GM: Sean Nittner
System: Primetime Adventures
We’ve had two PTA game that I haven’t covered. Work has been busier, my personal life more hectic and my reflections fewer and further between.
I’m wrapping up the end of Kevin’s spotlight episode where he found that there was just no joy in crushing Silas (and coincidentally Silas found that Transformers and Care Bears are weak, to be strong one must follow the code of Joe, as in the G.I.). Also this includes the first half of Mr. Bawl’s spotlight, focusing on commitment.
What rocked
As usually, I find the antics of the show what brings me back to the game. Vern’s “in my time” talks, Kevin’s over the top pranks and Mr. Bawls ability to look past it all and ignore the ridiculousness of it all. In short, the players are awesome.
I think the fan mail distribution has been flowing smoother. We’re quicker to dish it out, use it and get it back into the cycle. The moving of fan mail is really critical to the excitement of the game.
Some of the NPCs have really become interesting. I have to say that I really like Richard (he’s a total douche), Borris the Paintball Dodger (he’s a communist Jayne) and even Silas (just because he’s such a toadstool). Eva, Juan, Gerald, and the Drug Dealers, however I still haven’t figured out what to do with. I’m working on it. My fear with the drug dealers is not being a Jay and Silent Bob rip off, but as is now, they are just a bunch of stupid stoners. More to come I’m sure.
What could have been improved
I think episodes really need theme to serve as a backbone when the character development isn’t going anywhere. The theme can be really minor but it needs to be something that anyone in the episode can touch on. In the last two the theme has been tacked on as the game started. First it was Mr. Bawls’ birthday but really only Kevin interacted with that. In the current episode it’s Eva’s ex-girlfriend comes back to town to make up with her, but so far only Vern has interacted with her. We’ll see if that gets more interesting and I’ll try to make sure we’ve pick a theme we all like before the show starts next time.
Somewhat flat stakes. The first set of stakes, on the start of the spotlight no less, were “will you take your job seriously and go look to see we’re low on stock.” It tackled both Bawls’s commitment issues (his girlfriend and his job) but it still felt very “meh”. I was looking for a way to spice it up, but got nothing.
All your narratives belong to me. As the cards had it I narrated every scene in the last game. That isn’t horrible but I really prefer to spread the narration rights around as I think the stories are funnier and more engaging the more people take part in telling them. Luck (or unluck) of the draw.
