When you read a new PbtA game, what makes you read a move (basic, player, otherwise) and think “Yes!”?
EDIT: On the flip side, what makes you think “Meh…”?
When you read a new PbtA game, what makes you read a move (basic, player, otherwise) and think “Yes!”?
When you read a new PbtA game, what makes you read a move (basic, player, otherwise) and think “Yes!”?
If it reveals the essence of the setting / playbook to me and by doing so teaches me something about the world.
If it reveals the essence of the setting / playbook to me and by doing so teaches me something about the world.
If it is a new type of move that I can use as a template.
If it is a new type of move that I can use as a template.
When it’s phrased in a way that has several meanings and depth.
When it’s phrased in a way that has several meanings and depth.
Ditto Marshall
Ditto Marshall
When it is hard to pick between the options
When it is hard to pick between the options
When it makes something about the game deeper, or more interesting, or reveals something about the powerset of the character and how to play it.
When it makes something about the game deeper, or more interesting, or reveals something about the powerset of the character and how to play it.
Meh: it’s just Act Under Fire or some other AW/DW move with a different stat.
Meh: it’s just Act Under Fire or some other AW/DW move with a different stat.
Meh: +1 modifiers.
Meh: +1 modifiers.
Yes: Does in one move what most games would do in four.
Yes: Does in one move what most games would do in four.
Meh: highly specific circumstances that limit the possible uses
Meh: highly specific circumstances that limit the possible uses
Meh: “On a 6- [something other than an MC move].”
Meh: “On a 6- [something other than an MC move].”
Meh: one more combat move in a system which didn’t imply in its description such an emphasis on combat.
Meh: one more combat move in a system which didn’t imply in its description such an emphasis on combat.
When I hits something genre appropriate that recolored AW moves don’t. (Escape in Urban Shadows, for instance)
When I hits something genre appropriate that recolored AW moves don’t. (Escape in Urban Shadows, for instance)
This may just be me, but I appreciate when a move has a clever name (The Sprawl’s “Acquire Agricultural Property”).
This may just be me, but I appreciate when a move has a clever name (The Sprawl’s “Acquire Agricultural Property”).
I like when the moves in a playbook interact in interesting ways. You usually can’t take all of them in your character’s play-life, and if they’re well-designed with regard to one another, you can say some cool stuff about genre, or achieve a lot of cool archetypes, or break apart tropes in a creatively-interesting or oppression-busting ways.
I like when the moves in a playbook interact in interesting ways. You usually can’t take all of them in your character’s play-life, and if they’re well-designed with regard to one another, you can say some cool stuff about genre, or achieve a lot of cool archetypes, or break apart tropes in a creatively-interesting or oppression-busting ways.
I really like to see moves that prompt the player to add something to the story or moves that are likely to force a hard choice (not that I always write them that way).
I really like to see moves that prompt the player to add something to the story or moves that are likely to force a hard choice (not that I always write them that way).