In which Eddy, Dixie, and Matthew talk about the value and difficulties in using established metaplot in tabletop RPGs.
- Timothy Dalton and James Bond Jr were the best James Bonds
- What is metaplot?
- Dixie’s Vampire games
- Matthew talks about Transylvania Chronicles and too much metaplot
- Writing on a metaplot-heavy property, and how Exalted Essence deals with that
- Day Zero vs metaplot
- Players who love to delve into setting and metaplot
- “It happens no matter what” vs “it only matters when you interact with it”
- How historically accurate should you be?
- Example: Star Wars and Star Trek games
- Talk in advance and set expectations
- Explicitly changing things
- GM’s Day Sale, a Poe mashup, and Duke Rollo
- INSERT: We’re doing another five minute pitch episode!
LINKS
- GM’s Day Sale: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/featured.php?promotion_id=RPG-GMsD2020
- Legend of the Five Rings: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/257004/Legend-of-the-Five-Rings-Core-Rulebook?affiliate_id=548232
- New 52: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_52
- Marvel Super Heroes RPG: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvel_Super_Heroes_(role-playing_game)
- Disco Elysium: https://zaumstudio.com/
- Assassin’s Creed Odyssey: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassin%27s_Creed_Odyssey
- Chronicles of Darkness: Dark Eras: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/178583/Chronicles-of-Darkness-Dark-Eras?affiliate_id=548232
- Onyx Path Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theonyxpath
- Onyx Path Discord: https://discord.gg/5uckcBk
Transylvania Chronicles
- TC I Dark Tides Rising: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/2303/Transylvania-Chronicles-I-Dark-Tides-Rising?affiliate_id=548232
- TC II Son of the Dragon: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/313/Transylvania-Chronicles-II-Son-of-the-Dragon?affiliate_id=548232
- TC III Ill Omens: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/2304/Transylvania-Chronicles-III-Ill-Omens-WW2813?affiliate_id=548232
- TC IV The Dragon Ascendant: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/314/Transylvania-Chronicles-IV-The-Dragon-Ascendant?affiliate_id=548232
Comments
6 responses to “Episode 94: Metaplot – Yeah or Nah?”
I liked the podcast, one thing I’ve noticed about metaplot is that it seems to draw a lot of people who are just into a setting for the story, as opposed to the gaming. And that can be good, for drawing people into a setting, but seems a bit fractious among the fandom.
Dixie’s sound is horrible. Not sure if you address that in the episode.
It sound like is talking through two different microphones.
Thanks for tackling this subject gang!
Metaplot is often hard to talk about because people’s definitions of what it is can be quite different. You even see some shift in that throughout the Pathcast. When we talk about Metaplot at Onyx Path, we try and keep our definition to a storyline that changes the setting as it is revealed through a series of releases. A complex backstory is something we see as very different than metaplot, but then you _can_ publish in such a way so that backstory gets changed by new releases and then that blurs the line even further.
And just to clarify, I’d be Blofeld as played by Charles Grey in Diamonds Are Forever, if a Blofeld I need to be. 😉
I also have only watched the James Bond Jr cartoon and maybe one Pierce Brosnan Bond movie.
Let Us Sell You On Some Games 2
– Chronicles of Darkness in general.
– Beast: the Primordial
– Hunter: the Vigil 2e
Please 🙂
We’ll add them to the list!