a scene where my PC talks to PC X, feeling 'em out about the mission. Player C: That's fine. I'll help. I was going to propose a montage of quick cuts where my PC talks to four PCs in series. But we don't need dialog, just a few reaction shots. It will work in later when we know how much Gear we are taking along. My guy will always unbag something another PC needs. Let me know if these ideas excite you or confuse you.
