[GZG] More on subplots (was: Re: RE: FT Scenarios)

Further to last email on subplot cards, please keep in mind that we
don't want too many of them to be major game-winning (or losing)
events, that then just becomes too random - you might as well have
one that says:

.................

"You can't be arsed to play tonight. Show this card to your opponent, pack up
the game and go down the pub instead. If you claim this as a win, you are
buying the drinks."
................

Now come to think of it, that's not that bad an idea.....  ;-)

But seriously, the majority of them should be relatively minor events that add
a bit of extra fun and colour to the game, without dramatically affecting the
outcome. Of course, you can juggle how much effect they have by deciding how
many "blank" subplot cards you have in the deck. If you like a very cinematic
game (in terms of style, not movement system!) you might have very few blanks,
so that active subplots become the norm rather than exception, or for a more
"serious" approach you might have lots of blanks so that an active subplot is
quite a surprise when it does occasionally occur.

Jon,

Given that we're all waiting for FT3, and including the suggestions (all or
any) included in recent mails on this, and related, topics is only going to
delay it, how about saving it all for a dedicated addition, as per the the
Fleet Books. Sounds to me that you have more than enough content to fill a
stand-alone volume.

CJ

> Jon,

Don't worry, this isn't going to delay FT3 (or not any more than everything
else that is going on, anyway!). What it may do is develop into something
useful for the game in general, and useable with FT2
or (eventually) FT3 - plenty of discussion about ideas on the list is
a good thing, and I want to encourage it - hence the contributions to
the threads and the various ideas. Development of FT3 is going on in parallel,
as and when I get the time to work on it, and the discussions on the list
often serve to keep me focussed on the subject rather than getting sidetracked
by other stuff!

Whether it ever gets used in print (in FT3 itself, in a separate
supplement, or whatever) remains to be seen - but if it gives the
folks on this list some good material to use in their games now, then that's a
good thing.

Best,